#Humans Are Warriors

[jpitha]

A Matter of Scale

The issue with the humans is that it's a matter of scale. Deathworlder or not, a single human - while intimidating - isn't that dangerous.

All of them is another story.

We had thought us the pinnacle of evolution. A species beyond compare. Why would we think otherwise? with our hard carapaces, sharp vision, and powerful weapons, the small furry forest creatures that called themselves 'K'laxi' were no match. They had only a small handful of planets colonized and a scant dozen starbases between them. They had a toy empire of only themselves. We took their own warp gates and started attacking them slowly, methodically. They presented no threat, so we saw no need to hurry.

Occasionally, our scouts heard of another species that was friendly with the K'laxi, calling themselves Humanity. We only heard descriptions from captured K'laxi. Taller than they were, no fur, bipedal, mammalian species from a world larger and wetter than their own. Supposedly they had massive strength and a strong constitution. Some had said that they were deathworlders, but we know that was just propaganda. Deathworlds looked nice from a distance, but were inhospitable to sapient life.

Everyone knows this.

We weren't worried about the humans. Just another species to subjugate. After we crush the K'laxi, we'll move on to them.

Since everyone uses the gate system, we are able to attack with complete surprise. It was different at this planet though. This planet was a small, lighter world like the others, but also had a strange starbase at a Lagrange point. It was very large and not of K'laxi design. Much heavier looking, it was made of huge rings interlocking in a spiral shape. An officer guessed it must be a human starbase. Assuming we found the humans laughable military, we turned to attack the starbase after locking the gate.

As we approached the starbase, two small ships detached from it and ran headlong towards us! Our commander laughed, thinking it was a suicide run and ordered everyone to attack. The two ships dodged and juked around the missiles and energy weapons we fired. They used small shaped charges which slid the ship out of the way of our missiles at the last second and were able to withstand the relentless fire of our weapons.

A few minutes after the attack started, both ships did something that surprised all of our analysts. With missiles and shots all around them, they both generated wormholes and left the system.

They escaped.

Our scientists knew about wormhole generation, but everyone knew it was much too dangerous for sapients to use! It was a death sentence. At best, you could send goods through it, but the energy costs were enormous. Better to just use the warp gates.

Still not understanding the monumental mistake we had made, we turned back towards the starbase. The distraction of the ships leaving bought time and it had begun to change. The concentric rings of the starbase had slid together and moved around, revealing massive batteries of anti-ship weapons, missile racks containing hundreds of missiles and the rings had become like thick armor.

The battle was very difficult. We lost many ships to the missiles and fire from the starbase, but we reached the docking ring, forced our way on and began to sweep the station, attacking everyone we met and claiming it for our own.

The humans fought back.

In one report, a single human female held off more than two dozen warriors by attacking with makeshift weapons while her K'laxi colleagues ran to escape ships. She was killed, but not before she took out 10 of our finest warriors.

In another, two human security agents held an entire platoon of warriors off while more K'laxi and Human adults and children escaped. Their human firearms subjected our warriors to withering fire while the humans just stared blankly, firing and changing targets. When they ran out of ammunition, they took their rifles, and started swinging them like clubs into whoever was left. Our shots almost did nothing! They'd take a hit, wince, and continue to fight. They were finally killed by a heavy weapon platform that was brought in.

Still more used surprise and trickery. They would hide in the common areas and throw trash and junk to make it sound like they were somewhere else. We'd turn and they'd attack our backs.

It took more than a week to take the station and in that time, the humans helped nearly all the K'laxi onto escape ships which streaked towards the planet.

As they retreated, the humans denied us use of their own weapons and devices. They'd destroy them, they'd trap them to explode, they would ruin computers and servers and even the star base's AI itself fought us. It would slam pressure doors down when we walked under them, it would randomly expose parts of the starbase to vacuum, blowing warriors out into space.

We could take the starbase, but could not hold it.

Less than 3 days after we declared the station taken, there was a massive spike of energy, and more than one thousand human ships linked into space though their infernal wormholes. All different sizes, all a riot of garish colors including 3 'dreadnoughts' that were easily three times the size of the already huge starbase.

However, instead of attacking immediately they sent out a signal.

"It's done. Stop fighting now. Save yourselves."

Fleet Command puzzled over the message for hours. Some minor commanders figured it was some kind of trick and rushed the human flotilla. One of the dreadnoughts fired once and the ship was just...gone.

At that, Fleet Command declared the cause hopeless, and ordered us to stand down and surrender.

And then something amazing happened. The Humans came on board, first in their polished black pressure suits with their massive rifles, and then, with no armor and no pressure suit, their commanders came aboard. They wanted to meet and see what we needed. "What?" We cried. "You could destroy us with a whisper. Why are you trying to help us?"

