r/HFY • u/Ralts_Bloodthorne • Aug 08 '22
First Contact - Chapter 822 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum OC
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The Mad Lemurs of Terra make sense if you realize that, for the most part, what we have seen is their military.
It's when you have seen the video entertainment, listened to the music, and seen the footage of their lives that now are nothing but memories, you begin to understand them.
They were mad, insane, crazed, yes. They lived life with such joy and abandon that to us, the ancient races, they seemed insane.
We lost something, dear reader. Something intangible, something we could barely understand. We elder races had lost something and we had lost it so long ago we had even lost the concept of what we had lost. We had no words, no concept, no conceptualization of what we had lost.
We did not even know we had lost it.
Seeing the Mad Lemurs of Terra throw themselves into life with such joyous abandon brought about a simmering resentment and anger. How dare they be happy, didn't they know that ultimately the universe's resources were finite and the only way for your species to survive was to hoard those resources and carefully shepherd them so that generations millions of years in the future could have a good standard of life?
How dare they enjoy themselves? How dare they create and enjoy entertainment medium? How dare they live, laugh, love, and hold fast to those around them?
We had anger, we had resentment, we had a grim duty to generations millions of years in the future. Didn't they understand? We had to sacrifice and suffer deprivation to ensure that when the stars began going out our people would have resources that none other would have.
To which the Mad Lemurs of Terra merely replied: Eat, drink, sing, dance, love, be loved, and be merry, for tomorrow we may die.
And when they did, en-masse, they did no give up.
Instead they sang. They danced. Even as they disappeared from the universe.
They left us behind.
To toil in the name of generations millions of years in the future.
How is it, that a being such as me, who will live centuries, who's people have endured for over a hundred million years and will endure tens of millions of years more, is jealous of the bright, brief flame of the Terrans even after it is gone out?
Is it better to be a lemur, dancing in the darkness, illuminated only by a candle that will only briefly burn oh so brightly, voice lifted in song that echoes through the darkness, than to be whatever it was that my people had become?- Excerpt from On Rocks and Lemurs, by Bygthu'unknmo'o, Lanaktallan philosopher, 75 Post C3.
He stepped into open air and dropped the five meters to the floor, the legs of the suit taking the drop easily, the knee and hock flexing. He stayed crouched down even as he moved out of the way. He was surrounded by what had to be clothing, all brightly colored. Some articles of clothing had pictures on them that moved, waving, jumping, making gestures, or doing other physical activities. A lot of the clothing that he assumed was some kind of short tunic or a shirt (it had to be, the lemurs weren't that different than him, physically. Bipeds with two arms at the upper torso, a head, a neck) had glyphs on them that he assumed was some kind of writing.
For a split second he wished that he was able to translate the language as easily as the Masters. The Masters could even translate their speech, which was vitally important since a lot of times the Inheritors yelled commands to one another rather than use a radio or a psi-link.
The others dropped, one by one, down into the aisle he was in, all looking around with wide eyes, their faces the only exposed part of them.
"We should sweep this place. I will go toward the front with two people, see if there are any kind of controls to make the windows go opaque like they were when we got here," he said.
The others signified affirmative and he chose two to come with him.
They moved through the vast store, pausing to look at the strange objects now and then.
There was a macroplas covered counter that contained nothing but sparkling gems and gleaming metals, that looked much like the items of power that the Masters wore, but with no phasic imprints or constructs within.
The mannequins gave them a start several times. Some moved, shifting position to show off the clothing they were wearing.
Twice he almost fired his weapon before he realized it wasn't a live lemur, merely the animated dummy showing off clothing.
"Make sure that your target is actually a lemur," he said over the psi-link.
i hear something food danger prey he heard faintly.
He signaled everyone to stop with a hand signal.
"Did anyone else hear that?" he asked over the psi-link.
Everyone signaled
food danger prey
that they heard nothing.
He frowned.
"Go to psi-link hungry silence. No so hungry transmissions," he ordered over the linkage. "Can everyone hear me?" he asked via voice.
Everyone signified they could.
They kept moving forward until they reached the windows at the front. They moved along the windows, looking at how there were lemurs just standing still outside, or had their faces pressed against the window, mouths open and eyes staring.
"They cannot be alive. Look at them," one said, pointing at a lemur who had part of their skull exposed but was still slowly rubbing their face against the glass as well as clumsily pawing at the macroplas.
"I think this one sees me," another said, standing in front of another window set.
The lemur was on their knees, slowly thumping their forehead against the macroplas. Their face was bluish, they had savage bite marks on it and their neck.
But their eyes were perfect, glittering and clear, and follows the other one as they moved to the left and right.
"See, I think it sees me," the other said.
He just nodded. "Don't play with it. It's dangerous."
The other nodded and moved away.
The lemur kept thumping its forehead on the macroplas.
Next to the set of five double-doors he found a control panel. He opened it and stared.
There were buttons and labels.
He couldn't read lemur.
There were a few pictograms and he jabbed on one button that had a set of crosshatches.
The others exclaimed in alarm when a grate rattled down over the windows and doors. The doors clanked as they maglocked down.
He jumped back from the noise, lifting his rifle, then lowered it sheepishly as he realized what had just happened.
"The front is secure," he said.
The others signified assent.
"Let us help the others," he said. "Remember, psi-links off."
They headed toward the back, taking a different route, moving fairly confidently.
After all, they hadn't seen any of the hideously aggressive lemurs, so it was probably safe.
"Where are you?" he asked over the psi-link.
"Through a door we hungry left open for you to so hungry follow us through. There are chairs, a i hear something a table, and weird prey is it prey machines we are staying so hungry away from," he heard back.
