Kristin Jacques

Louis F Williams

Steven R Brandt

All of the science fiction stories included in this anthology used the same prompt: "Write a short story between 4,000 and 5,000 words using the word 'nemesis' as your inspiration." Story Synopses: Star Log (K. J. Gillenwater Stranded on a desolate planet far outside the interstellar starship lanes, a solitary man struggles to survive and to overcome the disturbing memories that haunt him. Guardian (Louis F. Williams) Reid Cade leaves New York and his badge behind when his wife dies of cancer. He settles in Montreal and quickly becomes a small-time bounty hunter. But, when Reid tries to collect on his latest bounty, he's drawn into an ultimate hunt he can't refuse. Disciple (Kristin Jacques) Moll's street rat family is betrayed by one of their own and slain by the unyielding enforcers of law. Left for dead, Moll's pleas for vengeance are answered by a forgotten Greek goddess. Stagnant (Dave Cardwell) In a world where nobody dies, society endures until a single death threatens it all. On the run, Skyla must follow the thread left for her where a devastating discovery in her genes awaits. Polarity (Holly Gonzalez) Decades after a genocidal war of invasion with human colonists, a lonely alien priestess hides to survive, believing she is the last of her kind. Taken prisoner by enemies who may be friends, she discovers the sacred ways of her people have been profaned by a mysterious usurper-and only destruction can restore the balance. Superhero Comic Girl vs. the Litterbox (Steven R. Brandt) Anastasia Starcaller believes she's an ordinary comic book artist. When the supervillain, Shapetwister, attacks her city, however, she discovers she has a superhero identity so secret, even she didn't know about it. Last Walk (Jinn Tiole) In need of a job, Rhône joins a mission to find a planet worth terraforming. As a geologist, she delves into the study of the young target planet's tectonic activity. Xenobiologist, Shea, is happy to contact a possible alien life form. But then things start to go terribly wrong... Three Shades of Black (Matthew Thrush) Chaos rules the day and Fear the night. Humanity has lost its morality as the surviving humans resort to acts of horror they never thought they could commit just to stay alive. Tray is the last human on the planet not inflicted with the curse. Hope still burns within him. That is, until the ones from the sky come back for the rest of them. When Tray loses all connection to the world he's ever known, he must choose a new path. Outwitting Alexa (Jesse Sprague) Seb is a simple man. He wants simple things: to live out his contract and to buy his freedom. But between a worldwide catastrophe and his mistress's state-of-the-art home security system, Alexa, powered by artificial intelligence, both living and freedom may be far more complicated than anticipated. Mordecai (Hannah Ansley) After the sudden death of his lover, Mordecai is left with only the burning desire to avenge her. With his loyal companion by his side, an injured dog whose life he saved, he traverses the desolate wasteland hunting down the man who murdered his soul mate.

Steven R Brandt

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