The SST AlterNet
Explore writing-prompt responses by character, arc, theme or available text.
Archive dates are dates recorded in the source or collection. They are not a verified publication calendar or fictional SST chronology.
Browse the collection below.
Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Previously on Dirge & Dread: Jelly_Jim took it upon himself to train Dirge & Dread in the ways of the AlterNet; but first, they must each fulfill a task separately before he will start their training. This is Dirge’s sea
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"...roger that. This is Easy Pickin's signing out." Paulie 'Easy Pickin' ' Ramone draped the curly black CB wire on a hook affixed to the dash. Then he turned to properly greet his new passenger. "Sorry 'bout that." He t
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"Mrs. Guzman, can we take a break?" Mario, the clown, asked. He stopped walking and lingered behind the rest of the group. "I can't travel as fast as the rest of you," he added. The rest of the group halted, and the tall
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"I have an appointment with Mr. Johnston," Michael explained his presence to the short-haired secretary. He stood in front of her desk wearing his nicest suit, and his light brown hair combed as neatly as he could manage
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"So, that's why I'm here. Can you help me?" the patient, Arnold Millwort, asked the doctor. After killing the fake plant he wrapped his arms around himself as if frightened of burly orderlies bursting through the door to
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"Here you go, Mr. Grimm. Penthouse Suite." The fair-haired desk clerk in a red blazer presented Joe Grimm with a white key-card, then gestured to the young bellhop eager to earn a tip. "Greg will show you the way." Joe n
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"I'm so glad you said something, I started late today too," The Shade said. He patted the heavy, dark leather coat over his stomach, then leaned closer to whisper at SunKnight. "Kayla's teeth are coming in, and Lucille's
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Previously on Dirge & Dread: Dirge began her search for her own Bard instrument and ran into a Zero with a chip on her shoulder. This week Dread starts her search for her beasts.
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
AlterNet 1.0: Commercial Release
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"... and here's your room." Mrs. Garza, a foster mom with short, dark hair, finished giving Victor the grand tour. She smiled down at the eight-year-old child. "Any questions?" Victor shook his head without taking his ey
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"And, why do you want to work at Whataburger?" Albert Guajardo, General Manager, asked the prospective employee, Rigo Reyes, while trying to size him up. The young man sat in the booth across from Albert, wearing his bes
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"Fredericks!" the guard yelled at the cell's inhabitants. A tall, plump man walked near the bars, his steps echoed in the cell.
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Lupe Villalobos decided that standing around in a crater would not answer any questions. She reached up one of the sides gripping the violet grass around the upper rim of the large hole. The texture of the violet grass f
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"Oh." Anderson Anderson blinked. Before he blinked he stood in the restroom of Bonanza Steakhouse, his favorite restaurant, washing his hands and looking forward to a meal. After he blinked, Anderson stood in the restroo
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Previously on Dirge & Dread: Dread made a new friend while searching for her beasts. This week Dirge learns about Zeroes and Whispering.
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
I bolted out through the main entrance the moment the librarian's body hit the floor. I ran five blocks before I felt safe enough to calm down. I stared at the crumpled, folded note I held in my hand. After catching my b
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"It looks so awesome!" Serena marveled at her best friend's dad while he worked. For her 18th birthday, the man offered a free tattoo. "Thanks a ton, Mr. Ortega," she thanked him.
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"C. A. D. D. B," Charlie breezed through the answers without giving the questions much attention. The technique served him well for his entire high-school career, and he felt like the final test of his final class was ju
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"Want to tell me why I had to leave work in the middle of the day?" Steve Eastman glared at his stepson as the boy slammed the car door shut and buckled his seatbelt, something Steve insisted on since the boy left his ca
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"Please excuse my frankness, but I thought you'd appreciate the honesty..." Rudy, a rotund man in a neat, dark suit stood from his desk to lead the applicant out of the office. "...you're not what we're looking for in a
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
DING DONG. Cassie jumped at the sound of her doorbell, and she glanced at the clock. 3:03 p.m., her next appointment was not scheduled until 5 p.m. She shrugged and went to answer the door. A mid-20s woman with long blon
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Previously on Dirge & Dread: Dirge learned about Zeroes and Whispering. This week Dread learns a new skill from a possible mentor.
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Julie Solis stood in at the front of the conference room patiently while the company directors filed in and found their seats. Nine directors including the CEO, Daniel Winters, and the company's founder, Matthew Sanchez.
