Well, I
began this with rather a long shortlist, so I
started re-reading, which just added to the list as I then grasped the meaning/point of a couple of stories which had foxed me before. So I had to
commence a drastic pruning, which has left me with the following
starters:
BigJ -- Intellectually Robust Information System
Cat's Cradle -- The Dinner Speaker
JS Wiig -- A New Day
mosaix -- Origins
Provincial -- First Contact - Nostromo Style
reiver33 -- Don Juan, Move Over
TheDustyZebra -- You, Sir, Are Not as Charming as You Think You Are
Voting was easier, though, as I was hooked by
TDZ's unfairy tale on very first reading. She also gets a special prize for the wittiest title.
If I'd had a second vote it would have gone to
Provincial's story of the alien baby (which took me several reads to understand!).
As for my circular tale, many Bacillus-free Beginning Thanks for the lovely mentions/shortlistings Pyan, Stable, Christine, Lacedaemonian, Bren G, johnnyjet, sule, Starbeast, CC, Hugh and DCK29! And humungous Thoroughly Not Depressed But Perhaps A Little Drunken Thanks for the glorious votes MRG, paranoid m, and Elckerlyc!