Flying On The Fringe

S: Today I’m speaking with Juradaa, Herald of Communications for the people of the Tai-ii-katch system of worlds. Herald Juradaa is speaking to us from a space station orbiting planet 9-6.

S: Herald Juradaa, thank you so much for talking with us today.

J: You are welcome.

S: First, I want to ask about your world, or worlds. I gather your people have spread to many other planets from your home world. Is that correct?

J: Yes. We control a region encompassing twelve stars surrounding our home star of Selada. Our home planet was originally called Nantra, but it is now designated as 1-4, first sun, fourth planet out. We still refer to ourselves as nantrans, however.

S: Do some of your people still live on 1-4?

J: Probably a few thousand maintenance workers. There are few mineral resources left, but some salt water.

S: It sounds like you pretty much stripped your home world. How livable is it?

J: The workers there live in enclosed habitats where it is quite comfortable. Much of the labor is mechanized, of course, but sometimes requires maintenance. We also raise herds of binox, kerps and anjas, some of our food animals.

S: The animals can tolerate the atmosphere?

J: There are some areas on some planets where the air and soil are less contaminated, and animals can be raised outside. The majority are raised inside habitats. We’ve developed complexes of living quarters, agricultural areas, and service areas connected by transportation systems. Though the atmosphere on our planets is not pleasant, inside it’s quite comfortable. My people have been living in controlled environments for almost a hundred generations.

S: Where do you live? On one of the other planets?

J: No, my family lives in an orbital colony at 6-3.

S: An orbital colony—like a space station?

J: (He’s laughing). Not anything like the Earth station I’ve seen images of. Ours is the size of a small moon.

S: Wow. How long have you lived there?

J: For the past ten standard cycles. Since our empire encompasses many stars and planets, we’ve developed a standardized time-frame for life on the station. It is used by everyone in the empire for general communications, although for harvesting and other jobs that are specific to a particular planet or moon, the workers sometimes use a localized frame of reference.

S: I see. But doesn’t that much time in space have detrimental physical effects.

J: No. Our bodies have adapted over time, and our stations have gravity and clean atmosphere. Much more livable than a planet. This is a picture of one of our agrarian centers. 

S: So, did you grow up in a space colony?

J: Yes. Almost all of us do. The few who are working on planets are normally stationed there for one or two tours of duty at a time, though some individuals seem to prefer smaller communities and choose to stay on planets for most of their lives.

S: Our astronauts who remain on our space station for extended periods of time have a difficult time adjusting to Earth gravity when they return. But we don’t have artificial gravity. Is that a technology you might be willing to share with us?

J: That’s a possibility. It is something you will have to develop if you intend to do any long-term space exploration. From what I have seen, your race is only in the earliest stage of that.

S: That’s true. We haven’t even settled another planet in our own solar system yet, though that is expected to happen within a couple of decades. Artificial gravity and faster propulsion would help a lot.

J: We will have to see what you can offer in trade.

S: Tell me about life on a space station. What do people do for fun?

J: We enjoy sports, theater, socializing with extended family and friends. This is one of our arenas. Seven different sports can be played here. My favorite is one called gumbat. Two teams of twelve people each compete to put flying batties into the scoring window. A battie looks like a ring, fatter in the middle where a power mechanism allows it to fly. There are three attackers controlling batties and nine defenders on each team. The defenders try to shoot down the batties before they enter the window, which is only slightly bigger than the battie. We also have races and competitions on the track around the outside, both among individuals and races on a vehicle called a darter. It has wheels, but can fly as well as scoot on the ground. We also enjoy a lot of competitions of physical strength and ingenuity. Our arenas can simulate a number of different conditions, fire, ice, water, and we have some designed for underwater and plasma competitions.

S: Plasma?

J: Yes—a viscous fluid—it requires a special suit and is difficult to move through—very challenging.

S: What are your living quarters like?

J: This is my home. Several adults live together and share areas like the kitchen. We have a common recreation area where we can watch the vendeer—similar to what you would call television, but we also can access that from our private sleeping quarters. We have a constant flow of information and entertainment.

This area is one of the work stations where we process minerals and other resources mined from the planets. Our space colonies require a broad range of metals. We also extract elements that are used as fertilizer for plants and food for some of the organisms raised on board.

S: Do you ever get tired of small, enclosed spaces, ever get the urge to enjoy wide open spaces and fresh air?

J: I find the air in the colony far fresher than what I’ve encountered on planetary surfaces. The atmosphere on a planet is difficult to control over a broad area. It becomes contaminated with dirt, dust, air-borne microbes. I usually wear a filtration device when I’m outside one of our habitats. Our homes are beautiful and very comfortable.

S: Your experience makes me appreciate our own planet all the more.

J: I’ve seen visuals of your planet. You haven’t yet done as much environmental damage as we did to our home world, but you’ll have to change many of your procedures soon, or you will end up as we have. Though, to be honest, I am happy with my life here, and I’ve met only a few who would choose a different life. Some of our people have relocated outside our empire to planets with whom we trade.

S: Interesting. It’s good to have choices.

J: Indeed.

