Breaking bones is a death sentence for other cogniscients, so how unlikely is it that anyone has encountered someone missing a digit or limb, unless they were born missing it?
Jokes using one’s prosthetics (probably more advanced in the group that lives long enough to need them) optional.
[AN: Some species are more fragile than others. Havenworlders are particularly delicate. And it’s notably the Birds for whom broken bones are fatal]
The cogniscent trapped with her in the stalled veet had a warning shirt that labeled her as a comedian.
“It’s okay,” said the dinosaur. “I know you’re a havenworlder. I won’t try any of my usual tricks on you.”
“Usual… tricks?”
A gesture with an arm. “I wasn’t born with this hand. A combination of maternal stress and chemical exposure in the nest made sure that this arm was never completed in the build stage. Therefore I have a synthetic prosthetic.” A warm smile. “May I show you the seam?”
Dubiously, Hika nodded.
The saurian took up her sleeve. There, on a bicep, was a paired silver line with a thin black line between them. “Flesh,” a finger indicated the skin above the lines. “Not flesh,” the rest of the arm below. “I can disconnect with it at will. Which I generally do for comedy purposes. Hence the shirt.”
“Please don’t demonstrate?” asked Hika. “My warning lights are on.”
The dinosaur covered herself anew. “I don’t joke like that in front of havenworlders. And I got sentenced to the shirt after the third fainting spell I caused.” A careful grin. “I once left it on a counter at protest of the prices at a clothing outlet. That was the final pebble, actually.”
“…hee hee hee…” warbled Hika uncertainly.
“Sorry. I’m Woblé. And I won’t be talking about my arm any more.”
“Hika,” said Hika. “Wishing I picked a different stopover.”
The dinosaur chuckled. “True, but the food is magnificent.”
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