#space-opera — Public Fediverse posts

62 Years ago, Mother of All, Horsebreeder Clan lands

Joy had fifteen summers to her name. The following year she would be expected to commit to a path of learning. One that would lead to the sort of life she wished to live. Most of her friends would continue in the Horsebreeder Clan.

Far above, she could feel Dives Swiftly. She had spotted a large waterbird. It would make a fine dinner for the family. And a good feed for Dives Swiftly as well. Joy sent approval, and the hunting bird, true to her name, dove on the unsuspecting bird, breaking its neck with the impact, and then steered the limp body to the ground near Joyful Finder.

"Good strike" Joy said, as Dives looked at her. She took out her knife, and neatly cut the belly of the bird open, and Dives started to feed.

"I am thinking of leaving."
Dives paused, and looked at her, whistling a query.
"Next year a Scout will visit. I think I will go with them."
Dives whistled again.
"There probably will be little chance to hunt."
Another whistle.
"I know better than to try and talk you out of it."
Dives went back to eating.
"Now I have to tell Dad and Father."

After Dives finished her meal, Joy finished bleeding the bird, and then carried it home, sending an image of a roast ahead.
She felt Father's excitement at the idea.

At dinner, late that evening, her parents paused in their eating, and looked at her. Dad spoke first "Joy, is there something on your mind? You feel, well, a bit off."
Joy sighed.
"It isn't that Copper Digger kid again is it?"
"No, Dad, it isn't that. I think she's learned her lesson."
"Then what?"
"I know what I need to do."
"Great!" her Dad exclaimed.
"What is it, Joy?" asked her Father.

Joy poked her plate.

"Oh no! She wants to join the Sailmakers! Shipping will be doomed!" her Father cried out. Joy's lack of skill with a needle and thread was infamous, even now.
"No", Joy smiled sadly, "But you might wish it was."
Her Father grew serious "What then?"
Dad spoke up "You know that we will always support you. No matter what."
"I intend to go with the Scout that will visit next year."

There was a stunned silence.

Her Dad reacted first "You mean to go to the stars?"
"Yes. I want to be what Lorn was. To learn the ways of the Stars, so we can be enough to end the Raiders for good."
"You will have to tell the Council."
Joy nodded "But they cannot deny me."
"No, they cannot. The treaty says as much."
"We will miss you, Joy" her Father said softly.
"And I'll miss everyone here. Except Dives."
Both her parents looked surprised at this, and she shrugged. "Dives inists that she'll come along."
Shaking his head, her Father gave a wry smile "I swear, she thinks you are chick that still needs to fledge."
"Maybe she's right, if this is what Joy means to do" Dad replied.

The following day, her parents started to make arrangements to take a message to the Council. And showed Joy how to read Lorn's diaries.

#SF #SciFi #SFF #SpaceOpera #microfic #tootfic #MicroFiction #ShamanSpace #IAmWriting

Here’s the YouTube live stream of our show this evening, Saturday 05 September 2026:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GotIZVdP0Vk

#alazarinmobius #theinvisibleband #interplanetaryliberationfront #progressiverock #spacerock #secondlife #cubase #livestream #bandcamp #youtube #music #progrock #livestreammusic #scifi #spaceopera #mastomusic #musodon

Jeff Hawke by Sydney Jordan
#comicstrip #jeffhawke #scifi #sciencefiction #comicstrips #spaceopera

Mother of All, Divesen Station, ten minutes after Athena's docking.