Readers, join me again next week as I continue the interview with Juradaa. There’s a lot more of interest to come.

Readers, this week I’m continuing my discussion with two ladies, Nipi and Oba, from the planet Dudra.

Oba, can you tell me what your family life was like there? Did you have siblings?

O: I have a sister and a brother who still live on Ka’Ran. My brother is a priest in the Simbat Temple in the underwater city of Bai’ala’ti, where I grew up. My sister is married and has two children of her own. I was the youngest of the family.

S: What kinds of things did you enjoy as a child?

O: I was fascinated by our planet’s aquatic life, so I spent as much time as allowed near the edges of the city. I think you can see from the photo that parts of the exterior structure are clear, and it is quite common for the sea creatures to swim right up to it. I think sometimes they enjoy watching us as much as we enjoy watching them.

S: I’m surprised you didn’t become a marine biologist.

O: As a child, that is what I dreamed of. But as I got older, I became more aware of the fragile nature of the ecosystems on our planet, and I realized if we didn’t work to preserve them, some of our exquisite life forms might be lost to us forever. There were several endangered species when I was a child, including one of my favorites, a very colorful animal called a vinchat—which would translate as sea fingers. I decided to dedicate my life to preserving our planet, and I’m happy to say, we’ve made tremendous progress in that regard. Ka’Ran has a very stable ecosystem, and even our High Order has embraced the need to preserve it.

S: I wish I could visit Ka’Ran. It sounds so beautiful.

O: It is. I just wish the people could open their minds a little more.

S: I understand. Nipi, what was your family like? What did you enjoy as a child?

N: Our family structure is much different from Ka’Ran. Men and women do not marry for life. A couple may stay together until a child is four or five, but often their relationship is more temporary. Children are traditionally raised by their mother. Our planet is divided into ten political regions, what you would identify as countries, and each region provides for the welfare of a child until he or she reaches adulthood. Our children move into residential schools at the age of five. The parents visit on special days, and the children have vacation periods when they may go home or take trips sponsored by their school.

S: Did you enjoy school?

N: Most of the time. I liked most of my teachers, and most of us grow very close to our—I suppose you would call them nannies—in our schools, though they are much more like foster parents. They are people specifically selected for those positions who love caring for children.

S: What were your favorite subjects?

N: I always loved the arts, painting, music, and dance. I would have liked to be a professional artist, but my teachers encouraged me to pursue something that would be a more lucrative and dependable career. I was good at science, and that’s how I ended up as a robotics engineer. At least I am designing, creating something, and that aspect of the work is rewarding. As it turned out, their advice was wise, since I make a good, dependable income. The robots I design are used as artificial workers for maintenance and building, fighting intense fires, and cleaning up bio and chemical hazards where use of protective gear is too cumbersome or dangerous for live workers.

S: Are there a lot of that type of accident?

N: Yes. And not all are accidents, though the companies always insist they are. Since there is an unending supply of robotic workers, there is little incentive to be cautious. There is a political faction, of which Oba and I are members, trying to bring about change, but we continue to meet major resistance. I can not understand how anyone, even the heads of the companies, can want to live like this.

O: It is because they do not live like this. They have elegant homes on other planets, or live in opulent orbiting colonies.

S: The managers at some level have to be there. You’d think they would push for change.

N: They are well paid to put up with the inconvenience, and have the money and time to travel elsewhere for vacations. Besides, protest would get them fired, and no other company would hire them, so the managers won’t risk it.

Our planetary government is trying to repair some of the damage that has been done, but they let it go on for far too long. Now, reversing it is going to be a long process.

S: I worry that our planet will make the same mistakes. We talk about preserving the environment, but thus far, very little is being done. Like Dudra, the large corporations here are powerful and unwilling to take steps that will reduce their profit margins.

N: Greed always gets in the way of social conscience.

S: What do the two of you do now for recreation?

N: We travel as often as we have time. We also attend concerts and dance productions. Fortunately Dudra is not devoid of culture.

O: And I have encouraged Nipi to continue with her art. She is an exquisite artist. These are some of her pieces.

S: Oh, these are beautiful. Since you two have such love of visual and performance arts, it’s a shame the two of you can’t live on Ka’Ran together. It sounds like it would be a good fit for both of you. How long has that regime been in power? Do you think there is any chance the religious climate will change at some point?

O: In ancient times, we had multiple religions in different regions of the world. However, Ka’Re’Idinism gained dominance approximately five hundred of our solar cycles ago.

N: It is difficult to overcome an organization which rules with brutal suppression of dissent.

S: That is always difficult to overcome. I hope that sometime soon the two of you will find a better living situation.

N: We will continue to seek a better future. Thank you for talking to us.

S: Thank you. I’ve learned a lot from you.

Readers, next week I’ll be talking Juradaa, who lives and works on a space station. You won’t want to miss this one!

Readers, this week I chatted with two ladies, Oba (below left) and Nipi (below right), from the planet Dudra. They have a very interesting story.

S: So, you are contacting us from Dudra, correct?

N: Yes. We very much appreciate your willingness to listen to us. We are not ambassadors, nor do we have any position of importance.

