>>1122815
So Martians are interstellar aliens that are native to Earth-like planets, and we agreed to share technology and terraform Mars so we could inhabit it together? Convenient!

Did you mean a "gamma ray burst" destroyed their homeworld?

>>1122817
Skunky? Oh, you mean like a skunk! That's a small, black and white mammal from Earth that evolved to generate noxious chemicals as a defense mechanism. They're infamous for the foul smell of their spray, but they're also really cute. Some people keep them as pets.

What's to the left of the sink? I see something that looks vaguely regulator-like, but it's obscured by the pile of stuff in the foreground.

So why are they terraforming the planet while people are LIVING ON IT? You don't move into a skyscraper while it's still being built!! That's a horrible idea, all the best and fast terraforming involves WMD-levels of energies, it would've been better to evacuate any early bases on Mars, before dropping several million 'bigger than the one that killed the dinosaurs' ice comets onto the planet to get it enough water for some proper oceans (or fewer than that, if you want just a green planet with a bunch of shallow lakes), giving it non-stop torrential rain even if you are fancy about it. And then there's shipping massive amounts of Nitrogen from Venus or Titan (and presumably the tanks of Nitrogen would just be SHOT at the planet to impact and explode, due to cost...), so mostly normal plants will grow outside. Oh, did your people place electromagnets and mirrors between Mars and the Sun, at the Lagrange point for a technological magnetosphere and a way to heat the planet enough? And those mirrors melted the poles first? What about all the soil generation that requires every INCH of soil on the planet be made and isolated from the native toxic regolith? The machines to do that should be hideously disruptive! Whether they're big crawlers, or if space based superlasers are used in part of the process!

Like NONE OF THIS should happen while there are people living on the surface, you know?!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcXBuYwm3xk&list=PLIIOUpOge0Lsf-ZtVyzxNGcOMoHmltQO9&index=3 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpcTJW4ur54[/spoiler]

>>1122898
Welcome to third-world advanced civilization building. For all their power, the Marnari don't have any safer choices due to a combination of politics, receding opportunities, and lack of social infrastructure.

Baron 2026/03/13(Fri)03:56 No. 1123392 ID: fd2dfa
File 177337418004.gif - (101.03KB , 680x474 , 10.gif )

>>1122898
...what?

Baron 2026/03/13(Fri)03:56 No. 1123393 ID: fd2dfa
File 177337419295.png - (256.29KB , 1280x1024 , 11.png )

>>1122825
Oh yeah, gamma ray burst. That's what the history text said. That's gotta suck. The chances of something like that happening in your home system must be crazy stupid small, but it happens anyway. Just win the bad luck lottery or something with numbers like that.

Anyway, most of this is just from my room or takeout, or. Actually I dunno what most of this stuff was. But the thingy down here is just the trash bin for the bathroom when I gotta clean up-uh never mind. It's not in here that's all you need to know.

>>1122823
Not a bad idea. Just gotta clear the kitchen first of all the screws and-

"Ah shit!"

Baron 2026/03/13(Fri)03:56 No. 1123394 ID: fd2dfa
File 177337419564.png - (227.63KB , 1280x1024 , 12.png )

That's right, I took off the panel downstairs where dad keeps all the tools for stuff! I was attaching an old picture to my regulator. It's my friends, see?

This was something that was drawn by Pai during the summer camp we last had together. Shit I was like, what was I? I think like 6 or 7 when we did this. It's been so long since I seen them. You wanna see? Hang on lemme just fiddle with the aug. Now how do I set auto-focus-there we go!

Baron 2026/03/13(Fri)03:56 No. 1123395 ID: fd2dfa
File 177337420734.png - (891.87KB , 1133x842 , 13.png )

Okay there. Yeah so, the one on the bottom? That's Doto'o. He's my bird-bro. My brod, my broder of a different feather. I see him all the time, but the others?

Those are the Daksa sisters. Twins believe it or not. Left one's Pai'sa, she's the one who saw the pic we took and drew one of her own. I kept that one and she took the photo. She was kinda shy, but liked the games I had on my aug-stack. We had shit for connection out there, but the co-op stuff was great.

Her sister on the right's Pikke'si. When Pai was busy with something, Pikke was taking a break from climbing or doing practice salvage work. She'd show up and play MercWars with me and Doto'o.

Olympia Downslope takes students from every district this side of the mountain. Which means I'm finally gonna see them again! I figured I'd have the pic attached to my regulator so they'd see me. I know they sometimes got trouble telling humans apart, even if there's gonna be like-only 2 or 3 of us on campus- and if I'm being honest I have no idea how the Daksa sisters look now. All three of them still had their youth down on, made them look all pudgy and fluffy. By now, they got their adult plumes in and I got no idea what it'll be. I figure either they notice me, or I'll find Pai when she puts her photo on something.

Man, I just went off on a tangent again. What were we talking about?

>>1123393
Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed of. A lot of people do that when they're alone. We won't judge.

>>1123394
You found the regulator? Neat! What else is left to get ready for tomorrow?

