March 2017 75-word Writing Challenge -- VICTORY TO DAVID EVIL OVERLORD!

[Starbeast]

Should I Stay, or Should I go?​

"I'm Damien Richard's android. My creator, made me as a better version of himself. I will continue his job, only."

"Silence! You're our property now. You will do Damien's job, and, pick up the slack from all executive employee relations, just as your creator did."

"No." Grape jam gushed from the android's mouth onto it's employers. Then, splattered other personnel, on Richard's list.

At home, laughing, the real Damien watched transmissions from hacked company cameras.

 

[RJM Corbet]

Sunday Morning

"Good morning, Dear."
"Good morning."
"You've been up all night again, working on your science-fiction book?"
"Yes. It's a huge amount of work."
"Whatever. Do you know what day it is?"
"Sunday."
"And?"
"It means I can keep working."
"Is that book all you can think about?"
"What else should I be thinking?"
"Perhaps about celebrating our wedding anniversary with lunch somewhere?"
"Anniversary! Hey look, I didn't actually forget ..."
"Again!"
Door slams!

 

[Parson]

Working for Queen Grimhilde​

Doc trudged to the mine. Grimhilde's star ships had wiped out human resistance. Humans were slaves, nothing more.

Everything was terrible. But the rules were the worst.
>Clean yourself before coming home.
>No horseplay.
>No more than one beer a day.
By far the worst rule was
>Sing a cheerful song as you walk to work.

Grimhilde looked on, so everyone sang that nauseating song.

“Hi Ho, Hi ho, it's off to work we go.”

 

[Stable]

Farmville World 2025​

I clicked rapidly, keeping my APM high. A drone dropped off the shopping at the front door, I had no time to pay attention the fridge could handle that. A user from Ohio was storming the rankings and I’d been barely keeping in the top 100 these days. Drop one place and my family would be back in the projects.

I kept clicking as the sweat came on.

The kids would thank me.

One day.

 

[Ihe]

No Dull Boys

Our fleet tears through the stars. Worlds burn; civilisations vanish.

The cries of billions never reach us. The silence of space is a mercy, some say. High Command has blocked the enemy’s outgoing communications and we now only converse through incandescent flashes. Our chats are always short and one-sided.

Draftee resolve falters with each bloody victory. Volunteers like myself remain strong. The trick is to enjoy one’s work.

I am proud to lead by example.

 

[Hugh]

The Lichens of Xaxia IV​

I was never very keen on working. Getting high was much more interesting, and I became a committed psychonaut.

So, when I heard of the psychoactive lichens of Xaxia IV, I headed there toute suite.

The tutelary spirits of the lichens were not only welcoming, but transformative.

I had truly come home.

I even found congenial employment demonstrating Terran conceptual thinking.

Never has life felt so fulfilling.

Sometimes I wonder if I miss my body.

 

[Justin Swanton]

The Last Engineer

The generator room lights went out then flickered back on. J'nanina glanced up. Another fluctuation. He would have to try and fix it.

Leaving his chair he took his worn toolbox. He might repair it this time, even the next time. One day he would fail.

Why bother? Undercity was dying, humanity with it. But as long as he kept the generator going everyone lived.

It was his job. Not bad as reasons go.

 

[mosaix]

The Alien Will See You Now, Sir.

"You want to work for us? Doing what?"

"Saving you."

"From what?"

"From us. From humans. You should leave – now."

A wry smile. "You are so dangerous?"

"Oh yes. More dangerous than you can imagine."

"But we have conquered half the galaxy."

"Have you slaughtered your own kind?"

"Our own kind?"

"Nailed them to crosses?"

"Nailed!"

"Burnt them alive?"

"What!"

"Shot, gassed and incinerated millions?"

"Stop, stop. I had no idea! When can you start?"

 

[Peter V]

Licence to Kill


Sure, I should have researched the job first but pest control is my life and the salary advertised for Chief rat catcher on Avalon astronomical.


Things is they aint rats. Locals call ‘em that because they got pointy noses. These critters are lightning fast, have teeth like a tiger and happen to be the size of elephants.


I’m not scared ‘cos I’m good at my job. But dammit, I am gonna need some bigger traps.

 

[chrispenycate]

Force times distance =

Ill-adapted for enjoyment, robots snapping up employment
Impotent dissatisfaction, only outlet in distraction,
Scripting, acting entertainment, daytime T.V's necrologic
Ultimate world-shaking novel,
Music maker, dance, Web-blogic
Creativity's the egress, altar before which we grovel,
Only subject biologic entities make machines falter.
Mothering of our inventiveness is necessary
No more learning repetition, programming is insufficien…
t. To reassure our survival, to enforce mankind's revival.
Midas plagues enforce deprival
New vistas await arrival.

