Betty Adams's Blog, page 88

How Small that Life

Remember kids! Alien microbes, sentient or not, are loads of fun and add many fascinating layers to your world. Don't forget your germs. 

Trees and Such

My lungs hate me. Fortunately there are trees. 

Hey Look A Book

Nothing to see here. Just a little shameless self promotion. Go look for cleverness elsewhere today. I hear there is a lot of that on the internet. 

Humans are Weird - Cold Sores

Humans are Weird – Cold Sores


​“Yeah, so I‘m pretty sure from what the medical computer says that this won’t be contagious but it’s a viral out brake and I don’t know whether my implant works on skin conditions like this.”
Quilx’tch stood behind his commander as they listened to the slightly slurred voice of the audio only communication coming from the human who had locked himself in his quarters. The nutritional anthropologist was concerned. Any time the term viral out brake was used it was time for concern. But the human had willingly isolated himself and after all, human. It wasn’t like they were so fragile as to be taken out by their own internal microbes.
He signaled his approval of the course of action to the commander but held up one leg to stop him before the formal order was given.
“You mentioned that the symptom was visible on your face?” Quilx’tch asked. “This ‘cold sore’.”
“Yeah Quick,” the human responded. “It’s a doozy too.”
“A doozy?” Quilx’tch asked.
“Especially big and red.” The human explained.
Quilx’tch clicked in confirmation and rubbed his primary manipulators together, trying not to sound too eager, but the human seemed to hear it anyway. The human laughed.
“Do you really want to see it Quick?” He asked.
“It would be for science,” Quilx’tch insisted but he could not restrain the eagerness in his voice. “These types of surface irritations are rare amount chitenous species like ours for the mere reason that they can so easily be fatal and-“
His voice cut off and he bristled in horror as the human activated the visual connection. The human blinked in surprise and his face broke into an amused grin.

“Ya’ll’re so cute when ya puff up like that,” the human said.
“You are bleeding,” the commander said, his legs tight with disgust and fear. “You smiled and now you are bleeding from your mandibles.”
“Lips,” the human corrected, idly reaching up to dab at the blood and puss leaking from the lesion on his skin. “My mandible is inside and I only have one.”
“Pustule is covering nearly twenty percent of your visible endothelial surface,” Quilx’tch said when he could finally bring himself to speak.
“Yeah,” the human squinted at him in bland confusion as he replied. “If you say so I guess. I figured this’d freak you little guys out. You know cuz your exoskeleton integrity is so important to you. It’s why I decided to stay in till this healed. Suggested protocol from the Ranger Core.”
Quilx’tch quickly drew himself up into a less horrified stature. “Yes, yes, and as I recall human surface damage is not nearly so hazardous. So you are quite well? I can’t bring you anything to aid your recovery from the galley.”
“Well some of those fresh berries would be nice,” the human admitted. “Fresh fruit always has been a Navy man’s best friend.”
“I will pick some myself immediately,” Quilx’tch said, backing out of the room. “The commander can finish the communication.”
He was well aware that he had left the room with less dignity that he had ever possessed but he felt no qualms about leaving that revolting sight to the commander. He shuddered from hair tip to hair tip. Cold sores. Oh dear this was going to be a report and a half. 

Let's Play a Game - And do a Book Review "Thrawn"

Guess what the weather is like outside right now!  Guess! Guess! 
You will never guess. 
Because it CHANGES EVERY FIVE MINUTES. 
But insulation is important. That, and having good books to read. Like the new "Thrawn" comic book by Marvel. 



​
It was a delightful read with excellent art that worked well with the cut down version of Zahn's novel. The artists really managed to capture both Thrwan and Vanto in the classic Star Wars comic style. 
I eagerly await book two. 

Sprained Wrist Friday

Guess who sprained (lightly) both of her wrists today? 

