#science fiction i also enjoy

[not-poignant]

Hi Pia. I've been a fan of your work for a long time now and was wondering if you'd ever write an original sci-fi story or an original contemporary

Altho I know FFS probably classifies as contemporary 🤔 But I just saw that as a human au loosely based off Fae Tales

Fae Tales is an original series with my own original characters, and Falling Falling Stars is an entirely original contemporary story that features only some of those original characters, so technically, it is an original contemporary story. I'm not using someone else's IP, so it's not really fanfic. Something being an AU doesn't make it fanfic, for example, if an artist who draws a superhero character decides to draw them as a merman for Mermay, they're not doing 'fanfiction' of someone else's character - they're doing original art of one of their original characters, y'know? It's just another way of looking at them. Plenty of authors have re-used their characters in other things, this is especially common in comics, but it also happens in fantasy writing a lot too. Also doesn't mean those things become fanfic! Still all original, just has an AU component. :D

But AUs aside...

Otherwise, like, sure I'd consider it! My next works are likely to both be original fantasy worlds, but I like science fiction and I like writing contemporary. I've written original omegaverse in a contemporary setting with the Perth Shifters series, but straight up contemporary is definitely something I've thought up scenarios for.

Science fiction generally doesn't interest me quite as much as fantasy does, but all speculative fiction is interesting/enjoyable to me. That being said, all the next original worlds I've thought up - Daemonos, Glamour Gods, Vexteria, Mallory & Mount etc. are all respectively medieval-style science fiction (but really more like a fantasy, it's just interplanetary), paranormal science-fiction romance, high/epic/secondary world fantasy, high/epic/secondary world fantasy/psychological thriller.

It's more fun for me to sandbox in specfic, because like... I don't get to write characters who have naturally violet eyes, or shapeshifting demons, or fairy-human hybrids who are used by criminals and governments for their glamour as enslaved propaganda machines, or characters who are actually just pretty human but where magic is illegal and serial killers are super common actually.

Contemporary is easy for me to write, but it's not as appealing overall unless it's in situations like Falling Falling Stars, or Smoke in Autumn, or As Green as the Ragged Grass, or Spoils of the Spoiled, or...

Actually you know I've written a fair bit of original contemporary!

I've actually finished a contemporary novel in the past, which a few folks have read bits of through the Patreon over time, called Every Day Awake. The playlists for the characters (Allie, Brad and Jacob) are still on Spotify, as character playlists. I still plan on rewriting that book one day, but it's definitely not high on my priority list.

[aceofwands]

idk man I just think of all the franchises you could try to make the Next Big Thing by creating a bunch of new shows and movies, maybe don't pick the one with the notoriously nitpicky obsessed with canon fandom ?? if you don't plan on applying any sort of consistency to the world, characters, alien cultures, entire ethical and moral framework of the universe, etc etc ????

[fitzrove]

[shaking and biting] but what does it MEAN. what does it SAY what is the THEME

[magentagalaxies]

just finished reading the book "kindred" by octavia butler and oh my god i'm gonna need like 7-12 business days to process this holy shit (this is a compliment)

[alliluyevas]

seeing people on Reddit arguing about whether Ender’s Game is YA or not and someone is saying it’s YA because it doesn’t have sex scenes (which I think is a dumb argument, plenty of adult books don’t have sexual content) and then someone else said it doesn’t have sex scenes because Orson Scott Card is Mormon which. As someone who has read OSC’s Mormon historical fiction that controversially features sex scenes involving Joseph Smith is also a dumb argument.

Also then someone else said it’s not YA because it’s really violent which is ALSO a dumb argument because plenty of YA is very violent (no one’s arguing that the hunger games isn’t YA!)

[nostalgia-tblr]

Thor: Ragnarok is the best Thor movie and you can tell because nobody ever tries to make a desperate claim for prestige and reflected quality by calling it "Shakespearean," they just say they enjoyed it and they liked the jokes.

[fortes-fortuna-iogurtum]

man I really would love to see an (explicitly) religious companion on Doctor Who. esp one who's written in such a way as makes their faith relevant to the storylines and challenges and tests it but ultimately remains respectful and keeps the theme of it relevant within the specific science fiction setting that Doctor Who occupies. I personally just think that would be great.

