io9 is proud to present fiction from Lightspeed Magazine . Once a month, we feature a story from Lightspeed’s current issue. This month’s selection is “Last Meal Aboard the Awassa” by Kel Coleman. Enjoy!

Last Meal Aboard the Awassa

by Kel Coleman

Gardener ladled dark-purple porridge into her primary digestion sac, staring absently out the viewport at black space and the distant smudge of the planet they had come to study. The simple meal and the gesture it represented soothed her after a long, thorny morning in a section of the growth bay that was in full flower and had needed hand pollinating. Though the other crew members around the mess made do with the usual break time assortment, Cook had steamed and spiced osard grains just for her before going off shift to nap in their room

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