Gosh, this is what happens when you step away for a week. The thread closes, the voting opens and a bundle of new stories appear!
So many excellent stories, the last of which I'm going to review... right here!
@Phyrebrat -
Don't Save The Cat - a title which had me trying to see whether the 'Beat Sheet' could be applied to the story, but I soon got distracted by the oh-so-clever use of the best-known dead-and-alive cat in the universe. Very nerdy and very funny.
@David Doherty-Jebb -
The Next Window - Well burger me if my local kebabish hasn't opened a deep space branch, doubtless to cater for all those black holes that appear around about 4am on a Saturday morning. The story may give the impression of war... and that's exactly what it is.
@Xenosia -
That's Our Captain For You - one does wonder how some of these captains make it through the ranks sometimes. I got the sense of the fat lady singing downstairs, for some reason on a cassette...? But then the crew don't exactly shower themselves with glory either. I mean, one of them ought to know it was on autopilot, right?
@Bob Senior -
BUGS - ah, some real space opera! I have to say, life does seem stinky on Mars if this paean is anything to go by. This has a touch of the Mel Brooks about it, with the one bug starting to sing, and then on the big 'La la la la" finish I can just see the rest of the bug population joining in the rest of the opera. Earth bugs might live their whole lives in a day but I've seen some operas that seem like they last a lifetime.
@BigJ -
The Final Commentary on the Exploits of the Extraordinary Captain Arkansas - a serial-style title that itself is so long that it could be serialised over several 75-worder comps. Probably. Quite apt that Capt Arkansas was blasted off into the asteroid belt when his own marriage spent so much time on the rocks.
@The Judge -
The Next Generation, 1 (but Baby-lon 5) - really clever genre-bender that ought to get the Exec Commissioning Committees at the Beeb thinking very carefully. I can see the pitch now: "it's a 1920s Tudor NHS drama set in space!" Chuck in a bit of Poldark and Bob's Your Uncle. I'd watch it!
@TheDustyZebra -
A Solo Composition - Han Solo doesn't strike me as the poetic type, but this shows that even the gnarliest space cowboy has at least one good ditty inside them, even if it is distinctly John Cage-esque. And His Vogonity is bound to have a great chance in the competition for such an avant-garde entry
and suffering for his art so much....
@Moonbat -
Supernova Surfing Snail - ...but His Vogonity's got nothing on Phhtmaothin when it comes to postmodern structures. A surreal SF surf that reminds me of my favourite (and possibly only) neutrino gag: "Sorry, we don't serve neutrinos here," says the barman. A neutrino walks into a bar.
No? Sorry; I'd best let Moonbat stick to the comedy, for this wacky west-coast of the Sun adventure.
@Culhwch -
Never Get Caught In A Monologue You Could Have Avoided - urgency! Lovely stuff; just like that, almost on cue, the theme of the competition is brought full circle whilst also giving a valuable lesson to supervillians and intergalactic despots everywhere. When will they learn, eh?