Humans are Insane | HFY | A short Sci-Fi Story

[@erivanel]

"Barely contained rage" is definitely one of the most common human emotions

[@paxtonjohnson2488]

True

[@rhoydplaz2853]

Right after good old racism

[@alex_brg7680]

@@rhoydplaz2853humans only have 2 states of being, “I hate n-s” and “look, it’s an n”

[@8darktraveler8]

@@rhoydplaz2853Until they get the chance to see a foul xeno, no more brother wars.

[@setsunachiame]

Yeah that checks just looking at a perspn wprking at a 9 to 5 shift

[@kevincrady2831]

*Turaxi:* Attack the divided humans, and unite them. *Humans:* Divide the united Council, recruit some of them as allies _then_ attack the rest. Good ol' fashioned Roman geopolitics.

[@itshenry8977]

Divide et Impera those xeno barbarians

[@Ozpawn]

Man at any point in time is always thinking about the Roman Empire, do not give them a chance to reenact its history xD

[@georgijcaikovskij5623]

Emperor from WH 41k will be proud XD

[@aljeandropacheco3608]

To wait 27 yrs is a very bad idea with our species. 18 is minimum war ready age.

[@HenL-zz1bf]

Yes sirrrr

[@ram5s858]

Aliens: why do they constantly fight and massacre each other Humans: *Practice*

[@bensonwu950]

"We got bored"

[@starliner2498]

"Got thursday off"

[@luciferpyro4057]

It’s how we pass the time

[@fearofthedead]

Because it's Tuesday!

[@KyleLeHeup]

Because it's HuNtInG sEaSoN

[@DefiantSix]

Like the old axiom says, "I can pick a fight with my brother and that's nobody's business but ours. If YOU pick a fight with my brother however, even if you beat him you'll have me to deal with before you get to walk away.

[@wakcedout]

Yep, that’s the cardinal sin the turaxi committed here. They didn’t understand that when humans are fighting each other….its best to stay completely out of it and not bother jumping in.

[@heramaaroricon4738]

Brought it down to the perfect, minute detail in the original comment.

[@joshuasepeda3289]

Yep, that checks. If we fight each other, it's a non-issue. If a stranger fights one of us, then it's a problem. A problem for the stranger, not us. 😎😎

[@ranwolf1240]

"I get to punch my brother... you don't."

[@Minimeister317]

Basically how us Scandinavians view eachother. We banter and fight among ourselves, but if someone messes with one of us, the other 2 will fuck you up.

[@labbit35]

Who would’ve guessed attacking the species that were extremely prone to fight between themselves would be a bad idea?

[@osti2006]

This is a common tactic used throughout our history. It shouldn't come as a surprise that a xeno uses it too.

[@Senok13]

@@osti2006 It's a common thing for humans, yes. Also, it means, that there should be a few amongst them, who also developed tactics against it. Technically, there is a saying, what you could learn from this story: "You shall only begin a fight, if you are sure, you can win it."

[@osti2006]

@@Senok13 The people who start fights usually think they will be the last ones standing. And there is no reasoning with them. In this story, the antagonist finds out Humans unite in the face of an outside enemy. IIRC, this is not common for other species in the Galaxy?

[@groomschild1617]

It is a common misconception to think humanity is warlike, when in fact by all accounts and statistics extremely peaceful. to make a point, war is so abhorrent to our species that it is remember as a terror centuries after it is over. for example, Roman wars. 100 years war, 40 years war, American civil war, WW1 and 2 are all still wars we remember even though they are long over.

[@V_Rhenthys]

@@groomschild1617 and still new conflicts errupt, like Ukraine, Gaza or Africa...

[@mikedicewrites]

*Humanity obliterating an alien homeworld as a 'fair compromise' before declaring war on all of them.* Somewhere on the Golden Throne, the Emperor of Mankind is smiling in approval.

[@crazygamer6982]

I couldnt help but think the same lol

[@abandonallhope7646]

"My God smiles upon me this day, can you say the same?!"

[@edu7979]

lmao

[@GoldGune]

Cesar’s grave been shakin since the opening day

[@ireallyreallyhategoogle]

Nah, they didn't declare war, they waited for the supporters of their enemies to declare war on them.

[@jadenthane7196]

The good old "can't pay them if they're all dead" maxim.

[@Isomeria450]

Wdym? Humans payed what was asked of them... It's just that delivery of goods was over the top for reciever. 😅

[@absboodoo]

@@Isomeria450 They asked for payment, but failed to specify that they didn't want the payment in full nuclear warhead heading to their planet in light speed.

[@lostbankai6521]

It's actually quite crazy that such an advanced race has just a single planet.

[@Isomeria450]

@@lostbankai6521 I don't think it was their only planet, but consider this: Turaxi just lost a war, so their Space fleet is gone - a lot of casualties; then they also lost some territory (unlikely humans did purging atm, but who knows); and then their home world (which usually harbors most of species' population) got "gift from Holy Terra". So, unless Turaxi had some REALLY big colonies (and even if they did), they were effectively removed from Galactic polotical life, since their power became non-existent. Or, at least, that's how I see it.

[@BertoxolusThePuzzled]

On a galactic scale without the home planet and central government it's probably a lot like the olden days when losing the capital usually meant the entire empire fractionalizes into dueling city-states.

[@sootythunder3111]

One of my favorite of “humans are space orcs” was a pair of aliens were talking about humans and one of them was like “yeah no. Don’t fight humans, they are obsessed with war, they are constantly fighting each other, and when a faction of humans are at “peace” they have these things called Intelligence Agencies that sole purpose is to watch the factions currently fighting and watch for any new tactics or technology that will give them an edge in fighting”

[@thorveim1174]

and then add that some of the most popular forms of human entertainment infolve conflict both with other species and their own

[@AnikaJarlsdottr]

"and if your species survives a war with them, they will unleash their most devestating weapon of all. Lawyers"

[@shadowkillz9606]

@@AnikaJarlsdottr *Better Call Saul themsong plays** Terrifying...

[@jamesmchugh.3613]

What story name?

[@ProtoManiac2283]

the more i think about it the more "humans are space orcs" makes sense

[@TheHoward1953]

After the war the humans fought each other again.

[@adamvanwyk2563]

Gotta keep those skills sharp.

[@RespectMyAuthoritaah]

Too right. LOL

[@DefiantSix]

And the rest of the galaxy knew to leave it strictly alone, this time.

[@georgeblair3894]

Well duh.

[@bdleo300]

Reminds me of Gladiator... Maximus : There is no one left to fight.... Marcus Aurelius : There is always someone left to fight.

[@sirknight5619]

There was an old book my dad read in the golden days of sci fi, and it was a great idea for a book: two alien species are fighting an intergalactic war, but it is LAZY by our standards. They only fight on planned dates with predetermined planets, so sort of like 1700s style fighting with a "gentlemans" war. Then, one day, one of the races finds a fledgeling race spanning over just a few solar systems. This race is humanity. Since the aliens are losing the war, they create an alliance with the humans. And then it goes downhill for both the aliens. Humanity fights so brutally against the aliens that it horrifies both species in the way they fight. I haven't read the book, but i want to.

[@TherandomshitstormerCXVII]

Warhammer?

[@SignalRaptor_]

​@@TherandomshitstormerCXVII probably not 40k, that's not the origin of space faring tech and lacks the god emperor.

