Betty Adams's Blog, page 103

The Car is In the Shop

Planning to rescue ones car from the shop is tricky business. 

E-Mails and Such

Nothing raises the eyebrows quite like showing up to work to an all staff e-mail that begins:

"I can explain." 

We did find the missing arrowheads though. 

On another note I apologize for the lack of updates. Simply put the internet at my current location is rather sad. It is good internet overall but rather overloaded. Like when there is far too many fans in the line at the convention. You still want to get in, you just have to wait. 

Humans are Weird - Seeds

​Humans are Weird - Seeds

​Quilx’tch woke to a very peculiar grinding noise. He shook off the foggy webs of sleep and slipped out from under the ‘comforter’ that his particular human friend on his last posting had made him and walked to the edge of his bunk. He rotated his primary eyes to locate the source of the sound. Perhaps unsurprisingly it was coming from his current roommate. A young human with decidedly unhealthy sleep habits. Said human was currently sitting hunched in front of a projected display that appeared to be other humans in a large city of sorts. The grinding sound appeared to be coming from his mouth.
Quilx’tch felt his sensory hairs perk with interest.
“What are you eating Scotty?” Quilx’tch asked eagerly.
“Just some almonds,” Scotty replied  absently holding out one hand, palm up to display several tapered ovaloids. “I wanted some protein to see me through this episode.”
“I have never seen this food source,”  Quilx’tch said scurrying along the shelf that wrapped around their room so that he paused just over the proffered food.
“Sure you have,” Scotty said. “The cook puts them in the smoothies all the time. Great source of protein.”
Quilx’tch clicked in confirmation and carefully picked up the surprisingly heavy object. He clicked in surprise as he examined it.
“Pardon me Scotty,” Quilx’tch said. “But is this a dormant stage seed?”
“The almonds?” Scotty replied. “I guess so. I think they come from trees.”
“Trees,” Quilx’tch said a bit flatly. “You are eating unprocessed, dormant stage, tree seeds?”
Scotty looked at him curiously. “Yeah, so?”
Quilx’tch pondered how to phrase his question. “Exactly how much pressure are your jaws capable of producing?”
“Scratch if I know,” Scotty said.
Quilx’tch flexed his gripping appendages over the hard mass of biomatter, calculating how much power it must take to grind the seed into the requisite paste humans preferred to digest. A tiny shiver ran over his carapace at that thought of that destructive power. It was probably a good thing their mouth opening were so small.  Still there was a wealth of knowledge to be gained here. Such destructive force must leave tell-tale signs on the human’s bodies. He might even be able to use those signs to determine a method for figuring out human diet just from observing these patterns.
Fascinating. 

Flowers

There are pretty flowers in the world.

Rum Smugglers in Sailing Ships

Here is an old story that still has some legs on it. Who was watching the American coast for German subs in WWII? Rum smugglers in sailing ships that's who. And some other brave souls but the rum smugglers is where the mini-series is. 

When the Clouds Begin to Clear

Just a pretty picture for a calm day off. 

Go Away

One could postulate a truly solitary species. One that reproduces by cloning. Carries a genetic memory. When they reach the stars the find great joy in spreading out and being the only sentient being in a system. And then humans find them. The most benign image that comes to mind is humans following these lone wanderers around like intergalactic kittens begging to be picked up. Imagine some more social species being shocked to get a transmission from these loners. They are less shocked when it is about humans. 

"I do not know! It just followed me back to my travel vessel and now I can't get it to leave!" 

Story Time

The scientist stands by a busy sidewalk collecting data points.
​
A pair of women walk by. They are on the far side of middle age, trim and fit. Everything about them says with calm dignity that they are professionals on vacation; from their neatly trimmed silver hair, to the crisp seams on their causal clothes. Possibly college professors of some practical art or administrators in some terribly efficient company. 

"You see, you either do it." The first woman says in a crisp and serious tone. "Or you do not do it." 

 The conversations drifts by the scientist  as they pass at a power walk. 

"There is no try." The woman continues as the pass out of hearing.

For a long moment the scientist stares after them wishing to follow and figure out where that conversation came from and where on (or off) Earth is was going...

Tuesday Thoughts

There is a fine line between researching and wasting time while ignoring your writer's block. Learn it. 

Humans are Weird - Regulation

Alliance Coalition Safety and Health Regulation 574.328 Subfile 749 Topic-Inter-species Interactions in Formal Settings

If a human crew member requests any volume/weight/length of substance that is in any reasonable measure explosive/flammable/reactive under the standard range of pressure, reflectivity, and temperature found of Alliance ships you are to determine exactly what they intend to do with it before providing it. The human must provide exact details of their intentions for every measurement or it will not be provided to them.  

Addendum 1: "I have a really cool idea." is not sufficient explanation. 
Addendum 2: The presence of moderately hazardous vermin is never sufficient explanation and should the human in question attempt to use it as such they should be immediately reported to the commanding officer. 
Alteration 1: *under conditions no less that two standard deviations away from the standard range of pressure, reflectivity, and temperature found of Alliance ships and on worlds frequented by Alliance away teams.
Alteration 2: *under conditions where a human can survive for more than five minutes with a standard survival gear set.

***

Addendum 145: It is to be assumed that if there is a human on your crew there will be spontaneous explosions/ignitions/reactions. All ships hosting humans, or likely to host humans, or likely to pass near ships hosting humans will take appropriate cautions. Please see- Alliance Coalition Safety and Health Regulation 1453.245 Subfile 543 Topic-Inter-species Interactions in Formal Settings