[pinkeoni]

Well. I was very passionate about something and then I went too far off the initial goal and ended up being wrong ✌️ just a reminder to ppl like me that the opposing argument is good to listen to. Sometimes they are right

[flavia8]

There is a stunning, disappointing lack of actual science in these "fantasy naturalism" books. My expectations are probably too high given my area of expertise (ecology, computer science) but PLEASE a crumb more of scientific procedure/thinking and application of knowledge. There is some, of course but like. Its not v well done/portrayed.

[elshells]

Agent Ace Chapter 12 || HARLEY -1-

Rating: Teen + Word Count: 4,388 Content Warnings: Reader discretion is advised. Click here for a list of potential warnings; numbers #4* and #4*** both apply. Summary: After a heartfelt moment in the city, Harley and Jade return home, unaware of the danger that awaits them there.

↤ PREVIOUS CHAPTER

⬗

June 25 9:00 P.M. Hub District - Pandor: Manalis Residence

Jade pulled into Harley’s driveway, parking behind Ahren’s car. The headlights illuminated the front yard, which, aside from a single potted rose on the front porch, was barren and overrun with weeds. Cressida rarely had time to do any yard work.

“Are you sure it’s alright for me to come inside?” Jade asked. She studied the house through her window, resting one hand on the steering wheel. “Ahren sounded pretty frazzled over the phone. I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

“You could never,” Harley replied as she unbuckled her seatbelt. “Besides, it could be fun! The house has been so gloomy lately. We could use your sunny disposition.”

“Well… alright.” Jade shut off the car, and the headlights died away. “What the heck?”

“That’s the spirit!” Harley grinned and shoved open the door. “I hope you like slapjack. Ahren’s terrible, and since Mom’s still not here, I might actually win.”

“I’ve never played.” Jade picked up the can of spray paint from the backseat and gave it a playful rattle. “Though I have been told that I am a beast at cribbage.”

Harley laughed. She’d played cribbage with Jade enough times to know that she’d never stand a chance.

They stepped out to a hazy purple sky and the thick scent of rain. While the rest of the city never seemed to sleep, time almost stopped under the dimly-lit streets of Pandor. Peace and quiet had always been Cressida’s preference, and after everything their family had been through, Harley couldn’t say she blamed her.

Thunder rumbled faintly overhead as they walked up to the porch. Harley knocked twice on the front door, and it creaked ajar at her touch.

“Um, okay.” She peered around the edge of the door, though she saw nothing through the darkness. “Why isn’t it locked?”

“Maybe Ahren forgot?” Jade said.

Harley nodded uncertainly, doing her best to ignore the tight feeling in her chest. “Ahren? We’re here!”

She pushed the door open all the way and entered to an uncanny silence. Every light was off, shrouding the hallway and living room in shadow. Goosebumps prickled on her arms as soft footsteps padded behind her, even though she knew it was only Jade.

“Harley Manalis.”

The low voice lingered in her ear, chilling her from the inside out. She froze.

That’s not Ahren.

Light pulsed in the corner of her eye as the living room lamp flicked on. She flinched as Jade grabbed her arm with a gasp.

Ahren sat on a chair in the middle of the room, his face pale with anxiety, clutching one mangled, bloody arm to his chest. Behind him, a woman in black leather lounged on the couch, with her wedged combat boots propped up on the armrest. White-blonde hair spilled over her shoulders, and slivers of light bounced across the walls as she twirled a silver dagger in one hand. She turned her head slowly, and Harley’s breath hitched as her blue eyes pierced through her like shards of ice.

A vigilante. Harley had never met one, but somehow, she was certain.

The vigilante tilted her head to the side. “You shouldn’t have brought her along.”

Without warning, Jade released her arm. Harley watched in horror as she flew back down the hallway, as if something invisible had struck her in the gut. She yelped as the curve of her back connected with the wall, pinning her in place.

“Jade!” Harley started to move, but faltered as cold steel pressed against her throat. Her stomach dropped as she looked down to the dagger hovering in midair, the blade kissing her skin.

“Stand down,” the vigilante warned. “Not one move.”

Her heartbeat flew into a frenzy as slow footsteps thudded behind her. Jade lay rigid against the wall, fixing Harley with a wide, fearful gaze. Harley stared back, helpless and unable to speak.