[@america8706]

Sounds interesting. If you find out lmk

[@fullmetalman0]

What book is it?

[@Xylarxcode]

Alien 1: 'Oh, a new species. And it looks like they know a thing or two about war. Maybe we should ask them for help.' Alien 2: 'Might give us an advantage. Let's do it.' Humanity: *brutally murders their opponents with ruthless efficiency and bizarre tactics, at least from the aliens' perspective* Aliens 1&2: 'Oh my god, they're monsters. Who would fight like that? They're barely more than animals!' Humanity: 'What was that? You wanna try something? Cause we're ready for more. Fucking try us!' Aliens 1&2: '...I think we may have made a terrible mistake.'

[@shooterxd2387]

"Thousands of years of killing your own... For what?" "Practice... " 🥶

[@Tyraeous]

I look at a lot of these "Humanity Fuck Yeah" stories and on contemplation am thinking, "okay that's just Stargate".

[@elmateo77]

Yeah a lot of writers seem to think humans would be magnanimous in victory. I guess they haven't paid any more attention to human history than the aliens did...

[@Zeknif1]

@@elmateo77The “Magnanimous in Victory” stories I like best are usually those where they are actually playing the broader political game and their mercy is just to place a new piece on the playing board on their own side, or those in which humans will openly admit to having a far darker history of which they are collectively ashamed of, but unwilling to try to hide from or deny.

[@aoki6332]

@@elmateo77 because that similar on how we dealt whit the last great war the leader got punished but not the People itself after the realization that the treaty of Versailles caused the second war we learned to be a little more forgiving there no reason to destroy even more a already defeated people

[@AnotherScribbler]

There was a short story anthology series called The Man-Kzin Wars and the very first short story has a human science vessel-from an Earth that has ended war & embraced peace after almost wiping themselves out-get attacked by a Kzin ship. The warlike tiger-looking creatures’ idea of making first contact is to take the ship and demand either absolute surrender or death. The tag-line of the book was something like, “The Galaxy is about to discover that the reason humans gave up war… is that they were far too good at it.”

[@julesdebeckker627]

​@@AnotherScribbler Goddamn, that's a hell of a line

[@mikkelnpetersen]

Those 4 species/races are going to be the survivors.

[@Buffaloguy01]

Agreed.

[@bornonthebattlefront4883]

And they will be fantastic allies and friends Together, we will build a new galactic empire

[@Senok13]

Well, at the end you can realise, that the alien, who tells us the story, in fact part of one of the races, who left the Council. In this world the Turaxi was considered to be a near unstoppable war machine, and humans beat them. We are creative, brave and crazy enough to do, what is unthinkable for them, therefor they have no way to be prepared enough, what awaits them... Also, anything that they could do to humans, other humans already did that before, and even improved it on a higher level. They simply has no way to be able to scare the human race - while our "mundane" tactics can disrupt their formations with ease. We perfected war on a higher level, they ever dared to imagine it. There is only a miniscule chance to make humans lose that war... But if they give up in time, then there might be an acceptable number of survivors. (Unlike the Turaxi, who's only survivors would be those, who wasn't at their home planet at that moment.)

[@raidermaxx2324]

You had it right with “species” .. “races” don’t exist except in the brains of racists, and books that are about fantasy, like lord of the rings and stuff like that, when you have a “race of elves” race of “hobbits” and stuff like that. There is only species, no “race” subgroup within a “species” there are only ethnicities based on environmental factors that can make a persons skin lighter r darker/hair..

[@funtecstudiovideos4102]

​@@raidermaxx2324yeah sure buddy, and earth is flat

[@stuff4007]

Lol why did I get personally offended when the Turaxi brought up compensation

[@tonidog7845]

I felt like i was hearing my coutry's president, giving political benefits to a literal drug dealer

[@rayzen119]

Because fuck the Turaxi! The original aggressor got his ass whooped and demands compensation? Hold my nukes.

[@AnikaJarlsdottr]

@@rayzen119 Human Race: Declares exterminatus.

[@tetraxis3011]

@@rayzen119I mean if they really wanted to keep their lost territories then they could have atleast offered resource compensation or war reparations to humanity. But noooooooo, they wants to be rewarded for the failed attempt at killing us all.

[@hadiwibowo7678]

No joke, when I hear that part I was like "The f*ck?" And I know just how the Humans is going to answer that stupidity

[@noahboucher125]

"In the millions, humans died." Humanity: "I didn't hear no bell,"

[@kylezdancewicz7346]

Oh no call the ambulance But not for me

[@8darktraveler8]

In another story, the galaxy was dying out, none could detect what was happening to the stars, until aliens on an arc ship heading to another galaxy, VISUALLY spotted a jet black probe heading past them, it had a plaque that said something like "Vengeance for Earth". One of the aliens on the ship, was a member of the species that deleted us, they had almost forgotten those monkeys from Earth. As the probes had clearly left our galaxy too, that alien knew his species had doomed all life to darkness.

[@gibonjr.3422]

MOMMA DIDNT RAISE NO QUITTER

[@yolocomunista9240]

bro the Soviet Union in 1943

[@LonelyMinnesotan1]

but in the billions did the aliens die

[@finding_aether]

As an Emu I just wanna say these aliens are freaking weak.

[@bornonthebattlefront4883]

LOL Underrated comment

[@jakec9352]

Just remember we will never forget your enjustice with how you disgraced the Australian people. We will rise from the bird heels to eat chicken once more!

[@joshuasepeda3289]

Of course you would say that. You're from Australia, the land of lovecraftian abominations.

[@audreyholmes9751]

And no other country will ever let them live it down!

[@pablolongobardi7240]

Truly apex

[@Tobeh]

There’s a fun online series of short stories called The Deathworlders which explores a galaxy of aliens who evolved on idyllic planets with no natural disasters or disease and lower gravity coming to terms with the fact that a sentient race is slowly emerging from a planet labeled in the “death world” category; where nothing could conceivably evolve to a point where it would make it beyond its own system due to the hostile microbial life, the apex predators that emerged, and the insane natural disasters that occur. Not to mention the gravity on earth is much higher to make all of that worse. The aliens are all fragile and slow, where even a single average middle aged man with very little fighting experience is considered an intolerable threat due to the near immunity to their concussion based weapons our dense musculature gives us and the unfathomable speed that comes with it in space.

[@soppybottomboys1195]

I've always thought what if. There was an alien race that was basically the prey of their home world and only went into space to get away

[@Sorcerer86pt]

Ah yes, one of the greatest forces on the planet: directed evolution by pressure of external factors.

[@cecilrhodes2153]

The Jverse is one of the cooler universes for sure

[@SirMarshalHaig]

Did you watch Deadpool 2?

[@Lex-LutherS]

Ohhh that's an interesting concept.

[@trygveplaustrum4634]

I love how humans, in nearly all of science fiction, are viewed by other galactic races as unruly gremlins. The reputation fits us so well.

[@nicolaszan1845]

There seem to only ever be three types of human civilizations in sci fi. Just Another Race™ Space Orcs Or Space Cats

[@8darktraveler8]

They shouldn't have fed us meat, especially not past midnight.

