Unexploded Remnants

Gallagher (Flotation Device) serves up a short but explosive novella about the last human remaining in the galaxy. In 1967, trans woman Alice stumbled upon the stargate network and fell “through the rabbit hole” into outer space. She watched from afar as her home planet died from climate change and war, but was able to extend her life by transporting through galaxies, making a living as a scavenger. Now, while combing through a market that serves countless species of aliens a unique variety of goods to trade, she comes across an item she doesn’t quite understand. Possession of it, however, gets her chased through the market by a pack of Delosi, militaristic extraterrestrials who resemble elves, so she knows she has something valuable on her hands. After narrowly evading capture, Alice makes it to a safe house and works out what she’s found: it’s a weapon controlled by a human consciousness that has been trapped in its data core for thousands of years and harbors a grudge against the society it left. Alice names the data core Gunn. As she’s pursued by parties that want to use Gunn for evil, she searches for a means to set the consciousness free. The impressive worldbuilding, replete with myriad references to Alice in Wonderland, could easily sustain a much longer adventure. Readers are sure to be sucked in. (June)