So, this is a quality story, but it's not going to be everyone's idea of sci-fi. But I guess if you think it's a bit too much of an emo trip then don't just get angry, get even - write something that you would like to listen to and send it in (after August 1st)
I disagree. Although the SF elements were mostly background, I don't have a big problem with that. I just wasn't really impressed by the story. It wasn't bad, fair-to-middlin' I'd say, but it's one of those that for me is nowhere near award-nomination quality--the nomination raises the bar for me.
It was an okay story. The characters were believable and felt like real people, which is always a plus. The reasons I didn't really care for it overall:
--It was way too long for its content. If it had been half the length it might've been about right. As it was, it seemed like ages between anything important happening. My mind kept wandering, but when I rewound and relistened I hadn't really missed anything.
--The driving motivation of having a baby isn't one I find particularly compelling. That's not the author's fault, it just is. If there'd been other major themes that appealed to me I could've latched onto one of those instead.
--The main conflict of the crooked dockmaster was so easily resolved that the resolution was a major letdown especially after such a long story. After a couple problems they try the obvious and society-approved solution. And on that first try, they succeed. This did not provide me with tension.
--A minor conflict that it seemed to hint at at the end was that the protagonist technically had the right to have a baby with the flag, but gave it to Nina instead. But, really, that wasn't a conflict either. Nina had been very vocally desperate to have a baby, while the protagonist was clearly indifferent. Giving the rights to Nina was a win-win, and also provided no tension.
--The statement at the end about her already being a parent seemed like it was meant to be profound, but that had crossed my mind just a few minutes into the story. As I was sorting the character relationships, I'd mentally labeled this one as adopted mother/daughter. So it surprised me that the character seemed to only be discovering this herself at the end and saying it as though it were a profound statement.