Challenge #02032-E208: Least Threatening Silhouette
[Title: Words you learn to dread hearing. #1.] "I was only..." -- Knitnan
[AN: Once again I have to remind my dear readers that I don't usually pay attention to the titles of your prompt posts. Doing this sort of thing throws off my rhythm and I've already had a crowded day today]
Humans. They do all kinds of hazardous things without thinking about it. Playing gravity games and forgetting that other beings find these unnerving. Singing songs about death and murder[1] before realising what they are singing at the time. And now... there was this.
The human had taped a relatively blunt[2] knife to one of the cleaning droids. And affixed two 'angry eyes' to the top of its chassis. And then they set it loose.
"I was only playing a prank," was the slightly offended defence. "It's funny."
Captain Thork'z was not amused. "Recapture that cleaning droid and disarm it before someone names it, or so help me..."
There was a distant, "Ow, damnit," from one of the other ships' Humans. Followed by laughter and, "Hey guess who got zapped by Stabby!"
Human Thor at least had the decency to blush. "Uuuuhhhhm. Maybe I didn't think this through all the way?"
Captain Thork'z was so angry that she used a Human phrase, "You reckon?"
But of course, it was too late. Chitanian crewmembers learned to avoid getting score marks on their ankle carapaces and the Humans ridiculed each other for the minor cuts on their ankles and calves. Those who sat to perform their shipboard tasks pulled their feet up and out of the way whenever they heard a cleaning droid enter the room. Just in case.
The matter of how "Stabby" got its rank was a slightly more complicated story.
[1] Knowing that Humans are Deathworlders still does not prepare many cogniscents for the sheer volume of Human songs in this category. Some of them are amazingly catchy, too.
[2] It would not harm the Chitanean crewmembers, but would cause minor injuries to shipboard humans.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / amnachphoto]
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You do realise that now you have to write said story about how Stabby got its rank right XD
I already have the prompt in my queue :D
Yay!