State of the Galaxy Poll (Patreon)

After a lot of large, status quo changing stories in the Pinwheel setting, I'm ready for some smaller, less impactful slice of life tales. These will be around 30,000 words each and will explore various colony planets and aspects of Coalition relations. I'm thinking of doing three, and I've collected a bunch of ideas that you guys can vote on. Your top picks will be written next once Brokering Trust is finalized.

I may take a break to write another Halloween story in October, which will also have a poll, so stay tuned for that!

Remember that you can vote for multiple stories, so be sure to pick all of the options that appeal to you.

1. EE-4:
After the planet was liberated by the UNN Shiroyama during the events of Splashdown, EE-4 has gone largely ignored due to its dense and unforgiving jungles making it poorly suited to human habitation. Now, a joint colonization venture by the Araxie and the Jarilans is changing everything. With the Jarilans building underground infrastructure and the Araxie taming the jungles, human visitors often find themselves caught in the middle.
Pairing: Human x Jarilan x Araxie

2. Jarilo:
Now a thriving colony world and a center for shipbuilding, Jarilo has become a place where those who are down on their luck can start anew, leaving their old lives behind for the promise of blue skies and friendly insects. Whether you're seeking medical care or a homestead to call your own, you'll be welcomed with four open arms.
Pairing: Human x Jarilan

3. Rask:
The Rask territory is starting to recover from the events of the rebellion, and its warlike inhabitants have turned much of their energy towards farming and reconstruction. Greening the inhospitable deserts is a tough call, but not beyond the combined resources of the Coalition. That doesn't mean the natives aren't out to badger any off-worlders who happen to be working on infrastructure, however. Wayward engineers sometimes find themselves the target of prowling packs eager to give their new allies a warm welcome.
Pairing: Human x Rask pack

4. Valbara:
Despite its reputation as a peaceful and welcoming planet, adapting to life on Valbara can be challenging for humans. Their strict gender roles and unusual customs often put male expats on the back foot, and the rigors of their hectic work lives can be hard to keep up with. Office politics has a whole new meaning for the few aliens who seek employment in their shining cities.
Pairing: Human x Valbaran flock

5. Siberia:
The Siberian colony continues to grow and thrive since the Polars sought asylum on Earth, and the aliens have turned the inhospitable taiga into a bustling settlement with several outlying villages. Polar hospitality is as warm and as welcoming as their hearths, and even visitors who only stop by for a few days can expect to be ushered into their longhouses to share a hot meal and a warm bedroll.
Pairing: Human x Polar pack

6. Earth:
The crown jewel of UN space has seen few alien visitors, but the more time passes and the closer relations become, the more off-world tourists find themselves touching down on the human homeworld. For a solitary Valbaran male journeying alone, the experience is as exciting as it is overwhelming.
Pairing: Male Valbaran x Female Human/alt gay version

7. Pinwheel:
For new arrivals to the Pinwheel, navigating human social conventions can be a challenging affair, but those looking for advice can usually find it in the aliens who have spent more time living on the station. Valbaran and Borealan courtship methods might be very different, but when they put their heads together, they're sure to succeed. Right...?
Pairing: Human x Valbaran x Equatorial

8. Jump Carrier:
Ever wondered what the crews of UNN jump carriers get up to during their long, uneventful voyages into deep space? How do they occupy their free time, and how to all of the different Coalition species interact when thrust into a confined space for such long deployments? When left to their own devices, their only option is to amuse themselves.
Pairing: multiple couples and situations

9. BFF:
When her human friend expresses a fascination with a Rask mercenary who frequents his favorite bar on the station, his Polar companion promises to teach him all the tips and tricks for courting (and pleasing) the alien. After scoping out the situation, however, she soon discovers that the mercenary is a terrible fit for her friend, and she decides to take the hands-on tutoring to a new level in the hope that he'll lose interest.
Pairing: Human x Polar

10. Kiss the Cook:
Jarilan Repletes spend their whole lives producing food for their hive, but when one Replete feels that her duty should extend beyond her immediate kin, she's confused by the negative reception to her honey. Undeterred, she decides to learn human food preparation techniques, opening up a bar and restaurant in the colony that serves all species.
Pairing: Human x Replete