Instant Story

Challenge #02507-F317: The Jewels of the Tour

A feathery flash of ruby red, then several bright flashes of green. These tiny birds flit amongst the gardens on the space station as the havenworlders watch them in wonder. They came from a 4.5 deathworld. These beautiful, flying gems. They are more delicate than the most delicate of havenworlders, some humans brought them here to the garden to act as pollinators and to make the place, "more like home,' she'd said. Little nectar-filled feeders can be seen swarming with these sweet little birds that make the softest of sounds as they flit from feeder to flowers past all who watch them. When asked what they were, one human whispered uncharacteristically as they were normally quite boisterous, "Hummingbirds." -- DaniAndShali

They call it Bejewel Station, and it is an otherwise out-of-the-way whistlestop with the standardized everything that a traveller could need. Standardized food vendors, standardized hot-bunks, standardized medik bays, standardized living spaces, standardized repairs, standardized shops... standardized boredom... Yet people are willing to endure longer trips across Hyperspace and true space alike just to get there and stay for a day. Why?

They call it Bejewel Station, but that's a mispronounciation of its original moniker. Bee Jewel Station. Someone in this stations forgotten past could not import Terran bees because of the venom and the inherent danger, but they needed pollinators... so they went for the next-best, and most harmless replacement. Tiny, delicate, beautiful, and iridescent Deathworlder birds.

Many visitors to Bejewel Station do not believe the birds come from a Deathworld. They are tiny, they are fragile, and they subsist on simple sugars like many, many Havenworlders do. There is even a helpful poem on a stelae by Big Flower Park entitled When a Bird Be a Bee that explains the evolutionary path on a lies-to-children basis. So many pictures are taken of people feeding the birds next to the stelae, it's almost mandatory to have one. Yet, despite this, they cannot believe the birds belong on the same planet as bears or wolves or snakes.

Support me on Patreon / Buy me a Ko-fi

Prompts remaining: 56 Submit a Prompt! Ask a question! Buy my stories!

Challenge #02506-F316: Put a Saddle On

Havenworlders, depending on where they're from, are generally small, fairly lightweight, and fragile. On their own homeworlds, they have little to fear. But outside their own homeworlds, there is a vast array of things that can harm them even when just trying to get around. However, one group of Havenworlders find an interesting way to go around the space station without risking getting stepped on, or harmed. They ride on the back of their new, well loved, and very well trained animal

Challenge #02505-F315: Useful in a Pinch

A: how pure should the acid be?

B: doesn’t matter as long it be acidic

A: kk

then I proceeded to watch the human put their finger down their throat -- Anon Guest

[AN: Content warning for vomiting]

Humans are great at improvising. Provided, of course, that you don't mind the kind of improvisation that Humans are capable of. For example, do not lock them in an empty room with nothing but a screwdriver and a hammer. Don't even think of

Challenge #02504-F314: Who Waits Forever Anyway?

This Prompt harkens back to the lich who talked to an adventurer explaining how he made sure the corrupt got the karma they deserved. https://steemit.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-02264-f074-health-spa-and-karma-services.

It had been a few hundred years since the talk with adventurer, the "spa service" was going well and a few innocents would wander in from time to time hoping to be healed from illnesses no others seem to be able, or willing, to help them cure. Surprising how many clerics are

Challenge #02503-F313: Life Echoes Art

Sometimes reality is indeed Stranger than Fiction... As far as finding strange space-faring beings, humans had a knack of seemingly finding those that somehow matched almost exactly the "creatures" of their wide and varied mythologies. From the Thumruth (whom bare an astounding resemblance to Qu-tze Bears) to the Karmorp'se, Humans had learned that pretty much anything was possible! That's when humans came upon a society that developed on the outer regions of their stars habitable zone(thus darker and colder than an

Challenge #02502-F312: In a Minute

A: not exactly “capture” more like take a moment and put it on a pixelated screen. Here

B: is something supposed to be on this slate?

A: what? It’s right here can’t you see?

B: see?

A: when light passes through ya eyeball

B: light? -- Anon Guest

There were moments like this all over Galactic Space. One participant in a conversation would realise that the other they had been communicating with freely until this moment did not possess the

Challenge #02501-F311: Special Skill

I have the unique ability to become very flexible after cracking every joint in my body -- Anon Guest

On a kludge station like Amalgam, you get repair junctions like these. They were spaces where cables, pipes, and the occasional load-bearing strut ran through because they were convenient, and then access was added as an afterthought because it was all becoming inconvenient. Time and entropy had made it even moreso.

