Empyrean Iris Story Collection

Humans are Space Orcs: The Marathon

From the Intergalactic Journal of Mechanics and Biology

They say that a single human once ran for 80 hours 44 minutes without stopping to sleep. He covered a distance of 350m (360km) during that time. At a relative speed of less than 5 miles an hour, the speed pales in comparison to other apex predators of their planet. The spotted cheetah can run up to 76 miles per hour, but can only sustain that for approximately 1,500 feet. The best bread and trained horses of their planet may be able to run 100 miles in a day, but many who attempt this feat never finish.

Despite its relative speed, the human can sustain a relative pace of four miles an hour four a little over three earth solar cycles without rest (keep in mind that this is not an examination of average ability).

Once thought to be the most endurance evolved species in the galaxy, the Rundi can run for an hour at the speed of fifteen miles per hour, but in a long distance race with a human, they find themselves slowly outmatched.

First, they outpace the human easily, they grow slowly tired, they fall to a slow walking speed, they try to maintain, but their body overheats. Eventually the steady footsteps of the approaching human converge and then pass ahead to recede into the distance.

Compared to most creatures, the human has a few advantages. Bipedal in nature, they can carry objects with them as they run like water and food, the arches in their feet act as shocks and springs to decrease shock. The feet are oriented straight ahead and their toes are shortened to decrease the mechanical work of the foot. Spring-like tendons and ligaments aid them as they run. A narrow waist that can pivot allows for the swimming of arms during running action. A heightened sense of balance and movement keeps them on a straight course and allows their head to remain steady as they go. About 20 miles of energy can be stored in the muscles themselves. Additionally, one of the largest muscles in the body, the gluteus maximus is not engaged during a brisk walk but during a run. But the biggest factor, is their ability to cool through sweat.

As far as we know, humans, and some of their earthly counterparts, are the only creatures in the universe that excrete water to catalyze cooling.

They were going to die.

They were going to die.

The sun would come up, and burn them to death and they were going to die.

Krill never thought that his life would end this way. Surrounded by the strange Humans on a class A death planet waiting for the star to rise over the horizon and melt them to a crisp.

Even the humans standing in the desert sand around him looked subdued. Usually, during near death situations, they were relatively chipper, but this was different. They knew they were going to die.

Captain Vir gave a sigh, "Knew we shouldn't have trusted that little scab." He muttered looking up towards the sky where the troop transport had vanished carrying with it their merchandise and its conniving Tesraki pilot probably laughing gleefully to himself about the stupidly of the trustingly naive humans.

The darkness was so profound out in the desert at night, though the stars overhead were particularly striking.

Krill, the captain asked, "How far are we from the sanctuary."

A few quick calculations in his head and Krill felt himself sink towards the sand. This was hopeless, and the planet's magnetic field made their communications ability almost nonexistent.

"How far?" The captain prodded

"40 Units."

"In miles please, America still hasn't switched to the metric system."