Amalgam Universe

A 2270-post collection

Challenge #02802-G245: The Difficult Choice

Sometimes the deadliest part of a viral infection is not the virus itself, but the immune reaction to the virus. So what happens if an apocalyptic mad-scientist type unleashes a viral pandemic that will cause every deathworlder species he could get his hands on to die because their own immune systems will basically liquefy their lungs, gills, or other oxygen-extracting apparatus, but forgets to take into account that a virus that uses strong immune systems to attack will completely bypass higher-level havenworlders?

For the closest thing to a non-mad-scientist real-world example: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2007/jan/18/birdflu.medicineandhealth -- Anon Guest

[AN: There are so many parallels between the 1918 flu pandemic and the current viral apocalypse going on. Up to and including people believing it wasn't that bad, snake oil salespeople, and other people refusing to wear their face masks]

When Humans say their immune systems have a "kill or cure" approach, they aren't kidding. There is something about the most deadly of their diseases that causes the Human body to act against itself. Deadly fevers killing the brain are only one. Swelling in the cerebral cells, destruction of important organ cells, and a little something called a cytokine storm, filling the lungs with defensive fluid.

Disease leaves scars, even when its seemingly harmless. Some lead to permanent disabilities[1]. Many such are invisible to the untrained eye. Such can lay waste to isolated communities.

Welcome to Greater Deregulation Lower South East, where profit is more important than anyone's life. Here, a plague has been raging for decades. They're only now asking for help because they're running out of children to put in the factories. Children who were only in the factories because there were not enough adults to go around.

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Challenge #02801-G244: Not as Advertised

A havenworld has heard about the big- dangerous, helpful humans for generations. About a year before they manage to actually make contact, they manage to get their first written-word, non-hearsay written texts on humans. Unfortunately, they don't understand fiction and have never heard of superhero comic books. -- Anon Guest

Human artifacts travel further and faster than the Humans themselves. Some things are just easier to move around in small spaces. Useful Deathworlders also often reach other species before the Humans do.

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Challenge #02800-G243: Where the Hand Dictates

A deregger colony espoused that they would have a thousand-year reign. They have held onto their power, and the colony fanatically believed in that thousand year reign. It is year 999.

None of their lore held anything to indicate what would happen after the thousand year reign. -- Anon Guest

One thousand years of glory! The posters were everywhere. This year, on Landing Day, would be the thousandth year of glorious progression towards a better and more deserving future. One thousand years

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Challenge #02798-G241: Spit and Determination

This is a second installment for this prompt becuase this was a GREAT one but was a cliffhanger!

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-02703-g146-gathering-for-time

They'd been on the deathworld for nearly 3 months, their human had lost so much weight his health had begun to deteriorate. The simple sugars extracted from the toxic flora were just barely enough to keep the havenworlders alive, and the human was not getting what he needs. The rescue ship arrived to see the human and havenworlders

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Challenge #02796-G239: Redemption in Progress

This is a continuation of this prompt, from your story. If it's ok?

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-02697-g140-a-family-affair

The young woman, despite her past, despite the harassment from her old family, the family that sold her in the first place, had gotten a very good job and, through some series of hard work, and very lucky breaks, ended up quite wealthy. But her old family was still out there, more incised than ever because the fact she was living a rich,

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Challenge #02795-G238: The Ultimate Plasmotron 6000

While I’m playing some team based game

Some dumba22:

Ooo what’s over here~

Death chat:

[the entire enemy team] absolutely destroyed [dumba22] -- Anon Guest

The Humans were very still. There were twenty of them, each concentrating on a screen. It was utterly silent. One of them might mumble now and again, but otherwise, they were transfixed. The only noise was the movement of mice and the click of W A S D keys.

Companion Vresk was only sure of

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Challenge #02794-G237: We Do Mean Anything

Me: Bears are f** terrifying. Some are bulletproof, their bones are strong enough to last though hibernation and are maul me to death with in a matter of seconds.

