*Complete* April Writing Contest: Space!

[Stanistani]

This month's writing contest:

Write a short science fiction or horror story on the topic of Space.
Length of your entry must be more than 1999 words, and less than 5001 words.

Please keep the content 'safe for work.'

Only one entry per person.

Entries must be received by midnight of April 23, 2010 PDT.

Author of winning entry receives US$50 by PayPal, or if unable to use PayPal the equivalent in an online gift certificate which will be emailed to the winner. No other payment options, please.

The author of the winning entry sells us first publication rights on this website and its allies, and in a printed collection, all editions if we desire.

Winner must be a registered member of this forum.

==>Register Here<==

Post your story and any questions in this topic thread. If you do not want your entry indexed by search engines during the contest, place your entry in the Private Work subforum and link to it in this topic thread.

Extra points given for hard science, starry vistas, and the creative use of physics.

3... 2... 1... Ignition...

Prize: $50

Other Contest Rules:

• At least two people need to enter in order for the prize to be awarded.
• Entries should be standalone stories and not part of a wider story cycle or novel.

[Wandered_In]

My entry will probably be less hard, science-wise, but will definitely involve some interesting physics...
Hopefully a better story (or at least a less frenetic story) than the last one.
I'm thinking of this one as a trial run for a different story.
Wandered In

[BrianA]

I'm game--expect some hard science fiction from me in a few weeks.

(My day job is theoretical physicist, so it may be the one time when I can walk the talk).

[Evie]

Cool theme! I will have a read of the entries. I'm going to try and get something written for the May contest since the theme's more my thing.

[Stanistani]

I am working on a hard science short story that keeps threatening to turn into a novella. I might have to break it up into three short stories.

[RevBonestripper]

I SO want to be in this contest right now. I'm totally a sci-fi guy. I've got some characters, and a setting, and a smidgen of conflict, but no sign of a plot. Can't do a story without plot. Here plot plot plot! :whistle: here plot! Be a good boy, I'll give you a treat! C'mere plot! :whistle: Grr... Bad plot, no cookie.

[sabremeister]

Oh good, a contest I can enter! And with me going to Eastercon this weekend (the annual convention of the British Science Fiction Society), I can call it research. Now if only I was a taxpayer, I could write off the cost as expenses.

[Stanistani]

The sun glinted off a small object, tumbling slowly end over end. Maxwell breathed slowly, smoothly, and pushed away from the airlock with his legs. He saw in his rear view video feed the ship receding quickly. A moment watching this, and Maxwell whispered, "Select Ranged Target 122798, crosshair image superimpose, forward feed." Now he saw the tiny cylinder approaching in the reticule the tracking computer provided.

He breathed again, air like silk in his throat slipping away. The image steadily grew in his visor, and merged almost seamlessly with the glinting, blinking thing he saw with his eyes. A jet on his suit fired once, instantly opposed by another, and the objects became one.

Maxwell brought his arms slowly towards his face, and muttered another command to the computer. A few hisses and thumps and his velocity slowed to a crawl. Slowly, slowly, slowly. His fingers touched the object, and he expertly opposed the spin with one hand and caught it with the other.

He drew his legs up, and spun slowly around. Maxwell examined his prize, and read the inscription: James Montgomery Doohan (March 3, 1920 – July 20, 2005)

The stars spun in his visor as he rotated, and he tucked the cylinder, shiny but slightly pitted, into a belt loop and pushed some webbing around it, then tugged the covering tight. He smiled as he noted the ship coming into view again. "Let's take you home, Scotty."

Commander Maxwell, Chief Engineer of the United Earth Starship Enterprise, first of its class, landed feet first on the airlock hatch.

[Luna]

Cool theme! I will have a read of the entries. I'm going to try and get something written for the May contest since the theme's more my thing.

Is there a topic up for May yet? I'd like to try another contest but sci-fi is also not my thing (and my schedule is currently yucky-ish).

EDIT: D'oh! Never mind. I found it in the magazine forum.

[Stanistani]

A quick roll call: Sound off here if you're writing a story for this contest, please. Only a few days left.