​

 

[Shyrka]

The Reclamator’s Burden

“They’re beautiful,” she whispers, young eyes widening.

Images drift from her, gossamer phantoms of a life not yet lived.

“Yes.” I let them linger for a moment.

“You’re taking them?” Her breathing grows soft; shallow.

“Not taking. Saving.”

“Why? I’m…?”

“Dying? Yes.” Lying would be cruel. “But others have need of them. New lives.”

“Other boys and girls will get them?”

I nod.

As last breath dallies ghost-like on her lips, they twitch.

 

[saulfan]

A Mother's Work

Tensing, Reika Minnesdotter anticipated her newborn's implant handshake. The pulse in her template heralded the notifications. She shuddered.

Life Gift: 124.67 Earth Years. (Below the mean. Way below)

Gender Specification: Male

Assignment: Viral Implant Vessel.

Without weakness, she completed the acceptance ritual.

No calling, profession or dignity for her child. Simply toil, exertion and suffering. To what end? Bettering lives of the blessed?

Cradling her son, past the cautionary sign, "Work Will Liberate". She jumps.

 

[nixie]

Job of a Lifetime.
​

Easy they said, nothing to hard for a boy like me.

What happens?

I get attacked by trolls, evil overlord puts a bounty on my head, dreams that cause actual bodily harm, constantly running.

No sign of promised riches or princesses, never mind a decent meal.

And Why me I ask myself?

I've a got a stupid birthmark, unknown parents and I'm 17.

Last time I answer a mage poster for a lost king.

​

 

[David Evil Overlord]

Little Wonder


"I work all day,” said the superhero. “You can’t even make dinner?”

She ticked off tasks on her fingers. "Weekly groceries? Done. Washing? Done. Ironing? Done. Children to and from kindergarten? Done? Supervillain? Fridged. Dinner? No.”

“What?”

“Dinner?”

“No, before that.”

“Ironing?”

“After.”

“Children?”

“Supervillain?”

“Overkill. Frying pan to the face, carving knives everywhere else, into the fridge.”

“So, no dinner?”

“Not unless you’re taking me to dinner. I’m not Wonder Woman.”

 

[Mad Alice]

All Star Poker

"I call! Show your cards."
Percy coughed up three Knights, he'd been hiding under his wing, and Mikey Minotaur pulled out his two Queens from his vest. I snorted. Bluffing, as usual. It was going to take more to best my hand.
"Oh, c'mon Zeus! How are we supposed to beat your thunderbolts?" Percius whined.
"Well you don't expect me to do K.P. do you? Get to work, Gentlemen. Dinner's in an hour."

 

[Appello]

When Silence Burns

.

"This won't work."

Col didn't respond. His hands continued to dance over the mess of wiring, as delicate as birds.

"It won't," I repeated, swallowing bitterness. "It can't."

Col twisted two more wires together, then leant back, dragging a sleeve over his grease-smeared face.

"It will," he said. Around us, the air grew hot. Sweat slid like tears down my neck. The bomb began to hum with life.

"It has to."

 

[LittleStar]

How the End Began

They gave me the day off after I found her, but I needed to keep busy.

M-Series Sims still rolled off the line; perfectly safe, ready to join the family. The investigation barely lasted an hour, only I'd seen after all. One in every home was more than one never going home again.

"I'll do it." Three years worth of numbers on the board, replaced by one.

'0 Days Without Incident' it read now.

 

[HazelRah]

Gifts of Choice


Sam watched Alder. Her grease-stained fingers danced against the stars, still trying to fix what should stay broken.
But the old ship spluttered and caught.

"It works!" she squealed, "We can finally go home!"

"Home?" Sam frowned.

"Yes."

"Oh, Alder. What mumbo-jumbo did they tell you? It's not taking us home. It's taking us to the front; to war."

Alder froze. "I think..." she said, slowly picking up the crowbar, "I'd rather stay here."

 

[TheDustyZebra]

When you assume…


“Sir, I can’t let you out there—”

“Nonsense, Ted — it’s my space station.”

“It’s Fred, sir, and yes, of course, but…”

“Jed, those idiot bots aren’t fixing the problem, and I’m going out to look at it.”

“Sir, I can’t suit you up—”

“Just give it here, dammit!”

***

Untethered, the CEO spun crazily out into space, firing all jets.

Fred polished the viewport, watching.

First rule of business, sir: know the name of the janitor.

 

[ratsy]

Scars

I sat in the ship’s mess hall, more playing with my food than eating it.

Millions of lives snuffed out in seconds. My hands had loaded their doom.

Space Marine. I had envisioned protecting colonies; medals and scars.

The scars I had couldn't be seen with the human eye.

My wrist vibrated. It was time to go back to my bay. Fill weapons tubes again.

It was time to go to work.