Arlow Tsai is a great guy (really). Around the time space aliens became known to the human race, Arlow was informed about something strange. Copies of him were appearing around the multiverse. When he found out that he was in line for huge inherit...
The stress levels Arl was feeling were discernible on the displays along the sidewall. Arl had not worked out the pattern, but it seemed to track moods (not just heart rate and other basics).
He awoke stressed over the situation of food, but not eating would only go so far. He explained to the elLans and Wroug woman why ethanol was worrying for Arl. They had brought ethanol in a sealed jar. Arl took a sniff and realized that this would have to be watered down.
After two hours of sips from the watered down ethanol, Arl was describing many human hand gestures. The wave, the finger flapping wave, the 'come here' cycling virtual pull with the palm gesture. How did it come up? Arl was using those gestures in a pronounced manner (pronounced compared Arl's earlier interactions).
Everyone seems to enjoy this light social discussion.
When Arl took another sip, he discovered that he had taken pure ethanol. That swallow burned, made his eyes water, and pretty quickly Arl was seriously withdrawn. The display was catching all the emotion nuances. "1" had been talking to the Wroug woman (pointing at screen data) and continued to do so for a minute or two.
"1" came over to Arl and apologized. She had switched the drinks. Arl had been previously insistent that watching for signs of diminished capacity for going to be important. So, "1" had performed the swap as baseline data point. With hugs to improve the mood, Arl was so relieved. elLan "1" promised not run awareness tests without a warning (in the future).
Arl knew how quickly a "liquid diet" could dissolve hopes and dreams. Even with sugars and juices in earth alcohol drinks, it does not take long to show obvious physical breakdown of the body. It was quite daunting to think ethanol would be Arl's only food choice.
The day proceeded pleasantly for a while, then "3" showed up with a white liquid. "You should try consuming this".
Arl tried it, and became sure it was food.
Fatty, but with a complex taste that lingered. When mixed with a little ethanol, it might pass as a failed experiment to make spiked eggnog. "3" showed that it was an independently created molecule that they had recently discovered in Arl's system. A thing created by humans that is often just reabsorbed. It was a [bump over] nutritional [bump over] liquid that humans would very likely be able to consume.
Since Arl had not had food for a while, it felt like a splendid time for a nap. The drink sat very well.
Arl had a dream. It was abstract and hazy. Women, one crying tears that flowed down shadow of the woman, Arl was a baby being breastfeed for a while. Gentle words, telling Arl to make room in his heart; and to sometimes let the woman cry and even sometimes cry with her in sympathy.
Arl comes out of the dream trying to draw the palms towards the heart (trying to find the chest bones where the heart is). There was something that prevented that action, something that was blocking Arl from touching the rib bones at the front of the chest.
When Arl realized what is was; the medical displays caught a significant shift in Arl's mood (when Arl started silently laughing).
"It was mother's milk. They had synthesized manufactured human milk, and I was mixing it with titration grade ethanol (stronger than moonshine).
'Arl', where have you been? Oh, something dropped me seven feet onto an alien planet. I am being cared for in a torture dungeon /medical center by beautiful women. I have not had food in days. If I live, I will really have a story to tell!"
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