Children of Steel by John Van Stry Read Free Book Online

corner table away from the few people still there.
    "What is this?" she looked at it kind of
disgusted.
    "It's meat, vat grown in the culture
tanks."
    "I don't eat meat, and it's not even
cooked!"
    I looked at the food, most of us animen can
eat raw meat, and some do. This wasn't really raw, but it was
pretty rare and sitting in its own juices I guess it might look
raw.
    "Listen," I explained patiently, "you are a
Leopard, a carnivore, not a Horse, or a Rabbit or a Gazelle, or any
of those. You were designed to eat meat and if you don't eat enough
you'll die. Those food supplements don't supply enough of the amino
acids you need."
    "I've lived so far haven't I?"
    "Looked in a mirror lately?" THAT got a real
good scowl! "Further more, if you don't eat it, I will sit on your
chest and force feed it to you in front of everybody."
    "You wouldn't!"
    I stood up. She looked at me startled and
started eating, so I sat back down. After she had eaten about half
I asked her, "Where did you ever get such a dumb idea?"
    "The people who raised me were
vegetarians."
    "It's a miracle you didn't die."
    "I always took vitamin supplements, which
since I came on board I haven't been able to find. You know this
tastes pretty good actually."
    She was eating pretty well at this point.
    "That's because there aren't any vegetarian
Cats on board," she was almost done with hers, so I gave her mine,
which so far was untouched.
    "Thanks," she started on mine with a will.
But then she looked like she hadn't had a decent meal in months.
Two months actually. "So, why are you doing this anyway? I don't
even know you."
    "I'm a member of your Clan, and as you don't
seem to be interested in taking care of yourself,” I sighed, “I was
elected."
    "Wait a sec," she said between mouthfuls, "I
don't belong to any Clan."
    "You know that invitation you got to the Clan
meeting tonight? The one you ignored?"
    "Yeah so?"
    "That's your Clan."
    "No it's not!"
    "Listen, you live on the ship, you're a
Leopard, so you're in the Leopard Clan, period. And no matter where
you go for the rest of your life, you're going to find the same
thing. Clans are a way of life for all animen, including you. We
function better that way."
    "I've done just fine on my own thank you, and
prefer it that way."
    "Looked in a mirror lately?" I asked
again.
    She stopped eating and looked at me "Listen I
can do just fine on my own, this was just my own ignorance. Now I
know better."
    "Oh? What about that little attack from
behind in the hallway? You can't even defend yourself. Somebody has
got to look after you. This isn't a nice safe human enclave you're
in now. My predecessor had his neck broken in a bar fight for
wising off to the wrong guy, and he knew how to fight.
Anyway, I'm bigger than you and right now what I say goes. Finish
your food."
    "I'll go to the Captain!"
    "Don't waste your time, he'll just tell you
to take it up with your Clan."
    She started eating again, "But it's not my
Clan, I've never been in a clan, I don't know anything about
clans!"
    "That's why I'm here, you done?"
    She looked at the two empty bowls of food, "I
guess. Oh I ate all yours too!"
    "That's okay, I ate earlier. Come on next
stop."
    "Where are we going now?"
    "Showers, your fur looks like crap, and
there's a scent on you that I don't like."
    She stopped so I grabbed her hand and started
dragging her along again.
    "You're not going to try anything funny are
you?"
    I looked at her, and she seemed real worried
all of the sudden.
    "Rape is still punishable by death on this
ship, and I'm sure Balizar would make it a slow one for anybody who
messed with a member of his clan. Even people who thought they
didn't belong." I smiled, "And there are two very lovely ladies who
seem willing share my pillow. And ..."
    "I know, I know," she said glumly, "have I
looked in a mirror lately."
    I took her up to the showers by my quarters,
stopping in them briefly to grab a robe. It was just past half
shift so the showers were empty.