"Can you get up in there?" asked Engineer Laisse. They were quite

Challenge #02500-F310: Bear's Big Story

Human Ryan came highly recommended by other Galactic Alliance Scientists and Explorers who had worked with him. As a 'gun for hire' he had survived more than a few wars, notably against other humans and the Vorax Fleets (notes that also had me reaching for my calming medicine). On the flip-side he was highly protective of the lives put in his charge. Braving hostile Flora, Fauna and even the very planets themselves to keep his promise of "no one is left behind.

Challenge #02499-F309: A Different Key

I have a highly adaptive tendency to assume that the people around me know better than I do. -- Anon Guest

Anthe had spotted the weakest link. It was hard to avoid, really. A beefy boy not nearly yet a man, perhaps twice the size he should be and clumsy with it. His tasks were always the ones with heavy lifting. Take things in, take things out. Take things up, take things down... and always, always, take the blame. They called him

Challenge #02498-F308: Sleepless With Sialith

They knew humans could last a long time without sleep, but most had regular sleep intervals. When choosing a new man, they heard he was very reliable, fiercely protective of whatever crew he served, and anyone who'd worked with him were more than a little disappointed when he would be reassigned. Things seemed to be working out fine, until they noticed he was sleeping a lot less than most humans, but when he did, he crashed hard! So much so it was

Challenge #02497-F307: Beginning to Look a Lot Like TERROR

A: oh god, oh fuck it’s happening again

B: what? What wrong?

A: not again, I’m not strong enough

B: for what?!

A: it’s coming, it’s coming

B: WHAT THE FUCK IS COMING

A: Christmas -- Anon Guest

Some Humans are major league into their holidays. Often to the point that Station Regulations have to intervene in regards to what is on public display. Some are not very excited by their holidays, and some... despise them. Companion Huruk

Challenge #02496-F306: Legend Commence

I may be blind but I can still kick your ass -- Anon Guest

"Do not act incautiously when confronting little bald wrinkly smiling men," -- Terry Pratchett.

He was old, and balding, and had the kind of life-worn face that could make a raisin look youthful. He was feeling his way along the road with a staff, and seemed to be deliberate about being slow about it. Fortunately for Threnody, she had heard of Rule One.

"Ho there, Uncle," she said.

Challenge #02495-F305: Goofy Scary Skeletons

"Be careful of humans this time of cycle; because this is when they perform a ritual they call 'Halloween.' They place images of human skeletal structures, women with green skin, humans biting into other humans' necks, and other frightening images." -- Anon Guest

Some Humans celebrate mortality. Others celebrate horror and the unknown. In both circumstances, part of the celebration involves dressing up and a certain volume of depictions of Human skeletons. The cultural significance of these have been through more

Challenge #02494-F304: Mr Sunshine's New Friend

His name was Mr. Sunshine. One of the better known, and as properly feared, members of Pax Humanis. He had been working on a station for some time now when he meets a member of a fluffy, bipedal, cat-like species. They were frequent visitors to this station because it was one of the regular trade stops along their delivery route. They delivered medical supplies and mail, mostly. And, occasionally, carried passengers. One young female of the species meets the cat-loving Mr. Sunshine

Challenge #02493-F303: Femme Fatality

I've noticed a trend in your writing, that evil tends to be male. I'd like to see some of the evil women out there, the ones that go out of their way to use and abuse people, the husband beaters, the ladies that don't take "no" for an answer. -- Anon Guest

[AN: Yes, that was a bit present-centric of me. I should focus more on making the truly evil ones gender nonspecific so people can project what they whist. However, in

Menu

Flash fiction fresh from my fingers to your mind!

Challenge #02507-F317: The Jewels of the Tour

Challenge #02506-F316: Put a Saddle On

Challenge #02505-F315: Useful in a Pinch

Challenge #02504-F314: Who Waits Forever Anyway?

Challenge #02503-F313: Life Echoes Art

Challenge #02502-F312: In a Minute

Challenge #02501-F311: Special Skill

Challenge #02500-F310: Bear's Big Story

Challenge #02499-F309: A Different Key

Challenge #02498-F308: Sleepless With Sialith

Challenge #02497-F307: Beginning to Look a Lot Like TERROR

Challenge #02496-F306: Legend Commence

Challenge #02495-F305: Goofy Scary Skeletons

Challenge #02494-F304: Mr Sunshine's New Friend

Challenge #02493-F303: Femme Fatality