Ktktktkt had never been in such a big town before.Since his homeworld had joined the Galactic Federation, no Nnnnnnnl tourist had visited T-T-d.

The individual from his own species ( an average height of 4 feet, six arms, four legs, their skin protected by an adaptable soft sea shell) were accepted into the federation cause of their capability of building vessels travelling to the stars via hyperspace. Well, they had just made some tries so far but the aliens encountered within the planetary belt nearby -the Huuuu- showed themseves eager to explain all about their Galactic Federation, whose wide boundaties were just next to their little world.

After formal relationships were enstablished, Ktktktkt purchased a ticket for one of the Huuuu passenger starships - whose vessels linked all the main space routes- just to visit T-T-d, the capital of the closest alien world.

Several different species lived here, it looked like a never ending city full of buildings as tall as mountains, covered with several full color holoadvertisements. His hotel accomodation was endowed with equipments not yet invented from any Nnnnnnnl, whose functions Ktktktkt hardly understood. Of course, he enjoyed the guided city sightseeing tour and the attractions, but he desired to walk the main streets by himself!

So one morning he took his napsak, went past downtown by walking then reached the suburbs of T-T-d. Ktktktkt knew he could have seen strange things around ( his travel holobooklet – whose translation from Huuuu into Nnnnnnnls’ language was inaccurate…– warned him about misunderstandings when dealing with alien civilizations…), but he was sure he could have made it!

Two hours after, he got to a satellite town whose houses looked not so colourful as the ones in downtown.Undoubtedly, someone would have even considered that poor zone definitely part of another planet…While strolling along, the Nnnnnnnl kept watching the many shop windows sideways and his nose was overrun with offensive smells coming from some foodstores selling local meat.

He was curious, indeed, but not so eager to enter one of those restaurants…Unexpectedly, after a while, he came upon something that simply horrified him: in a shop window a Nnnnnnnl had been left dangling from a metallic rope!The body was much slender than Ktktktkt, his skin exposed( no outer layer left on him!), but there was no mistake, he was a Nnnnnnnl as he hilmself was!

Ktktktkt knews that some research centres put on show mortal remains from alien species, it was common (also in T-T-d, as explained in his booklet…) and that was not to be taken as an offence: such bodies were used for the purpose of study.But that was not the case, what science matter could be involved in keeping a corpse inside a food shop…?

Upset for such barbarity, Ktktktkt got fiercely to the counter: as the shopkeeper ( male or female?) noticed him, immediately lowered all four translucent eyes.

Ktktktkt introduced himself, then asked questions pointing to the corpse.At first the the shop-keeper spoke in an unintelligible slang but soon kept silence, getting to the back room, and disappeared.

The Nnnnnnnl stayed for a while, uncertain about what to do, then protested and went out in anger.
But, when outside, he saw a bulky T-T-d alien looking at him from the other side of the alley.The guy didn’t move: that sight made Ktktktkt feel awkward…He started walking the opposite direction but, turning his head backwards, discovered the same figure was just heeling him! He reached the next corner, but stumbled on two other aliens similar to the pursuer. What came next was not clear to him, but in the end Ktktktkt, stunned, fell unconscious to the ground.



Ktktktkt woke up, saw himself dangling from a metallic rope in a room full of giblets everywhere and realized he was tied, unable to move!

The bulky alien appeared before him accompanied by another guy-Have a look at what we have got here!- his voice was not reassuring at all.

A Nnnnnnnl still intact!We can sell him here around but cautiously, their homeworld is part of the federation now his fellow added.

-Sure!Let’s have it skinned and ready to be poached at once…go get your tools, we have a job to do…-
As the guy went out, the bulky figure approached him- My tasty Nnnnnnnl…if only you imagined how appreciated your meat is at dinner from some rich picky foodies here. Long ago they paid many pirate starships to enter your space unseen and seize some of the primitive probes coming from your planet just for the tasty bodies inside. So now you know where such lost spacecrafts of yours had gone - Ktktktkt winced, terrified. There was no escape.

Then, something unexpected happened: the second alien returned to the room walking backwards.Two other guys- wearing city policemen’s insigna- with guns at hand were aiming at him…
-You’re both out of businness…- the taller cop said.

Ktktktkt was soon freed (he had been saved only because one inspector had noticed his presence in the suburbs and called the policemen…) and, after many official excuses, he was taken back to his hotel.

When alone, Ktktktkt opened a box of plntsts and ate them avidly.Plntsts were very tasty and his own species liked them so much!

Actually, many Nnnnnnnls thought that - probably- if their scientists had not modified the genes of such creatures to make them more appreciable as appetizers- his species was so picky and sophisticated when dealing with food…- turning their minds into smaller and smaller sizes generation after generation, who knows, maybe plntsts could have become the second intelligent species on his homeworld, but it never happened…anyway primitive plntsts were supposed to be capable of building houses, even a society centuries ago.

But the recent turmoil had whetted Ktktktkt’s appetite…He couldn’t wait to go back home and have really a big feed on those creatures alive.