By Rick Kennett
The target's in the cross-hairs, you’re strapped at fire-control
You see it in your inner eye, you feel it wrap your soul
Your need to strike and strike is a compelling, compulsive urge
While weapon scan and mind of man you feel begin to merge
It is you as you are it and together you are one
As in they sweep from stellar deep beings of another sun
Psychically you anticipate
the thrusts of these Others who
You need to hate, annihilate
They’re not the same as you
Enraptured you press the firing stud
The lasers sing their song
They pulse in ragged rhythm
bang and bang and on and on
The screen flares white
in cosmic night
You laugh a crazy laugh
The battle has lasted a full second and a half
With that it’s done, it’s over, you’ve won the righteous war
The Others that sweep from stellar deep will intrude your space no more
But for now you’re unaware, your spirit’s electrified
It’s only later you realise that Humanity has survived
And later still you know your own humanity has all but died
About the Author
Rick Kennett
Rick Kennett has for many years not been owned by a cat, and these days has to make do with talking to next door's white Tom who sometime condescends to talk to him.
A kind and gentle soul he nevertheless delights in strolling through graveyards and writing of madness, mayhem and wars with hideous caterpillar aliens.
His latest publication, "The Crooked Rook", contains 21 short stories and flash fictions, some of which even Rick finds disturbing. 
Our weekly podcast features the stories from recently published issues, often narrated by the authors themselves.
Sarah Jane Justice is an Adelaide-based fiction writer, poet, musician and spoken word artist.
Geraldine Borella writes fiction for children, young adults and adults. Her work has been published by Deadset Press, IFWG Publishing, Wombat Books/Rhiza Edge, AHWA/Midnight Echo, Antipodean SF, Shacklebound Books, Black Ink Fiction, Paramour Ink Fiction, House of Loki and Raven & Drake
Margaret lives the good life on a small piece of rural New South Wales Australia, with an amazing man, a couple of pets, and several rambunctious wombats.
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Barry Yedvobnick is a recently retired Biology Professor. He performed molecular biology and genetic research, and taught, at Emory University in Atlanta for 34 years. He is new to fiction writing, and enjoys taking real science a step or two beyond its known boundaries in his
Chuck McKenzie was born in 1970, and still spends much of his time there.
Emma Louise Gill (she/her) is a British-Australian spec fic writer and consumer of vast amounts of coffee. Brought up on a diet of English lit, she rebelled and now spends her time writing explosive space opera and other fantastical things in
Ed lives with his wife plus a magical assortment of native animals in tropical North Queensland.
Merri Andrew writes poetry and short fiction, some of which has appeared in Cordite, Be:longing, Baby Teeth and Islet, among other places.
Alistair Lloyd is a Melbourne based writer and narrator who has been consuming good quality science fiction and fantasy most of his life.
Tim Borella is an Australian author, mainly of short speculative fiction published in anthologies, online and in podcasts.
Mark is an astrophysicist and space scientist who worked on the Cassini/Huygens mission to Saturn. Following this he worked in computer consultancy, engineering, and high energy research (with a stint at the JET Fusion Torus).
My time at Nambucca Valley Community Radio began back in 2016 after moving into the area from Sydney.
Sarah Pratt is an avid fiction writer and a Marketing Consultant.