Alaine was shutting down the systems, when an STC broadcast came in. He monitored it, and then called out "Captain? You'll want to hear this!"
Engel twitched a little, and then gestured to Alaine, who rewound the message and played it back over a speaker.
"Bright Sky, Bright Sky, we have new approach data for you. Proceed to planetary coordinates attached, and make planetfall. Flight patch attached, you are cleared to enter restricted airspace."
Then came the reply "Divesen Control, please confirm planetfall."
"Bright Sky, confirmed. Rerouting ordered by Scout Commander Finder."
At that, Seeker, who had also been listening, gasped.
Engel turned "Seeker?"
"Uh, Captain, that is my grandmother. Only she retired from the Scouts over forty years ago. And she was just an ordinary Scout."
"Do you know why Bright Sky is being ordered planetside?"
"No, no idea at all."
"Sir?" Alaine cut in.
"Alaine?"
"Sir, I've heard of this before, surely you have too?"
"What do you -" he paused "Reactivation? Of course, but Scout Commander? They only -"
Alaine finished his sentence "are found at Scout bases. So they have a base here now."
Seeker took over "But that means the treaty has been rewritten. Scouts were forbidden to be on planet unless they were part of a clan. What..." and she broke off.
"Seeker?" Alaine looked worried.
"Uh, I have been summoned to the Council Chambers. We all have. Now." Seeker reached for the intercom.
"Hold!" Engel commanded.
Seeker stopped and looked at him.
"I am, apparently, the Captain."
"Sorry Captain. Permission to summon the crew?"
Engel shook his head and stepped over, taking the intercom "All hands, secure your stations, and proceed to the bridge immediately."
Seeker nodded.
A few minutes later everyone aboard was in the bridge.
"Right, we are being summoned to the Council. Best behaviour. Meantime the Captain is heading planetside," Engel announced, "Dyani, lock safe?"
"Inner and outer green, sir!" she replied.
"Very good, break seals."

The crew moved out into the station. There was no-one waiting.

Seeker took the lead "Follow me.""

#SF #SciFi #SFF #SpaceOpera #microfic #tootfic #MicroFiction #ShamanSpace #IAmWriting

Disponible ! Ma #nouvelle La Pyramide noire est désormais publiée sur ma #boutique et dans les #librairies en ligne. Une version brochée sera proposée en #salon
https://seb-astien.fr/livres/la-pyramide-noire/
#autoédition #parution #nouveauté #écriture #sciencefiction #spaceopera

#beatthebacklist #bookchallenge Day 20 - International (Intergalatic, actually) Super Spy - Agent of Change - Steve Miller and Sharon Lee #stevemiller #sharonlee #liadenuniverse #baenbooks #janeausten #sciencefiction #spaceopera #scfiromance #ttrpgpodcast https://www.k-squareproductions.com/gmbc

Here’s the YouTube live stream of our show this evening, Friday 04 September 2026:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlCZ1MVBq5w

#alazarinmobius #theinvisibleband #interplanetaryliberationfront #progressiverock #spacerock #secondlife #cubase #livestream #bandcamp #youtube #music #progrock #livestreammusic #scifi #spaceopera #mastomusic #musodon

Jeff Hawke by Sydney Jordan
#comicstrip #jeffhawke #scifi #sciencefiction #comicstrips #spaceopera

La Pyramide noire sort demain en #livreNumérique , une version papier à découvrir en salon.
https://seb-astien.fr/blog/la-pyramide-noire-en-precommande/
#autoédition #livre #bookstodon #livrestodon #sciencefiction #spaceopera

Looking for FREE* sci-fi and fantasy ebooks, any and all subgenres?

Check out this Bookfunnel event - 150+ authors brought you their best!

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PS: there's an excerpt of my character-driven YA parallel world mystery in there!

#freebooks #free #ebooks #books #bookstodon #scifi #scifibooks #dystopia #dystopianSciFi #fantasy #sff #fantasybooks #Romantasy #UrbanFantasy #SpaceOpera #SpeculativeFiction #LitRPG #parallelWorld

*free with newsletter sign-up

3 Months ago, Council Offices, Divesen Station.

Joy looked across her desk at the Scout. They were not human, but one of the many species that had been derived from Earth-species stock in the distant, distant past. Probably by the same unknown race that delivered Joy's ancestors to Mother of All.