>>1123395
Well, after finding your regulator, your next goal was to make some food for yourself and your dad. What sort of thing would you like to eat? And while you're at it, you could prepare something for tomorrow, to save yourself a little time.

You were looking for your regulator. Is that it?

oh and dinner plans. What's in the fridge?

should probably make sure the regulator is still working, just in case

>>1123395
Your friends are adorably floofy.
Were, sorry.
Do they follow the pattern of earth avian forms?
Bright displaying males, dull females? Something less dimorphic or an inverted pattern?

Oh, hey, does your regulator need charging cause you might have left it in the charger port.

Baron 2026/03/28(Sat)03:31 No. 1123991 ID: fd2dfa
File 177466870439.png - (397.79KB , 1280x1024 , 14.png )

>>1123399
>>1123400
Oh yeah, this thing is the regulator. Whole thing. It'd be kinda dumb if I showed up to campus tomorrow without. I'd have to go for the public access ones, and those always smell like shit.
I dunno if they ever even wash them.
So last thing to do is getting some food in me and off to bed. Lessee, I got plenty of stuff. Just stocked up and all, but what's about to go bad? Uh-oh right!

Agri-club was growing produce all summer long and were giving it away. I got all these tomatoes here. Alicantes, Beefsteaks, Martian Reds, Mini Safirs, I could be getting their names wrong. I dunno tomatoes.
And the EGG brand egg substitute is about to hit best by date, hey did you know Marnari love eggs? Like they can't get enough of it, to the point real chicken eggs area luxury on Mars.

Yeah I think I can make some tomato-egg stir fry with this.

Baron 2026/03/28(Sat)03:31 No. 1123992 ID: fd2dfa
File 177466871068.png - (317.05KB , 1280x1024 , 15.png )

>>1123430
>Do they follow the pattern of earth avian forms? Bright displaying males, dull females? Something less dimorphic or an inverted pattern?
They used to. Like they say that's what they were like back when they still had a homeworld. But apparently all those generations asleep and on ships with artificial light dulled their plumage? So like the boys and girls are still pretty dull, but I think guys still sometimes develop spots on their plumage.

You know, its kind of a good thing we got this hab. Previous owners left a lot of stuff, even old recipe books, so I don't have to mix and match stuff without knowing what I'm doin'. But also it still feels weird living
in a house of a criminal king pin. Like this guy was able to afford so much for this hab cause he was smuggling stuff between Earth and Mars, but then I think someone snitched and the provisional government sent troops into-

Baron 2026/03/28(Sat)03:31 No. 1123993 ID: fd2dfa
File 177466871495.png - (296.77KB , 1280x1024 , 16.png )

Oh wait, I gotta call. Hang on I gotta take this.

Baron 2026/03/28(Sat)03:31 No. 1123994 ID: fd2dfa
File 177466871999.png - (468.96KB , 1280x1024 , 17.png )

"Yeah? Oh, hey dad, I was-no I-oh.



I see.



Yeah...okay. Bye dad."

Baron 2026/03/28(Sat)03:32 No. 1123995 ID: fd2dfa
File 177466872349.png - (419.63KB , 1280x1024 , 18.png )

"..."


So dad't not comin'. Emergency assembly or something. Closed doors. Those things can last for weeks, and they'll just shack everyone up at some hotel next door until it's resolved.

...fuck

It can't be helped. You should get out there and meet people so you don't have to spend so much time in a lonely house.

>>1123995
Aw man, that's a bummer. I'm sure your dad wishes he could be there for you on your big day. You ought to take some pictures and send them to him; whatever this emergency is, I'm sure it'll cheer him up to see you doing well.

It's sad, but no one's really to blame. It's not your fault, or your dad's fault, or the government's fault that they had a sudden emergency and needed him. Well, maybe we can blame whoever caused the emergency. I wonder what it's about... Do you have any idea?

Hey, at least you've got us to help get your mind off it. Why not tell us more about your living space? You say it used to be owned by a smuggler. Did you find anything interesting he left in his house? Or even a hidden space somewhere?

>>1123995
Bad news.
Sorry to hear it dude.
Hey, at least you get tine to explore.
Maybe throw a party for your avian pals here in this cool house or sonething.

Say, about your no friends...
do you figure theyre plumed in ways human visual spectrum cant appreciate?
Pigeons are all grey, but they see in the uv spectrum.
Plus, you shine a uv light on them and they almost glow.
You got a blacklight you can try?

Baron 2026/04/01(Wed)21:04 No. 1124172 ID: c15a60
File 177507748764.png - (282.54KB , 1280x1024 , 4126.png )

Dinner is ruined forever

>>1124172
Is it too late to ask for a 'Surprise Hooker Party' April Fool's update instead?

>>1124173
Why? You want birb boobies?

Baron 2026/04/01(Wed)21:32 No. 1124176 ID: c15a60
File 177507915410.png - (499.62KB , 1280x1024 , Illustration.png )

>>1124173
HAPPY BORFDAY SON!

It's mom's birhtdey dad

TIME FOR BERB STRIPPER! PAY BIG MONEY SO BOOBIE DANSE

>>1124176
Best.
Dad.
Ever.