The vigilante paced in a circle around Harley, stopping to face her. She held a flat, outstretched hand in Jade’s direction, while the other sat poised beneath the dagger, close enough to caress the hilt. A light hum emanated from her fingertips.

“You can decide to come with me,” the vigilante said, her voice deadly soft as the dagger edged closer to Harley, “or I’ll make the decision for you.”

“Let her go!” Ahren yelled.

The vigilante snapped her head towards Ahren, and the dagger spun to face him like a compass needle. “Silence. Don’t make me regret sparing you.”

Harley held her breath, transfixed by the floating dagger. This woman could control the dagger while holding Jade in place—without putting a finger on either. But how? Some sort of magic trick, or an optical illusion?

No. Technology. That had to be the solution—at least, it was more plausible than magic. But when did the world advance to accommodate telekinesis?

Jade let out a low cough. Harley watched from the corner of her eye as she extended her arm out in front of her, the can of spray paint trembling in her hand.

As her gaze met Harley’s, she dipped her chin into a tiny nod.

Harley furrowed her brow. “Wha—”

She broke off as the vigilante’s gaze returned to bore through her skull. Her face was inches away, so close that Harley could make out a freckle below her right eye.

“Say that again.” Her voice was sharp and no louder than a whisper.

Jade tossed the can into the air. As it sailed towards Harley, an impulse clicked inside of her, sending her into forward drive. Without breaking her gaze, she grabbed the can above her head and rammed it into the vigilante’s face.

Her arms bounced back from the recoil as the vigilante staggered back soundlessly, holding her face in her hands. Behind her, Jade collapsed off the wall with a gasp. The dagger dropped out of the air, and Harley lunged forward to catch it clumsily before it hit the floor.

Gripping it tightly, she backed into the living room, jumping as Ahren’s hand grasped her shoulder from behind. The vigilante stood up straight, staring balefully in their direction as she reached over her shoulder. With a metallic clang, she unsheathed a broad, gleaming knife the length of Harley’s forearm and leveled it in front of her.

Oh, shit.

“Get back,” Ahren muttered.

Harley clenched her teeth, her legs shaking as she lifted the dagger higher. The vigilante’s lip curled into a snarl.

With a high-pitched battle cry, Jade sprang onto the vigilante’s back, latching her arms around her neck. The vigilante spun and thrashed as Jade locked one arm and reached forward with the other, grabbing the hilt of the blade.

The vigilante took Jade by the arms and wrestled her free. She flipped her off her back and slammed her down on top of the dining room table. The knife slipped out of Jade’s fingers, pausing in midair, before soaring back to the vigilante’s hand.

Blood pumping in her ears, Harley shoved Ahren aside and lunged toward them. “Hey!”

She drove the dagger as deep as she could into her back. The vigilante crumpled to her knees with a guttural scream of shock. At the same time, Harley cried out and staggered back, hands shaking in front of her.

What did I… how did I—

She flinched as a pair of hands landed on her shoulders, which spun her around until she was staring up at Jade’s round, panicked eyes.

“Jade!” she gasped, heart hammering inside her chest. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine!” Jade replied breathlessly as she took Harley’s wrists in her hands. “But we—”

“We need to go!” Ahren yelled from behind them. “Now!”

Jade nodded, releasing Harley to follow after Ahren as he disappeared through the front door. Harley only made it a few steps after them before a hand roughly grabbed the collar of her shirt and yanked her back. Her gut dropped, and her heels dug into the carpet as she reeled backwards and bent over the table.

Her mind froze as the vigilante’s palm struck her in the chest, looming above her with a gleaming, rabid gaze. Her hair fell in front of her face, the long strands brushing across Harley’s cheeks.

Harley huffed, pain sparking through her jaw as she clamped it shut. Adrenaline surged through her body, and a cry exploded from her mouth as she kicked her leg out with as much force as she could summon. Her foot slammed into the vigilante’s gut, knocking her away without a sound.

Harley threw her head forward and pushed off of the table. As she started her dash back towards the threshold, the door shut with a bang. The vigilante rose to her feet, with one hand reaching towards Harley.

Shit, shit, shit!

Harley’s footsteps thudded against the wooden floor as she ran back the way she came, aiming for the staircase—her next closest escape.

The stairs shook as the vigilante climbed after her. An end table with a porcelain vase sat at the top of the landing; Harley upended it, sending them both tumbling down the stairs. She barely heard the wooden crash and the shattering of the vase as she crossed the landing into her room, slamming the door and locking it shut behind her.

