Stoniums, Fielders, and Nanmons. Oh, my!
Space Traveler Fargone • Episode 8
New to Space Traveler Fargone? Start at the beginning.
“We have recreated the environment of our home planet, Stoni, here. You like it?” Mick asked.
“It is beautiful. We have similar environments on our planet, Earth,” I replied.
“Really? That’s cool,” Keith said.
I whispered to Em, “Shouldn’t you be taking video?”
“OMG! I completely forgot,” Em whispered back.
“Did you just say OMG out loud?”
“Shut up.”
I turned to Mick and said, “I apologize for our whispering. We wondered if you mind Em taking some video of you and your zone.”
“Have at it, mate. No problem,” Mick replied.
Em took out her com and started recording.
“My job is to explore and record what I discover. I would love to know more about your species and culture. May I ask some questions?” I said.
“What do you wanna know?” Mick replied.
“I noticed that your bodies appear to be sculpted stone. Is that correct?”
“We are stone that grows in mass. As we grow, we have our forms sculpted to desired shapes. It is a way to express ourselves and attract mates.”
“That is amazing. So…”
Suddenly, Mick fell to the floor and started rolling. All the Stoniums started rolling and crashing into each other. One rolled into the back of Em’s leg and knocked her off her feet. I helped her up while Flow shape-shifted into a metal cage and surrounded us. Stoniums slammed into the cage.
“What’s happening?” Em shouted.
“They have Rolling Stone disease. It strikes at random times. They involuntarily start rolling. It doesn’t do Metallums any harm, so it slipped my mind. I apologize for placing you in danger. You are safe inside this cage,” Flow replied.
“How long does it last?” I asked.
“It can last for several cycles. Walk slowly toward the door, and I will protect you.”
We made our way to the door and escaped into the corridor. Flow then shape-shifted back into the form she previously had.
“Again, I am remorseful for placing you in danger. It was not my intention.”
“No harm done. Forget it,” I said.
Em looked at her com.
“I got a few minutes of good video before I got knocked down. Huckster should be pleased,” Em said.
“Shall we return to the Metallum zone?” Flow asked.
“Yes, we need to return to our ship for food. Humans need to eat every few hours.”
“If you would rather try some local food, we can visit the Fielder zone. They are a species that grows organic food. They have cultivated knowledge of food-growing from most of the species on the station. There is bound to be something there you will find palatable.”
I looked at Em. She shook her head, yes.
“We would like that,” I said.
When we entered the Fielder zone, we were met with an incredible sight. One side of the zone looked like farmland. It was multi-colored and stretched as far as I could see. On the other side was what I can only describe as a bazaar or open-air market. There were countless huts, for lack of a better word, selling various types of food. The market was crowded with numerous species of life. There were incredible smells as well. Some appealing and some disgusting.
Flow asked us what type of food Humans eat. I stared at her for a moment, trying to figure out how to explain.
“Let’s visit a few vendors, and you can sample the food until you find something you enjoy,” Flow said.
“Good idea,” I replied.
It was a bit overwhelming. The first thing I tried looked like pasta but was red. It tasted horrible. As I politely spit it out into my hand, Em said, “Over here, Far.”
“Try this,” she said and handed me an oval-shaped thing that appeared to be covered in cinnamon. I took a small bite and smiled. It was similar to a cinnamon donut but chewier, and the flavor was different than cinnamon. Unlike anything on Earth but I liked it.
“Four more of these, please,” I said to the vendor.
We walked over to the eating area, which had table-like things that appeared to be made of some kind of plastic. But they didn’t have legs. They simply floated in the air and adjusted to our height when we approached them.
I took a bite of my food.
“These are wonderful. What are they called?” I asked Flow.
“I am afraid, I don’t know. Metallums do not eat. I only visit this zone to be social. Most species find the act of eating an opportunity to socialize, so Metallums join them for the social aspect. I have learned the names of many of the foods, but this one is new to me. I can ask if you like.”
“I’ll do it,” Em said and got up.
She returned in a few minutes with the answer.
“They are Bizzos,” Em said.
“It suits them,” I said.
After eating our Bizzos and trying a few other delights, we left the Fielder and returned to the Metallum.
“Thank you for your hospitality and for being our guide. It was incredible,” I said to Flow.
“It was my pleasure,” Flow replied.
“Em and I will retire to our ship now. Humans need sleep as well as food.”
“Is sleep your word for rest?” Flow asked.
“Yes. We fall into a state of unconsciousness for several hours, which allows our bodies to regain strength.”
“Many other species also follow this cycle. I shall await your return.”
“Goodnight, Flow,” Em said.
“Goodnight,” Flow replied, being polite.
When we got back to Rustbucket, I wrote some notes about our experiences so I would remember them for my splog. Then I fell into a deep sleep.
An ear-piercing alarm woke me up.
Em and I quickly left the ship and ran back down the corridor. When we reached the open area, we found Flow and asked her what the alarm was.
“It is the Nanmon,” Flow replied. “They are a warring species who delight in killing organic creatures. You must return to your ship and flee. They will attack the station, but they will not bother with a single ship fleeing.”
“I thought there was no conflict here.”
“The Nanmon are not from here. They are a roaming species without a home. There is no time to explain. You must leave now.”
Em and I began running back down the corridor. We heard a deafening sound, and the whole zone shook. The floor buckled up and threw us both down.
I love that a band inspired a whole species. So good.