Challenge #02391-F201: Resisting Instinct Case Files

Creatures from earth evolved for four reasons called the "Four f's", fighting, fleeing, feeding, and fuc- fornicating. -- Anon Guest

Four fine instincts to make life continue are very important on Deathworlds like Terra. Fight or Flight are just two of them. The third -Feed- keeps the living alive and the dependent upon them alive as well. The fourth... let's call it Fornicate... continues the evolving population through preference-based selection. Deathworlds have many opportunities for fatalities, therefore the compulsion to breed is at a matching high.

Well. That is what's assumed to be the norm. There's anomalies for every situation, and every normally instinctual circumstance. Starting with the most controversial...

Fornicate: Allie took more precautions than normal. Well, what passed for normal on this world. She wanted to be unapproachable, but not overtly so. Those who did the unwelcome approaching were wont to attack those they found ugly, so she balanced on the razor's edge between pretty enough to blend in and ugly enough to ignore. Her clothing was plain and staid. Another razor's edge, this time between long enough to avoid attacks and short enough to do the same. There were authorised defense objects at her ready reach and, because this was one of those worlds, a chastity belt.

One of the best on the market. The faceless they would have to kill her and dismember her to get to her there. They would blame her, they always did, but they would never force her to have a baby she never wanted. She could barely afford to keep herself alive. There was no way a child could become part of her life. She would not take any risk that would lead to that consequence.

Feed: The hunger gnawed at him. He had already eaten his rations for the day, and now it was water only until the next set of rations. Sooner or later, they promised, his stomach would shrink and become used to the short rations. Sooner or later, he would adapt and feel full. After that minor miracle, they promised, his life would turn around and he would start to look and feel fantastic.

Lenny was on the Ultimate Restriction Diet Plan, and had survived fifteen days of it so far. Like many before him, he had made it this far. Like many before him, he would not be making it much further than five more. Lenny ws more determined than many before him, he followed the strict guidelines with religious fervour. He would be one of the many who perished from the Ultimate Restriction Diet Plan.

Flight: Everyone else was running. Danni didn't. She stood just in the right spot and watched as the vehicle ploughed through tables, chairs, and display placards. She had her weapon, she had the law on her side, and she had the ability to kick some hindquarters if necessary. It was all down to knowing where to stand.

One more drunk and in charge of a vehicle for the books, one more offender off the streets. One more perpetrator removed from doing harm. She sprang the instant the car came to a halt, restraining the driver and marking the car for demolition. Sooner or later, she would stop them all.

Fight: The challenge was not in throwing the first punch. The challenge was in resolving the situation with a minimum of damage. In this case, getting all the Havenworlders -blinded by their offensensitivity screens- out of the growing danger. Hal had them chained together, hand in hand, and guiding each of their fellows away from the fracas. They had private comms, between suits, and were using those to reassure each other as they escaped.

Only once the innocents were free of danger, Hal could be free to throw the really decisive punches. If Security hadn't intervened by the time Hal was done.

[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / Iamnee]

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