Challenge #02600-G043: Trying to Learn
Humans are deathworlders, but anyone who says that we are and have always been apex predators is, well, wrong. – Anon Guest
History is written by the victors. Ancient history is written by those who wish to justify their own cruelties. – Adapted Terran saying.
Culture and education is an interesting synergy. The way things are seem to be the way they are always meant to be according to Nature, as evidenced by what is found in ancient history. The cruelties of serfdom or slavery, when not verified by the workings of the preferred deity, are justified in the anthill. The harshness of the dawning of the Industrial Age is verified by the pacing animals in the zoos, the fossil evidence of hunting tools, and Nature Red in Tooth and Claw.
The harshness created by capitalism uses the same ideals. Regardless of the truth, which has remained the same despite how the evidence is interpreted. Nature has always been cruel, they say. Therefore there is no reason why we should ever stop. They ignore evidence to the contrary because it is inconvenient. As in, inconvenient for what they wish to happen in their favour.
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Challenge #02599-G042: It’s Okay, I’m a Deathworlder!
Humans have a function called an Adrenaline Rush, aka the body hitting the “oh shit” button. Sugar and caffeine trigger something similar to it, but have a mild drawback. A level 2 deathworlder that have the “oh shit” button learned the difference between the two the hard way – Anon Guest
Adrenaline works by using all available body reserves for a desperate effort. The price is generally paid afterwards in the form of assorted injuries and the recovery from the same. That is, assuming it isn’t paid in the user’s demise during the desperate effort. Sugar piles on extra resources and effectively supercharges the body for a short amount of time. Caffeine, a little more complex, shuts down the ‘tired’ signals in mind and body whilst also accelerating the heart rate - thus fooling the body into thinking it’s awake. Humans often use the combination of caffiene and sugar as a booster. They do not, as rumour suggests, boost it with Adrenaline.
Unfortunately for Tresk, they had heard the rumour and didn’t bother asking any Humans about it. Not their fault, the ships’ Humans were all N'Ozzies and genetically obligated to agree with and embellish any lie they heard[1]. Other sources on the free infonets were… conflicted at best, and conflagrations at worst. Most of the conflagrations were started by, of course, N'Ozzies[2]. Therefore, the only true way to discover fact from fiction was to try it themself.
This, of course, is not recommended for any species more delicate than a Class 2 Deathworlder. Fortunately for Tresk, they were a Class 2 Deathworlder and on the harder end of that particular classification bracket. Therefore they did what any Deathworlder would do. They live-blogged their experiences for science. Havenworlders, don’t even look at trying this at home.
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Challenge #02598-G041: A Lasting Reminder
There was this one abandoned space station where humans liked to paint graffitis and do other illegal stuff. When authorities find out they started to patrolling this place. After months of punishments, fines and even prison owners finally rebuild whole place and even let humans paint on special walls. It was this moment when illegal started to be legal. The very next day there was giant graffiti inside the biggest and most secured space station in the whole galaxy. – Anon Guest
If you build it, a Human has already written something on it. – Edge Territory saying.
Though it is widely accepted that literacy is one of the essential steps towards civilisation in general, and space-travelling in particular, it’s the Humans who’ve made a big deal out of leaving their mark. No structure is so remote, too neglected, or too risky to both visit and write upon.
It’s so endemic to the species that the rest of Galactic Society has surrendered in the form of Designated Graffiti Walls. None of which existed on Nonesuch Station. For the matter, neither did other things like air, power, intelligent life, or any kind of safety whatsoever when visiting the site. Nevertheless, Humans came, they saw, they scribbled.
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Challenge #02597-G040: Comforting Companionship
It’s well known, when their owners are unwell, pets will lay with them and stay by their side until they’re better. It’s a great comfort for the owner to have that gentle presence and, even though their pet doesn’t know it, it helps them get better more quickly. The young lizard had been very sick, though it was not a disease that anyone around them could contract. Brought to the station by their parents to try a new treatment to make them well, they sat in the heated gardens to relax and ease the aches of the body and nausea that came with being ill. It was not long before they seemed to arrive from all over the station. The Skitties and stray cats seemed to converge on them. When their parents came to collect them to take them to the mediks, they were comfortably napping, the first real nap they’ve had in several days, with the purring felines surrounding them, one larger feline gently curled up in their thin arms. – Anon Guest
Some things cannot be expunged from a creature’s genetic makeup. All cats somehow remember when they were deified, which is why every single one of them deigns to be in the presence of non-cats. This is true even for the Skitties. Station residents will choose to feed them and some Skitties deign to cohabit with those who do.
Then there is the phenomenon of the Wellness Puddle. Human pets, even the gengineered descendants of pets, will voluntarily lie down with anyone who feels poorly. Their company, their warmth, their softness are all contributing factors, but for felines? It’s always in the purr. A specific frequency that, through evolutionary accident, promotes healing and enhances relaxation. The latter also assists in healing since the number one factor in retardation of healing is stress. It can be shocking how many species benefit from this one species of animal.
Thyn Grippole was tiny and sick and suffering from a mutational genetic disorder that numerous experts had been attempting to unriddle since she hatched. Some parts of it looked like progeria, others looked like asthma, while a completely different set of symptoms bizarrely resembled scurvy. It perplexed everyone.
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Challenge #02595-G038: Sharing and Caring Intertwined
It that time of year where I don’t want to get out of my bed and chug hot chocolate down my esophagus, with any combination of sweets from marshmallows to the leftover candy-canes to The weird but tasty treats my aunt gave me. I’m sure I will be able to find a combination that is not toxic to my crew mates – Anon Guest
Humans, it seems, have a seasonal awareness that stretches out to places where seasons are non-existence. Even when divorced from their homeland calendar, some of them are peripherally aware of what time it is in the place of their birth.
For Human Goe, it was apparently winter. They had unpacked their fluffiest blankets, put up some festive decorations, and included simulated fires in their personal space to ‘feel warm’. They prepared some of their favourite “winter warmers” and, like most Humans, wanted to share their traditions with their crewmates.
Unfortunately, these were Havenworlders who could not safely digest theobromine so most of Human Goe’s little treats were off the menu. This greatly upset Human Goe. They wanted to share everything they loved with everyone they loved. Human Goe didn’t like roadblocks like that and, with typical Human determination, delved into research to find out what would work for their far more delicate little friends. And so did the experiments.
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