Death Has No Shadow

By Justin Tyme

Avar-Tek Event #2 (short story): When a military accident releases swarms of microscopic robots called forger nanites into the environment, science intern Kutisha finds that her lab is their target. As three swarms head her way, the military dispatches hover-tanks carrying human sized robotic mechs. Alone, late at night, she places her faith in the mechs, watching the battle between the big and little machines unfold on her doorstep. The question may not be who will win, but who to trust.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Justin Tyme
• Release date: May 29, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476466170

Justin Tyme

Justin Tyme is the author of Avar-Tek Events, speculative science fiction short stories based on current research in science and engineering. The Avar-Tek Events provide technical background for the Avar novels. The first novel, Recruiting Angels, is expected to be published early 2013. In addition to published works on Amazon, he has published several stories in the on-line magazine Deep Magic, and in two anthologies, Deeper Magic: The First Collection and Deeper Magic: The Second Collection. He received a reader’s choice award for his short story Cohesion Lost. Born in Simi Valley, California, Justin attended 12 different schools until he finished high school on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. He returned to the States and after 11 years in college, graduated with two degrees, one in Electrical Engineering. He is currently working as an electrical engineer, robotics programmer, landlord, and father of seven. Sometimes he even writes a thing or two.

Book preview

Death Has No Shadow

Avar-Tek Event 2

by Justin Tyme

Published by Firesmyth Press at Smashwords

Story copyright © 2012 Justin Tyme

Cover art copyright © 2012 Kirk DouPonce

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. It remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

Visit the author on the web at

http://www.wordfire.us

For all the poets and authors at the Wayne Writer’s Guild.

May your muse never sleep.

Table of Contents

Research Facility

Hover-Tank

Research Facility

Change

...

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The stark light from a small flashlight that Kutisha held in her mouth was at just the wrong angle. Everything else was dark in the cramped access tube above the deep space graviton detector. Pinned between two pipes and on her back, her arms straining with the fatigue of their own weight, she gathered her thoughts. If I were a socket, where would I be hiding? All she saw was the bright array of gray cables, white pipes, and multicolored wires mere centimeters from her nose. There was no empty socket. She brushed a lock of ebony hair from her forehead, smudging her dark skin with grease. Her black hair had been neatly pulled back but all this crawling around had fretted it lose. She held her chin up, looked down the bridge of her nose, and shifted her jaw. There. The beam fell on the empty socket behind a cable back to the right. Her hand, small and dexterous, grease-covered and holding the errant cable, should be able to slide through and plug it in. If she could just...

The flashlight flickered off. Reflexively she opened her mouth to curse. The flashlight slid into her mouth; she gagged and spit it out. In the total darkness, she heard it roll down the access tube and hit the corridor floor. Then