“Active”: A SciFanSat Microfiction Compilation

A melange'
of active spirits
As they cavort
forming as snowflakes
in the cold
November rain #vss365 #snowflake #AutumnWrites #SciFanSat #active pic.twitter.com/3IaCTqtldV

— Indigenous Soul (@GeneVatow) November 6, 2021

This planet is hardly home. Brutal winters force us to live in underground pods. Giant clumps of ice crystals fall from the clouds. These are no ordinary #snowflake-s. But our bodies have adapted. Now we remain in-#active hibernating half the year.#vss365 #satsplat #SciFanSat

— Maria A. Perez (@MariaAPerez1) November 6, 2021

We know when the AI's overactive: life's too tidy.

Surface temp's a steady zero. A pristine moon lynx pads by the viewer on the hour. All the snowflakes match.

So we remind the AI we like messy, and wait for it to surprise us, again, with a yeti.#SciFanSat #vss365 #vssnature

— Jenny Gaitskell (@JennyGaitskell) November 6, 2021

It drifts above the grass like a car sized snowflake. Touching the starship from outer space, I know.

It's the same as the one I came in, fifty years ago.

Doors activate and unfold. I lift the baby I find inside.

"Welcome to Earth, little one."#vss365 #SatSplat #SciFanSat

— Jason H. Abbott (@Jason_H_Abbott) November 6, 2021

They were active at night, avoiding the main roads and security checkpoints. Under the moonlight, the ragged group headed for the forbidden zone, the lights of the fields glowing in the distance. #SciFanSat #active

— Voimaoy (@voimaoy) November 6, 2021

—Sir, they’re dead!
—Who’s dead?
—The yeast cultures. They’re no longer…active…Do you know what this means?
—15 more years traveling the vast reaches of space with you in this tiny bucket of bolts you call a ship, and…no beer!
—We’ll never make it.#SciFanSat #Satsplat

— A. A. Rubin (@TheSurrealAri) November 6, 2021

"Oi, #snowflake!" the barbarian yelled, "Don't be #leery of getting #active in the #NovemberRain! Where's your #lust for life?"

"Oh," said #GrumpySwearyFairy. "Do $%*! off."

Two tonnes of dragon droppings fell on his head.#vss365 #vssmagic #scifansat #autumnwrites #vssdaily pic.twitter.com/DKqqXEWSTp

— That Burnt Writer (@ThatBurntWriter) November 6, 2021

Sir, the drones are now active. Shall we begin?
Move into attack formation.
What do you mean…you can't get a good visualisation?
I don't give a damn about the weather. I'm not going to let a #snowflake stop me from invading. Blizzard or not, strike now!#vss365 #SciFanSat

— Ellen✍K (@poeticnihilist) November 6, 2021

#Snowflakes falling on his palm concerned him, an active weather system coming.
Freaking cold outside as he waited for her by the window. He'd ask her for a date to the stars: courage took hold of him.
But a growl behind him brought back cowardice.#vss365#SciFanSat#2WordPrompt

— aran (@AranPotente) November 6, 2021

The playground slows, children's voices stuttering to cold silence as the temperature plummets. I catch the first #snowflake, watch others dust the ground.
Then, active, we run inside, skin puckering.
"But it's summer?" The refrain repeats as we find blankets.#scifansat#vss365

— John Everex (@EverexJohn) November 6, 2021

The #melody emanated beyond the stars, unique as a #snowflake, seeking #active outposts on forgotten planets
It swept our #campfire-s after world's end
Leaving hearts a tumble
Now they reach out?! After all is lost?
Curse them
Bless them#vss365 #scififri #SciFanSat #satsplat

— 🤩 Debbie Iancu-Haddad 🍒 (@debbieiancu) November 6, 2021

"It's just your over-active imagination. This derelict has been hanging in space for years, and we're the first humans to set foot in it. There are no ghosts in here."

"Who said anything about human ghosts?"#SciFanSat#SatSplat#SatSpark#SciFiSat#SlapDashSat#SoYouWriteSat

— Christopher Slagle (@christopheresl2) November 6, 2021

The droid had never been #active in winter before, but there were no more humans to shut it off. As its joints froze, it experienced positive input watching the #snowflakes drift down. Its failing logic centres estimated that the stars were falling.#SciFanSat #vss365

— Katherine Traverse (@kattra) November 7, 2021

We've suffered this on many Earths, but not all, each afflicted planet a snowflake in a blizzard. But, the Soul Closet has been busy. Tragedy of the flesh turned homecoming of the soul, and honestly, a kick ass party. Active Agency has its perks.#bravewrite #vss365 #SciFanSat

— Occam Razor (@BeKindHumans) November 6, 2021

#vss365 #SciFanSat
Earth was a bit fuzzy around the edges, but we expected that when the dome went #active. It was the first time we'd left our pods without a suit and we met around the metal tree in the square. I heard carols as the first lunar #snowflake landed on my shoulder.

— AllOneWord (@AllOneWord5) November 6, 2021

Colonising were small ups and downs followed by bitter misadventures. What remains is to lie down on the frozen overgrown moon landscape getting covered by moon dust swirling down like snowflakes. I close my eyes and await the last activity of my heartbeat.#vss365 #SciFanSat

— Dunglish (@EdHaiku575) November 6, 2021

The fronders are good beasts, he said patting a shortfaced green creature The only problem he said as I mounted, is they're really #active & the day starts fast They picked me up a few leagues from the village Easier to ride he grinned after the sun peaks#SciFanSat

— DW Keene (@Dragonandelf) November 6, 2021

From yesterday on, it's harder to find a way out. That was already obscured by tech, like the robot personal trainer blaring optimal workout music.
Fairy tales mapped magic found despite exasperating places.
Yesterday they tapped the last active well.#366FF #SciFanSat #PenPixels

— Fennel (@FennelSteuert) November 6, 2021

My thoughts swirled.

Should I make my latest ’droid active?

Would it obey the Three Laws?

Would it hurt me or my team?

I pushed its navel “On” switch and waited.

It booted quickly, then paused and smiled.

I chastised myself.

All Ginger wanted to do was dance.#SciFanSat pic.twitter.com/2iTRKRd5xN

— Alan Vincent Michaels (@AlanVMichaels) November 6, 2021

After the fight, Patriot and I meet at the harbor to watch the fireworks.

“Thinkin’ about goin’ inactive,” Patriot says.

I elbow him. “But ‘these colors don’t run.’”

He touches the flag on his chest. “Still believe in ‘em. I just…”

“I know,” I say.#SuperheroSat #SciFanSat

— Armond Boudreaux (@armondboudreaux) November 6, 2021