The Tiny Globule Volume 1

By C.G. Hatton

The Tiny Globule Volume 1 is the first in a series of startlingly original sci-fi short story anthologies. From grunts in alien trenches to lonely robots to alternate realities to enormous icky insects, The Tiny Globule has the lot. Fast paced action, darned good plots and great characters come together in thirteen stories by thirteen brand new authors that are sure to leave you panting in anticipation for more.
Volume 1 features stories by Daniel Durrant, Sue Anderson, Will Nett, AD Stott, CG Hatton, Anne Colledge, Graeme Wilkinson, Ian Laskey, Matthew Preston, Louise Hume, Matt Watts, Herika R Raymer and James Harris.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sixth Element Publishing
• Release date: Sep 30, 2011
• ISBN: 9781908299178

C.G. Hatton

C.G. Hatton is a writer and editor based in the North-East of England. She has a PhD in geology and a background in journalism, having worked as a sub-editor and editor at several newspapers.She has published four books in the Thieves’ Guild sci-fi/thriller series, two YA Thieves' Guild books and co-edited the Tiny Globule anthology of short sci-fi stories.She loves meringue and football (supports Tottenham Hotspur), drinks rum and listens to Linkin Park, has climbed active volcanoes, walked on the Great Wall of China, and been mugged in Brazil. She is married with two young daughters and is currently working on her seventh book.

Book preview

THE TINY GLOBULE

VOLUME 1

Edited by

CG Hatton and Graeme Wilkinson

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SMASHWORDS EDITION

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Published by Sixth Element Publishing

Arthur Robinson House

13-14 The Green

Billingham TS23 1EU

Tel: [phone]

Copyright Sixth Element 2011

EPUB ISBN 978-1-908299-17-8

Kindle ISBN 978-1-908299-18-5

The individual authors assert the moral right to be identified as the authors of this work.

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This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of these authors.

Other Smashwords titles from Sixth Element Publishing

Screw, God and the Universe by Graeme Wilkinson

Residual Belligerence (Thieves’ Guild: Book One) by CG Hatton

Disturbing Bedtime Tales by Dean Wilkinson

Home Tomorrow edited by Julian Laurence

The Flypaper – Daniel Durrant

Spice of Life – Sue Anderson

The Unwelcome Guest – Will Nett

I Need to Speak to Zach – AD Stott

Tuesday – CG Hatton

The Head of the Firm – Anne Colledge

Five Minutes (or Forever One Step Ahead) – Graeme Wilkinson

Within – Ian Laskey

Left Behind – Matthew Preston

Life on Mars – Louise Hume

Androidgynous – Matt Watts

Internment – Herika R Raymer

I’m No Scientist – James Harris

FOREWORD

Welcome to The Tiny Globule science fiction short story anthology.

Remember the days when you’d pick up a collection of stories and it would knock you on the head and leave you seeing stars with greatness and absolute originality? Well, this isn’t one of those. It’s even better!

For this, the first volume in a hopefully long-running series, we’ve collected together thirteen stories from thirteen brand new authors from all over the world. And we think you’ll agree that each one really is worth the time and effort that went into it.

We’d like to thank everyone who submitted a story, as well as our team of readers (the real people to blame if your story wasn’t included this time!) and, last but not least, we’d like to thank the man who invented Diet Coke, for he has done more than any other to help The Tiny Globule kick and splutter its way into existence.

Much love,

Sixth Element

ps. Don’t forget to send us your stories. Find out more at www.6epublishing.net

THE FLYPAPER

by Daniel Durrant

Is this seat taken? asked a tall man whom Veronica had never seen before.

Surprised, she stared at him. She knew everyone in Echo Company, and they weren’t due any new recruits. In this outfit, it was dead men’s boots – literally.

No. No, it isn’t.

Taking care not to spill his drink, he reclined on the lounger.

I never expected a posting like this. Looks like Hawaii.

Uh, yeah. Welcome to Diego Garcia. Have we met before? she said. Maybe I’ve forgotten him. She’d had problems with memory backups. Or maybe you should drink less, she thought, looking at the empty pitcher beside her.

No. I’m new. He sipped his beer. I’m replacing Frost.

Frost?

He was retired yesterday.

But he wasn’t even on deployment!

Transport crash, they said. Took out Captain Bishop, too.

Jesus. So Frost was gone. The only one who’d done more tours than her, he’d seemed like part of the furniture. That’s me, now. That’s how new kids will see me. Bishop gone too. Until they transferred a replacement Captain, she was ranking field officer.

You’ve got a day off. Use it. She resumed reading the newspaper. She liked to keep up with things, but it was getting hard. Since most of the people were unknown to her, the stories seemed meaningless. Turning the page, she caught him sneaking a sideways glance. Just ignore him. He kept looking. It’s your own fault for wearing this. He was staring. Okay, that’s rude now.

Admire that view all you like, she snapped, pointing out past the palm trees. Not this one.

Sorry. Really. But – come on – it’s not totally my fault, is it? I’m Bruce, he added.