Baron 2026/04/11(Sat)04:34 No. 1125074 ID: c15a60
File 177588208056.png - (724.25KB , 2468x1464 , 19.png )

>>1123999
There's always some emergency, air or food or water. I don't follow current events a whole lot, but dad says there was some rivalries between Marnari factions even before they settled on Mars, and some of them just got more aggressive when they weren't on a ship. But like, he told me not to worry about it, he called them minor disputes over water or air or whatever; but when do you have to have these week long emergency sessions over that?
Like this isn't the first time. They just force everyone to stay, they rent out some motel near where he works and they all have to work day and night to settle whatever.

This always happens. But you'd think he'd be back for mom's birthday at least...

>>1123997
I can't really do that. Not here. Neighborhood is empty most of the day, and everyone around here that isn't off at work or whatever aren't real sociable. I tried. I dunno if it's cause I'm human or if they just don't like to talk to strangers.

>>1124028
>Say, about your no friends...do you figure theyre plumed in ways human visual spectrum cant appreciate?
>You got a blacklight you can try?
I-I dunno. I guess? I know they used to be more colorful, but not anymore. Never asked about the UV thing though, and I dunno if that would count as weird. Like "Hey lemme shine this light on you cause I wanna see your real colors."

>Why not tell us more about your living space? You say it used to be owned by a smuggler. Did you find anything interesting he left in his house? Or even a hidden space somewhere?
Well he was an official like dad, but it turns out he was using his position to move Marnari artifacts to Earth and illegal stuff from Earth to Mars. I haven't found any hidden spots yet, but there was a lot of custom work done for the lighting system, and like an automated temperature control, the entertainment system in the living room, the water control and filter, the custom work on the oxygen filters...

Baron 2026/04/11(Sat)04:37 No. 1125075 ID: c15a60
File 177588223212.png - (887.09KB , 2468x1464 , 20.png )

Oh shit. I fell asleep again.
Oh shit. I overslept.
Oh shit! I'M GONNA BE LATE!

>>1125075
Don't panic. First, take a deep breath. Then make a mental list of all the things you need for school. Then start collecting them.

Are you wearing your uniform? If not, that's the first thing.
Don't forget your regulator, of course.
Any other school supplies you need? Do you have an ID badge? A wallet?
Did you think to prepare food in advance? You can collect it to eat later.
You probably don't have time for a shower, but still do a bit of freshening up in the bathroom. Wash your face and all this.

But most importantly, don't panic. You got this.

>>1125074
Look up info about how your friends eyes work.
Visual spectrum and the like
Then youll kn -
>>1125075
- ah, fuck.
Panic!

Good thing you're dressed and found your regulator. Off you go hurry!

Baron 2026/04/20(Mon)03:22 No. 1125640 ID: fd2dfa
File 177665537855.png - (1.73MB , 1965x1261 , 21.png )

>>1125077
Okay, yeah. Deep breath. Check. Uniform? Reg? Mask? Okay, all good. ID-wait, that's covered by the augment, I don't need that.

Right, freshen up. Deo-BO, that's all I can manage for now. I got this I got this...OH SHIT IS THAT THE TIME!?

Baron 2026/04/20(Mon)03:23 No. 1125641 ID: fd2dfa
File 177665539257.png - (1.73MB , 1965x1261 , 22.png )

I'M GONNA MISS MY RIDE! Pleasenotrafficpleasenotrafficpleasenotraffic-

Baron 2026/04/20(Mon)03:23 No. 1125642 ID: fd2dfa
File 177665539772.png - (262.33KB , 1280x1024 , 23.png )

Oh thank fuck. I...I missed my first ride, but it looks like the tramway is pulling double schedule today for the new semester. I lucked out.

>>1125095
You know what? You can ask my Doto'o yourself he's right...there? Oh Doto'o, you fuckin' guy...

Baron 2026/04/20(Mon)03:23 No. 1125643 ID: fd2dfa
File 177665541749.png - (262.77KB , 1280x1024 , 24.png )

"Oy-yo Doto!"

"Draaaa-keeee! Bro-keeee!"

His hab's stop is after mine, which means he rode the tram over here and waited for me. Dammit. Birdbro is so much the bro! It hits me right in the heart. Got stuff to ask him, you can ask now. We're goin' on the same ride. Hang on, I'll just loop him in.

"Doto, hey hey Doto'o."

"Yeah, yeah?"

"Listen, that chat thing? That thing I set up forever ago?"

"Yeah?"

"Got others in there now. I think they're Earthside."

"No way Dra-kee! You getting famous now?"

"Ha, naw, I don't think there's that many."

"Still bigger than zero Dra-kee. Hol' on, lemme join in"

DotoDodo has joined

Hey chaaaaat!

I like your fingerless glove and socks look

>>1125644
Thanks. It's all I'm allowed to wear!

