Challenge #03039-H116: There’s Some in Every Trip
A group of former Degreggers, with their galactic friends, compiling their resources, purchased a trading ship, and outfitted the two largest holds with large, comfortable, reclining seats, blankets, and other creature comforts, each one being able to hold at least a hundred people, and the third largest hold with tons of nutrient packs that would last for long periods of time. The other holds aboard the ship were used for normal storage with many types of trade goods, the three turned into multi-guest sleeping areas and excess food storage were disguised. Why? Very simple. They made a plan to visit as many deregger planets and polities as possible, and start helping people escape. But to do that, well, sometimes to save souls from hell, you have to trade with the devils. – Lessons
There are, in the universe, necessary evils. Most of them happen in the Edge Territories, and it’s because of plausible deniability that they continue within. The Cogniscent Rights Committee turns a blind eye to it, as does the Fair Trade Commission. If they were dealing with Galactics then the accommodations and business deals going on would be quashed in a cold second.
Greater Deregulations refuse to be part of the Alliance because they don’t like the rules. Therefore, they shouldn’t expect anyone else to follow those rules either. If planned obsolescence and lying about the safety and longevity of your product is okay in Deregger space, then that’s the kind of dealing they should expect. And anyway, any polity willing to sell off their population for shiny trinkets are getting what they deserve.
They call the ships Horse Smugglers and they regularly swap subpar technology for the “free” citizens or indentured servants of Deregger spaces. They even go so far as swapping expendable porter-bots for the cargo workers. The Dereggers don’t immediately complain because the bots don’t need to eat or breathe. They complained in exactly a month and a half, when the porter-bots broke down at exactly the life expectancy of every single piece of Deregger tech on the market. By then, the Horse Smugglers have moved on. Yet, the Dereggers fall for it every single time.
[Check the source to see the full story]
(Source: peakd.com)
Challenge #03038-H115: We’re Going to Need a Bigger Nametag
A: You know Jugemu I don’t actually know your full name; what is it?
J: You sure? it’s really long.
A: hit me
[AN: That’s a meme I’ve managed to avoid for literal years. I knew it existed, but I’ve never seen it. Also some poor sod has to read this aloud to someone at some point so I’m not going to use the long form]
Companion Alis tried to discern the individual words, but the entire string of syllables happened to sound more like an auctioneer’s babble than a name. He kept expecting to hear an explosive ‘HUT!“ somewhere in the middle, with some numbers stirred in. Human Joog reached the end without a final gavel fall and the total absence of who won the auction.
After some consideration, Companion Alis said, "I can see why you prefer to go by Joog.”
“Yeah, no joke,” said Joog. “Da got naming rights and he was on the outs with Ma, so… getting chewed out was an experience for everyone in the area. Also, you don’t need to tell me it sounds like a high-speed auction. I know. Believe me, I know.”
[Check the source to see the full story]
(Source: peakd.com)
Challenge #03037-H114: The Learning Process
Ad astra per aspera – Anon Guest
[AN: My old primary school motto was Per Ardua Ad Astra - by effort to the stars. If I read this correctly, this means “To the stars by breath” ::googles:: Almost. “Through the rough” not “by breath”. Was I close?]
Groundbreaking travel, as the name suggests, is fraught with unforeseen perils. The first person to hang onto the back of a horse or an ox had no idea what they were in for. The first person to ride in a cart instead of leading it was likely the inventor of the seat cushion as a direct result.
Currently, the crew of the Zipliner are learning the perils of near-light travel. Beginning with - inertia’s a bitch. During the acceleration process, the crew are pressed into their seats and only maintaining consciousness because an “overly concerned” engineer insisted that they each were connected to CPAP machines.
They weren’t laughing at that one engineer now. They weren’t very capable of laughing at all. Frankly, they were thankful that their plotted course was well away from anything they could bump into. If it weren’t for the reflective shielding, they may not have had a ship by now[1]. The real trick, in the moment, was finding the strength to reach the controls before they hit anything significant enough to overwhelm the systems as they existed.
[Check the source to see the full story]
(Source: peakd.com)
Challenge #03037-H114: The Learning Process
Ad astra per aspera – Anon Guest
[AN: My old primary school motto was Per Ardua Ad Astra - by effort to the stars. If I read this correctly, this means “To the stars by breath” ::googles:: Almost. “Through the rough” not “by breath”. Was I close?]
Groundbreaking travel, as the name suggests, is fraught with unforeseen perils. The first person to hang onto the back of a horse or an ox had no idea what they were in for. The first person to ride in a cart instead of leading it was likely the inventor of the seat cushion as a direct result.
Currently, the crew of the Zipliner are learning the perils of near-light travel. Beginning with - inertia’s a bitch. During the acceleration process, the crew are pressed into their seats and only maintaining consciousness because an “overly concerned” engineer insisted that they each were connected to CPAP machines.
