The Friendly Killers

"The Friendly Killers" by S. M. Tenneshaw tells the tale of Agent Mark Traynor amidst a brewing intergalactic war. Traynor faces the ominous threat of the Kel, an duplicitous alien species disguised as allies who are secretly infiltrating human society. Set against the backdrop of a society trained to stifle emotions, the story begins with Traynor's arrival on Rizal, where he seeks solutions to the Kel's plot while fending off mental reconditioning. As he meets Controller Gaylord, and later Celeste Stelpa, who has a past linked to the Kel, his mission becomes more dangerous. Navigating treacherous power dynamics and grappling with his identity, Traynor not only fights to save humanity but must also confront the emotional repercussions of "thrill-mills," devices that artificially boost human emotions beyond their natural limits.