Free The Unscheduled Mission by Jonathan Edward Feinstein Page A

primate,” Park explained. “Just like the rest of us. I’m not sure just what branch of the tree this one fell off of, but he’s probably descended from a monkey or a lemur, although by now it’s a wonder he exists at all. We should take some pictures of him, so the biologists can take their best guesses about him.”
    “Why can’t we bring him back with us” Marisea asked, picking the small primate up in her arms. The creature made a soft, happy-sounding noise.
    “I don’t think we would be doing him any favors,” Park told her. “We don’t know how he lives, or what he likes to eat. Best to let him go.”
    “Aww,” Marisea sighed. “I’m sorry, Cousin. You’ll have to stay here.” She put him back down on the ground and he rubbed up against her tail in a cat-like manner. “That tickles!” she laughed.
    Just then Iris and Sartena came back from a short expedition. “We got some pictures of the oddest wading animals in the marsh nearby,” Iris remarked. “Postmammals, I’m sure, but they   looked a bit like wildebeests. What’s this?”
    “This is Cousin!” Marisea introduced the small primate. “Park won’t let me keep him.”
    “Are you sure that’s a him?” Iris asked, taking a closer look. “I don’t think so. Maybe you should call her ‘Sister.’”
    “Maybe she shouldn’t call her anything,” Park cut in. “This isn’t a pet, it’s an undomesticated animal even if it is vaguely related to us.”
    “Related?” Sartena asked. “Oh, look. Hands! I’ve never heard of an animal with real hands.”
    “It sort of argues that Earth really is the one and only birthplace of Man, doesn’t it?” Dannet commented.
    “I never really accepted the multiple origins hypothesis,” Sartena admitted, “but Cousin here is not really strong evidence against it, although she is proof that humans must have originated here. It just doesn’t mean this is the only place.”
    “Oh, come on!” Dannet protested. “Have any animals with hands been found on any other worlds? Park, we have to take this little lady back with us.”
    “Look, I understand this could be an important discovery,” Park told him, “but would it be the best thing for Cousin here? I don’t think so. Take pictures, measure her hands and skull if you must, but she’s going to be best off here in her natural environment.”
    “Doing what?” Marisea asked, poking her hand out for Cousin to shake again.
    “Living,” Park argued. “She deserves to have a mate and children and live whatever constitutes a long and happy life for her kind.”
    “I think she might be a burrower,” Iris remarked. “The nails on her fingers are thick and broad. Good for digging but not adapted for tree-climbing.”
    “There aren’t any real trees around here,” Park pointed out, “just a bit of scrub, but I imagine those nails might also be good for opening nuts or peeling fruit.”
    “Let me see your teeth, Cousin,” Iris crooned at the primate, reaching toward her mouth carefully. If the critter was nervous about the much larger people it did not show it and allowed Iris to open her mouth. “Her dentition looks omnivorous, although maybe with a tendency toward meat eating. She’s definitely not an herbivore. Her front teeth are too sharp for that and her molars are a bit small. She can eat seeds and fruit, but she can eat meat if she finds it.”
    “Maybe insects?” Sartena suggested.
    “Possibly,” Park considered. “Chimps ate termites when they could. They were a valuable source of protein. I haven’t seen many termites, but there are quite a few land-dwelling crustaceans around here and they’re a bit larger than the ant-type we saw in the mountains. I think our little lady here dines on crab salad on a regular basis.”
    “Raw and without dressing,” Iris remarked. “Hopefully she won’t invite us over to her place. But, you’re right, Park. She belongs here. Too bad though, she’s really cute.”
    They stayed