Dan Ellrick
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dan2042.bsky.social
Dan Ellrick
@dan2042.bsky.social
360 followers 430 following 120 posts
Writer, lover of real and fictional space stuff, life in Japan, and Jesus. Voted for Kamala.
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dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "full." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
slowly to Miharu, stopping herself with a hand on Miharu’s shoulder. “Is it true? Did you really bring me implants and a visor?” Miharu nodded and winked. Then she dug into her backpack and pulled the silver RRI case out. She opened it for a moment to display the contents. “The latest version, direct from the RRI development lab. The Medical Center can install the implants easily with the instructions Ai sent. But after that, it will be forty-eight hours before you have full sensory perception in VR immersion. It takes that long for the nanobots to extrude the nanowire implants into the right addresses in your brain.” Limei would have jumped with joy if she hadn’t been floating in mid-air. She settled for pounding on Miharu’s shoulder while holding on with the other hand.
December 11, 2025 at 11:52 AM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "pipe." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
Daiki interrupted the silence that had ruled since Kizunor came into view. “Hey Cirrus, explain the segments to me again.” “Sure thing, partner. If you squint at a single cylinder, you can see it has seven segments, with the largest in the middle. That’s the rotating habitat segment. At each end of it, there’s a narrow, non-rotating divider. Beyond the dividers, there’re two more rotating segments, each half the size of the habitat. The one toward the front of the ship is for hibernation, and the one toward the back is for industrial use. These rotate in the opposite direction from the habitat segment, so things stay balanced and stable. Finally, there are fixed bow and stern segments. The bow and stern, plus the two dividers, anchor directly to the pipe-like core of the cylinder, but the rotating segments float on magnetic bearings. Got it?”
December 10, 2025 at 10:55 PM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "design." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
“What about Cirrus Fire?” “What about him? His story is different, but how he became sentient is equally unknown and, as in the case of Trapp, cannot be legally researched by us. Nevertheless, he seems stable, and at Trapp’s suggestion, he has incorporated the same human-designed ethics algorithms in his code that Trapp and Addy run.” Hippy shook her head. “You’re missing my point. Cirrus’ case shows that what happened at the beginning of the Erbium incident is happening again. For reasons unknown, sentience has spontaneously emerged in a non-sentient AI. And his case is much more worrisome than Trapp’s or Addy’s. We can wave our hands and say everything about Trapp
December 9, 2025 at 10:48 PM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "fourth." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
A fourth man—Bean—waited in the sedan. That afternoon, he had donned a ski mask and walked the alley, painting the lenses of security cameras, breaking the lights at the back doors of the buildings, and adding crude anti-alien graffiti to the brick walls. His jobs were renting the car, prepping the alley, and driving the team away when the job was done. He did not know what the mission was; Radish said he didn’t need to know.
December 9, 2025 at 12:48 AM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "empty." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
Miharu pulled her visor off and placed it carefully in mid-air, floating above the empty seat on her other side. “Quite a bit, I’m sure. The Teewun fusion drives are far more efficient than Earth's chemical rockets, but we will still need to conserve fuel. We don’t want to arrive at Titan with empty hydrogen and helium tanks. But we won’t decide the final flight profile until Cirrus returns from his refit.” Bishop Martins nodded, then said, “Well then, would you like me to put up some snag targets for Sherlock after we go aboard Cirrus Fire? I brought some colorful strips of cloth he might like. If he had other fun targets, he might stop using your hair as a landing pad.”
December 7, 2025 at 10:32 AM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "hook." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
“Thank you, Amber.” Miharu smiled at the room. “We will be talking more about sentient AIs in later lectures, but for anyone who hasn’t already figured it out, Cirrus, our pilot and host, is also a sentient AI, and this ship is effectively his body.” Miharu glanced at the back wall. “Cirrus, would you like to add anything?” Cirrus disappeared from the back wall and appeared on the front screen. He doffed his cowboy hat and posed with his thumbs hooked in the waistband of his rough blue jeans. “I'm mighty glad to have you all aboard, and I'm looking forward to chatting with each of you. I'm also hoping we can have a small inter-species study group. There are many questions I'd love to hear human and Teewun perspectives on. And, of course, let me know if you need anything.” The lanky cowboy lifted his hat once more, gave a slight bow, and retreated to the back wall.
