The Search For Food

We'd been in space for nearly seven moons. Even traveling at Uberwarp, it had taken us that long to reach the Ugaly solar system. The best bet for finding life suitable for consumption seemed to be the third planet from the star.1

“Do you think we'll find arinalenoids on this planet? Our food supply is nearly depleted,” stated Herzod. Herzod was a sukatruf and required the blood of arinales while I being a ovagorf ate their flesh. The supply of our livestock could have provided blood enough for Herzod indefinitely, but I had to slaughter them in order to eat their flesh.2

We were from the planet Zalion and the remaining arinales there would not last our population much longer. If sources of food were not found soon, there would be little choice but for the sukatrufs and ovagorfs to begin eating each other, whether by peaceful means or war. The population had exploded such that it left little alternative. Blood ovagorfs could donate, but healthy flesh must come from a sacrifice. This would upset the balance between the sukatrufs and ovagorfs. There had been many scout ships sent out. Ours was a success or fail mission. If we found no arinalenoids, we'd soon starve.3

“This planet seems to have life forms, there's a potential,” I said. I hoped that we'd find something suitable to eat.4

We set the ship on autopilot to orbit Ugaly 3. We were down to our last two arinales. If we found no food on this planet, we were doomed. We transported down to the city which had the most inhabitants. “Oh look, it's a werewolf,” said one of the inhabitants and laughed, pointing at me. We had our universal translators in our ears, which had the capacity to translate the language of any intelligent being. We understood immediately that the specimen, that appeared to be male, meant ovagorf. 5

“Yeah, the funny one next to him is probably a vampire,” said the one that seemed to be female. Although, many of the inhabitants stared or pointed, they did not seem to regard us as a threat. They appeared to carry no weapons, though we were armed with neural neutralizers that were set to kill, they made no signs of aggression. Best yet, they appeared to be arinalenoids, almost pure bred arinales. We'd have to run some tests, of course. There were hundreds of them walking down the stone paths. We assumed that they didn't have personal transporters being of lesser intelligence.6

Looking one of the young male's in the eyes, I said in our tongue, “Come with me.” Its face went slack and its eyes blank, it began following us. We chose also a young female. We stepped inside one of their structures and transported them up to our space vehicle. It had the capacity to hold a hundred live specimens. 7

The female specimen had red hair and green eyes. It looked tender and lean. However, before I dared partake, it had to be tested. We decided, naturally, to test their blood first. Just because they looked like Asinales, didn't mean we could dine on them. They might be toxic.8

Herzod commanded the male, “Get on the table.” It responded immediately. Herzod took a vial of its blood and began running tests. 9

As Herzod drew the blood, the creature asked, “What are you doing? What do you want? Are you a vampire?”10

Herzod didn't bother answering the inferior being.11

“I think they are ignoring us,” said the female.12

“Up on the table,” I told the female specimen. In the trance, she had to obey.13

Herzod came to the second examining table and took some of female's blood. I knew that Herzod was becoming as hungry as I, but the tests were a necessity. “Quala, I can't wait much longer.”14

Although the female creature was in a daze because of the trance, it asked, “Will it hurt?” as it saw me approach with a sharp flesh cutter. It laid limply on the table unable to resist as I exposed its leg and sliced off a small piece of flesh. 15

Of course it hurt some and tears began to run down its cheeks. The female specimen moaned quietly saying, “Please don't hurt me anymore.”16

It was pointless to explain to them what we were doing. They were potential food, nothing more. I analyzed the slice of fresh meat. The chemical components were almost identical to that of an asinale. I compared a piece of tissue from the male and the results were similar. “I think their meat is edible.”17

“Good,” said Herzod. “Their blood seems nontoxic.”18

“Well, as good as they look, the next step may prove fatal.”19

“Quala, which one should we start with?”20

“There wasn't much different in the chemical makeup of the two, do you have a preference?” I asked.21

“Let's start with the female Ugalian,” said Herzod. 22

I said to the male, “Follow me.”23

“What are you going to do now?” It asked.24

I led it to a stasis chamber that would keep it healthy and alive until needed.25

Herzod said, “Wish me well, my dear friend,” and drank the remaining blood from the vial he had taken from the female. “Tastes wonderful.”26

I watched him carefully, hoping that I could save him if its blood proved poisonous. After allowing enough time for a bad reaction to occur, I said, “How do you feel?”27

“I feel just great.”28

“Please don't hurt me,” the female Ugalian said again. “I'll do anything you want.”29

It was my turn to take the chance. I bit into the female's leg and tore a hunk of meat from it and began to chew. The creature was quite delicious. The Ugalian squealed as I bit into its leg. I savored the taste and then swallowed. 30

Herzod watched me in much the same manner as I had watched him. After a suitable amount of time had passed, I smiled. “No ill effects,” I told him quite happily. “It's a success!” We were so joyful we almost forgot just how famished we were.31

“There must be billions of these asinalenoids, Quala. Our world is saved.”32

“I'll report our findings,” I said excited. “You go ahead and finish with the Ugalian.” There was no need to keep it alive since I needed to eat more of it than it could survive. 33

“Oh God! My leg hurts!” cried the creature.34

Herzod bit into its throat and the young female specimen squealed again. It was a joy to hear that squeal again. Fresh food, it was almost beyond hope that we'd find a new source.35

I reported to the High Command that we'd found a bountiful supply of food in the Ugaly solar system on the third planet. They would immediately send freighters to carry mass quantities of the Ugalians to Zalion. With as many as there were on the planet, if they bred as quickly as asinales did, we might have a constant supply of food. It was a joyous time for us and for all of Zalion.36

I removed the garb of the female Ugalian and returned to eating its leg. I dared to feast myself. Soon its eyes lost the awareness of life. It was so good to allow myself to have a full belly.37

“Qayla, delectable, was it not?”38

“Yes, tender, juicy, lean, and fresh.”39

We remained in orbit. We had no trouble digesting the Ugalians. We continued to report to the High Command. The first wave of freighters arrived and they took back to Zalion half a million of the creatures. We filled our stasis chambers with fresh specimens and returned to Zalion.40

When we arrived at Zalion, we were greeted with pomp and ceremony. We were rewarded with honors for our service and success in finding such a promising food source. Our families shouted with joy when we arrived. The freighters traveled slower than our scout ship, so we gave the leftover fresh specimens to the High Command to devour. They were thrilled to have them. Days later the freighters began to land.41

Although it was possible that Ugaly 3 could provide enough fresh food for Zalion to continue indefinitely, we were sent out to find additional sources of blood and meat. It was speculated that there might be other planets that had asinalenoid life. This time, however; our mission didn't require that we risk our lives by pushing our food reserves to the end. We headed out in a different direction with great hopes for success. The sukatrufs and ovagorfs would be able to live peacefully on Zalion, perhaps, forever.42