Damia's Children

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Book: Read Damia's Children for Free Online
Authors: Anne McCaffrey
but in a totally random fashion that didn’t appear to follow any traffic pattern. Laria was afraid that she might inadvertently cause an accident. Tip clicked encouragingly at her while Huf slid open a window and started crackling at the nearby fliers who then did make way for the sled. Laria landed with no further obstacles.
    â€œThose belts are great, Lar,” Thian exclaimed, craning his neck to watch the rapid maneuvers of the airborne. “D’you think we could get some?”
    â€œWhen we can teleport anywhere we want to?” asked Laria in amazement.
    â€œTeleporting’s not the same thing, Lar,” Thian replied wistfully and ignored his sister’s wry snort. “I
like
mechanical things,” he added defensively.
    Which his sister knew was very true. Thian was always taking things apart and putting them laboriously back together. Sometimes not so laboriously, if he knew the equipment well enough to use kinesis in reassembly. Their father encouraged the activity though their mother had always appeared skeptical.
    Tip, Huf, Mur, and Dip joined them on the hard dirt of the park, each carrying precious baskets of slithers. Zara had hers cradled against her narrow chest, her eyes wide both with her responsibility and her inclusion in this journey.
    Tip clucked and pointed one flipper in the direction they were to take—toward the “community” hall. The ’Dinis had opted for a main feeding service and that building also became their meeting and assembly facility. Chairs, and tables for that matter, were not a necessity for ’Dini dining customs. Stacks of bowls were neatly stored to one side and cushions dotted the open floor space. The cushions were occupied as Laria and her brother and sister entered with their ’Dini friends and their appearance occasioned much noise from the expectant ’Dinis. Laria could see that the majority here were young ’Dinis, apprentices who wouldn’t work as long hours as the adults but the very ones who would cherish the slithers. The creatures provided endless amusement to ’Dinis though Laria didn’t very much appreciate slithers crawlingon her bare skin: it gave her such an odd feeling.
    The clacking, clicking, and whistling of the eager young ’Dinis made the distribution of the pets urgent, so that was done, Zara and Rojer deeply thanked, with Tip, Huf, Mur, and Dip doing the translating. The youngsters were sent off with their new acquisitions and the adult females offered the Humans suitable refreshments. Laria, Rojer, and Zara were asked to seat themselves on the cushions and became the object of much poll bowing and eyeing.
    â€œWhat’s so funny about us?” Zara wanted to know.
    â€œI don’t think these ’Dinis have seen many Humans,” Laria said quietly. “Yes,” and she caught Tip’s hand signals, “these are just mature attendant females who haven’t gone out of the village yet.” She signaled another question to Tip. And grinned at the answer. “They thought Humans were something the elder ’Dinis had made up. They are astonished to see that we are real. Tip says they come from a southern continent that isn’t very forward. But they needed employment so badly that they couldn’t afford to pass up the good pay. They are very pleased to find that the accommodations are every bit as good as they were promised.” Then she laughed again, blushing.
    â€œWhat’s the matter, Lar?” Thian asked, surprised, for his sister rarely colored.
    â€œTip likes the buff-colored one with the leg stripes.”
    Thian pretended to subject the ’Dini to intensescrutiny and then grinned. “She is rather charmingly marked.”
    At which point, both young people laughed because the ’Dini mistook his attention and came hurrying over with her tray of bite-sized edibles.
    You’re being mean,
Zara said in a scathing tone,

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