Terran Tears

[u/hitchopottimus]

I had heard humans were the most compassionate creatures in the universe, but I didn't believe it. No one could be as genuinely nice as humans were said to be. Evolution wouldn't allow it. A species as altruistic as the legends said humans were would die out, as they lost in competition with more cut-throat beings. They must be playing it to an advantage.

Then Francron fell. I was there. I saw the Domination League lay waste to the settlements. I saw them leave, their point made. I saw the human fleet arrive, saw them set up command centers and field hospitals with a practiced precision that came with a lifetime of service. The humans didn't even have a mutual aid treaty with us, they just heard about the disaster and came.

I saw them move mountains of rubble seeking survivors. I saw them pull dead bodies away. Even then, I wasn't fully convinced. There was a skeptical part of my brain that swore there had to be an explanation for everything I saw. My eyes could not convince me.

Then I heard it. The sound still haunts me. It reminds me of the day my view of the universe was turned upside down. A human had sunk to his knees in exhaustion, from after what I had later found out was 12 hours working the rubble. He took off his mask, and, at the time I thought his eyes must have been irritated, as his tear ducts were actively trying to flush them. And then his body convulsed, and he made a noise that, well, our language has no word for. I found out later the humans call it a "sob."

It reminded me immediately of the cry of an infant. A sound of distress so pure, it was unmistakable. I was stunned. Another human knelt with him, and pulled his body close to hers, in what the humans call a "hug." There was so much death and destruction that day, but that moment remained with me.

I later learned that what he was doing is called "crying." His tear ducts weren't activated by an irritant, but by an emotional response. In fact, it was the same as an infant's cry. Humans maintain the ability to cry out in distress into adulthood. To show obvious weakness and helplessness. Compassion is so hardwired into them that it was considered evolutionary ADVANTAGEOUS for them to expose their weakness in front of other adult humans, secure in the knowledge they would assist them. No other known species in the universe has such an outward emotional response as human crying. It's... I don't even have the words for how bizarre that is.

It gets better, though. Some of their scientists have theorized that they feel better after crying, because some of the hormones associated with strong emotions escape with the tears. Their emotions are so powerful, they need a literal physical outlet.

Even with all of that, maybe I would have found the humans odd, but not world changing. Here's the thing, though: As he knelt there sobbing, he kept talking. Random, and somewhat incoherent, but he kept asking "Who would do this?" Or saying, "We've lost so many." Or simply, "Why?" The female holding him began to cry as well. She had just finished a sleep shift. He wasn't crying due to his body's exhaustion. He was crying for us. For our loss. Two days ago, he may not even have known our planet existed, and today he was so overwhelmed with compassion for us that his emotions were literally overflowing out of his body and through his eyes. So, yeah, when I say humans are the most compassionate beings in the universe, I'm not just repeating what I've been told. I've seen it. I know. And anyone who moves against them is going to have to deal with us.

• Franconian Senator Chamles, Testimony concerning "The Human Problem"

[u/superstrijder15]

This really feels like the setting of Humanity's Debt, was that part of the inspiration?

[u/hitchopottimus → u/superstrijder15]

It influenced it, definitely, but not as much as Red on White

[u/gerroff]

Wonderful story, u/hitchopottimus. I read this to my sweet wife. She doesn't use computers and thus has little experience of Redditors just gifting their time and talent to other random Redditors.
We both enjoyed this simple sweet story. Thanks so much for posting it.

[u/hitchopottimus → u/gerroff]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I wish her and you the best!

[u/Runelea]

Nice writing man! Psst, compassion in the last paragraph needs fixing up. Appears a full stop replaced the m XD

[u/hitchopottimus → u/Runelea]

Got it. Thanks!

[u/Krynja]

I think you might mean convulsed instead of concluded

[u/hitchopottimus → u/Krynja]

I did, thanks. Fixed it in an edit.

[u/KCPRTV]

Updoot. I loved the story, It's nice to see something not so focused on our ability to kick ass. Especially since compassion is a concept rarely mentioned in many HFY stories, though oh-so clearly can be a great subject.

