"A vegetarian's someone who doesn't eat meat at all. They get their dietary protein from other sources, like peanuts or beans. There are also vegans, people who won't eat anything that comes from an animal. They don't eat any meats, milk products, or eggs."

Billy withdrew, pulling himself against the wall. He'd driven another rift between them with his stupid human ignorance when they were supposed to be bonding.

"I'm sorry. It's just a hard concept for me to understand. Humans on my world are arrogant. They take pride in being the only sentient species, and we use technology to master nature, limiting the impact of the climate and the plants and animals on us. Among the hunters on my world, any human who got killed in the hunt would simply be called stupid. How could anyone possibly lose to a beast unless they were stupid? We're so obviously superior," he spat derisively. His views in this area had clearly changed over his time on the ship, leaving him marveling at how profoundly ignorant he was.

He curled into a little ball against the wall. "But that's my world for you. Stupid. Any of you could kill me in an instant, right?" He laughed without a trace of humor. As if he tried to diffuse the tension and knew it would fail. "I won't go. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful experience out there. I just don't belong."