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Start your story with someone saying “Houston, we have a problem.”

Posted in Dialogue on Feb 3, 2023

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✍️ 41 stories

No Shit!

Submitted to Contest #184

“Houston, we have a problem!”“Thanks a bunch Dad. Tom Hanks is on the phone, he wants his script back.”“Sorry, love. Anything?” “NOT YET!!”“Well… keep trying!”That was the default conversation throughout my childhood whenever I needed to poop. I remember it so clearly even though it was decades ago because it defined who I would become in so many ways. For the world looking in it was a number two issue but for me it was always my number one problem with a shit-stained bullet.I still remember how it started, stupid really but I guess I w...

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Limited Support

Submitted to Contest #184

“Houston…? Hey, Houston, are you there?” “Yes, boss!” “…We have a problem…” “Okay, what’s the problem?” “The Internet is down.” “That’s more of a setback than a problem, isn’t it?” “It’s a fucking problem when I can’t load my invoices! It’s a problem when I can’t access my fucking bank account!” “Alright, alright. No need to get shirty with me. I’ll look into it.” “…Thank you…” “…Looking at the server… the server says… everything is working normal.” “So, why can’t I pull up anything on my computer?” “Dunno. Hang on a sec while I put you on h...

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When We Fly

Submitted to Contest #184

Note: This account is (mostly) true. Names have been changed per FERPA regulations.“Houston, we have a problem,” I announce unnecessarily.“More like a lot of problems,” Gabe offers. True that.Let me back up. Second period is kind of a shitshow from the start.I had almost completed the mini decathlon event our district requires teachers to accomplish during the six-minute break between classes. It is a ten-step challenge of mental and physical endurance involving equipment hookup, remote Classroom set-up, lesson coordination, media uploads, d...

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Immaculate Conception

Submitted to Contest #184

 “Houston, we have a problem.” says a concerned and frustrated Derek. “What is it, Master? My programming? My technique? Are you not satisfied?” replies an overly concerned Houston. “I have to place you in stasis while I look over a few things, Houston.” “Okay, Master.” Derek connects his neuro-transition cable into Houston's input/feed receptor controlling her neural network and fractal brain core. “Placing you in stasis---now.” Houston lies motionless on the Synaptic Link Android Base, a highly computerized surgical table also ca...

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IT'S ALL RELATIVE

Submitted to Contest #184

In the doctors' cafeteria at a prominent medical university hospital, two young physicians were discussing their current patient census. Sitting at a table at lunch, one of the two was quite annoyed. Dr. Gary Houston exasperatedly complained about one patient in particular, an elderly man in serious condition. “I can’t believe how stupid this old guy is! It took me an extra 15 minutes just trying to find out what medications he is taking. The guy couldn’t remember a single one. Look, I know the guy is sick, but come on!”His lunch m...

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What Problem?

Submitted to Contest #184

“Mission Control, Capistrano One” crackled the real-time voice link for a routine training mission on orbit around the moon. “Go ahead, Capistrano One,” responded Mission Control. “Houston, we have a problem.” A sleepy-eyed overnight crew that had been fighting to remain vigilant at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX rose in unison with drill team precision. A pregnant pause ensued as, to a man—and woman— they scanned the large mission status display at the front of the room for any anomalies or divergence from the programmed missio...

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Houston, We Have a Problem

Submitted to Contest #184

Humorously, Larry uttered, “Houston, we have a problem.”         “Dammit, this isn’t funny. This isn’t one of your documentaries that you can fix with a software program,” Dr. Grant, an egotistical PhD, snapped and huffed away.          Marcie chuckled, “Way to go, Larry, you’ve pissed off one of the docs.”          “Screw him. Either he or I will be gone in thirteen days. I understand the gravity of the situation...

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In the Shadow of the Oak Tree

Submitted to Contest #184

TW: sexual assault, mental health, religious trauma, homophobia “Houston, we have a problem!” I roll my eyes at my brother Matthew, who sits across the table from me. Maybe he’s spent too many hours watching Apollo 13, the most scandalous movie in our family’s small collection of approved DVDs, which also includes an unexpectedly sizable collection of classic sci-fi movies. “You know that phrase is so cliché,” I say. Matthew huffs in response. Though the noise sounds different from his usual sibling-rivalry sigh—a strange amalgamation ...