Pleased ta meetcha doto.
Ive been bugging your pal here about how you guys see the world.
Not philosophy wise, i mean like with your eyes.
Avians back here on earth see more colour than our monkey eyes can handle.
Shit that looks grey to us can be bright with colour we cant see.

is bird bro single

Woohoo, space internettttt

Doto'o 2026/05/03(Sun)22:59 No. 1126225 ID: c15a60
File 177784916862.png - (534.61KB , 1280x1024 , 25.png )

Hey hey yeah yeah, you finally found Drake? Cool guy right? Hey-keee, what's this about my eyes? Like, yeah I can see other colors, but it's all kinda dull-keee.
I can see other stuff ya don't, but Marnari don't got lots of it left. I think we could see plenty long ago, but like, we didn't really need it, or mayeb cause we lost lotta color since the homeworld. So now we don't got lotta color and we can't see lotta extra color, you get what I-keeee?

It's why lots of us got these extensions-keee. Extra colors we pin to our foliage, and sometimes gives us hair like humans. It's what I like 'bout humans, all that hair and all the colors they got before they start painting it. They get real pretty-keee.


"Hey Drake, bro-keee, why they asking if I'm single-"

"Hey I think our tram's coming."

Drake 2026/05/03(Sun)22:59 No. 1126226 ID: c15a60
File 177784917586.png - (538.03KB , 1280x1024 , 26.png )

"Hang on, save my spot, I got a call."

"Prem?"

"Yeah, it's Prem."

Yeah?

Drake, where are you?

Getting on the tram, I got delayed.

Why the hell are you still on the tram? The Dean's got most of the student body assembled for his welcoming speech.

So?

So every other human on campus is there too. You're the only one missing!

...so?

Cut the act. There's 6 of us enrolled. When there's only 5 around, people start asking questions.

Cut me a break Prem, I got an audience.

Oh you got it working? You did remember to partition a room for us to talk right?

Huh?

They're watching our convo, aren't they?

Yeah.

God dammit Drake...

It's getting kinda boring down here. Withering Backrooms hasn't released yet, and politics is basically 'everyone rap to Hatler'. Listening to two college stoats bleating over broadband social media is the best fix we can get this week.

Let us know if galaxy-conquering magical girls show up in five minutes, I'm going to re-read your chat logs over and over.

>>1126226
Hey prem!
Looking forward to meeting ya!

Thanks for the answers doto.
Your extension colours are looking cool!

No we're not

Also assemblies is just school politics, the students are just a prop for the faculty's egos. Missing it isn't so bad, and nobody will remember it in an hour.

don't panic, we're on the way, just flirting chatting with bird bro

Drake 2026/05/20(Wed)18:43 No. 1127042 ID: fd2dfa
File 177930263430.png - (524.56KB , 1310x1000 , 27.png )

>>1126250
DotoDodo: What's a stoat?

Earth animal, don't worry about it.

DRAKE! Listen to me.

DotoDodo:Hey Prem. Chat says hi.

Doto, get off this call.

DotoDodo: O-keee

DotoDodo has left the chat

Look Drake, this is on all of us. One of us is late or absent, all humans look bad.

>>1126268
Hey yeah, this is just politics, doesn't involve us. How does that make us all look bad?

Again, only 6 of us Drake. If one is missing, people notice. And they might start poking around to see who is missing. And if they poke around, they'll see what I did to our records...

...oh.

>>1126368
Okay, okay, running late is a bad thing. Can't be fixed but it can be salvaged. Just lay low when you get to campus. Don't let anyone see you sneak in and...I dunno, hang out at the canteen and act like you were always there. If you're late that's bad. If you were always there but held up getting coffee or something, that's still bad. Just not as bad.


>>1126267
I never actually met Prem in person. I know he's one of the 5 other guys on campus, but I don't know which one he is.

And I'm never telling!

So Prem is your friend but can't stand to be by you in person and only online? Is Prem autistic? You might be able to figure out which one is him by looking each of the humans in the eye and see who backs away. Ask them about their day and if one starts running you got your man!

Ah well, if you're already late no point in stressing over it now. might look into getting a better alarm

Drake 2026/06/09(Tue)02:07 No. 1127836 ID: c15a60
File 178097083991.png - (1.29MB , 1680x1050 , 28.png )

>>1127049
Prem is a whiz at tech stuff, and I don't wanna wreck a good relationship I got with him. I dunno about the autistic stuff, but...I mean I can guess who it might be, but it's not like he has any reason to say right?


>>1127052
Fuck I know...but it's gonna suck all the same.

AND AS WE LOOK FORWARD, WE MUST ALL REMEMBER HOW FAR WE HAVE COME. I STILL RECALL MY DAYS SERVING AS A MEMBER OF THE VAUNTED ADMIRALTY AS WE SAILED THE STARS...

"Okeeee, Headmaster's into da speech about him bein' in admiralty. We good!"

"Wait hang on, shouldn't we be waiting till the music starts? He's pausing-Doto! Stop! Stooooop!"

"No keep goi-keee!"

"Will you skin-fucks shut up?"

Drake 2026/06/09(Tue)02:08 No. 1127837 ID: c15a60
File 178097089915.png - (423.05KB , 1024x768 , 29.png )

Whoa. That's something I don't think I heard like ever. Was that-it's a Marnari!

