This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/hfy by /u/Telemachusfar on 2024-07-03 05:11:22+00:00.

Not much of a preamble here. Just a plug to my Ko-fi for those who are in a position to be generous and a thank you as always for everyone who reads. Hope yall enjoy.

“Plenty I believe. Pen prefers… Raicilla?”

The tall women looked to her counterpart and spoke.

“Heh, and you were worried you wouldn’t like her.”

‘Hey! I… expressed concern, nothing more. Alright?

“You thought to be concerned about Pen?”

“No one else really did but my Kaliya might be a bit untrusting…? Some would say.”

“I am not untrusting!?”

“And a bit grumpy too.”

“I am not grumpy!!”

“Past her bedtime…”

“You… I… you love doing this.” Kaliya huffed.

“I do.”

The tall woman simply beamed. If her face was a sunrise her partner’s was a storm, though she was clearly used to this brand of torment as there was a small smirk underlying the consternation.

“Well I am beat so I’m headed up… but not cause you said to.” Kaliya spoke as she poured herself a glass of her whiskey, “I’m assuming you’re going to…?” She pointed to Gareth.

“I was going to, yes, speak to our guest if they were fine with a bit of conversation?” The tall one looked down to him.

“He absolutely would be, of course.”

Kaliya started up the stairs but turned.

“You… you are why I…” She pointed at her glass.

“Mmmhmmm yes, I’m well aware.”

The two shared a momentary smile before Kaliya turned back and disappeared up the steps.

“Mave. I realize I never introduced myself. The grump is Kaliya” She held out a hand.

“Gareth, a pleasure. You said she was concerned about Pen, but I think those two might get along… what was the phrase… swimmingly?” He took her hand with one of his own and performed the customary greeting.

“I’m inclined to agree with you. Though from what I’ve heard from a few of your fellow crew Pen has made herself someone that everyone would want to be friends with. That is to say she performed a few downright heroic acts right out of the gate?”

“She certainly has yes.”

“Well, I hope you don’t mind but I do have a reason for speaking and if I’m up regardless and you’re here anyway I would be remiss if I didn’t make use of the opportunity.”

“Go on?”

“Well, I am a bit of a botanist, and I don’t often get the chance to talk firsthand with someone… more than someone in fact, so many people from so many different places. If you’re not planning on sleeping soon?”

“Well, there is your first little bit of knowledge. My people don’t sleep.”

“You’re people…”

“Weilans. We originate from a binary star system… though speaking of sleep, are you…?”

“Oh no, I suffer from insomnia. It’s a condition that makes it difficult to fall asleep so I’ll be up for some time.”

“Really? Interesting. Well, if were both awake then by all means, ask away.”

“My main interest is the plant life on your world.”

“We’ve spread far and wide by now but the native plant life on Weilia is quite different than those spiky trees outside. The leaves of the plants you have about town seem a bit closer to what I’d consider normal, if only in shape. Size and color is another matter. Even you would consider the leaves on the island trees large, like massive fuzzy blankets, and only a few leaves per tree.”

“Oh my. You speak as though all the trees are the same though. Is there not a lot of variety?”

“I suppose not? Weilia doesn’t have much landmass above water and there isn’t a lot of varying climate so I guess there might be less than what you’d consider normal. Underwater is a different matter though.”

“Hmm I wonder why they would evolve to be so large and with so few leaves.”

“Maybe the atmosphere and gravity? Certainly less dense and lighter than here. Actually kinda of amazing that you found a place so well suited for your plant life to take root. I’d love to see Weilan plant life without having to go home.”

“What do you mean? Your people have been traveling the stars far longer than us. Have you not made any other planets suitable for them?”

“You have?”

“Oh we bring our ecosystems with us everywhere. Most everywhere at least, if it has life of its own before we arrive then we… try… to preserve it but, for example, this place was a barren rock before colonization. The gravity was… workable and the distance to the sun was almost perfect as well as radiation levels but the atmosphere had to be fixed. It’s taken a couple hundred years to make what you see now and while it is earth-like it still takes some acclimatizing to.”

“That is… really quite impressive. So, there are many colonized planets with earth plant life?”

“If it’s remotely possible. We try. Flora, fauna, everything down to microbial life. Not that you could have any one without the others. The system falls apart without every little piece.”

“That must take a lot of work to keep everything in line.”

