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.He made it so easy at times!“How was your meal this morning?” Tralec asked as he entered her bedroom.“I am getting tired of runny eggs and half-cooked bacon.That robot can’t get it right.How does this work?” she asked, fumbling with the front of the jumpsuit.“Front over back over side,” he chuckled, adjusting the material.“How am I going to get this thing on and off to pee?”“Auntie Leeza will help you.Look how cute you are,” Tralec praised, touching her cheek.Skylar climbed into his arms and kissed him soundly on the mouth.“I’m gonna miss you.This is the first time in a month that I won’t have both of you with me.”“I will miss you too, little Skylar.You will be fine with the pod.Just watch your temper.Some of them are newly hatched and are learning the language and the basics.They have no social skills developed, so do not teach them any bad habits.”“Who? Me?”“Yes, you.”“Tralec! Leeza is here!” Troy hollered from downstairs.Tralec winced.“Ever since we brought you home, that man has broken every rule of quiet.What other things have you taught him?”“He talks dirty during sex now,” Skylar giggled.“We will have a family discussion about that tonight.You,” Tralec pointed to Troy, “are in big trouble.”“What did I do?” Troy feigned innocence, his arm wrapped around Leeza’s shoulders.“Skylar? Did you snitch on me?”“Don’t know what you’re talking about, Papa.What would I tattle about?”“Yes, Troy,” Leeza elbowed him, “what would she tattle about? Come to Auntie, love.”Skylar hugged Leeza, the grin not leaving her face as the older woman ruffled her hair.“You have been practicing! I can’t believe that you learned my language so fast and don’t even have an accent!”“I told you that she was brilliant.” Troy kissed Leeza’s temple.“You are going to take good care of my baby today, right?”“Don’t worry, Papa bear,” Leeza grinned, her endearment making Skylar giggle again.“I might have to chew on her a little bit, but she will be returned to you in good condition.”“You won’t have to chew on me, Auntie Leeza.I intend to behave like an angel.”* * *Skylar sat on the chair next to Leeza’s office after getting into a fight with one of the podlings.Her grandmother used to say, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” It was not as though they were like children from her planet, she reasoned.The ones she had been paired with were past the initial six months of adaption when they grew rapidly from an infant state to that of about a seven-year-old.This group was the next phase—their education equivalent to the human second grade, with seven-month-old clones that already stood at least six feet tall.It started with being stared at, and then poked.The supervising mentor in the room corrected the young Calipian and had Skylar deliver a formal reprimand in their language.Skylar mimicked the words as best as she could, embarrassed by her mispronunciation.The female responded as instructed, but Skylar could see clearly that there was neither shame nor repentance behind the words.They glared at each other as the mentor turned her back, and that was when Skylar knew she had to find a way to win their respect.For Calipians, respect started with exercising good manners and showing forgiveness.Since she was the eldest and more mature than the rest of the podlings present, she decided to show them what she could do.Skylar smiled sweetly as she walked by the young female, and then found herself face down on the floor after being tripped.The room was silent as Skylar picked herself up and turned toward the female.In the back of her mind, Skylar knew that the right thing to do would be to state a formal reprimand, but hell, this female had no regrets.Instead, she stupidly lunged for the girl’s chest and knocked her on the floor.The supervising mentor came running in upon hearing the girl’s pod-mate call out and separated the two.Skylar looked worse for wear, her size and delicacy of flesh a major disadvantage as the podling held her down on the floor and sat on her.“Get this bitch off me!” Skylar screamed.“Her fat ass is breaking my fucking back!”Leeza heard every syllable loud and clear.She entered the room, the authority of her station radiating from her like a spotlight.The podlings stood while the supervising mentor nodded her head in greeting, then words were exchanged between Leeza and the offender.Skylar looked on as the female flushed dull blue at Leeza’s reprimand and went to sit alone on the other side of the room.The older woman then looked down at Skylar.“I wish you to sit outside of my office until I call for you, Skylar.”“Yes, ma’am,” Skylar muttered, sensing that she had trouble coming her way when the boys heard about this.She was not sure about Troy’s response, but felt certain that her bottom would be feeling Tralec’s discipline for days.Leeza shook her head, her expression filled with disappointment.She then said something to the pod and left the room.Skylar bit her lip as she went to follow.She stopped before the young female and touched her arm.She was still flushing dull blue.“Please don’t cry,” Skylar said softly.“I’m sorry.”The female looked at her quizzically, and then her eyes widened with understanding.“I’m sorry, too,” she repeated in Calipish.So, here I am, Skylar thought, swinging her legs without touching the floor.Man, does this bring back memories! She thought back about the last time she had been sent to the principal’s office.She had been in ninth grade and was caught smoking.It had earned her a two-day suspension, time which she spent playing in the creek near her grandmother’s house.“Skylar? Please come in,” Leeza called quietly.Skylar entered and began to climb up on a chair.“No, dear.A formal reprimand is always performed standing.”“Auntie Leeza, am I allowed to tell you what happened?”“The results are my concern, not the cause.There is no excuse for violent behavior among our people.”“But she tripped me!”“After which you attacked her physically.What would have been the proper thing to do?”“Formally reprimand her in front of the pod.But the language…”“You would have had to get the supervising mentor to assist.You did not.Instead, you pushed her to the floor.”“And she sat on me!”“Lower your voice, Skylar.She discontinued your attack, which is the reason she only suffered a reprimand and not separation.”“Separation? That didn’t warrant death!” Skylar looked panicked.“Relax, child.Separation is a punishment we use on podlings to teach them the pain of being alone.After once or twice, they will do anything to avoid it [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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