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Challenge #05043-M294: A Day in From the Storm

Chance and Scramble learn to tend Waithvine's garden while the family waits out the rain storm. Chance is surprisingly deft at picking plants without harming the ones not ready for harvest, and Scramble learns they're really good at properly getting plants processed for storage in the pantries. -- BKF

Out in the proper world, the storm was threatening to erase everything above solid stone. In Wraithvine's portable tower, the garden was always in fine or gentle weather. The noise of the storm outside never reached the gardens where Scramble and Chance were collecting a harvest for the day.

Chance was delicate with their harvest. They were getting quicker at the shears or the knife. What Chance always was, was precise.

Scramble much preferred the preparation. Trimming stems, peeling and chopping. Or, in the case of herbs, tying them leaf-side down in the drying corner. Ze could cut the vegetables for canning or pickling at a perfect width. Or space out the drying herbs at just the right distance.

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Challenge #05042-M293: Distracting Allure

A little lost havenworlder child runs up to Sensei Twii and flitters up to his shoulder to ask for help. They're scared and don't know where their parentals are. -- BKF

The fledgeling was able to lift off for short bursts. Almost typical for Avian Havenworlders. They lit from bench to benchtop to passing maintenance wagon before landing, panting, on Master Twii's shoulder. "Riri said... if I gotted lost," they managed, "I gotta find a Human. you look... human. Are you a

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Challenge #05041-M292: Vulnerability

The human over-ate on their favorite foods, and sequestered themselves in their habitat refusing to see anyone. When the companion comes in to see what's going on, their nose is assailed by the REASON the human asked to have a full day to themselves. -- BKF

Humans, amongst many other things, are prone to act unwisely when presented with a treat. They are also aware of this and have unique linguistics about them. Each Human has their own term for such things,

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Challenge #05040-M291: Now Get Them to Leave

You really want to see a human party? Fine, it's your funeral pal, proverbially speaking. I know you guys have a tropical world of a planet that is utterly harmless to them, I think it's what, only a level 1 deathworld at most? And you've expansive, warm, oceans. Tell them you'll foot the bill, and they'll throw a party like you've never seen before. Though they'll at least make it fun for you, too. They're nice like that. -- BKF

There's traditionally

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Challenge #05039-M290: Improvements Are Impossible

Beware the furballs of orange, for they are the most cunning. Oh who am I kidding? They're all sweethearts, just the orange furballs are usually the ones most apt to start mischief. -- BKF

[AN: Have you not heard of the mythical Orange Cat Braincell? All orange cats share one braincell. Who has it is a total mystery. Then again, they may start mischief because action and consequence refuse to be linked]

Earth's pets made it into Galactic Alliance space decades before

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Challenge #05038-M289: Mending Melancholy Moggy

They were sitting and softly crying. No real reason other than being overtired and homesick, first time traveling so far, even for work. Then a skitty crawled in their lap and began to purr, and they began to feel a little better. -- BKF

First-time Spacers are fine until they're suddenly not. It's all fun and games until the homesickness hits like an apophis-class asteroid. As Trainee Engineer Nauf just found out while staring at the stars.

Ze had just found the

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Challenge #05037-M288: Toxin Replacement Scheme

The Havenworlder-safe confectionary competition! Complete with legumes that taste just like peanuts but are not, in fact, peanuts, and havenworlder-safe chocolate! -- BKF

[AN: Was prompted in relation to yesterday's story, but has wound up being in relation to Pistil-Packing Researcher ]

There are many Humans who are psychologically incapable of keeping a treat for themselves. They find joy in sharing. And it is a regrettable fact that some things are just too dangerous for Havenworlders to enjoy. Which, once Humanity realised that,

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Challenge #05036-M287: The Extra Mile

"I need Chocolate!" -- Knitnan

"Attempted security breach detected in junction B-9," intoned the computer. Security Operator Vic stumbled out of his bunk. Why did this shit always happen on his rest cycle? He scrubbed the grit out of his eyes and attempted to focus on the screens. Which were needlessly tiny, lowest-bid, grainy-as-flakk monitors from the absolute dawn of screen technology. The only thing stopping the corp from using Cathode Ray Tubes was the radiation restrictions for the fluffiest Havenworlders on

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Challenge #05035-M286: Pistil-Packing Researcher

The human had a warning sign on their quarters: "Do not enter without mask". They had sealed their air vent and brought in their own supply. When one of the crew came in, they understood. The human was hand-pollinating a hybrid plant they were trying to develop, and was taking all precautions. -- BKF

Humans know they're dangerous when they're bored. Those knowing they were destined for long-haul travel got involved in long-term hobbies. Alternately, Humans who have long-term hobbies are destined

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Challenge #05034-M285: A Good Turn

They saved a young hellkin who had fallen into a pit-trap years ago. Now, they were sick and their farm was struggling, and a party of hellkin and halfbreds came and helped them. -- BKF

Fifteen years ago...

"Hey! Hey out there! Help! Please?" The voice was young, tearful, and on the very edge of utter despair. It was coming from a patch of weeds beyond the verge of the road.

It was because Naesel Dirgeye had been having a good day

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Challenge #05033-M284: Guidance of the Gods

Ereshkygal herself talked a young teen out of self-harm. -- BKF

It was a long way down. They said a lot of things about the heights of Pinnacle Peak's tallest towers. Some said that a copper coin tossed from the top could kill an innocent civilian below if it hit. Some said that if you jumped from the topmost parapet, you would be dead before you finished falling.

Tevan leaned on that parapet and stared down at the streets below. Further below

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Challenge #05032-M283: Small Moments

Small joys, the little things that lift your heart when all the world seems grey. -- Knitnan

Some people have all the luck. This is just as true as when that luck is only bad. A very unfortunate few get the kind of luck that is never enough. Enough bad luck would allow Hope to gain help. Enough good luck would mean that she would be managing well enough to not have a need.

Well, not many needs that could easily be

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Challenge #05031-M282: The Day of Laughs

The laughing game. The point of the game was to get people to laugh. BUT, it had to be laughter that was in good taste and kindness, not cruelty. For each person to gain an honest laugh was one point. Insults and hurt feelings meant losing points. Winner got a very nice prize, but most important was the fun! -- BKF

People assume that the followers of Loki are as evil as they think the god is. People assume wrong. Loki is

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Challenge #05030-M281: Surprise Family

The marines had picked up an escape pod with a young deathworlder child. They looked up how to care for them, how to help ensure their scales were kept clean, taught them to read and write. The child was one of the best protected kids in their sector, and had a whole bunch of unties. -- BKF

They were supposed to be in the middle of nowhere. A part of the spaceways that existed solely as a transit point. Yet they also

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Challenge #05029-M280: Pest Control System Volunteer Maintenance

The young humans, carrying fur-brushes, began hunting all of the skitties in the small station. Their mission? Give them all a full brush-out. Needless to say, the skitties enjoyed the attention. -- BKF

There's a very Human saying - the devil finds work for idle hands. Translated from their ancient superstitions, it boils down to: "Don't let your Humans get bored." Humans have a knack for finding trouble before it gets lost.

Especially the younger Humans.

This particular band were allegedly part

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