By

Brian W. Antoine

Oct 21, 1993

It was lunch time, so I grabbed my sketch book and headed outside while the rest of the people headed down to the lunch room. I'd gotten a call from my old boss earlier in the week about some contract work they wanted to hire me for. So for the next few weeks I was back out at ISC to help them track down a problem they had been unable to solve in-house. Since there were still a couple of people working out there who thought I should be burned at the stake, I found it easier for everyone if I didn't put myself in a situation where I'd have no choice but react to some clown with an attitude. As soon as I was clear of the building, I called to Kalindra.

*Hey, it's lunch time. What have you got cooked up today?*

*Give me a moment. I'll meet you out by the rear parking lot.*

*See you there.*

Not all of my old friends had abandoned me. A couple of them were waiting by the door as I came down the stairs.

"So, you gonna fire up the court for us today?"

I had to chuckle to myself. While a lot of people had run like hell after my secret had been revealed to the world, and others had set out to try to exploit me. Some people had taken it in stride and those where the ones that I got along the best with. A bunch of the basketball fanatics at ISC had got to wondering what the game would be like in zero-G. Now, whenever I was around during lunch time, they asked me to convert the basketball court behind the building to a G-shielded playing field.

"Yeah, why not. You guys gotten all the rules worked out yet?"

"We're getting there. Though we still haven't figured out how to call traveling when it's almost impossible to dribble the ball."

The bunch of us wandered outside and I energized the focus stones that I'd embedded in the corners of the court. A few seconds later, a light red rectangle appeared in mid-air to show the entrance to the zero-G arena. "There you go, try not to get sick this time." Bruce had once made the mistake of playing just after having eaten lunch. Suffice to say that they didn't count the basket his lunch had made when he launched it across the court. I was just sitting down and flipping my sketch book open as Kalindra flickered into existence.

"Hi, hungry today?"

"If that’s chili I smell, I'm starved."

Several of the guys playing in the court behind us, yelled hello to Kal when they spotted her appear. If nothing else, her appearance was a constant reminder to the world of just who and what I was. There were still religious nuts all over the planet that were arguing about whether or not she had a soul. That was of course, when they weren't condemning me to hell or trying to get their followers to strike me down. They'd had a lot more trouble finding people stupid enough to attack me the last few years.

The first year or so after that idiot had jumped from the top of the Parkade downtown, and I'd saved his life, every looney with a bible and a gun had been after my hide. At first, I'd just rendered them harmless and sent them on their way. Trying to explain to your friends why you were now 3 feet tall, your skin was fluorescent green, and the words 'religious fanatic' were glowing on your forehead, tended to keep people who saw you from making the same mistake. The ones that didn't take the first hint, were never seen again. I'd had my share of courtrooms battles where someone tried to prove I'd killed someone. I had made it clear a number of times that 'self defense' and 'show me the body' still were usable defenses in the United States.

The whole thing had started all over again about two years ago when I had escorted Kalindra into the United Nations building. They were still arguing over whether or not she was the ambassador of a foreign power, or some perverted construct I'd dreamed up to annoy them.

"Chili it is." She waved to the guys in the court. "You should have yelled for Smaug. You know how he likes to steal the ball from them."

"Yeah, but they don't appreciate the puncture marks he leaves behind. They also consider 'teleporting' to be against the rules of the game."

"Spoil sports..." She spread a blanket out on the ground and started emptying the contents of the basket she'd packed. "So, does it look like you are going to have much of a problem with their problem" and she flicked her ears towards the building behind me.

"No, Penny and I should have it nailed in a day or so. They've been busting their skulls over a timing problem that only shows up about one a month at customer sites. It trashes the entire machine when it happens, so they figured it was worth my fee to call me in."

Every one of these contracts that I accepted from companies all over the world, had the same price tag. Ten Thousand dollars to me, and One Hundred Thousand to the charity of my choice. Only once had a company tried to back out after the fact. They had objected to the charity I'd chosen. When every computer they had ever manufactured locked up tight as a drum for 24 hours. They had hand carried the check to the charity.

"Who gets the money this time?"

"I think this check will go to the Nature Conservancy. It's been awhile since they got one from me."

The chili was excellent as usual. Kalindra had spent a good deal of time studying how to cook Terran style food. We both had a fondness for chili that was hot enough to melt metal bowls, so she usually fixed a batch at least once a week. After I helped her clean up the mess, I grabbed my sketchbook and flipped it open to the latest creation I'd been working on.

"Still having trouble with the building itself?"

"Yeah, I still can't get the proportions of the tree to the building right. I want it large enough to hold all the people that will be using it, but small enough so that it doesn't dwarf the trees in the center."

"Hummmm... How about floating it closer to the ground? That would let you increase the diameter closer to the ground."

"Maybe, but I can only go so far. Too close to the ground and the local building bigots will start to whine. As long at its obvious that its floating above the ground. They can't call it a building and try to bury me in building codes. Besides, I want enough clearance under it to extend the park in the center outwards. If its too low, anyone walking under it will freak."

"They are going to freak anyway. When you start to accept tenants, and they find out that the receptionist is Velan, you're going to loose a lot of potential tenants."

"That's their problem. I believe there will be more than enough companies around that will find the idea novel enough to sign on with us. Hell, I've already got a couple of architectural firms asking if they can help with the design and be the first to move in. Anyone who has an office in this place will have a lot more visibility then their competitors."

"Speaking of visibility, I got another note from that guy in California today."

"He made it through the filter?"

"Yes, Penny passed it on through. They are still asking me to be the guest of honor at their next convention."

"You ought to go. I can't think of anyplace you'd be more welcome than at a convention for Anthropomorphic Fans."

"He asked for a picture also. If I don't go, they would like to use me as the mascot. It feels funny to think of hundreds of people wearing shirts with a picture of me on the front."

"Make sure you get royalties on everything they sell. Those shirts will be collector items."

"Would you buy one?"

I reached over and gave her a hug. "Why should I? I've got something much better to keep me warm." She laughed, but swatted me anyway.

"Crazy human. You better get back to work. Your friends look like they are about done with their game" and she nodded towards the court behind me.

"Work and slave. That's all you ever want from me to do."

"Just keep up the good work. Your birthday is coming up soon. Maybe all this hard work will pay off and I'll give you a reward."

As I stood up, Kal's tail swung around and she swatted me across the face with it. "I'll reward you, you little vixen!" I made a grab at her tail as she danced away from me.

"I'll see you in a couple of days. I've got some stuff to take care of back home." A second later she flickered out as she teleported to the gate that would take her home. I was still thinking about her when I was interrupted by a shout from behind me.

"Hey, lunch times over. We need to get back to work."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." With a quick check of the area to see if anyone had been crazy enough to try spying on me again, I let the guys out of the G-shielded area. It had been months since I'd caught someone stupid enough try it, but it didn't hurt to keep an eye out for them.