"We are offering to help you because you need help."

They had learned about the trouble we had back on our homeworld, how we were in the process of ruining our home with industry and pollution and with a wry smile they said "Yeah, we had that problem a while back too. We can help."

With humans, it's a matter of scale.

[ssunphire]

honestly i will NEVER get over how pretty sokka looked in kyoshi warrior makeup and i think we should talk about it more

[crumb-crumblet-s-crumbington]

warrior cats and detriot become human

[itseghost]

the captured! quest was so funny that i actually drew multiple things at once

[lilybug-02]

A full year reunion!

Bug Fact: Paper wasps are able to distinguish individual wasps by facial markings, much like humans can.

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Volume 2 Masterpost

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[inspectorspacetimerevisited]

It never made sense that the Inspector was so opposed to Geneva’s relationship with Gordie Fuschia,

given that Gordie has participated in Voluntary Service Overseas, a social-service organisation, something the Inspector always claimed to support.

[reality-detective]

“We’re all involved in spiritual warfare” RFK Jr

This generation’s failure to keep the children safe will be remembered well into the future. We have a chance now to redeem ourselves and do something to protect their mental and physical health.

Bobbie is right, we need to stop focusing on what divides us and “that’s only going to happen when we start loving our children more than we hate each other.”

I AM remaining hopeful 🙏 that "We The People" as a whole unified revolution will do the right thing 🤔

[it-meant-nothing]

Michael Fassbender being proud of his son in the 3 movies his son was in 🥹

[demaparbat-hp]

Izumi (steambaby) sketches.

[whencartoonsruletheworld]

they finally end warrior cats by having all the clans battling in the same area and then just like the police in monty python the local humane society drives up and puts them all in a truck

[trashinyourpockets]

Introducing your alien son to your bf

[jpitha]

Always Ready

If you look at the histories, you find that when the Humans joined the war on the side of the K'laxi most of them go "and then with the superior human numbers, the K'laxi and the Humans together were able to bring the Xenni to peace talks and over time relations normalized."

But war is never that cut and dry.

Back when the Humans had just met the K'laxi they linked a few of their smaller starbases around K'laxi colonies. Partly to promote relations and partly because the humans saw the K'laxi planetary defenses and felt bad for them. They could see that the K'laxi were unprepared for the war and were worried that the new friends would be destroyed by this then unknown invader.

As a result of their own histories and possibly something more genetic that came about as a result of the world they came from, humans have a tendency to put weapons on everything. Not only that, but they tend to hide the weapons too. When asked why they hide their weapons they always say something like how they don't want to look intimidating, they just want to be ready.

"Ready for what?" We'd ask.

"We'll know when it's here." They'd reply.

****

At the L2 point of the K'laxi colony world Bishi the Human Starbase Neutral Observer sits. It's a smaller starbase, still larger than a Starjumper, but really is meant for only 300 to 500 full time residents. The AI in charge of Observer works with the Human authorities to scan the system for threats, offer a place for people to rest and connect before either going down to Bishi or linking out to other points. Being that this is a K'laxi colony, there is a Warp Gate nearby. The Humans still prefer to use their own transit methods, but everyone else uses the Gates.

About two months after the Observer was installed:

"Commander!" The Observer pings Commander Vivian Baker who is sitting in the canteen, eating dinner with the captain of the K'laxi ship currently docked with them. "There was activity at the Warp Gate, missiles incoming! Estimated time is 8 minutes."

Vivian is so startled she drops her fork. "What? Announce Action Stations! Unleash the point defense arrays! Do we have any missiles free we can launch to intercept?"

"Intercept solution is being computed now."

"When a solution is found, you have permission to fire. I'll head to the command deck."

"Aye Commander."

Vivian stood. "I'm sorry Captain Falamaan, but I must attend to this. If there are missiles incoming, I recommend that the Unimminen stays inside the docking bay. You don't have a wormhole generator and it looks like the Xenni are launching an attack from the Warp Gate. You are welcome to accompany me and observe if you'd like."

N'ren Falamaan stood as well. "Yes, I would like to observe if I can. I don't wish to get in the way."

Vivian shook her head. "It should be fine. This way please."

Vivian lead her through the Starbase at a quick pace. While the Action Station alarms were sounding overhead they passed humans quickly donning armored pressure suits and opening lockers that N'ren could have sworn weren't there a moment ago and taking out rifles.

"Are you preparing to be boarded?" N'ren asked.

Vivian turned to look at N'ren, surprised. "Yes. We are. How did you know?"

"I was aboard Longview when the Xenni attacked. They lent us their wormhole generator to escape."

