Instant Story

Challenge #02560-G003: Human NO!

A: A Dyson sphere just millions of solar panels covering a star

B: But why do we need that much energy?

A: To make a black hole bomb

B: WAIT NO

https://youtu.be/ulCdoCfw-bY -- Anon Guest

Ever since Nikola Tesla accidentally invented radio[1], Humanity has been obsessed with transmitting energy without using some form of wire between points A and B. The instant they had the means, they switched to becoming obsessed with gathering as much energy as possible. Most species were sated with enough to deal with every obstacle, but Humanity loved having more.

Deathworlders tend to be instinctually in need of having enough to deal with every possible misfortune and at minimum two of the impossible ones at the same time. Most roll their eyes, muttering about Deathworlder contingency plans under their collective breaths. Some rare few dare to ask questions.

The star the Humans were building around had no planets, so logically there was no reason to be building there. It was far from the usual shipping lanes. Yet the Humans were installing top-of-the-line solar panelling at a safe distance from the surface of the star. What separated this stellar body from literally millions of others like it was that it was a slow-burning star with a lifetime measured in billions of eons. It was only natural that curiosity won out over caution.

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Challenge #02559-G002: Needing a Hand

His name was Marvin. He traveled with a band of friends on various adventures. But his life had not been quite this pleasant before he met them. Abused, mistreated, made to feel stupid, even when he was with the gang, people he thought were his friends, it had been misery. Now, with the wizard, the kobold, and the others, he actually had a chance. But, on quiet nights like this, as they had set up camp and he was not on watch,

Challenge #02556-G001: Tearful Appreciation

"Are you alright?" The same question they got lots of times when tears would fall down their cheeks. Of course, they understood the Galactics were not used to seeing a human crying when nothing was wrong, obviously. They were sitting with their friends watching a video that showed incredible sunrises and sunsets from various worlds with a background for these wonders being the sound of an orchestra increasing the richness of the experience. And, as always, they wiped their cheeks and said

Challenge #02555-F365: It's So Relaxing

Oh, I can't really handle all the excitement and action in FPS, especially the PVP ones. I much prefer simulation games, like Frost Punk! You build your little town, and manage resources, and try not to let all your people freeze to death or starve or something. Nice, relaxing fun. -- Anon Guest

Humans love to play. Their play takes every form you could imagine and some that seem incredibly unlikely. Some play involves flinging themselves physically at obstacles, off obstacles, or

Challenge #02554-F364: Learning to See

Just as there are xenophobes amongst the various races outside the Galactic Alliance, so, too, are there within. Even amongst races that are, normally, allies. They and their family, and many within their community, were such xenophobes. They chanted Earth First during the protests they ran to show their displeasure of alien races being allowed to visit their world. Some of the more radicalized ones even committed crimes to try to "prove their point". This group, however in the minority they were,

Challenge #02553-F363: Here There Be Sock Puppets

An enemy deathworlder, a xenophobe, constantly making life hell for the havenworlders around them. A general, proud, fierce, having suffered many tortures and never once broke, always escaped. But now, they were being held by humans. Pain meant nothing to them. When asked about the movements of new weaponry, the answer was always a snark and the spitting or words "Do your worst, I'll never say a word, you'll have to kill me."

The humans bring in what they call the 3rd

Challenge #02552-F362: Find a Family

She was small, almost dangerously thin, but fast. Her parents, addled yet again on drink and the newest designer drugs, didn't even notice as she left their quarters in search of food. She heard, as she was contemplating swiping an unattended sandwich, that one of the big havenworlder freighters was docked and was on loading cargo for their next run. Large cargo freighters usually meant larger amounts of food. This wouldn't be the first time this young human had snuck aboard freighters,

Challenge #02551-F361: You Hear Me

“Get back to work and if I see you with something in your ears again you’re fired!”

The human just stared blankly

“Do you understand me? Is your universal translator even working?”