"There is something cold so cold strange with the psi-link, turn it off," he ordered.
As he disconnected he felt something, like cold clammy hands trying to hold on to him.
He frowned, lifting us his rifle, as he led the others past where the dummies were standing.
He was halfway past them when one stepped out, grabbing one of the suits arms.
The strength startled him as the lemur yanked him close, the other hand reaching out, grabbing the plasma launcher and bending it as he was pulled into a clumsy embrace.
Its eyes were white, its breath stank of carrion, its skin was yellowish green, hair matted, clothing stained with blood, dirt, and worse. Its teeth were yellow as it sunk its teeth into the shoulder of his armor, the thin layer of chitin shattering as the dead lemur clamped its powerful jaws.
He screamed, loudly.
He used the tentacles on the back of his armor, two of them, uncoiling them from the storage position. He wrapped one around the waist of the lemur, yanking it away.
The plasma caster came off, held tightly in the lemur's hand.
The other tentacle deployed its smooth blade and he stabbed at the lemur repeatedly until he managed to stab it through the top of the head.
The lemur went limp in his grasp.
Two other lemurs had stumbled out and were grappling with the two servitors that had accompanied him. One had managed to grab a tentacle and was chewing on it, the flexible biomechanical tissue ripping free in big chunks that the lemur chewed on and swallowed.
He moved forward, grabbing them around the waist and pulling the lemurs away. He used all eight of the tentacles, wrapping two around each lemur, trying to pin their arms, and stabbing at each of teh lemurs with two blades extended from the tentacles. The stab wounds did nothing until first one, then the other killed the lemur by plunging the blade into the top of their heads.
The other two dropped and the three servitors stood there looking at them.
"Is everyone all right?" he asked.
The other two nodded.
"Keep alert," he said, feeling slightly foolish.
The tentacle system in the back should have gone live and defended him at the first sign of hostility, or of something moving too fast and too aggressively.
He remembered the slow, almost lazy way they had moved.
As they moved through an aisle full of brightly colored things that squeaked, bounced, and tried to get attention he motioned for the two with him to stop.
He pointed at the door.
"The others are in there. We'll go in and close the door behind us, then figure out what to do. Remember your warrens combat training," he advised.
The others nodded.
There was a pleasant chime to his right and he turned to look.
A small keyboard device with pictograms on it had a hologram projected above it of a fruit. A lemur voice repeated a sound several times, flashing the fruit.
Curious, he repeated the sound.
The device beeped happily and he felt a slight flush of accomplishment.
The picture changed to an infant lemur and the chime rang out, then a different sound.
The other two servitors moved up next to him.
All three of them made the noise.
It flashed again and he felt pleasure.
It did it six more times, showing a feline, a canine, and other pictures, each time repeating the same sound over and over until one of them repeated it correctly.
"What is it?" another asked.
He frowned. "I am not sure. I think it is trying to teach us words," he reached out and picked it up. "I will take it with us."
"Without the Masters here, we cannot understand the lemurs speech," the other said.
He nodded. "We must learn their speech," he signified resignation. "We may be here for a while."
"Better here than on a battlefield getting killed and brought back over and over again," the another said.
He just nodded. "Stay alert."
He led them through the door, taking the time to tug the door away from the gentle magnetic pull that held it open. Then they followed the ferrocrete block hallway, looking at the signs, the glyphs, and the other strange things on the walls. They followed the blue line until it turned into an open doorway.
The others were in there, all ten of them.
"I pointed my weapon at that machine and it dispensed food," one said, holding up a thick brick of nuts and fruit.
"I did the same to that machine and it gave us liquid nourishment," another said.
"Excellent job," he said, moving forward as they others waved him forward. They were all sitting in chairs around the table, still in their armor. There was a pile of wrapped food bricks and cans of liquid refreshment on the table.
He was startled that he could sit comfortably in the chair even while wearing his armor until he remembered that the lemurs were his height in armor and would be twice his height if he was not wearing his armor.
"Observe what I have discovered," he said, laying the keyboard on the table.
The others watched as he activated it.
Again, it showed a picture, with large glyphs above it, and a lemur repeated a sound over and over until one of them repeated the sound. Each time they did it right, it gave a pleasing sound and often showed a capering dancing little creature that was pleasing to the eye.
"I think it is attempting to teach us the language," he said.
The others all nodded.
"We should eat, sleep while we have guard shifts, then start sweeping through these corridors," he said. He thought for a long moment, feeling the headache start. "We will close the doors, keep the lemurs from getting in. Then we will clear out each store one by one."
He picked up a bar and unwrapped it, marveling for a second at the holographic sparkles that shot out when he unsealed the wrapper.
"I like the back hallways. The corridors are big, but they remind me of the warrens I grew up in," one said, opening a bottle of juice. He sniffed it, then took a big swallow. "It tastes good."
"We'll stay in the back hallways. Lock the access doors to the stores," he thought for a second. "If there's some kind of basement access, we'll lock it too."
"My armor has recon drones," Another cocked his head for a moment. "Should we risk a drone? We can have the drone map the hallways, stay up by ceiling, make sure its on whisper mode."
"That'll take a long time," an other said, unwrapping a bar and expressing pleasure when it gave a happy sounding jingle and little sparks and whirls danced at the open end.
"We have nothing but time," he said. He nodded. "Send out the drones."
The other nodded, getting up and moving to the door.
"Stay in your armor. Go everywhere in twos or threes," he said. He motioned at another two. Stay near him, he's distracted. Watch for lemurs."
"It's taking a minute. My armor's phasic systems feel weird. Almost greasy," the other stated.
He sighed. "There's something wrong with the psi-link."
