I've just thought of a challenge for you (or anyone else who wants to
accept it): Write a story with the following ingredients:
- a "tremendously huge space rodent"
- Mozart
- Beka hitting Harper with a cucumber
- Tyr saying, "You'd be surprised of what you can learn from Charles Dickens."
- someone of the crew trying to talk another one into kissing the "tremendously huge space rodent"
- 1113 muffins
- the phrase, "Live long and prosper!" Well, I don't know if that's possible, but (if you want) try not to write a funny story! [pic] Best wishes, Satansrobot who is really hoping that this challenge is accepted [pic]
****
Beka and Dylan stood side by side in the docking back. They were staring at Trance and her new "friend" in shock.
"Trance, exactly what is that?" Dylan asked as casually as he could.
"This is Bambi. He is a shribler. It is a kind of space rodent. He can live in space or in an atmosphere."
"That is not just a space rodent, Trance." Beka said with a catch in voice. "That is a tremendously HUGE space rodent."
"Beka's right, he is kind of, uhmm, big." Dylan said.
"Oh, don't worry. This is a huge ship. He won't take up any room at all." Trance said, reaching down to pet the soft blue fur of the creature beside her.
"You can't seriously be thinking of keeping that thing?" Beka asked incredulously.
"Oh please, Beka!" Trance begged, her eyes tearing up. "He was all alone and it has been such a long time since I had a real pet and I can't just shove him out the airlock. Well, I could because he can live in space but I don't want to. Please, can I keep him?"
The two Captains exchanged a look. They knew that no matter what argument they presented, their purple-pixie would find some way to get around it. Sighing in resignation, Dylan spoke.
"Okay, Trance but it stays in Hydroponics and if it causes any trouble, it is gone. Deal?"
"Deal. Don't worry, Dylan. I promise Bambi will be good." Grinning happily, Trance led the creature out of the docking bay.
"Why do I feel like I just made a very big mistake?" Dylan asked Beka.
"Did you see how huge that thing was!" she demanded in return. "Of course you made a mistake. But knowing Trance, you never really stood a chance of deciding anything different."
Trance made her way to Hydroponics with her newly acquired pet trailing after her. When she reached her destination, she found it already occupied. Tyr was stretched out on a blanket beneath one of her larger trees. He had his head propped up on one hand while using the other one to turn the pages of the book he was reading. He had Mozart playing softly in the background as he read.
Before she could stop him, Bambi bounded over to Tyr and began poking his long snout into Tyr's hair. Tyr quickly rolled over, drawing his side arm and pointing it at the creature. Trance threw herself in front of Bambi.
"Tyr, don't shoot, please!" she screamed.
"What the hell is that thing?" He asked, keeping his gun pointed at the animal.
"This is Bambi." Trance said proudly. "Dylan said I could keep him."
"He would." Tyr sneered, rolling his eyes heavenward. "I am warning you now, if that thing comes near me again, I will blow a hole in it and use its fur for a pillow. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal." Trance gulped.
"Good." Tyr bent down to retrieve his blanket but was unable to find his book. He began looking around for it and finally spied it under Bambi's paw.
"Your pet seems to be standing on my property." He growled.
Trance quickly bent down and picked up the book, handing it to Tyr.
"I don't get why you like to read those books when you are always criticizing Earth and its people." She said curiously.
"Even humans, occasionally, produce someone worthy of attention." Tyr said grudgingly. "And you would be surprised of what you can learn from Charles Dickens."
Once more in possession of his property, Tyr turned and stalked out of Hydroponics, leaving Trance to stare wonderingly after him.
The next morning Harper and Beka walked into the kitchen to get breakfast. They were astounded to find Trance, looking exhausted, and covered in flour, placing a plate of muffins on the floor where Bambi was happily gobbling them up.
Trance looked up when they walked in and gave them a wan smile.
"It seems that the only thing he likes to eat is bran muffins." She said with a sigh.
Noticing the mess, Beka asked, "And just how many has he already eaten?"
"One thousand one hundred and thirteen." Trance sighed again. "I have been cooking them since three a.m."
"If it were me, I would just cook up the critter and save myself a lot of trouble." Harper muttered softly where only Beka could hear him.
"Hush." She warned, grabbing a cucumber off the counter and hitting him over the head with it. "You will upset her."
