Tea Time with Aliens, by Jack McDevitt

[Analog]

★★☆☆☆ Not Recommended

(First Contact) Clyde and Margo’s mission gets a last-minute change when something looking like an unknown type of rocket is seen in low Earth orbit. (5,666 words; Time: 18m)

Arcturean Nocturne, by Jack McDevitt

[Anthology]

★★★★☆ A moving tale of star-crossed lovers

(SF Romance) George wants to go to the stars. Stephanie wants to compose a nocturne. They’re in love, but can they stay together? (7,071 words; Time: 23m)

Although this was originally published in the UK in 2017, the first US Publication was in March 2018, so it should be eligible for the 2019 Hugo Awards at the 2019 WorldCon, to be held in Dublin.

The Last Dance, by Jack McDevitt

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(Near-Future SF) Ethan gets an AI reconstruction of his dead wife. He can’t touch her, but just being able to see each other and talk should be enough. Right? (3,396 words; Time: 11m)

Rating: ★★★★☆ Amusing, Thought-Provoking, and Warmhearted

Your Lying Eyes, by Jack Mcdevitt

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(Near-Future SF) The narrator learns that a brilliant engineer has developed a consumer technology that will reveal when anyone is lying. Is it really a good thing to release this to the public? (2,630 words; Time: 08m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

The Pegasus Project, by Jack McDevitt

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(Far-Future SF) In fifteen thousand years, humanity has never found evidence for alien life, but Ronda gets tasked with checking out a possible transmission. (4,911 words; Time: 16m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

Excalibur, by Jack McDevitt

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(Hard SF) Gordon Kerr, writing a history of NASA, uncovers documentation about a mysterious unmanned mission that no one talks about. (4,000 words; Time: 13m)

Rating: ★★☆☆☆, Not Recommended

Riding With the Duke, by Jack McDevitt

Future Visions: Original Science Fiction Inspired by Microsoft, 2015; ~8,400 words
Rating: 3, Good, ordinary, story

After giving up on a physics Ph.D., Walter tries teaching  high-school physics. He knows his subject cold, but struggles to relate to the kids.

Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)

Pro: This is really the story of how Walter found his purpose in life. The TV gimmick makes him see himself in different roles, not all of which fit. Once he realizes he's not the Bogart, he's the Laszlo, he figures out how to use his strengths in the classroom, and that the classroom is where he greatest strengths lie.

Even the interview with the Vice Principal is illuminating. The man cares far more about whether Walter has the scientific chops to teach the material than he does about his classroom manner. "Just give yourself a chance." That echoes Diana's repeated remarks about people's own low confidence holding them back.

What particularly interesting is that the TV gizmo didn't change Walter at all. It merely let him see what sort of person he really was.

Con: Diana is a very weak character. She serves only to give Walter the device. The ending, where she decides to try for bigger things, falls flat because this isn't her story at all.