Instant Story

Flash fiction fresh from my fingers to your mind!

Challenge #02706-G149: Terrifying Titans

Crabs are a universal constant. So much so that they are used in first contact. Earth is strange for the amount of crab types that we have. Keep them away from the Japanese spider crab though. The first alien to see one said it was the equivalent of an eldritch monstrosity. -- CyberStrikeBeast

[AN: go to your favourite search engine and look up "Christmas Island crab migration," and then "Coconut crab". Sweet dreams :D ]

Welcome to Earth. We have weird crustaceans. Honestly, it's hard to resist a sales pitch like that. Terra has a phenomenal amount of crustacean species. There's fluffy crabs, big crabs, multitudes of crabs, crabs with human faces on their carapaces, and the terrifying abomination known as the Japanese spider crab. Some bold visitors have claimed that it is ninety-nine percent leg. This is almost true.

The Terran species universally recognised as being ninety-five percent leg is the daddy long-legs. A spider that is aptly named on a colloquial basis. Very aptly named. If you gave a daddy long-legs some gills, and let evolution take its course, then you would very much get something close in resemblance to the spider crab. If you can also picture a proportionate daddy long-legs with a body the size of a basketball, then you have an even closer approximation.

The spider crab also possesses claws at the end of its manipulating limbs that have been known to disconnect Human phalanges from the rest of the Human if they are handled incorrectly. Naturally, Humans view this crab as something of a delicacy. Then again, they are also the species that took one look at the coconut crab and wondered if it was edible. Humans will eat anything.

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Challenge #02705-G148: Apparently This is Normal

Humans are insane. Definitely. Undeniably. Humans are insane by the standards of the greater galactic community. That did not prepare anyone for the sight of one of the passengers, at most five from the look of them, possibly younger from the sound of them, seizing a mug meant to hold hot liquids, approaching their nearest parent, and saying:

"Hey! Where my coffee?"

That the desired liquid turned out to be hot cocoa that the child was only pretending was coffee did little

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Challenge #02704-G147: The Dying of the Might

They were wealthy. Beyond wealthy. They owned two space stations and an entire solar system, and ran these places harshly. Those that displeased them lost their jobs and were often left in ruin, even for the smallest infractions. Entire families sent into desperate poverty and isolation just because a single member made a mistake on the job.

And for them? Life was excellent. They had everything they could ever need or want. They lived in utter luxury. They had more Time than

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Challenge #02703-G146: Gathering For Time

A human with a fascination with the history and preparation of toxic plants for food is caught in a survival situation, on a death world filled with toxic plants, with a group of havenworlders who require simple sugars. With a scanner, personal knowledge of ancient human techniques for purging toxins from potential foodstuffs to make them edible, and a time limit based on the amount of prepackaged food that survived the crash, this scholar has to find a way to process certain

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Challenge #02702-G145: Early Linguistic Development

(Based on a true interaction between infant and parent)

Baby to GalStand translation:

GagagaGAGAGA (Look, Sepa! I have a piggy!)

Squiiiiinnnk squuuooooiiiinnnnnkkk (My piggy says oink)

Vrrreeeerrrr (My piggy is a vehicle now)

Wuf (I'm a dog.) -- Anon Guest

Of all the things that occurred when Humans began to integrate into Galactic Society, the one they least expected was Human Young. Intellectually, the Galactics knew that small Humans happened, and did so regularly. They never expected the peculiarities of Human Parental

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Challenge #02701-G144: Unhealthy Social Strategies

Human Sean has invited me to drink with him, and to talk about his woes. After a few bottles he spilled what’s been on his mind. “my friend is three-timing”. I was shocked, I learned that humans were monogamous, of course falling in love with another is not all that surprising, but three?! In that moment I asked “do their partners knows about this?” Sean finished the bottle a new bottle before answering.”they do, and they confessed that that have

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Challenge #02700-G143: All Possible Help

A: I must ask, what are those around you arms and legs?

B: I’m testing something I call “exo-suit” of course it’s not complete yet, but I’m done with the torso.

A: you made a hole through titanium.

B: and it’s not neurologically-linked yet -- Anon Guest

Of course Human Asty was up to something in the workshop. The ship-shuddering boom was a dead giveaway. Companion Zee decided to see what the devastation was about this time before

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Challenge #02699-G142: Self Helping?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OYFEyyx47ls

Empathy, Copying and sharing Emotions.

Even 2-Year old Humans can do that.

So, how do they react, when they met a crying Havenworlder who lost his Travelgroup on Earth? -- Mike

Xu wasn't lost. Not really. They could trace their way all the way back to the play gym that Ama had left them at for just a few minutes. What Xu was, was distracted. They were distracted because there was a bunny in armour

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Challenge #02698-G141: Annoying to Some

3-5 y/o Human child can ask around 437 questions per day. Can you imagine some scientist who need to babysit curious kid who in one second can ask question about quantum physics and before you can even start to answer the same child ask you why cheese is yellow? -- Anon Guest

"One question at a time, please. If you want answers, you must wait to hear the answer."

"Why?"

"If you do not wait, you do not get an answer.

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Challenge #02697-G140: A Family Affair

Yes, I hate my brothers

Yes, they destroyed my life

Yes, I will probably kill them at some point in my life

But they are my brothers and I will not let you touch any of them

Because there is nothing more pure than hatred to your own siblings. You can say you hate them but you still love them no matter what. -- Anon Guest

Family is complicated, if you let it get that way. Let me begin with explaining mine.

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Challenge #02696-G139: The Whoa Signal

Have you ever wondered what [REDACTED] is? Not many know about it, apparently it is a [REDACTED] that is able to [REDACTED] out of [REDACTED]. But that’s not all; if you're able to [REDACTED] with it you’ll be able to-

Sorry they’re getting closer, but so am I to finding [REDACTED] full capacity. Meet me at [REDACTED] and we’ll discuss more with less ears in the wall.

[END OF TRANSMISSION] -- Anon Guest

Some people should never be

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Challenge #02695-G138: Message From a Crystal Shore

Let’s go to another universe. Let’s say that instead of humanity exploring the cosmos, they stayed on earth to perfect their crafts, explore the depths of the world, and complete it lifelong mission, immortality. But now the only planet is reaching it maximum capacity to hold human life. A new job must be in place to “regulate” the population. That’s where you fit in, you must find a way to help humanity before it collapse. Out of curiosity I

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Challenge #02694-G137: A Deserved Education

One of the Greater Deregulation planets found itself short of breeding stock and extended offers to girl's schools to come study abroad at their planet. St. Trinians accepted their offer. Greater Deregulation never saw what was coming next. -- Anon Guest

[AN: Since I really don't want to nick anyone else's IP, for my universe -excepting guest cameos- I shall have to use a St. Trinian's expy for this tale]

"They can't be serious," said Dame Lorx. "An extended offer to add

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Challenge #02693-G136: Fighting True Evil

Several politicians within the Galactic Alliance get together to talk about Uplifts and similar beings. They begin a campaign to make it illegal to create them. Why? It should never be legal to create a cogniscent for the express purpose of enslaving and abusing them. All cogniscents have rights after all. They further were trying to get freed the many Uplifts that were currently living as property owned by others instead of being free. -- DaniAndShali

True evil, a wise man once

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Challenge #02692-G135: Should Have Written a Fix-it Fic

There was a knocking at my door, annoyed I ignored it. But they are determined to reach to me. When I eventually answered, I haven’t a foggiest clue about them. Told them I’m not buying what they trying to sell, but before I was able to close the door they stop me and the next word was seared into my mind. “You don’t know who I am, but I know you... I know how your story will end, I-I

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