Today we viewed the holos of the new
people. If they are people. Their bodies
are vertically elongated. They move
on two appendages. This is the only
thing about them we can admire, such
amazing balance.
They are otherwise awkward, ugly.
They have no fur, except a bit
at the top of their bodies. Their skin
is dull, with some tonal variety, but all
sand, dust, soil. They wrap up
in artificial color.
They do not speak. They communicate
with sound waves produced by their
bodies. The exo-linguists insist this
is language. Though the upper limbs
have moveable appendages,
apparently they cannot dance.
They have no claws. Their teeth
are blunt and dull. Their skin has no
protection, no fur, no scales, no
thick beautiful hide. They cannot
run, but only stumble quickly. Despite,
or perhaps because of this,
they are immensely violent. We have
duels, yes; and doubles. But these
others engage in crowds. Dozens,
even hundreds at a time; and these
contests are unregulated and are not
evenly matched.
They kill each other from a distance,
from safely high above the field,
one can – and does – kill many.
Even from across the planet, one
will kill thousands with no risk to itself.
All this without cause or benefit
that we can discern. They require
two individuals with differently made
bodies to reproduce. Such mating need
not be mutually accepted. Even this,
with them, is often violent, involving
weaponry and wounding.
They live on a full and abundant
planet. But they live as if in poverty.
They strip the life from the skin
of their world. They strip the life
from each other. I call on you,
all my kin, to reject this contact.
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