[@idkusername2795]

That’s just how humanity has been going for the reals past hundred years against itself, just extended to space. It’s all fun and peaceful at the beginning, but if we get attacked and not defeated quickly, we will punch back hard. Just look at basically any real war in history, someone fights and fights for no reason, then goes a step too much and a short time later he doesn’t exist anymore because they pissed off too many people.

[@dashspeed9523]

not gremlins, demons maybe?

[@patrickhuffman9632]

"Insane tactics" = "basic military strategy" ❤

[@WillyShankspeare]

Yeah that was my thought. Digging in and then launching counter-offensives is day 1 shit. This story is bad.

[@ChibiNyan]

@@WillyShankspeare It's day 1 shit for us, but not for them.

[@WillyShankspeare]

@@ChibiNyan That's silly though. They don't even explain WHY it's an insane tactic and what the aliens would do instead. Like, how do you fight a war if not by holding on to territory you think you can defend and counter-attacking where possible?

[@ChibiNyan]

@@WillyShankspeareMaybe with a doctrine/equipment that usually favors attacking ? Or very underdeveloped logistics which prevent them from waging war effectively for an extended period of time in enemy territory ? Or a population that cannot switch to war economy for whatever reason, meaning playing defensive is less viable ? Or a social/religious concept that considers "camping" as cowardly ? Maybe, in their mind, waging war is all in attacking and trading conquered territory ? Indeed, it would have been better to explain a bit more what the aliens had done instead, and why it was surprising. But that's what you'd expect from a short story : not everything is totally explained. For me, I'm more interested in why the Cennai in particular is so vehement. But, hey, short story, not everything is explained in details. At the end, this is a diplomatic story, not a war story.

[@ph0ax497]

@@WillyShankspeare when you have galactic community, that spans hundreds of years in complete peace and diplomacy, every fight becomes eventually obsolete. All races are quick to leave all casus belli, because you can have much more money in vast, and practically never ending space, of billions of planets. There is always some new place to build, to create, and to exploit. The art of war would be simply forgotten, and ridden away from cultures. Having war machines, is not exactly knowing how to use them. So existence of battleships and armada's, could be mostly for galactic position purposes. Then, everyone in the council would obey the distinctive style of fighting, that does not compromises ethics of all cultures involved in the council, so it would be the most watered down, and ineffective way to have a war at all. Just use bureaucracy and politics. Make war an enormous paperwork, hundreds of agreements, meetings, and never ending geopolitics. With galaxy that has hundreds of billions planets, its inevitable. If you dont want to loose all authority in the council, then you will obey. Thats why this story is not bad at all. It shows that millenia of stagnation and prosperity, make you completely vulnerable to any aggression outside of your pacts, in the same time making you a hypocrite, and an asshole.

[@georgekaragiannakis6637]

Just as the ancient Greeks fought ferociously against one another for centuries but united to fight and eventually defeat the then greatest power, Persia. Never underestimate a people that have developed and gained much experience in warfare.

[@narimanm.5347]

But with a great deal of luck, as well. Darius III was the weakest, softest, most effeminate and undeserving "king" to have ever disgraced any Iranian throne by that point. His escape from the field of battle was so unheard of that every time he did so it caused utter panic, confusion and disarray. He gifted the empire he hadn't earned to Alexander. Of course, the Persians had a tendency of resting on their laurels and expecting victory over "lesser" foes. A very stereotypical fault with the Indo-Iranic branches of all Aryan people even from the Yamnaya onward.

[@pedrolmlkzk]

They didn't defeat Persia though, thst league only delayed Persian hegemony until Athens and Sparta got into a war and then after some centuries Macedon (a peripherical Greek kingdom) subdued all the cities states and launched an invasion on persia that actually worked out

[@tylosenpai6920]

There's a reason why "Divide and Conquer" is a genuine war strategy, and this is one of them

[@hagamapama]

@@narimanm.5347 People who are too hard on Darius kinda neglect the fact that he was an organizational genius. He did a lot of very good work to assemble all those armies the Macedonians used superior technology to smash. Darius' issue was that after the first big defeat his commanders were not confident and couldn't get their men to stand firmly against the Macedonian front lines. And he couldn't take the command himself without placing the entire empire at risk. He was a man with too much to lose, facing a massive shortfall in technology and without the personal charisma or tactical brilliance to overcome it.

[@narimanm.5347]

@@hagamapama I didn't mention Darius the Great - I was referring to Darius III. You're kind of all over the place there. Also, if you're talking about Darius the Great, you're giving him credit for being an "organizational genius" but having some supposed disadvantage in "personal charisma" and/or "tactical brilliance", none of which are entirely true. Besides, Persia didn't have a massive technological disadvantage to the Macedonians. The Macedonians used longer pike spears and cavalry lances, but Persia had the overall technological and tactical advantages in warfare via an effective ancient army corps of engineers with a real world understanding of natural and physical principles. Hey built bridges, water passages, encampments, and other means of traversing terrain and other natural obstacles to react their enemies more quickly and swiftly. Many/most of Persia's biggest defeats were also an issue of internal cultural shortcomings and a refusal to believe that diversifying their military makeup with foreign untrained soldiers could have adverse effects.

[@riku2193]

NonApex predator species? We became the Apex predators of our ecosystem way back when we learn to throw pointy stick and jog after prey for long time.

[@DesignerShark44]

uh no... For all intensive purposes any of the apex predators can clap us 1v1. Even an eagle can kill us easily.

[@MisterPuck]

​@@DesignerShark44 That's not how being an apex predator works.

[@alexnowicki286]

@@DesignerShark44true, but who has the atom bomb?

[@Han_Solo6712]

“The day a man threw a rock at a deer was the day that nature’s arms race no longer mattered.”

[@coryt2459]

The phrase is “intents and purposes”, but I will admit a lot of people make the same mistake.

[@nicolebarfuss3067]

"oh, and we simply have to ask the humans for help. they are experts at killing things far greater than they are, after all." - Ferid Bathory, a seventh progenitor vampire, seraph of the end vol. 13.

[@ahmadriyadi4435]

what chapter is that?

[@nicolebarfuss3067]

i don't remember exactly the chapter, but i do know it's towards the beginning, when Ferid and Crowely were talking to each other.@@ahmadriyadi4435

[@Shauryabhailover]

I thought seraph of the end only had an anime, gotta check it out

[@nicolebarfuss3067]

most anime start with manga.@@Shauryabhailover

[@Lostl1ght-pw85]

Recently started seraph of the end. Definitely fits the theme 😅

[@nwj03a]

Humans are tribal, very tribal, but the biggest tribe we have is humanity. We might not speak the same language, but we know what a human is, and there is an instinct to protect your tribe. Humans also are very mediocre at basically everything, but we’re very adaptable. We survived the ice age as a species… negative temperatures (in either scale) for century upon century. And all this is hypothetical anyways. As far as we aware (although I believe it to be almost impossible), we are the smartest thing the universe has ever spat out, and that’s not nothing… because we are very curious and we’ve been looking for anything else, anyone else, for a hot minute.

