"Do you know who I am?" he asked.
She nodded. "Uncle Garth says I'm not to talk to you." It was a little girl's voice, tremulous.
"Why? What am I, some kind of monster?"
"N-no. You're an outworlder, from a great, wealthy planet."
"Belconti is a very ordinary planet. What's your name?"
"I'm Pia—Pia Vignoli." The voice took on more assurance, but the plump body stayed poised for flight.
"Well I'm Flinter Cole, and I have a job to do on this planet. It's terribly important that I get started. Will you help me?"
"How can I, Mr. Cole? I'm nobody. I don't know anything." She moved away, and he followed, awkwardly.
"Girls know all sorts of things that would interest an ecologist," he protested. "Tell me all you know about stompers."
"Oh no! I mustn't talk about stompers."