Blueblood

"Blueblood" by Jim Harmon is a science fiction story where a space pilot named Johnny, along with his friends Dr. Ellik and Dr. Chon, discover two humanoid races on a far-off planet: the privileged, light-skinned Azures and the subordinate, dark-skinned Indigos. The story explores themes of race and class when the protagonist and his associate land on a planet controlled by two different alien species. The narrative highlights the social hierarchy and prejudice through their eyes, as the Azures seem to be superior. Ellik attempts to change Indigo Mhaw into an Azure through surgery, hoping to show that race differences are only skin deep. However, things don't go as planned when Mhaw, now named Aedo, doesn't accept the change, bringing up the complex issues of identity and the way society works. The story ends sadly, showing the nasty nature of prejudice and leaving the characters stuck in the problems they tried to fix.