If his smile had been less self-assured, she might have let it go. She might even have found him appealing.

Hi, Bruce. I’m Lieutenant Torrington. I suppose I should be wearing my bars, but I couldn’t find anywhere to pin ‘em. It was gratifying how fast the colour drained from his face.

Sorry, Sir. Ma’am, he stuttered, standing to attention.

Sighing, she tossed the paper away.

How many tours you in for?

Three, Ma’am.

Three? It took a moment for her rum-addled brain to catch up. You’re on a service bargain?

Yes. Ma’am.

Okay. Look, I don’t know what you did, and I don’t care. Just do your job, and we’ll be fine. Dismissed.

She turned to balance her tan. Naturally pale, she wanted a nice colour. But she never quite managed it. Every time she got close, she died.

•

Veronica’s first field command was a success. Assigned to hit United Cathayan Republic forces approaching Tehran, Gyrodynes dropped them on the outskirts of Damghan. Executing a classic ambush, they allowed the armoured brigade to enter the ruined city before attacking. Firing shoulder-launched missiles, their single NATO Company eliminated over a thousand soldiers and nearly ninety tanks.

Lieutenant, can I ask you something? Bruce asked on the flight home. She nodded. How many tours did you sign for?

Ten.

Jesus. How many done?

This is number eight.

Does it hurt?

Dying? Yeah.

I meant the tank, ma’am.

Not really, she said. She’d underestimated him; he’d performed well on his first mission. You just wake up in there. The restore is the worst part. They say the memory transfer is perfect, but it isn’t. You get things – little things – that don’t fit.

Like what?

Like chocolate. Used to love it, but now I don’t like the taste. It’s weird. It leaves you feeling like you don’t belong – like you’re living someone else’s life.

Pushing the uncomfortable thought away, she turned to address her unit.

Okay boys and girls, you did a good job today. Some news for you. This morning Iran formally entered NATO. India – what’s left of it – surrendered to the UCR. So that’s it; everyone’s joined the party. No wannabe-neutrals left. It’s gonna get rough, so unless you’ve got stuff you’d rather forget, make sure you back yourselves up every day. Go have some fun while you can.

•

Trying to seize the initiative after the success at Damghan, NATO launched a fresh offensive. The fighting at Sabzevar was so intense it never occurred to them the enemy retreat was a ruse. Ostensibly falling back with heavy losses, in reality they were luring the NATO brigade forward. They sacrificed two thousand troops to lay their trap – real sacrifices, since without the Apoximis process, the UCR remained unable to clone their soldiers. Tempted by a chance at decisive victory, they advanced into a kill zone formed by the valley sides.

Her unit took appalling casualties. For Veronica, the only saving grace was that she was one of them. A fifty-calibre round sent her back to the tank, ending her eighth tour.

•

Things got worse. Their next mission ended her ninth tour – or so she thought – and Bruce’s first. With every nation on Earth now committed to the war, more forces were available. The fighting intensified. Intelligence suggested the city of Mashhad was lightly defended. It was not.

Caught in a pincer movement, they attempted to break out. They were overwhelmed by sheer numbers, despite using their tactical nuclear weapons. All the men with her were killed. Veronica was taken prisoner. Just her. When it became clear why, she elected to use the terminal implant, and sent herself back to the tank.

When she was discharged, Bruce was waiting, only just out himself.

Either you’re waiting out of concern for your commanding officer, or you just wanted to see me naked, she said, towelling off the slime. Which is it?

The Colonel wants to see you, boss. Right now.

Christ, she thought. He’d passed on an easy chance to flirt. It was serious.

•

Torrington, you had twelve WIA’s. Ninety KIA’s. And worst of all, four retired. We can’t afford losses like that.

Sir, I – permission to speak freely?

He nodded.

Sir, that’s unfair. I’m not responsible for the service contracts of my soldiers. When they’ve served their KIA’s, they’re out.

You can keep your veterans back. And what about your own conduct – premature suicide? What were you thinking?

Premature? she gasped.

It’s an officer’s duty to attempt escape. I’m sorry, but you know the rules. Without extenuating circumstances, suicides don’t count towards service.

Extenuating circumstances? They were gonna gang-rape me and cut me into little pieces! Are you taking the piss?

Since no-one witnessed that, I’m going to do you a favour and pretend I’m deaf.

I –

One more word and I add a tour for insubordination.

The threat was enough. She stormed out. For the first time she could remember, she wanted to cry.

Over a drink, Bruce managed to cheer her up. Two drinks after that, she thought maybe she’d been too hard on him. Two drinks after that, he seemed lovely, so she smuggled him into her quarters.

•

Ver – Boss, he began, tripping over protocol.

Considering what we just did, I think you can call me Veronica when we’re alone. She smiled. Hearing you shout out ‘Lieutenant’ at the moment of truth would just be weird.

Okay. He sat up. Why are you here? You’re beautiful, you’re intelligent. Surely you could get what you want from life without doing this?

"Jesus, I’m glad you left that ‘till afterwards. I might actually have shot you if