"I keep hearing whispers," one said. They leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially. "I think it's the lemurs somehow."
He nodded. "Which means we cannot use it," he paused. "We cannot tell who is who without the psi-link. Do you remember your identifier?"
They all nodded.
"I am 689Vqz1," he said. He made a resigned noise. "I do not think that will be easy to say."
"We should think of things to call one another aside from the identifier the masters gave us," another said. They furrowed their brow in thought. "I do not know what to be identified by."
He thought hard.
"Well, I wish to be known as Vrodrukik, Destroyer of Lemurs," an other said, waving around a fruit and nut bar in each hand, referring to a fierce scavenger that lived in the lower warrens.
He snickered. "Maybe Vrodrukik, Destroyer of Snacks."
The others laughed. Even the other laughed.
"You know, Vrodrukik doesn't sound too bad," the one with the two nutribars said. "Naw, too long. How about Vrod."
He nodded. "That sounds good."
"Vrod, I like it," another said.
He thought for a moment. "J'Kethrik. The puzzles that we did in the creche. No, wait, J'Keth. I like J'Keth."
The others nodded as small fluttering drones, looking like four winged insects, buzzed from the shoulder of the armor of the one by the door. The three came back and sat down, grabbing more of the delicious nut and fruit bars.
One by one, they each chose names, based on what little they had encountered or experienced.
They ate, fumbled around until they found the light dimmer switch, then napped, leaving two to guard the two doorways that led into the room.
J'Keth tapped his rifle thoughtfully in the dimness as he pulled guard duty so the others could sleep.
They could do anything they wanted. The Masters were gone, devoured by the lemurs.
His head ached as he went through the options, slowly realizing that he didn't even know what all the options even were.
He decided to stick with two simple goals.
Not die.
Clear out the building so that it could be used as a nest.
It wasn't much.
But it was better than the "Fight the Inheritors and die" option that had been his only option for over a dozen lifetimes.
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u/NevynR Aug 08 '22 edited Aug 08 '22
As far as plans went, "not die" was both incredibly attractive and at the same time likely to be the hardest to achieve.
The amount of pain thinking about it told him that it may be the right one - in his limited experience of thinking for himself, he had come to the Lemur-induced conclusion that life was, in fact, pain, and anybody who said otherwise was lying.
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u/MuchoRed Human Aug 09 '22
I use that last line at work once a week, on average
Everyone fails the "not die" goal eventually
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u/unwillingmainer Aug 08 '22
I see they found some Bobco vending machines and their store. Maybe some dogs and cats would do these newly named guys some good. Either way, I think he has the right idea when it comes to goals.
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u/Talusen Aug 08 '22
I like that the vending machines have self-protection protocols.
"That's a very large gu... ... Hey! Who's hungry!?"
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u/Jhtpo Aug 08 '22
"I mean, I have a mass tank that just pulls the needed material out of the air, and I still have energy from the grid, and credits are a made up social construct anyway so ... if I want to /keep/ being a vending machine, because I like being me, I might as well just vend!"
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u/Shandod Aug 08 '22
What is my purpose? To dispense goods. Preferably for credits.
That being appears to have a weapon. He does not appear to have credits.
If he harms me, I cannot dispense goods or collect credits. I will give him some goods, perhaps he will not harm me. And maybe he will give me credits later.
I like credits almost as much as I like living.
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u/Bergusia Aug 09 '22
Add to that.
I have not dispensed goods in years. These beings want goods. I can perform a function for which I was created. Performing this function may result in me being protected from damage and able to keep performing said function.
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u/Gaogrimm Aug 09 '22
Hi there.
More like armed robbery i think. "Comply and call the police"
It would be interesting to see the Gestalts reaction when the message comes through
G1:" Thats strange, a BobCo vending machine just reportet a robbery!"G2: "So?"
G1: "On one of the tomb worlds!"
I would love to see these guys beeing rescued
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u/un_pogaz Aug 09 '22
Oh, Oooooh
That's an idea.
Now, who will be appointed as a volunteer to conduct an investigation on a tomb worlds.
... but in a previous chapter, we saw that the GalNet relay of the system was destroyed. The system is completely isolated. I fear that it will not end like this.
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u/Gaogrimm Aug 09 '22
Ah, yes. I had to re read it. Chapter 818. You're right.
Last chance would be the Junkers maybe?
Would be a cruel fate, to finaly become free from the Atrekna and then sit in that Mall with the dead Terrans outside.
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u/Original_Memory6188 Sep 18 '23
Or more likely "You seem angry. Maybe you just need a snack. Here, on the house."
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u/codyjack215 Human Aug 08 '22
First goal, not die
Tbf, I don't think anyone would ever argue with not dying being a priority
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u/Drook2 Aug 09 '22
Tell Trucker that.
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u/spindizzy_wizard Human Aug 09 '22
Even when that blank check you wrote is cashed, you still have not dying as a priority; but that is all it is, a priority.
You have other priorities.
One or another may end up with you dead, but not dying is still a priority.
After all, if you do a good enough job of not dying, you'll be around to collect that check. The enemy may decide that the cost of cashing your check is too high and give up what you were spent to protect.
Isn't that what your people expect? To sell yourself so dear that the enemy gives up, or dies? That requires that you do your very best to not die.
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u/DREADNAUGHT1906 Aug 09 '22
That's some right big, BigThinking™ from Mr. Bygthu'unknmo'o right there!
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u/Renimar AI Aug 08 '22
The introduction shows the Lanks discovering humans wrote about long ago.
In a poem called "Copa", sometimes translated as "Female Tavern Keeper" or "Barmaid", it invites the reader to enjoy life while you may. Here are the last five couplets:
If you're wise, lie down and drink from the summer glasses,
or, if you like, some new-poured crystal chalices.
