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The Aphelion Daily Comics Page Don't miss a single hillarious issue of Bruno the Bandit, Freefall, or The Melonpool Chronicles! Check back every day for laughs from Aphelion's featured cartoonists!

Its funny what we can get accustomed to- humans adapt so well -something grows so familiar that it becomes normal... even if its something that you had been complaining about. Something that was at first frightening becomes familiar- even comforting -and then becomes so normal that it fades into the background. You even miss it when its gone.

For the last few months, my offline life has been a real roller-coaster. As the ride shows no signs of stopping, I may as well get used to it. One good thing has been that I've been able to ramble through my memories as I sorted the flotsam and jetsam of forty years of being a sci-fi fan. I was amazed at some of the crap that I've saved. Even to list it would double the size of the magazine, so don't expect me to start. Lots of it finally got tossed, but the memories that each item provoked will remain. And the new viewpoint that those memories also provoked will remain with me.

Would you believe that at one time I was afraid of the internet? Ask Rob, he was the one who finally got me online. I had been taking a computer class at a local school as well as doing some data entry sort of stuff at work- and both networks just happened to be full of viruses at the time. I brought a half dozen different computer viruses home to my computer on each floppy I was using. When they had been purged from my computer I found myself afraid of getting more viruses from the internet. Once I did bite the bullet however, I got used to the net, then later I practically lived online. Now I just kind of commute back and forth. The very thing that I once feared has become familiar, useful, and I can't imagine doing without it. Its become equal to the telephone, TV, running water, electricity, indoor toilets... (Parenthetically; I've lived without some or all of those things at one time or another, but then I've led a busy life. Perhaps that'd be the subject of some future editorial?) How long do you think it will be before a permanent internet connection simply comes with the house? Soon it'll be just another utility, like the phone or electric bill. In less than a decade, the internet has grown tremendously- What'll it be like in twenty years? What will we be like in twenty years?

Yeah, yeah, yeah- "deep questions from such a shallow mind" -I can hear you thinking. And you're right, who designated me to philosophise? But you see, I'm a writer- I dream up sci-fi stories. That requires me to ask those "what would this be like?" questions. So I do, and the results are sometimes put online for all to see. This was a hobby, but has now become an addiction. I can't quit writing. Neither, I expect, can you. But questions are part of the craft. Their answers make a better story.

I'm glad to see some more commentary in the Lettercol about the stories. The Lettercol can be a powerful tool for Aphelion's readers. I do wish more of you would read the serials and comment on them.

I'd like to take this time to say farewell to Martin, and remind him that we are only an e-mail away- so he shouldn't become a total stranger. Also, let's welcome Jeff Williams to the Serials Editor job... He should be pretty good at it, if I'm any judge. Jeff has been wanting to get us on a more regular footing as the Production Editor, so now is his chance to add to his talents. Hopefully, the 1^st barrier shall soon be broken.

Well, I should shut up about now and let you get to reading this month's selections. Enjoy!

When the stories are published, we will pick what we feel to be the three best pieces submitted (ranked 1st, 2nd, and 3rd of course). Winners will receive a prized featured space in the special issue and will also receive a graphic for their webpage or desktop wallpaper. The graphic will be provided by esteemed publisher Dan Hollifield and by notorious webmaven Robert Wynne.

Submissions for this special issue should be sent to shorts@aphelion-webzine.com and should be clearly labeled as entries for the Space Opera Contest. (DO NOT submit serials as they will not be affected by the contest.) Stories should be no less than 2500 words and no more than 10,000 words in length. All submissions for the contest must be received by May 20, 1999. Multiple entries will be accepted. Editorial review will be limited to technical issues only (format, length, spelling, punctuation, etc.).

The theme issue itself will be published in July 1999.

This contest is not open to the staff of Aphelion though their stories may appear in the issue if they choose to write one and if space is available.

So charge up those disrupter banks, let loose the dogs of intergalatic war, look out for the Grey Lensmen, and may the best beings win!

My Brother's Keeper By Andrew Massey The star dolphins are back and they are taking names!	Remembering Krempla By David Blalock Striking a bargain with a dragon can be tricky, but re-negotiating can be downright nerve-wracking (originally published in Dragon's Lair).
Marie Kelly By McCamy Taylor Watson makes a unsettling discovery at 221 Baker Street.	Mirror, Mirror By Michael Jarette-Kenny The clone detective must find and capture his parent.
Speaker's Child By Kelly Tolman Here is a tale of human empathy overcoming the spiritually damning. Sometimes we encounter those souls who are so wonderful that they are not allowed to live normal lives, and in this story one such person is allowed to at least begin a normal life through the efforts of a friend of incomparable courage.	First Kiss By Pravin Jeyaraj Kate is in love with Tim, who died.
The Snell Show By Darl Larsen It's the greatest show left on the earth.	Sins of the Fathers By Dan L. Hollifield Relationships can be so odd..
A Chapter in the Annals of Time Travel By Kathleen Lowney A story of time travel, bureaucracy and human nature.	The Drinking Contest By Rene' Steen Some drinks can be deadly to those unacustomed to them. A Mare Inebrium story.
Golem's Eyes By C.S. Lynch For the Wagon Folk, the Golem's Eyes were the eyes of death.	O'Rourke's Passenger By John Shanahan There are passengers, and there are passengers... Trouble comes in all shapes. A Mare Inebrium story.
Sexual Roulette By Rob Glowacki You always pay for your obsessions. Adult content.

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I've decided to ditch the back issues in favor of the Archives. The Archives are easier to use and can be indexed by author or story title. Hopefully this will ease the task of finding a favorite story. We may start a page of our past cover art, if there is a call for it. Thanks for your readership for without you, nothing we do has any meaning.

Aphelion Webzine is © 1997-98 by Dan L. Hollifield