Jatydid was just getting used to the idea of dying alone on their home planet. Languishing for weeks, conserving as much energy as possible. Their child had stolen a ship and took off, leaving a note behind about finding a new source of comparable food. It wasn't long after, when Leama realized their government was floundering, that they too took to the stars in search of Skylar and food.
Was being the last Qwortarian with access to all the greenhouses a great excuse for being left behind? Better than some Jatydid supposed, but it was lonely.
Just them and their last emergency food ration, golden container more of an orange with oxidation now. With nothing left to do but-
"Incoming transmission." Jatydid's mind had them flying from the couch and turning on the monitor with gusto and excitement; however, their body took two heaves to get out of the sunken couch, a few seconds to gather themselves after the splat to the floor, and then inching themselves and one tentacle to stretch out for the button. It was more difficult to push than they remembered, and there was very little outward fanfare when it finally clicked and the monitor lit up. Inside though, Jatydid was brimming with elation to see their spouse and child on the screen, behind them a wall of green sprouts and boxes.
"Prepare the greenhouses!" The unison of clicks roused Jatydid further and they saluted.
"Aye General!" It was rare for Jatydid to address them as such, but it felt right to honor the heroes bringing sustenance with the proper title.
Knowing what work cleaning up was going to be, Jatydid scooped up half the ration, consuming it without tasting the dried out morsels. His body responded quickly, a surplus of energy fueling him enough for their body speed to match that of their mind and off they went to the greenhouses.
The decay was everywhere. Jatydid's stomach twisted and sank as they looked upon the state of their greenhouses.
Rotting everything. The brown and black inedible sludge filling every pot and grow bed. Spilling over the edges in some, collecting on the floor and tables.
Jatydid rolled a few empty barrels into their largest greenhouse. Choosing a bipedal form, with four muscular arms allowed them to use two shovels to dig out their grow beds, sludge and all. Each shovel full was heavy and saturated with water.
The plops of the contaminated mess into the barrels was steady, not unlike the marches being held in the main square, calling for relief. The Qwotorians were begging at the very least, and if rumors were true then some were doing even worse than that.
But with Skylar and Leama on the way, all of that would be over with and everything was going to be all right.
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