Smith, Evelyn E. 1922-2000 creator Dillon, Diane 1933- Dillon, Leo 1933-2012 text utu 2010 monographic en 1 online resource : multiple file formats "Once a Greech" by Evelyn E. Smith is a science fiction novella written in the mid-20th century, which reflects the imaginative explorations typical of that era. The story revolves around the accidental discovery of intelligent life on the moon Flimbot, found amidst a routine interstellar exploration, leading to unexpected adventures and philosophical ponderings about life, identity, and connection across species. Captain Iversen and his crew aboard the spaceship "Herringbone" encounter Lieutenant Harkaway, who has ingrained himself amongst the Flimbotzik, a friendly extraterrestrial race. Harkaway’s enthusiasm for the Flimbotzik's gentleness and his belief in their cultural simplicity clash with Iversen’s skepticism. As interactions unfold, the crew learns that Harkaway's perceptions lead to significant misunderstandings, including the kidnapping of a Flimbotzik child, which escalates tensions. Transformations occur on multiple levels: the cute creature Harkaway adopts, known as a greech, eventually morphs into a young humanoid that represents a culmination of the interconnectedness between their two species. With the ship facing dire circumstances, an unexpected twist reveals that the child is now an advanced being, eliminating boundaries of life and identity and establishing a new order where existence may transcend physical forms. The narrative deftly weaves in themes of friendship, the nature of the soul, and the exploration of cultural misunderstandings. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Release date is 2010-03-16 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net Original publication data not identified Science fiction Space flight -- Fiction Human-alien encounters -- Fiction Metamorphosis -- Fiction PS Original publication data not identified https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/31664 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/31664 UtSlPG 260607 20260610133725.0 31664