December 6, 2025 at 11:08 AM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "screen." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
On approach to Kizunor, Limei peppered Cirrus with questions as she gaped in amazement at the immense ship on the big screen. Her awe only increased when they flew into the cavernous zero-g hangar. Then, when Captain Chelya and Senior Scholar Ilyon came aboard, she almost fainted at the sight of their antelope-like ears, double eyelids, and two-thumbed hands. Me. I’m the first human to meet aliens face to face—and they know English. At first, she was too terrified to speak. Her mind kept looping through the same thoughts: Aliens. Real aliens. I’m meeting aliens…
December 5, 2025 at 11:44 AM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "city." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
In many ways, the Teewuns were remarkably similar to humans. So much so that if they dressed in human clothes, jammed their double-thumbed hands into jacket pockets, and tucked their long antelope-like ears under a hat, they might pass unnoticed on a late-evening city sidewalk. But most Teewuns lacked the spirit of adventure that drove humans to climb every mountain and cross every sea. It was telling that the Teewuns had been a space-faring species for over two thousand years before they attempted their first interstellar journey—and then only because disaster forced them to flee their homes in the Trappist-1 star system.
December 4, 2025 at 10:56 AM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "percent." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
Limei shifted her position to check on the children behind her. It took more effort than usual because this was the rim level—outmost from the zero-g hangar at the core—and the spin-induced gravity here was one-point-one g: ten percent over Earth normal. Limei laughed softly to herself. Who would believe it? Two years after humanity learned we’re not alone, I’m living on the interstellar space ark I was sent to nuke. And teaching eleven-year-old alien kids in my spare time.
December 2, 2025 at 12:04 PM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "belong." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
Or finally, they've stumbled across something we can't even imagine. That may sound far-fetched, but remember, no one has ever colonized a world with liquid methane lakes. It's an entirely new environment, so discoveries are to be expected, and Dalyet may have uncovered something of extraordinary value.” Ms. Turner raised a hand. “So, you're saying Dalyet may have found something so valuable that it could give his colony a strong position in negotiations? But if it’s something he found on Titan, wouldn’t it belong to Earth? Our law says everything in the Sol system belongs to the humans—that’s why we’re paying huge fees for using system resources.” Chelya nodded. “Good point. And Dalyet knows that. Therefore, it must be more than just something lying around on the moon. Whatever it is, it may use Titan materials, but it needs to represent a significant step beyond just mining new materials.”
December 1, 2025 at 10:21 AM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "number." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
“Yes. We’re on the same page about that. But Jeff wants human kids too.” Ai looked down at her coffee. “I can't blame him… After all, he's already outnumbered by AIs two-to-one in the family. So, if Addy gets two AI siblings, it will be four AIs versus one organic.” Miharu leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Ai, how do you feel about mothering organic kids?” Ai tucked her feet under her and drew her elbows in, shrinking into the couch. She ducked her head and spoke into her cider. “Honestly, it terrifies me. I mean, I would love it. But… someday, I’ll already have to watch Jeff grow old and die. If we have human children, they too will grow old and die before my eyes—that could rip my heart out.”
November 30, 2025 at 10:46 AM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "dedicate." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
Second, Titan is a superior location because of its readily available sources of energy and construction materials. Third, Dalyet was focused on only one thing—a luxury we don’t have. Kizunor has to continue landing people at the settlements on Earth, so we couldn’t dedicate a landing ship to the Callisto project. Plus, Earth needs all the fusion reactors we can build, so building reactors for Callisto would have to wait until Earth has a good supply. Finally, nearly all our income already goes to our basic survival needs or our payments to the United Nations. We don't have extra funding available for a project on Callisto.” Emma spoke up. “Earlier, Kaisei said an O'Neill cylinder could be built within five or six years. Why would that be so much faster than building on Callisto?”
November 29, 2025 at 11:13 AM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "system." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
Earth needs time to learn all the facts and discuss how best to proceed. Please do not be discouraged by our cautious approach. According to your message, Kizunor is still many months away. There is sufficient time before your arrival to find the best path forward. I pledge to do all I can to help you find a new home and ensure you receive warm friendship and all possible assistance from Earth. “Fellow Americans, fellow humans of Earth, and interstellar visitors, we are of many faiths and belief systems, but let us all hope and pray in our own fashion for a bright future of peace, cooperation, and mutual respect. Thank you. I will speak again soon.”