"Well Scout Instructor you certainly are an unexpected reply to my request."
The vocoder on the Scout's chest translated the burst of colours that surged across their skin. "Arriving with the answer seemed an efficient solution to the restrictions limitations of travel times."
"You did cause something of a stir when you emerged. The biggest thing we've seen here before was a depot ship, and that was back in Lorn's day."
"Are apologies compensations regrets required?"
Joy smiled, and made a complex sign with her fingers, indicating a matter of little import "No, just a surprise."
"We sign now?"
"Yes, I have been authorised by the Council of Elders to sign this modification of the treaty."

The Scout Instructor picked up the papers with one tentacle and looked through them. "All is in order correct." And it took a small box out of a harness, pressed the tip of a free tentacle into it, and then at the bottom of each page.

Joy took them back, and pressed her inked thumb against each page, and then signed her name.

A sign indicating an important query, "Are the lands territories properties clear for us to land arrive?"
"Yes, and airspace restrictions have been agreed to."
"Good pleasing efficient."
"It is for our benefit that we asked you to establish a Scout school here. Will the Maui be here long?"
"Apologies error, we understood thought you had knowledge. The Maui is permanently assigned to this station. In case of dramatic major intervention."

Joy sat back in surprise. "They've assigned us a Frontier Class cruiser? In case we need to do a full interdiction?"
"Correct."
"I see. Well, thank-you instructor, I'll let you return to your ship and your duties."
"Very good yes Scout Commander."
"What?"

A burst of bright colours washed across the sophonts skin and it handed an envelope to Joy "Your orders Scout Commander. You have been reactivated."
Before she could answer, it flowed out of her office.

After a few minutes, Joy opened the envelope. Inside was a new Scout ID card, and her orders to establish a new Scout Base on Mother of All. Starting with a locally-based school.

So much for retiring.

#ShamanSpace #SF #SFF #SciFi #SpaceOpera #Microfiction #Microfic #tootfic #IAmWriting

Sci-Fi books on Barnes & Noble! Get ready to leave the planet! https://books.bookfunnel.com/sept2025scifibn/pm2btymreo #books #bookworms #booklovers #booknerd #readingcommunity #barnesandnoble #Nook #scifi #sciencefiction #spaceopera #Bookstodon

Jeff Hawke by Sydney Jordan
#comicstrip #jeffhawke #scifi #sciencefiction #comicstrips #spaceopera

Looking for FREE* sci-fi and fantasy ebooks? Check out this Bookfunnel event - 100+ authors brought you their best!

https://bf.sophiemaddon.com/freeadventures/paf9erl93f

PS: there's an excerpt of my character-driven YA parallel world mystery in there!

#freebooks #free #ebooks #books #bookstodon #scifi #scifibooks #dystopia #dystopianSciFi #fantasy #sff #fantasybooks #Romantasy #UrbanFantasy #SpaceOpera #SpeculativeFiction #LitRPG

*free with newsletter sign-up

Here’s the YouTube live stream of our show this evening, Wednesday 02 September 2026:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-I6muH-4o0

#alazarinmobius #theinvisibleband #interplanetaryliberationfront #progressiverock #spacerock #secondlife #cubase #livestream #bandcamp #youtube #music #progrock #livestreammusic #scifi #spaceopera #mastomusic #musodon

Jeff Hawke by Sydney Jordan
#comicstrip #jeffhawke #scifi #sciencefiction #comicstrips #spaceopera

How is it already THREE DAYS until we journey into time and place with the best and brightest in speculative fiction?!

Grab your ticket and check out the details: writingtheoccult.carrd.co

#author #authors #books #film #tv #writers #writing #writingcommunity #writersonmastodon #creativity #creativetoots #sciencefiction #scifi #horror #fantasy #darkfantasy #gothic #occult #spacehorror #spaceopera #ancientaliens #atlantis #backrooms #liminalSpaces

It's Book Quote Wednesday and the word is APPEAR. HMSS Ark Royal is of course crewed by competent professionals and unfortunately has one very important complete plonker on board. #bookqw #spaceopera https://www.benjeapes.com/index.php/novels/his-majestys-starship-the-ark/

Hear me read a longer extract at benjeapes.substack.com.

