■ 10 Two of everything

It was a strange prison with no doors and no police to watch me． Well， I didn't know the special number for making the lifts work， so I couldn't escape by the lifts． There were stairs but it was ten kilometres straight up to get to the surface．

I couldn't get out．

I found food and water． Nobody came to see me for three days．

Finally a soldier arrived and took me back to the Star Room．

An old man with a very straight back sat at the Star Table． He was alone and looked tired． 'Hummingbird， 'he said and then stopped．

'Who are you， please？ 'I asked． I hadn't seen him before．

'I'm the new President， 'he said， but he didn't sound happy about it ．

'So the President and the Councillors are still…'

'Still crazy- yes， 'the old man said． 'I think many of them will get better． They saw the animal only for a very short time． '

'It wasn't a real animal， 'I said quickly．

'That didn't make any difference． You asked me who I am． I'm just one of the Star Councillors， but I wasn't in the Star Room when you showed them the animal． I was lucky． Now listen， Hummingbird． There is something I must tell you． Something difficult． '

'Is it about my family？ 'I asked， feeling afraid．

'No， Hummingbird． You are the only person in the Galaxy who knows where the Star Zoo is． If other people know about the Star Zoo， there will be killing． People will be killed． The Star Zoo will be destroyed． It is very important to keep the Star Zoo alive and so it is necessary to keep it secret． I 'm sorry， Hummingbird． You must stay here， ten kilometres down， all your life． I know you're a young girl and I'm sorry． '

'All my life？ 'I said． I couldn't believe it．

'Yes， 'the old man said． 'This is the planet of the Star Council so there is always work here you can do． I'm sorry． '

'What kind of work？ 'I asked．

'Well， everything is going crazy now． For example， we have some little children down here that nobody is taking care of． A robot is doing the job now—but little children need real humans． Would you like to try taking care of them？ '

'OK， 'I said． It was something to do．

I went to see the children， who were playing quietly with a robot． I laughed， because the robot was our family robot． I thought this robot and I would do something wonderful． But we could only take care of little children！

I sat on the floor and played with the children． They were all less than four years old．

They needed somebody． A few of the children were crying． They needed loving． Robots can sing and play games， but they can't love．

Only the Star Zoo computer can love．

Soon one little boy was sitting on my stomach and another boy was running round and round me． A little girl was pulling my hair and another girl was biting my finger． There was a lot of noise．

These children were more trouble than any animal in the Star Zoo！

'These girls and boys aren't going to be afraid of animals， 'I said to the robot． 'I can show them a robot animal and they won't go crazy． I just wish I had one． '

'You have， 'the robot answered． 'Shall I take out the other one？ '

'What！ 'I shouted． The little boy fell off my stomach and began screaming． I picked him up and kissed him until the screaming changed to crying． I said， 'Another robot animal？ '

'Yes， 'the robot said， touching its stomach．

Of course the robot had another！ Robots always make two of everything． You don't have to tell them． They do it automatically．

The robot opened its stomach and the second robot animal jumped out． It was just like the first one．

The little boy stopped crying． He looked at the robot animal with big， round eyes． All the other children were looking， too．

The animal began to play． It tried to bite its tail and fell over its own feet． It was a funny， sweet animal． After one minute the children were round it in a circle， laughing and playing with it， just like the humans in the Star Zoo．

I watched them． This was very important． These children hadn't learnt to be afraid of animals because they had never heard of Earth， the Burning， or the Book of Remembering．

I watched and thought． I spoke softly to my robot： 'If these children go on playing with this robot animal， they will never become afraid of animals． They won't go crazy． 'I thought some more， and said， 'But if their parents see the animal， the parents will go crazy． '

I thought carefully． Yes， there must be a special room in every house． A room which parents couldn't go in． A room for children only． Then children could play with robot animals in that room．

'That's it！ 'I said． 'The children will still be happy to be with animals when they are parents． It might take twenty， thirty， forty years， but then—'

I heard the sound of somebody coming． I shouted to the robot， ' Hide that animal， quick！ '

The robot opened its stomach and the animal went inside．

All the children began crying． They wanted to have their wonderful animal back again！

It was the President． He looked round at all the crying children． 'Did I do this？ 'he asked．

'No， 'I answered． 'Please stay． I have fantastic news for you． Listen to what just happened． '

The old man listened． First he was angry， then he was surprised but in the end he became very excited．

'Hummingbird， 'the President said， 'I must not see that robot animal． I don't want to go crazy． Your idea is…interesting． I think it will work． We must be very careful． We can begin with just one family and can learn from our mistakes． I think we can let you go free， Hummingbid． '

'You can see the animal again soon， 'I promised the children， and kissed the ones that were still crying． 'So the little children really liked this animal！ 'the President said． 'What kind of animal was it？ Does the Book of Remembering talk about it？ '

'The Book of Remembering talks about cats， 'I answered． 'This is a baby cat． I can't remember what the computer called it． Oh yes I do-it's called a kitten． '

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