Masque — Brian Barr

Shun Isagawa couldn't hide his amused smile, or the fact that he was quite impressed. “Excellent costume, Dr. Hashimoto. I can tell you really put your time into creating this one.” “Don't I for all the masks I make?” Dr. Hashimoto pressed the button on the side of his mask. Instantly, the fibernetics, silicone, and mechanized shell within the artificial skin recoiled, showing his true fifty-five-year-old face once again. Milliseconds ago, he was John Wayne, and now he was that respectable robotics scientist once again. The electrodes were still attached to his forehead and the sides of his face, greying hair resting along his temples. “Why, thank you, Shun. I put a lot of thought into that particular disguise.” Masque is a cyberpunk science-thriller written by Brian Barr and edited by Jeff O'Brien. This story was previously printed in Inanna Burning by J. Ellington Ashton Press and Far Horizon Magazine. Masque will also be included in Brian Barr's short story collection, Daemensions.