looked like a Hashon squirrel with a big, red,
fluffy tail! He also had a Mindlo as his Third Officer, and strangely
he and Quantros became good friends.
133 It was a strange sight to see the huge Hashon and the tiny Peepian
together, but when they were off duty, they were inseparable, and their
families became like one.
134 One day as North sat in his command chair, going through the
routine work of getting a large Fleet ready to depart, he looked over
to his furry little Communications Officer who was not busy for the
moment, and reading a book. "What are you reading, Communications?"
North asked.
135 The droid looked up. "One of your Poets, sir," it answered, "it's
quite good, though everything has a religious turn to it."
136 "Everything IN our world has a religious turn to it!" North
explained. "I hope you don't take this offensively, but I'm just
curious ....what are you supposed to BE?"
137 The droid took on a puzzled look which amazed North. The facial
expressions they could duplicate were amazing! "Why, I'm Wik-Wik With
The Bushy Tail, the most famous cartoon character my people have.
Haven't you ever seen any of my cartoons?"
138 I.S., who had just returned to the command deck, with the organic
crew's lunch, spoke up. "He can't relate to what you are saying, Wik.
His people have no cartoons!"
139 "NO CARTOONS?" gasped the Peepian droid. "What did the children
watch when they had free time? What gave them joy, what gave them
pleasure?"
140 "Among my people," explained North, "entertainment was not
considered proper. It was a child's duty to learn the religious ways,
to become a productive citizen. We had very little free time, and even
that was directed to sports, and other activities, to improve our
physical