Instant Story

Challenge #01769-D308: Like a Bad Smell

Imagine a race of Aliens who communicate through scent like humans communicate through body language. So when they run into us they're terrified of this species that likes to coat itself in the equivalent of 'Berserker Rage'. And when we DO stop wearing 'perfume/cologne' we're so 'blank' to them that they'd almost prefer the emotional screaming again. -- Anon Guest

They could communicate with dancing hands, and that was well and good. It wasn't until they attempted in-atmosphere communication that things went sour. Or, more accurately, stinky.

The human crew had joked that Davies could start a war with his cologne. This time, it almost came true.

When all was certified clear, he unlatched his livesuit helmet and spoke. "My name is Lieutenant Axis Davies. We are humans, and we speak with sound." Which caused the Tor'raxi opposite to go into flailing fits.

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Challenge #01768-D307: The Endless Cycle

"I have heaps of stuff I use and need. I've even got them sorted and stored. So Why do I have to go back and buy stuff?" No matter what you do for a hobby this happens. -- Knitnan

There is an old saying: If you want to fill a space, get a hobby.

It doesn't matter what the hobby is, be it something big, like model building, or something relatively small, like handicrafts. Sooner or later... it happens. SABLE. Stash Above

Challenge #01767-D306: The Double Feature Picture Show

Humans watch an alien horror movie featuring the humans as the monster -- TheDragonsFlame

The idea of genre is nothing new. The idea of Horror is something uniquely human that took off in various forms around Galactic Society. An entertainment designed to scare, but not scare badly. Or to be really bad at scaring, depending on your point of view. It was a means by which Havenworlders could toughen up their genes and join larger and larger areas of Galactic Society.

And

Challenge #01766-D305: The Dog in the Fight

So in the Human are the Space Orcs, it looks like we are on a level 3.5-4 Deathworld. This makes us fairly B.A.. However there are references to creatures from level six Deathworlds. What happens when they meet? Do humans feel threatened by them, are humans just the perfect mix of craziness and inability to die that the level six deathworlders are just scaredy cats, do they replace the humans, or have humans finally found an alien species they can

Challenge #01765-D304: A Lesson in There

Her awareness, for what was but a span of seconds at most to the outside world, now went beyond the borders of space and time. In those moments, gazing at once upon all the possible outcomes of the human race, she came to the realization of mankind's lethal flaw:

Not violence or hate as one might expect, but the deeper instigators behind those - Envy, Pride, and, surprisingly, Impatience.

As advanced and progressive as the human mind was on an individual or

Challenge #01764-D303: The Human Enigma

An energy type weapon is designed to subdue the target without killing it : the wounds are small but painful, the beam cauterizes the wound and it's fairly quiet. It's a civilised weapon.

A powder propelled type weapon is designed to kill the target and scare its opponent : the wound can be huge, it bleed a lot, the sound is horrifying. It's a human weapon. -- Anon Guest

The argument against humanity joining Galactic Society went like this: Have you seen their weaponry

Challenge #01763-D302: Cleanup Needed

Never enter an unknown atmosphere without airtight suit. Especially if you are boarding a ship where all the crew and passengers are in airtight suits, one human got a license in chemistry and access to bleach and ammonia. -- Anon Guest

The ships' human was merely there for the alleged good luck that they could potentially produce. It was lucky to have a human on board, and Human George's official role was janitor. Which meant that he had automatic access to the

Challenge #01763-D302: Wiped the Floor

... and this is why the huge wrestler-like bold man is the nurse and the thin woman is the security guard. -- Anon Guest

You need a lot of muscle to be a nurse. For a start, a large part of the job requires being able to lift those who cannot or should not lift themselves. Also required are a strong stomach, a quick mind, and a delicate touch. A good bedside manner is fairly low on the list, all things considered.

Security

Challenge #01762-D301: Grave Error

"We destroyed the protective forces of this colony : this human colony is ours!"

