The ship is being raided by pirates, you and the human locked yourselves in the storage bay. The human is applying some liquid on their skin, asking “could you help me put on the shield generator?” You assisted them asking what they trying to do. “I’m gonna do a old scare tactic” while talking they snap their fingers and flames begin to cover their arms -- Anon Guest
Humans are insane. Many people acknowledge this on an intellectual level as most Humans can carry on in Galactic Society without resorting to their... more interesting problem solving skills. I, Companion Grox, have had personal experience with it. Trust in me. Any Human can go from "almost normal" to "Deathworlder crabonkers" in an instant.
We were being raided by pirates. Human Co was the Ships' Human on duty at the time, and the others were getting the crew into their lifepods. Human Co had ideas to save the ship, the cargo, and the crew with ordinary household chemicals.
Always beware of Humans and their concoctions of unregulated chemical compounds. We were in a ventilated hold for the cargo that wasn't safe for exposure to vacuum, and Human Co was mixing things in a near frenzy with their breather already on and activated. I had to stay well away from the smell. I remember asking what ze was doing.
"I'm going to give them a bit of Dread Pirate Roberts." Human Co smeared a little of their latest concoction on the wall and casually lit it on fire. It burned as if it could burn forever, without scorching or harming the surface underneath[1].
I asked again, this time with more audible distress in my voice.
"Just a little magic from stage and screen. I'll be okay, I promise. Just hose me down with the extinguisher when I tell you to. Oh. And help me get this gunk all over me. Wash thoroughly after, okay?"
I put on the heavy duty gloves. Deathworlder chemistry is not to be trifled with. I had my breather on too for the same reason. Once thoroughly coated, Human Co stuck two very small pieces of cellulose sheet to one hand.
"What is all of this?" I finally asked.
"Pyrogel and flash paper. Open the door and trust me. This is going to be fun."
Humans truly are insane. Any other day of the week, Human Co was mild-mannered and mostly quiet. It is, I have been informed, always the quiet ones.
There were pirates beyond the door, and Human Co shouted, "NO SURVIVORS!" before ze snapped hir fingers and burst into flame. Ze continued towards the pirates, on fire, and shouting "No survivors!" as ze went.
The pirates dropped everything and fled before things could escalate. Seconds after the airlock shut and they were gone, Human Co announced, "Okay, this is starting to hurt. Put it out."
I was already extinguishing the flames after 'okay'. Human Co survived it all with minor burns that would take less than a week to heal 'most of the way'. In Human terms, that means that the wounds are no longer 'annoying'.
Humans are insane. You may doubt this, but tell them my story, and they will -without a doubt- laugh and tell you that that was a cool idea.
[1] This was, of course, before most shipbuilders had altered things to accommodate Humans and their preternatural worship of flame.
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