The Cartographer's Vault by Richard Houlden

SPSFC 2023

This is a collection of science fiction tales that will take you across the cosmos of existence. Each one is a glimpse into events that have yet to happen or have happened in another timeline. Every event is archived within the walls of the space station Catographer's Vault. Follow Ashra Whistlo as she leads a team to rediscover this station that has been lost to time for over a millennium but heed the warning that she is given from The Do not lose your grasp on what is your reality. You will be presented with real people and real existences within this room. Their emotions will be palpable as if they were yours. You must detach yourself from their reality and remember that it isn’t yours.

The Heart of Space by Adam Gaffen

The Cassidyverse is back! Kendra and Aiyana's world is as vibrant and rich as ever in this new collection of thirteen pieces of short fiction. You might think their world runs on fusion power, or antimatter plants, or maybe even warp drives. But it doesn't. It runs on emotions and relationships and heart. What happened after Kendra's near-disastrous Christmas party? You're not going to believe it! Kendra's journey from actress to assassin continues in "Roses Have Thorns" Lexie wants to break up with her boring boyfriend, but she never expected a goddess Shi faces her demons in "Lupus in Astris", putting the ghosts of her past to rest In "Heart of Molycirc", Elsa confronts a lying, corrupt bully to regain her self-respect Step into the distant future of the Terran Empire in "Chooser of the Living" and see the covert battle that could launch a revolution These stories and more show what we mean when we say that the Terran Federation is the Heart of Space.

Greater Than His Nature by Edited by Eirik Gumeny

In every laboratory, every experiment, there are two diametrical energies at play: chaos and control. The raw pandemonium of what is, and the diamond-sheen of what could be. And in between? Blood, bones, and broken hearts. Because no equation, no solution, will ever be able to contain the wild entropy of the human soul. Within these pages, you'll find reverse mermaids and murder-spiders and bloated flesh-monsters tearing down the Golden Gate Bridge. A nurse waving a patient into a haunted MRI machine. A reimagined Mary Shelley obsessing about her galvanic guy. The dead will come back, organs will grow where you least expect them, and "healthy" will be outed as a disease all its own, the most damning by a long mile. Because, like the highest-born hopes of bodies sacrificed to progress, like the darkest dreams of the brains behind the beakers, mad science truly knows no bounds. Featuring new fiction from Katharine Duckett, A.T. Greenblatt, Ally Malinenko, Tyler Battaglia, Samantha H. Chung, Jonathan Fortin, Brianna Nicole Frentzko, Josh Hanson, Wade Hunter, M.W. Irving, Pooja Joshi, Andrew Kozma, K.L. Mill, Lena Ng, Robert Perez, Zachary Rosenberg, Jennifer Lee Rossman, Violet Schwegler, and Nicole M. Wolverton. Edited by Eirik Gumeny.

Devout: An Anthology of Angels by Edited By Quinton Li

Featuring work by Freydís Moon, Dorian Yosef Weber, Angela Sun, Ian Haramaki, Tyler Battaglia, Daniel Marie James, Morgan Dante, Cas Trudeau, Aurélio Loren, Rae Novotny, Rafael Nicolás & Emily Hoffman. A collection of stories, poetry, and art dedicated to the angelic. Here you will find the strange, the creepy, the funky, slightly silly, pieces with feeling. An experience buried deep inside, it might be from another dimension. Something questionable that makes you wonder if your first impression of the world is accurate enough to trust. Or maybe something human — too human. How about a feeling between a feeling? Longing, yearning. Conflict between moral and love. World between worlds. Above all — angelic. Are we what angels make of us, or are angels what we make of them? This anthology is for mature audiences due to themes and explicit content. Our genres include, but are not limited to: Contemporary Fantasy Romance, Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Horror, Historical Fantasy Romance, Mythological, Gothic Fiction, Science Fiction, Horror Drama

Common Bonds: An Aromantic Speculative Story by Claudie Arseneault, C. T. Callahan, RoAnna Sylver, B. R. Sanders

Common Bonds is an anthology of speculative short stories and poetry featuring aromantic characters. At the heart of this collection are the bonds that impact our lives from beginning to end: platonic relationships. Within this anthology, a cursed seamstress finds comfort in the presence of a witch, teams of demon hunters work with their rival to save one of their own, a peculiar scholar gets attached to those he was meant to study, and queerplatonic shopkeepers guide their pupil as they explore their relationship needs and desires. Through nineteen stories and poems, Common Bonds explores the ways platonic relationships enrich our lives.

