20; A Collection of Short Stories

A collection of four sci-fi stories exploring various futures, ranging from an isolated asteroid colony governed by questionable politicians, to an alien invasion so overwhelming that the sky over Atlanta is blacked out by spaceships, each with a brief afterword providing commentary on the origins of the story.

First in the collection is “A Clash at Grozny Airfield,” a military sci-fi story about a battle with the first ever all-robot military unit, set in an airport café as various travelers watch events unfold on TV. Next, the novelette “The Wisdom-Goddess Star” tells the story of an investigative journalist’s endeavor to write an exposé on the most isolated asteroid colony in the solar system. “Beneath Them” is another short story which takes place at a remove from the real action, as Cheyenne and her cousin deal with roaches in her apartment during an overwhelming alien invasion. Rounding out the collection is another novelette, “ChannelCon ’30,” this one revolving around a disaster con and the intense fan feud which threatens to break the friendship of a popular livestreaming duo.