S: That’s fine. We are very interested in the ordinary people of the planets we have made contact with. How did you become aware of Earth?

N: Our council learned of your planet through trade contacts with other worlds. Information about Earth was released in one of our world news bulletins. Oba and I have been trying to learn everything we could about your world, to see if it would be an option for us to relocate to.

S: Why are you seeking to relocate to another planet?

N: On Oba’s home planet of Ka’Ran, love between members of the same sex is absolutely forbidden. The entire planet is governed by a strict religious order. Those who violate the codes are often put to death, including priests who dare to challenge the High Order. We could not even freely speak through interplanetary communications. We had been trying to find a way to be together for several years before Oba had the opportunity to emigrate to Dudra. Unfortunately, the atmosphere of our planet is very polluted. Many of us have adapted somewhat, but Oba struggles to breathe, and must wear a mask with an oxygen supplement any time she goes out. I understand your atmosphere is oxygen rich.

S: It is, though we are fighting our own battles with pollution. Plus, though our people now know that sentient, advanced species inhabit other worlds, it is a recent discovery for us. Until a few years ago, many Earthers refused to believe that was possible, and many are still not comfortable with the idea. We often have problems with discrimination between races, differing religious beliefs, and differing lifestyles among our own people that lead to violence. There are aliens living among us, but they are human, or have taken human form, so that they blend in well. The only non-human aliens here at present are those serving in temporary ambassadorial roles, and they are well-guarded by our police forces.

N: That is sad to hear. We had hoped for much better news. At least on Dudra we are safe and not discriminated against, but the lifestyle here is… difficult.

S: How did you and Oba meet?

N: She was a speaker at a trade conference here on Dudra several years ago. I attended and was impressed by what she said. We felt a deep bond almost immediately, but Oba had to keep it secret because of the religious stigma on her world. If it hadn’t been for that, I would have moved there. Ka’Ran is a water world of great beauty, with a thriving culture of visual and performance art, literature, and architecture. Dudra is quite bleak by comparison.

S: Has Dudra made any strides toward dealing with its pollution problems?

N: We are working on it. That is one of the topics Oba addressed at the conference I attended. In Ka’Ran’s underwater cities, air quality maintenance is critical. They have developed some advanced technology that Dudra may be able to adapt to its use. Even with their assistance, however, it will be fifty or sixty of our solar cycles before we make much progress.

S: I’m sorry it will take so long, but glad your people recognize the problem and are working on it. I am hoping the political leaders and corporations of Earth are able to make more substantial progress in the near future than they have in the past.

N: For your peoples’ sakes, I hope they do not wait until it is too late, as we did.

S: Oba doesn’t seem to talk much.

N: She is still very shy. On Ka’Ran, she had to be registered as Aberrant and was required to wear identification. Aberrants were not allowed to speak with each other. They had to wear identification badges so that they could recognize and avoid each other. Dudra does not have such policies, and our planet would not extradite her, but she is cautious out of habit.

S: I understand. She is aware I am planning to publish our interview in a blog, correct?

N: Yes. She is in agreement with that.

S: On Earth, same-sex marriage is only now becoming more common, and is still not widely accepted. Decades ago, many gay couples just had to hide their true relationship.

N: How can people be dishonest and get away with it? Lying will get you exiled from Dudra. A person might get away with a small lie once, but no more than that. In ancient times people were put to death for lying.

O: It is considered a Magna Sin on Ka’Ran as well. You could be imprisoned and tortured or worked to death even now. That’s why it was safer to register than to try to hide my true nature.

S: Oh, my. That’s quite severe. I’m afraid few Earthers would survive there for long. Though we prize honesty, not many of us maintain absolute honesty all the time. In fact, in some cases, it isn’t even considered polite.

N: How very strange. How could it be polite to lie?

S: If someone is wearing an outfit that looks terrible on them, and they ask how they look, or has cooked a dinner that failed, and asks how it tastes, most Earthers would say it was fine. Telling the truth in that type of situation would be considered rude in most cases.

N: That’s ridiculous. If my clothing didn’t look right, or the meal tasted bad, I would want to know so I could avoid going out looking like a fool, and could avoid the problem the next time. Only a very untrustworthy friend would behave in such a way, and I wouldn’t want that person for a friend.

S: Though I’m inclined to agree with you, if I was brutally honest on Earth, I might not have many friends. It’s clear our cultures view that issue quite differently.

N: It’s clear Earth is looking less attractive as a place to live.

S: That’s possible, at least for the time being. However, contact with other sentient races may bring about significant change here. I’d like to know a little more about what your planets are like. You mentioned Ka’Ran is a water world. What percentage is solid land?

O: Only about ten percent of the surface is land, but we have entire cities built underwater. I used to live in one of the ocean cities. I loved it. I miss it terribly. I had hoped since Earth was largely ocean, you might have underwater cities.

S: Not yet. Though I’ll admit, I’d certainly love to live in one if we did.

Readers, join me again next week for the second half of my interview with Nipi and Oba, where we’ll learn a little more about their lives.