Isolated Futures Omnibus by Koen Martens

If you’re a fan of thought-provoking sci-fi cyberpunk technothrillers like The Passengers and Black Mirror, then Koen Martens’ sci-fi anthology is your perfect next read! Story 1 - Forced to be Free: Sam, a young hacker with anger management issues, has joined a defense initiative against the advancing Russian army set to occupy Europe. When he discovers his boss is working undercover for the enemy, he must thwart his boss and prevent the destruction of the EU’s drone defense network before it’s too late. Story 2 - Murder, Plain and Simple: Dr. Jennifer Mendoza is a ship physician on the interstellar luxury cruiser Christopher. When a prominent and wealthy passenger is murdered, she is called to investigate the crime. Can she identify the killer before more people lose their lives? Story 3 - Cima Peak: Juan, a naive adolescent growing up in a post-apocalyptic world, embarks on a dangerous excursion that strands him and his friend far from his home. Can they make it back to their base before it’s too late to save the city from incoming slavers? Story 4 - Negative Reinforcement: Limei is an independent app developer on an isolated space station. She is utterly dependent on and enamored with her personal AI assistant. When she learns The Algorithm is planning to destroy human life on her ship, she must find a way to take it down before her crew perishes. Story 5 - Eddy: Digital forensics expert Lagan has been wrongly convicted of murder, but no one is willing to believe that he witnessed his own doppelgänger commit the crime. When he learns that the doppelgänger was one of many beings created to replace humans with AI-run clones, he must prove his innocence and take down the scheme before more people’s lives are ruined. Story 6 - DingDong by Zhumee: When Martin’s new Zhumee smart doorbell accidentally causes his neighbor’s wrongful arrest, he must set out on a quest to prove her innocence. Little does he know, Zhumee has far more control over the justice system than anyone imagined. Can he race against the clock to take down this corrupt system?

THE INSTITUTE Stolen Case Files by T S Galindo

A collection of 8 Science Fiction stories from the future What do robot apocalypses, existence-ending devices, fractured time, and a sentient single-celled species have in common? The Institute Investigative journalist, [REDACTED], spent a year stealing secret documents from The Institute's scientific think-tank in [REDACTED]. These files will leave you awed and terrified.

Love in the Wreckage: A Science Fiction Story Collection by Jessie Sprague

When a world is ending... Love becomes more important than ever. But love is not one-size-fits-all. Explore the kinds of emotional bonds that arise amid vastly different circumstances in this anthology full of futuristic tech, aliens, and celestial threats. “Blind Black” A plague, an alien invader, and a dark dungeon—Carika’s had better years. In the midst of her imprisonment, she’s found a noble companion who she might be able to free from the alien’s influence… if doing so doesn’t kill him. “Streamlined Living” When a questionable new app promising a perfect life goes viral, Rhea wonders what a “perfect life” would look like for her. How much would she give up to love herself? “Suneater” Earth’s hours are numbered. June wants to be with her family, but she’s torn between her distant husband and her baby niece who remind her of the life she’ll never have. “Wreckage” Menacing faces in the sky could be the end of humanity, but blighted love was killing Cara already—she just hadn’t faced it. “Awake” Sleeping Beauty wakes. Rose can’t believe her husband loved her enough to spend years bringing her back, yet she questions the price of her own continued consciousness. Come join the fun in a trip through the wreckage! Read less

Technoconvergence by James Smith

A floating corpse drifts through an antigravity nightclub, a first assignment for Epoch the electronic investigator. Enlisted to determine whether the cause was antigravity toxicity, drug overdose, or murder, Epoch's investigational skills improve exponentially. But while Epoch investigates, his complacent human colleagues find themselves increasingly addicted to hallucinations induced by virtual reality tablets. Gradually, the humans begin to have doubts about their robot friend. What was his origin? Who were his creators? Has he been sent to destroy the human race? What does all of this have to do with Fermi’s paradox? And above all, the one question which persistently vexes them — has the Technoconvergence arrived at last?