[@TrueWolves]

We are only mediocre from our own, human to human perspective. We see the average of humanity as the average of capability. When comparing to just known/earth species we can see several unique strengths and weaknesses other than just our sapience. Humans ability to sweat and our bipedal locomotion is incredibly efficent at long distances, only beaten by animals capable of flight. Our daylight vision is also above average. Most mammals have 2-tone vision to our 3 (though many reptiles and birds have 4+) our near vision in particular is very detailed, which has helped us both at facial recognizion and tool manufacturing. While our ability to detect scents tires quickly, its not much weaker than most other mammals at detecting scents, its just bad at detecting multiple scents at once, while our hearing is of relatively average wavelength range for an animal of our size. We also have incredibly well developed throwing muscles. Our ability to throw something probably predates our ability to make things better at throwing, meaning humans have been using at least thrown stones for long enough that its affected our anatomy. We also have an above average tolerance to stress and pain, though not as high as some infamous examples (badgers) it allows us to survive potential amputation or serious injury even with no to limited medical care that several non predatory animals wouldn't survive even with advanced care (a broken leg can often outright kill a horse, even if it was only the bone and not an amputation.) Meanwhile we have some specific wraknesses. Our lack of fur leaves us more likely to burn under sunlight and reduces our tolerance to the cold. Our sweat, which lets us ignore some toxins (like onions and garlic) and grants us greatly improved endurance, also makes us susceptible to toxins that build up in the sweat, like poison ivy. Our daytime vision is above average, but our nighttime vision is lacking. While our hearing range is average, our hearing sensitivity is slightly below average. Our sense of smell tires easily, meaning a single overpowering scent easily conceals others. We are also a social species, and while that has been critical in sharing technology and developing civilization, it means we handle isolation poorly and our symptoms when ill are intentionally subconsciously exagerated as a warning or request for help to others. Your dog or cat gets sick as much as you do, but they try to suppress their symptoms until it becomes overwhelming to do so.

[@pedrolmlkzk]

We aren't mediocre even if we lost ALL of our technology we would still dominate our planet's biosphere until we rebuild it

[@Spacemongerr]

There have been many "ice ages", but if you are referring to the Last Glacial Period 115,000 - c. 11,700 years ago, then no, there wasnt negative temperatures for centuries. Well, there was in areas like Scandinavia and Canada, but that is why humans did not live there. There were still warmer places and even huge tropical rainforests. Most of the Earth was not covered in ice or snow

[@adrianalexandrov7730]

@@TrueWolves as far as I get it, humans suck at everything else except intelligence and being able to adapt. No fur? we'd wear other's fur. No claws -- instruments and weapons. Slow -- transportation. Need water and food regularly -- improve logistics.

[@thelordofthelostbraincells]

I've hear many things in these sci-fi stories. "Earth is a death world" and "HUMANS ARE BORN AND THRIVE ON DEATH ITSELF" and "Death forced the humans to evolve" Hell, there was a hfy story about an alien learning that humans do this thing called "sleeping" and has a panic attack when he saw the human crew wasn't moving. He did some scans on the human captain to study human sleep, and he said *"HUMANS WILLING SUBMIT THEMSELVES TO THE VOID, THEY NEED DEATH... TO LIVE!!!"* in his report to bis species. And this was after he saved the human captain that was in some kinda accident that had a metal rod shot through his eye. The alien was bewildered that humans can survive severe brain damage and that the human brain can just "turn off theyre pain".

[@sonar357]

Emotion identified: Barely contained rage!

[@henrywilson2136]

Declares Exterminatus.

[@kylezdancewicz7346]

Computer: You seriously can’t tell what his emotions are?

[@DrYu-jf6tb]

as someone once said: "we have killed each other for hundreds of thousand of years.......im sorry that we know much more of the horrors of war than you could ever imagine"

[@smokinggnu6584]

So, correct me if i am mistaken here. They were expecting to be paid by humanity because they started a war against humans and eventually lost? And they were surprised by the outcome?

[@alvaroasi]

Yes. Aliens have politicians. ;)

[@Nicmadis]

I believe this is a result of half a millennia worth of work by the politician sub-species known as something along the line of "lobb-y-ists". It seems to be a peculiar life form somewhere between a symbiote and parasite that burrows into anything and everything on behalf of it's host to corrupt and weaken it's target.

[@meantweetsandcheepgas946]

Typical turaxi

[@Vaprous]

It sounds like the Galactic Council basically regulates warfare to be a more "civil' affair by requiring that the conquered party be compensated for their loss of life, independence and territory as some kind of measure to discourage wanton warfare at a galactic scale among its member states. And when they tried to impose such a measure on humanity well...humanity was very much not interested in what aliens considered "reasonable diplomacy".

[@Senok13]

@@alvaroasi The problem is: Humans has them too. And we are a bit more well-versed in wars and war-crimes. What they truly miscalculated though, is the number of remaining enemies...

[@saranwrap132]

“The humans once they get there stuff back will stop fighting” How little they knew of humans and badly they underestimated them

[@ІсаєнкоАртем]

Revanchism was a great part of "why the ww1 began". Revanchism leads to hatred, that otherwise is almost impossible to achieve.

[@Dumbsourplum]

Nah, look at the story, we would've compromised if they didn't demand fuckin' payment as the aggressor, I don't agree with the innocents on their side dying but during a war you don't do stupid shit like demanding payment for millions of the others dying because of your aggression

[@Mech.01]

“Yes yes just give our weapons of mass destruction back and we pinky promise to not do anything 😊”

[@nosotrosloslobosestamosreg4115]

When the bullied kid fights back...

[@ricardocarmona5210]

Yeah man!!! 👊

[@mileselon1339]

If only they never were bullied... But yes

[@nosotrosloslobosestamosreg4115]

@@mileselon1339 Remember, just like in this story, bullies are enabled by the authority, but fighting back is against the laws.

[@mileselon1339]

@@nosotrosloslobosestamosreg4115 I'm well aware... And that is indeed an insulting ideal to even have. It goes human nature! Man must fight back, it is not evil, it is just natural. And the world order sees differently. I'm well aware of the message, I'm just saddened that is how it is. That's all

[@nosotrosloslobosestamosreg4115]

@@mileselon1339 So... will you fight back? We're assembling a nice patchwork of rebels here.

[@Mantelar]

The Xenos scum picked the wrong fight. If only that council understood how bad it was gonna get for them.

[@italiankidspaghetti2383]

For the emperor!!

[@danielhaire6677]

Exterminatus authorized.

[@onisprite]

As we are humans, we shall send payment in the form of Capital Ship Ordnance. Please stand by to receive payment.

[@martinxy1291]

*Loads 4 billion dollars of destruction to chamber* "Ready to send payment"

[@nachobiosca4031]

Somehow id imagine a lot of helldiver launching a lot of request for 380 mm barrage

[@AnikaJarlsdottr]

"... I now sign the death warrant of a world" *sounds of virus bombs whistling down from the upper atmosphere*

[@sybrandwoudstra9236]

Please stand outside to catch the packages, standing next to it when it hits the ground would be gravely dissapointing.

