Challenge #01792-D331: No Werewolves on the Moon
... here’s a question: If werewolves become... wolves... under the full moon, what would happen if you put one ON the moon? (Assuming compatible life support) -- TheDragonsFlame
Welcome to Tsiolkovski crater. No lycanthropes need apply. The second sentence had been added by a graffiti artist of no repute and was faded in the unrelenting sunlight. Lupe bunny-hopped past it on the way to the colony.
If this was what passed for jokes in this space-town...
She found the nearest airlock easily enough. Its signage was clear and maintained against the bleaching effect of raw sunlight. Air rushed in, but Lupe didn't take off her helmet until she got the green light and the interior door opened. Customs and Immigration on the moon was four times as paranoid as the TSA in its heyday.
Checking her suit for unwelcome microbes. Checking her gut bacteria. Checking her skin. Sure, it was invasive, but nobody gave her crap for being trans. A pair of hands and an intelligent mind was what they were looking for. And then came the questionnaire.
"Do you suffer from vertigo whilst looking at the Earth?"
"Do you have a problem with grit in your food?"
"Can you be relied upon to keep and maintain the health of a garden measuring fifteen feet square?"
And, "Do you, or anyone in your immediate family, have problems with dementia, lunacy, silly season, sensory issues including hallucinations, vampirism, or lycanthropy?"
"That's a joke, right?" said Lupe.
"No. It's an actual problem. Turns out lycanthropy is like SADS. In the wrong light levels, people transform and it gets... awkward..."
"Well. Um. How can you tell if you don't know?"
The clerk pressed a button. "We have to warm up the testing chamber. I warn you in advance, this is going to be painful and embarrassing. And yes, we do have facilities on hand for vampires and lycanthropes. We will support you and your condition."
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / 3quarks]
If you like my stories, please Check out my blog and Follow me.
Send me a prompt [12 remaining prompts!]