Challenge #02735-G178: Life and Pie
The elderly human was sitting on the porch of their home here on Earth when a shuttle neatly landed on the wide gravel road not far from the garage. They were curious, didn’t get many visitors out here on the farm. Once things had settled and were quiet again, the door opened and soon the alien stepped out. The alien, a middle-aged being, smiled and greeted their old friend and went to sit with them for a while. The did promise, as duties permitted, they would visit after all. So, it being a pleasantly sunny day, and duties were light, it was a good time to sit, have some tea, and chat about the past when they were shipmates, and some of the more interesting times from back then. – DaniAndShali
Even Humans slow down, though it’s hard for some species to tell the difference. Even Humans grow old and age. Even the most formidable among them grow frail. Science has made the descent slow and gentle, but it happens nonetheless. It has even happened to Human Dav “Deathwish” Lyonn.
Age has wearied him, but the years have not condemned. Yet. Ze keeps hir livesuit in operational condition and has made a few modifications as concessions to hir declining mobility. As part of hir exercise regime, Human Dav is making apple pie. It’s the kneading and rolling that’s important. Not the lengths of extravagance that ze’s come to perform with the crust.
Humans will add anything to mandatory activity in order to make it more enjoyable simply because it is mandatory activity and therefore boring and uninteresting. This is why Humans invented cheese sauce shortly after they discovered the health benefits of broccoli.
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Challenge #02734-G177: Sub-telepathy in Action
Ever worked in an call centre? or in retail? How about gone shopping in the middle of the day? Sat down after a busy day just wanting to relax?
what do all these things have in common. How you seemingly know you won’t be able to relax, even if there is a Lull, It Spontaneously gets Busy, as if everyone gets the same Idea to do the SAME thing right at the same time. be at the same place as you at the same time, or know that you’re no longer busy at the same time and decide to call you/visit you/ask for your help.
there has to be something linking all these people, because there is no particular reason for it from an outside influence – Adam in Darwin
Telepathy is difficult to accomplish naturally. Sub-telepathy, on the other hand, is easier than one might think. Pack-bonding species tend to develop it as yet another survival instinct. Of course, it can backfire spectacularly.
In a survival situation, it’s beneficial to the pack to get the feeling that one’s pack-mate is experiencing extended trouble. Help can arrive in shorter order and the pack functions better as a whole. The feeling of Packmate Needs Me is subtle and can be mistranslated into the wrong action.
Which explains how Humans can have days that go entirely sideways, and simultaneously backwards through a bramble bush. Human Si was having such a day. It began, as such days generally do, with an anxiety-induced early morning. With a project of minor urgency decided on as something to get out of the way to make the day easier. It never works like this. Let’s watch the sub-telepathic signal at work…
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Challenge #02733-G176: The Old One Two
Hey if I fight back it would be considered self-defence right? – Anon Guest
“Pro tip, kid. Don’t ask that kind of question when you’re surrounded by ten armed adults,” said Pirate Vlex. They were facing down a small, scrawny Human who the crew had been feeding and coaxing out into company like a Human might do for a stray cat. They were a wild one, wearing whatever fit their body and not caring for any conventions about what should be worn, by whom, or where.
Despite the situation, the small Human was showing their teeth. This, according to Vlex’s knowledge base, was not a threat display, but an expression of happiness. They started chanting in a limited singsong. “I know something you do not, I know something you do not, I know something you do not…”
They fell silent when Vlex put the business end of their gun to the whelp’s nose. “You had better pray it is enough information to save your life.”
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Challenge #02732-G175: Rescue Human
A human stands still, eyes closed, at their work station. Their lips move. They are talking to themself, softly.
“You’re having a flashback. You’re having a flashback. It’s over, it’s done with, you’re healed. There’s nothing wrong with your wrist, and no one can ever make you that helpless again. You’re having a flashback.” – Anon Guest
The Galactic Alliance had initially shunned Humans, save for those existing in or near the Edge Territories. Shortly after their admission to the Alliance, the demand for Ships’ Humans outstripped the supply. This lead to the beginnings of Rescue Humans.
Humans are terrible to each other, especially in some of their more rigid colonial identities. Some were desperate to escape by any means, including risking their lives by sneaking aboard freight ships. They came with scars that weren’t always visible, and required a greater amount of understanding from their Alliance crew. One such Rescue Human was Human Nad.
For the most part, Nad was fine. Ekkus etiquette had it ingrained in the crew of the Risk Reward Ratio that one approached a crewmate so that they could see you approaching. Nobody crept up from behind Human Nad, and that made them more relaxed than when the crew had found them. Which was a definite improvement for Human Nad, but also disturbing for the knowledge that sometimes Humans were so horrible to each other that they never wanted to see another Human for the rest of their lives.
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Challenge #02731-G174: A Cautionary Tale
“If you want to hurt a man, do not target him. Target what he loves. Take that which he holds dear to his heart and twist it, corrupt it, or destroy it altogether. Then and only then will you hurt him in a way that he will feel in his soul. But take heed. When you hurt a man in this way, you twist him, corrupt him, drive him to heights of rage never before thought possible. You will have turned that man into a monster, and he will be coming for you.” – Anon Guest
If you want to hurt a Human - DON’T. – Galactic Saying
There is a philosophy known mostly to the Greater Deregulations - with enough finance, one can theoretically get away with anything. The trick, of course, is in defining “enough”. There’s always something that money cannot buy.
In this case, it was safety from Human Zol. To put it briefly, the Oligarch of Greater Deregulation Far Upper East had done her family a great wrong. There isn’t a Greater Deregulation Far Upper East any more, and Human Zol is the reason why. Here’s how…
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