A cartography vessel mapping a sector of space that's expected to contain nothing of interest encounters…something of interest. Genre: Science Fiction, Mystery

Excerpt:"This thing is changing by the hour. We may not have time for Vessel 86 to arrive before something even more intense happens." I walked on a few steps before I realized that my crew mate had stopped short. I turned and walked back to him. "More intense than that?" he asked, pointing out of the nearest porthole. I gaped. The fluttering spirals that we'd become accustomed to had shifted color, darkening in a pattern that was familiar to both of us. That pattern was a word. The word was, "Hello."

The Wheel of Fiction Turns. What did it land on this time?Each Season 9 story follows a theme chosen by the Wheel of Fiction. Thirteen spokes. Eight are the themes from previous seasons. One is "Turn Again." One is a wild card. And three are covered in question marks and will be revealed when the wheel lands on them. See a story trailer and a (satisfying) video of the wheel turning here: Encounter With Ship 47 This episode landed on MUSIC. Ooo, one of the mystery spokes has been revealed. I listened to a track called "Dimension of Time" from the soundtrack for a computer game from my youth, "The Dig." And I had visions of adventure in space... Here's an earlier episode from this season inspired by music: Nine Gods in Masquerade.

MERCH!Interested in merch, like mugs and notebooks, featuring my artwork?Please visit my Store page for info on where you can buy: STORYFEATHER STORE

NEWSLETTERSThe Store page also has sign-up forms for my two email newsletters: Storyfeather Gazette (if you'd like to keep up with the fiction I create)

Fictioneer's Field Guide (if you'd like writing tips and guidance from me) Choose what you want. (Either way, you're choosing high jinks.)

MY FIRST BOOK (yay)Ever wonder how I've gotten all these hundreds of stories written? I have a method. You can learn it in my book called Fictioneer's Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. It's now available from Amazon as an eBook, paperback, and hardcover. You can also get there from my Store page: STORYFEATHER STORE

Music:"Among the Stars" by ANDREW SITKOV (Intro)"Another World" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)"Abstract Vision #5" by ANDREW SITKOV (Outro)

Music by ANDREW SITKOV (MuzStation Game Music)"Stars Talk""Unknown Terrain""Freedom""Dark Side""A Long Way""Space Discoveries""First Contact""Lost in the Dark""Among the Stars""Another World"

Music by ANDREA BARONI (Cyberleaf)"The Longest Year (no percussion)"

All tracks are part of a music and sound effects bundles I purchased from Humble Bundle and sourced from GameDev Market.

Music by Andrea Baroni and Andrew Sitkov is licensed from GameDev MarketSound effects from AudioJungle, GameDevMarket, and Soundly (through Hindenburg)Vocal effects created with Audacity Changes made to the musical tracks? Just cropping of some to align with my narration.

Find more music by Andrea Baroni and Andrew Sitkov at gamedevmarket.net Find more stories by Nila at storyfeather.com

Episode Art Description:Digital drawing. Five silhouettes against a window, all face a luminous spiraling phenomenon beyond. At top left, a human in a chair that's hovering over the heads of the others, in partial right profile, with left hand raised to the window. Below, from right to left. A caterpillar-shaped being sitting on the window ledge, with two antennae raised to the window, tail dangling from the ledge. A being with a squid head, with five tentacles held up against the window, standing on what appears to be three knobby or segmented legs. A human standing with both hands pressed against the glass at head level. A being shaped like a central stalk with fuzzy hair at the top, two pairs of loops protruding from the sides, and knobby plumes rising from the loops. A wall to the left displays some glowing lights and panels. Watermark of "Storyfeather" along window border along right.