The cat-Q-5 stared at him impassively for a moment, let out a
stuttering high-pitched wail, then: "Kiyi Rorry."
"Whose child are you, Rorry?" he asked. "Where do you live?"
The cat-Q-5 took its time about answering. There were no houses near
the intersection, and Norris feared that the animal might be lost.
It blinked at him, sleepily bored, and resumed its paw-washing. He
repeated the questions.
"Mama kiyi," said the cat-Q-5 disgustedly.
"That's right, Mama's kitty. But where is Mama? Do you suppose she ran
away?"
The cat-Q-5 looked startled. It stuttered for a moment, and its fur
crept slowly erect. It glanced around hurriedly, then shot off down the
street at a fast scamper. He followed it in the truck until it darted
onto a porch and began wailing through the screen, "Mama no run ray!
Mama no run ray!"
Norris grinned and drove on. A class-C couple, allowed no children
of their own, could get quite attached to a cat-Q-5. The felines
were emotionally safer than the quasi-human chimp-K series called
"neutroids." When a pet neutroid died, a family was broken with grief;
but most couples could endure the death of a cat-Q or a dog-F. Class-C
couples were allowed two lesser units or one neutroid.
His grin faded as he wondered which Anne would choose. The Norrises
were class-C--defective heredity.
* * * * *
He found himself in Sherman III Community Center--eight blocks of
commercial buildings, serving the surrounding suburbs. He stopped at
the message office to pick up his mail. There was a memo from Chief
Franklin. He tore it open nervously and read it in the truck. It was
something he had been expecting for several days.
Attention All District Inspectors:
Subject: Deviant Neutroid.
You will immediately begin a systematic and thorough survey of all
animals whose serial numbers fall in the Bermuda-K-99 series for
birth dates during July 2234. This is in connection with the
Delmont Negligency Case. Seize all animals in this category,
impound, and run proper sections of normalcy tests. Watch for
mental and glandular deviation. Delmont has confessed to passing
only one non-standard unit, but there may be others. He disclaims
memory of deviant's serial number. This could be a ruse to bring
a stop to investigations when one animal is found. Be thorough.
If allowed to reach age-set or adulthood, such a deviant could be
dangerous to its owner or to others. Hold all seized K-99s who show
the slightest abnormality in the normalcy tests. Forward to central
lab. Return standard units to their owners. Accomplish entire
survey project within seven days.