A naturalist of beings real and fictional
Laura Rikono
Laura Rikono lives in Malaysian North Borneo. Once a marine scientist, she met a tribesman who wooed her with wild fishing trips in the shadow of a lilac mountain. They settled down and had children, who were far more interesting than fish. Her stories are sci fi and fantasy grounded in the natural sciences.
Laura RikonoĀ is known inside the Colony asĀ Aethalope
Sooth
If we know everything that has ever happened, can we also know what will happen?
A flash fiction piece published by Daily Science Fiction in January 2018.
The Backstory
This was inspired by my experience with isolated and uncontrollable kindergartners who gradually become absorbed by the class. Written in 2017, before AI scraping vast data troves became trendy, it now seems rather prescient.
The Pink Coupe at the Catch-All Station
About a quarter of a century ago, I developed the habit of working in German car factories. The excellent pay funded my exotic journeys, and...
What We Feed Strangers
My first job on this side of the world saw me driving my bossās wifeās little red roadster down a narrow dirt track clinging to...
The Binturong Problem
If I told you Iād seen a binturong, chances are youād stare at me blankly. What if I told you Iād seen a bearcat? Youād...
Joyous Enemies!
āWe have an unexpected class starting tomorrow. Do you want it? Three weeks. Five hours a day, Monday to Friday.ā āUh, sure. But what should...
Both Sides of the Postcard
The sand is white and soft. The palms sway gently. The turquoise water glitters. The happy traveler reclines on the lounger and sips something sweet....
The Shadow Durian
As a lifelong foreigner, Iāve learnt that being open to new things smooths the path considerably. Food especially opens doors, and Iām very much an...
Falcon Theory
āSo,ā said Goethe to his friend Johann Peter Eckermann, ālet us call it a Novelle, for what is a Novelle but an outrageous incident? This...
Future Abstract: Fights at Night
SATIRE ALERT: The following abstract is entirely fictional and does not represent actual events or scientific research. Tarsiers are not currently at war with pollination...
Danger! Danger!
What is perhaps the most feared creature of the Borneo rainforest, I hear you ask? Who is the King or Queen of the Forest? The...
Huminodun – A Borneo Legend
In the lush landscapes of Sabah, Malaysian North Borneo, dwells the Kadazandusun community, the region's largest indigenous group. Their cultural identity is deeply entwined with...
Future Abstract: Crisp and Squish
SATIRE ALERT: This Future Abstract is entirely fictional and should not be taken as actual scientific research. No plastic was consumed in the making of...
The Moon vs. Brian Cox
Of the many jobs Iāve juggled, my latest presents a unique challenge. Sabah, in Malaysian North Borneo, is popular with Korean tourists. Five hours south...
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