Cytoverse

Brandon Sanderson

In a future where humanity has expanded beyond Saturn, a fragile peace is maintained by the enigmatic Phone Company, which has brokered an accord with an alien species known as the Tenasi. Despite this truce, humanity's progress is stalled by the Phone Company's refusal to share advanced FTL travel technology. When a mission takes a lone operative to the orbital station Evensong, he finds himself accompanied by a mysterious woman whose unusual condition hints at a deeper, more complex reality. This gripping short story explores themes of technological advancement, interspecies relations, and the hidden costs of peace.