Welcome to Part 2 of my interview with Azha Chben from the planet Orozh. Last week we talked about the tectonic upheaval his planet is currently experiencing. This week I’ll explore more about the culture of Orozh,

S: You had told me you have seven children. Tell me more about them. Are some adults already?

C: Yes. four are adults from my first wife. Three are still living with me and my current spouse.

S: What kinds of jobs do your adult offspring do?

C: Two are physicians. One is an adjudicator—similar to a judge, although our legal system is much different than yours. The adjudicator determines the status of property, whether or not it is abandoned, etc., sets up legal contracts, etc. My son specializes in interstellar trade contracts. The fourth is a government administrator. The oldest of my second rack of children is taking advanced schooling in the sciences. I believe he will end up becoming what you would identify as a geologist.

S: They all sound quite successful.

C: Everyone is capable of doing some type of job, and all adults are required to work at something. It is the responsibility of instructors to determine the best placement for each of their students. That is one major way our system differs from yours.

S: Do they have any choice in what they do.

C: Yes, but depending on the openings available, they may be required to work in some other field until a job they want opens up, and they might have to relocate far from their family to take it. Most of our young tend to stay close to other extended family members. But some are more adventurous.

S: So you don’t have overpopulation issues, where there are more people than available jobs?

C: No. Because of our geologic issues, we maintain strict population control. Women outnumber men about five to one, and they have a shorter lifespan, as I mentioned. Most women choose not to work because they are quite busy managing a home and several children, though they are allowed to work if they choose, and an older child can manage the home. But deaths due to accidents are common, as well. I cannot say that Orozh is a particularly safe planet. It is beautiful in its own way, but sometimes deadly.

S: I see. You mentioned that your legal system is quite different from ours. Could you explain that a bit more.

C: Of course. As I mentioned, crime is not common on our planet. When it occurs, it is normally the result of a misunderstanding, or in rare cases an individual who suffers a mental disability that impairs their ability to reason. Therefore, our adjudicators are solely responsible for determining what needs to be done legally in a particular situation and then handle the necessary procedures. They specializes in certain areas of practice. As I mentioned, one of my sons specializes in interstellar contracts. Others deal with property issues or planetary business contracts. I work the most with property adjudicators. Due to death or relocation, homes are sometimes left vacant due to unplanned circumstances. We do not buy our homes—they are provided as needed by the government. But if it is not clear what happened to its occupants, the adjudicator will investigate and determine whether it is truly abandoned, or the occupants intend to return at some time. If abandoned, it can be made available to new occupants. There are also cases where a fire or storm destroys a building, and it must be declared a loss and replaced.

S: I see. I take it, in addition to volcanoes, you have some violent weather.

C: Oh, yes. In fact, largely because of the volcanoes, we have frequent storms similar to your magnitude five hurricanes, and often ones that exceed that magnitude. As I mentioned before, we sometimes have to relocate entire populations to a new area. We’ve developed a building material that is lightweight but exceptionally strong. This is a picture of one such complex. The components are manufactured in advance and then assembled on site. We can have one of these ready to move into in a matter of days. They are quite beautiful, but also earthquake, fire, and storm resistant.

S: Definitely impressive, especially that you can get them up that quickly. It does sound like your living conditions are rather crowded, compared to ours.

C: Compared to what appears to be the norm in the United States, from what I have seen in image transmissions. It is hard for me to imagine a large house with a lot of ground around it, and only one small family unit living in it. It seems quite wasteful. Our living arrangements are much more like what I have seen in large Asian cities—large communities of smaller apartments. This is a picture of a complex in the capital city where I live when I am not traveling.

S: Do Orozhans keep any kind of animal as pets?

C: There is an animal called a tripkin. It is more of a companion than a pet. They can’t speak our language, but they understand us readily, and they are very friendly. They are a very large bird, but they have fingers at the shoulder joint of their wings, so they can grasp things.

S: Doesn’t sound very cuddly, like a cat.

C: No. Like I said, more of a companion. Young adults who have moved out on their own often keep one. As I mentioned, we’re accustomed to having a lot of family around us.

S: Do you have problems with major differences in income or economic levels? Do any of your people live in what we identify as poverty?

C: In the distant past, when battles over territory were more common, that developed into an issue. However, two epochs ago, our planet went through a particularly violent period of tectonic upheaval, and nearly sixty percent of our race died out. The survivors were forced to band together planet wide and establish laws to protect what life and usable property remained. By then, we had learned that our planet would continue to experience such problems. It became a matter of survival for the entire species. Transition was difficult, of course, and it was a couples of our centuries before the system was perfected. But it seems to work well for us now.

S: Good. There are many of us on Earth who hope that at some point in the future, we will be able to work together planet wide for the welfare of all humankind.

C: Accepting the need for the betterment of all humankind is the first step. Perhaps you are in the early stages of that transition.

S: I can only hope so. Azha Ikben, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me. I hope things settle down on your planet soon.

C: It will be along time yet, but we are prepared. Treasure the beauty of you planet, and do not squander it.

S: Sound advice. Thank you again.

C: Life and security to all your people.

Readers, join me next week when I interview Nipi and Oba from Dudra. Until then, fly high and free.

