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The original was posted on /r/hfy by /u/DeterminedOne8 on 2025-10-02 01:32:51+00:00.

My first HFY story, hope you like it…

Please let me know if you notice a typo or spelling error.

Year 4367, central planet of the Ircas Empire, recording translated from Imperial Standard Language into North Martian English

“Could someone tell me what makes a Neutralworld a Neutralworld?” an elderly professor asked his class, and several students raised their limbs to get the teacher’s attention.

The professor tapped his limb against the floor, indicating the student chosen to answer his question, a small being in a special suit to withstand local gravity, who promptly began to answer, “A Neutralworld is classified as such by having a gravity of 0.83 to 1.25 GI, an Evolution Quotient of 1.0, and an age of over 3.98 billion years.” The professor snapped his limbs, signaling a satisfactory but incomplete answer, which made the student flinch slightly. “Technically, the gravity is 0.83325 to 1.25 GI for a standard Neutralworld, but that’s not the point I clicked on. But for now, let’s move on to this question and the next point before we return to this topic…”

“Now, can someone tell me what defines a standard Deathworld?” This time, only half of the students who had raised their limbs were trying to get the professor’s attention, who once again chose another student… A student so large that he eclipsed even his professor in size, who was a member of the 4th largest species in the Empire. “Professor, a standard Deathworld is marked by its youth, never exceeding 2.5 billion years, or if you want to be more specific, 2.47 billion years for the most exceptional cases. The gravity is 1.25 to 3.75 IG, with an EQ reaching 2.0 and of course… At least a scale 3 in MEE, possibly more.”

The professor snapped his claws, satisfied with the answer, while the rest of the room was confused. “MEE, or Mass Extinction Event, is one of the main factors that determines whether a world will be a Gardenworld, a Neutralworld, a Deathworld, or even a Hellworld, although the latter is a generic term for any planet that life is incapable of inhabiting,” the professor explained succinctly. “Now, could you tell me how many MEE events a world usually goes through to be one of these four classifications?”.

The giant student promptly wagged his tail confidently as he was the only one to catch the old professor’s attention, “That’s easy. A theoretical natural Gardenworld couldn’t have experienced any MEE events, although artificial Gardenworlds can be produced with current technology. A Neutralworld then experienced one or two MEE events, while a Deathworld experienced three or more. While a Hellworld either never developed life or the MEE event eliminated all life from the planet, any event that eliminates more than 79.99% of a world’s life causes a natural decline that eventually transforms a planet into a Hellworld inhospitable to life.” The student finished his short quote with a casual flick of his tail. The professor snapped his claws in approval at his student’s direct-from-the-source answer.

“Excellent answer, but to complete what Pucmafo said, an MEE event is directly linked to the EQ of the planet’s native species. When an event of such magnitude occurs, the surviving species, as a result of surviving the hostile environment caused by an MEE, accelerates the rate of evolution. For example, the rate of evolution of a theoretical natural Gardenworld is 0.4 EQ” the professor spoke professionally before the class time ended and the students were notified that everyone was dismissed. With that, everyone quickly began to leave, leaving the professor alone in the room… Except for two students: the enormous Pucmafo and the small Mea, who needed a spacesuit to survive the gravity of the room.

“So, professor… Pucmafo and I were discussing the nature of Deathworlds,” little Mea spoke, catching the attention of the old professor, who was sitting on Pucmafo’s shoulders. “And we want to know how many events a Deathworld can survive before transforming into a Hellworld…”.

“Yes, I know there are Deathworlds with 1.5 EQ that have survived 3 MEE events, and those that have survived 4 MEE events have 2.0 EQ, but is there any world you know of that has survived 5 or more of these events?” Pucmafo then asked, looking at the professor with genuine curiosity; the professor, in return, slapped his limbs against the floor in amusement.

“Not that I know of at least… However, I know it’s possible, but it would be something like 1 planet for every thousand galaxies, at least according to current calculations…” the professor replied somewhat reflectively. “That might be incorrect. It’s not exactly easy to find a planet that naturally supports life. Planets capable of supporting life are precious, even Deathworlds, and they need to be preserved. Not to mention that conducting the necessary research to determine how many MEE events a planet has experienced is expensive, so in my opinion, I don’t think we have enough data.” Both students signaled understanding of the professor’s words.

