Only now, Karri wasn't here to see it.Only now, Karri wasn't here to see it. Anyway, Karen and Yorik ceased their tumbling and joined us at the top of the hill. "Hiya," I said. Karen giggled gleefully, the sounds forming from deep inside her throat. "Have fun?" I asked. "Tired," Yorik offered. "And dirty," he said. "I'm gonna go wash." He bounded around to the other side of the tree and vanished in a flash. "I think I'll join him," Adriano said. Molly rose, yawned, and said, "I'll go too." The two of them disappeared into the SDisk. I turned to Karen and said, "What about you?" "I want to relax in the shade first. And I want to talk to you." I resisted the urge to pet her. After all these years, I still want to pet her, treat her like an animal. She's as sentient as I am, or P'nyssa, or M'Ress. But she countered, saying, "Please. I like when you touch me." I smiled and reached out to stroke her the length of her body. She purred, a deep and satisfied sound. "Ken?" "Yeah?" "You know I can't help it when I read you like that. I'm trying to damp it down, and I'm taking lessons. But sometimes I just pick up on things." "I know. It's okay." "I know you still feel sad sometimes when you're with us. And I know that you've been spending more time with us than you did with the Mustela, watching us and talking to us. To me. Can you tell me something?" "Karen, if you ask me the question, you'll know the answer." "No. I promise." "Okay." "Did you make me with Karri Walton's genes?" I thought for a few seconds. "Yes." Karen's head, for that matter all Pamthreat's heads, are closest to the leopard's in design, if not in coloration or size, and she gave the Pamthreat's equivalent of a smile. "You don't feel guilty about that?" "Not about that. I little... melancholy, maybe." She nodded. "Ken, if I tell you something important, will you promise to not 'fly off the handle?'" I laughed. "Where did you learn that expression?" "From the person who asked me to tell you this secret. |