Earth Legend Read Online Free Page B

was the Destiny.
    I took another step and several cherry bushes
closed behind me. I was well hidden. What better place to take
stock and plan my next move? And check out whatever Betts had
shoved into my pocket back on earth.
    I took it out. It was a comunit. I slapped it
on the back of my hand. After a few seconds of adjustment, during
which it did whatever comunits do, it disappeared, replaced by a
tiny, multi-colored tattoo similar to the ones worn by every
legitimate person on the Destiny. Small enough that my bare wrist
hadn't been noticed but I sighed with relief that I, too, could now
pass a close inspection.
    The comunit was better than anything I'd ever
owned on earth. The Destiny had gotten the best of everything
because out there in space, if something went wrong, they'd need
the best of the best in order to cope and stay alive. For now,
though, with my new and very funky comunit, I could link to the
Destiny's mainframe. I relaxed against the apple tree trunk and
pulled up an index of the kind of information I'd need to
survive.
    First things first. Where was I? Where could
I hide best? In moments I realized I was probably already in the
best place though I'd have to get water, clothing and other things
from the nearby village. New Rochelle.
    I decided to sleep in the orchard hidden by
thick bushes, but other than that, I'd be well advised to mingle
with colonists until they got so used to seeing me that they
thought I was one of them. Wilkes Zander already thought I was a
colonist. So did the man who hated redheads as did the scary Cullen
Vail but Wilkes Zander had invited me to the launch party. It would
be wise to accept and begin the process of mingling.
    I checked the comunit again. I had time to
saunter into New Rochelle, scope it out and hopefully find
something to wear. Would I steal from a clothesline? Did they have
clotheslines? Somehow I'd have to find party clothes and hopefully,
some kind of food other than fruit to still the rumbling in my
stomach. Apples and cherries were great but I'd need more than that
to be well nourished.
     

Chapter Three
    I
figure out how life works on the Destiny.

    Once on the path again, it was a short walk
to the village. As I stepped from the protective foliage of the
orchard I took a deep breath and headed straight to the nearest
store as if I had as much right as anyone to go inside. I wouldn't
buy anything, of course, but maybe I could figure out where
necessities were stored on the Destiny. Then I could return in the
night and steal what I needed.
    I looked around desperately for Wilkes
Zander. If he was around, I wanted to wave and greet him as if I
belonged. But he was nowhere to be seen. The only person in sight
was a little girl of around six or seven with short, blonde hair.
She was sitting on the curb and holding a very fat cat. "Do you
want a kitten? Gracie will have some pretty soon." She held the cat
towards me and pointed to the cat's stomach. "She's pregnant."
    A pet would make hiding more difficult. "I
don't think I want one right now." Her face fell so I added, "Maybe
next time she has kittens."
    Her lower lip trembled. "There won't be a
next time. She shouldn't be having kittens now." Her hands trembled
to match her quivering lip until she had to drop the cat to her
lap. "If I can't find homes for her kittens, they'll have to be …
"
    "No!" I couldn't believe it. The kittens
weren't even born and already they were scheduled for execution.
"Why?" But I knew why. Because the Destiny had a policy. One pet
per family. No exceptions. "I'm so sorry."
    "Please." She held the cat out again, tears
wetting her face.
    I shook my head. "I can't. I just can't." I
felt awful, as if I personally was executing the unborn kittens. "I
wish I could."
    On impulse I picked up the cat and cuddled
her. She was heavy, it wouldn't be long before she gave birth. I
sent up a small prayer that all of her kittens would be adopted,
then I gave her back to the little girl and went