Also me: https://ifunny.co/fun/QrPytnfe7?s=cl -- Anon Guest

[AN: Video shows a Russian dude (I presume, the dialogue sounds Russian) playing with his FULLY GROWN PET BEAR. How fortunate we are, indeed, to live in a world full of creatures who love to be petted]

Humans will arrive with

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Challenge #02793-G236: Look He Likes You

I don’t know why, I want to pet this guy https://ifunny.co/fun/BUDyVF1h7?s=cl -- Anon Guest

[AN: Dear readers, the video linked is an alligator mating call. That reptile thinks the camera person is attractive o_O ]

Humans are well-known for wanting to pet every living creature on any given planet. Yes, even the toxic ones. There are Humans who keep toxic creatures as pets. There are Humans who laugh off "love bites" - but not from

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Challenge #02792-G235: Welcome to the League of Superlative Artifice

I liked the story about the Asian chef, who quickly made dinner from the would-be invaders.

I wonder what other adventures she and her crew would have?

Maybe their own version of a "beach episode"? Or perhaps the crew learn about a hobby she has, that she kept secret because she was embarrassed? Or maybe a new crew member arrives (he's a human too) and a love story arises?

P.S.

I really enjoy every story you wrote :D -- Tom

[AN:

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Challenge #02791-G234: The Weather Outside...

"FLAKK IT ALL TO HELL!!" Human Bear roared as he punched his way out of the ice and snow of the Avalanche that had just swallowed him. "IS THAT ALL YOU GOT!?" He raged at the mountain.

"Human Bear!" Vren cried. "We have 3 that are still trapped in the ice!"

Bear's rage instantly turned to terror. He had to find the lost ones before there Livesuits failed to to their jobs... -- Anon Guest

[AN: Bear's other stories are here and

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Challenge #02790-G233: One Star to Hang Hope On

The company existed for many centuries (even before the shattering!). They call themselves Michelin and their well know guide the “Michelin Guide” (a bit on the nose but ok). They expanded their assets across the galaxy, although they have many humans in the company due to the fact that humans can consume nearly anything presented to them, they are some other cognitive species that work as Inspectors, each has been trained and tested to create extensive reports of the courses that are

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Challenge #02787-G230: A Necessary Education

All of the Top Schools, get 'problem students', some get rid of the fast. Our Lady of Purity embraced them. -- Anon Guest

[AN: Throwback to this thing in case you were wondering]

Somewhere in the known universe, there is a paradise. Nothing sharp exists there. The weather is always balmy and pleasant. The sands are soft on the beaches, and the shells are always pretty. Somewhere, sweet water flows and the air is full of birdsong. This is not that place.

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Challenge #02786-G229: Not That Hostile

What sort of culture might arise from an Eyeball Planet? From the ring of liquid water temperature sandwiched between way too hot and way too cold? -- Anon Guest

Life... finds a way. It can exist in sunless, crushing depths. It can survive under thousands of Sidu[1] of ice. It can thrive in the substrate of irradiated soil, between the burning sun above and the toxic liquid below. It can even evolve in the confounding physics of Hyperspace, where the Xyrak'l

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Challenge #02785-G228: Helper's Eye View

Created as helpers/aides. They are infertile, so how do they regard their charges? They are not slave or servant, even though they look after their charge. Remember Julie and Nanny, but how does the process work both from the Augment's view and the charges. -- Bonding

I am Borf. I am good dog. This is Len, they are my pup. My pup is bigger than me, and has been since I was a pup. That is the way of it. I

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Challenge #02784-G227: An Edge Case

A: hey man are you ok?

B: .... yeah sorry, feeling a little burned out

A: ah, I see. Hey do you want some coffee after this? -- Anon Guest

Humans are resilient. Humans are robust. Humans are strong. Humans are also living beings with limits. There is only so much stress, devastation, and chaos that even a Human can handle.

Learning this was something of a hurdle after Humanity was accepted into the Alliance.

Witness Human Doe, who has apparently reached a

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