We Deserve to Exist by Allison Baggett-Rowe, Joris Filipp, Bernardo Villela, Tyler Wittkofsky, Rashmi Agrawal, Daphne Fama, Tessa Hastjarjanto, Marisca Pichette, Emmie Chris

The world is not kind. It never was. Fear, jealousy, and anger fuel the actions of those who wish to assert their power and eliminate those they deem unworthy. There will come a time of reclamation—whether by force or by empathy—when those tides shift, a balance reborn. It must start somewhere. The reclamation of self, of culture, of heritage, and of our world—starts within. No longer will those around us decide if we deserve to exist.

Terra Nullius by Various

Land belonging to no-one. An anthology of speculative fiction that explores the colonisation of our Solar System and far beyond, where pioneers carve out a new existence under other stars. New worlds and new challenges bring out rich stories filled with alien races and strange technology, but against this backdrop there’s the many facets of human emotion as colonists struggle to make a new home. This is human life on the final frontier.

Learning Monkey and Crocodile (The Harvester Series Book 7) by Nick Wood

“Nick Wood’s short stories are powerful, impassioned visions of worlds and worldviews remade by way of redemptive engagement with the spirits of the earth and the earth of the spirit. Joining ancestral wisdom and transformative technologies, combining searing self-scrutiny with joyous awareness of the Other, Learning Monkey and Crocodile is a book for Africa and for all of us.” Nick Gevers Nick’s stories have delighted readers across the world and have appeared in publications such as Interzone, Albedo One, Omenana, among others. His debut novel Azanian Bridges was shortlisted for the BSFA award. Embark on a journey where science meets African culture, through psychology, alternate history and disability. “I read Bridges with much pleasure... Chilling and fascinating.” Ursula K. Le Guin “Wood’s characterization is excellent.” Strange Horizons “This is a gut-puncher of a novel; original, brilliantly written, and a page-turner of note.” Sarah Lotz on Bridges “Politically acute and powerful, with its heart in the right place... in many ways a ‘textbook story’, because it’s so well done.” Ian Watson on Bridges

Incomplete Solutions (The Harvester Series Book 4) by Wole Talabi

An elderly woman in early 22nd century Lagos is called in to help test the artificial intelligence built from her genius mother’s mind, but all is not as it seems in the Nommo-award winning story, “The Regression Test”. Exiled from Earth for a crime of passion, a young man must learn to survive a barely habitable prison planet and come to peace with his past in “Polaris”. “Wednesday’s Story”, nominated for the 2018 Caine Prize, is at once a retelling of nursery rhymes and folklore and a meta-fictional meditation on the mechanics, art and power of storytelling. In the novella “Incompleteness Theories”, an international team, led by a Nigerian physicist, try to invent teleportation technology with haunting, unforeseen results. From the bustling streets of Lagos to the icy moons of Jupiter, this debut collection of twenty stories from the vivid imagination of the award-winning Wole Talabi explores what it means to be human in a world of accelerating technology, diverse beliefs, and unlimited potential, from a uniquely Nigerian perspective.

Nova Hellas by Various

The stories in Nova Hellas take us on a dystopian, harsh journey. Yet their protagonists are resilient, cunning and resourceful; they thrive, not only survive. In doing so, they reflect both the history of Greece itself, always surviving and rebuilding, always claiming a better tomorrow - and, perhaps, to a smaller degree, the stubbornness of Greek science fiction, which insisted on thriving in adverse circumstances and against much opposition.

Once Upon A Star: 14 SF-Inspired Faerie Tales (Once Upon Series Book 4) by Various

From the bestselling authors of the award-winning Once Upon Anthologies! Revisit your favorite faerie tales, masterfully retold in science fiction settings with delightful (and sometimes chilling) twists. What if the Twelve Dancing Princesses were undead clones? What if the witch in Hansel and Gretel was an AI-sentient house? Are you ready for the Three Little Pigs… in space? These fourteen tales will entertain and inspire you, and you’ll never see your favorite faerie tales quite the same way again. Grab your copy of Once Upon A Star, and don’t forget the five other anthologies for more magical retellings! ESCAPE: A Liza Roth Adventure by Anthea Sharp - A princess on the run and her feline companion find adventure - and danger - on Starhub Station in this story based on the Icelandic fairy tale Kisa the Cat. TRUE.LOVE by Alethea Kontis - In this futuristic retelling of Sleeping Beauty, a gamer hacktivist tries to take down the world’s largest matchmaking site…and stumbles on a side quest he never bargained for. BLOW YOUR PLANET DOWN by Shawntelle Madison - After the Wolverine Horde nearly destroyed her home world, Commander Cressida Van Der Snout is prepared to use the Horde’s greatest weapon to exact her revenge.