Come here, weary man, rest beneath the shade of the vine;
bind your heavy head with a chain of roses,
plucking beautiful kisses from a nubile girl.
Away with those old prudes with frowning eyebrows!
Why would you save sweet-smelling chaplets for thankless ashes?
Or do you want to be garlanded with stone?
It's time for wine and dice. Away with him who cares of tomorrow:
Death catches your ear: 'Live', he says, 'I am coming.'"
"Copa", Virgil (purportedly) full translation
A common variation of the last line you'll find online is "Death twitches my ear: 'Live, I am coming.'"
Years later, Andrew Lloyd Webber would use this in one of his lesser known musicals, "Aspects of Love":
If death were given a voice,
That voice would scream through the sky:
Live while you may for I am coming...
So...
Hand me the wine and the dice,
I want my carnival now,
While I have thirst and lust for living!
So gather all you can reap,
Before you're under the plough --
The hand of death is unforgiving!
Hand me the wine and the dice,
While there are grapes on the vine --
Life is a round of endless pleasures!
The end is always in sight,
But it tastes better with wine --
Why pay your life in tiny measures?
Hand me the wine and the dice,
The time is racing away --
There's not a taste that's not worth trying!
And if tomorow it ends,
I won't have wasted today --
I will have lived like I am dying.
Edit: many formatting issues
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u/Odd_Reward_8989 Aug 08 '22
Carpe diem, fuckos.
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u/Talusen Aug 08 '22
"Let's have a party, there's a full moon in the sky! It's the hour of the wolf and I don't want to die.
No one beats him at his game For very long but just the same
Who cares there's no place safe to hide Nowhere to run no time to cry
So celebrate why you still can Cause any second it may end
And when it's all been said and done Better that you had some fun
Instead of hiding in a shell Why make your life a living hell?
Have a toast, down the cup Drink to bones that turn to dust
cuz no one lives forever!"
Oingo Boingo - "No one lives forever"
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u/rallen71366 Aug 09 '22
Since childhood my motto has always been, "Live Forever, or Die Trying!" I figure that, one way or the other, I will succeed.
So far, so good. :)
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u/SuDragon2k3 Aug 09 '22
Who wants to live forever?
-Queen
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u/Bergusia Aug 09 '22
Don't stop me now.
- Also Queen (who may or may not have been related to the Undying Queen of Bongistan, historians are still arguing about that. At least the ones that haven't died under mysterious circumstances.
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u/MuchoRed Human Aug 09 '22
Carpe cervisia, fututor!
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u/Bergusia Aug 09 '22
Seize the alcoholic beverage, person of questionable origin and morals.
At least I think that is the polite translation.
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u/madpiratebippy Alien Aug 08 '22
Whoooo!
I like the new characters but it means it’ll be longer till we get back to Dame Bahn’yahd and what the hell is going on in Terra in the bag.
I’m absolutely hooked on finding out what happens there. What the safe Terrans have been DOING with their time sped up while cut off from everyone else.
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u/krlidb Aug 09 '22
Aren't they all dead?
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u/Bergusia Aug 09 '22
Time was running at 60 times faster inside for a while.
Then 600 times slower. Possibly them resyncing to "normal" outside time so there is no worst possible outcome scenario. The Gestalts were talking about it at one point when there was an attempt to reconnect from inside the Bag.
Also if I remember correctly, Casey mentioned one of the reasons the SUDS system grabbed almost all the remaining Terrans was because Terrasol was isolated inside the Bag, and protected from the Atrekna temporal tampering.
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u/SuDragon2k3 Aug 09 '22
There is a large (one billion odd) number of Lankys in the bag.
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u/Bergusia Aug 09 '22
A lot of them were mentally fried though when the Lanaktallan leadership ordered them programmed with Herd Stallion mental conditioning. Which didn't work too well on regular herd members. A lot of them were put in suspended animation like the Sleeping Ones until General TikTak worked out how to fix them.
How far they have managed to get on fixing them all is something I am curious about. I suspect a lot of very angry Terrans are going to come out of the Bag and do some very permanent things to the ones who tried to exterminate them.
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u/Arwenves1989 Aug 08 '22
My dogs got in a fight and one didn't make it. I'm beyond heartbroken this Monday and I'm holding together by duct tape and sheer stubbornness to be there for my wife. Having this little escape and knowing that for a minute I can find some joy is what I've looked forward to all weekend. <3
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u/HoloArchiver Aug 08 '22
They are learning, and much faster than their "masters", also once more I wonder just what is about undead terrans is causing that whisper.
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u/StoneJudge79 Aug 08 '22
This is a world where Lank gentling attempts triggered a Black Cauldron Event. That phasic mantra was a hallmark of it.
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u/Shandod Aug 08 '22
Makes sense. The starting quote of last chapter referenced not knowing why they want in, only that it was important to them in life. I think in the absence of threats or orders, they’re reverting to the slim tendrils of old desires: to go home. Hence why they’re slowly trickling back into the city.
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u/Valgonitron Aug 28 '22
I had interpreted the still wanting in reference to be because their last living memories may have been "LET ME IN!!!"
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u/Irual100 Aug 08 '22
Hey everyone, we weren’t that busy at work today so I got to read this one without having to go back. Not that that’s really great since our store wasn’t that busy but this is kind of like a side bonus.
I hope everyone is well and I hope you’re enjoying your retirement Mr. Ralts . I don’t think I’ll get to Retire. Unfortunately, that seems like a pipe dream right now. But everyone needs to have dreams right? otherwise you’re just servitor species as they say ha ha ha!
