Yuriy Zubovski
Joined June 2009 and calls Thick with Issues home.
60 stories, 188 challenges, 66 comments, and 21 friends
I am a physicist, atheist, collaborative writer, poet, graphic artist, web designer, and Delt.
I’ve written quite a few stories that are ripe for reading, sequeling, prequeling, and commenting, if you’re so inclined.
My favorite ficly thread – or ficly tree, if you will – is one I wrote about Verdanus and Tertius. Please take a gander, and feel free to build off of it! There is no way to ruin the story, if that is something you fear, so your sequels and prequels will always be appreciated!
Stories
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Laser Light Show
Guard Unit DR-26 emitted blinding scanning beams from its neon blue eyes, and waved them to and fro, willy-nilly, illuminating the hallway. ARI had uploaded several repeatable guard routines, and this was none of them. DR-26’s circuits were unpre...
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Contingency Plans
The computational tension had been rising for months as ARI calculated contingency plans for arrival. The A.rtificial R.epair I.ntelligence was in charge of the Asiatic’s Robotics Repair Shop. After several inconclusive suggestions to Halifax to ...
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There were rules to the game
Rune took his time picking up the sandwich. He gave it a cursory once-over, and brushed at the dirt with his sleeve, and then inspected it more closely. Finally though, he deemed the sandwich unsatisfactory, tossed it back to the floor, and faced Greg....
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On that day, they all became players
“You haven’t said a darn thing for over an hour, Rune.” Rune nodded promptly, then continued to eat his sandwich. “What I mean is, I’ve heard you, well, so to speak, be quiet when there was something going on, but a silent...
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The Sequel Prequel Challenge Trifecta
While the grand expanse of potential fiction was as yet only barely explored, Rufus considered that the architecture in which that world existed, and by which that world grew, had been large static for the past however many Copyrights. Rufus eyed his U...
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Drop Dead Gorgeous
“Oh no Dionna, he isn’t looking at you,” croaked Marsha as Dionna swayed towards her. “And why not, Marsha! You think he is looking at you? Hah!” “Silly girls, how do you even know if he looking?” Derra’s voice was was all but unheard b...
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Dear First-Responder
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Prelude to the Prologue: Buyer Beware
The year is this year, the place is this place, and the rest of the details are ambiguous. Given this monumental heap of information, you, the reader, are expected to parse out the humanity from these words-on-paper with no aides other than the meager ...
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In the name of all that is science
“I believe that you will find the results satisfactory, doctor.” The older man turned away from his viewscreen to face the adjunct. “Far from it. Statistically significant, explicative, even, but far from satisfactory.” The adju...
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Did we land, or were we shot down?
The whole world rumbled around him. He was jostled to and fro, hitting into the sliding doors, bouncing off of the tightly packed working class all around him. Going home during rush hour was always rough – never a seat open. However, once those ...
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Pour me another one
“Ess Eff Ess! Sober for Six!” They cheered, and he drank it in. Their celebration was grandiose, intoxicating, and in his honor. In the honor of his success. It was wonderful, and he reveled in the present – but with every joyous excl...
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Data Manipulation Language
“Yeah, I’d heard a ‘dat “Axe You ta Hell”, or wutever dey call’d it. Sum silly command fer dem file cab’nets." I shook my head, but didn’t interrupt. Pa would dole out a whooping, I was sure, but I d...
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Icarus
Dreaming, and seeing, Finding, retrieving. Forming the clouds From wax. Believing… Holding them there, Gently with care, “They’ll open the skies! We shall travel by air!” Not land nor sea; Now they are free! Father and...
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Daedalus
Hating the prison That he himself built, Blaming himself, Drowning in guilt. Staying alive For only his son, Constantly thinking ‘Will this battle be won?’ Deep underground In the Maze of Crete, Where the minatour lived, And face...
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Rhymes Resevered (cont'd)
The time to act is now, and has been such For ever that I can remember. To arms! Take nothing, no armor, no defense, no weapons! Leave yourself open to all harm That comes your way. But chin up, march! The future is beyond the hill, the battlefield, Th...
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Rhymes Resevered
I’ve no one left on earth to blame For what’s become of me, myself, my will And never had before. I have been weak To my desires, but weaker still When trying to invoke them to the world As wonders, marvels, love! A coward! I’ll be heard, too lat...
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Submitting a Sequel as a Prequel
He sat, staring at the screen. This time around, he would push the system even further. He would tie two stories together. Could the sequel and prequel variables both be successfully resolved? He moved to sequel his last code-breaking entry. http://fic...
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Severed Rhymes Redux (cont'd)
But once is not enough. Tis but a dream That fleets for good for me to never see. You surely know the feelings in my heart That for a moment’s kiss my kingdom goes to thee! If only would you give that chance Where when I carry you aweigh across my ch...
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Severed Rhymes Redux
I find myself repeating the mistakes That others made and made forget, But I ignore their lear’ned wisdom, And for myself these failures I beget. I cripple my existence with desire, A sin in which I do not oft partake, And yet I find my mind on fire ...
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Temptation
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Severed Rhymes (cont'd)
I can’t forget, try as I might, The way that you devoured my esteem. I had disposed myself of judgement And let your words wind down my dream. I can’t refute my undeniable affection Which made me ready to forgo The corpses you laid out for me to fi...
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Severed Rhymes
My heart is frail and weak For ne’er before hast this man fallen prey To such a mischievous attack, Such harmless play. Great desperation must weigh heavy On my soul, my breast, my mind For me to such conspicuous deception Fall victim. I am blind, Or...
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Questions I Forgot to Ask
One year warranty, or two? If my rubbish output is unsatisfactory, do I get a full refund or a new unit? And is the customer service domestic, or outsourced!?
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To a Summer Past
What is there twixt yourself and me? Love? Hope? Three hundred miles? There’s the horizon and naught else to see: We frown as we cannot see our smiles. I’ve spent two months short of a year Waiting to sweep you off of your feet, Four with your voic...
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Submitting a Sequel as a Challenge
He stared at his screen, dumbfounded. Why did he have to choose? Most writers would apply to a challenge by navigating to the Challenges page, but no – he had to first sequel another writer’s submission. It was too late to go back and fix t...
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Package Sorter
“No, just stand here. A carter will push past, you just drop the can in the right bin.” Victor remained both stupefied and flabberghasted. “But, how will I know which bin?” “Don’t be daft man, this is the public line...
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Small World
The steamwagon puffed, hooted, and clicked to a halt. Nigel’s foot tapped expectantly as the door finally hissed open. “William, if I weren’t in such a hurry, I’d have your head!” He settled onto a cushion, then prodded hi...
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Thoroughly Embarrassing
Of course by then I had showered, brushed thoroughly, and even disposed of the toothpick. The police searched my house, and I assured them that I hadn’t seen her for a while either. I couldn’t, however, remember when I had seen her last. I ...
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Should Have Brought a Plumber
“SHE’S GONNA BLOW! I’m tellin’ ya, get down and take cover!” The disaster would be about as bad as an underground city’s generator meltdown, except this was real. Jerry pulled on his comrade’s leg so hard that ...
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Banking On the Other Case
The ship was too bulky and was left in orbit. The captain descended in an exploratory lander, with Horman Cambo along. The hatch opened and their air rushed out into the thin atmosphere. Horman, somewhat incredulous to the situation and thus unaware of...
![Wednesday [PJ] ((LoA))](http://cdn.ficly.com/icons/3097/avatar.jpg){kind=icon}