They weren’t laughing at that one engineer now. They weren’t very capable of laughing at all. Frankly, they were thankful that their plotted course was well away from anything they could bump into. If it weren’t for the reflective shielding, they may not have had a ship by now[1]. The real trick, in the moment, was finding the strength to reach the controls before they hit anything significant enough to overwhelm the systems as they existed.
[Check the source to see the full story]
(Source: peakd.com)
Challenge #03033-H110: A Different Solution
They saw Human Ji sit down for their tea after the brief fight with the braggart that had decided to be an idiot. As the crowd dispersed, people getting back to their normal routines, they first helped the owners put the tea gardens back together, mainly because they were nervous about approaching Ji, before plucking up their courage and approaching the table. Lightly clearing their throat, they asked, softly. “I’m having to deal with bullies in school that keep trying to beat me up, can you help me? Can I defend myself, too?”
It’s from this Prompt: https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-02925-h002-he-prefers-the-first-option – Fighting Fit
[AN: As always, blessings for supplying the link. Also, this now has to happen near the Edge, as bullying is almost extinct and quickly quashed in Galactic Alliance space]
Poflo saw it all from an upper gallery, where ze liked to hide from the bad kids. It was hard not to know about Master Ji. The man was a legend. The Sensei who knew everything and was able to beat anyone in an unfair fight[1]. He was a teacher, and had taught Havenworlders to hold their own against the Vorax.
Which meant that he was the man to see about hir problem. He was also the man to avoid about hir problem. People like that tended to take advantage of people like Poflo. The strong made victims of the weak. Humiliated them with it. Thusly, ze made a hesitant path to Master Ji’s line of sight. Thereafter, ze watched the Master slowly imbibe his tea and enjoy the ambiance.
Then the Master ordered a tray of treats and another pot of tea. “You can sit and talk. I don’t mind rude questions,” he said, “and you look like a soul with a lot of troubles.”
[Check the source to see the full story]
(Source: peakd.com)
Challenge #03030-H107: Tea and Socialisation
I can’t help it Internutter, I gotta see! Mr. Sunshine introduces Jay to his one, and only, true friend outside the Pax Humanis organization, Ms. Lilicoon. Her hands have healed quite a lot now and she keeps in regular contact with Sunshine and even has permission to visit his home on occasion, of course she always makes sure to ask first in case he’s busy. Now that he’s got a new student, and to show him that there’s hope for even ones like them, he decides to invite her to lunch and have her meet the young man currently under his wing. https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-02975-h052-a-jay-of-sunshine The other story to this is “Challenge #02612-G055: Befriending Sunshine internutter (69)in #fiction • last year Where she had lunch with sunshine. But it’s giving me the "Error Akimet has flagged your posting as SPAM” again each time I try to do a steamit link – DaniAndShali
[AN: The other story referenced here is this one so you don’t have to go trawling for them]
Needlework was good practice, the therapists said. Fine motor control training was dull unless there was something to achieve, and motivation to achieve it, but Lilicoon had goals in mind. Such as her current cross-stitch project - a portrait of Mr Sunshine as the conquering hero. He had painted her as a glorious queen, so turnabout was fair play. The shining armour mirroring the pattern of his ubiquitous sweatervest was, she thought, a cute touch. His mighty sword was a paintbrush, of course. She still had a lot of surface area to fill in, but it was starting to come together.
Mr Sunshine had a friend with him as he entered the teahouse. Younger, certainly. This new person had that gangly look of a Human who had yet to grow into their hands and feet. This fellow was a little less neat than Mr Sunshine. Rolled-up shirtsleeves and practical slacks held up with both belt and braces. Yet, still wearing the same warning colours as Mr Sunshine. Pax Humanis had a new trainee.
Lilicoon felt safe, of course. Mr Sunshine liked cats and refused to see them come to harm. The guarded teen in his shadow would not hurt her. He did boggle at Lilicoon for a second before darting his gaze towards every potential threat vector in the room. She put her work away in its carry-bag and wriggled her fingers proudly for Mr Sunshine.
[Check the source to see the full story]
(Source: peakd.com)
Challenge #03029-H106: Experiments in Friendship
The ship was doing a long-haul taking a mix of human and havenworlder colonists to one of the few mixed-colony worlds. A human child, with their havenworlder friends, had begun exploring the ship and found their way to the engine room. When the parents found them, they were being given a lesson in how the engine works, and being allowed to be helpful, as much as kids can be. – Fighting Fit
The world that Planetary Survey had found was perfect. Perfect for both Humans and the Phlupharin who wanted to live there. The recent peace between the Human Deathworlders and the Galactic Alliance Havenworlders had encouraged them to try building a settlement together. The Humans could deal effectively with any hazards and their presence tended to reassure the Havenworlders with them.
The reputation of Humans as intensely protective guardians had got around. So much so that the Phlupharin were unconcerned about their own young playing with junior Humans. Several friendships formed on the journey there. Such as Deg and Su.