She’d bought herself some time, but now she’d cornered herself. She had to act fast.

As the vigilante’s footsteps grew louder, Harley shoved a bookcase in front of the door to barricade it. A second later, the walls shook as the vigilante slammed into the door repeatedly with all of her weight. The bookcase wobbled with each impact, books spilling off the shelves as it threatened to tip forward.

Harley turned away and surveyed the room, her eyes falling on her suitcase that lay half-unpacked on the floor. Nestled on top of a pile of clothes was the headphones and Uncle Kit’s communication orb. Without a second thought, she snatched them both up; there wasn’t time to take anything else.

Setting the headphones around her neck, she looked to the window. If she could get it open, she could crawl out onto the roof. But she was on the second story—it would be a long drop to the driveway, and there was nothing in here that she could use as a rope.

A loud crack sounded from behind her. Her time was up.

Her next best bet was to hide.

Dropping to her knees, Harley rolled under the bed. The wood bed frame nearly suffocated her as darkness fell over her like a blanket. She clutched the orb to her chest, holding still while dust tickled her nose.

The banging on the door stopped. From the spot under the bed, Harley saw the bottom of the bookcase shift along the floor, clunking back into its place against the wall.

The door, now open by a sliver, swung open wide.

Harley held her breath as the vigilante entered the room. The carpet softened each step she took, but every vibration ran through Harley’s body like a shudder.

The vigilante stopped in the middle of the room. Harley couldn’t see anything above her boots, but she could imagine her eyes scanning the room, like a cat stalking a mouse.

“I know you’re here.” Her voice was low, but clear. “What are you afraid of?”

Harley’s pulse skipped a beat as the vigilante took slow steps across the room, away from the bed and towards the closet. As silently as she could, Harley rolled over onto her stomach and inched over to the edge of the bed. The tip of the vigilante’s dagger became visible, wickedly sharp and slick with blood from when Harley stabbed her.

“We can help each other.” She spoke again, almost in a monotone. “Everyone else is a liability. Understand?”

In a flash, she ripped open the closet door. Fabric rippled inside before the room fell silent again. Harley squeezed out from beneath the bed and crawled over to her dresser a couple of feet away, crouching beneath it just as the vigilante turned back towards the bed. She clicked her tongue and flipped the dagger around threateningly.

“No use hiding.” She took one step towards the bed, then another. “Show yourself, before I find you first.”

Harley pressed her back against the dresser, craning her neck towards the vigilante. One more step, and she had an opening.

“Harley.” The vigilante came into view. “It’s time to be a hero.”

Harley sprang out at her from behind the dresser, reaching for the dagger. She let out a cry as the vigilante grasped her by the scruff of her neck and threw her down to the ground. Her cheek stung against the carpet, and as she lifted her head, the tip of the blade met her nose.

“Up.”

Shakily, Harley returned to her feet, holding the orb close to her body as the vigilante positioned the dagger beneath her chin. A thin trail of blood trickled down the center of the vigilante’s face, dripping off the tip of her nose.

But the gash that Harley gave her had begun to glow a brilliant blue.

Harley’s lips parted as she let out a quivering breath. “Wh-Who are you?”

The vigilante’s frown deepened. Without a word, she lifted up Harley’s chin with the dagger, forcing her to meet her stare. Harley’s heartbeat thumped against the orb.

“Shut your mouth,” the vigilante said, her voice deadly quiet. “And no sudden moves.”

At first, Harley couldn’t bring herself to disobey. Her mind raced while she was frozen in place.

I can’t go with her. I have to get out of here. I have to do something!

With a surge of strength and conviction, she turned and chucked the orb at the window. The glass pane shattered on impact, sending a shower of shards in every direction. Harley shoved the vigilante’s arm away and leaped on top of the bed. Broken glass grazed her skin as the extra momentum from the mattress sent her through the window and onto the roof.

The orb soared over the roof in slow motion. Harley dove for it with outstretched arms. As she snatched it narrowly out of the air, her foot slipped on a roof tile and she lost balance, tipping over off the edge of the roof.

A bellow of thunder rang out in the sky, mocking her.

Raindrops pelted her face as the driveway raced up to meet her. Her throat tightened as she held back a scream, and every muscle in her body tensed for the impact.

