Friday, January 13, 2012

#FlashFriday #FridayFictioneers: A Brief History of The Pernicious Pod

This week, I am honored to be the guest "host" on Madison Woods' blog for the Friday Fictioneers. Madison posted another challenging photo prompt, which moved me to write something completely outside of my usual genre. I don't know how successful I was, but I enjoyed it! And, I'm looking forward to reading the variety of stories this photo prompted.

Please feel free to leave a link to your blog with your comments.



A Brief History of the Pernicious Pod

     The Pod arrived on Earth from the planet Iniquitous, more than four hundred years ago. Documents left by the aliens were transcribed by cryptologic linguists centuries later and indicated the creatures were sent to Earth with the objective of mating with various life forms in an effort to inconspicuously occupy and take over the planet.

     Unfortunately, the scientific community of Iniquitous did not anticipate the Pods’ primary source of attraction would be rocks, which they apparently mistook for Earth Pods.


     Hypothesis: The Pods failed in their attempt to take over the planet, but they went out smiling.

43 comments:

  1. This story is somewhat reminiscent of another story I read recently about another (rather more successful) alien invasion. The story appears in Voices Volume IV, and bears the title "Assimilation."

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  2. @ed_quixote - If I recall, your aliens were somewhat "different." :) But what a story!

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  3. I love your Aliens! I love your comic take on their attempt to takeover the Universe!
    Very well written as usual.
    I am your fan,
    Laura

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  4. That's hilarious, Jan — it rocks! Really nice to see a non-threatening take on alien invasion. If this genre of literature reflects the current psyche (as they say the alien invasion films of the 50s reflected the Red Scare), your mind is in a nice place.

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  5. Warm-hearted sci-fi? Unusual, but interesting, and I think it really works. Kind of reminded me of some story a yarn-spinner of a grandfather might say while tucking in the visiting grandkids.

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  6. @Linda Palund - Thank you! Glad you liked my take on the poor, misguided aliens. Obviously, they weren't thinking with their brains. :)

    @Carlos - You're right--with the condition of things in the world these days, sometimes my mind drifts to a more pleasant place. :) Thanks!

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  7. Too funny. A story of mistaken identity! Hahaha!
    Great imagination in this one!

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  8. @cleveroldowl - yes, that's it! A warm-hearted sci-fi. :) Maybe I can start a new genre. Thanks!

    @Susie Lindau - a creature never had so much fun with its mistaken identity. :)

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  9. Hurray! I don't know if it's a new feature on blogger, but I've finally figured out how to have threaded comments!

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  10. Oh that's great, Jan! As a sci-fi fan, I approve!

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    1. Thanks, Claire. :) I'll admit, it's probably not the usual sci-fi fare. But it was fun anyway. :)

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  11. This a great, Jan. It's so funny and very creative!

    Here's mine: http://sweettea.kdmccrite.com/flash-fiction-3/his-way

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    1. Thanks, K.D. I really enjoyed yours, too. You created such a poignant and beautiful tale in so few words.

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  12. heehee! Nice take on an alien invasion and on the picture prompt! Poor aliens.

    Mine's at http://wp.me/p1PeVl-2A if you'd like to see where dragons take this prompt!

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    1. @elmowrites - I especially liked the way you used "acorn sprouting" in your flash fiction. Great!

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  13. I'll admit, those were some sexy rocks, but probably very rough copulation :)

    It made me laugh. Great job!

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    1. Ha! Russell, something has to be said for a life form that can walk away smiling after something so unfulfilling. :)

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  14. OMG, I think I may have mated with some of those pods back in my wilder days. So maybe they will eventually populate the earth with their progeny.
    Very imaginative writing, Jan, and lots of fun. There's a lot going on inside your pod. BTW, where can I read your Pushcart nominated story? And many congrats.

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    1. Thanks, Anonymous! We'd better keep our eyes open for pod progeny then, eh?

      You can find my story in the Voices Anthology, Volume III on Amazon at http://amzn.to/xknJWV or you can download "Xs and Os" on Smashwords at http://bit.ly/AycYWK . Thanks for asking and thanks for visiting my blog!

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  15. I'll admit I had to look up "pernicious"...even though I was pretty sure I knew what it meant...I was right, but thank you anyway for the vocabulary prompt. I'm going to make a point of incorporating it in a sentence today...along with my word of the day calendar word, "riposte"

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    1. Thanks, Susan. And thanks for the new word, too! I've been trying to do a lot of that today. :)

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  16. Great job! I'm not usually a sci fi fan but really enjoyed your take on this prompt.

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    1. Thanks, Beth. I'm not really a sci-fi fan either, that's why this was outside of my comfort zone. But, I enjoyed writing it!

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  17. Okay, I added one. Check it out at http://banterwithbeth.blogspot.com/ I'm not sure why the photo is so gigantic. It's eating my blog!

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    1. Loved yours! It was reminiscent of "The Ugly Duckling." Great imagination!

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  18. Hahahahaha! Darn those rocks. I thought they were going to mate with the trees and reforest everything. :D Fun story, Jan.

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  19. Great humor. Nice to know the aliens aren't always the conquerors.

    Here's mine: http://wp.me/s1Tjpv-cassie

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    1. Thanks, Vincent. I guess my aliens, pernicious though they may be, believe in making love, not war. :)

      I enjoyed the mystery in yours. It was a teaser that made me want to know more of the story!

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  20. Great take on the photo. If what you wrote is true, that picture may be rated X. ;)

    Here's my story for the week: http://wp.me/p24aJS-1h

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    1. You're right, LupusAnthropos. Perhaps I should PhotoShop in a fig leaf. :)

      I enjoyed the variety of stories this photo prompted. Yours was wonderful - especially that surprise last line!

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  21. Dear Jan,

    I wonder how many times that has happened in the Universe? You should visit Sci-fi again. You're good at it. Douglas Adams would have been proud.

    Thank you for the tweet this morning asking where i was. i was stuck in a rut high on Mauna Kea, trying, but failing to come up with an acorn related story. Searched Wikipedia and other Google search results. Know a lot about acorns now, but still no story until a few hours ago.

    Aloha,

    Doug

    Link to my lateness;) http://ironwoodwind.wordpress.com/2012/01/14/a-womans-vows/

    P.S. Thanks for relieving Madison at the helm.

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    1. Doug, your story was worth the wait! So many beautiful phrases. Glad you didn't give up on the challenge!

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  22. I told you they walk amoung us!
    Rocks are every where.

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    1. You're right, Ruth. And I'll bet you could come up with quite a story. :)

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  23. HA! Mission Failure. "But they looked just like us!" I would love to read this type of style in a longer format.

    The link to my drabble this week is: http://quillshiv.wordpress.com/2012/01/13/moll-white-remains/

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    1. Glad you liked it! Yours was beautifully written, with a haunting tone. There's so much story yet to be told in your last line, "Only now they know which sister they should have killed."

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  24. Wow!
    Superb. Great imagination and great style of writing!
    Loved it!
    Here's my ultra late entry for the week:
    http://faitaccompli.wordpress.com/2012/01/15/when-the-going-gets-tough/

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    1. Parul, yours, too, was worth the wait. In fact, I've printed the photo with your line below it:

      "There will be an oak tree in this unseemly place soon..."

      I'm going to hang it in my office. So appropriate!

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  25. Jan -- FANTASTIC. Thank you for guest-hosting, for being hilarious, and presumably for reading this comment despite its extreme lateness.

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  26. I always say better late than never! I really enjoyed the mystery in your story. I love a flash fiction that leaves me wanting more! :)

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