Book Quote Wednesday's word is 'appear' #BookQW
And it appears that an unexpected and potentially fatal complication has arisen in the journey of the Benbow.
#scifi #spaceopera #adventure #writingcommunity

Jeff Hawke by Sydney Jordan
#comicstrip #jeffhawke #scifi #sciencefiction #comicstrips #spaceopera

Jeff Hawke by Sydney Jordan
#comicstrip #jeffhawke #scifi #sciencefiction #comicstrips #spaceopera

Humans visit an alien freeport, only to find they're kind of a joke. Read to find who gets the last laugh. https://inkican.com/emergency-reality-shelter-science-fiction-short-stories/culture-shock-scifi-short-story/ #SciFi #FirstContact #SpaceOpera

Jeff Hawke by Sydney Jordan
#comicstrip #jeffhawke #scifi #sciencefiction #comicstrips #spaceopera

📚 I just finished reading The Player Of Games: A Culture Novel
by Iain M. Banks

At the start I was a bit sceptical about the whole game theme, but the novel quickly became a very interesting tale of the Culture.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 stars)

https://hayobethlehem.nl/library/book/the-player-of-games-a-culture-novel

#BookReview #Books #Reading #Fiction #ScienceFiction #SpaceOpera

Here’s the YouTube live stream of our show this evening, Saturday 29 August 2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNp2EKsXnTs

#alazarinmobius #theinvisibleband #interplanetaryliberationfront #progressiverock #spacerock #secondlife #cubase #livestream #bandcamp #youtube #music #progrock #livestreammusic #scifi #spaceopera #mastomusic #musodon

Jeff Hawke by Sydney Jordan
#comicstrip #jeffhawke #scifi #sciencefiction #comicstrips #spaceopera

Mother of All.
On approach to Divesen Station, two hours out.

"Captain to the bridge" Engel opened his eyes, confused for a couple of seconds. Even after nine days, he was not used to being called 'Captain'. After a few moments, he got up and went forward. They were still at least two hours out, what was going on? Opening the bridge door, the rest of the skeleton crew were clustered around the sensor station. "Captain, over here!" called Alaine.

He came over and looked at the radar display. There, in orbit above Mother of All, was a massive ship, easily over a hundred times the size of their tradeship. And the profile the radar returned said 'warship'. Not a piddly little raider, not even one that could overpower Athena twice. This was huge and deadly.

"Do we have a beacon ping from it?" he asked.
"Yessir" Alaine replied "She's a Scout Service cruiser. The Maui. We'd fit inside her main gun like a pea in a straw."
"Any word from the station?"
"Yes, we have an approach, but they are directing us to the low port. And there is a Notice to Spacers with a traffic exclusion between the cruiser and the planetary surface."
Engel turned "Seeker? What do you make of this?"
She frowned "I don't know. They must be here at the Council's request, unless they had some sort of catastrophic failure."

He shook his head. This was like finding a friendly 400kg ridgehorn in your garden.

"OK, follow the approach they've given us. They know about Bright Sky?"
"Yes, we've flagged it as a prize vessel captured from raiders" Dyani supplied.
"Good. Give me a call when we are fifteen out from the atmosphere."
"Yessir."

Back in his cabin, he called the engine room.
"Sparks. Go" was the prompt reply.
"Sparks? Just a heads up, there's a scout cruiser in orbit."
"Which one?"
"The Maui. Does it matter?"
"Just asking. Did Seeker offer anything up?"
"No, she's as clueless as the rest of us."
Sparks hummed. "I guess we find out when we make planetfall."
"I guess so. Out."

Engel lay back down, and failed to get back to sleep. He lay there wondering what was going on for the next hour and a half.

"Captain, Bridge. We are fifteen minutes out."
"Thank-you." He scrubbed his face, and went forward again. Maybe they would have answers soon.

#SF #SFF #SciFi #SpaceOpera #Microfiction #Microfic #tootfic #ShamanSpace #IAmWriting