"Well then you know more about us than I had anticipated. Do you have any insight?"

"About this specific attack?" N'ren shook her head. "I linked out before I saw how Longview took care of the attackers, I never learned what they did."

Observer piped into their headsets at this point. "Longview fired their Stardrive and played the exhaust over the attacking Xenni ships. They were completely destroyed."

"My Goodness" Vivan said, surprised. "That would do it. Okay then N'ren what do you know about Xenni tactics?"

"They usually begin with a missile barrage, trying to soften defenses. After that, they'll usually come at us with everything they have, bringing a pitched battle. They rely on superior numbers to overwhelm and defeat. With only Neutral Observer here, they will probably try to do the same."

"Hmm. Good." Vivian said. "Observer, did you get those beacons out?"

"I did Commander. They linked away 27 seconds ago."

N'ren flicked her ears, a raised eyebrow, but the Commander missed the body language. "What will beacons do?"

"They're faster than anything we have for getting a message out. We linked them to two secret locations where we can get word that we need help. We just need to hold out until some of the fleet can link in and assist."

They arrived at the command deck. As they walked in the XO saluted and shouted "Commander on Deck." Everyone stood and saluted.

"As you were." Vivian said and sat in the commander's chair. N'ren took a small chair behind and to the side, out of the way. "Status."

"We have a firing solution for the incoming missiles. There are 10 of them. We've fired 5 missiles and the printers are working to make more. Point defenses have been freed and are freely tracking. Main batteries are online, though War Emergency Power has not been declared. The K'laxi have returned to Unimminen and are bunkering down in there. The Human civilians have taken up Civil Defense stations and everyone has reported that they are suited. We can evacuate the air anytime."

Vivian nodded. "Very Good. Neutral Observer? I authorize War Emergency Power for the duration of the attack, and should I become incapacitated I authorize you to repel the invaders, save the crew and protect yourself in that order."

"Aye Commander. War Emergency Power authorized. All fuses and limiters removed."

At that, N'ren's sensitive ears detected a change in the underlying noise of the Starbase. The constant low level hum of the power systems became more of a strained whine, a sound of power barely restrained.

"Neutral Observer? Please configure for defense, release the main, secondary and tertiary batteries, print missiles at will, and do your best to keep the point defense slug throwers filled with ammunition."

"Aye Commander." At that N'ren's sense of balance felt the movement. The entire Starbase was moving, sliding arms, unfolding panels and reconfiguring itself to be more defensible. As she watched on the screen, massive weapon batteries that she had no idea where even in the starbase swung out and locked into position. Within a few minutes, Neutral Observer was bristling with weaponry. It was the most weapons N'ren had ever seen on a ship or starbase anywhere.

"Commander?" N'ren started quietly. "Can...Can all Human Starbases do this?"

"Do what?" Vivian answered while looking at a status screen, not turning to face N'ren.

"Reconfigure themselves into...into such a war machine!"

Vivian turned and looked at the worried K'laxi. Her expression softened. "Yes, N'ren. They can all do this. All human ships are armed and armored in addition to the Starbases."

"But why?" She blurted out. "Up until recently, you thought you were alone in the galaxy!"

"Vivan's face saddened and she turned back to her screen. "Why do you think, N'ren?"

N'ren leaned back with the sudden realization that Humans were used to fighting each other.

A human at a station on the command deck called out "Energy spike from the Warp Gate. Ships incoming."

Vivan turned again to look at N'ren, her expression neutral. "N'ren. Watch, and see what Humans do." She turned back to the screen.

"Fire at will."

[juniper-clan]

Moon 27: Walking on My Grave (feat @in-memoriam-tgwk Glowstar!)

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[smilesrobotlover]

Wars and Twi aren’t blood related but they are technically related ;)

Edit; you guys should stop tagging this as LU! 😀🫵

[ilynpilled]

it frankly pisses me off that what is essentially “rapists and abusers should be depicted as monstrous caricatures because humanizing them is inappropriate” is considered a very moral and enlightened position to have on art by so many people. a rapist can feel pain, have moments of vulnerability, be amiable and charming, express remorse and compassion at times, be a victim themselves, and so on in real life. they are even capable of doing good things. they can have different sides to them and have individuals in their lives that they are kind to or have a decent relationship with. they will be a human being, and that fact encompasses a lot. conflating that with the claim that they are entitled to and deserve forgiveness or absolution is an issue. nurturing a mindset that believes they need to be one note and uncomplicated to be a correct and tasteful depiction of a rapist inadvertently falls in line with the logic of “how could they have possibly raped you? they are so normal and kind to me. they did all these good things here and there.” ok that doesn’t change that they are a rapist.

[sorreltail]

a nice lady