Humans are Space Orcs

Story Idea - Charge of the Dead

Sometimes an author gets a story idea that makes them question their humanity. 
Like: Oh! Story idea! The murder of an entire military force in the worst, most morally repugnant way known to humanity, and then they blow up a city ship!

And then the author's brain proceeds to detail how exactly an entire space navy could take out a city ship after being dead...

​Fun extra fact. Actually inspired by real life events! 

Wednesday Wisdom Flowers

Take a moment to stop and smell the mountain asters. 

Tuesday Thoughts Dragons

Always best to have a dragon guarding your hoard!

.....

Unless you want to sell your books and the dragon objects. That can be a problem. I mean the lack of sales can be offset with online sales but the personal injury lawsuits can really impact your end of year profits. 

​Still dragons are cool. 

Humans are Weird - Pepper

Humans are Weird – Pepper

​“Who the flying flip keeps hiding the pepper?” Mack Dodge snarled out as he slammed the salt shaker onto the counter by the heating surface.  
“Flying flip?” another human asked with a grin from where he sat eating a bowl of oatmeal at the table.
“Headquarters says I need to share less cultural knowledge with this base,” Mack said, rolling his eyes as he brought his plate of scrambled eggs to the table.
The dull grey wall of the makeshift kitchen crowded in over their heads. The Undulates had given the humans the largest storage bay on their base for this common space but the breadbox sized aliens had never built the structure with two-meter tall bipeds in mind. Mack sighed as he salted his eggs.
“Seriously Bob,” he said. “This is the third day running that the pepper has been missing.”
“Eat oatmeal instead,” Bob suggested with a grin.
Mack glared at him.
“Helping,” Bob said in a singsong tone.
“Yesterday I found it in storage bay six,” Mack continued as Bob returned to his oatmeal. “The day before that I found it with the lost and found box at the security desk.”
“Well I never touch the stuff,” Bob pointed out. “Can’t blame me.”
“Well there are only seven humans on this base,” Mack observed. “The pool of suspects is pretty small.”
“There are forty-odd Undulates on the base however,” Bob said.
“What would they want with our pepper?” Mack asked. “Capsaicin isn’t technically a poison for them but they don’t go in for painful food.”
The conversation was interrupted by a chime that announced the arrival of one of their hosts. Mack and Bob turned to glance at the small opening in the door that served the Undulates. The dusky red Undulate came in and waved his gripping appendages cheerfully at them.
“And what motile dust mop graces us with his presence today?” Bob asked cheerfully.
Mack winced at the sheer number of diplomatic regulations that question broke, and not for the first time thanked heaven that the Undulates were so enthusiastic and forgiving.
“I am Spins Madly,” the Undulate replied. His tones were flat with effort. He had clearly learned human grammar but was still struggling with emotional expression. However from the way his motile appendages jumped around under him  the Undulate was excited or agitated. “I am the Quartermaster for the station and…” The Undulate hesitated and the humans gave him time to work out his words. “I believe the proper translation is station safety officer.”
“Well hello then Spins Madly,” Bob said, giving a wave. “How can we help you?”
“There has been a safety violation in this space for three days running,” Spins Madly said arching his gripping appendages in a gesture that indicated either frustration or perplexity.
“Really now?” Bob asked his grin spreading. “What violation was that?”
“I found raw ingredients for the non-lethal defense canisters next to the heating surface for food preparation,” Spins Madly said.
“And you moved them to a safer location?” Mack asked with a groan.
Spins Madly stilled thoughtfully, and then quickly scrambled to align himself towards the object of his attention, clearly remembering that humans were an aiming species. Bob burst out laughing.
“Have fun explaining why some humans eat pepper when the smart ones use it for a weapon,” Bob said as he picked up his bowl and left the table.
“You eat raw capsaicin?” Spins Madly asked Mack.
Mack tried not to laugh at how the quartermaster remembered halfway through the sentence to add tones of astonishment.
“It is called pepper when we dry and eat it,” he said with a sigh.
This was going to be fun.