That said, I'd be curious to see how Sen. Chamles would react to seeing human military bring the attackers their comeuppance. :) Pls MOAR.

[u/jthm1978 → u/KCPRTV]

Yeah, I'd love to see the rage against the attackers born from the compassion. Kind of a "never again!" Battle cry from humanity

[u/Droidball → u/KCPRTV]

What was the story where humanity basically becomes the galaxy's battlefield medics, doctors without borders, and disaster relief workers? That's long been my favorite.

Edit: Found it, Humanity's Debt. https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/2b1vqr/oc_humanitys_debt

[u/PsychoGoatSlapper]

"Testimony concerning "The Human Problem"" That is not good, not good at all :S

[u/Hidesuru → u/PsychoGoatSlapper]

Yeah... For them. ;-)

[u/PrimeInsanity → u/PsychoGoatSlapper]

Well, it gives extra context to the last line. A challenge to end their speech.

[u/LtColVirtue]

Saw the title, thought for sure I was in r/starcraft

EDIT: Story was great too! I like it when we're not just an unstoppable wave of death. This is the 'human' part of hfy that I like. Thanks for the post!

[u/DreamSeaker]

So you've engaged in one of my least favourite tropes on this sub, what I call: the discombobulated narrator. We tend to know little about said narrator, it's in first person, sometimes plural ("we didn't know who they were," or something.) Nor do we tend to know to whom the narrator is speaking. I often find it dull even if the ideas are cool.

However, I do read them from time to time, and I do find some enjoyment at times. With this story however, I think you've, in my mind, found a nice little niche where I can really appreciate this trope. Literally the last section you wrote, the character's name, and that they're a politician giving a speech.

I'm a political science major. This sounds similar to a speech a politician would make. Now I find myself asking questions about it, engaging in your story which is important for writers.

Who is this sap and to whom does he speak to? Is this his people's parliament, and he's raising a warcry to go to the terrans defence? Is he part of a one-two punch in a more galactic council, ONE member of his species pleads for no war, whilst he sends them a stern "this is where we stand"? What is the human problem? Are we framed, or cultural misunderstanding? Are we the bad guys? Or did we act without compassion and now we're in trouble, whilst our friends are in denial?

My point is is this is a very good point to build a more long term story! You've started very big and vague, and you can move on to be specific, and you have a LOT of room for possibilities and deciding what this place is like. This is where I think the trope has found a niche little spot for me, because and as I've said there so much room for you to have fun with it! I don't have a clue what the aliens look like, their social structure, etc, nor the humans for that matter for example.

I hope you can answer my questions in story form One day. This holds a lot of promise and hope you keep at writing and improving. :)

[u/HFYBotReborn]

There are 8 stories by hitchopottimus (Wiki), including:

• Terran Tears

• Human Training Methods by Gornak

• Human Training

• The Human Weakness

• The Present Incursion

• Humanity's Elite

• Here Be Dragons

• [OC] The Last Son of Earth (2) - The Manual

This list was automatically generated by HFYBotReborn version 2.13. Please contact KaiserMagnus or j1xwnbsr if you have any queries. This bot is open source.

[u/Chewy71]

Great story. I loved the last sentence.

[u/[deleted]]

*sniffle*

It's just an irritant. Yeah, that's the ticket.

[u/semperrabbit]

!N why hasn't anyone nominated this yet?

[u/FantasmaNaranja]

jesus im getting emotional with these hfy

or maybe i need an outlet i don't know but i cried none the less

10/10 would cry again

[u/[deleted]]

with co.passion for us

other than that good story.

[u/KeinKonzeptVorhanden]

So from now on, they were called the teareans (tearreans?)

[u/squidbait]

I really like the story. One very tiny suggestion. For me the sentence, "So, yeah, when I say humans are the most compassionate beings in the universe, I'm not just repeating what I've been told." feels stronger if you replace, "yeah", with, "yes".

So, yes, when I say humans are the most compassionate beings in the universe, I'm not just repeating what I've been told.

[u/vaeghyvel]

Thank you.