Amalgam Universe

A 2280-post collection

Challenge #04707-L323: Money Makes Me Talk

The Thief Oxisa has been hired to steal the crown jewels of the Kordisce Kingdom. Only, the Kordisce has become a republic and the new government hopes to put those treasures in a museum. Oh well, so long as Oxisa’s fee is paid, she doesn’t care. Caring about politics is a great way for a thief to make a fatal mistake. -- Deathshead419

Everything is money, when you get down to the root of it. Power? Money. Property? Money. Even family is money to the right kind of people. Or wrong kind of people. I'm not paid enough to have say any opinion I have out loud. That sort of thing is money, too. Food and shelter are definitely money and I need to pay for both.

That's the only reason I did it. My client had a lot of money for me to steal the crown jewels of Kordisce.

No, I don't know their name. I'm not an idiot. They sent a message with a downpayment to my dropoff and the promise of the rest at their chosen dropoff. That's how it works. It's all about the money.

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Challenge #04705-L321: Navigational Hazards and How They're Dealt With

What happens when a ship of former human military that has gone into psychosis and turned pirate, meets up and goes after a pax humanis ship? Worse, neither side really cares about their own lives, and barely cares about anyone else's lives either. -- Anon Guest

[AN: Pax Humanis agents aren't usually allowed loose because they're all serial killers and inherently dangerous]

It would have been too cliche to rename their ship the Bounty, and they all agreed on that. What they

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Challenge #04700-L316: Mercy For the Many

"They won't be changed or persuaded at all?"/ I'm afraid not, I'm so sorry.

"We both knew it might come to this."/ I know, but it's always sad.

"Don't worry, you know I don't make them suffer."/ If we want to save the people in those factories.....

"I know. Just, sometimes, there really is no other way. They'll simply fall asleep... and never wake up." -- Fighting Fit

It's easy to believe that ending the one badguy will solve a systemic problem.

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Challenge #04682-L298: Own Employee Rights

Why were you arrested? /"I severely overworked my employee to the point of collapse while not seeing to their needs."

Wait... I thought you were self employed and had no employees. /"You're right, I don't."

So which employee did you overwork if you don't have any working for you? /"I guess I was the employee."

Okay... that's odd. /"Yeah, I don't belong here." -- The New Guy

[AN: This prompt had to be adjusted for line brevity]

The Galactic Alliance didn't believe

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Challenge #04673-L289: One in a Million

A drone from a hive mind is mistakenly left behind when the scouting party leaves the planet behind. Now an entity which has never conceived of a singular identity must survive in a wilderness. -- Deathshead419

We are Xaqi, and we seek knowledge. We seek resources without conflict. Harm to the hive is harm to all with the swarm, we are one. We know us. We sense all of us. It is as it has always been.

Until now.

We cannot sense

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Challenge #04670-L286: These Humans Are Crazy

How much will a human do for their friends? They will jump off a high cliff with nothing but a cloth on their back, and the secure rope so everyone else can get down more safely. -- Anon Guest

The good news was that Human Stig had some time to think. The bad news was that it might not be enough time to think.

Smoke rising up the hill behind them, toxic plants to the left of them, savage critters to the

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Challenge #04667-L283: Calculated Retreat

The humans rescue havenworlder colonists from a planet suddenly suffering a massive cooling trend after a super-volcanic incident on the other side of the planet plunged the planet into a sudden ice age. They had no problem with the sub-zero temperatures, but also no problem with the havenworlders needing tropical heat either. One of the rescuers smiled.

"I'm from Wisconsin on Earth, this is normal!" -- Anon Guest

[AN: Having never been anywhere near Wisconsin, I'm guessing this is one of those

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Challenge #04664-L280: Mend the Moon

They found why the moon was stuck like this. An accident, an experiment gone wrong, and the rich {censoreds} that caused it? Were more interested in arguing whose fault it was than fixing it. Fine, then everyone ELSE would fix it, and the moon would be shoved back to its proper orbit again.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04534-l150-ameliorative-measures -- Anon Guest

There's an old saying - two can keep a secret if one of them is dead. The corollary to this

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Challenge #04652-L268: Awakening

Oh my god some of you nasty [Canadian insult] are crazy af and into some nasty [doo doo]; where your dignity? Your self-respect? What’s your number? you free tonight? -- Anon Guest

[AN: I am unfamiliar with Canadian insults. I shall improvise]

One of the fundamental unwritten laws of the universe is this: There is always more to learn about it. Not merely about the stars, galaxies, and all the things therein. But also about the people you share it with.

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Challenge #04651-L267: Designated Fun Hours

All Personages on [List B9] will report to the [Fun-Park] at [2:30pm] on [Saturday, the 12th] for mandatory fun time. Fun will be had from [2:35pm] until [3:55pm] for all persons on [List B9]. All Persons on [List B9] are to refrain from speaking with anyone on [List B8] or [List C1] except during the times of [2:50pm] and [3:05pm] in the Designated Areas. Thank you [Recipient] and enjoy you time at the [Fun-Park]. -- Deathshead419

They

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Challenge #04649-L265: Freedom Isn't Free

This was how Deregs start... they had it as a neighborhood association. A way to help each other during emergencies, or when families needed a friend to lean on. But somehow, were tricked, at least some of them, into signing an HOA charter. Those that refused began being harassed, threatened, and then the vandalism began. However, in one house was a person you harass at your own peril. And this whole system was shut down before it really got going. No one

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Challenge #04645-L261: Tourist Take Warning

My fellow cognisants. There has been a great many interested in visiting that fearsome deathworld known as Earth, though more apt name for it is Terra, as in terrifying. Today, we will go through some of the weather phenomena found there, my own experience, and why it's absolutely essential to listen to your human guides when they tell you to get to shelter when it only looks like a few clouds are overhead.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04544-l160-homicidal-weather-patterns -- Anon Guest

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Challenge #04639-L255: The Kindness Cut

The comments from you both make me want to turn it into a prompt.

A haven world the humans turned into a massive farm planet with tons of crops and lots of well-kept and cared for farm animals. Heh, and that "small amount"?

"We just want around 2% of the total harvest to feed the needy in return for this, if that's ok?"/"Only 2%? Hell take 5%!"

"You sure? That's a lot."/"It's only 5% of the total harvest, not as

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Challenge #04620-L236: Lasting Impression

"Why didn't you kill him?"/That's your job, I'm not a killer.

"But you delivered him to me."/That was my job. Besides, I'd be too merciful, and after what he did....

"They will help all of you recover."/This lady with the kind eyes who gave me a hug with her tail already has helped a lot. -- The New Guy

[AN: This post has been edited to improve brevity]

You can call me what you like. It doesn't matter. Not

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Challenge #04616-L232: Disaster Relief

It was the summer harvest on a massive planet. The human colony was very small, but they had several Gyiik friends who were more than happy to help. After all, while some can be left to go to seed for the next year, it's all but a crime to let all that abundant good food go to waste. -- Anon Guest

What to do when the farm machines that had made everything easier were out of commission thanks to a rogue solar

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