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My Name Is Not Shirley

Submitted to Contest #184

My Name Is Not Shirley“Houston, we have a problem.”“Dammit, Junior, stop calling me Houston! Surely you must know by now that drives me nuts.”“Sorry, Dad, but then you’ve got to stop calling me Shirley.”Reginald Q. Barnes, a/k/a Reggie, a/k/a Junior, made the Prodigal Son look like a pre-transformation Scrooge. Just two weeks after Dean Seymour’s admonition at matriculation that “your business here is learning”, Junior had set his own course- consume inordinate amounts of alcohol and lay as many bets and women as possible. Houston, a/k/a Mr....

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Stitch and Mibs Save The World

Submitted to Contest #184

Stitch: I will never forget you saying, "Houston, We Have A Problem." We did, but you helped me fix it. If you are reading this, I have gone Home. I appreciate your assistance and patience, as my early entries show my naivete and unpreparedness for your world. I leave this journal and hope it will inspire your writing. Thank you, my friend. "Mibs"PREP:A med-tech applied patches to my skin to keep my body motionless and remove memories of the experience, which they learned was most unpleasant.The team used new coordinates and logistics to ens...

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Against All Odds

Submitted to Contest #184

Houston, we have a problem. That's what the voice on the radio said and everyone in the control room held their breath. It was a quiet day at NASA, the only noise in the room was the sound of computer keys being tapped and the hum of the air conditioning. But now the control room was suddenly filled with a sense of urgency and excitement. Everyone knew that when the astronaut said those words, it meant something was seriously wrong. It was the year 2050 and the first manned mission to Mars was underway. The spacecraft was carrying four ast...

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The Apollo Mission

Submitted to Contest #184

“Houston, we have a problem.” “It’s not funny. It’s never been funny.” “Come on, Houston.” “I know you’re upset, but it wasn’t your fault.” They looked down. On the bottom of a custom-built perch was a beautiful, dead parrot. “Do you think my boss is going to care? I was supposed to take care of Apollo. I had one job.” “Technically, two.” “If we don’t figure this out, I’m going to have no job. Please just focus, Eric.” “I’m focused,” Eric said. He laughed but tried to cover it with a cough. “I’m going to lose my job and you’re laugh...

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Lost Connection

Submitted to Contest #184

Lost Connection “Houston, we have a problem! This is Stargazer. Do you read me?” “I’m sorry, commander, but all I’m picking up is static on every channel. I can’t even raise the ISS.” “The ISS is on the other side of the planet, so it makes sense we won’t be able to contact them if the Earth’s relays are down. We should be able to achieve line-of-sight communications with them in 17 minutes. Keep trying Space-X command central. In the meantime, does anyone have a theory about that inky black anomaly we just flew through?” All but one crewme...

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This is Starfinder

Submitted to Contest #184

“Houston. This is Starfinder. Captain Jay Thomas here. We…uhh…we’ve got a problem here.” Silence. Well, not quite silence, seeing as the back half of my ship is gone, along with my first mate. Cooper, my only friend on this side of the galaxy, is now lost, most of my supplies have been destroyed, and Starfinder, the one thing keeping me alive out here, has been rendered a burning, screeching, almost useless hunk of metal. But the radio has certainly never been quieter. “Houston, I repeat, this is Starfinder. Major problem; ple...

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Cape May

Submitted to Contest #184

“Houston, we have a problem.” William smiled at Stacy as he watched her splash around while directing her float over to the dock. It was good to see her smile, even in response to his lame comment. He handed her a plastic cup of wine. "Did you know that Captain Kidd pillaged these very waters in the late 17th century?" William asked, as he watched her lounge. She wore a big floppy hat and sunscreen on her nose. She nodded back and smiled. "Well, you look like a pirate. Birds of a feather . . ." William Bern had met Stacy Mills a...

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