Free Fiction Monday: The Museum of Modern Warfare
alien invasionAnalogaward-winnerfirst contactfree fictionfree fiction Mondaysmilitaryscience fictionshort storiesspace explorationspace marine
When the Ambassador to the Dylft System—a veteran of the Dylft Wars—receives orders to lead a diplomatic mission to Craznaust, she wonders at the wisdom of accepting the assignment.
Still, when she arrives at the controversial Museum of Modern Warfare, she believes herself prepared to face the past and address whatever diplomatic issue she might find there.
But nothing could prepare her for what she finds deep within the museum. Something long buried. Something that could change everything she thought she knew about the war.
The Museum of Modern Warfare
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
The free story will be available for one week only. If you missed this one, click on the links above. There’s another free story lurking somewhere around the site. Track the story down, read, and enjoy!

to preorder the newest Diving novel!

Ten Little Fen: A Spade/Paladin Novel
Spade and Paladin find themselves snowed in at a remote sf convention, with a killer on the loose! Get your copy here.
Get a Free Book, Monthly Updates on New Releases, and Special Offers
Rethinking The Writing Business
The Newest Diving Novel!
Winner of the Asimov's Readers Choice Award 2023! The Court-Martial of The Renegat Renegades, a standalone novel in the Diving Universe, is available now. Get your copy at your favorite store or buy the ebook direct by clicking this link.
All the licensing blogs in one volume. Learn how to think about your writing business in a way that will enable you to work smarter, not harder. Get yours here.
[…] https://kriswrites.com/2017/05/29/free-fiction-monday-the-museum-of-modern-warfare/ Free today only. […]
Kristine, I came to know of your work from a short story in a compilation called Excalibur. The story of yours that was included in this volume was called Controlling the Sword. I felt it was one of the most beautiful antiwar, antiviolence stories I had ever read and bought a copy of Excalibur for that reason. This story also speaks to those issues of war and violence. And beautifully. Thank you for this and for your “free fiction monday’.
Thank you, Richard.
That raises the question, did you write it as an anti war statement? I read for escapism and fun, and haven’t looked for themes since grad school. I thought you very nicely balanced a soldiers not wanting war against the political fact that they’re sometimes necessary. Obviously, if you’re being invaded by the Dylft you must fight back. Anyway, looking forward to your thoughts!
I never write with a message in mind. I just write, and whatever comes out, comes out. 🙂
Solid approach, it’s mine too!
I made the mistake of reading this on Memorial Day, and cried. It reminds me of all of the friends I loved and lost in Iraq. You wrote a poignant and moving story, thank you. You understand or you fake it well but regardless, it was moving.
Thank you.