"Chr-chk! Bad enough we let your kind in, you don't even bother to show up on time."

"...what do you mean my kind?"

"You know what I mean featherless fuck chr-chk!"

"Hey, what is your proble-"

"Drake! We need to go-keeee"

I get pulled away, but I can feel that unmarked Marnari glaring at me all the way to the Cantina. What was that all about?

Just some jackass who probably doesn’t want to be here and is taking it out on everyone around him. Just ignore him and let him have his little tantrum.

sounds like a little fool. Do you even know that guy? clearly projecting some personal problem onto you, not worth thinking on.

Stuck Up Birbs convention. Stay on the edges and try to find people who aren't buying into this crap.

>>1127837
Well.
Someones got sand in their cloaca.

Ignore them drake.

Drake 2026/06/22(Mon)01:16 No. 1128356 ID: c15a60
File 178209097139.png - (738.11KB , 1256x918 , 30.png )

>>1127839
>>1127840
>>1127842
>>1127859
If it was some random asshole, yeah it wouldn't be as big a problem. But I know a lot of the students here. And I knew her! That was Tokka, she's one the Marnari that went to the same school as me throughout.

"Hey Drake, so I think our first classes are gonna separate us. What's your first class?"

Like-okay. So the way it worked was students would be added and split apart across Olympia based on student grades and where they were flagging. I...think? And me and Tokka and Doto were close enough to the same braket to go to the same school over and over.

"Drake?"

I saw Tokka a lot. And all that time she was NEVER like this. Most of the time she'd be real quiet, only speaking when called during attendance, and then having a few friends.

"Draaa-aaaake."

Most of the time she'd be studying though. Point being, she never had opinions like that. Or if she did, she never got so angry like that.

"DRAKE!"

"Huh?"

"Askin' what your first class is-ke."

"I dunno. Hey Doto, you live in the same stack as Tokka right? Something happen out there?"

"You're that torn up over Tokka? But she never talked to us!"

"Yeah, I mean. Sometimes she'd say 'excuse me' or stuff though. She always seemed nice."

"Bro-keeeeeeeeee" Doto's using that exasperated tone again. The kind where he wants me to drop something. "You're gettin' worked up over nothing! Just ignore her. Rally's important for a girl like her so just ignore her."

"Wow. Dat was almost convincing." The cantina girl is suddenly next to me.

Drake 2026/06/22(Mon)01:17 No. 1128357 ID: c15a60
File 178209104970.png - (935.62KB , 1280x1024 , 31.png )

"Sorry, who are you?"

She smiles. "Soro'i Naica, and welcome to my lidda patch of heaven. Where det coffee is burnt, de politics are fermented, and everyone pretends dem humans are decoradeev'." she says as she hands me a cup of coffee. "One panic, no sugar for da human everyone pretendin' nodda stare at."

"What...what the fuck do you mean?"

"Hey, hey not makin' fun of ya. It's good what ya do. Rally's buncha drops. Screw dem Egg-heads dat wanna show off-"

"Soro'i-ke!" Doto is talking to her. Doto is talking to her like he knows Soro'i. But I never saw her before. Is-okay she probably does live in the same hab-block. One of the generation ships landed near Olympia and had since been converted into a giant hab-zone, it's got like millions of Marnari in it. Chances are Doto and Soroi live there...still is it weird that Doto knows Marnari that I don't? He usually tells me about everyone. "It's Drake's first day, he shouldn't have to deal with it.

"What? Not dealing with it is how dey got so loud."

"They? Wait, is this thing not some girl getting peeved? This is a whole thing going on?"

Doto rubs his arm. "It's the first time I saw it outside the hab-block."

So this thing is an 'it' now. Tokka's part of something bigger and Doto never said anything about-and why is Soro'i talking about-was this why Prem was pissed about me?the fuck is going on?!

"Uh-oh, human looks ready to blow."

How the fuck did I fall so far out of the loop?!

It's probably not that you're out of the loop and more that you were never in it. Hard to tell your human friend about the mounting anti-human sentiment that's starting to become popular.
Oh wait, that means none of your friends wanted to be the one to break it to you, which means they don't actually care about you that much. That's rough, buddy.

The real problem is that you got spotted by an anti-human student, and thus can't even ask them to keep quiet about it. Which means if you don't want this to cause trouble for you then you're gonna need to rely on those friends.

> Most of the time she'd be studying though. Point being, she never had opinions like that. Or if she did, she never got so angry like that.
yeah see, like I said personal problem projection. At a guess, she's putting in the effort at school, but not seeing the success she feels she should be. And when she sees you, not putting in as much effort but still doing okay, she gets mad.

And if other people looking for scapegoats to blame their problems on are grumbling about humans then no wonder she would pick up on that.

But hey, Soro'i seems like she gets it. Ask her for more details, she'll give it to you straight.

Sounds like someone is going for a power play. As in someone is trying to stir shit up to create a problem and then offer a “solution” to get people to join them. In this case start up anti-human movement so they can present themselves as a strong so and so who will stand up to human oppression. You know the humans, the ones who helped them found a new planet to live on after be lost in space for who knows how long and helped them build up said new planet. You know the humans, who have been forcing their way of life on these people despite the fact that they’re basically nonexistent on the planet and outside of some franchises trying to set up shop to get money I can’t really see having any real impact on the local culture as not enough humans live here to have any real impact.

