Complications of eating alien food
Even though the lifeforms of Chaac c {planet} might look similar to Earth species, they are constructed differently on the molecular level, and thus the lifeforms of the two worlds are inedible to each other.
Because the Settlers are aware of the problem, any symptoms caused to them are rare. However, the local animals are at a risk of digesting the life forms brought on the planet by the Settlers. The Earth life forms are also a biohazard, because they could compete with the indigenous life forms.
Symptoms
Because the digestive system is incapable of breaking the alien organic compounds, eating any alien life forms causes similar symptoms to eating inorganic compounds such as plastic or stones. The foreign material can clog or scatch the digestive system, or sometimes even be toxic.
Treatment
Because the Settlers are aware of the problem, any symptoms caused to them are rare, and no treatment is usually necessary.
There are also digestive enzymes available, that help to break up the alien matter into usable compounds. However, because the process is very complicated, the enzymes are very expensive, and only available to the richest Settlers. They can also only be used for a limited number of alien species, that were considered the best indigenous sources of nutrition.
Prevention
A variety of safety measures are on place to protect the indigenous lifeforms. The Settlers are only allowed to cultivate naturally infertile species that can't escape to the nature. The species must also be monitored, to prevent indigenous life forms from eating them.
Edible indigenous species are often cultivated near the Settler gardens to attract the animals to a better food source.
History
At first the Settlers cultivated food safely indoors, but later this became impossible since the green houses were too expensive and small to feed the whole population. The outside farms were required to have sturdy fences, and large animals were also driven out manually. However, small flying herbivores turned out to be a huge problem. Swarms or them visited the farms, and ended up dying painfully because no effective treatment could be given.
The ALBA (Alien Life and Biohazards Agency) issued warnings to the planet for breaking the safety guidelines. The leadership was at first managing the problem by punishing the farmers, but this caused large scale civil unrest. Finally they had to tell ALBA that there was really nothing they could do about it. This conflict was one of the reasons for the deterioration of the diplomatic relationships between Chaac c {planet} and the Earth.
Origin
Alien
Cycle
Short-term
Rarity
Common
A blue dragonglider, one of the herbivores badly affected by the condition. They travel huge distances by gliding in the wind. Huge flocks of them can stop to feed on a farm, and drop dead, endangering the survival of the whole species.
Comments