"Ouch!" he cried out.
"Is something wrong, Harper?" Trance asked looking up from stirring more muffin mix.
"Uh, no, just my stomach grumbling because I am hungry." He said, giving Beka a sullen glance.
"Mmmm." Trance mumbled, going back to her mixing. "I don't understand why he is so hungry. I didn't think shribler's ate this much." She said, shaking her head.
"Well, you did say this one was alone. Maybe he just hasn't had a lot of food lately." Beka said, grabbing a banana and leaving. The sight of the rodent was causing her to lose her appetite.
'No rat should EVER be allowed to get that big.' She thought with a shudder.
"So, Trance." Harper said, carefully avoiding the shribler as he made his way to one of the tables with a plate of food. "Exactly how much do you know about those things?" He cast a wary eye at the blue animal that was still happily munching on the muffins.
"Well, not a whole lot really; just the basics. They aren't very common creatures. I haven't seen one in several cent. in several years." She said. "I was really surprised when I saw him."
"How do you it is a him?" Harper asked mischievously. "I mean there aren't any identifying.things." He grinned, looking down at Bambi, who it seemed was finally satiated from the muffins and had rolled onto its back with its legs it the air. Indeed the creature did not seem to possess any anatomical features.
"Well, I," Trance paused. "I don't really know. I just assumed it was a he." She frowned and continued looking at her new friend, considering Harper's question.
Later that morning, Trance stood in medical with Rommie.
"Are you absolutely sure?" Trance asked for the third time.
"Yes, Trance." Rommie said. "I have run the scans three times. Each has had the same results. Bambi is going to be a mommy."
A tear escaped Trance's eye and rolled down her cheek. "I guess I had better let Dylan know." She said sadly.
"Okay, let me see if I have this straight." Dylan said with a disbelieving shake of his head. "Bambi is a she not a he. And she is pregnant. And as soon as she has the babies, she will die?"
"Yes. It's the reason why the shribler's aren't the most proliferating species. They only mate when they are close to the end of their life because the females do not survive giving birth." Trance sniffed.
"I am really sorry, Trance. I know how much you liked having her as a pet." Beka said consolingly while secretly glad the thing would be gone soon. Rats gave her the creeps, especially huge blue rats.
"I suppose you could keep one of the little ones." Dylan said reluctantly, ignoring the death look Beka gave him. "About how many will she have anyway?"
"Anywhere from six to twelve. But I can't keep them. The little ones won't be able to live under atmospheric conditions until they are about four years old. We will need to find a safe area of space where Bambi can give birth and they can grow up." Trance said, wiping her nose on her purple hankie.
"How long until she has them?" Beka asked.
"Probably not long." Trance said.
"Then I guess I better start looking for someplace for them." Beka said, heading off to command.
"Will you be okay?" Dylan asked.
"Yes. It's the cycle of life, Dylan. No one understands that better than I do." She said cryptically before going back to be with Bambi.
Dylan shook his head and muttered, "I will never understand that one."
Everyone was gathered together around one of the escape pod hatches. Harper had rigged one of the pods so that it would open in space after they launched it. That way the babies could get out once Bambi had given birth.
Trance guided Bambi into the pod and bent down to hug the furry creature. She placed a sad kiss upon Bambi's blue head. Bambi licked her cheek in return. Standing up, Trance turned to the others.
"Anyone else want to kiss her goodbye?" she asked. "Harper? Do you want to say goodbye to her?"
"I can say goodbye from here." He said uncomfortably. "And ain't no way I am kissing her." He said as a shudder ran down his spine. Looking down at her, he quickly reached out and petted her pointed ears and muttered, "Bye, Bambi. I know your luck is about out but I really hope your babies live long and prosper." The joke fell flat even on his ears.
"Trance, if we are going to do this, we really need to do it now." Beka said gently.
"I know. Just give me one more minute." Trance sobbed.
Eventually everyone left, leaving Trance alone with her pet. Giving her one last hug, Trance shut the pod door and launched it into space.
She cried all the way to the observation deck. Looking out the window, she saw the door to the pod open. Bambi still lay in the pod. As if sensing Trance watching, she raised her head and looked toward the Andromeda.
