135 comments

Science Fiction

Author’s Note: I kind of tweaked the prompt a little here because I had an idea that was pretty similar. It is pretty short, but I hope you enjoy it!


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“We are so close to finding it,” the wrinkled creature states, “The key to everything.”


Her skin is weathered and rough to the touch. Like an emerald-colored elephant. She is average size, not too big and not too small. Her wide blue eyes bulge out of her face, like two reflective serving bowls, shimmering with ambition.


“When the project is finally completed, we will have all the power in the universe. Power over even fate itself.”


“What is the setback then, Celestra? What is still standing in our way?” 


The voice comes from a second creature sitting behind illuminated screens. The light shines on his face, turning it an icy blue. Thousands of lines of equations, formulas, and commands are being processed by the computer, while every being in the room waits for the outputs.


“Why does this program work, Mildit?” 


“It compiles information such as how a certain species acts, what their motives are, and what has happened in the past and predicts outcomes of certain scenarios. Once completed, it will grant us the ability to see into the future.”


“Precisely,” Celestra continues, “The program operates on things that are predictable. The last obstacle standing in our way is anything but predictable. Humans.”


“They have the unfortunate habit of throwing all logic, reason, and common sense out the window if something is important enough to them. We haven’t yet found a formula to foresee how they will act when given even the smallest of choices.”


“How will we fix the program, Celestra? If humans do not work like other species in this galaxy, how do we include them in the equation?” Mildit asks. He is tired of putting limitless effort into the project when it seems to be going nowhere.


“We need to understand the deep complexities of the human mind.”


፠ ፠ ፠


Subject 12849, Adrienne 

Location: Planet Earth


“What is so special about this human, Celestra?” Mildit inquires. To him, she looks just like the rest of the specimens, with their monotonous appearances and narrow minds. Nothing about her looks worthy of his precious attention.


Celestra glances at the screen in her hand, then back at Mildit.


“After her city was hit by an earthquake, her son was buried under the rubble. She lifted an amount of rock and brick equivalent to a 30 story building in a span less than one week.” She states, her eyes skimming through reports of major events occurring on Earth as we speak.


“But that is impossible.” Mildit tells her, assuming that she misspoke, “The human body simply isn’t capable of that.” He was quite proud to be able to confidently tell his coworkers he knew everything there was to know on the subject of humans.


“Exactly,” Celestra says, simply, “What is impossible does not matter to them, not one bit. They don’t confine themselves to any set of rules. To them, everything is achievable. They do not all march in time with one drum, they each live life to the tune of a different song.”


At these words, Mildit glances at a particular graph on his screen. He created it to organize formulas for every species in the galaxy. Not another alien could even begin to decipher it, its thousands of axes made it extremely difficult to read. 


His finger falls upon a certain point on the graph. A point completely separate from the rest. While every other dot sitts huddled in a clump, this dot stands on the outside. Daring any other point to come any closer.


“Which species is that?” Celestra asks, waiting for Mildit to translate. 


“Humans, the outlier.”


፠ ፠ ፠


Mildit requests a private meeting with Celestra that afternoon, and she replies by asking him to come down to her section of the ship.


Being one of the most talented and influential scientists on the ship, she has a quite luxurious office. The walls are covered floor to ceiling with displays playing footage of major events on every planet in the galaxy.


“How is the project coming along?” She asks him as he sits down in his chair. She was never one for small talk, always preferring to get straight to the point. 


Mildit takes a deep breath preparing himself to tell her what he came here to say, “I believe it is a dead end.”


“What?” Celestra asks, confused by his change in spirit. Ever since they began, the project seemed to mean the world to him. He seemed willing to do anything as long as it would result in their kind being able to peek into the future.


“They are not something made to be controlled. We will gain much more power observing them and learning about their way of life. There truly isn’t anything else like them in the galaxy.” 


Celestra considers his suggestion for a minute, the gears visibly turning inside her head. Her face then straightens and hardens making it apparent she has come to a conclusion.


“Well, Mildit, in the case that our species ever comes in contact with theirs, I would like to understand them better. From now on, I am appointing you head of human studies.” Celestra pronounces, dismissing the other alien with a wave of her hand.


Her wisdom has accumulated over the years, and she knows that anything unique is powerful.


፠ ፠ ፠


Mildit sits down at his computer screen, his mind weary from trying to solve the puzzle called humans. He opens up a file on the screen where he has put every last miniscule detail about their species, everything he has learned the lifetime he spent watching them.


He scrolls to the bottom of the text and positions his hands daintily in front of the keyboard, ready to type out the information consuming his thoughts.


He decides to format it as a list, practical and straight to the point. He prefers everything to be organized from his words to his thoughts.


Humans:


1- They are as unpredictable as the weather on their planet.


2- Impossible is not a word in their vocabulary.


3- Determination and desire are their strengths.


4- Their unpredictability makes them uncontrollable.