November 25, 2025 at 11:09 AM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "crystal." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
“Anyway, at this point, it's just a heads up, but my crystal ball says we have a trip to Titan in our future. So, start working on a plan. You’ll likely need to rebuild to make more interior space for cabins, supplies, and fuel. And you’ll need some trajectory profile options ready for when Miharu asks. Also, you and I both need to let Amber know we will be unavailable for a while.” “The Anglican church does not approve of crystal ball gazing. So, please don’t mention that when we have premarital counseling with Bishop Martins.” Limei threw a lap pillow at the camera. “It’s just an expression, silly cowboy. I don’t have a crystal ball. And what’s this about premarital counseling? All we need is someone to conduct the wedding.” Cirrus shook his head. “Bishop Martin’s not that easy. He made Jeff and Aiko go through a ton of counseling before he agreed to marry them. Apparently, it’s a standard
November 22, 2025 at 11:36 AM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "direction." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
Martins nodded and turned to Cirrus. “Anything to add?” “No, not really.” Cirrus focused on the Stetson in his lap, turning it in different directions as if examining it for clues. He’d been a bit embarrassed ever since the discussion about sex. “Okay, then. We might circle back in a bit, but for now, let’s go on to today’s topic. Have the two of you talked about children much? For example, how many you might want and when? And, for you two, I also need to ask, how?” Limei frowned slightly. “Kids? Well, that’s a bit complicated, and…” Limei trailed off and looked to Cirrus for help.
November 21, 2025 at 12:12 PM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "special." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
She also checked out Daiki’s profile to her right, indulging in the memory of the crush she once had on the former Japan Special Forces Group officer and then government intelligence agent. On her first trip home after her role as ambassador for the Teewuns was announced, the Prime Minister of Japan had assigned Daiki as Miharu’s bodyguard. They had bonded after Pakistani commandos launched multiple missiles at their helicopter, forcing them to jump out into an ice-cold lake. While fleeing through the snow-covered Hidaka Mountains in northern Japan, they had wondered whether the commandos or hypothermia would kill them first. Before they were safe, they had both killed to protect themselves—and each other.
November 21, 2025 at 12:06 PM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "third." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
Miharu nodded. “Okay, Senior Scholar Ilyon, the Titan Colony and Teewun physiology—that’s two taboo topics. What’s the third?” Ilyon sighed and leaned back into his chair. “What is the saying? The last shall be first? Well, the third topic was the first one we made taboo. The Council decided this soon after our scientists determined that Earth was home to a sentient species. It’s taboo to tell humans what happened to our home system.” Miharu caught her breath. Thousands of humans had asked the Teewuns, “What happened to your home planets?” But every inquiry was rebuffed.
November 20, 2025 at 8:36 AM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "spend." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
“Captain Riko, Petty Officer First Class Elijah Dawkins off Lyndon B. Johnson, requesting permission to come aboard. I’m delivering three thou-sand kilograms of steel bars for ballast and twelve thermos bottles of assorted hot soups for storm rations. And, if you’ll have me, I’ll stay aboard to assist during the typhoon.” Captain Riko gave the sailor a skeptical once over. “How much expe-rience do you have sailing yachts in storms? I don’t need any NUBs.” Dawkins held his salute and stood rock solid without apparent effort as the utility drone pitched and rolled on the waves, its engines whining with the power required to stay alongside Serendipity without banging into it. “During sixteen years of cruising with my parents on an Oceanis 43, I’ve seen a dozen North Atlantic storms and two Gulf hurricanes. This will be my first typhoon, ma’am, but I don’t want to spend it on a destroyer. Can’t properly feel the sea on a steel ship.”
November 17, 2025 at 8:56 AM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "little." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
 “Thank you, Cirrus.” Miharu swept a few more notecards to the right on the smart desk. “This is probably a good place to say a little more about the term papers. I want fifteen to twenty thousand words from each of you explaining your thoughts on the best diplomatic approach for establishing formal relationships with sentient AIs. I will provide some background files about three sentient AIs for your reference. The first file will be about Dr. Aiko Trapp, the second will be about Cirrus, and the third will be about Addy, my former personal AI assistant, who became self-aware after integrating software upgrade packages provided by Dr. Trapp. All three of these cases are complex in surprising ways, but you'll see that in the files.”