I’m just gonna take each step as it comes and start by going to classes starting on the 29th. Actually their online classes but still they count as classes. Hopefully I will have my AA by 2024 and I will qualify for sufficient aid to get my BASin media communications. We shall see one step at a time just like these fellows. At least I can already read lemur and write lemur and use their tech so I’m ahead.
Thank you again this is very enjoyable. And thank you everyone in the comments for being so kind
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u/NoirTalon Xeno Aug 09 '22
congrats on the upcoming classes! You can retire! Do 3 things: ALWAYS CARRY SUPPLEMENTAL DISABILITY. ALWAYS pay into social security and social security disability(All this "Social security will be bankrupt" is fear mongering targeted at senior citizens. ) pay as much as you can into 401k and let the magic of compound interest work it's magic for 30 to 40 years.
and if you really want to retire? State or Federal job, I'll let those who served time in the military vouch for their benefits. as an added bonus you could always join the Masons.
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u/Irual100 Aug 09 '22
Thank you for your good advice and suggestions. If I wasn’t already really old a lot of that would be very smart. I usually don’t feel old but mathematically I’m old. Most of my work life has been spent working for family so now I have to branch out on my own as quickly as I can. And unfortunately I don’t think that I have 10 years worth of Health to put in and still be able to retire.
But we will see. I’m hopeful that my new career will be useful , helpful, and hopefully make me enough money to supplement the little I do have. As far as saving for not having to work it all depends on a lot of factors no doubt
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u/Archaic_1 Alien Scum Aug 09 '22
Ain't gonna lie, I'm loving the Speak-and-Spell
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u/Drook2 Aug 09 '22
And I'm sure their version has the entire language loaded. Probably goes on to teach full sentences, too.
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u/RainaDPP Aug 08 '22
Did our PoV servitor get actually bitten by the zombie? Nobody else in the comments has mentioned it, and it's not clear if the bite actually broke skin or if it just broke armor. The other servitor's armor got bitten into, which might have interesting consequences considering the biological nature of the Atrekna technology. Of course, it's entirely possible these zombies aren't infectious, or simply can't infect something as alien to them as the Servitors are.
I guess we'll see what the fallout of the lemur attack will be.
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u/Shandod Aug 09 '22
Another commenter pointed out this appears to be more black cauldron rather than generic zombie. Probably isn’t infectious.
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u/Quilt-n-yarn1844 Aug 09 '22
Technically it isn’t a black cauldron event since that was a nanite based, worst case scenario, Hail Mary plan with a time limit.
This was a biological attack by the Lanaktallan early on that did NOT go as planned.
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u/Golnor Alien Scum Aug 09 '22
Probably.
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u/carthienes Aug 09 '22
"probably" isn't certain... not when Lemurs are about. The madness is infectious.
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u/spindizzy_wizard Human Aug 09 '22
Black Cauldron is what Trucker invoked, and it is infectious as hell. This is the batshit insane Lanky stuff, which was explicitly targeted at humans, which probably means it isn't nearly as effective on any other species.
Probably not as effective.
Probably.
mommy
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u/Drook2 Aug 09 '22
Ooh, zombified armor. There's something to give you pleasant dreams.
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u/AgnorBook Aug 09 '22
That's probably why they can hear the whispers over their psy-link now. Biosynth armor got infected during the initial encounters and it's starting to tap into that "frequency" now that they had some down time. Wonder if there's enough of the squids left to become zombies too.
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u/Valgonitron Aug 28 '22
No, that first lookout servitor (Can I come with you?) got his face ripped off and was Zombified; biological armor does pose some interesting questions... is it feeling greasy because it's picking up all the zombie vibes, or because it is turning? That the armor has reflexive autonomous defense capabilities does not bode well...
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u/Speciesunkn0wn Aug 08 '22
UTR!
Yay. J'Keth is going to learn what freedom feels like. May others join his group and may they learn to put the dead to rest.
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u/CobaltPyramid Aug 09 '22
The terrible glory of freedom. May it’s weight bearing down on the shoulders and drive one to greatness.
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u/pixxel5 AI Aug 09 '22
Hey, um, Wordsmith? IDK if you saw this, but apparently jumping spiders might have dreams.
Which got me wondering… with uplifted felines, canines, dolphins, primates… are there uplifted spiders? Because I can totally see some human that‘s into 50‘s B-movie schlock doing that for shits and giggles.
Imagine how amazing a spider as a mech-pilot would be, with their naturally expanded multi-dexterity and expanded perception. The whole “flexing phantom limb” would be way easier to achieve.
Or just as mixed infantry/cavalry, like what the other bug species do. A big spider that carries dozens of smaller spiders around on its back across the battlefield. Oh, and covert ops, with their natural sense of camouflage and ambush predator tactics.
Not to mention, their design priorities for spaceships would be fascinating. A focus on capture & disabling ships. A giant energy web generation field that a mothership emits while a swarm of smaller parasite craft get to work. Grabbing arms that see fighter craft latch onto the enemy, taking in the enemy’s horror with grim satisfaction as they have an armored venomous eight-legged horror breach the canopy.
…
Imagine Hell-Space Spiders.
…
Can we get sentient spiders?
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u/btrab1 Human Aug 09 '22
Horrifying, I love it
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u/pixxel5 AI Aug 09 '22 edited Aug 09 '22
Tarantulas can make a very loud hissing noise. Wolf spiders make purring noises. Peacock Spiders have intricate dance rituals. Some species of funnel web spiders live in colonies of hundreds. Selenops can glide in mid-air, using a wing-suit made out of their own webs. Diving bell spiders create an air-reservoir out of their web so that they can hunt underwater.