Triangulation: Extinction (Triangulation Anthologies) by Various

Can we bring a species back from extinction? Why are dragons not with us today? Would you condemn a whole species to die so you could live? Explore these tales of species extinction. Hold fast against the winds of death with the caretakers of the future. Decipher warnings from the past, the future, and worlds between worlds. Be more dangerous than the big game hunters. Doggedly track down the last specimen across three continents. Recognize messages aliens have left for us so we don't continue on the destructive path we're on. Are our successors already waiting in the wings? Featuring stories by these authors: Liam Hogan, Blake Jessop, Owen Leddy, Katie Sakanai, Joshua David Bellin, Marshall J. Moore, Elana Gomel, Rhonda Eikamp, Jamie Lackey, Jennifer R. Povey, Jim Hanson, Sean Jones, E.A. Petricone, Brett Kozlowski, Bradley Heywood, Jennifer Lee Rossman, Katrinka Mannelly, Bo Balder, Bethany Van Sterling, Steve Carr, Joy Kennedy-O'Neill, Marissa James, Brian Rappatta, Anya Ow, Michael Triozzi, Carina Bissett, & Sam Hicks.

C is for Chimera (Alphabet Anthologies) by Various

This installment of Rhonda Parrish’s alphabet anthology series asks skilled storytellers to write around the theme of chimera. The resulting tales are part fable, part poem, part dream. But like any chimera, the parts make up a greater whole. Blend reality with fantasy. Mesh science fiction with mystery. Mix history with what should have been. They are all chimera. A shadow tells a tale of schoolyard bullies. A long-vanished monster returns from the cold dark. Make-up makes up a life. Alchemy, Atlantis, and apocalypse. These 26 tales bring both chaos and closure to dark and elusively fantastic geographies. Contributing authors include: ~ Alexandra Seidel ~ KV Taylor ~ Marge Simon ~ Pete Aldin ~ Michael M. Jones ~ Simon Kewin ~ BD Wilson ~ Gabrielle Harbowy ~ Sara Cleto ~ Megan Engelhardt ~ Michael Fosburg ~ Megan Arkenberg ~ Lilah Wild ~ Laura VanArendonk Baugh ~ Milo James Fowler ~ Brittany Warman ~ Michael B. Tager ~ L.S. Johnson ~ Beth Cato ~ C.S. MacCath ~ Sammantha Kymmell-Harvey ~ Steve Bornstein ~ Suzanne van Rooyen ~ Michael Kellar ~ Jonathan C. Parrish ~ Amanda C. Davis ~

Unsanctioned Experiments: Collected Short Stories by Ben Creedle

n this collection of five short stories and a novella, Ben Credle explores misused science and dark motivations. Space garbagemen are forced to confront a deranged passenger in orbit, a middle-aged paper-pusher is thrust into the role of time-traveling assassin, and townspeople in 1890s Texas are stalked by an ancient predator with an appetite for blood. Across space and time, Unsanctioned Experiments introduces relatable characters who struggle against unexpected challenges.

Gilgamesh in the 21st Century: A Personal Quest to Understand Mortality by Paul Bracken

"Must I die?" asked Gilgamesh. Forty five centuries later, we're still asking the same question. Science writer Paul Bracken embarks on a lighthearted assessment of the human condition, to explore what it means to be mortal, and what our fate may be. This scientific reimagining of the ancient Gilgamesh quest delves into a multitude of topics including the origin of life, the workings of the human mind, and the possibilities for life prolongation. The ancient Gilgamesh was so distraught at the death of his friend Enkidu, and so sickened by the knowledge that he too would die, that he rebelled against his fate and set out on a search for salvation. Likewise, at the age of eleven, Bracken wondered if there might be a way to bring his grandfather back from the dead and has been pondering this question ever since. Is death a problem to be solved, or is it an essential aspect of our humanity? "We human beings instinctively resist the notion of personal extinction. In his thoughtful and hugely readable Gilgamesh in the 21st Century, Paul Bracken canters effortlessly through an amazing range of science to help put this fraught human proclivity in perspective, both for himself and for us." -- IAN TATTERSALL, American Museum of Natural History, New York City.