[@ІсаєнкоАртем]

​@@nachobiosca4031 380 mm "dirty (ifkyk)" nuclear barrage

[@SageofStars]

Now see, this one I like. A few of these have the humans decide to be magnanimous in victory, but our race isn't really known for that, especially when the other side started the conflict, and the people asking you to stand down stood by and let it happen. It is interesting that they acknowledge that Tax were the strongest military, and were able to bully the other races, and yet they were so willing to go war with the ones who beat them. The typical attitude of this sort. They ARE the authority here. Sure, that authority comes from momentum more than actual power, but they are the order of things, and they chose to let you be destroyed, the fact that you succeeded against what they allowed to set itself against you means you need to be pruned a bit, before you get too big for their liking. And the human ambassador looks at the alien council, and has but two words for them. 'Challenge Accepted'

[@ubergeek1968]

THAT is the current Hamas/Israeli conflict... the attackers are crying that those they attacked are fighting back, and winning

[@mikkelnpetersen]

"You f*cked around, not we teach you the find out part"

[@SageofStars]

@@diaperjoeisaped1723 Um...the allies tore Germany in two in the latter case, and what the US did you Japan is still a matter of some discussion. Meanwhile the reperations pushed onto Germany after the first is the reason, in large part, for the second. It wasn't as bad as what they were doing mind, which proves the opposite. I will not repeat those atrocities of Japan, or what the Germans did to those THEY conquered in World War II. Meanwhile, the Punic Wars both resulted in quite the terrible price to be paid by the loser, and the numerous conflicts between Christian Europe and the Islamic Middle East still have effects on our world today. To be fair, we CAN be gentler in victory, but it is not often, especially when there's an atrocity to avenge.

[@davidconner-shover51]

@@diaperjoeisaped1723WWII, yes, WWI had the Marshall Plan, which went a long ways to set up WWII. overly punitive

[@Vengir]

@@davidconner-shover51 Aren't you confusing the Versailles Treaty with the Marshall Plan?

[@ButFirstHeLitItOnFire]

One thing I’ve come to have faith about humanity is… We may be too dumb to live sometimes, but we’ll ALWAYS… *_ALWAYS…_* be too stubborn to truly die.

[@youneskasdi]

The indomitable human spirit, throw ur worse universe and u better hope u end us all because if even one man is standing humanity is standing

[@jeremiahwallace2275]

The Turaxi made a whoopsie. The Galactic Galaxy made a whoopsie. And now, humanity is going to go whoopsie on their asses.

[@AnotherScribbler]

This reminds me a little of Greg Stolze’s “Out of the Violent Planet,” a tabletop RPG setting, where it turns out humans are the only intelligent species that had no psychic sensitivity or ability. Every other intelligent and advanced species that has ever been discovered has psychic abilities they use to do incredible things, control lesser (psychically sensitive) creatures, or directly attack the minds & bodies of others. But even the most sensitive human can barely notice even the most powerful psychic powers when used directly against them. And, more, humans are the only known species that ever needed to develop anything but the most basic of weapons. So, suddenly, the leaders of nations on Earth have an incredibly valuable resource: human soldiers, mercenaries, and (for the desperate alien looking to do things off the books) armed to the gills sociopaths/militia members/criminals.

[@america8706]

Sounds like a guy training all of his life to play chess, he is one of the best the world has ever seen. His brain acts faster than a computer, in fact he has beaten multiple grandmaster chess super computers. One day he is pitted against his toughest opponent yet, a chimpanzee. The chimp cares not for how intelligent the man is, no. The chimp flips the tables, the chimp flees his feces at the man, the chimp rips off the man's arms and beats him to death with them and eats his face. If you cannot adapt to how the game is played despite whatever rules you have agreed on in the past then you will lose the game. And perhaps even much much more.

[@kylezdancewicz7346]

@@america8706but he learned and next time he beat the chimp at its own rules but their is always another, he faced a grizzly bear

[@unaincreibleroca3427]

​@@america8706 what is this XDDD

[@Chad_Thundercock]

The Turaxi demanded repayment. Humans found these terms acceptable.

[@rayzen119]

Well... we do use the term payloads for a reason. lmao

[@Isomeria450]

@@rayzen119 Turaxi: We DEMAND payment for you occupying our territory. Human leader: Hmmm... storing all this ammunition we produced for war would be too... expensive. Thank you for giving me a great idea where I could gift it.

[@Beardlythekind]

Maybe stories like these tell why no other species wants us to leave this rock. We would be unstoppable and don't know how to lose without death

[@fabriziobiancucci7702]

Actually the realism of such stories is basically zero. They exist to be satiric and entertaining, but in the real life things like interstellar war or alien invasion are extremely difficult to happen. And basically any other sentient species in the universe probably has a history very similar to ours for simply evolutionary factors, so they would able to do war crimes just like us

[@theonesithtorulethemall]

​@@fabriziobiancucci7702eh, considering the livespqn of our universe, and the first time sentimental life culd possible develop, we msot like ly are among the progenitor/forruner species Not the oldert, shurw, but relativeky close

[@fabriziobiancucci7702]

@@theonesithtorulethemall Yeah, that is a possibility. However, it may be wrong. If we considered when intelligent life could develop on our planer, there is a window of at least 600 million years were it could come out (and maybe it actually come out, simply there weren't the condition to develop a civilization). Also there are other condition that other planets may never had experienced, like the boring billion. So considering how big the universe is is very likely that a lot of sentient species evolved far before us. We are among the first if we compared ourselves with all the sentient species that may exist in the future, since the universe will be abitable at least for 100 trillion years, but being the "first" doesn't mean that there couldn't be billion or even trillion of sentirent species out there right now

[@brodriguez11000]

@@fabriziobiancucci7702 Good thing the capybera isn't sentient otherwise it would be game over.

[@sirgags2738]

@@fabriziobiancucci7702that’s false these types of stories happen. Just look into history. The Greeks city states and the Persians empire, Eastern Europe against the mongol empire, the American Revolution, NATO and Soviet Afghanistan wars, The Eastern front of WW2… etc.

[@acetrigger1337]

Turaxi: "they are mad, they fight each other constantly and think they can win? Ha!" Humanity: "oh cool, new toy." Turaxi: "w-wait why are they uniting?! WAIT WAIT WAIT!" Humanity: "time to see if our genocide practice paid off."

[@raidang]

Its like Persian invasion of Greece

[@Philanthropist.]

"oh cool new toy" bro was about to snatch those mf turaxis heads 💀

[@zerospace101]

This reminds me a lot of Enders Game...Attacked by aliens, uniting from all the internal wars and conflict, driving them off and then go on the offensive and literally erase the threat by genocide just to go back to fighting each other when the threat is gone. Very Human...for good or ill

[@Isomeria450]

"Peace brings stagnation, conflict brings progress" or something like that.

[@Queue3612]

Ah yes, waiting untill your enemy turns on their war economy and gets a bunch of field experience before envading is totaly the best course of action.

[@tetraxis3011]

Italy though the same about Greece and Germany had to save hem when the Greeks counterattacked. France thought the same about Mexico and even though Mexico didn’t have a proper war industry, they still kicked out the French.

[@yomogami4561]

turaxi fecked around and found out and now the council did i have yet to read/hear of a council worth anything

[@michaelwestmoreland2530]

Mass Effect wasn't /terrible/. Arguable, at least.

[@Slayer398]

Closest thing is "What Humans consider Overkill" or something, but instead of a council it's the upcoming military officers getting a briefing about the Humans military.

[@Lawleygagger]

Instead of the old yard sign about my dog, we’re gonna have to hang a big sign on the moon that says, Beware of Humans FAFO…😅

[@larspeterthomsen9798]

Haha, yes. But it should be written with thousands of kilometers of habs and military installations.