[few days later]

"We lost 1/4th of our soldiers in ambush in the city and in the wood, half of our soldiers are sick because the food and water stock are poisoned AND all of our communication devices got destroyed..." -- Anon Guest

Everyone agreed. It was a very nice planet.

The Cho'vith wanted it enough to bomb a few extant settlements and encourage whatever lived there that

Challenge #01761-D300: Who You Choose to Be

Sometimes an actor takes on a role that leads to consequences. In remembrance of someone most of you have never heard of: William Boyd aka Hopalong Cassidy. Children's hero of the 1930's/40's. He refused to be other than a hero to them. -- Knitnan

Albert Dennis was a rogue. Everyone who knew him knew that. He was a renowned philanderer, frequent drunkard, and all-around party boy. He would lie, cheat, and steal his way into whatever he wanted with no regard

Challenge #01760-D299: Walking Wounded

“‘‘Tis but a flesh wound!”

“It’s really... not...” -- TheDragonsFlame

This human had been through a great amount of trouble to get there. They had multiples of disturbing injuries. Bruises. Cuts. Scrapes, even some breaks in their seemingly unbreakable bones. The last of these, the human had splinted with available material. The twin orifii in the middle of their face was leaking blood. The evident scabbing indicated that this had been going on for some time.

And, most disturbing to the

Challenge #01759-D298: Hazardous Associations

An unknowing (group of) alien(s) tries to take a human as a pet, thinking ‘It’s small and cool-looking.’ Problem is, Humans are to them as velociraptors are to humans. -- TheDragonsFlame

It was quadrupedal and had no bowel control. It had to be an animal. That was the reasoning that lead to Heatstone becoming a pet in the first place. Cho'nish frequently bragged to her friends that Heatstone was a rescue pet. They had hir in simply terrible conditions. And

Challenge #01758-D297: Old Tricks, New Places

Employment Agency for Supernatural Beings and Creatures. -- Anon Guest

The Fae Folk don't get to steal as many babies as they used to. Their usual shenanigans are now written off as the souls of dead humans. And that's just insulting. The worst they can do is already being done, and to humans, by humans. They have lived for centuries. Millenia. And they have yet to see depravity like human depravity. Humans can't be scared of them, any more. What they are

Challenge #01757-D296: Flinging For Science

Bored Science class discovers Trebuchet. (Medieval rock flinger). -- Anon Guest

The substitute teacher, there for a month, didn't know shit about science. In fact, they had strong anti-science beliefs and would not easily be swayed on this. The school heard the classes' complaints and did exactly nothing about it.

So they got together during the lunch hour and plotted how to prove that science worked despite anyone's beliefs. "Okay. We got 'flat earth' and a gif of the earth turning isn't

Challenge #01756-D295: Equal Access

And you don't get your driver's license back until you've helped repair and restore a car for someone in need. And this was actually done to a group of young "Hoons" for acting like -well- "hoons". -- Knitnan

People tend to think that 'equal access' means denying something to the abled. Cutting down those with an advantage to the level of the disadvantaged. Removing something that is already there. Such can be the case, but it also involves improving things for those

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Challenge #01769-D308: Like a Bad Smell

Challenge #01768-D307: The Endless Cycle

Challenge #01767-D306: The Double Feature Picture Show

Challenge #01766-D305: The Dog in the Fight

Challenge #01765-D304: A Lesson in There

Challenge #01764-D303: The Human Enigma

Challenge #01763-D302: Cleanup Needed

Challenge #01763-D302: Wiped the Floor

Challenge #01762-D301: Grave Error

Challenge #01761-D300: Who You Choose to Be

Challenge #01760-D299: Walking Wounded

Challenge #01759-D298: Hazardous Associations

Challenge #01758-D297: Old Tricks, New Places

Challenge #01757-D296: Flinging For Science

Challenge #01756-D295: Equal Access