Human Lass has to mentally contend with the fact she's been eating the body parts of COGNISCENT beings and their pets, since she's been refusing all other foods, and the plants on this planet are almost all cogniscent. One has to imagine the mental collapse as she recognizes the pieces she had on her plate not long before, with the surgical procedures she just witnessed on the plant-beings.
Here's hoping therapists can heal a full mental collapse.
@internutter/challenge-03116-h207-ive-been-eating-what -- Anon Guest
For two days, the dangerous, baby-eating mammal refused any and all food. Only when they patiently explained the harm Lass was doing by forcing them to interact with other baby-eaters, did she relent and force herself to ingest soups. Disgusting soups to the both of them, now, but as long as it didn't contain anything she could recognise, all was nominally well.
It was clear that something had finally sunk in. It was also clear that that nugget of new information was devastating.
The compromise, for Lass, was fungus. Fungus had yet to show any kind of evolution towards cogniscence, sentience, or any imitation thereof. It was all natural and did not contain anything like nerve endings. Therefore, nothing got hurt.
It was an odd way to choose to live, and the Phlorans had to get some really clever therapists in to try and solve the entire problem of Human Lass.
"The Galactic Alliance has been kind enough to supply instructions for molecular printers. We can, without extra effort, without any living creature being hurt, provide you full nutrition."
Lass was stubborn, tending their fungus racks and their hypha mats. "Those nutrients were still originally sourced from living things, sentient or cogniscent[1]. I will not cause the universe any more harm."
"You are entering a slow demise via nutrient deficiencies. We can provide all necessary molecular copies for you. Not sourced from life, but from chemistry."
"It's organic chemistry, isn't it?"
Therapist Dymenscha did not immediately point out that the fungus Lass chose to eat was also organic chemistry; ze feared they go on another hunger strike. "May I ask why you chose fungus as a food?"
"It's not that alive," said Lass, putting on a mask so they didn't encounter spores during their harvest cycle. "It just eats things that have already naturally died. Nothing is harmed."
That was a key, but Dymenscha didn't know where the lock was. "Nothing is harmed," ze repeated. "You wish to leave no impact on the universe at all. You wish to live, as you say, 'clean'."
"Yes. Humans are monsters, I understand that now. But I also have a choice to not be a monster. I can live without hurting any other living creature in the universe. I can live without horrifying anyone with my food."
Dymenscha was tempted, sorely tempted, to say, Not for long; but had to attempt to open a door, not build a wall. "The universe is full of wonders. If you discover a world where the people are... mycotta... will you stop eating at all?"
"I might. It's better than being a monster."
On one hand, you had to admire the determination. On the other hand... "You are making yourself sick. You are choosing to die slowly from something that could be easily fixed."
"Yes." There was a weird smile behind that mask. The smile of a self-styled martyr on their way to a heaven of their own imagining.
"Do you realise that in choosing not to harm, you are also choosing not to help?"
"Oh, I've chosen a way to help," that etherial smile again, this time coming out from under the mask as Lass started preparing their meal. "When I die, you have my permission to mill me into powder and feed me to whomever or whatever you please. I'll finally become a greater good to the universe."
Exasperation. "Human Lass, you are toxic. Your body is poison to us. You will feed no-one. You will come to nothing. You may be milled to powder, but you will also be sealed in a container and shot into the sun."
"A monster to the end," Lass was not disturbed at all. Not thinking outside their extant mindscape at all. "But oh my foes and oh my friends, it gives a lovely light."
Even if they threw the Human back to the Alliance, they would continue on in this madness.
"Human Lass... you are truly terrifying."
[1] Sentient means a being has senses. Cogniscent means it is capable of rational thought, or a reasonable facsimile thereof. A worm or a fly is sentient. A Human is allegedly cogniscent.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / ampolsonthong]
If you like my stories, please Check out my blog and Follow me. Or share them with your friends!
Send me a prompt [71 remaining prompts!]
