In the world to come, there is no more sickness, and no more death. What need of gods? Strangely however, even eternal life can become a kind of death sentence. Centuries of hedonism takes its toll causing some to yearn for new life... i.e., children. This is an unforgivable crime. There are specialized squad units commissioned to track down and eliminate newly unsanctioned life.

The children of Earth are divided into two competing ideologies that define their existence, (re)Shapers, and the Mechanist factions. Their delicate partnerships hitherto, were undesirable but necessary to satisfy mutual business interests. With the recent discovery of the Swarm in the Orion Constellation of the star Betelgeuse, one side puts plans in motion to claim it all.

Aftermath of: Beyond the Aquila Rift Facing the truth brings up options, choices, and the chance to live a life never imagined on a world never dreamt of. It bears with it challenges never before met, and the possibility of a whole new world of options. For better... or for worse. For Thom, for 'Greta' and for countless other worlds. [This has been a commissioned work]

The alien had put Thom back into the simulation, back into the lie. But lies sometimes contain truths, truths so deeply loved that lies will be clung to in order to keep a truth from being lost with it. What secret does Thom hold back from the alien, what does the alien hold back from him, and in holding back, what do they each offer up on their own?

Just a short story on how Decker is handling his moonlight being gone.