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Challenge #02811-G254: A Show of Respect

Have you ever looked at a young human and thought "this is a creature that should terrify me"? I have. My unit came upon an educational facility. We had been scouting the planet, carefully, silently. The humans thought we were just tourists, we did our best to blend in. Find their weaknesses, they seemed to have many. But it was not until what we sat in that educational facility that fateful evening that convinced all of us that this colony was not to be touched. In fact, we were to avoid this place at all costs. We needed to find other prey elsewhere. We were told they were going to do a gentle ceremony for their instructor who was retiring. Something simple that the students, who had loved this instructor very much, could do for him. But when we saw the ceremony, we saw those faces, before the ceremony, during, and after. And that horrific chant, that terrifying sound. Their expressions before, one of caring, it was meant to honor their instructor, but it convinced us all, even their young were dangerous.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt6GRghrmaU -- Anon Guest

There is nothing, nothing more chilling than a group of Humans moving and chanting in unison. Regardless of the age, gender, and physical condition of the Humans involved. Regardless, in fact, of what they are moving and chanting in unison to.

Of the terrifying capacity for Human synchronisation little is more horrifying than a group of grade schoolers performing the Haka. Outsiders not used to observing such displays go through a chain of reactions that begins in, "Aaaw, cute," and ends in, "Not cute! NOT CUTE! RUUUUNNN!"

The Haka, like many things beginning in Deathworlds, is a display of strength, discipline, fortitude, and co-ordination. When performed by Human neophytes, it is once again a reminder that even their fragile young are capable of far much more destructive power than most adult Galactic Citizens[1].

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Challenge #02810-G253: Remember Rule One

A new combat instructor was assigned to my battalion. If I remember the instructor is that of the human race. They were formerly introduced to us and to be honest I was not impressed. The human was only two-thirds my size and look squishy as a havenworlder, hard to believe that they’re from a deathworld. I was given the chance to spar with the human, I couldn’t even touch them. -- Anon Guest

Many hear a word like "Deathworlder" and

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Challenge #02809-G252: Don't Be Fooled

Lots of stories with humans and delicate avian Havenworlders. How about one where the 'bird' descended from something like a cassowary. -- Knitnan

[AN: Compared with Humans, Cassowaries still have their weak points. The trick, of course, is getting close enough to exploit them. Cassowaries count as aviasaurs, and may not be Havenworlders by technicality.]

People tend to assume. If a cogniscent species looks like a bird, it's probably a Havenworlder. Many people coming across the aviasaurs make that assumption. Too many

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Challenge #02808-G251: The Revenge Paradox

“Do you want revenge?” I offer this many times, call me cruel or whatnot. The offer still stand. I offer you new life, let’s not be bound by the chains of hatred and live a glorious life! There’s a thing called karma and it pays twofold. Watch as you victim wallow in despair, and become jealous of your new spirit held high. Watch as they beg you to come back to their lives. That’s where you truly know, you

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Challenge #02807-G250: The True Story

I ask you not as emperor, but as a father. I do not demand you become her protector, I humbly request that you become her friend. -- Anon Guest

You know the story of the Lindwyrm. Or rather, you think you know it. You know the most of it. Stories change with each teller. Some add. Some subtract. Names are lost, times and places blur until all that's left is the phrase, Once upon a time...

By then, almost all of the

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Challenge #02806-G249: Not as We Know it

Could intelligent life arise around deepsea hydrothermal vents? -- Anon Guest

Intelligent life is very egocentric when theorising about other intelligent life. They imagine distant worlds like their own, with lifeforms possessing body patterns like their own. They don't often look much further than their own evolutionary path to pat themselves on the back and say, Yes. Aliens will be a lot like us.

The scientists of Earth frequently ignore the intelligent life already present around them. Cetaceans and octopi are examples

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Challenge #02805-G248: A Need of Dragons

They arrived from many places around the world, and yet, they all seemed to know how to get to the village. Those from other nations found funds and tickets to planes waiting for them, as well as all information they needed to get to that place. The ones already in that continent traveling on foot, by surprisingly convenient rides, by rail, etc., all the same, to find themselves on a wide, easily traversed, path into the forests. The strange thing is, the

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Challenge #02804-G247: How Can I Help?

We're out there, you know. The people who slip through the cracks. The ones that hurt too much to really succeed but don't hurt obviously enough to get help. It's a terrible feeling, to be jealous of someone who's in more pain than you are, just because they have legally mandated support. -- Anon Guest

[AN: Speaking as someone who's lived in the cracks, I get it. It's one of the reasons my pet universe has systems that patch the cracks.]

You

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Challenge #02803-G246: TFW Memed in Combat

here, have a rick roll -- Anon Guest

[AN: Link does not lead to a Rickroll but rather a six-second anime clip featuring someone's mondo BFG power attack]

Human Memetic attacks are something to watch. Preferably from a safe distance. Everyone knows the one about the attacking fleet that was brought to a standstill by the power of a Rickroll virus[1]. Thusly, they have learned to feat the threat of bringing Humans into any war.

Those gung-ho balding apes will try

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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?

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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 #02799-G242: Wombmates For Life

Hey! Aww, you're so cute I can't stay mad at you. Please don't do that again. -- Anon Guest

[AN: How to Encourage Bad Behaviour Amongst the Telegenic 101. Step one, above]

Tieflings have to fight their entire lives just to be recognised as living things with feelings. Aasimar... don't. If devils can interfere with the affairs of normal folk, then the gods can, have, and will do the same[1]. If Tieflings evoke one reaction from everyone around them, then Aasimar

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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 #02797-G240: A Delicate Touch

We need to stop Yoseph, his plan is to use fused legion to create Noah's Core and fuse with it creating a link between our dimension and the astral-plain thus fusing humanity with the core and become one mind and take over this dimension. Do you understand this? -- Anon Guest.

"You used the word 'fuse' three times. Isn't the inherent risk in three different fusions a complete corruption of data and consequential rain of fire?"

"I see you understand the risks.

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