Basically what I’m saying is someone is starting shit since not enough time has passed for any real bad blood to form between the apes and the birds so this is either a phase that has popped up like goths or greasers or some jackass causing problems to gain attention or power if they’re involved with politics.

Sounds like something your dad should know about...

>>1128357
Theres a lot to consider man, an a ton of important stuff, but piorities.

Thank her.
Tell her shes got a cool look and she is rocking that choker.
Shes cute!

Balzhemund 2026/07/08(Wed)19:50 No. 1129127 ID: c15a60
File 178354024114.png - (775.01KB , 1280x1024 , 32.png )

>>1128369
No, Doto doesn't think that. We're bros! Bros for life don't pull that stuff with each other.

"Doto, why didn't you tell me any of this?"

Doto shuffles his feet and looks down at them, at his tablet, I never seen him look so nervous. "It-it wasn't supposed to be a big thing."

"But it was happening."

Doto chirps and pecks at his fingers. "I-I. I live a block away from Tokka. O-keeeeee?"

"What?"

"Her family shops where mine does! Her brother was my second during my Taking of the Watch! That's like huge for us!"

Oh...damn. In case you Earthers don't get it, Taking Watch is their coming of age thing. It's like super important for them, but I didn't know it was THIS big. Big enough to keep me out of the loop I guess...

"But like that's her brother. Why cover for her?"

"I didn't think it'd be this bad..."

I sigh, that doesn't seem to answer anything. Soro'i plops herself o>>1128373
n the table. "Oooh drama" she laughs softly. "go on then. Tell him why you didn't want him to know."

Doto makes the saddest chirp I've ever heard. "Keeee...I live with them. You listen to em long enough, you kinda forget it's happening. I-I mean I didn't! Most don't care no more, but I- I just..." he looks back at me. "I didn’t want you looking at me and seeing… that stuff keee."

"Aw come on, Dotoooo. You think that low of me? You're my bro, I know whatever sand's up her craw doesn't mean that's you too!"

"Aw bro-keeeeee!"

Balzhemund 2026/07/08(Wed)19:53 No. 1129128 ID: c15a60
File 178354038862.png - (1.12MB , 1280x1024 , 33.png )

>>1128373
Good point, sounds like Doto's been pretending this wasn't a thing, and Soro'i knows more.

"Hey, Soro, you called em eggheads before. You know what's up?"

"Oh, remember I'm here?" she grins. "Nah, I pullin yer craw, yeah. Home and Hatch dey call 'emselves, you know who dey are cause dey got an egg inna nest fer a patch." she scoffs. "Cuz ye know. Keepin' da egg of da homeworld clean wit no cracks n' stuff."

>>1128381
>>1128390
"So...what. This a power play? Getting students angry at me?"

"I dunno. Maybe?" she shrugs.

>>1128388
He could, but more likely he doesn't. Dad calls regularly, but usually to tell me when he's coming home or someplace that's dangerous. This would be the first time he missed something. God, this is the worst thing I could be showing your guys huh? You think this is some sort of underground movement happening?

Balzhemund 2026/07/08(Wed)19:54 No. 1129129 ID: c15a60
File 178354046156.png - (1.23MB , 1280x1024 , 34.png )

>>1128390
"Well, thanks anyway Soro'i. Cute makeup by the way."

"What?"

"What?"

"Hey, not everyday I see a goth Marnyarni."

"Cute huh?"

she seems cool, you should hang out

Yep, cute. Or gnarly, if you'd prefer. Perhaps even tubular.

So... what do Marnari keep as pets?
I'm also wondering if they contacted other aliens but rewrote the history books on that.

>>1129129
Oh hells yeah.
She a cutie.

Sorry youve got all this heavy stuff orbiting you baron.

yeah, she's pretty cute, in a different way than bro is cute. makes for a nice contrast

should probably get your coffee or whatever you came in here for and try not to dwell on the seething undercurrent of antihuman hatred that's seemingly simmering just under the surface of society and threatening to boil over, the barista and your bro don't hate you, and that's what really matters

Well shits happening, nothing really new there. Something is always going done somewhere you just happen to been caught in the crossfire this time. Grab your coffe, thank the cute one for said coffee, and I guess get to that thing you’re late for.

Drake 2026/07/27(Mon)16:36 No. 1130022 ID: c15a60
File 178517021536.png - (290.73KB , 1280x1024 , 35.png )

>>1129137
They do got this chicken-dog thing, I think it's called a Kcrika? I'm not super sure cause like I hear a bunch of different names for it. It's like what would happen if you shrank an emu and gave it teeth and the personality of a retriever.

>>1129132
>>1129133
>>1129165

“Oh shit right, I gotta get going to my first class. Conditioning!”

“Oh bro-ke, you better go! I think Master Kafa'ui is a hardass! Ruuuun!”

