Hardsf Stories

THE JUDGMENT COUNCIL is for readers who ponder questions raised by AI but suspect the most important ones are still unknown: what happens when humanity forgets how to decide for itself? Blending first-contact science fiction with literary and philosophical speculation, the novel explores the value of human judgment in a world increasingly built to replace it.

In 3084, death is nothing more than a technical variable. Humanity has conquered disease, hunger, and war. We live forever-flawless and eternal. But paradise comes with a price. Every 30 years, a billion human beings are recycled. For the Elite to shine, the rest must burn. To the Deus Imperator, it is a necessary sacrifice. To X, it is an abominable crime. The OXI-KRISIS is coming. And no one is safe.

Border was a dull planet. Nothing to do there except mining and playing cards, which was all good and dandy with Maya. It was exactly the kind of boring life she wanted, but good things don't last. Follow her journey down the hole (no rabbits, just a hole) and stumble with her upon a deep, ancient mistery which will forever change how humanity thinks of itself.

In the 22nd century, humanity has retreated into the safety of virtual realities and space colonies. Robert Ratajczyk, revived through cryonics, finds himself lost in this unfamiliar world of digital immortality, struggling to reconnect with a life he no longer understands. As he grapples with the emptiness of modern existence and the eerie perfection of VR and AR, an unexpected encounter with a figure from his past might be the key to unlocking a future he never anticipated. ✨#1 hardSF ✨#1 transhumanism ✨#1 postcyberpunk

***EXCERPT*** Infants in the Martian outpost of Basin have been plagued with birth defects for years--until recently. Corporate has dispatched Siwela and her team to find out why. What she learns will have profound implications for her job--and for who she wants to be. ----- This is a slightly expanded version of my short story, which appeared in "Boundary Shock Quarterly 12: Lawmen and Crime Fighters". You may read the entire story by subscribing to my email newsletter at https://www.thecosmiccodex.com.

In the distant future, a space probe loops around a neutron star.

Cutting-edge medical research offers Perla the possibility of a miracle--but does she want one? --- The phrase "The play of light in the present moment" comes from Southern New Hampshire University, "HUM 100 Worksheet: Realism, Impressionism, and the Modern World": https://www.studocu.com/en-us/document/southern-new-hampshire-university/perspectives-in-the-humanities/mandatory-assignments/hum-100-worksheet-realism-impressionism-and-the-modern-world/2578385/view

A deep-sea experimental probe transmits only fragments of sensation: pressure, texture, isolation. At the receiving terminal, engineers treat the signals as data-until they discover what is truly aboard. Told through transmission logs and quiet conversations, this short science fiction story explores consciousness, ethics, and the boundary between human perception and machine instrumentation.

Li Jie Robinson thought it was just another haul through the Belt--but he didn't know how bad his day could get!

Observe the kid, protect the kid. Tiffany took on bodyguard duty, thinking that the job would help her profile potential criminals better, a great aid in her career as an Apprehender. But her misunderstanding of the job's actual scope brings her on a ride filled with startling truths - The society, the government, the gears behind the backdrop of the stage of a city, and the true purpose of her 'job'. ______________________________ What happens when Science takes a step into the domain of God? What happens when science becomes so powerful, that you can do literally anything you want with it? We don't mean frenzied robots, or apocalyptic viruses, or aliens. We don't mean laser rifles that can vaporize people, or magical teleportation devices that send people into black holes, or mutated powers from radiation. Project N.A.N.E. Neurological Amplification Nanorobotic Experiment. This, is Man's first step, into the domain of God. ______________________________ I'm planning to write this shoddy draft out first, and then edit it, give a complete overhaul and perfect it. Feel free to read it if you please - I'm writing this for the story's sake, not for myself, nor for others.

Three Speculative Science Fiction Stories of W. J. Manares

A small research team discovers a planet whose intelligent robot-like inhabitants upend our entire understanding of life, consciousness, and the universe itself. Characters: Zuleibis Boo (20, they/them) Million Green (22, he/him) Hatusu Riberes (73, ve/vim) Tianli Andrade (93, he/him) Wiggly Static (426, it/it)

Vanguard-3 is field-testing a new hyperdrive that will open up interstellar space to humanity... but when a catastrophic accident sends the ship flying towards Saturn's moon, Titan, pilot Mason and chief engineer Amira must figure out a solution before the ship burns up in the atmosphere. NOTE: This is the full version with corrections!

Într-un viitor în care omenirea a decis să nu mai uite, a fost creată Arhiva. Un sistem menit să păstreze tot ce a fost, tot ce s-a spus, tot ce s-a pierdut. Arhiva nu minte. Dar nici nu spune tot. Pe măsură ce documentele se adună, devine clar că memoria nu este neutră, iar adevărul nu este complet. Unele informații lipsesc. Altele sunt clasificate. Altele nu mai pot fi interpretate. Arhiva este o poveste despre ce alegem să păstrăm, ce lăsăm să se piardă și ce se întâmplă atunci când memoria devine mai importantă decât experiența. Poate fi citită independent. Face parte dintr-un univers comun, în care memoria este o rană deschisă.

Senior Structural Engineer Wanted A successful, market-leading company at the top of their industry is looking for a motivated candidate to head an offshore project investigating issues with structural steel. Structural engineering experience of at least ten years needed, and prior experience with forensic engineering would be a bonus. Contract is fixed-term for at least 12 months, with possible extension. Excellent rate of pay, all expenses included. Must be willing to travel abroad for an extended period.​ Willing to 'travel' they said, must be motivated and have prior forensic engineering experience, they said. My name is Rhea Horton, and if I don't come back from this alive, please can you feed my cat?

In a dystopian world of war in the future, a group of soldiers, including Tinda, face a brutal clash with an enemy that has advanced technological means at its disposal. After a series of dramatic explosions and dangerous missions, their unit goes through horrific combat conditions and human losses. Tinda, being one of the few survivors, reaches the intercepted information of the enemy about a supercomputer called Hetman, which conducts military operations with extraordinary precision. The final conflict, the stakes of which are the lives and fates of soldiers and civilians, reveals the dark side of war - not only their fight for survival, but also the unethical actions of their commanders. When Tinda discovers the truth about the Gambian plan of Hetman, she gains the determination to oppose the ruthless decisions of her superiors. In the finale, faced with betrayal, the soldier makes a drastic decision in order to prevent further crimes. Derivative is a story of courage, sacrifice, and moral turmoil in a time when technology and human nature intertwine in dangerous ways. Who is truly enemy and who is friend when war turns the code of ethics upside down?

Tevun Krus goes Hard Sci-Fi for once! What does this mean? Hard science fiction emphasises on scientific or technical detail, or on scientific accuracy, or on both. Stories in this sub genre try to be accurate, logical and credible in their use of current scientific and technical knowledge. Of course there is a degree of flexibility in how far from "real science" a story can stray before it leaves the realm of hard SF. And we definitely don't want to get nitpicking here. So, enjoy what the authors of the mothership have to offer!

***1ST PLACE @ScienceFiction February 2020 Contest*** She's a cop with a job to do--bring in Seattle's most notorious hacker with an offer too good to pass up! ----- This story was written as a submission to the February 2020 @ScienceFiction contest. "Critical Impact Vulnerability" is an exploit classification used by Red Hat.