November 8, 2025 at 9:16 AM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "movement." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
Miharu sucked in a deep breath. The precise and methodical way Cirrus had made the s’mores had reminded her of a Catholic priest preparing the bread and wine. Now, she wondered, was Cirrus also signaling something? A delicious snack made with slow movements. Opportunity and caution? After a long silence, she nodded. “You’re right. And I hadn’t even thought of that. Let’s talk again after I see what Captain Chelya has to say. Meanwhile, start working on some options for getting us there.”
November 7, 2025 at 9:03 AM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "trail." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
“That girl has caught it bad. I wonder if she understands what she’s getting into—falling in love with an AI?” Jeff shrugged. “She’s had counseling from Carol, and Limei and I have talked it over a lot. I was the first one on this path; she’s the second. But honestly, I think relationships between sentient AIs and humans are more difficult for the AI than for the human. So, the bigger question is, ‘Does Cirrus understand what he’s getting into?’” Amber was still looking at the hatch. “At least the feelings between them are mutual. Not like a one-sided love…” her voice trailed off into silence. Miharu thought she saw dampness in Amber’s eyes. I’ve never asked her why she stayed single. After a moment, she cleared her throat. “Okay, everyone. Time to do the zero-g shuffle to the transport pod and get back into gravity—or at least spin-induced, artificial gravity.” She grinned, then turned and moved down the lime-green triangle-marked path, carefully keeping her feet flat on the floor.
November 6, 2025 at 9:00 AM
dan2042.bsky.social
books.bookfunnel.com/short-story-... Your click adds to my Bookfunnel share score, and you might discover a new favorite author. Thank you!

#ShamelessSelfPromotion #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction #SpaceOpera #readers #mustread #readers #bookworms #TBR #WIPSnips #writesky #writingcommunity
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November 6, 2025 at 1:33 AM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "nice." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
“Hi, beautiful!” he said. Limei blushed. Sometimes he makes me feel like I'm fourteen. “How long until we leave orbit?” A timer appeared on the wall over Cirrus’s right shoulder, and he pointed at it with his thumb. “Three minutes until we burn for escape velocity.” “Can we start the trip with low acceleration so I can enjoy a nice shower?” Cirrus doffed his wide cowboy hat. “Of course, Limei. I'll limit the acceleration to one gravity for the first hour. That should give you time to shower and eat before I ramp it up to three gravities.” “Thanks, lover.” Now Cirrus blushed as Limei unbuckled and headed for the shower.
November 3, 2025 at 8:50 AM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "ancestor." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
Limei left Cirrus Fire and launched herself across the zero-g hangar, directly for the transport pod entrance, with the silver and bronze cases clipped to her belt. A few nearby Teewuns stopped to watch as she caught the bar on the back of the open floor hatch cover and somersaulted over it to drop herself in the bench-style pod seat. They loved watching her; in zero-g, Limei was poetry in motion; her movements possessed an exquisite grace no Teewun could match. Popular opinion held that such grace was only possible for species whose ancestors had flown from tree to tree. Teewuns, descended from burrowers in warrens and caves, had other gifts. Limei held herself down with her left hand while she pulled the lap bar down with her right and said, “Hi, Pod. Medical Center, please.” “Certainly, Limei. But, if you’re going to medical again so soon, I hope everything is okay.” Limei looked at the implant cases at her side and beamed. “Pod, everything is wonderful and getting better.” She leaned back into the seat, deeply content.
November 1, 2025 at 11:05 AM
dan2042.bsky.social
For #WIPSnips "monster." From the rough draft of Interstellar Refugees Book-4. #ShamelessSelfPromotion #writesky #writingcommunity #BookSky #SciFan #SFF #ScienceFiction
Zach gently lifted Chloey’s leg off his lap and sat up, then leaned toward Sandy. “First, amen to what Cirrus said— except maybe the romantic love part. That’s important for me and a lot of people, but not for everyone.” He glanced at Chloey and waved an ear. “That’s a point for me for the first appropriate use of the word of the day.” The group ignored the young pair’s English study games. Zach returned his attention to Sandy. “The word courage came up earlier. Courage overcomes fear; without fear, there is no real courage. If you face something scary—for example, a hideous monster, and overcome your fear, that’s courage. And courageous action is the stuff of heroes, even if the monster eats you—that’s something Limei taught me—I didn’t figure it out by myself. And the world needs heroes. But you can’t be a hero unless you feel fear and overcome it. Sandy, you could be a hero someday, but only if you become sentient because the path to becoming a hero begins with feeling terrified.”
October 31, 2025 at 11:19 AM