It took the human a moment then wrote something down

‘My translator is with my hearing aids you took’ -- Anon Guest

In all things, communication is important. This is why any given traveller will find far more accessibility options available in Galactic space than many other places. It

Challenge #02550-F360: A Hero is You

Grandma I got the big sad, can you read me a story? -- Anon Guest

Oh my child, my darling dear. Sadness must be hunted. A story can quell it, but you must trace it to be happy in the long term. It is a hunt only you can embark upon. You must armour yourself with happier times, you must strengthen your soul with the knowledge that your true family is always there to support you, and arm yourself with clever thoughts

Challenge #02549-F359: Misunderstanding

"Why does everyone think I'm a Vampire whenever I tell anyone I transform into a bat?! There are over 1,200 species of bat and only 3 of them drink blood! I'd rather drink a cricket and fruit smoothie then get whatever Hematological disease you've got!" -- AmberFox

"So... you're undead?"

"What? No! I turn into a bat at will."

"But... vampire bat, right?" said Allie. "So if vampire bat, then vampire, then undead? It's the way it goes."

"No... there's over

Challenge #02548-F358: Expect Them

Disasters happen and they turn up, usually in a camper-van/workshop. Mechanics, Electricians, Plumbers, the good ones keep their rates reasonable and do the insurance stuff for bread and butter and a bit of jam. The money is good, they leave behind grateful people, and good work. Their bonus is they have contacts everywhere for the next disaster. -- Anon Guest

No good deed goes unpunished, -- Ancient and confusing Human saying.

Disaster is inevitable. They divide a little patch of the

Challenge #02547-F357: Now There Be Dragons

Waking up in the forest with a splitting headache, they realized something hit the car at tremendous speed. They awakened to finding in their lap a large, greenish-blue, egg. They had no idea where it came from but they carefully held it while scrambling out of the car and fleeing into the forest. They'd smashed the cell phone they'd been forced to carry, stolen the car, and fled from their very abusive foster-parents knowing that the foster-mother had probably called the cops

Challenge #02546-F356: The Piracy Solution

The incidents of piracy were dropping dramatically since humans came on the scene. It wasn't that noticeable, at first, but it soon became ever more apparent. The fighting prowess, and sheer terrifying ferociousness, of humans in battle was considered a part of the issue, but the odd thing was, many pirates were now giving up piracy for more honest, and often more profitable, trades. And almost always it was after tangling with humans. A study now was being conducted. Were humans, with

Challenge #02545-F355: Up to Interpretation

"A blade forged of the blood of my prey" does not necessarily mean humans!

the Chosen One runs off to a become a butcher while the apparition sputters angrily -- Gallifreya

Prophecies are funny things. When a child is born, they are lucky to get a prophecy that seems straightforward enough, until the inevitable twist at the end. A son prophesied to see the end of his father may only be there to witness those final moments, but if the father attempts

Challenge #02544-F354: High Offensensitivity Rating

There was a cosplay event, the hotel didn't 'bother' catering for food or drink separately. Lunch Break! -- Anon Guest

Among the many mistakes the organisers made was to hold a high-nerditry event in an extremely non-nerdy city. On the other hand, the place was usefully central to all available modes of transport. The conservative citizens were busy holding protests near the main convention entrance and the hotel complex wished to deny to everyone else that they were holding host to weirdos

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Flash fiction fresh from my fingers to your mind!

Challenge #02560-G003: Human NO!

Challenge #02559-G002: Needing a Hand

Challenge #02556-G001: Tearful Appreciation

Challenge #02555-F365: It's So Relaxing

Challenge #02554-F364: Learning to See

Challenge #02553-F363: Here There Be Sock Puppets

Challenge #02552-F362: Find a Family

Challenge #02551-F361: You Hear Me

Challenge #02550-F360: A Hero is You

Challenge #02549-F359: Misunderstanding

Challenge #02548-F358: Expect Them

Challenge #02547-F357: Now There Be Dragons

Challenge #02546-F356: The Piracy Solution

Challenge #02545-F355: Up to Interpretation

Challenge #02544-F354: High Offensensitivity Rating