■ 7 The answer is robots

Ipushed Buff as he tried to shoot Hoo-Woo． The laser gun burnt a hole in the plastic wall， but it didn't hit Hoo－ Woo．

Buff was screaming and the whites of his eyes were showing． He fell on the ground and water ran out of his mouth． He was crazy． I remembered the way I had gone crazy when I first came into the Star Zoo． It was seeing the animals． It was the Book of Remembering coming to life． It made people go crazy．

I hid Buff's laser gun and used some long plants to tie him up． Hee-Haw sat on him while I did it． A bell was ringing and all the animals started looking for something． What were they looking for？

A bird found it． It was the hole where the laser had burnt through the wall． The Star Zoo was losing air． I could hear the air escaping．

It was the computer's job to check for damage like that． Then it rang the bell． But how could the animals mend the hole？

Eee－ Eee went to a pipe on the wall and waited． Warm wet plastic came out of the end of the pipe． The squirrel held little bits of the plastic and ran quickly up the wall． She put the soft plastic over the hole and ran down to get more plastic from the pipe．

In one minute the hole was covered． Eee－ Eee went on working until the bell stopped ringing．

The computer and the animals worked together to mend the Star Zoo． After fifteen thousand years they were very good at it！

Buff had crazy eyes． The animals didn't want to go near him so I took care of him． I hoped he would get better soon．

But he didn't get better． Three days later he still wanted to kill and destroy every animal that he saw． He thought I was ananimal too．

He never spoke． Perhaps he had forgotten how to speak． Hewouldn't touch food or water．

I didn't know what to do． In the end I went to see the computer with Hee－ Haw and the robot．

There was the same terrible light and the fear． But I knew it was ultrasonics that made me afraid． The robot didn't have any feelings， of course． The robot and I went into the computer room but Hee-Haw stayed outside．

The ultrasonics stopped and the light went soft．

'Hummingbird， 'the computer said． 'You have come back． Computer is happy． Who is the other human？ '

'This isn't a human， 'I explained． 'This is just a family robot． '

'Not human？ Looks very human． '

'I know， 'I said． 'But that's not important． Everything's gone crazy！ ''What is the problem？ 'the computer asked．

I told the computer about visiting my parents and that they didn't believe me． I explained about Buff and said， 'But he's gone crazy． I know I went crazy at first but I got better． Buff isn't getting better． '

'Why？ 'the computer said． 'You are human． Buff is human． What is different？ '

'I don't know， 'I answered． 'I'm younger than Buff． Perhaps people's minds get hard like rock as they get older． They can't change how they think． '

'When will Buff get better？ 'the computer asked．

'Never…I think， 'I said． 'Buff's too old． '

There was silence． After a long time the computer said slowly， 'Computer is old． '

'Oh， that's different， 'I said． 'I think you are growing very， very slowly． I think you're still young， like me You're still growing and changing． Not like Buff． '

Another silence． Then， 'Hummingbird is friend． '

I felt wonderful． The computer was twenty thousand years old and it wanted to be friends with me！

'Yes， I'm your friend， computer， 'I said． 'I'll be your friend all my life， but my life isn't long like yours Perhaps my children and grandchildren can be your friends too． '

'Computer is happy． '

'Oh， computer， everything's finished！ 'I said． 'I thought Buff could learn to accept the animals like me， but he can't． He can't change how he thinks． And I think most people in the Galaxy are like him． They can't change． If they find the Star Zoo， they'll destroy all the animals． So it's impossible！ We can't put the animals on different planets． The animals will have to stay in the Star Zoo． One day the Star Zoo will die． After that there will be no life in the Galaxy except humans． Forever．

The computer said， 'Computer will find answer to problem． Wait． '

I waited． And waited． I couldn't understand it． Computers think so fast！ Why wasn't the computer telling me theanswer？

At last it spoke． 'Computer has answer to problem． The answer is robots． Your robot looks very human． You will make a robot like an animal Humans will know it is a robot， not an animal． Humans will not go crazy． Humans will learn about animals． After some time humans will meet animals． Humans will not go crazy． '

'I think I understand， 'I said． 'People have to spend a long time with robot animals first． When they are not afraid， they can meet the real animals and accept them． Yes， it's a wonderful idea， computer！ I could kiss you！ '

'Nobody has kissed computer． Computer is interested． '

So I kissed the computer and I think it kissed me．

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