Black and White

Life on a New Planet

All the comforts of home are more than man made material. Government space programs never got off the ground. With tickets to the launch with only each other to take on board they were told life elsewhere was much better, they wouldn't want to come back and nobody would allow it anyway. Television was available during the journey of what Earth would look like later on. Those who were thought to still yet be alive really had to want it. All the wood piles and oil wells were useless to the aliens who could harness an inexhaustible supply of energy from a single atom. Wildlife took over, able to thrive without the competition of a dominant species. All of the population is put in one place the results are disastrous, inbred, boredom, degradation. It was revenge for Maurice, one soul for many, next time they would think twice. Ellenore views without sympathy lost touch with the part of her that cares.

It doesn't take long to travel at the speed of light. There's running water thanks to a scarcity that puts things in perspective well enough to advocate change. All life was given due consideration, nothing is biased. Maurice kept by their side until they could be left alone. Food is available although there is no meat. It remains a mystery why Maurice came to Earth. After multiple autopsies his thinking isn't so good. Prisoners were too much work to rehabilitate. Ellenore felt sorry through her window as a giant snake scarfs down the distant home world, doesn't care because it tastes good, will see later if it causes digestion problems. With the ability to shapeshift Robert could get a girlfriend while never changing who he was. Telepathy is the most effective form of communication, conversations around the area of interest get filters, she feels small in space and she grows up a lot in that moment. Familiarity breeds comfort and goes to her happy place to ease anxiety that nothing can be done about.

She had made the right decision, a betrayer to her species, someone must go on, who else but her. At the touchdown site Ellenore understood why they should take their lives underground. Everything was dangerous, a diet consists mostly of bugs, a pool of quicksand brings them down to a cavern with tunnels. A swarm of creatures greet them, eager to see what Maurices rescue mission turns up. She is an alien now and has to redeem a negative reputation. Many eyes train her direction, the culture shock may be a lethal voltage, in the dining hall creepy crawlies leak out of the walls onto dinner plates. A coliseum has stands and a special section for the ring leader who puts down a thumb in disappointment of performance. If humans were to compete they would need a weapon of some sort. Cages open up in the pit inside are freaks tied to a horse from a disassembled chariot. There's a lot of dust from all the dirt. Contestants work until they die or are free.

Roots dangle from the ceiling with tiny bulbs of light at the end, moss grows like grass, roots shrink when drawn near. There is no such thing as reflections being done in meditation. Her bed might as well be a coffin that she raises on her ankles upon restoration, awakened from an ancient slumber. Rain came from the drip of stalactites. Vance upon request was given a pet, the preparations were made with food dishes as big as he was. He had been a very good boy and Maurice thought he could handle the responsibility. There were collars that could make it talk but those were susceptible to hackers. Girls go to the bathroom together to talk about the guy they were just with. Spirit was given to the dying man, to cleanse his wounds, dry as a powder horn. A strain known as alien kush is grown on a space station neglecting to say anything more other than the dominant effects.

A professional gladiator later in life, the closest thing to a monster the aliens could get he fights wild animals that nobody can break in order to domesticate. Gentle until made jest at it didn't find anything funny. Vance hurls his pitch fork or trident, wishing he had another, hits the neck and pushes deeper when it runs the wall even though the arena is too small to reach top speed. A seismic stomps to show the ground is his. It understands aggression better than anything, Vance wonders if once its jaw heals the English won't be broken. Vance slaps the ground and screams in mimicry. He climbs on top of its back without stirrups, it looks around crazily trying to find him, gripping with the side of his legs grabs the three point spear, next time would not so rashly throw it away like a baby with its bathwater. Flowers will be thrown into the arena if Vance can tame the wildebeest. "I pay your rent!" Is his battle cry.

Nobody would argue this wasn't a violation of animal rights, the feral beast advocates were even worse to deal with. Vance sees a soft spot under the shoulder and below the neck. He sticks it in and holds on to avoid whiplash. If looks could kill it would be these then life slowly leaves. A roaring approval rose from the crowd, a standing ovation from all the rows. Vance was one match closer to being free but why would he want that?

Sam was needed in the fields, he still talks about his coworkers but nobody gets fired, only shot on site. Constant tending ensures a high crop yield. So much for a college education. There are three cell blocks where life occurs to mimic the atomic structure the identifying markers are the letters DNA not many people knew what that stood for unaware of the significance. Wearing a helmet at a spin class, there was no limit to uses for data, the model of a human system is quite good.

Ellenore knew from being in jail a door that is shut opens up the mind. Bad things happen, it's a part of life that's hard to deal with, she was lucky to have made it this far, being born was already a given or at least someone like her. Slightly out of place in a new home she would have to become well adjusted to the concept of being a mole. Maurice would still talk to her, the rock he didn't want back, it had been a part of a meteor as a reminder that a shooting star burns out in the blink of an eye.