[@nathanberrigan9839]

I've seen that sign before: Forget the dog Beware of owner

[@kylezdancewicz7346]

@@nathanberrigan9839my dog can reach the fence in 10 seconds A bullet can in half a second

[@8darktraveler8]

"Beware of human, we bite"

[@heramaaroricon4738]

The Turaxi punched the Human factions one by one, which angered Mankind as a whole dearly. *Oversimplified animation of Humans bending the Turaxi over their knee, punishing them like a brat*

[@buddermonger2000]

The Turaxi were then punished severely

[@davidturner4824]

God, I hope our galaxy isn't as violent as all of these space stories portray it to be; once we finally get out there.

[@Aljhaqu]

Don't hold your breath. In the best instance, their Blue and Orange morality would put them at odds with us, but would be willing to compromise. In the worst, they are the same as us; and more than willing to slave us for their kicks.

[@drewwar9344]

It's going to be a mix

[@Aljhaqu]

@@drewwar9344 Hopefully.

[@Nick871203]

any sapient species has as much potential for war as the other

[@wiilov]

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

[@jamiepatterson1214]

When you stir an ant hill with a stick, the initial reaction is slow. But if you're dumb enough to stick around, it won't be long before humdreds of ants will come pouring out of that hill. And they won't be coming out to ask, "Why'd you put a stick in my home?" Waking up the humans is not a wise move. Doing so results in an eye for an eye campaign that doesn't stop until the attacker's home world suffers the same fate, as does every ship that species owns. Humans know how to go to war, they've plenty of experience. And they stick to their own rules of war, which doesn't include not continuing until the threat to humans has been neutralized. So the galactic council wants war with the humans? In the end, those four species that pulled out of the council will be the new galactic council.

[@weirdredpanda]

Them, and the humans. All the other species will be on the brink of extinction.

[@heramaaroricon4738]

Exactly. In this story, rubbing the humans the wrong way with war is basically a death sentence to your species.

[@redstocat5455]

Yeaj

[@killak3219]

It’s so funny how most sci-fi imagines humans coming under attack by a terrible warmongering galactic empire when in reality WE are that terrible warmongering empire 😂

[@richardarriaga6271]

The story here is kind of in-between. The Council was happy to ignore its own member getting slaughtered and even help the agressor. They applied civility politics to an obviouly injured party that was nearly genocided and had no allies. Should humans have taken the xenos' territory- legally no. It is bad to change territory by force because of how it destabilizes order, to say nothing of respect or morality. Did the humans have a better option when the Council didn't care or helped the agressor- no. How would the humans feel safe if the Council with larger resources could let the aggressor rebuild and attack again when there wasn't a security guarantee? The failure of the Council to control the situation led to its undoing since it could not be seen as legitimate when it only respected force. Only to find the humans could muster more.

[@anonygent]

That's usually how these stories end. Galactic empire decides to conquer earth, earth fights back, earth becomes new galactic empire. If you wanted to do something different, you could start from there and have the humans meet some nasty, vicious aliens that brute force doesn't work on. Then come up with a way for the humans to win.

[@8darktraveler8]

I like the stories were humans on the galactic stage are like "bro, don't make me do this".

[@JakeBananas]

@@anonygentso mass effect?

[@anonygent]

@@JakeBananas Haven't played it, so I'll have to take your word for it.

[@ousamadearudesuwa]

Humans are like Necrons in this setting, give them a push andthe squabbling dynasties will have a common threat to fight as one.

[@phntmthf5505]

Wait, hold on, but humans *are* apex predators

[@joimumu]

That´s how little they know of humans

[@jsbrads1]

@@joimumu technically not, we were the prey of large cats and snakes in our recent past. Lions are apex predators and fear no animal in one on one combat.

[@Isomeria450]

@@joimumu humanity by itself is pathetically weak. Our strength comes mostly from unity, inventions and adaptability.

[@alexns]

Our brains is what made us apex predators, we have no animal that can defeat us. We are the masters of our planet. Its survival or complete destruction is up to us.

[@TheRedStateBlue]

@@jsbrads1 we became apex predators when our brains evolved, we gained opposable thumbs and the ability to walk upright and learned how to use tools.

[@JTruong3rd]

In lot of sci fi never attack the race that spends their time warring between themselves. Gives them a good reason to unite and use their war and battle tactics they've perfected over their entire history.

[@godozo]

What I find interesting is that The Galactic Council had become rather passive. Not only did they have no problem with The Turaxi waging war on the Humans after they fought with each other, they then took their sweet time entering into the fray until after The Humans had almost hunted the Turaxi to extinction… and then were forced to watch as the Humans casually destroyed the Turaxi homeland, along with the rest of that race. Key word: Casually.

[@tetraxis3011]

Well I don’t think all of the Turaxi are dead. They seem to have been a larger entity than Humanity and they only lost 10 billion compared to the 16 billion innocent dead humans.

[@jaroslavb.korinek7285]

I love the "human are the space orcs" stories

[@whiterabbit75]

Better to have a true enemy at my front, than a false friend at my back.

[@alexl6644]

To the four defecting species, The Imperium of Man would say thus: "The enemy of my enemy dies next".

[@tetraxis3011]

I mean is it? One of these species is fighting side by side with us. I think they have earned their right to exist and prosper.

[@levievil9220]

@@tetraxis3011they’ll exist until they become a threat or piss us off whichever happens first

[@buddermonger2000]

no these are now sanctioned Xenos

[@connerthewubbzler1062]

I love this story so much! It reminds me of how I set up the Universe in my Sci-fi story. The Dominant government of every Alien Species never visited Humans or Earth because of the constant conflict and psychotic chaos, but they also saw nothing but value. One Species sought to use the Human conscience and physiology as a means to create the perfect death-bot. Another saw them too dangerous to fight head on and used a plague to wipe out the species...implanted in England during the 1600's...they were shocked to find out that not only did the Human race survive it...but they also erased the virus from their world. Regardless, Every Alien Race loves Humans for our destructive and chaotic abilities, even our unorthodox innovation and desire to reach out across the stars was admired and capitalized by the Titan corporations. But no one reached out to Humanity, it wasn't until Nuclear annihilation devoured Earth that all Species considered the Human race extinct, but when the Humans were managing to not only survive, but sending out shuttles and vessels to find a new world to inhabit, the Dominant Races saw this as the perfect opportunity to exploit Humanity. They knew fighting them or extinguishing the Human race was NEVER and option...but waiting until we were desperate, waiting until we needed something from them...that's when they knew that we could be introduced to their world without risk of destroying their empires. When asked about why they were so willing to allow Humans to conglomerate to their world and hire them for their enterprises...one the CEO's of the Corporate Titans explained "You have the most violent and dangerous creature in the known Universe, they were not only psychotic enough to destroy their planet, but also tenacious enough to survive the planet's extinction...they come to your House and ask to spend the night...you show them kindness, hospitality and give them things they never would've thought they wanted...and when all is said and done, you collect the favors from them...whether it's something as simple as sending them to explore the cosmos and protect your people that accompany them...or even if its to scan their brain to find out how to replicate Aggression and Malice for your drones." -The CEO of Atlas Industries.

[@tardisman4210]

That is a beautifully genius way of breaking the mold of aliens wanting to destroy us

[@connerthewubbzler1062]

@@tardisman4210 Thank you! I feel really good about this different style of Universal Exploration.

[@TrueWolves]

Wasn't the plague of the 1600s bacterial?

[@connerthewubbzler1062]

@@TrueWolves It might've been, but you still get my point.

