#freakinafishtag

[humansarespaceorcs]

What is sleep? (Baby don’t snooze me)

We love to think that we’re a rough and ready race (Hence the space-orcs name). The truth is, we’re big softies. Our environment is so incredibly kind to us, that we’re literally soft! We have no innate armour, little in the way of weaponry, and spend 1/3 of our time borderline unconscious, because we can.For most aliens, sleep simply doesn’t happen. You live, you fight, you die. This can lead to some awkward office conversations:Vultaire (Alien exchange student): Time to clock off for the day. What are you doing after class? Charles (Human doctoral student): I’ve been crashing on my lab-partner’s couch whilst my home’s been renovated after The Accident™. It’s ready to live in again, so I’m off to buy a new bed this evening! Vultaire: Crashing? I didn’t realise you were cybernetic. Let me recommend my debugger to you, he’s very good! Charles: No cybernetics here, I just mean sleep. I forget that you’re still learning the language. Here, let me show you what I’m getting. *Proceeds to show Vultaire pictures of luscious beds draped in colourful fabrics and peaceful people*

Vultaire: You’re.... dying?

Charles: No?! Why would you think that?

Vultaire: But those are funeral processions, I’ve seen them before. Why would you do that if you’re not dying?

Charles: *Laughing* Not funeral processions, but it’s pretty funny when you say it that way. It’s just for sleeping, resting, recuperating energy through the night. What do you do when you’re not here?

Vultaire: Go home and keep working. We don’t do this.. sleep thing *Scribbles in behavioural notebook*

Charles: Have you ever considered following the doctoral program? You’d be perfect for it...

Initial idea by freakinafishtank