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Amalgam Universe

A 2308-post collection

Challenge #04932-M183: Suspicious Coded Messages

While transcribing her grandmother’s old handwritten recipes to send to a friend, a girl finds out that the ratios and measurements by pure coincidence match up to a heavily-restricted code, and is immediately flagged for red alert investigation. -- Tergon

Tell me you're in a highly-monitored fascist polity without telling me you're in a highly-monitored fascist polity...

Okay. So. Gamgam's actually my great-great gramma on account of the CEO's Breed 'Em And Weed 'Em policy. Basically have the kids as quickly and as often as possible, skill test them for whatever and fit them into the work that will cause the business the least amount of trouble. While also breeding up the next generation.

On the positive side, workplaces also had state-mandated childcare and maternity maintenance was free.

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Challenge #04931-M182: One Little Slip

A human decides to go and learn tons of languages. Ends up using the wrong whistling trill and accidentally insults a saurian's ancestors and has to do a dance-style apology ceremony! -- Bridget Kielas-Fecyk

Humans are versatile vocalists. Many are excellent at imitation. A rare few are creepy at being that excellent. Those are the Humans who are encouraged to become linguist, ambassadorial aids, and First Contact consultants.

It's encouraged, not mandatory. Mostly because of Human Zif.

He was one of the

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Challenge #04927-M178: A-Hunting They Will Go

There are ten stuffed heads in my trophy room right now. Two Game Wardens, Seven Hunters, and a Pure Bred Guernsey Cow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQyoSLOlglw -- Deathshead419

They say, when all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. And it's a very apropos statement on the Terran Colony of Libertaria. Where every man is an island and all the homes are bulletproof.

They need to be bulletproof, because every spring is hunting season.

Where

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Challenge #04918-M169: Soft Bubble Life

The Fabulous Lives of the Unencumbered -- Luna

There is an old saying: More money than sense. It speaks specifically to the charmed lives of the rich and powerful. Those who don't see the silver platter that everything comes to them on. To them, it's as invisible as the air they breathe.

Submitted for your education: Klaratynne Shiffohen D'Arbuette.

Every morning, they rose and shone. Well rested and revitalised as their bedchamber was designed to give them every ease. No matter which

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Challenge #04914-M165: Meat of the Matter

Jay stood near a teen he had been asked to watch over while Mr Sunshine finished their mission. The kid was on his knees losing his lunch.

"I was terrified." / You fought and killed them anyway.

"Am I a coward?" / No, a coward runs. A brave person acts even when terrified. You saved lives.

"I don't want to do that again." / We're going to try to ensure you won't have to. -- Anon Guest

The bad part of the scene was that

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Challenge #04909-M160: Treasure in Strange Places

An old treasure is found by a space salvager. A locked case full of old diaries, music boxes, books, and photos. And a letter that reads "This was my life among the stars. I lived happy here, I died of old age happy here. Solitary is not always lonely, and being with others TOO much is not always comfort." -- Anon Guest

There's a lot to find in Sargasso systems. Stellar objects that had no natural satellites, so varying civilisations dumped their

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Challenge #04905-M156: Caught Broadside

Torture is forbidden in the Alliance, but there are more ways to break a person than physical pain. Ever deal with a dad who seems to want to turn everything into a bad pun? -- Anon Guest

[AN: The Alliance has transcended the need for torture. There are better ways to get information out of someone. Therefore, this has to happen somewhere on the Edge]

The Galactic Alliance is an agreement between multiple polities and species in an extended trade network. People

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Challenge #04904-M155: Drastic Change Consultancy

A group go to the B'Nari to get new bodies. They wish to develop underwater cities, without needing domes for air, so they, and their friends, can finally live peacefully together. -- Anon Guest

[AN: The Alliance has LOADS of planets where people can live according to their personal moral alignment. Also I have a planet called Beach where Humans and Cetaceans have built a society together]

They were looking at a water planet with relatively shallow oceans. Kelp farming and fish

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Challenge #04903-M154: Scars on the Inside

A troop of marines had finally rotated home after a lot of... unpleasant experiences. Now, they planned to sit back, relax, enjoy their hard-earned retirements, and definitely enjoy the summer and all the fun that came with it. -- Anon Guest

After six months of trudging around in battle-ready armour, it was damned good to feel the air on hir skin. It felt even better to plunge into the open ocean and take the weight off hir feet and spine. Trooper Glyn

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Challenge #04890-M141: Wanna Big Boom

Rather a long one, but what is the fascination of humans with explosives? -- Prompey

[AN: Long one?]

Humans like spectacle. Huge amounts of people working together. Everyday miracles. Teamwork to help some otherwise helpless creature. And big things falling down. They also love watching things explode, from a safe distance, of course.

From a certain perspective - everyone else - this is yet another example of Humanity's collective insanity. Most leave it at that.

Companion Xryk was curious enough to ask

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Challenge #04889-M140: Culture Shock

What are the bad things about the Alliance? What are the good things about the Greater Deregulation? And what are things both sides agree on? -- Anon Guest

[AN: That's a very good question]

Every utopia is someone's dystopia. The opposite holds true. Someone's paradise is someone else's hell. The Alliance has laws that are meant for the equity of all its citizens, including guarantees for health, welfare, and happiness. This also means that every citizen of the Alliance is under a

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Challenge #04879-M130: Sad Beige Life

My parents were cold narcissists. As an adult, once they signed everything to me, I signed our entire solar system to the alliance. I have plenty to live on, my mansions, my gardens, and so much more. But now the halls are full of life and youthful laughter. It actually feels like a home, not a museum. My parents? They live in their wing, their own little world. I'm letting them live the remainder of their golden years in peace. Under watch,

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Challenge #04877-M128: Can We Keep Each Other?

Not long ago, this planet of havenworlders saved a human who had, had a cheese-grater landing. If not for these beings, the human, fortunately the only occupant of that freighter, would not have survived. Then raiders came to harm these people. And the humans showed what gratitude for kindness earns. -- Anon Guest

[AN: May be in relation to: https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04839-m090-waif-and-stray ]

Hal was learning a lot of things. Starting with the fact that aliens were real and that

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Challenge #04869-M120: Medically Necessary Dangerous Friend

I have the rare type - O negative blood, a universal donor. I'm also scared of needles. My kind, at least to me, pax humanis friend helps me with this anxiety so I can donate and save lives. --Anon Guest

Medical practice always needs blood. At least, it does in this particular neighbourhood of the Edge Territories. I heard from some traders that the Alliance can just make whatever blood they want. There's like special cloned bone marrow units that do it.

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Challenge #04855-M106: Learning Experience

Trying to get a group moving in the right direction. Pick one of these. Schoolchildren on a trip. Visitors to a 3 hour specialist sale event. Agreeing to go anywhere. -- Prompty

"Stop, look, and lis-ten," chanted Educator Dees, primary teacher for the newly literate and numerate class.

There were five kids to each educator, not that that did anything to prevent the inherent chaos of fifty children on the field trip. Some were talking animatedly at each other, some were play-wrestling,

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