Norby the Mixed-Up Robot

Author:Janet Asimov;Isaac Asimov
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 9780486472430
Published: 2011-06-18T12:57:50+00:00

3

JAMYA

Norby’s personal protective field came on automatically to save them from lethal stress of hyperspace, so Jeff was aware only of gray nothingness. And, since time does not exist in hyperspace, he was no sooner aware of it when he was out of it again, with only a vague memory that Norby had been trying to explain--telepathically--how he had got into the bad zoo.

“Where are we?” asked Jeff. They were sitting on a grassy lawn, facing interesting treelike plants that seemed familiar.

“You again!”

The voice was not speaking in Terran Basic, but Jeff understood, and Norby was already answering in the alien language. Nobody had the advantage of having eyes in the back of his head (except there wasn’t any real back to his head; all sides were front).

Jeff turned around. In the other direction was a landscaped hill with a large castlelike structure on it. At the foot of the hill, quite near to Jeff, was a miniature castle with a female dragon standing in the doorway. She was green, her large eyes fringed by eyelashes, and she held a smaller version of herself. Both wore thin gold collars.

Jeff said softly, “You’ve brought us back to Jamya, Norby. I thought you didn’t know how to get here.”

“I don’t,” Norby answered in a low voice. “It’s some instinct or something. I just came. Part of me knows the planet of the dragons.”

“Well, then, please don’t insult the Jamyns this time.” He rose and bowed politely. “How do you do, ma’am? And how is your pretty daughter, Zargl, whom I see in your arms?”

“I’m fine,” said the young dragon, as she spread her wings and flew to Jeff’s shoulder. “I’m glad you came back. You didn’t stay long last time. I’m also glad you’ve learned our language.”

Jeff hoped his smile would seem a pleasant expression to the dragons. A gentle dragon bite had established telepathic communication with him when he and Norby had come here once before, and the bite had made it possible for him to learn the Jamyn language telepathically, almost at once. Perhaps the dragons could learn Terran Basic through telepathy.

“I detect your thought,” said the mother dragon in Terran Basic. “If you speak your language carefully and think more clearly, then I will learn more quickly.” She switched to Jamyn. “It is more important, however, for you to continue to improve your knowledge of our language, which is clearly the more civilized of the two.”

Jeff did not think it would be wise to dispute that. He said, “Yes, ma’am,” in careful Jamyn.

“I discussed your earlier arrival with the Grand Dragon, and she said you must know the secret of hyperspace travel, which we Jamyn have never been given. We were meant to stay on our own planet.”

“Do you have many visitors?” Jeff asked.

“We have had none at all. You were the first. That’s why the matter had to be discussed. It was decided that if visitors are approved by the Mentors, they will be permitted to stay for a short period.

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