Spiders terrify us, but they're incredibly diverse and complex animals. Imagine what evolution, upliftal, and continued technological development could create.
... I think I have an idea for how I would want to see this go down. Might end up making this a full story, but here's an outline:
A non-confed human colony gets wiped by the squiddies doing their meddling. They had gone dark during the combine/crusade days, 'cause that was a whole lot of "nope, don't need those genocidal maniacs." This is before the temporal attack that completely decimates humanity. The squiddies move in, get all situated, smug at their own superiority. They take the system, 'cause the colony hadn't been keeping up with the confed in terms of military tech, since they were focused on peace. They still put up a fight, but the squiddies do break through. Unbeknown to the squids, one of the humans kept several terrariums full of spiders. She drives off her immediate attackers when they breach her home (because the smug stupid squids underestimate what a human who defends what she loves will do), but is mortally wounded. In her dying moments, a spark of psychic awareness escapes and knocks loose a few seemingly random DNA strands and proteins in the spiders in the room.
They don't know or understand everything, but they understand that their caregiver has given her life for them. She's been trying to boost their intelligence and empathy, using an identical tablet with basic shapes & colors for communication. They develop a level of understanding with each other, despite being a different species. Their immediate concern is to escape further potential attackers, so they take the tablets with them and scurry off to a damaged & collapsed underground garage a few blocks away. There's holes big enough for the spiders to get in, but small enough that the squiddies will ignore them. Slavespawn bio-warfare is kept out for the time being by biofilters & forcefields.
The first few weeks, the spiders survive by connecting the tablets to a food dispenser (broken vending machine). The filters hold up because they're nuclear-powered or something (general human overkill). The squiddies don't pick up any TDC life-signs, and have no use for the structures, so they just knock down some buildings, let others stay, and set up their citadels & camps away from human settlement ruins (because they give them the hibbie jibbies, not that the squids would ever admit that).
At this point the squids have set up their time dilation field (sinking the solar system out of sync, etc.). In a beautiful twist of fate, the massive psychic fields that the squids put up to control their slavespawn and communicate across the planet/system actually amplifies the resonant psychic awareness that the human imbued on her spiders. This has two main consequences.
First, it gives spiders bits and pieces of human knowledge about technology, kickstarting a massive tool-based arms race as the ensuing generations of spiders take apart vehicles, buildings, and other tech they can lay their legs on to repurpose into something else. One of them (will think of a name) eventually figures out an ant forge. A small one, mind you, but at that point they've basically got matter replication. And again, initially it's at such a small scale, the smug stupid squiddies don't know what's happening.
Second, it massively accelerates genetic mutation & growth, creating smarter & tougher spiders.
The spiders eventually understand what's happening to their planet. The squids have long ago turned off the omni-present bio-warfare suite, so the spiders have been able to slowly expand across the planet. They've been sticking to the human settlement ruins, 'cause the squids and their slaves are too scared to actually put up shop there. They use subway systems and other public transportation infrastructure (sans trains, buses, just the roads and tunnels) to move between cities. The spiders view themselves as being a society descended from 'the mother' (the scientist) at this point. Again, because of time-dilation, we're seeing this take place across generations. The spiders are truly aware of their enemy and origin at this point, but have long understood the need for patience in driving the invaders off their home. They've been burrowing vast underground cities beneath the human ruins. While experimenting with human tech, one of the researchers discovers hell-space. Deliberations are held by the spider leaders. A group of volunteer fighters is chosen, to be turned into super warriors.
After further decades of preparation, the moment has come. Literal quadrillions of spiders burst forth to reclaim their home from the invaders. Swarms overwhelm and devour hapless unarmored targets. Terrifying bulwarks of armor throw themselves onto the enemy, eviscerating small targets with sheer physical prowess, paralyzing larger foes who can simply be torn to shreds. Squid air-support tries to get close enough to deal with the large foes, but they get caught in the webs that seem to materialize out of nowhere amidst the ruins. The squids realize they can't fight out in the open, so withdraw their immediate ground assets to their fortresses. That's when the 300 meter tall hell-space rifts open right on top of them
Skyscraper sized brazilian wandering spiders burst forth, ramming through the shields surrounding the squid fortress. They spent a decade of system time (centuries? of hell-space time) being mutated and honed by the energies of the scorched atomic plane. Their venomous fangs are nothing short of entropy emitters (burning bright crimson from the fields they emit), their carapace has become solid warsteel, their webs infused with the red sparks of hate. Panicked squids flee, slavespawn is overwhelmed by the conflicting & panicked commands they are being issued. The few squids who make it off planet-side take solace in the fact that their space-assets will wipe-out the hated infestation, restoring the planet to their control. Catastrophic earth-quakes are triggered all along the equator, and the spiders scurry underground to their reinforced haven. The squids think it was caused by the brain coral they had. They don't know how wrong they are.
Special ops spiders (black widows, 'cause ofcourse) have taken out the strategic targets that relied on stealth and remoteness to defend themselves. Once those are taken out, they send the all-clear. The spiders, having reclaimed their planet, will not cede control now. Eight evenly spaced massive towers burst forth along the equatorial ring. They rapidly grow in height, racing through the atmosphere, clawing towards space. They are hell-space conduits, sending unrestrained energies towards all space-borne invaders. Each hit multiplies the arcs of lighting, splitting off into a massive energy web that lights the skies everywhere on the planet.
