Stray Cat Strut

Chapter Forty-Nine - Back Stage Story

Chapter Forty-Nine - Back Stage Story

Chapter Forty-Nine - Back Stage Story

The Hug series was a complete fluke. So, we had this series the, ah, I think they were called the G-13s? They were these sexbots that looked like... anyway, so theres this law that passed that made making bots that looked like theyre not adult-appearing illegal, so we just had this whole warehouse full of these, right. We stripped them of the valuable parts, but the chassis and control units were all still there. So then one of our techies is like... why not turn them into something else?

Within two weeks, the warehouse was empty and we had six thousand Hug Bot Ones on backorder. It was nuts!

--Interview with Jim Jimerson, CFO of General Stability, 2045

***

Come on, we can make ourselves a bit comfier inside, Lucy said with a thumb pointed over her shoulder. I followed her into the store that shed apparently continued to remodel into a small headquarters while I was gone. There were more tables up, with stations along one side with a jumbled mix of laptops and VR stations. A small armoury had sprouted up as well, a place for people to hang guns and gear onto repurposed clothing racks. The wall between the store Lucy took over and the next one over had been ripped apart, and we walked through to find the other side turned into a more private break room, the walls covered in discount carpets nailed to the ceiling and taped onto the windows to make the place a little darker and cozier.

Folk in the official kitten uniform (a pair of what looked like 3d-printed cat ears) were taking breaks next to water coolers, and they had a small eating area set up.

My office is at the back, way over there, Lucy said with a careless gesture. But I never really use it.

Uh-huh, I said. This is... a lot to set up in one day.

Nah, this wasnt too hard. I have my pick of good people to choose from here. Lots of folk want to help. Even more people want to not feel useless. I just had to sort through, find some people that had the right skills, then sort through those until I found people that were also passionate and smart. Then the rest was easy.

Uh-huh, I said.

Smart, passionate people are usually stuck in their own little areas, I think, Lucy said. She tapped her chin, which she always did when philosophising. I think that a lot of the smartest, most passionate people want to do a lot of things, but they dont have a choice in what they do. They need jobs, they need to work to get food and a place to stay. So their smarts poof away and their passion dies out. But hey! This city is a disaster right now, so no ones got a job anymore, and that means those same people can actually be of use!

I noticed Manic nodding along next to me. You get it, she said. Met plenty of incredible artists in my day. Most of them give up. You cant eat inspiration and you cant live with nothing to keep you warm but passion, not for long. Sucks, but thats the world we live in.

What about you? I asked.

She shrugged. I followed my passions and rocked out when inspired. Got lucky a lot, enough to keep clothes on my back and food in my stomach, but I think I always knew it wouldnt work out forever. I... guess thats changed a little, now.

I guess so, I said. Maybe you can use some of those points you earned today to help other musicians?

Oh, youre a musician? Lucy asked. Thats hot! Ive always told Cat to learn how to play the guitar so that she can serenade me.

I literally only had one arm, I said.

Ah, but your fingering technique is so good, Lucy purred.

I turned my head away, then remembered that I still had a helmet on, no one could see my blushing. Lucy, of course, knew anyway.

So, hungry? Lucy asked with a glance at Manic.

I am. Howd you know?

Magic, Lucy said with a wink. Ill get the cook to prep something for us real quick. How about you sit back and maybe get a guitar out? We dont have much by means of ambient music in here.

Manic shrugged, then walked over to an unoccupied table. Jennifer very notably didnt move from one step behind me.

What are we going to do about you? Lucy asked Jennifer. I dont think you can eat, can you?

Only if youre using eat as a euphemism, Jennifer confirmed.

Right, no. I dont know if this is racist or something, but Im not really turned on by sex bots, I dont think. I like my sex a bit... fleshier. Although, I wonder where Mister Tentacles falls on that spectrum? I guess my preferences are less a hard rule and more a sliding-scale-of-bot-fucking, and you happen to fall outside the part of that scale Im comfortable with. Lucy nodded, clearly pleased with herself.

You mentioned a cook? I asked.

Oh, right, Lucy jumped and spun, then headed out towards yet another blown-out wall. How big had they turned the Kittens headquarters? So, hes more of a chef, really. Some Michelin Many-star place in towns main chef guy. I think hes actually enjoying working with canned trash food. Its like, a challenge or something. And it all comes out tasting pretty good.

You ate already? I asked.

Mhm, a bit ago. But I can spoon feed you while you catch me up and I do the same for you? Youve been out of the city for a few hours, yeah?

Yeah, I said. We met the chef, who was busy behind a small office-divider with two others. They had camping stoves out, with pots full of boiling water and opened cans stacked up to one side. Lucy ordered a pair of whatevers ready soon and then we were heading back the other way.

What are your plans for Jennifer back there? Lucy asked.

Ah, I found her in an abandoned apartment building. Didnt feel right to leave her behind. So I kind of kidnapped her. She probably has an owner somewhere. Decent odds that theyre still alive, but I havent made any effort to find them.

Well, Jennifer, if you need a job in the meantime, just let me know, Lucy said.

I am obligated to return to my master if at all possible.

And if you dont want to? I asked.

Im not programmed to not want to, Jennifer said.

Well, thats a pickle, Lucy said. Theres no free will mode you can activate?

They patched that out, Jennifer said.

I shook my head. This was delving into moral quandaries that I was entirely unready for. Thats fucked up. Maybe Myalis can unpatch that for you? Uh, assuming your first free-will choice wont be to murder us all? Wait... Why did you want to keep her around in the first place?

I keep all the cute lost things you bring me, Cat, you know that, Lucy said. She looked to Jennifer. So, want a job, or not? Its fine to say no, not like you take up much space.

I would like a job, Jennifer said after a moments pause.

Nice, Lucy said. Can you take notes for me? Well get you dressed up in a nice pinstrike and one of those skirts secretaries wear. What are those called?

Pencil skirts? I asked.

Yeah, those are the ones. Ill send someone to find something in your size, and you can stand next to me and be my eye candy while Cats not around.

I rolled my eyes. Speaking of, didnt I leave you with a few guard cats?

Theyre in stealth mode, Lucy said. Intimidating people is cool, but being intimidating tends to only work on the people I need to approach me, and those I need to scare off are a lot more ready for trouble.

The chef called out to us, then sent someone running over with a tray that had a dozen little plates on it. Hed cooked up what looked like tiny portions of rice and beans, with some sort of fish looking thing on top. The proportions were all tiny, but there were a lot of little plates.

Come on, you can tell me what you were up to. I heard through the grapevine that you blew up a couple of buildings?

Yeah, thats where I found Jennifer. Before the blowing up happened. Turns out theres a long tunnel from the edge of downtown all the way to the lake. So were going to have to deal with that soon.

Think theyll continue to come? Lucy asked.

As long as were a threat, yeah, I said. And I think the aliens think that anything thats tasty and which doesnt immediately jump into their stomachs is a threat. I think tonights either going to be real quiet, or the exact opposite.

I stifled a yawn. I hadnt quite realized it, but I was getting tired. How long had I been up for? Not... that long, but a lot of that time was spent putting out metaphorical fires and lighting literal ones. I could use a nap, basically.

I suspected that I wouldnt get the opportunity.

***