Saturday, April 07, 2007

Galactic Confection
The Devourer of Worlds - as big as a solar system - immediately became known. Earthly explantations, comprised under the study of "Physics" and "Astronomy" failed to detect nor explain the existence of the creature - if indeed Creature was the right word to utter. SETI failed miserably; proving itself within an instant as science's worst investment ever. There was no warning at all, no observation that something was coming. Just an immediate unfortunate instance in which in a blink of an eye an entire chunk of the northern hemisphere exploded from the application of immense apocalyptic force. Plumes of molten core burst forth from open seams in the planet's crust. Seismic tremors, off the scale, shook the planet, bringing end to civilizations.

If the creature experienced emotion (that is, in the way understood by humanity), it may reasonably be argued (using the Earthly system of rhetoric and conjecture) that the creature was pleased with the meal (we only guess that the devouring of the planet was intended as a meal - as a source of energy and nourishment). Compared to other fare, this one was less gaseous and indeed more substantial, even for its smaller size. The "spicyness" of the soft, oozing mantle core of the morsel was offset by a largely liquidy surface marked on one set of opposing sides with a markedly cool icy crust. With subsequent "bites" the creature experienced a changing palate of tastes and textures. Dense, jagged, crunchy sections interspersed with soft, spongy regions. The creature noticed that the softer regions also provided the most piquant flavors. Some particular portions contained foul micronodules that were off-putting. The creature thought to avoid the nodules, but since they were evenly distributed on the non-liquid surface (everywhere except for the two cool opposing surfaces) it carried on as before.