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？  
　 
9 一只动物被杀害了 
　  
　　牛子在沉睡。我吩咐飞船带我们去“新地球”——星际理事会所在的行星。我不打算回我父母那儿。我要直接去见上层人物。 
　　几分钟后，飞船朝一个高楼林立的行星降落。很多高楼耸入云端。我以前从来没到过新地球。我只是个小行星上来的小姑娘，在这儿我觉得很卑微。 
　　我们着陆了。我看到有很多人匆忙地走着。没有人停下说句话。他们太忙碌了。谁会停下来跟我这样的小姑娘说话呢？ 
　　而且每个人都穿着非常昂贵、时髦的衣服！我穿着那件绣着我名字“蜂鸟”的旧衣服让人觉得傻乎乎的。我对机器人说：“给我做一套特别点儿的衣服。我想使自己看上去神气些。” 
　　不一会儿，我就拿到了新衣服。看上去不是太好。是灰色的，就象个旧袋子。 
　　可当我一穿上，它马上就有了神采。它在我身上移动着，满是变幻的色彩。往镜子里看，我简直无法相信。我看上去神气极了！ 
　　当我走出飞船时，我已经谁都不怕了。 
　　开始，我以为星际理事会的大楼是那些高入云端的。其实不是。我走到了地下的一间办公室才和一个警察说上话。他不相信我说的星际动物园的事，直到机器人告诉他那全是真的。机器人不会撒谎。 
　　那个警察审视了我好久。最后他叫来一位星际理事会的官员。 
　　他和那个警察把我带上电梯，往下走了很多层。然后他们把我领到一个房间，开始问我问题。他们想看看机器动物，可我没答应。我说只有星际理事会才能见机器动物。 
　　过了三个小时，他们还在盘问我，我的眼睛都快睁不开了。我累极了。我的衣服已褪色，只剩下灰色。我不再觉得神气。我觉得象个小孩子。 
　　但我没有给他们看机器动物。 
　　那个官员说道：“我不相信你。银河系现在没有动物。也许从来就没有过动物。它们只是《往事追忆》里的故事。” 
　　“那么，你为什么问我那么多问题？”我说。 
　　“因为你的机器人说的和你一样。因为你的飞船里有个发疯的人——他现在住院了。” 
　　那个官员突然站起来，把我带到电梯里。我们飞快地往下走，往下走。 
　　我们出了电梯，来到一个星状的房间。我觉得有些害怕，因为我知道这是星际理事会开会的星际室。 
　　理事会的男成员和女成员们进来围着星际会议桌坐下。那个官员跟他们讲了我的事，我的机器人又重复了一遍。 
　　每个人都看着我，等着我给他们看机器动物。 
　　星际理事会主席说话了：“动物在哪儿？” 
　　“它不是动物，”我说，“它是个机器动物。不过它跟真动物一模一样。” 
　　“它在哪儿？” 
　　我摸着机器人的肚子。“在这儿。”我回答。 
　　“拿出来。我们想看看。”主席说。 
　　“是，先生。”我说。我环视了一下所有的理事。跟这些重要人物说话我有些胆怯，可我不得不告诉他们有危险。“牛子看见动物时，他发疯了。我一开始也疯了。” 
　　“我们已经听了你说的事。” 
　　“请听我说。”我说，“这是只机器动物。请记住它不是真动物。我不希望这儿有人发疯。” 
　　“别想吓唬我们啦，姑娘。把动物拿出来。” 
　　我叫机器人打开肚子，它照办了。那只小机器动物一下跳到星际会议桌上。 
　　它看上去活蹦乱跳！它张开嘴，发出一声这种动物特有的叫声。它长着又小又尖的白牙齿。 
　　每位理事的嘴都同时张开了。 
　　突然闪过一阵亮光。这只小动物爆炸了。它死了。什么也没留下，只剩下星际会议桌上一小块湿漉漉的塑料和毛发烧焦了的味道。 
　　那个星际理事会官员用激光枪把它摧毁了。 
　　理事们喊叫着站了起来。他们的脸上充满憎恨。他们的眼睛和牛子发疯时一摸一样。也许没有牛子那样糟，因为动物只出现了一两秒钟，而且我已经告诉他们它只是个机器动物。然而，像牛子一样，他们也想杀，想摧毁。 
　　情况越来越糟。他们开始摔椅子。有的还用破椅子打人。他们像牛子一样，发疯了。 
　　计划失败了。星际理事会发疯了。我非常害怕。我都做了些什么呀？ 
　　　    


 