She squeezed her eyes shut. A second passed. And then another. Three seconds, four seconds.

Why hadn’t she hit the cold pavement?

Harley pried her eyes open to find herself hovering a foot off the ground, before her body dropped out of the air with a soft thud. She sat back upright on the rain-speckled driveway just in time to see the vigilante jump off the roof and float down—almost angelically—to land in front of Harley. Wind lashed through her hair as the rain mixed with blood, streaking across her face in rivulets.

The dagger glinted dully as she flipped the blade to point at Harley and held it up high.

“N-No.” Harley’s voice cracked as she scrambled away from her. “Please, no—!”

Bright light flooded Harley’s vision. She blinked and it was gone, replaced by the screeching of tires as a moving wall slammed into the vigilante. 

Harley watched in shock as she crumpled over the slick black hood of a cargo van, bouncing off the windshield before rolling off into a heap on the driveway. The dagger clattered down in front of her, blood staining the pavement as the rain washed the blade clean.

She gawked up at the van as the tinted passenger window rolled down. A strange man sat in the driver’s seat, his gaze transfixed in horror at the windshield, but Jade’s hands were on the wheel, half sitting in his lap.

“Get in!” she screamed.

After the initial second of shock, Harley seized the dagger and ran towards the van. She threw open the door and crawled up onto the seat.

“Shut the door, quickly!” The driver demanded, his voice high with stress.

Harley shot backwards, her arm almost dragging her out the open window. The dagger sailed around to the front of the truck, to the vigilante’s trembling hand.

The driver let out a shout, grabbing the wheel. “Damn! Hold on!”

He slammed his foot on the gas, and the van screeched down the driveway. Harley fell back inside, pulling the door shut behind her. Her stomach did a loop as the van pivoted around before speeding off down the road.

Breathing heavily, Harley peeled herself off the door and grabbed the center console for balance. “Who are you?” she asked the driver.

He shot her a glance from behind Jade’s head before turning back towards the road with a rigid posture. “I’ll answer that in a minute,” he panted. “But for now, I need you both to get in the back!”

Harley nodded. “O-Okay.”

Jade took her hand as they climbed off the seats and entered the doorway behind them. The back of the van was windowless and dim, lit by a long line of string lights hanging above them from wall to wall. A half-deflated air mattress lay tucked in the corner, mostly buried beneath a pile of threadbare blankets. 

Sitting atop the mattress was Ahren, who seemed occupied in wrapping up his injured arm with scraps of fabric he ripped from the blankets. He looked up, and his face fell in relief. “Harley, you made it! I wasn’t sure we’d be able to get you out of there.”

Harley’s knees buckled as she took a step forward. Jade caught her just before she fell, and the two of them collapsed next to Ahren on top of the mattress.

“Harley!” Jade’s arms wrapped around her tightly, holding her so close that Harley could feel her pulse racing against her own. “Did she hurt you? Please tell me you’re okay.”

Harley gasped for air, clinging to Jade as her body shook violently with each breath she took. She leaned back with her head on Jade’s chest as her hold around her grew tighter.

“I-I-I...” She swallowed as her eyes grew blurry with tears. “I—”

Jade shushed her gently, resting her head on top of Harley’s. Harley shut her eyes and curled her fingers around Jade’s arms, sinking into the warmth of her embrace.

Her breath hitched again. She stretched her legs out in front of her, working to relax her muscles. 

Breathe, Harley. Breathe in, breathe out.

Slowly, she peeled her eyes back open. The string lights clattered softly above her as they swung back and forth with the movement of the van. For several minutes, she stared up at them, too dazed to move or think. The heavy pattering of raindrops on the roof filled the van as Harley struggled to slow her breathing back into a steady rhythm.

“Harley.” After what felt like an hour, Jade finally spoke in a shaky whisper. “That was her. The one who broke into my apartment.”

Harley’s voice was hoarse, scratching her throat as she asked, “Are you sure?”

“Positive,” Jade replied. “As soon as I saw her face, I remembered.”

Harley nodded stiffly, reaching up to wipe the tear tracks from her cheeks. How the hell did we make it out of there alive?

Victor Kylmenko’s lifeless face loomed in her vision—the Guardian that died the morning of Sophia’s call. That vigilante had killed him. There was no questioning that now.

