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“The course should be clear until we pass by the Reiso galaxy. Thanks. I have some business to handle.” He got up and headed for the door.

“I’ll hail Scala if I need to,” Payim replied as Aculus left the bridge.

“Where’s Nadzia?” he spoke as he walked, then noted her location on his comm.

With the subdermal tracker she received during their Earth mission, he could locate her anywhere, although he tried to not invade her privacy. The key word being try.

Six

Random Act of Kindness Gone Awry

Nadzia

“You sure you don’t want anything?” she asked as she stood in front of her mother’s quarters.

“No, sweetie. I know the Osivoire say we can whip up whatever we want, but it still feels odd.”

“Okay. Enjoy your nap, Mom.”

She headed down the hall toward the ship’s commissary, where her new clothes and anything larger than a plate of food were replicated.

“Hello,” she greeted the Osivoire crewman as she entered.

“Matron Nadzia,” the bony man bowed his head in greeting. “What can I assist you with? Some clothing or something for your hair?”

“No. I need some special items.” She grimaced, trying to think of how to describe what she wanted.

“As our guest, you’re permitted anything you’d like.”

“Thanks. Okay. First I need a square box about this big and this high.” She held out her hands to demonstrate the size.

“What should it be made of?” the crewman asked.

“Something waterproof. And I’ll need enough sand to fill it.”

“Very good. Just a moment.” He input the information into the computer console. “Next?”

“I’d like a stick, about the length of my arm, with fuzzy feathers attached to one end.”

The crewman glanced up at her wearing a funny expression.

“It’s for the stray Aculus picked up. Cross my fingers the little panther can be litter trained.”

“Ah. That is kind of you. The items should be done momentarily.”

“An adjustable harness a leash can attach to is also necessary. That poor thing has been cooped up in his quarters way too long,” she added.

“I think I can come up with something better than a tether. But what kind of harness will you need? I haven’t seen the little beast yet.

“Tarsus is about this big around the neck and chest.” She made a circle with her fingers. “But he’s going to grow. And don’t make it metal ‘cause he’s got baby skin still, but the material will need to be strong with those pin teeth of his.”

“Understood.” The Osivoire man nodded as he entered things into the computer. “I’ll make it so there’s no physical tether. Tarsus’ range will be controlled with a standard comm.”

“That’s a great idea. You know, speaking of pin teeth, let’s make Tarsus a chew toy. It needs to be about like a bone or a baton, but made out of some rubbery flexible material,” she explained.

She recalled seeing videos of lions playing with dog toys and figured the mini panther would like it.

“How does this look?”