Seventy: Inklet, #7

By Liana Brooks

Ravaged by war, the solar system has one hope left: the Dauphin terraforming project and its leader, Dr. Jeff Koenig.

Jeff might have been saddled with Dr. Bella Lawson, whose tantrums would make anyone want to vent their oxygen, but failure? Not even an option. 

No matter what the cost. 

A space exploration story about the true spirit of humanity, and what it takes to survive against the odds. 

4600 words.

Welcome to Inklets, a series of short (and sometimes short-short) stories ranging from sci-fi to fantasy to lingering just on the edge of normal. One thing's for sure: you won't look at the world the same way again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Inkprint Press
• Release date: Apr 15, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386785811

Liana Brooks

Liana Brooks once read the book GOOD OMENS by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett and noted that both their biographies invited readers to send money (or banana daiquiris). That seems to have worked well for them. Liana prefers strawberry daiquiris (virgin!) and will never say no to large amounts of cash in unmarked bills. Her books are sweet and humorous with just enough edge to keep you reading past your bedtime. Liana was born in San Diego and in addition to there has lived in Illinois, Colorado, Florida, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Kansas. We'd like to tell you where she is right now, but last we checked she was researching books on both Alaska and Africa. Not only are the bookstore algorithms breaking trying to track this lady, but we can't tell you where to mail that daiquiri. Your best bet is to try Twitter where you can often find @LianaBrooks talking about her four kids, her giant dog, and plans for world domination.

Book preview

SEVENTY

INKLET #7

––––––––

Liana Brooks

www.InkprintPress.com

Seventy

on the view screen, the Sol System danced. Planets glowed like phosphorescent pearls in the sea of space. Doctor Jeff Koenig, lead scientist on the Dauphin settlement project, traced the image of Earth with his finger. He’d been born on Earth and left for the Delious system as soon as he could afford the emigration fees. Brilliant Delious, whose fourteen planets and all their many moons had been blasted into rubble by Hurluk world-destroyers. Only Delious Four remained, orbiting in isolation without her three moons.

He’d never meant to come back to Earth. Now he was leaving for a second time.

Earth had been too crowded when he’d left with his wife to start a new life out in the northern solar rim. Now the world-cities overflowed with refugees scattered by the Hurluk attacks. Accelerated terraforming on Dauphin wasn’t the only plan to alleviate some of the housing pressure, but it was the only one that would show results within the next solar year.

Jeff frowned at the projection of Earth. How many of Sol’s citizens really intended to emigrate to Dauphin?

Most people just wanted a place to abandon the refugees. But some would earn the money to buy their way free of the Sol system, and how many of those would come? 

Doctor Koenig? Captain Mac of the Terrance Lee interrupted his reverie. I need your crew to buckle down. We’re hitting jump in twenty minutes.

I thought everyone was settled. Jeff looked past the captain to the commons room where scientists mingled with the hired hands, all displaced workers paying back the cost of evacuation to the government. Lawson.

She’s in the cargo bay.

Swearing, Jeff stalked down the hall. What had the congressional council been thinking when they assigned her