(Untitled)

[crabbycustomer]

The Alternia sweep ends with a twelve day holiday interstice; the last day, Twelfth Perigee's Eve, is their least terrible holiday, and marks the culmination of a three hundred hour celebration of the most repulsive and dangerously heart-warming sentiments

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[veryvorkosigan]

Cordelia looks at the sign with some interest, passing by.

"Hi there, Karkat."

[crabbycustomer]

"HEY," he says. "KANAYA THOUGHT SINCE IT WAS A HUMAN HOLIDAY PERIOD WE SHOULD GO AHEAD AND CELEBRATE OUR LEAST OFFENSIVE CELEBRATION AND SEE HOW IT WENT OVER."

[veryvorkosigan]

"What's the holiday about? -- Is it okay if I sit down?"

[crabbycustomer]

"YEAH, SURE." He makes a mildly inviting gesture. "IT IS NOT REALLY ABOUT ANYTHING, IT IS JUST AN EXTRA ELEVEN DAYS AT THE END OF THE CALENDAR LEADING UP TO THE FIRST NIGHT OF A NEW SWEEP. IT IS A CHANCE TO SIT BACK AND TAKE STOCK OF YOUR LIFE AND BE GLAD YOU AREN'T DEAD. TONIGHT IS THE FIRST NIGHT, SORT OF, AND IT IS TRADITIONAL TO SHARE A BIG MEAL WITH YOUR LUSUS BEFORE HE GOES OUT HUNTING A BEHEMOTH LEAVING."

[veryvorkosigan]

She settles into the seat, twitching her skirt out of the way first.

"Sounds analogous to some human holidays. Behemoth leaving?"

[crabbycustomer]

"YEAH, BEHEMOTHS ARE ENORMOUS TERRIFYING CREATURES THAT HIBERNATE DURING THE DIM SEASONS, SO THEY GO THROUGH A MOLT DURING THE HOLIDAY. THERE ARE ALWAYS LOTS OF BEZOARS, COPROLITHS, ANTLERS AND SHED SKINS AROUND TO GATHER, AND THEN THE LUSUS DRAGS IT HOME AND WE DECORATE IT TOGETHER."

[veryvorkosigan]

Cordelia smiles. "What do you use for decoration?"

[crabbycustomer]

"PAPERCHAINS, LIGHTS, TINSEL, STUFF LIKE THAT. IT IS A PRETTY GOOPY AND SENTIMENTAL GESTURE."

[veryvorkosigan]

(Best not to ask what Alternians make tinsel out of, perhaps.)

"Is it a winter holiday? Or ... I can't remember if I've asked you anything about seasons on your planet."

[crabbycustomer]

"THE WEATHER DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU LIVE ON THE PLANET, BUT THERE ARE NOT MANY PLACES IT GET VERY COLD. WE HAVE 12 DARK SEASONS AND 12 LIGHT SEASONS, WITH TWO DIM ONES COMING IN BETWEEN. THE DIM SEASONS ARE THE ONLY TIME WE HAVE DAY AND NIGHT LIKE HERE."

[veryvorkosigan]

"And the rest of the time you're either in constant sunlight or in none at all?"

She's trying to figure out the planetary orbit and the axial tilt in her head.

[crabbycustomer]

"NOT ALWAYS, BUT THE DAYS GET SHORTER AND SHORTER UNTIL YOU CAN GO THROUGH SEVERAL BILUNAR PERIGEES WITHOUT THE DUSK EVER REALLY ENDING, OR VICE VERSA."

[veryvorkosigan]

"I see." That ... no, a tidally locked planet would work differently. Maybe only the poles of their planet are habitable....

Eh, she'll work it out later with a console.

"So what goes into arachnid snaps?" Curiously, examining the plate.

[crabbycustomer]

"THEY ARE STUFFED SCORPION POISON GLANDS," he says. "THEY HAVE PASTRY IN THEM AND DIFFERENT STUFF. THE GREEN ONES HAVE ICING AND SWEET CREAM AND CHUNKS OF FRUIT, AND THE BLUE ONES HAVE SOUR CREAM AND CHUNKS OF SCORPION MEAT. THE RED ONES HAVE SOME VENOM IN THEM SO THEY AREN'T SAFE FOR HUMANS."

[veryvorkosigan]

She can't help it; her eyebrows go up.

"And the other ones have the venom taken out before they're stuffed?"

[crabbycustomer]

"YEAH," he says. "THEY JUST KIND OF CHEWY AND TANGY, ONCE YOU SCOOP OUT THE INSIDES. YOU HAVE TO WEAR GLOVES WHEN YOU DO IT, THOUGH."