■ 9 An animal is destroyed

Buff was asleep． I told the spaceship to take us to New Earth， the planet of the Star Council． I wasn't going back to my parents． I wanted to go to the top people．

A few minutes later the spaceship was falling towards a planet covered with tall buildings． Many of the buildings touched the clouds． I'd never been to New Earth before． I was just a young girl from a small planet and I felt very unimportant here．

We landed． I could see a lot of people walking quickly． They didn't stand and talk． They were too busy． Who was going to stop and talk to a young girl like me？

Everybody was wearing very expensive， fashionable clothes too！ I felt stupid with just my old clothes with my name 'Hummingbird'on． I said to the robot， 'Make a special dress for me． I want to look more important． '

A minute later I had the dress． It didn't look very good． It was grey and just like an old bag．

I put on the dress and it suddenly came to life． It moved over me， full of changing colours. When I looked in a mirror， I couldn't believe it． I looked fantastic！

When I got out of the spaceship， I wasn't afraid of anybody．

At first I thought the Star Council buildings were the high ones， up in the clouds． They weren't． I had to go below ground to an office where I spoke to a policeman． He didn't believe my story about the Star Zoo…until the robot told him it was all true． Robots can't lie．

The policeman looked at me for a long time． In the end he called a Star Council official．

He and the policeman took me to a lift and we went down many floors． Then they put me in a room and asked me questions． They wanted to see the robot animal but I said no． I said only the Star Council could see the robot animal．

Three hours later they were still asking me questions and I couldn't keep my eyes open． I was so tired． My dress had lost its colours． It was just grey again． I didn't feel important． I felt like a child．

But I didn't show them the robot animal．

The official said， ' I don't believe you． There are no animals in the Galaxy now． Perhaps there never were any animals． They're only stories in the Book of Remembering． '

'Well， why are you asking me so many questions？ 'I said．

'Because your robot tells the same story． Because you have a crazy man in you spaceship-he's in hospital now． '

Suddenly the official got up and took me to the lift． We went down， down， down， very fast．

We came out into a room in the shape of a star． I felt frightened because I knew this was the Star Room where the Star Council met．

The Council men and women came in and took their places at the Star Table． The official told them my story， which my robot repeated．

Everybody looked at me， waiting for me to show them the robot animal．

The President of the Star Council said， 'Where is this animal？ '

'It's not an animal， 'I said． ' It's a robot． But it looks just the same as a real animal． ''Where is it？ '

I touched the robot's stomach． 'In there， 'I answered．

'Bring it out． We want to see it， 'the President said．

'Yes， sir， 'I said． I looked round at all the Councillors． I was afraid to speak to these important people but I had to tell them about the danger． 'When Buff saw an animal， he went crazy． I went crazy at first， too． '

'We heard your story． '

'Please listen， 'I said． 'This is a robot． Please remember it's not a real animal． I don't want anybody here to go crazy． '

'Don't try to frighten us， girl． Bring out the animal． '

I told the robot to open its stomach， and it opened． The little robot animal jumped on to the Star Table．

It looked so alive！ It opened its mouth and made the special noise of that animal． It had small sharp white teeth．

The mouth of every Councillor fell open at the same moment．

There was a sudden bright light． The little animal exploded． It was gone． There was nothing left except a little wet plastic on the Star Table and a smell of burning hair．

The Star Council official had destroyed it with his laser gun．

The Councillors were getting up and shouting． Their faces were full of hate． They had the same crazy eyes as Buff． Perhaps not as bad as Buff， because the animal had only been there for a second or two and I had told them it was a robot． But， like Buff， they wanted to kill and destroy．

Things got worse and worse． They started breaking chairs． Some of them used broken chairs to hit people． They were going crazy， just like Buff．

The plan had failed． The Star Council had gone crazy． I was very frightened． What had I done？

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