"Unauthorized ship arriving at Bay 30. Ako sat straighter. The ship's origin was Tremulos, a system inhabited by clonal aliens. His pin badge collection hung on the wall beside him, one for each port he'd visited; he hadn't been to Tremulos yet. He hoped to get that promotion soon and visit systems farther out, like Tremulos, while he trained other spaceport controllers."
"Alarming scenarios rushed into Ako's mind and he notified security as he kept trying to raise the pilot. Security swarmed Bay 30, weapons ready. When the ship docked but didn't open or respond to security's commands, Ako sent a hangar robot to open the door, and security entered the ship. Ako sat forward, staring at the gaping ship door, hardly breathing."
"Moments later Ako stood inside the ship, staring at what appeared to be dozens of small aliens but was really one Tremulo. A child, according to security, with development equivalent to a human preschooler, and no alien adult on board. The Tremulo was all knobbly knees and elbows and skinny bodies connected by thin filaments. Each one had a pair of large eyes staring up at Ako."
Ako, a spaceport controller, notices an unauthorized ship arriving from Tremulos and cannot contact the pilot. Ako and colleague Cara notify security, which swarms Bay 30; a hangar robot opens the docked ship after it fails to respond. Security discovers a lone Tremulo child aboard, described as a clonal organism resembling an aspen grove with many connected bodies, development equivalent to a human preschooler, and no adult present. Security reports having contacted the parents, who are on their way but delayed. Ako feels alarm and curiosity and thinks about promotion and visiting Tremulos.
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