"I will never forget you Bambi." Trance said, laying her forehead against the glass and watching, as the small figure grew even smaller as Andromeda began to move away.
- Mozart
- Beka hitting Harper with a cucumber
- Tyr saying, "You'd be surprised of what you can learn from Charles Dickens."
- someone of the crew trying to talk another one into kissing the "tremendously huge space rodent"
- 1113 muffins
- the phrase, "Live long and prosper!" Well, I don't know if that's possible, but (if you want) try not to write a funny story! [pic] Best wishes, Satansrobot who is really hoping that this challenge is accepted [pic]
****
Beka and Dylan stood side by side in the docking back. They were staring at Trance and her new "friend" in shock.
"Trance, exactly what is that?" Dylan asked as casually as he could.
"This is Bambi. He is a shribler. It is a kind of space rodent. He can live in space or in an atmosphere."
"That is not just a space rodent, Trance." Beka said with a catch in voice. "That is a tremendously HUGE space rodent."
"Beka's right, he is kind of, uhmm, big." Dylan said.
"Oh, don't worry. This is a huge ship. He won't take up any room at all." Trance said, reaching down to pet the soft blue fur of the creature beside her.
"You can't seriously be thinking of keeping that thing?" Beka asked incredulously.
"Oh please, Beka!" Trance begged, her eyes tearing up. "He was all alone and it has been such a long time since I had a real pet and I can't just shove him out the airlock. Well, I could because he can live in space but I don't want to. Please, can I keep him?"
The two Captains exchanged a look. They knew that no matter what argument they presented, their purple-pixie would find some way to get around it. Sighing in resignation, Dylan spoke.
"Okay, Trance but it stays in Hydroponics and if it causes any trouble, it is gone. Deal?"
"Deal. Don't worry, Dylan. I promise Bambi will be good." Grinning happily, Trance led the creature out of the docking bay.
"Why do I feel like I just made a very big mistake?" Dylan asked Beka.
"Did you see how huge that thing was!" she demanded in return. "Of course you made a mistake. But knowing Trance, you never really stood a chance of deciding anything different."
Trance made her way to Hydroponics with her newly acquired pet trailing after her. When she reached her destination, she found it already occupied. Tyr was stretched out on a blanket beneath one of her larger trees. He had his head propped up on one hand while using the other one to turn the pages of the book he was reading. He had Mozart playing softly in the background as he read.
Before she could stop him, Bambi bounded over to Tyr and began poking his long snout into Tyr's hair. Tyr quickly rolled over, drawing his side arm and pointing it at the creature. Trance threw herself in front of Bambi.
"Tyr, don't shoot, please!" she screamed.
"What the hell is that thing?" He asked, keeping his gun pointed at the animal.
"This is Bambi." Trance said proudly. "Dylan said I could keep him."
"He would." Tyr sneered, rolling his eyes heavenward. "I am warning you now, if that thing comes near me again, I will blow a hole in it and use its fur for a pillow. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal." Trance gulped.
"Good." Tyr bent down to retrieve his blanket but was unable to find his book. He began looking around for it and finally spied it under Bambi's paw.
"Your pet seems to be standing on my property." He growled.
Trance quickly bent down and picked up the book, handing it to Tyr.
"I don't get why you like to read those books when you are always criticizing Earth and its people." She said curiously.
"Even humans, occasionally, produce someone worthy of attention." Tyr said grudgingly. "And you would be surprised of what you can learn from Charles Dickens."
Once more in possession of his property, Tyr turned and stalked out of Hydroponics, leaving Trance to stare wonderingly after him.
The next morning Harper and Beka walked into the kitchen to get breakfast. They were astounded to find Trance, looking exhausted, and covered in flour, placing a plate of muffins on the floor where Bambi was happily gobbling them up.
Trance looked up when they walked in and gave them a wan smile.
"It seems that the only thing he likes to eat is bran muffins." She said with a sigh.
Noticing the mess, Beka asked, "And just how many has he already eaten?"
"One thousand one hundred and thirteen." Trance sighed again. "I have been cooking them since three a.m."
"If it were me, I would just cook up the critter and save myself a lot of trouble." Harper muttered softly where only Beka could hear him.
"Hush." She warned, grabbing a cucumber off the counter and hitting him over the head with it. "You will upset her."
"Ouch!" he cried out.
