Our Price: AUD$23.95 (USD$)* ISBN: 978-1-920764-68-5 Subject: Science Fiction/Short Stories Publication Date: March 2005

Synopsis
"That's not justice. It's barbarism."
"No, chaplain. Retribution."

Retribution And Other Reactions is a collection of a decade of Speculative Fiction stories by Derek Smith, including: Retribution, The Emperor's Garden, Velle Semoth, Last Fleet, Ocean of Youth and Perspective.

About The Author
Born in England in 1947, Derek Smith moved to Australia in 1966, working for the DOD in Sydney and then in Canberra for several decades.

He has previously published two books of SF, Rat2rap in 2001 and Spire City in 2004. His short fiction has appeared in print and webzines in Australia and the USA since 1995.

Now a long-term resident of Canberra he is working on a new SF novel and another based on his early experiences in Australia as a young migrant.

From The Book
"The World Court has decided that your crimes were so heinous that normal punishment was insufficient. It has therefore been decided to..." The Chaplain faltered. "To give you to the aliens."

The prisoner said nothing, seeming to hear but not understand the impact of the sentence. The suiting up and passage to the air lock was achieved without any resistance. The tranquilliser mixed in the last meal had worked. Outside in the dark of space the large hatch doors of the alien shuttle opened and two suited figures floated on tethers. There was no communication; the transfer protocol had been finalized.

Watching from the flight deck window the Chaplain saw the small figure of the prisoner towed between the two much larger aliens into the shuttle cargo bay. The doors closed and there was only the shuttle suspended with the shining blue planet looming in the background. Then the shuttle dropped silently away.

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