Inhuman Pressure (The Infinite Void Anthologies Book 1) by Richard Rimington

Cybernetic elder beings control the stars. Haunted wilderness planets offer no safety. An anthology of nine science fiction short stories of interplanetary conspiracy and catastrophe. An impending apocalypse. A lone soldier at the end of a galaxy. Witness the fate of the universe in a startling collection of science fiction tales. The limits of the human condition are tested as ordinary people face conquest and revenge. Cyberpunk and space opera combine in these dystopian far future adventures. A trail of forgotten lives will have vast consequences for all civilization. Inhuman Pressure is the first anthology in the Infinite Void series. "From android wives and interspecies lovers to robot soldiers and sinister AI grandfathers, Inhuman Pressure is a compendium of action-packed stories that take place in a fantastical intergalactic universe where mankind and machine love and hate each other. A rollicking joyride for fans of “Farscape” and “Babylon 5”." Michele Koh, author. "This foray into space simultaneously takes us into the philosophical depths of humanity. Won't disappoint fans of sci-fi / dystopian fiction!" Kate B., Red Adept Editing

Cyborgs, Immortals, and Spacefarers: Book 1 of An End of Our Own Making by Aristotle Evangelos

After the next war, what's left of humanity struggles against extinction. Three connected social science fiction stories: The Immortalists, 1000 years after the war: Immortals trying to save their community are on a collision course with a farmer determined to protect his people. The Leavers, 500 years after the war: The corporations rule the solar system, and the Earth is off limits. A shadowy group of activists seeks to disrupt the established order, and an ion ship captain is sent to stop them. The Cyborgs, 200 years after the war: Cyborgs are a vanishing breed. They trust no one, especially not each other. Still, they must survive.

Occupational Hazards: The Blue-Collar Omnibus by Geoff Sturtevant

Occupational Hazards is an omnibus of acclaimed novelettes from the "Return to the Dirt" and "Just Speculating" collections, and new, exclusive stories only available in this book. The stories exemplify the unsavory side of our everyday existence. Existentialism, absurdism, and outlandish humor merge with ordinary, workaday life for a unique and hilarious perspective of the human experience. Occupational Hazards is an unflinching ride through the absurdity of it all. Not recommended for the faint of heart or easily offended. But if meaty stories are what you’re after… I hope you’re hungry. “In time-honoured fashion, these taut tales of work and death employ humour to highlight the worst aspects of human behaviour. They're sharp, savage slices of smartly observed social satire, with humour so bleak it raises blisters.” —murdermayhemandmore.com (on Return to the Dirt) “True to the Sturtevant style, each tale offers a penetrating view into humanity, opening the doors that people usually keep shuttered tight from prying eyes, and doing so with razor-sharp dialogue and a healthy dose of (sometimes) dark humor.”

Immunity Cage: A Dystopian Science Fiction Novel about Genetically Engineered Humans (Modified Humans Book 1) by Louise Spilsbury

Early 22nd century. A hundred years of pandemics, wars, and dwindling human populations. If you’re rich enough, you protect yourself from disease with X-cells from Immunity Specialists, the rare and valuable Genetically Modified Humans. Otherwise you have to settle for the imperfect quick-vaccines. Jian is Heredis Corporation’s most valuable Modified. With every new outbreak, he must allow himself to be exposed to deadly pathogens in order to prime his X-cells for harvesting. The company ensures his co-operation by applying psychological conditioning to addict him to a pair of perfect lovers. But when Cullen and Dani die in the New Spanish outbreak, no one knows how to turn the conditioning off. As his lovers’ ghosts haunt him and his health and sanity fail, the company begins to consider unspeakable solutions. Jian must find a way to free himself… before it’s too late.