But why had she spared Harley?

“She’s not working alone.”

Harley sat up and turned to Ahren, who looked back at her with a face full of guilt. 

“What did you say?” she asked.

He turned his head to face the opposite wall without a response. Curious and confused, Harley followed his gaze to see a makeshift bulletin board sprawling along the wall of the van, overcrowded with papers and webs of yarn.

“Woah,” Jade said, releasing Harley from her grip. “What is that?”

Harley made her way back to her feet, approaching the wall with careful steps. A map of the city lay spread out in the center of the wall, marked with scribbles and notes that were impossible to decipher. Colorful, holographic cards had been taped all over the map, each one featuring art bearing the likeness of a Guardian.

With a jolt, Harley recognized the cards. They belonged to Heroes of Glory, a popular strategy-based game where players pitted the elite Guardians against each other to find out who would win in a fight. It had been Sophia’s favorite game as a kid, and Harley used to play occasionally with Jade and Max during lunch and study hall. 

The cards were taped to the corresponding districts of the Guardians on the card—Equinox of Blumoore, in her signature yellow and purple leather jacket, arms crossed as she smirked from behind red visors. The Falconeer of Lexdon with his swarm of birds of prey circling overhead. Barracuda of Calanell brandishing his famous spear, the hooked tip glittering in the light. Seraph of Skylar, her gaze skyward as she spread her mechanical wings in a ray of celestial light.

One Guardian in particular caught her eye—Maverick of Dantary, who Jade and Max had once dubbed ‘Space Cowboy.’ He tipped back his wide-brimmed hat with a wink, pointing the smoking barrel of a sniper rifle at Harley. The artist had clearly meant for this pose to be cheeky, but seeing it now had a much different vibe.

Maverick had been Sophia’s handler when she joined the Guard. He’d trained her as a sharpshooter and sniper, and Harley knew Sophia admired him. His card was also valuable in the game, with a unique ability written in a small script along the bottom of the card.

Double Agent: Discard a Guardian of your choice from your hand and draw a new card from the top of the deck.

Something about that ability, coupled with the fact that Maverick’s picture was present in this van at all, filled Harley with dread.

Don’t trust the Watch.

With a sinking weight in her gut, Harley turned away from the map to read the other papers on the wall. After skimming over files of medical jargon and more notes that were just as illegible as before, she found a collection of photographs. Sketches, IDs, mugshots, candid portraits—most were low resolution, and the subjects hard to make out, but the clearest ones had some familiar faces. Jade and Victor, Max and Sophia. Even Harley herself. 

Immediately, she snatched the photos off the wall and knelt down next to Jade, spreading them on top of the mattress. “Jade, look at this!”

Ahren began to interject. “Harley, what—”

“It’s Max!” Jade held his picture up to the light, and then grabbed another. “And the murdered Guardian, too. It’s like this guy is collecting evidence for their cases.”

“Not just any case,” Harley murmured. “Sophia’s case.”

Ahren cleared his throat. “I can explain.”

Harley looked up with a frown. “Ahren, what’s going on?”

“The Watch hasn’t been able to contact Sophia for days now,” Ahren said, fiddling nervously with a thread hanging loose off the wraps on his arm. “And the lack of concern on their end was suspicious. So… I may or may not have hired a private investigator to find her.”

Harley blinked. “Private investigator?”

“Detective August Bracken.” Ahren smiled wryly. “He has the best reputation in the city.”

“Better than the Watch?” Jade asked. “Or has the market for detectives been booming lately?”

Ahren shrugged. “Let’s just say he was desperate for work, and I’m desperate for answers. Plus, he showed up when I alerted him to an emergency at the house, so I have no reason to complain.”

So, that’s why he was waiting for us outside. “What do we know so far?” Harley asked.

Ahren picked up one of the photographs, staring down at it grimly. “Max’s case is one piece to a puzzle August has been trying to solve for years. The Watch may have been in on it, and Sophia had no idea what she signed up for.”

Harley’s blood froze at the mention of the Watch. She buried her face in her arms as the thought that had plagued her for days now came surging back at full force.

This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening. This—

“The Watch is behind this?” Jade’s voice sounded far away. “How?”

