Exceptional Going... going... gone. Miscellaneous stories : The survey by CD Richards 100 Word Writing Contest contest entry

"Scan complete, Master Gnut." "Science Officer, report." The Captain monitored the view scope, noting grey-blue expanses surrounding tiny patches of green, barely visible through the brown-tinged atmosphere. "Lifeform analysis shows a sixty percent decrease in animal population during the past fifty solar orbits. Extinction of five hundred and eighty-three species observed since the survey of one hundred orbits ago. Current distribution of mammalian life forms: thirty-five percent human, sixty percent human food supply, five percent free-roaming species. Surface temperature: increasing. Atmospheric toxicity: increasing. Habitable environment: decreasing." "Log entry: 'Survey complete. Signs of intelligent life, minimal.' Set course for Sol 91."   Recognized Author Notes Exactly 100 words, according to Microsoft Word and the FanStory editor. Opinions differ on capitalisation of words after colons (also, on spelling of "capitalisation"). I've chosen to follow the rule of using a capital if what follows can be read as a complete sentence. Sadly, this is a fictitious story based on facts as they stand today. Many regard Earth as entering its sixth mass-extinction phase-- the first to be caused by a species. Fun fact: Gnut is the name of the metallic being in the 1940 novella by Harry Bates, Farewell to the Master, which inspired the wonderful 1951 classic filmThe Day the Earth Stood Still. Spoiler alert: In the book, a final twist shows that it is Klaatu (the human-looking alien) who is the servant, and Gnut (called Gort in the movie) who is the master. This was not made apparent in the film. Thanks for reading.

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