"Is something wrong, Harper?" Trance asked looking up from stirring more muffin mix.
"Uh, no, just my stomach grumbling because I am hungry." He said, giving Beka a sullen glance.
"Mmmm." Trance mumbled, going back to her mixing. "I don't understand why he is so hungry. I didn't think shribler's ate this much." She said, shaking her head.
"Well, you did say this one was alone. Maybe he just hasn't had a lot of food lately." Beka said, grabbing a banana and leaving. The sight of the rodent was causing her to lose her appetite.
'No rat should EVER be allowed to get that big.' She thought with a shudder.
"So, Trance." Harper said, carefully avoiding the shribler as he made his way to one of the tables with a plate of food. "Exactly how much do you know about those things?" He cast a wary eye at the blue animal that was still happily munching on the muffins.
"Well, not a whole lot really; just the basics. They aren't very common creatures. I haven't seen one in several cent. in several years." She said. "I was really surprised when I saw him."
"How do you it is a him?" Harper asked mischievously. "I mean there aren't any identifying.things." He grinned, looking down at Bambi, who it seemed was finally satiated from the muffins and had rolled onto its back with its legs it the air. Indeed the creature did not seem to possess any anatomical features.
"Well, I," Trance paused. "I don't really know. I just assumed it was a he." She frowned and continued looking at her new friend, considering Harper's question.
Later that morning, Trance stood in medical with Rommie.
"Are you absolutely sure?" Trance asked for the third time.
"Yes, Trance." Rommie said. "I have run the scans three times. Each has had the same results. Bambi is going to be a mommy."
A tear escaped Trance's eye and rolled down her cheek. "I guess I had better let Dylan know." She said sadly.
"Okay, let me see if I have this straight." Dylan said with a disbelieving shake of his head. "Bambi is a she not a he. And she is pregnant. And as soon as she has the babies, she will die?"
"Yes. It's the reason why the shribler's aren't the most proliferating species. They only mate when they are close to the end of their life because the females do not survive giving birth." Trance sniffed.
"I am really sorry, Trance. I know how much you liked having her as a pet." Beka said consolingly while secretly glad the thing would be gone soon. Rats gave her the creeps, especially huge blue rats.
"I suppose you could keep one of the little ones." Dylan said reluctantly, ignoring the death look Beka gave him. "About how many will she have anyway?"
"Anywhere from six to twelve. But I can't keep them. The little ones won't be able to live under atmospheric conditions until they are about four years old. We will need to find a safe area of space where Bambi can give birth and they can grow up." Trance said, wiping her nose on her purple hankie.
"How long until she has them?" Beka asked.
"Probably not long." Trance said.
"Then I guess I better start looking for someplace for them." Beka said, heading off to command.
"Will you be okay?" Dylan asked.
"Yes. It's the cycle of life, Dylan. No one understands that better than I do." She said cryptically before going back to be with Bambi.
Dylan shook his head and muttered, "I will never understand that one."
Everyone was gathered together around one of the escape pod hatches. Harper had rigged one of the pods so that it would open in space after they launched it. That way the babies could get out once Bambi had given birth.
Trance guided Bambi into the pod and bent down to hug the furry creature. She placed a sad kiss upon Bambi's blue head. Bambi licked her cheek in return. Standing up, Trance turned to the others.
"Anyone else want to kiss her goodbye?" she asked. "Harper? Do you want to say goodbye to her?"
"I can say goodbye from here." He said uncomfortably. "And ain't no way I am kissing her." He said as a shudder ran down his spine. Looking down at her, he quickly reached out and petted her pointed ears and muttered, "Bye, Bambi. I know your luck is about out but I really hope your babies live long and prosper." The joke fell flat even on his ears.
"Trance, if we are going to do this, we really need to do it now." Beka said gently.
"I know. Just give me one more minute." Trance sobbed.
Eventually everyone left, leaving Trance alone with her pet. Giving her one last hug, Trance shut the pod door and launched it into space.
She cried all the way to the observation deck. Looking out the window, she saw the door to the pod open. Bambi still lay in the pod. As if sensing Trance watching, she raised her head and looked toward the Andromeda.
"I will never forget you Bambi." Trance said, laying her forehead against the glass and watching, as the small figure grew even smaller as Andromeda began to move away.