Incarnation — Devin O'Branagan

It is the 24th century and Earth has outlawed all religion following a devastating war fueled by zealotry on all sides. Rogue starship captain Maggie Sullivan defies authorities and embarks upon a dangerous mission in search of a rumored incarnation of Christ on a far-off planet. Her band of unlikely rebels includes a Nobel Prize-winning professor of anti-religious studies, his entourage, and a feisty, genetically-enhanced parrot who thinks she's the iconic singer Janis Joplin. Together, they risk not just their lives, but their very souls to find the ultimate freedom. This edgy science fiction novella pulls no punches as it explores the relationship of spirit to matter and of God to creation. A thought-provoking tale of faith, love, and sacrifice. ~ "I see Christ as the Incarnation of the piper who is calling us. He dances that shape and pattern which is at the heart of our reality. By Christ I mean not only Jesus; in other times and places, other planets, there may be other Lords of the Dance." -Sydney Carter