“Shit. Shit shit shit! Thanks Soro, we should hang out sometime!"

“Better keep dat promise earthy-boy!”

…

I snuck into the gym with everyone else.

Oh for anyone that doesn't know, I think you guys on Earth call this PE? Yeah, out here it's Conditioning. Never know when green zones turn yellow or red, and they want us to be ready to handle sudden survival scenarios and being fit enough to do what we will probably gotta do..

Thankfully I haven't seen Kafa'ui, so if I act like everyone else I should be fine.

Drake 2026/07/27(Mon)16:37 No. 1130023 ID: c15a60
File 178517023815.png - (278.96KB , 1280x1024 , 36.png )

>>1130022
Just wished everyone would stop staring at me. Like come on, they know humans are in the school, why do they gotta keep staring?

Drake 2026/07/27(Mon)16:38 No. 1130024 ID: c15a60
File 178517030197.png - (357.38KB , 1000x1000 , 37.png )

>>1130023
“Ah Laloooka! Is that Drake?!”

“Who is?”

Drake 2026/07/27(Mon)16:39 No. 1130025 ID: c15a60
File 178517035150.png - (433.36KB , 1278x887 , 38.png )

>>1130024
“Wait is that…Pikke?!”


“Yah-yah it’s Pikke! I knew I was gonna see you on campus, didn’t think you’d be in my first class. Now I get to kick your butt like I did in MercWars.”

“Oh you wish!”

well, introduce us to your friend.

ooh, who's this?

>>1130025
Hi pikke!
Nice hair!

Drake 2026/08/03(Mon)02:16 No. 1130260 ID: c15a60
File 178572339978.png - (292.66KB , 1280x1024 , 39.png )

>>1130035
“Oh right. Hey remember the sisters I was-wait hold on”

Remember the sisters I was talking about earlier? This is Pikke Daksa, one of the Daksa sisters? Yeah, she was the one who’d play video games with me or would go swimming at the public pool. She also liked to punch me a lot. I dunno why cause she never punched too hard, cause Marnari, but she’d do it a lot. For no reason. And I know it’s Pikke because-

Drake 2026/08/03(Mon)02:20 No. 1130263 ID: c15a60
File 178572365527.png - (289.55KB , 1280x1024 , 40.png )

>>1130260
“Ooof!”

“Ah ha ha! Little Dra-keeee is all grown up!”

“I was bigger than you.”

“Yah yah, but I was older!”

“Long time, no see Pikke. Nice hair.”

“Thanks! Bought it myself. Green goes good with red yah-yah?”

-because Pikke was always the loudest or the fastest, or the oldest. Always had to win at something. Pai was never this loud.

well now you win at heights, good work

she graduating too or is she just here for you and her brother? Cause when she says she's older I not sure if she means in years, months, weeks, or days.

If the both of you are graduating together than congratulations on being able to walk to the aisle together, I'm sure at least one of your folks will talk lots of pictures to share with the other's folks.

If she's already been through this song and dance I guess ask her what you can expect. I'm guessing a lot of standing around and waiting for people to give little speeches but she'd probably be able to tell you if they have a curve ball planed.

>>1130263
Dude.
Dude.
Duuuude.
Some girls punch boys they like.
Its a way of touching with plausible deniability.
Daww.
Cute.

Unless im anthropomorphising them too much and its something completely different.

yeah i think she's got a crush on you

>>1130280
Hmmm, good interpretation. Metagaming, the writing pointed it out in a "hmm, I wonnnderrr" kindof way, so I suspect you're right.

Drake: roll perception to notice.

Sometimes I will see media show an alien with a crush on a human, and for a split second I'll be like, "but why would she; they're different species." And then I remember where we are. And who I am. And I remember half of the internet. And if the aliens are at all like us, this would definitely happen.

Drake 2026/08/17(Mon)01:52 No. 1131003 ID: c15a60
File 178693155114.png - (385.76KB , 1024x1280 , 41.png )

>>1130274
No, same year as me-wait brother? She has a sister. She likes to brag that she's older than me cause her birthday's a couple days before mine.


>>1130280
>>1130290
>>1130295
Oh come on. It's been years! Why would something we did as kids means she has a crush on me? She's had plenty of time to reach out if she did. I mean, yeah it would've been tricky different campuses and stuff, but like not many humans out on this side of the planet, it wouldn't have been hard....

[Perception failed]

>>1130264
"Yeah it looks good from up here. Ah? See? Still bigger than you!"

"Hey-ya, stop that."

"Nuh uh, poke-the-Pikke."

"Ah ha ha haaa! Quit it dork-yah!"

"First day of class and you're already punchin' me? How's that haaabbbbppth! Fluff in my mouth!"

Drake 2026/08/17(Mon)01:54 No. 1131005 ID: c15a60
File 178693166525.png - (454.97KB , 1024x1280 , 42.png )

>>1131003
"Good question human. First day of class and I have to break up a fight already?"

"Oh-"

"-Snap."

"I assume uh...Drake and Pikke, that you're just anxious to start class and have energy to burn. So CONGRATULATIONS CLASS! Today I skip orientation, and we get to to do...DRILLS! Green Conditioning. Form 4 lines, let's get started. Stop whining Lahska!"

