Humans Are Weird

Challenge #04458-L074: Methuselah Engineering

A: this is… a hydro-electric plant?

B: yep this brick steel concrete is built to last a century.

A: how old is it?

B: I say 100 years give or take a few decades.

A: wha- so in case of a fire…

B: the only steps I’m taking are [flipping] big ones. -- Anon Guest

It's generally a safe idea to run when one sees a Human running. The only exception being on an approved jogging track. Such cautions definitely hold true in Human constructions. Yes, even the planned ones.

Especially the planned ones.

Natural forces last forever, or close enough to forever to not matter much. Machinery... does not. The best it can do is to last "a while", and Humanity's definitions of "a while" are... well... not great.

"Sure, the autodredging system needs a little kick-start once a decade, but that's small beans compared to everything else," said Engineer-guide Mal, making wide, sweeping gestures as he lead the others along the safest[1] walkways in the complex. "The whole place was made to last thousands of years and function during all that time with automated maintenance."

Support me on Patreon / Buy me a Ko-fi

Prompts remaining: 17 Submit a Prompt!
Ask a question

Challenge #04398-L014: Panic Mitigation

My dear human friend, would you kindly stop moving for just a few moments? I know you are uncomfortable, but if I don't get this spike out of your leg, properly, you could very well bleed it, it's far too close to the artery. -- Anon Guest

Panic has many modes, and few of them are rational. Further, few could be expected to act rationally when pierced through a major limb with something long and sharp. The accident that caused it had

Challenge #04376-K358: Accurate Descriptions

What's one of the best exercise to keep me cheerful? I love to dance! -- Anon Guest

"That's what you call dancing?" boggled Sparky Tae. "That's... uhm... novel."

Scrubber Naev came to a safe and stable halt, shutting off the music with a tap to their datareader vambrace. "Okay. So what would you call it?"

"Advanced parkour acrobatics whilst impersonating a Muppet on fire," said Tae.

Naev almost fell off the horizontal bar, she was laughing so hard. As it was, she

Challenge #04159-K141: Bet'cha Can't

Human, why are you painting tiny pictures of animals along the tops of the walls near the ceiling?

...because my partner said they didn't think I could. -- Anon Guest

Companion Thark initially thought they were stickers. The Humans did have their peculiar little ways when they thought a space was too bland for their liking. The most popular redecoration tool was the humble adhesive image. It was only when ze attempted to peel one off the cornice that ze realised hir

Challenge #04134-K116: Peak Performance

A new, rather strange, band formed that was a mix of humans, and former pirates that used to be their enemies. They have one hell of a reputation for their eclectic music styles, and immense imagination. They end up pretty popular, too, their concerts are often pretty packed.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-02473-f283-yo-ho-foe-no-mo -- Anon Guest

Call it serendipity. Call it synchronicity. Call it kismet. They called their band The Starfarers. A band of pirates met with a band of Humans

Challenge #04037-K019: They Love a Challenge

The station is the height for entertainment. However, the odd part is, the most popular area is the areas tend to be where there are board games, rather than the electronic games, including very realistic VR's.

One human sets up a class for teaching people how to play chess, and havenworlders seem to not only have a knack for it, but find they often beat even quite skilled human players. They love it. -- Anon Guest

Most stations exist as places to

Challenge #03979-J327: Soft Hearted

Human to furry deathworlder.

"Can I give you a hug?"

Deathworlder to Human

"oh... kay...?"

Human hugs deathworlder with tears sliding down their face.

"Thank you, I needed this." -- Anon Guest

Ty looked down towards the slowly growing wet patch on her chest. The Ships' Human, Seph, was breathing erratically. His hands tangled in and clinging to her fur. Even though Ty had never taken Companion training, she had read the most important parts of the manual. So she petted Human

Challenge #03906-J254: Running Off

The human was found running the special racing track all hours day and night. When asked why, they were honest, it was the only way they could think of to help control their temper after a bad fight. Problem is, the human tended to run the track, until they literally collapsed. -- Fighting Fit

Their Human was fast. Special training, they said. Flitz could be found there when they could not be found anywhere else, and Companion Pwyll was still trying to

Challenge #03693-J040: Nothing Wrong in Here

A strange noise is coming out of the human habitat. When they look in, the pet is rushing around like it's half-insane. The human chuckles and calls it the "midday zoomies". -- Anon Guest

Companion Xaal had detected strange noises inside Human Per's habitat. A rhythmic thumping and an irregular vocalisation that could imply physical or mental distress. Alarmed, ze entered the emergency code that let hir into the Human's area.

