"How do you think I feel seeing you eat a salad??"
A die-hard vegan's ship crash-lands on a planet that's what appears to almost be a haven world, lots of small animals, lots of plant life, absolutely paradise. Except...that the vegan sees a plant suddenly snap shut when an animal gets too close and the animal is eaten.
The cogniscents there are green, skin, hair, eyes, and they move with a slight rustling. They are descendant of carnivorous plants that have learned to become intelligent to survive. -- Fighting Fit
Some cogniscent beings just naturally come to blows. Be it conflicting biological needs, conflicting environmental necessities, or conflicting ideologies. It's just better for everyone if they're kept at least forty SDU[1] away from each other at all times. Some... do not have that option before they discover each other.
Human Lass was from the Ethical Superiority of Vigann. Ze had left to become a missionary of sorts and spread the good word of a clean, plant-based existence. Once the entire universe was completely in harmony, there would be no more need for wars, violence, or any nasty feelings at all. It was a lot of work to reform the universe, and Vigann made sure it was always sending out explorers to spread the good word.
It was astonishing how many cogniscents refused to listen to it. They used utter nonsense like the phrase "obligate carnivore", or "unsustainable aspirations", or "ridiculous pseudoscience." Lass was not discouraged. For every two hundred die-hard unbelievers, there were as many as seven who could be convinced to begin cleansing themselves of the alleged necessity of animal abuse and the products made from it. That was until she crashed on the Phloranian colony P'taal.
It was, ze alleged, a simple miscommunication with the border drones. According to the Phlorans, ze casually ignored all warnings for plant-eating species to steer clear. P'taal was and remains a colony of cogniscents who are evolutionarily tied to the need for animal products to sustain their lives.
This, to anyone from the Ethical Superiority of Vigann, was a challenge. A challenge that Lass was -off the record- dedicated to accepting.
Phlorans are isolationist, and any trade with them is strictly via Blind Trades, where offers are put forth and inspected by each side in turn. Human Lass quickly found out why they preferred it that way. Allegedly by accident, an honest mistake. So ze said.
The footage from Lass' own sharelog show what the Viganni would call heaven. A lush and abundant variety of flora that scanned as edible with minimal preparation. The footage also shows some very deliberate sabotage of Lass' crashed vessel before ze went exploring.
"Look at this paradise. It's the garden of Eden. Everything living in perfect harmony." Their cam showed a small fluffy creature hopping through the underbrush. It could pass as a bunny, and that is indeed what Lass called it.
For all of twenty seconds before one of the luxurious plants sprang forward and snapped it up.
Then one of the trees reached down to caress the carnivorous plant by its now-engorged bulb. The tree appeared to notice Lass' presence.
This tree also scanned as edible... but registered as cogniscent life. There was only one thing to do. Welcome them as a friend and begin spreading the good word. Surely plants would be more than grateful for the good news.
"Friendly greetings," Lass called, sticking to GalSimple. "Self being name Lass. Being from Vigann. Self coming and be saying good news! No more needing animal for living. Self be sharing how. No costing."
The tree reached for some tech underneath the web of moss and lichen that had to be their clothes. It was a translator unit. "You being of horrible baby eaters, yes?" They shielded the smaller plant with their body. "You no eating [PET]."
The situation could only have devolved from there.
[1] SDU - Standard Distance Unit, roughly equal to a meter. Often pronounced "sid-oo"
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / adrenalina]
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