Oh come on! Okay, yeah, yeah, okay. So. What do you guys do in your gym class? Out here, it's Green Conditioning. It's basically training us to do all sorts of exercises we may have to do in Yellow and Red Zones but under Green Zone conditions. So like we won't need our masks, but we have to act like we do to see if we...you know...die if it was the real thing. Everyone hates it.

And Master Kafa'ui singled me out. Doing a real bad job at the laying low thing...fuck.

that sounds more intense than what we have. is it always survival drills? don't you have any sports?

Conserve energy and be ready to complain about everything, especially when nobody is looking at the glowy red light that indicates something important is about to explode.

>>1131005
Ok.
But on the plus side
You two were frikkin adorable.

Ours tend to be just generic exercises to strengthen the body (climb the rope, do pushups, anybody remember the multicolored parachute from early elementary?), or sometimes wrapped up with a loose theme or goals and rules, like "chase the chosen one" or "get the ball into the others' designated area".

Should probably make yourself scarce next period.

Drake 2026/08/31(Mon)03:22 No. 1131502 ID: fd2dfa
File 178814653982.png - (499.09KB , 1587x1165 , 43.png )

>>1131151
It kinda is. At least for the Marnari. Y'know I don't think they were built for Martian gravity. At least I think that's how it works. GZC consists of a bunch activities where you need to keep your mask on. You need to be able to not just accomplish the goals, but keep your breathing steady so you don't wear yourself out. In yellow zones that will leave you tired and exposed. In red zones, you'd suffocate. The activities themselves tend to rotate based on the teacher, and Kafa'ui likes these 4

-Weight Trek: You gotta wear a heavy back and try to carry it across uneven terrain. They simulate this with the blue mats, that I think are made of the same stuff they used to use on their ships to stop debris from puncturing the hull? I dunno, but it'll give real easy, so it's like walking on mud that sucks you down, really drains your energy if you pull to hard.
-Shoulder Carry: Carrying a class mate in a circuit across the gym. Again, got to time yourself, and make sure you are swapping air with the one you're carrying. They have to simulate you sharing one regulator between the two of you.
-Power Sled: They load up weights on a sled and you gotta do like 12 laps I think is the standard. Weight's always set pretty high, I think to simulate you pushing heavy crap around that's blocking your way, or to move heavy machinery I guess? I think Kafa'ui likes to make everyone suffer though. Don't have proof, but I can't think of much reason to have 3 weight related exercises in a single round of GZC.
-Power Climb: It's just rock climbing, but no safety gear. If you fall on the mat, you gotta start over. And a lot of those uh...thingies you're supposed to grab? Real slippery.

>>1131010
As for sports, there's half-G dodgeball, but uh, we don't get to play that until the last day of the week.

Drake 2026/08/31(Mon)03:25 No. 1131504 ID: fd2dfa
File 178814673501.png - (118.90KB , 1024x768 , 44.png )

>>1131074
I'm...adorable? Oh and Pikke's also cute I guess to. Thanks?

>>1131011

I can do some of that stuff pretty good. But only when I don't got the mask on. To be honest, that's what makes it so hard, these things let you breathe, but it can't do much when you need to take deeper breaths than normal it starts to act up.

Um, I don't think there's any explosives in the gym. Well there's the oxygen tanks, but you need to more than the button to make those blow up-

Drake 2026/08/31(Mon)03:26 No. 1131505 ID: fd2dfa
File 178814676430.png - (104.08KB , 1024x768 , 45.png )

>>1131504
"Hey"

"Hmm? Pikke?"

"What's going on, you don't wanna talk? Been years since we saw each other!"

Drake 2026/08/31(Mon)03:28 No. 1131506 ID: fd2dfa
File 178814691498.png - (117.89KB , 1024x768 , 46.png )

"Hey I was all for it till Kafa saw us. Where's Pai?"

"Oh. Yeah. Pai, she's off doing something else. Don't worry, she's here."

"Doing what? You know her next class?"

"Oh come on, wanna get rid of me that fast-yah?"

"No, just I missed both of ya is all."

"Oh I know what it is, yer afraid I'm gonna punt ya in the gzc time."

"It's not a race Pikke."

"Not with that attitude yah. Bet ya I finish before you!"

"I-really?"

"Yeah. If I win, you're buyin' lunch! Hey, Messi'ya! Time me!"

"What's that supposed to-hey!"

>>1131178
This probably won't cause a fuss right?

you're obligated to win the race, so you'd better start hoofin' it

Let's just see how well you do when you keep the mask on the whole time.

Come to think of it, why the hell don't you get an airtight helmet instead?

it would be a sign of disrespect not to do your best to beat your friend

>>1131506
Quick! Tell her if you win shes buying lunch!
Otherwise you dont get anything out of it!

Heheheh
Yes... yes...
Whoever loses, the audience wins.

>>1131506
Hang on. Pikke was real quick to dismiss her sister. She's hiding something. If you win, make her tell you what is up with her sister. And buy lunch anyway.