Spectacular Tales: The Science Fiction and Fantasy Collection (The Indie Collaboration Presents Book 6) by Various

A thrilling anthology of short stories by some of the rising stars in independent publishing. In this collection we bring you a ship’s locker full of great Science Fiction and Fantasy. There are tales about beautiful princesses and cunning thieves, intergalactic wars, cosmic energy beings, warriors and rocketship pilots.So strap on your jet pack and grab your broadsword and come join us in exploring these ‘Spectacular Tales’

Beyond Human by Angel Martin

We have integrated science and technology into all levels of our daily lives. But imagine if this continued technological innovation took us into a world of cybernetics and a post-human universe where nothing is familiar. This collection of science fiction short stories dares to take that step towards redefining the concept of what we call humanity, just as the earliest pioneers of sci-fi have always done. As we become more and more dependent on science and technology – from prosthetics to mobile phones – biology and technological innovation come closer to being merged into cybernetics. Can we truly say now that we don't live in a post-human universe? At what point do we delineate between human and post human? Each of the science fiction short stories in 'Beyond Human' deals with characters whose lives have been twisted by the new era of technology.

Omnilogos: Extended Edition by Michele Amitrani

SPSFC

“I am a collector of hopes and peregrine truths, a shepherd of thoughts, ideas, projects and dreams too important not to be realized. I’m an abstract concept that has no body, no smell, no boundaries, no shape and no color. I am the Omnilogos.” So it is forged, a Science Fiction saga that gave birth to a legend, a tale about the life of a man with one project that will change mankind’s future forever. Ten stories about his life, his sorrow, and his quest to gather the resources and the people needed to claim our place among the stars. This is Wei’s story. This is the world of the Omnilogos.

Quantum Dark by R. A. Nargi

SPSFC 2022

Famed archaeologist. Daring adventurer. Total imposter. Jannigan Beck is the exact spitting image of his father: Sean Beck, the most famous explorer in the galaxy. But ever since the elder Beck disappeared on a mission inside an alien wormhole, Jannigan has secretly been masquerading as his father, shaking hands, doing press junkets, and attending meetings.  But when a wealthy trade consortium plans an expedition back into the same mysterious wormhole where Jannigan’s father perished, they demand that Sean Beck personally lead the mission to recover an ancient alien artifact. And they are willing to pay handsomely for his presence. Now, posing as his father, Jannigan Beck (a complete greenhorn) must command a crew that doesn’t respect him on a perilous mission to the uncharted edge of the galaxy. There he will face alien megafauna, hostile competitors, and a mysterious force with the power to destroy worlds. Quantum Dark by Amazon Bestselling Author R.A. Nargi is a fast-paced swashbuckling science fiction adventure in the classic space opera and science fantasy tradition, packed with intrigue, betrayal, explosive battles, and edge-of-your-seat thrills that will keep you turning pages long into the night.

Through Shadows by P.S. Livingstone, A.M. Justice, Alex McGilvery, J.E. Hannaford, Laura Shank, Liam Hogan, Anela Deen

A collection of award-winning speculative short fiction! QuaranCon's top entries from both the 2020 and 2021 short fiction contests, these six stories all deal with themes of isolation and innovation, and are sure to keep you entertained in bite sized moments of adventure.

Under New Suns by C. Vandyke

After generations of warfare against the ominous Swarm, the United Planetary Alliance settles on a desperate gambit—send a squad of Marines to steal one of the Swarm’s bio-organic battleships. However, it turns out the ship isn’t merely alive but fully sentient... and it has a mission of its own. As the ship leaps across the galaxy, dimensions, and eventually reality itself, the crew has a new goal—stay alive! Join Skullgate Media on an epic space-opera filled with sexy murder-queens, ring-planets, and freaking space-sharks, all fueled by psychedelic Vesuvian coffee and sixth-dimensional funk! Tales From The Year Between is Skullgate’s anthology series that brings together writers from around the globe to invent an original world from scratch. After two weeks of intense world-building, each author sets out to expand their new, fabulous universe through short-stories, flash fiction poems, songs or whatever else their boundless imaginations unleash. Each volume is new, exciting, and utterly unique. (Contains stories by: Laila Amado, Emily Ansell, Gabrielle Awe, B.K. Bass, Steven Bayer, Jayme Bean, Darius Bearguard, Jonathan Beck, Elvira Canaveral, Zackery Cuevas, Aaron Hockett, E. R. Hoffer, A. R. K. Horton, Debbie Iancu-Haddad, Daniel James, Allison N. Moore, Jeremy Nelson, S. L. Parker, Sarah Remy/Alex Hall, A. A. Rubin, CD Storiz, Kelly Washington, C. Vandyke, and Phebe Yawson.)