Free Write 2/6/15

Orange peels are hardly a delicacy befitting of Venusians.

Nonetheless, it was all we had. During our voyage to Venus the ship greenhouse was taken hostage by the Floridian members of the crew and it quickly became an orange crop monoculture.

“Vitamin C for all!” They chanted in unison. The spacetravel had gotten to them.

Unsurprisingly, humans don’t live well on oranges alone. But we peeled, we chopped, we squeezed, we zested, we glazed, and when we arrived peels were all that was left.

The Venusians welcomed us with a glorious Parade of the Cosmos. We wept upon the sight of braised Martian lamb and blanched Europan sea beads.

But when it came time for us to pay our respects to the kind Venusians we looked to one another sheepishly— Would we? Could we? Should we?

Out of the back pocket of Second Officer Percy Peppercorn he brought forth but a handful of orange peels.

“He-he-he-here you go.” He studdard.

Turns out they were delighted with the Florida delicacy.