Credit: image of Anurognathus by Masato Hattori

Welcome to my series “Interview With an Alien,”  part 2 of my conversation with Ambassador Phlip from the planet of Agzagi.

S: What is your family life like? Do you marry for life, or only for reproduction?

P: We mate for reproduction once every six cycles around our star. It is difficult to compare to your time frame, but I estimate it would be a little over three of your years. Different males mate each cycle.

S: Do you have a courting ritual?

P: Ritual? No. We have a procedure. The male puts on a mating necklace, goes to the female’s abode, and pounds on his chest and shrills at her. If she admits him, they go to the sleep pallet, and he walks around her several times, continuing to pound his chest and shrill, creating a track within which an egg nest will be built. If she touches noses with him, she has accepted him. Then he goes out and collects reeds and moss for the nest and brings it back. Then they mate. The eggs hatch half a cycle later.

S: Do you stay with that mate for life, or does you change each cycle?

P: Usually, the males will seek a new mate each cycle, but sometimes one of us finds a mate we choose to stay with for several cycles, though not a lifetime.

S: Forgive me if it seems I’m prying into personal things, but we are eager to learn about each new sentient species we encounter. Would you say that love, as an emotion, is important to your mating?

P: It is difficult for me to understand love as humans seem to define it. As a male, I look at the physical aspects of a female, her profession, and the likely qualifications of our offspring. Most of us use genetic testing prior to mating to determine the best pairing. Of course, we feel… a desire to protect our offspring, though that is more a community effort than individual.

S: Do the females ever choose their mate?

P: They do not actively pursue a mate, as they do in your culture, but they are free to reject any approach. If the genetic testing shows one male to be more of interest than another, she may indicate her interest to the preferred male. And they can reject a male in one cycle and still accept him in another. When they have accepted one, they put a mark on the door so others will know.

S: What does the courting necklace look like? Does every male wear the same type?

P: Each male has a unique design made by his mother for his first courting. The one on the left is mine. Black represents male in our culture, and red the female. White stands for fertility.  The design on the right was created by one of my mates for one of our sons.

 

S: These are beautiful! How are they made?

P: Some are polished from stones. At one time, our planet had seas, but those dried up ages ago. Some of the beads are fossils from ancient sea life.

S: Your mating procedure sounds much simpler than our way of doing things.

P: I don’t believe even humans understand how to mate properly. Some mate for life, some don’t. Some court for years, others for short periods. It is utter chaos. You breed too well in spite of that. You need to breed less often.

S: You’re referring to our overpopulation problems.

P: Yes. It is very impractical to populate beyond your resources. In the rare instance that our resources are lean for some reason, we refrain from mating.

S: Do the females on your planet raise the children, or do the males participate?

P: Our young are self-sufficient from hatching. They remain in the nest for a few days eating food provided by their mother. Then they move out to find empty homes or dig new ones. They are educated by the community, both males and females. I have heard some here claim there is discrimination against females, particularly in employment. We do not discriminate.

S: Do you have more than one baby at a time?

P: Normally there are two or three eggs to a clutch.

S: Do you ever have trouble getting your young to behave, or to do what they are supposed to?

P: Behavior is a learning experience for all young, even those that are not sentient. For those that are sentient and intelligent, misbehavior is inevitably a part of their mental growth. Those who learn quickly inevitably rise to advanced positions.

S: How do you discipline your young?

P: The teacher will isolate them for a time, or require them to do strenuous physical tasks. When possible, the discipline is related to the behavior. For instance, if a young one steals, he might be required to return what he stole, plus give something he values to the one he stole from.

S: What about adult offenders? Do you have prisons?

P: No. In rare cases, if an individual behaves in a manner counter-productive to the community, they are exiled to a less populated area and left to fend for themselves. Often, after a few cycles, they will apply for re-admittance. Some prefer a solitary life.

S: What about you, personally? Do you enjoy your role as an ambassador to other planets?

P: We do not choose professions based on what we might enjoy. That would be impractical. There might be some professions no one would choose. As I went through schooling, my teachers determined I would be suited to working with alien species. However, I find what I do to be fulfilling, in that it serves my people.

S: What surprised you most about Earth?

P: Chaos. Your people are disorganized and poorly disciplined. Streets have dead ends. Cars, on which you heavily depend, do not always function as they should. Perhaps such chaos is part of your youth as a technological species. I can see some similarities between how your people behave now, and how our species did two or three thousand generations ago.

S: I don’t know. We’re obviously very different from you. What have you enjoyed most about Earth?

P: The one thing I have enjoyed are your mountain ranges. Our people love to climb, but our mountains are significantly lower than yours. I have climbed in Colorado and Utah, and I am looking forward to a chance to go to Asia to climb there, though I might have to wear some protective gear against the cold for the highest mountains.

S: I hope you do get the opportunity to do that. What type of climbing gear do you use? Something high tech? (I think he’s laughing, a gutteral hissing sound, and he’s waving his long fingers and sharp claws in my face.)

P: My race does not need assistance in climbing.

S: Yes, I can see that. Well, it has certainly been interesting talking with you, but I have to draw things to a close. Thank you so much for talking with me today.

