The short story When I was Miss Dow presents a possible account of a love affair between a human and specie from another planet, which is, according to her own description, is transparent, beautiful and immortal. They are beings that do not have a specific race or sex. They also can take on different shapes to appear what they need to be to communicate and work successfully with humans. These beings are very intellectual and find mathematics very enjoyable; however, they are similar to humans in other respects, such as eating, recreating, etc.
Stories About Love Affair Between a Human and Specie from Another Planet
Miss Dow received a specific task from her Warden and her Uncle. She was put into a gene pool and emerged as a female in her thirties. To make her feel even more human, she was given two slopes in brain, unlike other Proteans. Because of that she was able to feel human emotions, which are richer than emotions of aliens. She was able to enjoy sexual pleasures and to develop feelings of love for the Doctor, who she became an assistant to. The doctor had silver hair – he was old. He also “seem to be tired all the time”, but do not suffer pains, because he takes analgesics. The evening when Arnie suffers heart attack he comes with the news of the discovery that there are aliens among humans, which was a shocking news for him. When he was dying Miss Dow was aware of what was happening and was trying not even to breath not to disturb him. She is so sad that he died that he takes doctor’s body to the Warden and asks him to put him into genetic pool to bring him back to life again. Because she is transparent and was given her identity specifically to work with Arnie, she knows she will return to her previous form which will not have an identity or sex.
Miss Dow felt that she can only exist if Arnie sees her. She wants to remember the experience that is why she takes a wooden carving, which he made. When she reverts back to her alien form, she still remembers being Miss Dow and there is a hope that this experience will help an alien become a good Warden when the time will come.
Octavia Butler wrote an interesting and captivating story about alien and human co-existence on one nameless planet. Gan, the youngest son in the family of Terrans, or humans, is promised to a female Tlic – the species that are native to the planet. Tlics reproduce by implanting eggs into a living organism. Eggs develop into larva and poison the host body, eventually eating it, if they are not removed. To remove them, the host’s abdominal has to be cut open, which is life threatening.
From a very young age Gan knew he would be an egg-carrier for T’Gatoi. She was a government official in charge of the human dwelling place – Preserve. The day the implantation was going to happen he became a witness of another Terran cut open to save larva of another Tlic. Gan is horrified by the experience and by the story his brother told him. He used to believe that relationships are needed and they are good, but after witnessing the birth he also sees why it might be thought of as simple manipulation and a form of slavery. The realization was so grievous that Gan decided to kill himself; however, he talked with T’Gatoi about the issues of a free will choice and the nature of the relationship. Although he liked T’Gatoi, he did not want to carry her babies just because he had to. However, he voluntarily agreed to egg implantation, not wanting to risk his sister’s life in his stead. Also, he realized that, in fact, he loved T’Gatoi. He had to make a mature choice about his future, considering how his choices might affect his family. I consider that being greatest manifestation on love – being able to make tough choice in order to bring happiness to others.
A Slow life gives an account of Lizzie O’Brien, an astronaut to Titan who got caught up in an uprising current and, virtually, has to chance of surviving. However, while looking for traces of life on the planet, she unexpectedly finds those through the series of communications she is engaged in when dosing off. To accentuate how slow the life on Titan is the author often gives an account about density of atmosphere and an ocean. Telling how long it would take for a raindrop to form and to fall etc. The story is not action; however, it is far from being boring either. Although there are many chemical terms used, it does not make reading more difficult, and even helps relating to Lizzie, when she, trying to analyze the information from a fish robot, does it from the point of view of “little chemistry I know”. Beautiful accounts of the structures that are discovered under the sea level and “soft voice”, which engages her into conversations, girl’s keen mind – it all contributes to an enjoyable reading. There is suspense, however, it is built so slowly, just life the life on Titan itself, that it allows enjoying the reading.