“But what I can say for sure is that the creation of 4.0 EQ living beings is possible in a laboratory… But these types of life forms are forbidden because, due to their rapid rate of evolution, they could, on their own, cause an MEE event and increase the scale of a planet by 1 or possibly transform it into a Hellworld…” The professor spoke the last part somberly, causing both students to recoil in fear and look at each other.

“Professor, you’re crazy! This isn’t something you say; this is treason!” Pucmafo said fearfully, scanning the surroundings to see if anyone else heard this. “The three of us could end up executed!”.

The professor let out a weary sigh, “I know, child, but no one but the three of us knows I told you this… At least if you don’t tell anyone.”…

Year 21XX [Data Corrupted], planet Earth, the heart of Human civilization.

An insectoid creature the size of a wolf stealthily hid in the darkness using its natural shadow-colored camouflage, hiding its tracks just enough so that its pursuers wouldn’t know the direction it had chosen to go, but leaving enough light so its pursuers could still follow them… Away from its pack.

It suppressed its instincts that the things chasing it were prey. These instincts had led to the deaths of many of its kind and nearly cost it its life before. Its instincts had proven unreliable several times since arriving in this extremely hostile and more burdensome than comfortable environment.

It was its duty to ensure the continuation of its lineage, and if that meant going against its instincts, so be it, for they had hindered more than they helped.

The creature noticed another creature of its kind, though a different species, much larger and tougher, one its instincts told it to flee from, a massive beast with an exoskeleton that its claws and bites couldn’t break. But in its experience, this was an opportunity to outwit the deceptively strong, soft creatures that walked on two legs, carried the power of thunder in their forelimbs, and could kill it from afar.

The alien being maneuvered stealthily around its predator, sneaking around the other creature that was currently distracted by a meal—another being from that environment that, by its scent, had died before being hunted. Then the creature silently climbed a nearby tree, taking special care to be hidden enough to avoid the senses of the soft creatures, who were persistent hunters.

It wasn’t long before the sounds of these creatures became noticeable. The creature stared warily in the general direction of the sound, only to spot the four-legged creatures that regularly accompanied the two-legged creatures, helping them track their prey by scent—predators that accompanied the predators they killed from afar in an unnatural and deadly pack.

The creature dared not be intimidated by the sight, having encountered such beings enough times to understand them to some degree, and it knew it had moments before it would be located.

With a single swipe of its claws, it swiped at the tree branch the creature had climbed, sending it crashing down onto the predator below, alerting and enraging it, then retreated away as the sounds of conflict began.

“SHIT! The dogs led us to a damned Armored Beetle!” The creature heard the growls of one of the pack members chasing it.

“SHOOT THE JOINTS!!!” Another pack member growled an order as thunder echoed through the forest. “OUR WEAPONS DON’T HAVE ENOUGH CALIBER TO PASS THROUGH THE CARAPACE!”

“SPARE UP! INCREASE YOUR DISTANCE FROM EACH OTHER!” The predator roared in fury as the pack faced it with equal fury. “WHY THE FUCK IS AN ARMORED BEETLE SO CLOSE TO THE CITY!?”

“GUYS, THE EYE PROTECTION IS DOWN, SHOOT THEM IN THE EYES!” More thunder echoed through the forest. “FUCK, THAT JUST MADE HIM MORE ANGRY!” “THE SHITTY BEETLE TORE THE DOGS TO FRIES! DON’T LET HIM- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH.”

“SERGEANT CONNOR!” The sounds of battle continued, equally ferocious, and then with a final sound, a boom that shook the forest, the predator roared in pain, despair, and fear, as the sound of its death echoed throughout the forest, followed by silence.

“Fuck, the alpha led us into a damn trap! That’s why we have to send drones for this kind of mission!” one of the pack members roared in fury. “Sir, most of the drones are being used in the war up there,” the pack leader sighed. "Of course, fuck… There’s no way we can keep trackin…

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