Instant Story

Imperial China. They actually had royal dragon caretakers on the payroll. Logic says that this was due to them either having actual dragons (read: dinosaurs), or the Emperor had done off the deep end again. If they really did have dinosaurs they were almost certainly plant eaters … but that doesn’t allow us to imagine T-Rex cavalry fighting alongside stupidly large infantry armies, and that should be it’s own goal.

(#00105)

[AN: Given the nature of actual Chinese Dragons… I doubt they were dinosaurs]

Wen Li had believed he had landed the easiest job in the empire. Imperial Dragon Caretaker. Everyone in the country knew that dragons were invisible, immortal and only sought after the pearl of immortality for fun.

He expected his first day, and all the days after it to be lazy and overpaid. Nevertheless, it did good to show up for ‘work’ early.

The Master of Dragons cast a stern eye on him as he set up large baskets of fish heads. “Early,” he noted. “Good. I have way too many people who come in late thinking that this is one of the emperors’ little fancies.”

“It… isn’t?” asked Li, who had thought it was until the master spoke.

“It isn’t,” said the master. “Grab a basket, you are about to learn.”

There were six baskets and four other caretakers like him. Li lifted his basket and looked around.

“We feed the late boy to the dragon,” said the next-oldest caretaker. “If the dragon spits him out, he is never late again.”

Li managed to summon a chuckle to join the others’ laughter, all the time thanking his luck and the spirits who gave it to him. Yet, at the same time he had to wonder if he wasn’t the subject of some elaborate prank. Perhaps the emperor needed a laugh.

They came to a high wall, but this one was also covered by a gigantic, bamboo cage. Li had seen it from the streets and thought it an aviary of some kind.

But no birds flew here.

The master opened the smaller door in the large gate and ushered them through. He followed, closing the door and locking it.

Li put his basket into the appointed spot, following the lead of his elder caretakers, and stepped back, and gaped.

They were giant snakes, half a league long. With feathery eyebrows and whiskers. And strange, half-legs with five toes. Imperial dragons. Their scales shone like gems in the sunlight.

The master summoned them from the air with a tune on his flute and Li had to wonder how they could fly without wings.

Then, as they snapped up the fish like cats, Li had to wonder why the emperor could keep anything that smelled that bad.

Their long bodies rolled like waves all the time.

“Which one is the water dragon?” he asked. “Which one is fire?”

“Boy,” the master announced, “you have much to learn about real dragons.”

[Muse food remaining: 14. Submit a prompt! Ask a question!]

At some point, someone (Sara? Somebody in your own setting?) defines Patience.

Patience, noun: the state of having too many witnesses.

(#00104)

“We reviewed the evidence and personal testimonies,” said the brown-robed Archivaas. “And we thought we might work with you to.. re-evaluate history’s view of Ernest Hackmeyer.”

“That plagiaristic bastard can go rot in fire,” Shayde said cheerily as she poured tea. “Is he goin’ from bafflin’ genius tae scum-suckin&

“Genius is always allowed some leeway, once the hammer has been pried from its hands and the blood has been cleaned up.”

“That’s a scary quote from you, hon,” said Todd.

Sara, waist-deep in the workings of Cerebro, said, “Granted, it is problematic. Fortunately, my murderous tendencies remain confined in the socially acceptable forum of fiction. But it is rather apropos.”

Todd quickly put two and two together. “You mean this aint a

Asteroids: Nature’s way of asking “So, how’s that space program coming along?”

“What I don’t get is that we’ve had the technology for years but we’re all just sitting around and watching these rocks fly by.”

“Getting into space is expensive. And when you think about it, Earth’s the best defense against asteroids there is.”

“Shyeah. Tell that to the dinosaurs.”

“

When the end of the world came, it was in a form no-one had anticipated.

(#000101)

“And you’re sure this will initiate the -um- whatchamacallit.”

“Personal temporal stability field. Yes. One push of a button and I can live forever and never age.” Greedy fingers gently caressed the alligator switch. “My telomeres will be stable. I’ll continue to move forward in time, but time will have no effect on me. I won’

Write a story based on any part of this song. I recommend the cover by Michelle Dockrey and Tony Fabris (aka Vixy & Tony).

(Holy shit it’s #00100!)

Red alert was blaring, the Klingons were coming in hard and fast. Michael worked as hard as he could to get the coupling back together and effectively save the day. Which he did.

“And now my keyboard doesn’t work,” she complained.

“Hmn?” One blink, and he

I’ve actually already written a little snippet for this, but I’d like to see what you do. First Contact scenario with an explorator ship, and a bridge officer says to Captain James, completely seriously, “It’s life Jim, but not as we know it”. Cue laughing and singing from someone else on the bridge, a classic sci-fi and filk fan, just as the first audio transmissions between the two species start.

(#00099)

There is a

Fusion Power has been “thirty years away” for more than thirty years now, due to a combination of lack of funding and public apprehension about anything with the word “nuclear” appended to it. What would it take to change that?

(#00098)

“What, all of it?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Even the shale?”

“Yes, sir.”

“All of the coal. All of the oil.”

Weatherby began to wonder how many different ways

Humanity finally recognises another species on this planet as sapient, and deserving of more than animal rights, even if those are different to human rights… and all it took was them beating us over our collective heads with a metaphorical stick.

(#00097)

We swim. We hunt. We talk. They used us, the land-walkers. Experimented on us. Made us into weapons. Made us into things to render safe their horrible devices.

They are clever, those land-walkers. But not clever enough.

We have