Ahren sighed. “Look, there’s a lot I don’t know. I don’t know what they’re hiding, and I don’t even know if they can be trusted. But what I do know—what August knows—is that they’re connected to a bigger issue. All of this is.”

Harley lifted her head. “And what’s that?”

Ahren passed her the photo in his hand. “Vigilantes.”

Harley squinted at it in the dim light. The image itself was dark, and details were hard to make out, but it looked like a full-face metal mask, expressionless except for the empty eye sockets. Upon closer inspection, she noticed a spot of ink had bled through the image, and she flipped it over to see a crude drawing of a black-and-white diamond, accompanied by a single word, this time written clearly.

Pluto.

But Harley barely noticed it. Somehow, she felt inexplicably drawn to the diamond. She knew she’d seen it before. But where?

Jade peered over her shoulder, furrowing her brow. “What’s that mean?”

Ahren took another deep breath. “It means the vigilantes have started working together.”

⬗

To be continued...

NEXT CHAPTER COMING SOON

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[vampiredungeon]

That post about goodreads reviewers not being human was right. What the fuck is this man

[kunosoura]

What are your favorites pieces of science-fiction? And are there any you'd recommend? I'm currently playing the Mass Effect trilogy and plan to read novels like Children of Time and Last and First Men, so I'm on something of a science-fiction kick at the moment.

Science fiction isn’t so much my wheelhouse but there are some I’ve really enjoyed!

The Imperial Radch trilogy is relatively light reading, and I really like how it approaches AI and gender wrt imperialism, even if the character work tends to follow the path of least resistance.

Ursula K Le Guin is a mandatory mention; The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed are titans of science fiction even if I personally prefer her later works where she got more experimental with prose. The Word for World is Forest is a short story from this period of her work that’s one of my favorites of hers.

Ghost in the Shell is an iconic piece of cyberpunk dripping in mood and atmosphere, and is insanely influential. Highly recommended!

Speaking of influential pieces of cyberpunk, both Blade Runner movies are really good (but look for one of the cuts of the original that cuts out Deckard’s internal monologue which was added to the theatrical cut seemingly to ruin every bit of atmosphere and tension)

For a final movie recommendation, Starship Troopers is a very well executed satire of the fascist tendencies of science fiction stories.

This Is How You Lose The Time War is a weird, fun time travel novel about the rivalry and correspondence between two agents of bitterly opposed timeline-manipulating transhumanist singularities. It was written by two authors in a back and fourth epistolary style. It’s a lot of fun.

The Martian is really fun as a sort of crunchy near future scifi macguyver survival story. I liked the movie with Matt Damon as well.

As for video games, ones that I enjoy specifically as scifi stories and not as like video games with lasers:

SOMA is one of the most haunting games I’ve played, not because of the spooky scary monsters (which are whatever) but because of how ruthlessly it presents its themes around consciousness and ontology.

Alien: Isolation is the move if you want a game that’s just straight up spooky scary monsters.

Deus Ex and System Shock, if you can stomach a bit of old gameplay, are phenomenal explorations of scifi themes.

If you just want a dumb scifi sandbox to play around in, No Man’s Sky is way better now than when it first released.

How have you been enjoying Mass Effect?

[girlcalledwhatsername]

I couldn't find the original posttt i think it may have been deleted so I'm just posting the comic panels, anyway, this is my Tony Stark appreciation post:

okay that's all

[floral-hex]

had been thinking about seeing the new Ant-Man when it came out, ya know, on one of the discount days bc movie tickets are pricey these days. I mean, it looked right up my alley; alternate dimensions, timeline fuckery, cool visuals, Jonathan Majors ripped as hell. Buuuuut I saw some spoilers, some shitty cellphone footage, read some reviews, ended up caving and reading the plot online… so anyway, I decided to spend that money on a jug of soy sauce and bag of jalapeños, and I think that’s a fair alternative.

[jesslovesboats]

Hello friends, I am back with more reading recommendations for your agonies! Next up we have the long awaited and much requested Sad Boat Fiction list. As with all of my lists, this is NOT exhaustive and there WILL be great books left off, and also you may or may not like these books! I only rec things that I've personally enjoyed or that come highly recommended by trusted friends, but taste in books is incredibly subjective, especially with fiction. If I missed your favorite, please add it in the comments or drop it in my DMs!

