Kim Fritts: Moks

There is a planet in the Tau Ceti star system where a race of small people called Moks live. Their planet has a dense atmosphere and high gravity that requires a far different physiology than our own. Moks are small, 3-4" tall, and have hard, dense bodies composed mostly of crystalline silica.They may even be mistaken as figurines to the casual observer because their extremely slow metabolisms cause them to appear motionless.

Most of their race is very stolid and puritanical. They are conservative in their movements, often standing immobile for hundreds of years, photosynthesizing sunlight. A small segment of their population, though, loves to dance. This minority is persecuted for wasting precious solar energies, even though their movement does not deprive sunlight from others.

Dancing is an integral part of their lives, so they developed space ships to escape the oppresive politics of their home. Some of these minority Moks have landed on Earth, and they wish to be taken into homes for our mutual enjoyment. Most Moks appreciate a companion or two, but some do well alone.

Normal room light is more than sufficient sustenance because the thick atmosphere of their planet filters sunlight to about the same level. It would be nice, however to dust them occasionally so that their dancing can be more energetic.

Each mok comes with a small adoption paper that includes their story. The current fashion among immigrant moks is a shiny, multihued body adornment. The choice of base colors beneath the speckles is: white, green, aqua, dark blue, yellow, or black. The Mok adoption fee is $15.