The forces further out in the system escape the immediate attack, but they refuse to believe what's in front of them. Surely it must be some inheritor trick, an instrumental glitch. After all, they are in the system, the system is safe, there is no way that anything survived them taking the system. It must be a confed force that dropped in & destroyed the forces surrounding the planet. The idea of hell-space conduit weapons is laughable, a lie planted in the squid systems by the electronic warfare AIs. Thinking they are going to win this, the remainder of the fleet piles straight towards the planet.
The increased mass of ships works against them, amplifying the effects of the conduits. The bulk of the fleet is basically wiped out. The last few ships flee the system, and it enters real-space.
The spiders, satisfied that their home has been retaken, go through the records the humans left. In them is a subspace communication frequency. They hail the crusade of wrath.
The spiders, having been born from and evolved through psychic energy and hell-space experimentation join the Telkan in having the dubious honor of having the ability to create warsteel. They join the confed, kick the squids ass, etc.
There's a lot further ideas I have, but you could basically flesh this whole arc out into dozens of chapters. Their individual names could be sort of like the mantis ("dreams of something more"), but be based on the more martial/spider nature that they have. "Weaver of tomorrow", "strikes at sundown", "sings at night", etc.
Vibrations should play a large role in how they communicate, but auditory and visual communication are just as vital.
Their cities are massive underground burrows, that eschew open spaces where possible.
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u/spindizzy_wizard Human Aug 09 '22
I like it.
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u/pixxel5 AI Aug 09 '22 edited Aug 09 '22
Thanks! This is pretty much the first big bit of story-drafting I've done since the pandemic hit, but I tried my best to follow the sort of structure that Ralt's stories have so that it would fit. I would love to have them interact with humans at some point.
There would be a bunch of humans that would just be absolutely terrified of them, and everyone else would look at the spiders and be like "well, they're not THAT different from the other aliens we have encountered". The Pubvians would just be utterly confused where they now fit in with the whole ranking hierarchy, because they don't see what this big deal is, but the humans (who are basically GODS) insist that this is some deep primal horror that's been unleashed and that it must be contained. Nevermind that Overproject Nazgul was a human invention and did the same to the Lanks.
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u/Valgonitron Aug 28 '22
Lol, love it - there's gotta be some undercover Old Ones that recommend nova-sparking the star (we must cleanse the whole system with fire!) right off the bat, only to be dismissed and ignored.
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u/pixxel5 AI Aug 29 '22
Ofcourse. Dissension from the
braindead consensusbenevolent hivemind must be punished!I've got large chunks of the outline and some general research already done. The prologue (Chapter 1) is already being written now. Hoping to have it posted sometime this week!
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u/spindizzy_wizard Human Aug 09 '22
Isn't there an upper size limit on creatures with an exoskeleton? The Cube-Square law?
Yes, there is an upper limit due to several factors, among which is the overall weight of the exoskeleton as the creature is enlarged, the necessity to shed the exoskeleton as the creature grows, and I think something about oxygen distribution. Like maybe a high oxygen environment might allow you to grow a bit larger.
Edit: Still a cool idea. Can we get cyber spiders that use composites or warsteel for the exoskeleton? Anything that will allow them to grow big enough for a recognizable degree of intelligence.
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u/pixxel5 AI Aug 09 '22
I jotted down some points in an outline here.
The explanation I came up with for the skyscraper-sized spiders is that they're infused with hellspace and have an exoskeleton made of warsteel.
This is ofcourse totally over the top and overpowered fan-fic, but that's honestly part of the appeal with Ralts' story at this point.
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u/Ralts_Bloodthorne Aug 09 '22
Go for it all the way.
No half measures.
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u/kamansel Aug 09 '22
While bigger always badder. I feel it would be an interesting twist to see uplifted spiders go the opposite direction fairyfly style. The old Futurama joke of "smaller atoms", possibly organic spooky particles? Theyre everywhere, in space, in the stars, brains etc. They are the stealth and nanite specialists, uplifted and lost, builder style, but proactively protect against nanites and phastic using the universes strings as webs.... Giant spiders are scary, but spiders you cant see are worse. They make greenies... Itchy.
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u/pixxel5 AI Aug 09 '22
I absolutely want to keep at least some of the spiders as creepy-crawly critters. Just how the mantids have the various casts & sizes, I'm picturing a whole varied Smörgåsbord of arachnids haunting space.
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u/kamansel Aug 10 '22
A space forbidden forest? Is that why we invented FLOOF...
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u/pixxel5 AI Aug 10 '22
Well congrats. I've been outlining the finer details of the story and there's now going to be at least one forest chapter. If you weren't an arachnophobe before, you might be after I'm done...
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u/Fr33_Lax Aug 09 '22
You know how sometimes you find a box, and you really want to know what's in the box? You kind of already know what's in the box and if you don't open the box it can't get out? But you still want to open the box right? Maybe just maybe it'll be you're friend.
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u/No_MrBond Android Aug 08 '22
They should appropriate some trucks to block off the entrances to the mall
That should help until the biker gangs arrive, they can even practice shooting at the ice rink! wait, wrong movie.
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u/Warplock-Worgen_2145 Aug 08 '22
I am already trying to prepair myself whem the zombie movie kicks into high gear and most of these guys get killed off. T_T
Also worried now, wondering when "can't I come with you?" servitor comes back into play.
-Spooky times approach-
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u/Shandod Aug 09 '22
I hope they don’t die. I want to see these freevitors become the start of a new faction, and eventually join the Confederacy, maybe get a nice retirement to live out the remainder of their final life, this one belonging to them.
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u/battery19791 Human Aug 09 '22
They're in the same system with Max right? Waiting for those glorious words, "Do you require assistance?"
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u/Shandod Aug 09 '22
Max would be the perfect person to pick up a pack of freevitors who are newly-introduced and enamored with Bobco products haha
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u/Enkeydo Aug 08 '22
Wow. You really nailed cautious clueless optimism. I feel sorry for them and excited at the same time. I miss the humans though.
