Short SciFi Stories on the go

Professor Krilltech, known for his cruelly inventive tests, had designed it to push every species to the edge of their abilities. The simulated mortality rate, a staggering 93%, 20 students stepped into their examination pods, the best minds from across the galaxy, among them were the Zephron twins, both with flawless academic records, Commander Cadet Voss from the War Worlds, and Sam 9, an artificial intelligence that had never scored below perfection, and in pod 17 sat Hannah Foster from Earth, casually eating her sandwich. The pods came alive with a low hum as neural links connected each student to their simulated worlds. His planet's temperature had dropped by three degrees, a death sentence for his species, which could barely handle a one degree shift. Meanwhile, Hannah calmly examined her asteroid's data.

She said calmly, you want to know why humanity isn't jumping to join your grand alliance. Every species that joins your alliance becomes dependent on your technology, your trade systems, your rules. We didn't fight our way from stone tools to starships just to play it safe. We're busy because we're building our own way. When we join the galactic community and we will, it'll be as equals who earned our place not as children grateful for your leftovers.

For over 3,000 years the Zenth collective had ruled the outer rim of the galaxy, their military strategy was flawless, swift, calculated, and unstoppable. Each Zenth war fleet carried 200 massive capital ships, powerful enough to burn entire continents. A human trading ship had drifted into Zenth territory, and Zenth warriors had boarded at expecting easy prey. In response they sent a punishment fleet, 200 ships, the pride of the Zen-3 military, to the human's home system, known as Sol. Every ship covered another's weakness, striking the Zenth formations at their most vulnerable points.

For over 3,000 years the Zenth collective had ruled the outer rim of the galaxy, their military strategy was flawless, swift, calculated, and unstoppable. Each Zenth war fleet carried 200 massive capital ships, powerful enough to burn entire continents. A human trading ship had drifted into Zenth territory, and Zenth warriors had boarded at expecting easy prey. In response they sent a punishment fleet, 200 ships, the pride of the Zen-3 military, to the human's home system, known as Sol. Every ship covered another's weakness, striking the Zenth formations at their most vulnerable points.

You've only just passed the threshold, but the council believes your species has potential despite its obvious limitations. Some basic technology upgrades, membership protocols, and of course your planetary protection contract. The humans introduced themselves Captain Reeves, a tall male who was their diplomatic specialist, another who was their cultural anthropologist and three who served as security. Now let's talk about your integration package. Ambassador Reeves said, we'll need to consult with our government before making any decisions.

You've only just passed the threshold, but the council believes your species has potential despite its obvious limitations. Some basic technology upgrades, membership protocols, and of course your planetary protection contract. The humans introduced themselves Captain Reeves, a tall male who was their diplomatic specialist, another who was their cultural anthropologist and three who served as security. Now let's talk about your integration package. Ambassador Reeves said, we'll need to consult with our government before making any decisions.

You've only just passed the threshold, but the council believes your species has potential despite its obvious limitations. Some basic technology upgrades, membership protocols, and of course your planetary protection contract. The humans introduced themselves Captain Reeves, a tall male who was their diplomatic specialist, another who was their cultural anthropologist and three who served as security. Now let's talk about your integration package. Ambassador Reeves said, we'll need to consult with our government before making any decisions.

You've only just passed the threshold, but the council believes your species has potential despite its obvious limitations. Some basic technology upgrades, membership protocols, and of course your planetary protection contract. The humans introduced themselves Captain Reeves, a tall male who was their diplomatic specialist, another who was their cultural anthropologist and three who served as security. Now let's talk about your integration package. Ambassador Reeves said, we'll need to consult with our government before making any decisions.

When the final orbital cannon fell silent, Major Elias Ward, commander of Revanar's defenses, spoke the words every soldier feared most. Serac said coldly, and let their corpses remind the galaxy what happens when anyone dares to defy the Drax. The sky ignited as the Drax fleet powered up for one last bombardment. On Revanar's surface, Major Elias Ward looked up at the stars blazing above. The Terran warship Aegis emerging from a warp rift, surrounded by the burning remains of the Drax fleet.

As the Galactic Council's military anthropologist, my job was to study the war with humanity from the start to what was supposed to be its easy, inevitable end. Not for their current strength, but for their rapid growth. No other species had gone from flying in their atmosphere to traveling the stars in less than 300 years. Not because they expected us, but because they've already faced similar tactics in their own wars. But unlike other species, their cooperation was driven not only by survival, but by competition with other humans.