P: You are welcome. It is part of my role to educate your people about my people.

Readers, join me next week, when I interview Chkben from Orozh (official Earth Department of Interstellar Affairs alliteration). Until then, fly high and free.

Welcome to “Interview With an Alien.” I’d like you all to meet Phlip, ambassador from the planet of Agzagi. I confess, neither of those pronunciations are accurate. The Ambassador has agreed to the nickname of Phlip for diplomatic purposes, since no Earther has yet managed to pronounce his real name. The planet’s name is the official English rendition the Earth Department of Interstellar Affairs has released. Ambassador Phlip is using an advanced translation device.

S: Ambassador Phlip, welcome, and I apologize in advance for all the times I will undoubtedly butcher your name and the name of your planet.

P: My device will correct your errors.

S: Good. My first question is about the translator. Is that technology from your planet, or something we have developed?

P: From [Agzagi], of course. Yours are not adequate for our language.

S: I know most of the planets we’ve established diplomatic relations with allow some exchange of technology. Is the translator one of the technologies you might allow us to have?

P: You would not be able to reproduce it. We will provide it as needed for our purposes.

S: I see. Let’s move on to another topic. I noticed your style of dress (he’s wearing nothing but a lightweight pair of gym shorts) is not typical of what most diplomats on our world wear. What is normal for your world?

P. I was required to wear covering while in public on your world. Ridiculous. We have superb bodies, as you can see, and we are well adapted to our planet. Humans are poorly adapted, and, in my opinion, not very attractive.

S: (I’m fighting to avoid laughing.) I suspect every species finds its own kind most attractive. Humans do wear clothing as an adaptation to our weather, because in many areas it changes from season to season. But our clothing also defines certain roles. Many companies and services use uniforms to identify their employees.

P: We do not need such things. When one of us needs to be identified for some reason, he wears a symbol on a band around one arm.

S: I see. You mentioned being well adapted to conditions on your planet. What is your home planet like?

P: It is mostly desert, much like the area designated as the American Southwest. It is very hot by comparison with your planet. The surface temperature is almost 150 degrees by your Fahrenheit measure.

S: So it must be uncomfortable for you here. How do you compensate, since you don’t use clothing to keep warm?

P: Your government arranged a large hotel suite for me. I use a heated chamber when I sleep. My people are what you would classify as cold-blooded, though that is an inaccurate description. My body temperature drops during the day, so they also installed a sauna in my suite that I can use during the day as needed. I would not stay here during your winter season.

S: A lot of our hotels have saunas and hot tubs for their guests. You needed one in your room? That must have taken a lot of work.

P: I would not join commoners. And they would want me to wear a covering.

S: I see. That’s probably true. How often does your planet revolve around its sun? Can you translate that into our time frame?

P: Our planet is larger and a little closer to its sun. It completes a cycle approximately once in every 270 of your days, but our days are much longer, almost double the length of yours.

S: Interesting. What are your homes like?

P: Our planet has an extensive underground labyrinth of tunnels and rooms created by volcanic activity. Our volcanoes are now extinct, except for a few. We utilize those areas, dig out and use surface rock to build walls, walkways, and transport tubes.

S: Transport tubes? What are those, or how do they work?

P: They are somewhat like your most advanced subway systems. The carriers look a little like the Japanese bullet train, except that ours are shorter, have no windows, and are extremely fast.

S: No windows? I suppose that’s because they are in underground tunnels. Do they ever go above ground?

P: Yes, but they are so fast, you would see nothing but a blur. It takes only a short time to get from one community to a far distant one.

S: Are you able to go out on the surface, or do you stay completely below ground?

P: We go onto the surface for short periods, usually at sunset. But everything we need is maintained below ground—all of our food stocks.

S: Do you ever get tired of living underground? Do you miss the open spaces above ground?

P: I prefer living underground. The temperature and humidity are constant and comfortable. Here it is always too cold, and even with the air conditioning systems, the humidity keeps fluctuating. I don’t understand how you can live like this. No wonder you have trouble adapting.

S: Yes, our weather changes not only from region to region but day to day. So your entire planet has a similar climate?

P: Yes. There are minor variations from region to region, but the temperature is fairly constant from one area to the next. Some places have more vegetation where water sources are closer to the surface. Those areas tend to have less natural underground habitat available, and they are hot and have much higher humidity, so few of our people live there.

S: Really. Humans tend to gravitate toward areas of greater vegetation. We’re currently fighting to save our jungles and rain forests.

P: I don’t care for areas with thick vegetation. I prefer the open mountain ranges. When our people venture outside for recreation, we tend to go the mountains or open plains.

S: If vegetation is sparse, how does your planet maintain its oxygen level?

P: We have oxygen generators, and much of the rocky surface is covered by a type of lichen that produces oxygen. There is an oxygen-producing lichen that grows in caves, as well as a uni-cellular organism that lives in the underground water reservoirs. Our respiration is much slower than yours, and we maintain a stable population that does not stress the environment. Something your people still need to learn.

S: Is this a picture of an oxygen generator?

