When last we saw our protagonist:

“John,” I said, my voice trembling. “We need to bury the hatchet between us right now. We are doing exactly what Caesar wanted.”

“I know it,” he said. “I don’t know what I can do about the fear, but I will try to not let it rule me. Deal?”

I almost laughed. “Deal, but it’s a good thing we’re not in the same room,” I commented. “This is where we’d be tempted to shake hands.”

He stared at me for a moment, then burst out laughing. “Yes, We would.” A moment later, the smile left his face and he turned to where I knew Marc would be seated. “How many reports of changes?”

“Fifty-seven so far, and they keep coming in.”

John’s face went white. “I need to get off here now.” He looked back at me. “No offense.”

“None taken.”

Immersion
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

I sort of, fell into Sociology. I had always intended to study the liberal arts and I enrolled in College in Political Science, Economics and Sociology. Frankly, I found Political Science annoying and Economics confusing. Sociology just seemed to fit. I cruised through the bachelor courses and was invited to do honours. Even before I received that degree I was invited to do a master’s degree, based on a research program.

CHAPTER 38
The letter was waiting for me one Wednesday evening in early May, sitting on the doormat when I returned from a job running a groupage to three addresses in Stafford. The envelope was handwritten, and I didn’t recognise the style, but there was a real stamp on rather than an imprint from an office franking machine, which had been the case with the first letter, the one I had found on the same mat on Tuesday.

The title was originally a spam subject, snatched up as part of Malinov's "Exploding Nipples" contest in 1997-1998. I didn't actually write the story until years later, in 2006. Thanks to Denny Wheeler for proof-reading and catching some unfortunate blunders in the original ASSM post.

A Boy visits a Girl for a planned movie and dinner. Things get hot.

Stone

Chapter 43 – The Ship