“It’s a titanic effort but ironically enough we do so little. Our part is mostly stewardship. The ecosystems themselves do the heavy lifting. My father and grandfather were both part of the group that started the terraforming process here. I followed in their footsteps which takes me all across the planet, but I always make time to come back and relax regularly. Especially for the festival.”

“I like that… it sounds lovely.”

“I consider myself quite lucky to live doing what I have a passion for doing.”

Gareth and Mave spent a while in back and forth conversation about a variety of topics, though Mave always steered the conversation back to alien plant life. Gareth did his best to answer and in any area he thought a more learned mind was needed he mentioned Ton’et. The two of them could probably talk till the heat death of the universe.

Eventually light started to filter in through the windows. Mave seemed a bit embarrassed to have lost track of time for so long.

“Oh boy, I’m going to get an earful.”

“How do you mean?”

“Well any time I stay up the whole night Kal-“

“Mavis Bernadette Graylock…” Kaliya thump, thump, thumped down the stairs.

“Ah sh-“

“I’m impressed. You seem to have finally learned how to make the bed. So perfectly that it’s almost like you never even got in bed to begin with… oh wait.”

“Yes, yes. No need for the theatrics.”

“Hmmm.”

“Don’t you ‘hmmm’ me.”

“Hmmmmmmmm,” Kalyia responded in an even more pointed tone but walked past them into the kitchen, “Breakfast?” She called back.

“How about some eggs and leeks? And some toast?”

“Alright.”

“And for the eggs sun-“

“Sunny side up yes I know.”

“Thank youuuuuu.” Mave answered with a trill.

Soon the house was filled with the smell of grilled leeks and coffee. Gareth noted the unique scents.

Gareth wasn’t the only one to notice the smell however as in a very short time the door to their guest room burst open and Penelope stumble out.

Everyone turned to look at her as she ambled into the kitchen. Her eyes squinted blearily and her hair, still short but certainly longer than it had ever been before, was an utter mess. A cow-lick had a coarse dirty blonde tuft sticking almost directly up. the rest came out at odd angles as well. She stood and rubbed the sleep from her eyes before speaking.

“Coffee?”

“Sure thing,” Kaliya said bemused at her state, “You sleep well? Looks like you did.”

“Better than I have in a while, that’s for sure. Mercifully.”

“Mave has trouble sleeping too. Here’s that coffee. Food’ll be up soon.”

She handed Pen a parchment white mug that was warm to the touch.

“Thank you.”

Pen took the cup and and moved into the den plopping down next to Gareth with enough force to actually send him up if not quite into the air.

“Woah, woah, careful please.”

“Oh, sorry there. Still waking up.”

“Then, please drink up. I don’t need you accidentally falling on top of me.”

“It would be a shame. Surviving all that just to get crushed to death on a couch.”

“Indeed.”

“Anyway, what is this festival I’ve been hearing about?”

“Oh yes of course! It’s an annual holiday of sorts. The town celebrates the food harvested at the peak of the season, community and nature. There is a big gathering at the center of town. People bring food but a few cooks among us have whole setups and cook right there. We eat, we sing, we dance, and we pass out and sleep in the next day.”

“Sounds like a proper party.”

“Plenty of good stuff, if you know what I mean” Kaliya said as she came around to them with small plates of grilled leeks and cooked eggs.

“If this is Anidaya… you guys might have some Raicilla around?”

“Ehhh none has come in recently but there are agave farms in the southern continent. They make the stuff. You could pop down before you head off planet?”

“Sure.”

Gareth was certain he noticed something in Pen’s face when she spoke. The way her eyes darted and she looked away. What was that?

“Anyway,” Pen moved on quickly, “I kinda want to take a look at the ship, check my stuff, so I’m gonna go find Deag or Ton’et and get them to show me the way.”

“I can come with if you want.” Gareth offered.

“No need. Stay here and enjoy yourself. I’m just making sure nothing got damaged.”

“Alright… maybe Mave here can show me around town.”

“OH! I have, have, have, to show you the bee hives!”

Pen chuckled but paused as she got up. She set her plate down and looked at Gareth.

“I’ll be back.”

“Gotcha.” He nodded.

Pen thanked their hosts, put her hair up with a hair-tie, and made her way outside. She found Deag and Ton’et sitting with a few other crew members. Ton’et was nigh overwhelmed with all the research possibilitie…

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