Sebastian Smiley

[Smiley_]

Life with Malgeuth was not that difficult. Sebastian always assumed that nomads were heartless slugs bent on destruction. To find one that had, dare he say it, a sense of humor was unthinkable. What troubled him more was the idea of being ostracized by his fellow humans. Would he become an outcast, sent to live far from civilization like the cardmine addicts?

~What is Cardmnine?~

Oh, that stuff, thats what the outcasts are trying to peddle around the Sirius sector to get rich

~Why Outcasts?~

The cardmine from their planet changed them. They are seen as freaks that need the stuff. Without it they die. They peddle it around the Sirius sector, hoping others will be addicted.

~Like us?~

You could say that...Are you saying that you cant return to your nomad buddies?

~Yes. To the others, I have failed. I am dead to them now. Tell me more of this cardmine.~

It makes the host stronger and healthier for the most part. I am not an addict so I really wouldnt know

~This cardmine bond does not sound much different than our own.~

Say what?

~They need it to live, like we need each other to live~

Now hold on a second!

~this substance and these addicts, are they truly different than you or myself?~

Yeah, well I dont run around selling nomads hoping that others will be infected.

~Yes, but perhaps they are not all cardmine sellers. Perhaps they see themselves as abominations as well.~

Sebastian never thought about that. He had always been taught to hate cardmine lifeforms. He was told that they were soulless abominations striving for the corruption of humanity. Were they human? No, the cardmine destroyed any humanity left in them. Did it?

Thats it Malgeuth! No more philosophical questions until after lunch! I have enough to think about!

~Oh, about someone finding out?~

Yeah?

~Dont get caught.~