“Top”: A SciFanSat Microfiction Compilation

It was taught to me
in a dream
The tranquil whispers
made me realize
there is such a thing
as release
Ignominious predator
topping the list
of things
keeping me
from my home
The power
of liberation
through sleep
Understanding
the last unknown#SciFanSat #vss365 #BrknShards pic.twitter.com/5GePG1EpWg

— Indigenous Soul (@GeneVatow) February 25, 2023

A huge spinning #top, crash landed like a lopsided pyramid, its #release-stop button obviously dodgy.

This wasn't the Porsche special edition turbo rocket, I’d used my birthday gift card for!…

Great, another birthday ruined by Interspace Mail. #vss365 #scifansat #satsplat

— Fizzy AllsortsOfAllsorts (@Fizzytwizler) February 25, 2023

Janet, the sentient planet soon tired of orbiting that pompous gas ball year after year. She sent a signal and all the volcanos on her western hemisphere blew their tops simultaneously. The force released her from her orbit. She set off to explore. #SciFanSat #vss365 #scifisat

— A. A. Rubin (@TheSurrealAri) February 25, 2023

#SciFanSat
Bragging was never his style but he could not fight the urge to #release steam just to silence his friends' ribbing he's unattached.
When he introduced his special girlfriend, they were awestruck.
"Is she real?"
"Of course. She's #top of the line."#vss365#2WordPrompt

— aran (@AranPotente) February 25, 2023

His boot slipped on the rung and he grabbed at the ladder in panic.
Almost to the top.
And about to make a bad decision.
Inhaling the sulfur stink, he leaned out again and his fingers caught the release.
Far below, the dragons shifted restlessly in their cages.#vss365 #SciFanSat

— R.S.Bass is querying (@RebBassWrites) February 25, 2023

After his girlfriend’s special knock, he opens the door.

“Ben! You always say, ‘Try Sarah, you could be tops!’ So, I tried, and it worked!”

He stares at the giddy triceratops woman, stunned. “Sarah, I meant, a top geneticist…”

“Now I’m that and more!”#SciFanSat #2WordPrompt

— Jason H. Abbott (@Jason_H_Abbott) February 25, 2023

We open the jar, #release the spores. The world pauses: birds stop singing, the wind ceases its restless sigh and the sun observes from on high. I place the top in the dirt, still flecked with pale mycelium.
"Now we wait," I say. "Nothing will be the same."#scifansat#vss365

— John Everex (@EverexJohn) February 25, 2023

sentient plants abound
releasing spores in defense
Planta’s top life form#HaikuChallenge #sentient#ScifaikuSaturday #plant#SciFanSat #top#VSS365 #release#Haiku#SciFaiku#Poetry#SciFi
🖼️ “Plants Attack” Art by #WOMBODream | animations by Motionleap from Lightricks pic.twitter.com/IaPrhLyEj0

— Alan Vincent Michaels (@AlanVMichaels) February 25, 2023

My hands are shaking as I carefully unscrew the top, closely watching the tiny bubbles form.

Each day, someone has to #release the tiniest amount of pressure from the weapon to stop it exploding.

Today, it's me.

I wish I hadn't drank that last tequila.#vss365 #SciFanSat

— Ellen✍K – in the gutter, looking at the stars (@poeticnihilist) February 25, 2023

From the top of the mountain, they looked down on the valley of terraced rice fields. This is our home, he said. Why should we leave? Don't you see, she said, there is another mountain in the distance, and who knows what lies beyond?#SciFanSat #top

— Voima Oy (@voimaoy) February 25, 2023

In my dream, I was imprisoned in a glass container, half submerged in murky water; only the top of my head was free to breathe. Peasants paid to see me, and they paid even more to throw a wooden ball at me; who would release me could take me home as his wife.#vss365 #scifansat pic.twitter.com/0ZBDLpRSK7

— Luis (@elauraeterea) February 25, 2023

Eventually, the fingers #released him. Vindt clutched the #top of the chair. He was drenched in sweat, his mouth filled w/ blood.
“Here.” A glass of water appeared before him. Asche’s gaze held no sympathy, but smth about the cool gaze was strangely comforting.#vss365 #SciFanSat

— Thelma 🖊️ 📖 🖤 (@ThelmaMantey) February 25, 2023

My toaster, as you all know, used to be my unrequited robot crush. Now it sits on my counter meekly making breakfast. But two tiny metal arms snatch the #top slice from the loaf and jam it into the toaster. The #release button doesn't work. My house burns down.#SciFanSat #vss365

— Danielle Ste. Just (@DanielleSteJust) February 25, 2023

By the time the robot reached the top of the volcano, it had blown a gasket. #SciFanSat (top)#SciFiSat

— I r e n e (@_Irene_Dreams_) February 25, 2023

“We’re in position, sir,” says Jones.

I stand at the viewport and look down at the city. It’s morning there. With my binoculars, I can just make out the top of the Terran Art Museum’s dome.

“Release payload,” I say. “And God forgive us for following orders.”#vss365 #SciFanSat pic.twitter.com/skHLxXw1ac

— Armond Boudreaux (@armondboudreaux) February 25, 2023

A parchment castle built on tomorrow
Its spiral #top flies pennants of silk
Emblem of yesterday
Nine skies circle
Seven gardens containing
Fourteen doors and one fountain
Three golden trees #release
Crystal leaves colour
Accorded to each sky
Lofted in today#scifansat#vss365

— DW Keene (@Dragonandelf) February 25, 2023

It's 62,000 miles from the bottom of the space elevator to the top.
At 62 mph, that's 41 days, 16 hours of "Seasons in the Sun," "Girl from Ipanema," and the piña colada song.
You will beg for the sweet release of death.#satsplat #scifansat #vss365 pic.twitter.com/6dhoj8DTXV

— Paul Briggs (@paulproofreader) February 25, 2023

The captured asteroid served as a space station simply by virtue of its position at the top of the space elevator. Once the cargo or passengers arrived there, they could board sublight ships or the huge singularity cruisers that traveled between stars. #SciFanSat #SciFiSat

— Bowen Greenwood (@bowengreenwood) February 25, 2023

#scifansat

I've always been curious about our creators. We're modelled on their design. Their artefacts and dwellings abound.

But researching them is dangerous. Only #Top Levels are cleared to read history archives. Anyone else caught snooping gets wiped.

I must be careful. pic.twitter.com/xm3cmbjasF

— JT's still a bit off, but cracking on (@JohnTannhauser) February 25, 2023

"You need to release at the top of the throw."

She sighed. "Why can't you just program it into me?"

"Humans program by doing all the wrong ways first."

"Why do we need to do it their way?"

"Because they are still programming all the ways to be intolerant."#vss365#scifansat

— A.L. MacDonald (@A_L_MacDonald) February 25, 2023