Tomb

Tomb, a world that should never have been named, has been named. A scourge that should never have been awakened, has been awakened.

The story appears in Desolate Places anthology.

A Small Sacrifice

Jon Avery, a biohacker, receives help from an ancient AI to kill the Biotech Magnates, Pluto techs that rule the arcologies. With the help of an alife, he succeeds, but then learns that the AI deceived him.

The Head of Saint Mark

The only survivor in an alien attack, Reus must deliver intelligence to the Inner League planets. Stuck on an alien station, all he needs to do is survive to fulfill his duty.

Sinister Hand

Art Apprentices in Florenzia are learning the techniques of the ancient masters, to create art without using spells. But when an accident disables one of them, he turns to the black arts.

Three Deceptions

Centuries after the wormhole collapse cutoff Xilora from the Federation, the colony is still hosting tournaments for the alien Vtara. Almion, a Johannist farscanner, must record the dreadful events taking place under the guise of the tournaments.

Alanna's Hair

DNA theft means death in a society where people live encased within individual energy suits. In love with Zac, Alanna allows her hair to grow out to please him. Hair is the stuff of fairy tales. Unfortunately, a lock of Alanna's hair leads to a tragic misunderstanding.

Divergence

When an evolutionary divergence, the growth of an extra brain, kills sixty percent of Humanity, all Brandon wants is to save his wife. Meola, like millions of others, suffers from the deadly brain compression, one of the side effects of the Divergence. A biophysicist who designs augments, Brandon learns that the survival rate is higher on Earth and near Earth. While civilization and societies are crumbling, he takes Meola from Mars to Cratown, the largest Moon Colony. Perhaps what he finds in Earth space will make a difference.

Relics

A group of Magi from all over the world travel to the Dark Continent to make a final attempt at releasing the Trapped Ones, a couple caught in a powerful Thau field for eons. The Yersi and the Monks, local chimic creatures created by the Thau Lords, prepare for war to stop the Arf from using the power of the Trapped Ones. Janna, a Life Shaper Adept from Florenzia, and Mika, a street urchin from local Cracas, must face the Arf, malevolent chimic life, to gain access to the Journey Veil.

Innocent

Spore is a penal planet inhabited by ruthless psychopaths and some of their descendents. When a spacecraft crashes onto the world, Ataki, born of a convicted criminal, rescues the sole survivor from the Ghouls. Is criminal tendency really a genetic trait passed down to offsprings? As Jon is the only innocent on Spore, Ataki wants him to survive the deadly conditions and contribute his genes to his Tribe.

Ginny

A mathematical prodigy, Caleira stumbles upon Driodom during her battle with meningitis. When an evil person attempts to hide out in Driodom, she feels compelled to prevent it. But what is the connection between her doll and Driodom?

Two Out of Three

After the months-long occupation of Ursa, a small asteroid, by the Hermits, Defense and Intelligence finally manages to send in Matt Cramer, a Special Ops agent to rescue the surviving Belters, gather intelligence, and eliminate the Hermits. Faced with the aliens' brutality, Matt finds his mission directives conflicting.