After Lairee was revived, Bob explained the dangers of fire and why sqids weren't ready for it. Lairee received a token bop to the head and Bob left with his fire.

Mho was ready to steal the fire again. Lairee and Coily argued against it. Bob's patience wasn't infinite and they could be in for some serious bopping.

Then Lairee and Coily remembered it was Mho's turn to be the firekeeper. One more theft wouldn't hurt them.

The companions again entered Bob's lair and again Mho showed them where the first trap was.

After the fire was stolen, Mho broke it into three parts. Lairee and Coily argued it was Mho's turn to keep the fire. Mho argued this would give them three times the chance to evade Bob.

Bob mentioned it wasn't going to help.

Confronted with their theft, the three companions used a plan older than civilization.

It was that day Bob learned frightened sqids can move surprisingly fast.

Bob quickly caught Coily. He then turned to chase after Lairee.

“Reclaiming his fire is giving me a lead!” Mho thought to himself. “That gives me an idea!”

Granted, in hindsight, it wasn't a very good idea.

Bob tried to gather all the fire, but Mho was spreading it faster than Bob could pick it up.

Mho had a substantial lead and was headed towards the dry shrublands. Bob couldn't let Mho start a fire there, it would be a conflagration.

Perhaps Mho's friend could get him to stop.

Bob took the fire from Mho and clenched his fist, extinguishing the flames he had gathered.

“Look!” Bob said as he gestured towards the village. “Do you understand what you've done?”

“Yes.” Mho replied. “I've spread fire so widely that you'll never get it all back.” The three companions heartily congratulated each other and seemed quite surprised when Bob bopped them on the head with the sound of a wet tentacle hitting coconuts.

Bob left his home that night knowing Mho was right. The secret was out.

In fact, in the entire village, there were only three sqids who did not have fire.

So they stole fire from their neighbors and lived warmly ever after.

And that is how my clan stole fire from the gods.

Of course, other clans say we stole fire from them. That doesn't tell the whole story and has led to more than a few hurt feelings.

We stole a lot more than fire from them. They just don't want to give us the credit.

I'm going to relieve Niomi on the bridge. Thank you for the story.

No
problem.

When we contact Sam's world, we're going to need the equivalent of the Brothers Grimm. Some people to go around and collect folk tales before they're lost. We'll also have to copyright them.

Not only do sqids deserve the income from those stories, there has to be something to stop Disney from making photorealistic animations of creatures whose appearance drives humans insane.

Need a break?

Sure. I could do with a cup of coffee.

We have instant. There's not enough acceleration for proper brewing.

That's why I use a coffee press.

They make those for microgravity?

I modified a caulk gun. It's listed under life support in my personal inventory.