Qualified for Research (?)

“I come bearing gifts!” Monala, a short Ilur, sang as she entered the small study room, amused at her three classmates buried in various papers and tablets.

“Coffee?” one asked, tired eyes latching onto the steaming cups in her hands. “Coffee where?” a second head came up, this young man looking a little more aware. “Oh my gods Mon you brought coffee,” the third member of the small group scrambled up from her seat and stumbled to the Ilur, ”oh that smells good!” She grabbed a cup, inhaling deeply. Monala laughed and moved past her, “And food too,” she placed the other cups on the table, which were snatched up immediately as she set down a bag of pastries as well. “Did you charge up too?” the one who had first spoken, a young Mercnar named Tamok, asked her. Monala grinned at them and sat down, “Yeah, drained half the electricity at the station, but I’m charged!”

“Stupid presentation,” the woman from before, Cyare, groaned, dropping back into her chair. “Yes!” The final student in the room, Finley, had already gone back to studying the hologram in front of him, sipping his cup slowly. “At least the Berlea are interesting!” Monala said, pulling up her notes, “and we’re already done with the research on their home planet Berleandris.”

“Big green ball. Twice the size of Earth, three suns, over 500,000 different plants and animals. Night only lasts two hours, it rains many times a day, the season can be determined by how hot it is and they have no oceans, only a lot of lakes and rivers!” Cyare heaved a deep breath once she was done. “Well that was a short summary of our last five hours,” Tamok deadpanned, throwing their empty cup into a nearly full trash can. Cyare shrugged and fished a pastry out of the bag.

“The Berlea are the only species on the planet capable of verbal communication,” Finley piped up, “they are humanoid, taller than the average human.…” He was interrupted by Tamok, “Why is it humanoid anyways? Like why are you guys the norm?”

“Ask the old guys who started this!” Cyare said between bites. Tamok opened their mouth but, Monala poked them before they could say anything. “No off-topic debates, we’re busy!” Tamok pouted but returned to their materials.

“As I was saying; they usually have leaves or something for hair, sometimes those leaves cover other body parts. There does not seem to be a limitation to the colouring they can have.” Monala picked up from Finley, “Their eyes, however are either a shade of brown or grey. They do photosynthesis.…”

“They reproduce asexually. If they want a child, they usually take parts of themselves and weave them together with or without a partner, then some super secret ritual happens!” Cyare threw in. “Now that part I like,” Tamok smirked, rotating the hologram of a Berlea in front of them.

“Guys, can we please focus?” Monala pleaded. “Nope,” Cyare grinned, ”this is funnier!” Monala groaned, and Finley patted her shoulder, sporting a small smile as Cyare and Tamok started bickering about the secret ritual.