Human Per was jumping up and down, arms and legs going

Challenge #03602-I313: Water it Down!

Two Humans angrily fighting each other, bare-fisted, in a hallway. The instant a Havenworlder child comes around the corner and sees it, and they spot the child, they stop, instantly, growl they'll "deal with it later", and do their best to try to avoid frightening the youngster. -- DaniAndShali

There was an irregular thumping noise in the halls. Touring through them, the thumping got louder, but less explicable. West turned the corner and saw something really confusing. The Ships' Humans were sort

Challenge #03581-I292: Weighted Memories

Other than times on official duty, our human often wears a backpack with small, but very heavy, metal balls. Especially when they were on the small exercise area set up for them that included some treadmills, exercycles, and other equipment. We wonder, why burden themself like that while exercising, especially since it's a normal 1 grav environment already? -- Anon Guest

Humans, it is widely known, are strange. Human Xia is stranger than most. When not on duty, she purposely weighs herself

Challenge #03540-I252: Stubborn, Independant, Exasperating...

Companion (concerned): Human, why are you on the floor?

Human (commando crawling down the hall): My com's busted, my back gave out, and I can't walk, so I'm making my way to medical. Help? -- Escla

It's always a good idea for a Companion to keep track of their assigned Human. Like an ocean or a Starting Education Facility[1], one does not gain good results from turning away from a force of chaos.

Case in point. Human Ham was slowly making

Challenge #03473-I185: Occupational Hazard

The entire ship is worried, the companion is starting to feel stressed. Why? The human has begun to mention how they've been getting bored lately. -- The New Guy

Humans are very strange. For a species of Deathworlders, they can both be remarkably gung-ho, and also remarkably paranoid. Often, it's the same Human being both. They will keep animals that would eat their bodies if they died. Some keep animals that would eat them when they're asleep. Some are content with routine

Challenge #03439-I151: One Last Hurrah

A rough topic, but just had this conversation with a coworker and it made me realize how alien the idea of "rallies" are. For those that don't know, a rally "is an unexpected return of mental clarity and memory, or suddenly regained consciousness that occurs in the time shortly before death".

A: (Excited and happy) "Do you two remember my friend that has been sick for the last few months? The one that they didn't think would make it? ...He woke up!

Challenge #03396-I108: Are You Sure They're Deathworlders?

A human brings their two beloved pets, a pair of gentle capybaras, aboard station with them. And their antics are just too adorable! -- Anon Guest

[AN: I have only witnessed capybaras being chill and hanging out like they have no flakks to give]

They were on leashes, so they had to be pets. Everything else was a matter of debate, especially among the Designated Companions who were watching them board. There was Human Gene and the two... creatures placidly following in

Menu

A 175-post collection

Challenge #04458-L074: Methuselah Engineering

Challenge #04398-L014: Panic Mitigation

Challenge #04376-K358: Accurate Descriptions

Challenge #04159-K141: Bet'cha Can't

Challenge #04134-K116: Peak Performance

Challenge #04037-K019: They Love a Challenge

Challenge #03979-J327: Soft Hearted

Challenge #03906-J254: Running Off

Challenge #03693-J040: Nothing Wrong in Here

Challenge #03602-I313: Water it Down!

Challenge #03581-I292: Weighted Memories

Challenge #03540-I252: Stubborn, Independant, Exasperating...

Challenge #03473-I185: Occupational Hazard

Challenge #03439-I151: One Last Hurrah

Challenge #03396-I108: Are You Sure They're Deathworlders?