Not all havenworlds are harmless. Some, for the natives, it's paradise. But for those not native to it? A deathtrap. -- Anon Guest
The mistake everyone makes is believing that Havenworlders are weak because they were basically coddled for their entire evolution. What they miss is that the Havenworlder-Deathworlder scales are calibrated according to how much or how little the planetary system is amenable to the lives of its natives.
Flora, fauna, mycotta, weather, geology, microbiota, and other orbiting bodies within the stellar system. These either have it 'for' the life on the inhabited planet, or 'against' it. Coddling, in the case of Havenworlders, or challenging the Deathworlders. As a result, Deathworlders are tougher and more adaptable to unexpected than most, and Havenworlders are more likely to fit very well into their home environment and very little else.
In this case, this particular Havenworld is largely based on mycotta. Fungi are the dominant form of technically-vegetation and the atmosphere is periodically spore soup.
The Havenworlders who live there are honestly shocked that most of the Alliance is allergic to their air. If they're not outright poisoned by it. They're filter feeders and therefore must have the spores to gain sustenance. In order to be a part of the Alliance's society, they must move through it in livesuits of their own. To do otherwise would be to starve themselves or poison others. It's just common sense.
Alas, there's many people who do not agree with common sense.
"Why is this zone forbidden? I'm a Deathworlder, I can go anywhere!"
Security Officer Dez sighed out the routine, "This area is restricted to cogniscents who can easily breathe the toxins within its atmosphere."
"I saw you let a Havenworlder in! Those so-called toxins can't be that bad! What's the real reason you won't let me pass?"
Dez recited, "This atmosphere contains an intense concentration of mycological gametophytes that many cogniscents find toxic and therefore the entire habitat is restricted to cogniscents who can easily breathe them."
"[BOVINE EXCREMENT]! I saw you let a Havenworlder in! It can't be that toxic! You're trying to keep something from me! I demand you let me in or I am reporting you to your superior."
"Certainly. One moment." Dez tapped a few commands into hir comms, to alert the Medik teams on the other side and send the securicam footage to the big office. Once all was arranged, ze unlocked the airlock and recited, "By stepping through you accept full responsibility to everything that happens to you after entering the alternate atmosphere."
"As if anything Havenworlder safe could be a danger to a Human like me." He held his head high as he strode into the airlock, and haughtily signalled for Dez to cycle the entire system.
People always forgot the "in matters of taste" part of the saying, The customer is always right.
Reports at the end of the day said that Tourist Ryth was lucky that Mediks were standing by on the other side. Ready with an emergency habitat stretcher, adrenaline, and the most powerful antihistamines science could concoct. The combination of medical intervention and a clean atmosphere saved his life.
And since he accepted full responsibility, he would have to pay the Time for his medical intervention.
Sic semper arrogance.
[Photo by Mathew Schwartz on Unsplash]
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