Read Children of Steel for Free Online Page A

opportunity to hold someone in your arms is more than ample
compensation and it did help ease some of the ache of Cassandra’s
not being there.

 
3
     
     
    By the time of the next clan meeting I was
starting to feel like part of the crew. I had a few friends onboard
the ship now and was making more, I also felt at home with the clan
members. It had been nearly two months since I had graduated, and
we had been in space about five weeks. I felt I had transitioned
pretty well.
    So I was kind of surprised when about halfway
through the meeting Balizar spoke up.
    "Well, I was hoping it would work itself out,
but it seems we have a problem."
    I froze, the only thing I could think of was
that I must have made some kind of mistake, but I couldn't think of
anything and my mind was racing.
    Herza gave me a little kick, "Not you Raj.
Balizar what are you trying to do, scare the kid to death?"
    "Huh? Oh sorry Raj! I don't mean you. It
seems that Terease isn't coming again."
    I started to breathe again and listened to
what was going on.
    "Well," began Kate "I talked with her again
this morning, and asked her to come but she seemed pretty
withdrawn."
    "So, what should we do folks?" asked
Banner.
    "Well, the only choice we have now is to drag
her out of her shell," said Sharazad. "And I would recommend
somebody her own age."
    There was a lot of agreement with that and
that's when I noticed that everybody was looking at me. You ever
try to be small and insignificant? I found out that it doesn't work
once you've passed two hundred pounds.
    "Uh, excuse me," I began, "Who is Terease,
and why are you all staring at me."
    "Yes, I think you'll do," said Balizar. "Is
it agreed?"
    "Is what agreed?" I asked again as everybody
else went 'aye'.
    "Well, you get to go down to Terease's room
and bodily drag her out of it," smiled Herza.
    "And who is Terease?" I was getting confused
again and worried too.
    "Don't tease Raj, Herza." Said Balizar. "Okay
Raj, here's the story. Terease came aboard the same time you did.
She's a Leopard and legally falls under the jurisdiction of the
Clan, just as you do."
    "I've never even seen her, where does she
work?"
    "She works in engineering, and other than
that she never leaves her cabin."
    "What not in two months?" I was shocked, how
could anybody stay holed up and alone that long?
    "It seems that she has never been a member of
any clan. Her parents were killed in an accident on a science
station when she was about four. She was raised by a group of
humans there until she was ten and then was sent to an engineering
school. She was the only Leopard there, and I get the impression
from the records I was sent, that she has always been a loner."
    "Anyway, if we don't bring her into the fold
she's probably going to go off the deep end," said Kate.
    "So," I asked, "what am I supposed to do?" I
really was confused now. The thought that somebody didn't want to
be with their own kind, or anybody even, really made me worry.
    "Actually, I think Herza had the right idea.
Just go down to her room and drag her out. Spend time with her
every day. You're about her age, so I think you have the best
chance of forming a one to one relationship with her."
    "But what if she doesn't want to?"
    "Don't give her a choice. Use force if you
have to. From what Shooma down in engineering tells me, she won't
be able to give you too much trouble."
    I was still worried about this, "But what if
she goes to the Captain?"
    "She can't, legally as long as you don't
rape, rob, or kill her, the Clan is the legal authority," said
Banner, "so either she puts up with you, or she has to come and put
up with us."
    "Yes that's basically about it," continued
Balizar. "We don't care if she likes or hates you Raj ..."
    "Gee thanks," I mumbled
    "... the goal is that we get her to start
living a normal life before she either flips out, or gets caught in
a psych eval. I will not stand around and let that happen to one of
our own."
    "Well, any advice?" I asked as I