They were five, and Human Deg had a knack for finding ways around the ship that ze really should not have access to. Fortunately, there were other Humans working on board and many of them were used to the less advisable habits of their young.
[Check the source to see the full story]
(Source: peakd.com)
Challenge #03028-H105: Swim the Light Fantastic
They flew past me all the time inside those massive metal machines. Though some were bigger than others. My people have been floating among the stars, bright spots in what, for most, would be otherwise pure darkness for as long as I can remember. We had bodies, once, and needed such machines before, but we evolved past that. My family called me, we were heading to a new asteroid belt. Holding out hands, we, as bright flames, flew to see those that had solid forms still. It was time to say hello. These ones were more adventurous than many had been. – Anon Guest
In an eon past, we reasoned that it was next to impossible to take our bodies with us to the stars. So we transformed our minds into intelligences of plasma and magnetic forces, leaving our old bodies behind. We flew away from our world and those left who shunned us and our solution to the problem of vast distances.
We were immortal, feeding on the radiations of space, flying between the stars at speeds close to light. It didn’t matter how long it took, or how rare it was to meet another like us in our flights. We could not touch the worlds we saw, but some of us thrilled at skimming their atmospheres. Peeking at the material worlds below.
We sang to each other between the stars, listening between the babble of others communicating on the hydrogen line. You can imagine, then, our shock and surprise when others came to the void in metal armour, in shells like snails or crabs, taking everything they needed with them. Some plodded slowly, but others matched our speeds at close to that of light. Curious, we swam close to them. Peeking in portholes. Singing to them. We did not understand how they could dare.
[Check the source to see the full story]
(Source: peakd.com)
Challenge #03027-H104: The Paper Anchor
The book was old, beyond old, really. It had been passed down from parent to child for a millennia. It was, now, so thick and large it was carried in a careful satchel and, due to being so ancient, the oldest of the pages yellowing, only carefully opened with gloves. The newest pages, however, were much fresher and had been added to the book almost weekly over the past hundred years. But now, the owner, dying gracefully of old age, called to the Archivaas. They wished to donate this relic to their care. A diary that had been written in by the members of their family for too many generations to count. From time time the first humans went to colonize the stars. They figured, when they were gone, at least these words would live on with these renown librarians. – Anon Guest
It was, as the Descriptii called it, a Generation book. It, like Wels, was dying. It had been written in by firstborn after firstborn, passed down to each first child for generations. It had within its pages life from the perspective of the Diarykeepers from the time of landing. It described the breaking of first camp, births, deaths, personal drama, and even weather.
Archivaas Leif almost drooled. Hir gloved fingers twitched just to peek. A single perspective archive of an entire colony… it was priceless. An heirloom, of course. Stupidly, ze said, “Are you sure?”
“I gave my children the choice… and they chose not to add. They’re… free…” Wels smiled as they struggled for breath. “My ancestors and I devoted themselves to documenting everything. Everything. It’s a miracle we got anything done at all. We had to reserve two hours a day for journaling. Like it was sacred.” Wils struggled to smile. “I always found it a pain in the butt.”
[Check the source to see the full story]
(Source: peakd.com)
Challenge #03026-H103: Worn Away
The family went to court just as the parent said they would. Recordings of the cruel abuse the students, and instructors, of the Alliance - run school were shown as evidence. And now these people were forced to see, and hear, everything they did to her and face their crimes. Of how Barbara would stop, turn away to hide her tears, something the cameras saw, though everyone else ignored. It wasn’t just the parents who intended to teach the instructors, the students, and their parents a lesson for such unkindness, the courts themselves intended to burn this into a memory so that students in other alliance schools, ones going through the same brutality that this young girl had endured, would finally have hope. And it would set a legal precedent known as the “Barbara Incident”. – Fighting Fit
[AN: Callback to this thing ]
The court watched a vibrant little girl turn to stone, pebble by pebble. A stream of daily check-in facial scans. The first day of open-faced optimism slowly morphing into a Human being barely hanging on by a thread. And then… that thread snapped, and so did young Barbera.
The evidence was plentiful. A cultural and sociology professor explaining that Humans were social animals and having a group of friends was essential to their mental health and well-being. Seemingly endless footage of Barbera trying to befriend her schoolmates and being shunned. Even more endless footage of Barbera being alone; in the playground, during group projects, at in-school social events. Hours’ worth of Barbera finding corners to hide and cry in.
“The Humans have a form of torture in which the penitent is immobilised and forced to endure regular or irregular drops of water landing on their face. One drop of water does no harm, we know this,” said the Menanis family lawyer. “It doesn’t hurt. It’s harmless. But drop after drop, incessantly, unavoidably hitting you?” Here, the lawyer held up a hag stone. It was granite, but drops of water had worn a hole straight through it. “It can wear at even the strongest.”
[Check the source to see the full story]
(Source: peakd.com)