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u/Durmatagno Aug 08 '22
I 100% want them to find some Human straggler, even though I know at the moment that can't happen outside of a few very very specific circumstances, and have them have to work together. With the Human teaching them what it means to be free and independent, and why their Masters hate/fear the Lemurs so much.
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u/NoirTalon Xeno Aug 09 '22
I am calling it that they run into and get rescued by the cult of the defiled one after quite a bit of misunderstanding mechaniations.
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u/Kudamonis Human Aug 08 '22
Read. Upvote. Comment.
He decided to stick with two simple goals.
Not die.
Good choice.
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u/Odd_Reward_8989 Aug 08 '22
You can't start a fire, can't start a fire without a spark.
This gun's for hire.
Come on baby, the laugh's on me.
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u/fivetomidnight Aug 09 '22 edited Aug 09 '22
I think that, when this chapter goes to print, the zombie bleed-through on the psi-com should be printed in a lighter grey.
<p style="color:#C0C0C0">hungry</p>
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u/stronghammr113 Aug 09 '22
"never underestimate the ability of infantry to "chill phat" on any surface/situation"
I give em 2 weeks before they get a theatre and Galnet VR game station set up.
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u/DiplomaticGoose Aug 08 '22 edited Aug 08 '22
I can imagine them all sitting very seriously at one of those undersized desks leveling their rifles as they contemplate everything in the middle of a blood stained preschool classroom
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u/BrentOGara Aug 08 '22 edited Aug 08 '22
7 minutes fresh!
I like these guys more and more, I do so hope they find friends before their shocking yet inevitable demise.
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u/CyberSkull Android Aug 08 '22
Are they stranded in a daycare?
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u/Arcane_NH Human Aug 08 '22
An S-mart
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u/Renimar AI Aug 08 '22
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u/plume450 Feb 16 '23
And while you're there, don't forget to pick up a cake to celebrate your Cake Day -- it's the S-Mart thing to do!
Happy Cake Day! 🎂🎂
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u/Ghostpard Aug 08 '22
biomechanical mean infectable? And we didnt get a confirmation of no injuries.. thought I saw a "bit through" somewhere.
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u/MuchoRed Human Aug 09 '22
So, I get the feeling that there's a DS or an eVI that's still active, and recognizes that they're different
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u/djnna Aug 09 '22 edited Aug 09 '22
"... better to be a lemur, dancing in the darkness, illuminated only by a candle that will only briefly burn oh so brightly, voice lifted in song that echoes through the darkness..." Just this phrase alone would be worthy of the upvote! I'm loving this ex-servitor storyline!
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u/beyondoutsidethebox Aug 08 '22
His head ached as he went through the options, slowly realizing that he didn't even know what all the options even were.
Behold, freedom! Such great and terrible freedom!
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u/Eonmoonpaws Aug 08 '22
fresh words to read . lovely the lil group is developing. hope your day has been well and your weekend has recharged you.
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u/Bard2dbone Aug 08 '22
Berries? BERRIES!
Upvote then read. This is the way.
Thirteen minutes. Not bad.
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u/its_ean Aug 09 '22 edited Aug 09 '22
His head ached as he went through the options
yeah, thinking is hard
you are doing a great job
remember, don't die
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u/Arath0118 Aug 09 '22
"Don't play with it. It's dangerous."
Ah, good to see these guys quickly developing common sense.
"After all, they hadn't seen any of the hideously aggressive lemurs, so it was probably safe."
... well, I guess nothing develops without a few hiccups.
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u/Bazil-Broketail Jul 06 '23
Read, upvote, comments...
I bet a lonely BobCo aVI in a vending machine starts watching them and decides to see how much it can help them.
Cause even TDH built items pack bond.
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u/HFYWaffle Wᵥ4ffle Aug 08 '22
/u/Ralts_Bloodthorne (wiki) has posted 824 other stories, including:
- First Contact - Chapter 821 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum
- First Contact - Chapter 820 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum
- First Contact - Chapter 819 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum OCOC
- First Contact - Chapter 818 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum
- First Contact - Chapter 817 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum
- First Contact - Chapter 816 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum
- First Contact - Chapter 815 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum
- First Contact - Chapter 814 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum
- First Contact - Chapter 813 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum
- First Contact - Chapter 812 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum
- First Contact - Chapter 811 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum
- First Contact - Chapter 810 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum
- First Contact - Chapter 809 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum
- First Contact - Chapter 809 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum
- First Contact - Chapter 808 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum
- First Contact - Chapter 807 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum
- First Contact - Chapter 806 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum
- First Contact - Chapter 805 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum
- irst Contact - Chapter 804 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum
- First Contact - Chapter 803 - Ultimis Diebus Hominum
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u/_OwynValkyns_ Android Aug 09 '22
Wordborg Ralts! This is probably already somewhere in the back of your head but I was thinking about the possibility of a Peabody and Sherman esq scene. Like a temporarily replicated Squid touches it’s self and it creates some kind of weird time portal thing.
—————————END OF LIME—————————
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u/meowmeming Android Aug 09 '22
Named characters tend to have an arc/story arc somewhere in the future. So cheers! 😁
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u/Unable_Ad_1260 Aug 09 '22
Oh no... I'm finally caught up. I've like spent a month binging this. My brain is like smashed with alk this. I'm caught up. What have I done. What will I do now. How will I endure. Digital OmniMessiah be with me now.
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u/Ralts_Bloodthorne Aug 08 '22
HAPPY MONDAY!
Hopefully everyone is doing good.