WEP Aug 2023 – Chocolat

In my take on the WEP Aug 2023 challenge, the movie Chocolat, the members of my fictional Martian anivid and dessert club not only watch the animated version of the film, created specifically for the Martian audience, but also devise a solution to a problem one of their members faces. Of course, the problem is related to chocolate. On Mars. This is science fiction after all.

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Nima was the last one to arrive for the club meeting. “Sorry I’m late. But I have an excuse.” She lifted a box with her café’s colorful logo. “Yrvina told me what we would be watching tonight, and I brought the dessert to match.” She paused for effect before continuing. “A chocolate torte.”

“I tried it once.” Verise had a faraway look in her eyes. “It’s your most expensive dessert. The best in the dome.”

“Of course, it’s expensive.” Nima huffed. “I import chocolate from Earth. But it might change. Maybe soon. We’re working on it.”

“Do tell,” Yrvina urged her.

“After the vid,” Nima said firmly.    

“I never tried chocolate,” Kaley said. “Only read about it.”

Everyone turned to stare at the blue woman clone, a recent refugee from the destroyed planet Tarius Destra.

“You’re in for a treat, Kaley,” Yrvina said. “Chocolate is …” She sighed. “Delicious.”

“Yummy,” Serena echoed.

“Sophisticated,” Nima said with the superior air of a connoisseur.

“Let’s watch the vid.” Yrvina pointed her projector at the enclosed holo screen opposite the sofas. “This anivid is called Chocolat. She pushed the button and settled back to enjoy the show. This was one of her favorite vids of all she had worked on as an animator. Probably the best of all that bunch of old Earth films, she thought smugly.    

“I love that vid,” Serena said as soon as the holo screen turned off. “A wonderful story. And the costumes … Yrvina, you outdid yourself with those costumes.”

“I like it too.” Yrvina couldn’t keep a happy grin off her face. “Of course, I wasn’t the only animator working on this show. There were four of us. But the costumes were mostly mine, that’s true.”

“It’s a love story,” Verise said. “Love against the odds.” She sounded wistful.

“You’re a romantic,” Serena said.   

Kaley was shaking her head. “I like the story too, and the heroine, Vianne. But what I don’t understand is these people’s attitude towards her and those others. It is the same as in another vid we saw recently.” She glanced at Yrvina for confirmation. “Life is Beautiful, right? People there also disliked another group of people, for no reason I could see, just like in this vid. They all look the same, speak the same tongue, live in the same place. Why would the villagers ostracize Vianne? She didn’t do or say anything to deserve it.”

“Humans on Earth tended to do that,” Yrvina said. “It’s a shameful aspect of human history. I think life was hard in those days, and many didn’t have enough to be content with their lives. Not enough food, no access to good medicine, not many educational opportunities. The professional choices were limited, and so were the housing choices. All those lacks made people … morose, I suppose, and mistrustful of outsiders.”

“Envy,” Serena said. “They envied anyone who was different. They thought different people might threaten their way of life.”

“But if the villagers didn’t have enough, they should’ve welcomed the difference, not repulsed it,” Kaley argued. “Maybe different would be better for them. Maybe their lot would improve with the new ideas and people. Certainly, an infusion of the new genetic material would boost the health of the village population in future generations.”

“Humans are often afraid of innovations,” Nima said. “They don’t know what it would bring. They are often stuck in the familiar ruts and loathe change.”

“I like trying new things,” Kaley said.

Nima smiled faintly. “Every time I try a new recipe in my menu, my customers are reluctant to buy it. They always want their favorite muffins or waffles. Something they had ordered every day until now. They know what they enjoy, and they are suspicious of anything new: what if they dislike the new dish? Only a few adventurous souls are brave enough, at least at first, to try the new.”

“Inertia is one of the strongest forces in humans,” Serena expounded.

“Bureaucracy too.” Nima winced.

“What has bureaucracy done to you this time?” Yrvina asked. She served the torte slices to everyone and surreptitiously watched Kaley’s first cautious taste of the chocolate treat.

“Oh,” Kaley said, eyeing the brown pile on her plate. Her violet eyes sparkled, and her blue cheeks flashed darker indigo. “Oh, this is so good! I thought it didn’t look very appetizing, but …” She took another bite, chewed thoughtfully, and only then noticed everyone watching her.

“The best show on Mars,” Serena said with a grin.

“Cho-o-ocolate,” Kaley sang. “How come I never tried it before? It was never imported to Tarius Destra. Why not?”

Nima grinned too. “I’m glad you like it. My boyfriend is trying to start a plantation of cocoa trees, so Mars would have its own coco beans instead of importing them at exorbitant prices from Earth. But the local bureaucracy is unbelievable. You know that new dome they just opened exclusively for food production. He had bid on a section of it to grow cocoa trees. But he can’t get the permit. Essentials – those are easy. Farmers who grow potatoes or apples get the permits with no problems. But cocoa? He is jumping through hoops, and still, no permit. I thought I would consult you, girls, see if anyone has an idea.”

“I do,” Kaley said. She licked a dollop of the dark-brown cream off her lips. “If I join your boyfriend as a co-owner of that plantation, we will get the permit. I can be a minority shareholder, so he would make all the decisions.”

“That’s not certain,” Nima said.

“It is almost certain. We have a special dispensation – we, the former refugees from a destroyed planet. There is a recent law on Mars. If we want something to make us happier, the probability is high it would be granted. Because we have lost everything. I’ll have to do some research, talk to the other refugees, and they all should try chocolate, but I’m sure I could get such a proposal stick. If your boyfriend doesn’t mind taking a partner. Or a group of partners. He would still hold the majority stock.”

Nima’s eyes shone with admiration. “You’re a sly blue creature, Kaley. Let me kiss you. I’m sure my boyfriend wouldn’t mind.” She jumped up to throw her arms around the blue woman.

Kaley laughed. “Let’s set up a meeting with your boyfriend to talk specifics. I sure want more chocolate. Martian chocolate.”          

Tagline: How to grow cocoa trees on Mars.