Madelyn Wainwright was a blossoming debutante. A fine, soft-spoken lady of society, she was treated to many luxuries by her affluent parents in a time otherwise plagued by war. Unlike her mother and father, however, her nannies and tutors did not think it right to keep young Madelyn in the dark about what was going on and took it on themselves to educate her with stories of space travel, exploration, adventure, and war. This instilled in her a sense of wonder and curiosity that would motivate her throughout her life. Driven to explore and understand the universe, Madelyn convinced her parents to let her study Astrocartography. It was a respectable profession, and they encouraged their daughter’s intelligence. Madelyn attended a prestigious university on her Homeworld and made quick work of earning both her BS and her master’s on the subject. Just before graduation, Madelyn met First Mate Cline. He was handsome and ambitious. He was a space traveler and had survived several battles.

The Long Wait When the doors of Veska’s shuttle opened, she and Dioli were treated to an exceptionally violent crack of nearby lightning. The accompanying cacophony of its thunder made the mechanical doors shudder and tremble before touching the mossy face of carpeted stone. Directly ahead of them was Dioli’s ship: black, sleek and practically glistening under the veil of rain that flowed over its pristine exterior. Headless of the ship’s owner, Veska was drawn to the cruiser like metal to a magnet. The transparent umbrella she carried shriveled under the aggressive assault of rain, but this went unnoticed by the young woman carrying it. Her gaze and attention were locked solely on the starship ahead. Dioli, who had no umbrella, waited inside the shelter of Veska’s craft. Activating the gangplank with a flick of his wrist, he waited until the steps fully unfurled before sprinting forward, quickly covering the distance between in several bounding strides. To Dioli’s surprise

A Stranger in the Night There were few things that Veska enjoyed more than an evening storm. They always made her feel like something exciting were about to happen. It had to do with the electricity in the air and the trembling in the ground. Every time the sky cracked, you could feel the life and power of everything around you. It was your choice in that instant to fear the will of nature, or let it fuel you. A month from now, the thrill of being locked inside by the torrents of a summer swell would fade. The storms to come would frequent at least three times a week. And even if the thunder didn’t show, the incessant rain always made an appearance. But for now, it was new and it was exciting again, and Veska was determined to savor it for as long as she could. At the moment, Veska sat reclined in her living room with her feet up. A light, knitted blanket was across her lap. A cup of li plum tea sat on a nearby table, its purple steam floating with the grace of a dancer on the