[@cecilrhodes2153]

Also, the Black Death isn’t extinct, we still get cases today. Just an FYI.

[@Geshiko-GuP]

"They wanted to erase the threat to their species. The Humans wanted blood and revenge" The two most terrifying sentences to hear about Mankind

[@heyokasamurai453]

Vengeance at all cost

[@joshuasepeda3289]

This reminds me of the first Punic War. The Romans lost so many troops, and ships. Yet they just kept fighting until the Carthaginians' will was broken. This was also the case in the second Punic War.

[@richierollinrocket2891]

Roman Empire: I ain’t hear no bell

[@youknowwhoelsecantthinkofagood]

I also like how the Romans realized they were better at fighting on land than at sea. So what did their navy decide to do? They put gigantic fuckin ramps with huge ass hooks on their ships so that they could board the Carthaginians and fight them on their own boats!

[@Shadow.Dragon]

Great story! I'm hoping for a sequel that covers the war.

[@rockandrollude]

Unfortunately, the author wrote this story over 9 years ago, and not heard a peep after for about 2 years now.

[@RysenKai]

*"NO PRISONERS"* *"FOR THE EMPEROR"* *"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH"*

[@TheQuietKidAmerican]

I heard turaxi got oil... Might send this info to the freedom officers of super earth 😈

[@FernBlackwood1995]

@@TheQuietKidAmerican Yeah, I don’t think that’s what the Emperor Of Mankind is looking for.

[@schizophreaposting]

"The incredible violence makes up for our stupidity, LONG LIVE HUMANITY:D"

[@harmacist6623]

"One of the greatest mistake one can make in their wretched life, is to give humanity a reason to cast aside their conflicting interests and hatred against one another, and direct all of it solely upon themselves." -Some random quote I came up with on the spot.

[@azazelreeds]

Nothing impressive about humans... except their attrition. And trust me, attrition is a hell of an advantage...

[@TrueWolves]

Human endurance is one of our most impressive traits even on Earth!

[@ColdFuse96]

I can't stop picturing the Human Leader being played by Giancarlo Esposito (the actor who plays Gus Fring from Breaking Bad) with his strategy of sitting quietly for to drive the tension, attacking with all his firepower all at once, and then smiling at his opponents when they get all riled up. "You. Are. Done."

[@silverius3441]

"you wanted war, we have shown you what thousands of years of conflict had taught us, now you shall pay"

[@tovarish_kommandir]

Human - the more you f*** around, the more you find out

[@markfuston2714]

Definitely the worst thing you can do while fighting humans..never give them a common foe.

[@TheQuietKidAmerican]

Fr, the turaxi was very foolish to attack all the human factions, should've had destroyed the human factions one by one tbh.

[@TheguyfromJurassicpark3]

"Suffer not the xeno to live"

[@damien9683]

*Cleanse them of their sin of EXISTENCE*

[@lhrteam6257]

the indomitable human spirit.

[@webx135]

This was pretty enjoyable. But it falls victim to probably the oldest misanthropic tropes in storytelling: That warfare is unique to humans. That humans are the only species that kill members of their own species. That warfare is primarily a sign of hatred, lack of calm, lack of cooperation. Without cooperation, 1% dying in war on the borders becomes 10% dying to random skirmishes between individuals. War is not primarily a product of violence, but of cooperation. "We kill our own species!" they say. "Why can't we be peaceful, like the rabbits in the back yard?", they say pointing to a couple of adult rabbits who just ate their own young in a panic because of the sudden chill of winter. "Look at how the ants work together. THAT is a species that knows how to get along!" They say, not realizing that the only "peace" is the lack of competition. One colony has won the territory after a process that involved more casualties in a few months than humans killed in every war and genocide on Earth during the course of the entire 20th century. "Only humanity would come up with such horrific killing machines as the atomic bomb", they say in reference to the 63,000 warheads we had at our peak. Of which 2 were dropped, and the entire species collectively decided such devices should never be fired. "Only humans are so intentionally destructive to the planet" they say in regards to a species who is not the first to cause a mass extinction, but IS the first species to understand the mechanism, understand their role, and the only species that has proven it can organize enough global species-wide cooperation to undo such damage when they destroyed and then restored continental chunks of the ozone layer. The first species to know they are the cause, and the only species in the history of the planet capable of doing anything about it.

[@anonygent]

All true, but it's entirely possible to envision alien species that arose from prey animals that rely far more on bluff and bravado to settle their disputes than open bloodshed. A race of intelligent deer, for example, would be unlikely to engage in murderous wars for territory.

[@raidermaxx2324]

Actually it was a hypothetical thought piece on a scenario in which a non apex predator species, who has evolved to join a galactic community, meets an apex predator species, that has evolved and joined the galactic community was well. And if mankind would use the same instinctual tools that have been hardwired into our DNA from our time as plant eating tree monkeys who survived being the prey of ginat snakes and saber tooth tigers, to evolve into a planet spanning dominant species who overcame its terrestrial (and aquatic apex predators ) on our own planet, if we could use those same instincts of "knowing our enemy" to take down these space faring apex predators. Keep in mind the term "apex predator" refers to what a given species evolved FROM, and still retain characteristics and ways of thinking, from their evolutionary past, in the same way that we have our "survivor" traits from our past. Its also a commentary on how apes in the wild "war" with other "clans" but will unite against a common foe.

[@raidermaxx2324]

Yea well i fear that there are some of our species that seem to think nuclear weapons are "options" on the table, as we are closer to the Doomsday clock as we ever were, even during the Cold War, which i grew up experiencing .

[@seanturner1197]

In the past, there was an expression for this barely contained rage. It's called "COWABUNGA IT IS"

[@PeachDragon_]

"infantry did what it does best, it dug in and started piling bodies like wood"

[@lorzon]

"Human's are the first non-apex predator species to achieve spaceflight..." Humanity, "Let me introduce you to the list of animals we hunted to death because they used to eat us."

[@williamnixon3994]

Also humanity: "Let me introduce you to the list of animals we hunted to death because they INCONVENIENCED us in some way"

[@levievil9220]

@@williamnixon3994human: this is the dodo it’s a fossil right now only because we decided to hunt it to extinction no idea why they didn’t taste good

[@hansmuller7859]

Some dudes: This feels like Earth Propaganda Me: My Brother in Liberty IT WORKED TRIPPLE THE MILITARY BUDGET

[@t_c5266]

I do enjoy the concept of humans being merciless and brutal. Every Sci fi series with alien invasions always have these violent, almost primative, aliens that don't act as a super advanced civilization would. It's never the humans who turn out to be absolutely batshit and the aliens actually start to panic.

[@Agent-ym8ke]

Humans: forget that they hated each other immediately Aliens: excuse me what the f*ck

[@SimCityEA1989]

Japan: "Oh I see where you got this inspiration from"

[@HateMachinist]

Good story. Needs a little work, but good story. I would be infinitely more afraid of a species that have evolved as prey-animals than a species growing to sapience as apex-predators. One is bound to be overly confident, while the other is likely to perform preemptive strikes at any potential danger.

[@WillyShankspeare]

But humans are apex predators. We're absolutely not prey, our faces are proof of that. We have predator eyes that face forward rather than prey eyes that are on the side that give us more awareness of our surroundings.

