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Challenge #02491-F301: The Human Definition

Trying to help humans better integrate into Galactic Civilization, several individuals, scholars, medics, psychologists, ect, get together and begin to travel to areas where there are lots of humans. Their goal is to write a new manual on human psychology, health - both mental and physical, how to interact with humans, to debunk misconceptions about humans, etc. Amongst the team are, in fact, several humans to help. Their job is to help the Galactics separate fact from assumption and write a comprehensive manual that will increase understanding and better help those who still had trouble working with this seemingly insane race. Including possibly busting the longest running misconception of all, assuming humans were actually insane. -- DaniAndShali

Of the committee to create the new and improved Manual of Understanding Humans, it was the Humans who were most adamant about rolling back the 'insanity' classification. There was little surprise in that, since being told your entire species is bonkers is definite grounds for annoyance.

Every Human present seemed to be taking it personally, though. "We confess to being Deathworlders," admitted Human Sal. "However, the definition of 'insane'... Insanity is not endemic to the entire species. Many of us, most of us, are perfectly capable of navigating Galactic Society like any other functioning member of that society. We're just like everyone else."

"No other species has a Silly Season," said the Melil Yssa. "No other species has a long and checkered history of chasing material profit in exchange for endangering the potential for life in their own environment. No other species has such a history of enforcing theocratic standards based on very small standards of one holy text. These standards, I might add, fly in the face of other standards, such as that to preserve life."

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Challenge #02490-F300: Lich, Please

“So let me get this straight. We’re here to rescue a princess.”

“That’s right.”

“At the request of a princess.”

“Right again.”

“And you, who will be leading the expedition, are also a princess.”

“You’re very perceptive.”

“How big is your royal family, again?“

“We don’t have one.”

“But–“

“We overthrew our monarchy centuries ago, but we kept most of the titles around. The rank of ‘princess’ is held by the directors in charge of various civil service

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Challenge #02489-F299: When the Eternal Fall

A small obscure hamlet, in which lay a small obscure place of worship. No grand temple, no eldritch altar, just a house-shaped spot to contemplate, to speak to the divine, and hope maybe some part of its multifaceted majesty heard. But here we see it as empty, looking as if no mortal foot had trod here in quite a while, or perhaps as if one had yet to do so.

A god came to the chapel one day long ago, or perhaps

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Challenge #02488-F298: Deathworlder Relaxation Activities

They had heard humans liked to camp outside from time to time to relax and enjoy themselves. There was no scientific research for it, they had good homes to live in, but humans, as they said to some of their companions, just liked to "rough it" from time to time. So, the havenworlders invited a group of humans to show them how to "rough it" on their world. By human standards, this world was an incredible paradise. To the havenworlders, the night

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Challenge #02487-F297: It is What You Know

They were fascinated by everything, and were fluent in Spanish and French. Then they got a job as a 'Gopher' on a Film Set and found their calling. Knitnan

[AN: I am not fluent in either of those]

One thing about being a Gopher was that it was very good exercise. Tali quickly memorised the fastest ways to get between Point A - the sets - and any random Point B that the cast and crew needed something from. Then there was

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Challenge #02486-F296: Some of Parts

They used to meet you on arrival and arrange everything for your stay. Now they find valued jobs as Concierges in up-market hotels. The person who knows where to find experts and enthusiasts for Films and Docos. Inspired by a Thomas Cook employee who used to greet VIP's and smooth their path. -- Knitnan

Some people are best at connections. They just... know people. They know another individual who might have the knowledge of the thing. They know a person who knows

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Challenge #02485-F295: Something She Ate?

A: I didn’t know that humans spit acids

H: uhg we usually don’t, I think I ate something toxic

A: I see so the acid is used to neutralize the toxins

H: it really isn’t. Get back I’m gonna blow another chunk -- Anon Guest

[Offensensitivity warning: descriptions of regurgitation]

The Human digestive system is a mass of toxic substances in valved tubes. -- Gryxnu's Comparative Anatomy, 236 GalStand years before Human Admission into the Galactic Alliance.

221

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Challenge #02484-F294: Essential Briefing

A new security force is in training so they can be assigned to various stations. The subject of this particular lecture was the phenomena involving human Silly Seasons. What they were, how to recognize when one was about to happen, how to handle them, and most important, how to curtail the humans safely before the Silly Season got too far out of hand. -- DaniAndShali

Given that this station has opened its airlocks to admit Humans, we at Administration are well aware

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Challenge #02483-F293: Sudden Onset Deification

A young human in her early teens, a mere military cadet, is forced to fight in a war against an invading tyrant's forces and ended up facing off with the tyrant himself. Either due to her own small ability which was to cause someone to freeze for a few seconds which she usually used to escape bullies, or he made an error in the heat of battle, she got in a fatal blow, and his head fell from his shoulders. He had

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Challenge #02482-F292: Sauce Please

Humans are known to be very adaptable to most conditions thanks in no small part to the horrors that come naturally on their home planet. So while many aliens won’t be making Earth a tourist hot spot of the galaxy, the next best thing to experience human cultures are the restaurants in the space stations or food markets on a human colony. Seriously, if you have to think of nutrition requirements for more then two different species but can only go

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Challenge #02481-F291: Complete Medical Intervention

It may be only 2% of our body mass, but for every cell we have in our body there ten of them. Bacteria are relatively harmless for the most parts. They help digest food, strengthen our immune system, and could kill us if escape from ours guts. -- Anon Guest

Humans are, for the most part, completely unaware that they exist in a state of symbiosis. If asked, most of them would mention their mitochondria, a symbiote so involved that it has

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Challenge #02480-F290: Considering Invasion?

In the past, Nordic Human warriors in the midst of battle would enter into a “berserker state” where many of the brain limiters would turn off and force the body into using 100% of it strength to pummel the enemy into submission or death. Of course, this severely injure the body afterward, since the limiters were there to keep the muscles from ripping themselves apart and disrupting the organs, or from erupting. Also due to the adrenaline rush and rush of endorphins,

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Challenge #02479-F289: What in a Name

A small movement has cropped up amongst the Vorax. People who would rather try to live quiet, peaceful, lives instead of piracy and war. When the government goes to make an example out of them, they take the only ship they can get their hands on and flee. They find an uninhabited haven world that's suitable for them to live on and settle down to live quiet lives as farmers, raising their meat animals, hunting wild game, fishing, growing crops, and just

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Challenge #02478-F288: Hope in the Dark Times

A distant planet has caught ancient radio signals from earth. They are visual images and audio of the chronicles of a exploratory ship and it's crew.

Over 200 years before humans figured out long-term space travel...

Everyone is confused. -- AmberFox

Filtering things out of the Hydrogen Line is an interesting task. Though it is a band relatively free of interference, there is still signal fade as it disperses through deeper space. Those listening for the echoes of the big bang regularly

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Challenge #02477-F287: Fair Scare Tactics

The Havenworlders learn of the Human tradition of Halloween. Some Human nations have it as the day of the dead, some have it as All Hallow's Eve, either way, it's a lot of fun for the Humans, not so much for Havenworlders, and most other Deathworlders to be honest. As Humans get ready for their holiday with skulls, frightening movies, costumes, and treats, many nations tremble wondering what will happen when that festival arrived. -- DaniAndShali

This is Halloween! This is Halloween!

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