Category Archives: Short Story

“I swear, if this ship is not ready to leave in the next two hours, there will be hell to pay,” the captain mumbled to himself. The corridor to Cargo Bay Eight was surprisingly clean and well lit for a cargo ship, although the faint smell of hydraulic oil hung in the air, indicating a potential leak somewhere in the system. “I’ll have to mention it to Michaels. Last thing we need is to blow a hydraulic line at the jump point,” he thought. The captain prided himself on running a tight ship, even if it was just a cargo tramp. A man should always take pride in his work, no matter how simple it may be, or at least that’s what he told his crew.

While he maintained the ship in a clean and presentable manner, the same could not be said for his person. Standing a little over six feet tall, Captain James Lawrence cut an impressive, well-built figure. It was obvious that he had been quite a physical specimen in his youth, though age and a hard life had taken their tolls. His unkempt mess of black hair was now streaked with grey, but his beard managed to hold its color for the most part. He normally dressed in simple work pants, boots and an over shirt, but at the moment he was wearing a pair of coveralls that had seen better days. When they were new, they had probably been blue, though now it was nearly impossible to tell through the oil and dirt that was layered on them. Not that it mattered much. Once the cargo load was done and the ship safely in hyperspace, he could shower and put on some fresh clothes. Of course, none of that would happen if Michaels were running behind schedule. Continue reading →

I am extremely excited–and if I’m being honest, a little nervous–to announce that starting tomorrow, and for the next nine Thursdays, we will be presenting “In the Service of Absolution,” a science fiction short story. The story will follow Captain James Lawrence and the Absolution as they find themselves in a most unexpected place.

I have been working on the story for a little over a year now, having pitched the idea to Tracy not long after Therefore I Geek launched, but it’s one that has been bouncing around my head for the better part of four years. Every so often my mind would wander back to this idea and I’d mumble something to myself about needing to do something with it, though I wasn’t sure what. Once Therefore I Geek went live, it seemed like a perfect place to put something like Absolution. The rest of the writing process was a mostly boring mix of coffee, beer, and typing.

It is a real treat to share this with you all, so be sure to join us over the next few weeks and share in the adventure.

I would also like to extend a special thanks to Steve Patton for helping plant the seed of an idea many years ago.