P: Yes, and lights that promote growth of some plants we cultivate for food.

S: How long ago did your people have to move underground?

P: It is difficult to explain in terms of time you would understand. Approximately two thousand generations ago, the surface became too hot, and water too scarce, to live on the surface, and our ancestors began to spend more time below ground. It didn’t require much physical adaptation, just a restructuring of our homes. But we make extensive use of the natural resources available to us. A great deal of stone, obviously.

S: Were the climate changes natural, or did your species’ activity contribute to the changes.

P: Some of both. There is no question that our industrial activity in the earlier stages of our development contributed to geologic changes and a rise in our global temperature. Like your people, ours were reluctant to institute major change until it was too late. We have since learned to adapt and live without causing further damage to our planet. One of my purposes here is to encourage your governments to change their policies and protect yours before it is too late for you as well. Your people expend a great deal of energy trying to change your surroundings instead of adapting to them.

S: After so many generations underground, do you have any problems with the light level here? I would assume you’re used to it being much darker.

P: We have a second eyelid that remains from the time when our species lived above ground. It closes automatically in brighter light, so your light levels have not bothered me.

S: Have your eating patterns changed as well over time?

P: Not as much as some of the other changes we’ve undergone. We grow crops in the cave openings where there is sufficient light. All of our water is below ground, and there are animals that live in the pools and lakes.

S: I have a couple of pictures. Could you tell me what these are?

P: The blue one is a plant called isha, one we can cultivate underground that does not require light. The other is aya zhizh, which would translate at water flower. The closest you would have is a fish, but it reproduces more like some of your plants, by sending out spores that others of its kind ingest. The young sprout from the body of the carrier and consume him or her, then detach when there is not enough of the carrier to maintain them. The adults eat lichen from the cave floors and microscopic creatures.

S: So, while on Earth, what is your favorite food?

P: I would not call anything here my favorite. I can tolerate one called escargot. Some of your sushi is also palatable. Fortunately, I brought food stores on my ship.

S: (Forgive me, readers, I’m having a hard time not laughing. He has expensive needs.) What is your favorite food from home?

P: Isha is one of my favorites. I cultivate it on the walls of my home. I also enjoy one called akhda. It’s more rare and grows in the darkest areas, so I only have it occasionally. It’s hard to harvest. Even a little light causes it to close up and camoflage against the stone it grows in. Some of our people have made a profession of seeking it out by scent. They are careful not to over harvest any one area.

Readers, come back next week for the second part of the interview with Ambassador Phlip. Until then, fly high and free!

Welcome to my series “Interview With An Alien.” Today’s blog features the continuation of my interview with Kuzh from the planet Akmandah. Last week Kuzh told us about his job aboard a Hapida space ship and a little about his people’s family structure. Today we’re going to delve a little deeper into what his planet is like.

PART TWO: KUZH FROM AKMANDAH

S: Tell me a little bit about what are your homes are like.

K: Most of them are built into Makka trees. The trees grow from the top down.

S: The top down! How is that possible?

K: The seeds wedge into cliffs or banks and sprout roots that grow downward to solid ground and outward. They grow for hundreds of our years. The roots become massive trunks, and a single tree can cover a hundred kelas or more, Eventually, the original trunks die. Then we can chop them out to form rooms. It only takes a little wood, stone, or mortar to waterproof them. We have a lot of rain.

S: Very interesting. It makes a beautiful home. What is the interior like?

K: Inside is simple. Just furniture for sleeping and sitting and using our sitkas–like one of your electronic tablets. We paint the insides in bright colors, but we do not do much other decorating. The cooking and eating area is outside our home. The cooking fires are kept in a clearing away from the houses. Several related families eat together, usually fifty or sixty people. We like to eat together. Sometimes a meal can last half a day cycle. It is much more fun than the fast way your people eat.

S: I don’t think we would get much work done that way. So your weather must be warm most of the time.

K: Our planet is a little hotter than yours, similar to your tropical areas, but with temperatures closer to your deserts. It always seems cold to me on Earth, even in the summer. We work in the early morning and the evening. Midday is for eating and enjoying the company of others.

S: What else do your people do for fun?

K: A lot of water sports, of course. The Makka sap can be used to produce a substance similar to your rubber. The wood also floats. We do a lot of rafting for fun, but the rivers also provide key transportation routes. I am going to take a trip to your state called Colorado. There is a fast river there, and I want to go rafting.

S: It is very fast–too much for me, but I hope you enjoy it. While I was looking through pictures from your world, I came across this creature. Do you recognize it?

K: Yes. It is an asa dema—it translates as a seedbug. In this photo it’s carrying one of the Makka seeds. These are the creatures largely responsible for Makka reproduction. They put the seeds in crevices in the rock, where they take root. They build nests among the early sprouts. As you can see, much of our culture depends on the Makka. Fortunately, it exists almost everywhere on the planet.

S: What other kinds of animals do you have? Do your people have pets?

K: We have animals that live near our homes, but they are ones we use for their… something like your milk. I can’t understand keeping animals in your homes just for fun. That is very strange. They don’t seem to serve any purpose.

