"Well?" Callie was impatient.
Ben pursed his lips, "It's okay."
She threw up her hands, "It's drivel. Everything is telegraphed or explained. There's no room for a reader to put themselves in Carlos's shoes! It just doesn't #work."
Ben glared, "You could do better?"
She straddled him and gripped his shoulders, "*You* could do better. I know this. I'm fucking Calliope. Y'know, the muse?"
With a sly smile, "Show me your tits."
She slapped him and vanished in a puff of logic. 3/3
#wss366
"Carlos the Cosmonaut floated in the void. 'Help' he transmitted on all bands. A bright light shone upon him. A spaceship appeared. He remembered a document describing a similar ship belonging to a long-vanished race.
'Hi, human. We are here to help you."
"Oh thank God!"
"Hehe, I guess we are gods. Thank you." A life pod appeared next to him. "Good luck!" shouted the aliens before vanishing.
With a hint of sadness in his voice, "I didn't get to say thank you." 2/x
#wss366
"Fathom" Ben whispered into his mic. "Write me a story about an astronaut who encounters a sublimed alien species."
An elipsis winked as text scrolled upscreen.
"Whatcha doin'?"
He leapt nearly out of his skin, "Wh-who are you?"
The thick redhead shrugged, "You" her voice dripped with contempt, "—can call me Callie." Words eluded Ben again.
She sighed, "Are you 'vibe writing'?"
He nodded like a little kid caught pulling his dog's ears.
A smile split her face, "Read it to me." 1/x
#wss366
Hours passed as the Spacer mapped out five transponders, one broadcast a familiar signal.
Pentangulating them was old hat, demanding only high school algebra scrawled on a matchbook from Nick's Space Bar.
He determined he was near someplace familiar.
Unexpected.
Earth.
Home.
A few taps proved the engines still #worked. There was enough fuel for a side trip and he could top off on Titan if necessary.
His breath caught in his throat as he sang, 🎶 Boom de yada... 🎶
#wss366
He turned around and resumed playback. "[JINGLING COINS] I function but I can not work. Need an upgrade. Please give."
Ash caught her breath, hugged her phone under her arm then escaped.
For a minute the android watched, impassive, as she dashed towards the crowds, glitter, and traffic of downtown.
He returned to his crate, extended his arm, and resumed begging. 3/3
#wss366
From the darkness a shadow with feral yellow eyes leapt out.
Her heart raced at the sight of the tweak.
Metal gleamed in the night, "You give phone or eat and fuck corpse. Manymany."
She backed into someone.
Something.
The android.
Hands covered with filthy leather gloves pushed her aside.
A joyous hiss arose from the tweak. "Beep. Boop."
Ash caught her balance as she watched the 'droid go full cuisinart on the tweak, splattering gore until there was a wet crack.
The body went limp. 2/x
#wss366
Cars hissed on rain-slicked streets smeared with neon and sodium lights. Ash kept her purse close at the sound of jingling.
Squatting on a crate was a battered android, pseudoderm stretched dangerously over its carbon fiber frame. His outstretched hand held a RFID reader with a looped recording.
"[JINGLING COINS] I function but I can not #work. Need an upgrade. Please give."
Ash wrinkled her nose, muttered 'clanker' and hastened away. 1/x
#wss366
NaraMoore ⛩️👻八尺様👻⛩️ at Fedi (@NaraMoore@sakurajima.moe)

# #TimeTravelingGhost EP 5 Part 60: Jurassic Era **1/15/26 #TimeTravelAuthors The cost of time travel #Wss366 pyramid #MastoPrompt aromatic** I kicked the detritus near the edge of the cave, then sat down with my legs dangling over the edge. An #aromatic breeze, reminiscent of ferns and conifers, rose from below, masking the odor of guano. "If we want to learn what the rabbits are up to, we're going to have to go out there," I said, pointing to the surreal #pyramids. “Can you fly that far? You'd be easy pickings out there on the water.” “Yeah, I can’t see myself building a raft and paddling across open water. I don’t suppose we could just time-travel over there? We don’t seem limited spacially when doing it. And it doesn’t seem as taxing as dematerialisation.” “All we can do is try.” #TootFic #MicroFiction #NMFic #NMTTA

Sakurajima (桜島)