Alien Child Read Online Free PDF Page A

receptacles,” she said slowly. “It means—” She pushed the tray of uneaten fruit away. “There may be others! You said there were more. We could bring them out, Llipel. I could have a friend.”
    “No!” Llipel leaned forward; her claws were out, scratching at the tiles. “We do not know their purpose, why they are there.” Her usually even voice had risen. “If others are taken out, we cannot know what will come of it.”
    “But you said you don’t remember why you came to this world. Maybe they were left here for you.”
    Llipel sat up straight. “That cannot be. I do not remember what was before, but the mind of my ship knew little of this world before I came here. I do not think my kind knew yours.”
    “But you don’t know. Maybe they went to another world, and they’re going to come back.” Nita glanced at the mower as it floated over the grass. “Why would they leave robots here to take care of everything? Why does the mind watch over this place? Why would they leave the cafeteria to feed me? Why didn’t they take the ones in the cold place with them? They must be coming back someday. They’ll come back, and then—”
    “Why, why. You keep saying why. You must wait for the answers to come—I see how disordered you become when answers come too soon.” Llipel rose to her feet in one swift movement. “They will never return.”
    “Why do you say that?”
    “You must not ask me why. It is not something you can know now.”
    “Knowing can’t be worse than not knowing,” Nita said.
    “I try to make up for my mistake. I learn more than would have come to me without this mistake.” Llipel was clearly struggling with her words now. “You bring sorrow to yourself and problems to me by hoping that your kind will come here.”
    “Why? Why can’t I have a friend? Why do I have to be shut up here? What’ll I do if the mind fails again? If my people don’t come here, I’ll go and look for them. I’ll—”
    “Nita, there may come a time—” Llipel shook her body. “I cannot say more now.”
    “I’m sick of hearing about times for this and times for that! You never tell me anything I want to know! I hate you!”
    Llipel gazed at her calmly, as if puzzled by this outburst. Then she turned around slowly and left the garden.
     
     
    Nita was afraid to follow Llipel inside right away, even though she had little to fear from her guardian, who had always been gentle with her. Llipel had explained more to her than she ever had before, but Nita had not been satisfied with that.
    Why wasn’t she more like Llipel, able to accept what answers she was given and to wait until the time came for more answers? Having replies to some questions only raised others in her mind that demanded answers immediately.
    She stood up, adjusted the towel around her hips, and went inside. As she hurried down the hall, Llipel suddenly emerged from the cafeteria.
    Nita swallowed and looked down. “I guess I shouldn’t have said I hated you.”
    “That is a strong word. Is the feeling as strong?”
    Nita nodded. “But I don’t hate you, Llipel. I was angry, that’s all.”
    “Then the time for hate is past. I did something else for you to mark this day, but you did not let me tell it before. Come into the food room. You ask for a friend. There is a friend inside for you.”
    Nita trembled with anticipation as she walked toward the cafeteria and wondered what she would find. The door slid open, revealing a room filled with tables and chairs. Slots with buttons beneath them lined the walls; the recycler stood in a corner near a large screen.
    She saw no one at first, then heard a soft, mewing sound. A tiny furred creature huddled under a table, next to a bowl of milk. Nita gazed into its green eyes, then crept up to it and patted its gray fur gently. It mewed again and rubbed against her leg.
    “What is it?” Nita asked. “Is it a small one of your kind?” But it couldn’t be, she thought. It had a tail, and