S: Purpose? Well, I suppose the purpose is that we love them, and love us, so we gain affection and comfort from them. For many people they become almost as important as family.

K: If  you spent more time with your family members, you would not need pets.

S: Maybe so. But sometimes members of our families are far away.

K: That is sad.

S: Can you tell me about the religious beliefs of your people?

K: We believe in a single god, creator of the universe, as many of your people do. We have small temples all over the planet, some so old they’ve been completely consumed by the Makka trees. Some are still partially visible, and we build new ones from time to time as we move into previously uninhabited, or abandoned, areas. But we primarily worship within our homes. Each extended family has a priest or priestess. 

K: Here on the left is one of the ancient ones, and on the right, is one of the newer ones we’ve built. The columns represent the roots of the Makka. Earth has some beautiful temples. I want to visit some of those, too, if my ship is here long enough. But your religions confuse me. If you believe there is only one god, how can you have so many different religions? That does not make sense.

S: That is a difficult question to answer. Many of our people believe in the same God, but we have very different ideas about how to worship. What have you enjoyed most about Earth so far?

K: I’ve been exploring your oceans. I went fishing, caught a fish as big as one of our boats.

S: Congratulations! That’s every Earth fisherman’s dream.

K: And I like sampling food from different countries. We do not have as many different… cultures as Earth does. It would take a long time to experience all the different ways of living here.

S: Yes, it would. Well, Kuzh, thank you so much for talking with me. I hope you stay long enough to do a lot of the things you want to do.

K: Me, too. I enjoyed talking to you. Aza kimai jaina to you. That means blessings of god .

S: Thank you so much.

 

Readers, hope you’re enjoying meeting these fascinating folks from other worlds.Special thanks this week to Queenie at MS Travel Solo for allowing me to use one of her extraordinary photos. If you enjoy travel to exotic locations, check out her site at           https://www.mstravelsolo.com/solo-travellers-guide-tainan-taiwan/

Join me again next week when I interview Ambassador Phlip from Agzagi. Until then, fly high and free.

Welcome to Author Susan Eschbach’s series “Interview With An Alien.” I hope you enjoy this series. Also check out my books A Trial By Error and Man On The Fringe in the links above. Book three in the Fringe Cycle, Salvation’s Star, is due out this spring.

PART ONE: KUZH FROM AKMANDAH

Today’s blog features Kuzh from the planet Akmandah.

S: Kuzh, welcome to Earth. Are you enjoying your visit here?

K: Yuh. It is pretty. Many oceans.

S: Do you have any oceans, seas, or large areas of water on your planet?

K: Four seas, much smaller than your oceans. Most of our water is in rivers. We have many large rivers.

S: I understand from Nasa’s Department of Interstellar Affairs that your people have not developed interstellar travel yet, but you have contact with species that have.

K: We trade with the Hapida, but they will not give us ships.

S: I see. And you came to Earth on a Hapida ship, correct?

K: I work for them.

 

S: What kind of work do you do?

K: Maintenance, cleaning.

S: Can you tell us  a little about what we are looking at here?

K: This is the corridor leading to the flight deck. The blue rods are data transfer links.

S: Are they anything like our fiber optic cables?

K: Much faster, almost light speed, and they carry much more data. Sometimes I have to replace one, or reroute it.

S: Do you enjoy the work?

K: Yuh. I like to travel to other planets, and I make good income for my ikan.

S: Ikan—according to my information, that is an extended group of related individuals, somewhat like our Native Americans, right?

K: Right, except we have three sexes involved in making children. The mikah provides an enzyme that allows the female egg to join with the male spore. The mikah can serve any family. When a child is born a mikah, that child leaves its own ikan and joins the mikah ikan. When a man marries, he joins his wife’s ikan, and all of their female children remain in the mothers’ ikan. Male children go to the father’s ikan when they reach adulthood.

S: A complex structure. So, you mentioned that you make a good income for your ikan. Is that spread evenly among the individuals in the ikan?

K: Yuh. All income is shared by the whole ikan. Members work together to harvest crops, and each member receives what they need. When someone needs a house, they move into an empty one or the ikan works together to build one.

S: That’s a very cooperative system. Are there ever battles or wars between different ikans?

K: Yuh. We are good warriors. Not so many wars any more, but we still take pride in strength and physical training. We have battles every year at the Comdena. The new president is chosen from the winning ikan.

S: Is that your uniform?

K: Not uniform, protective gear. During battle there is a lot of fire, smoke, and chemicals. The picture at the top shows our ceremonial dress. Each ikan has a particular emblem. Mine is a Badri tooth. They are extinct now, but there are a lot of fossils around.

S: You mentioned harvesting crops. Do you grow a lot of different varieties of crops?

K: Yuh. We don’t eat animals like humans do. We eat a little (he’s scratching his head)… I think it’s a little like some of your snails, or worms. The ibit lives in our rivers. Also, sukat and bitta are our main crops, and we have a lot of different kinds of fruits, and root plants.

 

 

 

Readers, thanks for joining me as we explore Kuzh’s world. Join me next week for the rest of the interview. Until then, fly high and free.