"The Compass" by Edd Vick

A tale about what kind of sacrifices people have to make and who has to make them. A ship can travel light-years by going through 'skipspace' (a kind of hyperspace) but the only way to navigate is through the use of a foetus which can sense where the earth is. Problem is, the foetus is dying and a new one is needed. But choices are limited for the ship was escaping from Earth moments before its destruction and not many women of child-bearing age were on board. The doctor on board has to help to make this decision if they are to find a new world to settle but she herself may have a hard choice to make.

• Read from Asimov's Science Fiction, July 2005 issue

"The Real Deal" by Peter Friend

A story about how relationships between two alien species can be mis-interpreted. A human and an alien being (dubbed 'Piccaso' because the individuals have a different number of limbs like in Piccaso paintings) find an 'artifact' (an ancient Piccaso ship) in space, a finding shared with other Picassos of the same family. After the ensuing celebrations over the discovery, the humans employed by the Picassos begin to fall ill and suspect a sinister purpose in being used by the Picassos. But the purpose turns out to be very different and has a link to the Picassos's unusual religion.

• Read from Asimov's Science Fiction, July 2005 issue

"Waking Chang-Er" by Samantha Ling

An interesting tale involving a Chinese mythological figure, Chang-Er and the Jade Rabbit. The rabbit is fed up with being cooped up in Chang-Er's palace on the moon with no other gods to play with. Then, in a dream, it sees a little girl who is dying but whom the moon goddess may be able to help, if she can be convinced to do so.

• Read from Asimov's Science Fiction, July 2005 issue

"Killing Time" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

A simple tale about memories and where we want to be. An old woman (who may be senile) is offered a chance to spend the rest of her life in memories via a device that can make her believe that she is living in her past. But is living in the past really what she wants to do?

• Read from Asimov's Science Fiction, July 2005 issue