[@KOMISSARIAT]

@@WillyShankspeare Humans are closer to the middle of the food chain, we're moreso pursuit predators. "Apex predator" means that we have no predators of our own- which we do. Polar bears for example, hunt humans no problem. Lions and tigers tend to go for humans time to time as well.

[@WillyShankspeare]

@@KOMISSARIAT No, we are the apex predator. We have guns.

[@KOMISSARIAT]

@@WillyShankspeare guns or not, humans are still hunted, killed, and eaten by other predators.

[@iv689]

​@@KOMISSARIAT to add to that, giving a gun to guinea pig would not make it an apex predator, it would just make it more competent prey, it would make it an elephant, not a bear.

[@ColumnarCar.0987]

This is amazing, I can only Imagine the human leader yelling in his mind. “Insane, I’m insane? EXPECTING US TO REIMBURSE THE AGGRESSORS IN A WAR THEY LOST! THATS INSANE!”

[@aeternusdoleo4531]

Non apex predator... They kind of misjudged that one, didn't they.

[@Isomeria450]

They didn't. One human by himself is weaker than most predators even on our own planet. The reason humans ARE strong as they are is the ability to adapt, invent and unite.

[@SKULLY-qm8zk]

@@Isomeria450no shit intelligence is our main trait that’s like saying Crocodiles are weak because if you take away their bite they aren’t that good at killing

[@redstocat5455]

ONU: we will burn the space threaty... TO DEFEND OURSELF FROM THEM Fars aliens: wait why they all send bigger versions of what they call fireworks ? Near aliens: WE ARE SURENDING WE WILL GIVE YOU RESSOURCES, TECHNOLOGYS AND AN PART OF THE PLANETS ON OUR SYSTEM BUT DON'T SEND THIS TO US

[@PrismicFallingStar]

​@SKULLY-qm8zk the difference is crocodiles and their ancestors haven't been what you would call prey animals for hundreds of millions of years. Humans have recently evolved from species that were definitely not apex predators

[@cideltacommand7169]

​@@PrismicFallingStarOkay who would win, a lion or an ah-64 apache ?

[@thestudentofficial5483]

HFY trying not to write war crimes [impossible]

[@PyrrhoVonHyperborea]

"... however, we are willing to compromise" * proceeds to take his pound of flesh out of the opponent * "Gonna be generous here: your entire civilization for thos you killed. The exchange rate is actually pretty much in your favor if you do the math, though sadly you may find your coinage not being worth anything after this exchange..."

[@theirishrave6448]

"We were born to Inherit the Stars, not you."

[@Fuxy22]

Yeah... that wasn't going to fly to begin with... too much of a double standard... nobody said anything when the humans were getting slaughtered so what right do they have to intervene now? Should have just shut up and let things go as they did at the start... Plus asking for reparations after losing the war you started could be nothing but an insult... although a civilization not having contingencies in preserving their culture outside their home system is a bit odd.

[@sarmeister1699]

I figured that last bit was due to their culture focusing so much on war that they didn't have colonies so much as military installations, good for fighting wars on the offense and defense but unable to maintain themselves without the homeworld.

[@raidermaxx2324]

ehh you missed the whole point .BTW, this is a short story written by Larry Niven clone in the 1960's, from the Amazing Worlds science fiction periodical. The point was a hypothetical situation if a non-apex predator species like humans, that have never had a problem with killing each other as monkeys, but always united and socialized in face of a common foe, would succeed against an apex predator species, IF they had both evolved into space faring species and warred with each other in a future space war. Man-Kzin Wars.

[@bucket1442]

Nothing like some good ol' trauma bonding and rage to unite humanity.

[@novasiri7809]

'Humans, truly insane.' 'Damn right we are mate! AHAHA!'

[@mrt5187]

It's simple The Humans did not start that War but Made Shure too Ended it Permanently. Also, as warning to the other races that have any thoughts of starting something with the humans. Bring it On.

[@johnwclick]

"Never start a fight....but ALWAYS finish it..." John Sheridan, Babylon 5.

[@kitsune7388]

4:37 "You lost the war, you dont get to chose what happens to you, and you are at our mercy"

[@TrondelagianPatriotsriseup]

Non-apex predator species? My brother in christ we hunt animals with explosions and steel, we are Apex predators.

[@justmacg2873]

I could read a whole series on this setting and story.

[@Amateur317]

I am barely listening to this but honestly just hearing background stuff is very nice

[@scifistories1977]

Put the Black Ship - book one on. It's 12 hours long.

[@carloscrispens4816]

Humanity is unstoppable when united under a single purpose. Understanding that and we will conquer the stars.

[@Derkiab]

True, one recent example was Covid, we adapted and survived.

[@emmanueltrejo4226]

I have no idea how the algorithm got me here but this was splendid. Bravo 👏 long live humanity!!

[@scifistories1977]

Thank you, Emmanuel! And welcome to the channel.

[@Taistelukalkkuna]

And here, dear council members, is a prime example of what we humans call "Exterminatus." Have a nice day.🙃

[@ssark9187]

The Emperor Protects.

[@nodosa994]

I've never heard a HFY story, but now that i've watched this, I have ot say, this is so badass!

[@cryptopsyrin4425]

Humans are apex predators. We are persistence hunters, we are meant to hunt by following animals to the point the exhaust themselves. Thats why our stamina is so high and why sweating is such a big deal

[@anonygent]

A) We're not; and B) we're actually evolved to be throwing hunters, with abnormally long, flexible arms, opposable thumbs, and wrists with nearly infinite turning radius. The long legs and unusual stamina help with keeping up with prey, but it's the spear throwing that brought down the prey.

[@cryptopsyrin4425]

@@anonygent tools make us apex predators, everyone likes to pretend they don't count but when it's life and death I'll take any advantage I have. Sucks to suck for animals but we sit at the top

[@redstocat5455]

And that why the humans armys often traveled by themself to conquer others And that also why you have to become scientists

[@Derkiab]

@@anonygent We are apex predators or super predators as there isn't a single species that can oppose us today, it's in our genome.

[@anonygent]

@@Derkiab Super predators, yes, meaning we hunt the largest and healthiest to display on our walls rather than hunting the young and the weak for food, apex predator, no, plenty of other animals hunt us for food, including lions, tigers, and bears; smaller cats like panthers and jaguars; wolves; crocodiles and alligators; and even the occasional python or anaconda. An apex predator is one that does not have any hunters. We're mid-level predators. Our ancestors, the chimps, have far more predators than we do, including eagles.

[@Profile__1]

I always love the "theory" that, given our existence on Earth is wracked by constant struggle and war (even on the cellular level) we're actually more like the orcs of space; highly resilient, powerful, violent, and united against enemies that attack us.

[@palerider2143]

The Indomitable Human Spirit

[@Stalker_man1]

WE WERE BORN TO INHERIT THE STARS

[@AVRGWIBWTHACN]

"The humans wanted to erase the threat to their species." Not the humans standing on biznizz. Lets go!

[@mold_mister]

We were born to inherit the stars

[@justanobadi6655]

It's like that bit from Origins 2 in Halo Legends, "But there has always been one truly unifying force in human history. One call that would always unite you. The emergence of a common enemy."

[@seanhewitt603]

Yup. Look out wannabe tough guys, don't pick at the quiet nice guys. Our behaviour is a choice to not kill.