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"It's pretty slow, may I take my break?" Allison Gregg asked her manager, Tobin. She leaned against the stainless steel prep-counter in the back as she asked, knowing it aggravated him. He nodded.
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Alan Crane sat on the park bench to go over the target's file. He ignored the picture of an innocent face, pictures were easy lies. He read through the information then chuckled himself when he read an included note that
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Magnus stepped into the quaint Chinese restaurant after the sound of a jingling bell informed the workers that a customer stepped in. An elderly Chinese woman walked out of a stainless steel swinging door that led to the
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"Listen up!" Eileen Eniss, restaurant manager climbed on top of a stainless steel industrial flatiron griddle, then looked down at her employees. "Post-Purge check-in is over. I'd like to thank you guys for not calling i
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"NEXT!" Dirge yelled into her microphone at the crowd of players gathered around the stage she stood on, in the open-air plaza. The young woman with white curls scanned the crowd waiting for someone to step forward. A ta
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Previously on Dirge & Dread: Dread made a new friend and learned a valuable skill. This week Dirge and Dread learn the identity of Dread's new mentor.
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"It's a computer, it doesn't get 'depressed'," Doctor Julius glared at the head programmer, Errin, delivering her report. She locked eyes with him and stood her ground.
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
I heard the chime informing me someone opened the door. I glanced up from my clipboard to the front door and golden light filled my vision. In the center of the man's chest, I saw a single thin golden ring of light. It r
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Izzy Wilson woke up in a strange place again; it wasn't the first time by a long shot. Practice taught him that sitting up suddenly tended to attract a lot of unwanted attention. He closed his eyes and let his senses com
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Paul dug his fingers into the cool soil for extra leverage, then sat himself up. He felt loose soil crumble down his back and he exhaled a contented sigh through a broad smile he did not realize he wore.
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Eddie felt a familiar sharp pressure on his bare chest. He opened his eyes and started his day with a sigh, and met Biscuit's large brown puppy eyes. She stood on him, looking down with her leash in her mouth.
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Knock*knock*knock
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Previously on Dirge & Dread: The girls learned Dread's new friend is Flutter, Ballisea's top enforcer. This week they try and take her down.
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Terry Pines strolled through the downtown district with a smile on his face. The Saturday crowd gave him plenty of opportunities to play with his ability and, the sun shone brightly for the first time in weeks on this pa
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Henry sat up in his bed with a start. He'd been sleeping, but something felt urgent. His first instinct led him to call up the menu. A translucent slate appeared in front of him, it hovered above the blanket that covered
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"Ms. Sharp is out of the office," Melody explained into a cellphone while she walked into her boss's office. "I can make an an appointment." She flipped on the light switch and strode across the glassy floor toy to the l
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"You sure this is the right one?" Phil, a short man in a dark businesses suit turned to his partner. He parked in his usual spot when they noticed the sign now read "NRA" instead of "NSA". Fred, a tall man in a dark busi
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"I'm going to need a different set of forms, I'll be right back." The devil vanished in a puff of red smoke, but a second puff made him appear again before the first dissipated. He reached into the breast pocket of his d
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Edward watched the man's blue eyes become dull and lifeless. He sat on the man's chest using his weight to pin him down, but now that the man would no longer be fighting back Edward relaxed. He drew the small thin blade
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Each girl spun 180° to bolt away from Ballisea, and they all activated their escape skills. Dirge managed to open clear escape portals to a different AlterNet server about 10 feet in front of each girl.
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"There's something interesting happening," Melody said. She walked into the office of her boss, Dana Sharp, and immediately tuned the large wall display to what she wanted her boss to see.
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
"Do all these people need to be here?" Doctor Garcia looked up at the second tier of the operating theater. The seats were filled with medical students grouped together by scrub color. A giant clear bubble kept the lower
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Ezekiel "Ezey" Yzaguirre awoke in a red leather booth, hunched over a white formica table. His senses kicked as his eyes fluttered open. The first thing he noticed was a hunger inside him as if he had not eaten in months
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Commander Rose woke on a metal table; he felt the cool rigidness under him, as well as the cool air around him. His training kicked in the second he opened his eyes and discovered the familiar blinking lights of the medb
Read the moment ↗Before Stellar Tour · unassigned stories
Dear patient Patient,
Read the moment ↗