The Desert at Galaxy's Edge

By Emily Weber

A police officer and a criminal begin a strange game at the edge of civilized space in order to escape the harsh reality of their real lives.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Emily Weber
• Release date: Jul 24, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370258857

Emily Weber

An artist/writer. Contact me: [e-mail]

Book preview

The Desert at Galaxy’s Edge

A Short Story by Emily Weber

The man was afraid of her. If he’d known she was a fifty year old woman, perhaps he wouldn’t be. She was enshrouded in her police suit; the heavy fabric, armor and helmet hid every clue that she might be a woman. She was tall and muscular from years of servitude to the Galactic Government, making the illusion complete.

Papers, please. Her androgynous voice echoed about the space station’s dome.

The man’s arms were shaking. His eyes darted from her reflective visor to the two-headed creature coiled about her left arm. He held the papers out the window of his space craft, almost dropping them.

If you’re not a criminal, you have nothing to fear. She said reassuringly.

The papers had almost become a formality. She checked them against his ID just in case, but the real test for this man was in answering the next few questions—questions she asked every being who passed through.

Have you stolen recently? She asked.

No. The man almost whispered.

She waited a few seconds for the Kliig, the creature wrapped about her arm to react. The first of its two heads stared at the man, its black eyes never leaving him. The other head swayed rhythmically up and down. Yes—he was telling the truth.

Have you killed? She continued.

Yes, but not illegally. I was a soldier. Again the Kliig’s second head bobbed up and down. Truth.

Lastly, is there any criminal reason I might have for detaining you? This was the all-encompassing question that she may as well have started with. But these questions were the ones she was trained to use—she was a good cop and she wasn’t going to go against them.

No. The man visibly shivered.

The Kliig took a moment to review whatever minor offenses the man might be thinking about, then bobbed its head up and down once more. Minor offenses were usually let