Challenge #02221-F031: The Wager Motivation
Humans have a way of betting that causes the right people for a particular challenge to attempt what is at the time seemingly impossible.
An Inducement prize Contest like the "Ansari X prize" for making the first reusable private Spacecraft, or a Wager like the story of "Around the world in 80 days", even just friends and the ole "Hold my beer".
Humans strive to do the impossible because they like to win. It's in the DNA -- Adam from Darwin
The quickest way to change a Human's mind about something is the phrase, "Bet a [Currency Unit]?" or, "Bet you a [Currency Unit] you can." This will result in a sudden interest in making the protested event occur. Ridiculously small amounts of trade tokens can motivate Humans to extraordinary lengths.
The most extreme example was the Rout of Arctus XVII. Two installations were down and the third was in peril. Half the survivors didn't have livesuits and the team Human was out of their depth. The attacking Szarkys had been shooting down every escape pod launched and there was only one left.
"They take ten minutes to aim," said Gorz, the surviving doctor. "If we could somehow supercharge the launch vehicle..." Ze looked. Their Human was already shaking their head. They had the look of a Human who was giving up. "And I bet you five Tharrok that you can."
Ze could see the light dawn in Human Bev's eyes. Desperation had birthed inspiration, and from that... the true chaotic genius of Humankind.
"I'm gonna need to talk to the base's gravy drive, real quick."
The eventual kludge vessel was more-or-less the life pod ductaped to the base's gravity drive and a few wall panels welded on for armour. It blasted out of the base with the assistance of ordinary household chemicals and launched beyond the reach of the Szarkys weapons before they knew what was going on. Inside, some improvised stasis pods kept the Havenworlders safe while Gorz and Human Bev did their best to pilot a ship where the steering mechanism was where one placed the virtual gravity well in front of them.
It was clumsy, it was slapdash, it was three good sneezes away from falling apart at the seams, but they made it to Haven Station alive.
Most importantly, Human Bev won their five Tharrok, with which they purchased a hot fudge sundae.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / pklick360]
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