5- They are extra ordinary, and at the same time, extraordinary.


December 18, 2020 05:04

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135 comments

Maya -
05:07 Dec 18, 2020

Thank you so much for reading my story!!! I would love your opinions and would be happy to read and comment on anyone's story. :)

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Skylar Rose
17:50 Dec 18, 2020

This was really good! The names, and the world, and the descriptions, everything was on point! Nice job!

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Maya -
19:44 Dec 18, 2020

Thanks so much, Skylar!!!

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Skylar Rose
19:46 Dec 18, 2020

Of course!

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GRACE LARSON
21:22 Dec 22, 2020

Wonderful story!! Really cool idea of having aliens describe what we're like!! Also great descriptions - I especially loved the lines at the beginning describing Celestra:) Keep on writing!!

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Maya -
21:26 Dec 22, 2020

Thank you so much, Grace! I thought it would be funny to have the aliens describing the humans since they are so much more advanced and informed than us. :D

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GRACE LARSON
01:37 Dec 23, 2020

Lol yas:)

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Maya -
01:40 Dec 23, 2020

:)

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Nainika Gupta
20:52 Dec 22, 2020

Hey maya!! This was super unique and creative!! awesome job :)

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Maya -
21:03 Dec 22, 2020

Thanks so much!!! I upvoted you :D

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Nainika Gupta
21:05 Dec 22, 2020

Aww, thanks!! I'll do the same :)

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Maya -
21:06 Dec 22, 2020

You don't have to, but if you do thanks in advance :)

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Nainika Gupta
21:06 Dec 22, 2020

Yes I do :) I don't mind, you're welcome!!

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Maya -
21:10 Dec 22, 2020

I put your stories on my to read list (which is way too long :D ) but I can't wait to read them!

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B. W.
05:58 Dec 21, 2020

New thread, do ya maybe wanna hear some jokes?

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Maya -
14:07 Dec 21, 2020

Sure!!!

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Writers Block
18:23 Dec 20, 2020

I like the 5 checkpoints at the end as well as the comparison of different lifeforms.

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Maya -
19:09 Dec 20, 2020

Thank you so much! :)

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17:06 Dec 20, 2020

This is a super creative and awesome story! I loved everything about it.

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Maya -
17:47 Dec 20, 2020

Thanks so much! I upvoted you. :)

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14:09 Dec 21, 2020

OMG tysm!

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Maya -
14:32 Dec 21, 2020

You're welcome! :D

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01:36 Dec 22, 2020

HEY Maya just saying I JUST started reading the Hunger games (I know, I know, I should've read it like, years ago), but I just started and I'm loving it!! btw, when i say "just started" i mean I'm 10 mins into the book lol. happy holidays! 😂😉😝

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Maya -
01:40 Dec 22, 2020

Yay!!! I'm so glad you're reading it! I finished the first book in like a day because it's one of those books that you just can't put down. :) It's a great thing to read when you have time on break. Have fun! :D

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01:36 Dec 22, 2020

And just wondering, when does your winter break start bcs mine starts on Wednesday...so I'll be on reedsy for like, forever :P

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Philip Clayberg
20:41 Dec 18, 2020

I liked your story. Thank you for writing it. I wonder what your scientists would've said about the Vogons in Douglas Adams' book, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy": "Big, ugly, yellow spaceships. Less charm and personality than a slug has. About as pleasant to be with as quicksand. Their moods are unpredictably explosive like a blind man wandering around in a minefield. Avoid at all costs."

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Maya -
20:43 Dec 18, 2020

Thanks so much! Lol, I've never heard of that book before. :)

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Philip Clayberg
21:01 Dec 18, 2020

You're welcome. I remember when it first came out in 1979. I think I "borrowed" my middle brother's copy of it. Along with his copy of its sequel, "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe". I think I have an omnibus that has all five "Hitchhikers" books in it, but I haven't reread that in awhile. I prefer the first two books, but you might like more of them than I do. Sadly there won't be any more "Hitchhikers" books because the author died in 2001 (I think he was 50 at the time and in good shape). He also wrote two Dirk Gently book...

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Maya -
21:05 Dec 18, 2020

Thanks for the information, I'll look into that. :)

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Philip Clayberg
21:27 Dec 18, 2020

You're welcome. The HHGttG omnibus might not be available in bookstores like Barnes & Noble, but you might find it at used bookstores (if you have any in your area).

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Maya -
21:31 Dec 18, 2020

Great! I love science fiction books and I am a believer of aliens. :)

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B. W.
16:48 Dec 23, 2020

heya

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Maya -
16:51 Dec 23, 2020

howdy :) how are you?

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B. W.
17:00 Dec 23, 2020

I guess im fine

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Maya -
17:06 Dec 23, 2020

That's good :)

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B. W.
17:37 Dec 23, 2020

ya think so?

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Maya -
21:51 Dec 23, 2020

Is it not?

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