Now that I'm feeling more settled in my new job, I will hopefully have a lot more time to make book lists and do more virtual Readers' Advisory. I have lists in the works for women in polar exploration and companion reads for the HBO War series, but if there's something else you would love to see, please send me a message!

Classics of the Genre

At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft

The Terror by Dan Simmons

Moby Dick by Herman Melville

Dark Matter by Michelle Paver

Media Tie-Ins

Who Goes There? (Filmed as The Thing) by John W. Campbell, Jr.

The North Water by Ian McGuire

Cold Skin by Alfred Sánchez Piñol

The Terror by Dan Simmons

Graphic Novels

Whiteout by Greg Rucka

How to Survive in the North by Luke Healy

The Worst Journey in the World- The Graphic Novel Volume 1: Making Our Easting Down adapted by Sarah Airriess from the book by Apsley Cherry-Garrard*

*this is only fiction in the broadest possible sense of the term, but there is a shiny new American version of this book coming out with a gorgeous new cover and you should pre-order it immediately

Science Fiction

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin

Antarctica by Kim Stanley Robinson

Romance

Under a Pole Star by Stef Penney

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

My Last Continent by Midge Raymond

Inspired by the Terra Nova Expedition

The Worst Journey in the World- The Graphic Novel Volume 1: Making Our Easting Down adapted by Sarah Airriess from the book by Apsley Cherry-Garrard*

The Birthday Boys by Beryl Bainbridge

Terra Nova: A Play by Ted Tally

Antarctic Navigation by Elizabeth Arthur

*this is only fiction in the broadest possible sense of the term, but there is a shiny new American version of this book coming out with a gorgeous new cover and you should pre-order it immediately

Inspired by the Franklin Expedition

The Rifles by William T. Vollmann

Minds of Winter by Ed O'Loughlin

Solomon Gursky Was Here by Mordecai Richler

On the Proper Use of Stars by Dominique Fortier

Literary Fiction

The Voyage of the Narwhal by Andrea Barrett

Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy

We, The Drowned by Carsten Jensen

Inspired by the Classics

The Route of Ice and Salt by José Luis Zárate

Ahab's Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund

Modern Day Antarctica

How the Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior

South Pole Station by Ashley Shelby

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Polar and Nautical Horror

Where the Dead Wait by Ally Wilkes

Dark Matter by Michelle Paver

Cold Earth by Sarah Moss

The Deep by Nick Cutter

All the White Spaces by Ally Wilkes

Dark Water by Elizabeth Lowry

The Deep by Alma Katsu

Happy reading!

[inkdrinkerworld]

Hi my luv, can I request for sunshine reader explaining the concept of girl math to post prison spencer? I think it would be amusing

Only if you want to! Thank you and take care always! 🫶

As a man of maths and science, Spencer can’t get behind girl maths. He’s tried, he really has but still you explain it to him every time you come home excited about a package left on your door and he’s just lost.

“It was free Spence!” He doesn’t think it was. You’re holding a box of books, all your favourite authors and some of Spencer’s. 

“Was it actually?” You roll your eyes, Spencer isn't being fun today. 

“I paid for them all last month, and I didn’t have to pay for anything this month. So they’re free, girl maths.” 

You cut open the box, pulling out all your books and holding some out to Spencer. “I even got you some. It’s new science fiction by that author you like.” 

Spencer smiles and kisses your palm. “Thank you, angel.” 

You blush, “You’re welcome, Spence. Enjoy the freeness of your newest reads.” 

He laughs, tugging you closer to him as he sets the books aside. “They weren’t free. I don’t get your girl math.” 

You sigh dramatically, laying your head on his collarbone. “I’ll explain it to you again. If I have cash and use it to buy something and not my card, it’s free. If I make a return on something and get money back and buy something with that money, it’s also free. And, if I made a purchase months ago and it arrives say, a month later, it was free because I don’t have to spend any money at that moment.” 

Spencer still doesn’t get it, but he bites his tongue from the criticisms he wants to add to the logic.

He just hums and kisses your forehead, watching you as you pull out your most anticipated read of the year. 

“Can we read together tonight? We can have tea and chocolates instead of dinner.” You’re hopeful and your smile makes Spencer’s heart race. 

“We can read together, but I think we can share a sandwich and then have tea and chocolates after dinner.” You ‘boo’ and Spencer pinches at your side making you squeal and bat his hand away as he smiles.