It came from Uranus

By Chuck Semenuk

The year is 2090. Over many decades, technology continued its exponential growth at mind boggling speed. Major scientific breakthroughs like warp drives, ion and magnetic pulse engines have made navigating the solar system as common as a trip to your neighborhood store. Unfortunately, progress has come with a price. Just like on earth, mankind is succeeding in trashing the solar system with all matter of discarded waste and debris. In fact, with the help of other so-called "intelligent" life-forms, the scenario is sure to perpetuate far into outer-space.

Approximately ten years ago, the United States Government in its zeal to continue being the planet Earth’s protector and watch dog saw fit to start up still another government agency, the Space Abnormal Phenomena Investigation agency (S.A.P.I.) Nicknamed “sappy” by the tax payers, the agency’s activities are largely a mystery to the general public. In reality, the agency was formed to investigate perceived events in space that might possibly impact the safety and security of Earth and the surrounding cosmic environment.

Special agent Anthony “Tony” Nova walked quickly down the hall to the office of S.A.P.I. Director of Covert Operations, Shawn Benedict. Director Benedict’s well-endowed secretary Carla ushered him in and closed the door. The director looked up from a stack of papers on his desk.

“Tony. Good to see you. Have a seat.”

“Hello, Director.” Tony pulled up a chair and sat down. “What’s going on? I take it that you have a new assignment for me?”

Carla entered the room again with two steaming cups of coffee. She smiled at Tony and offered him a cup. “Do you still like your coffee hot and black, Agent Nova?”

Smiling back, Tony took the cup. “You have a good memory, Carla.”

Carla handed the remaining cup to Director Benedict and left the office, moving in a manner that was sure to capture Tony's attention. She seductively looked back over her shoulder as she closed the door behind her. His mind still dwelling on the awesome attributes of the luscious Carla, Tony became aware of a burning sensation in his crotch as he realized that he was tilting his cup and dribbling hot coffee on the front of his pants. Trying to maintain his totally cool and in-control persona, Tony gritted his teeth, ignored the pain and took a sip of coffee.

Farm System

By Ronald Brunsky

The not too distant future:

Since the scientific breakthroughs in gravity control, and anti-matter propulsion, traveling to the stars has finally become an accepted reality. Recent expeditions, although successful in reaching solar systems many light-years away, still have not discovered alien life or life sustaining planets.

A suitable world fit to colonize would have to have the proper gravitational pull, a nitrogen/oxygen based atmosphere, a surface temperature within an acceptable range, and a vast supply of water — every time, a potential site would wind up lacking in at least one of those areas.

The current operation, now in its fifth year, recently had an added burden thrust upon it. The livestock virus, which had been of little concern when the mission started, was now engulfing their entire planet. The many decades of experimentation with meat producing animals had left them unable to fight off this latest strain. Few farm animals were left uninfected. It was only a matter of time before the food supply would be exhausted. Leaders have been forced to initiate a limited ration policy. It was imperative that another food source be found.

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Optimistic news was spreading fast through the crew of the “Guardian One”, long range scanners indicated possible life near a G-type main sequence star residing in the fourth quadrant of their own galaxy. As more data arrived, the likelihood of life on this newly discovered orbiting rock was rapidly becoming a foregone conclusion.

“Captain, our latest reports are 95% sure of life-forms.”

“Fine, set a course for it. If it is intelligent life, maybe they will offer help? It is of the utmost importance that we return with breeding stock. Current information from home isn’t good. The virus has eliminated the last of our planet’s livestock, and the supply of animal meat in storage is running precariously low. Frankly, this looks like our only hope.”

After several months, the space freighter reached the small planet. While they orbited, they located a desirable landing site and laid plans for their incursion.

“I have good news and bad news, Sir.”

“I’ll take the bad first, Lieutenant.”

“I don’t think we can communicate with these aliens.”

“And the good news?”

“I think our search has ended. Further analysis shows that the inhabitants are very primitive. They are air breathing, and have a very high fat content. I think they would satisfy our nutritional needs for some time to come.”

“Wonderful! Commence the landing procedure. It looks like we’ve found our farm system. I’ll send the good news to mission control. We’ll soon be headed home.”

“What a welcome we’ll receive, sir. You know how long the men have been away from home. I mean, they miss their families and another season of sports is history, but there’s something else …”

“Yes, I know what you’re talking about. Why do you think I’ve been taking all those cold showers?”

The huge vessel glided smoothly into a large clearing. The cloaking devices had worked perfectly; the planet’s residents had no knowledge of the invasion.