Chapter Six – Invisible Cougars in Your Area

Chapter Six – Invisible Cougars in Your Area

“DANIEL
(rolling eyes)
Philosophy is important, Ma. It helps us understand the world.

MRS. CALLAWAY
(shaking head)
No, no, sweetheart. What you need is a solid education in something grounded. Something you can use. Like this handy 3D food printer, by Ceglia!”

–Excerpt from Callaway’s Bunch, AI-generated prime-time drip feed media, 2035

***

Delilah had gone on about… ignorance or some such the night before. It was a lot and she was pretty excited about it, in her own little Delilah way.

Anyway, it was very smart and very philosophical, and I think I forgot about half of it by the time I woke up, and most of the rest slipped by me when I saw Lucy in a short shirt and thigh highs–with the little gap–but some small bits kinda stuck, like shit in a bowl. It was gonna take more than a flush to completely erase what she’d said.

I had the impression that Delilah wouldn’t have been happy about that analogy.

“Are you smiling that much because you’re excited, or is it something else?” Lucy asked

“Just thinking about something Delilah said,” I replied with a dismissive wave. I wasn’t about to explain that joke to Lucy. “Thought it fit this whole situation well?”

Lucy did that cute thing where she tilted her head a smidge, like a curious puppy who didn’t quite get something. I just smiled, then slipped past her and deeper into the Bastion. I decided to exit out from one of the bays in the middle of the ship, just because. It was easier for the smaller cat drones that would keep an eye on Lucy to follow that way.

I think she knew about one of them, but not the other two.

Sure, one was probably enough, but what if someone suicidal made an actual attempt to hurt Lucy? All it would take is a group coming in from multiple angles for a single cat droid to not be enough.

So three it was. One was a bigger model, and two of them were the smaller dumbasses that I’d been using for a while. I wasn’t sure how many I’d bought this far, but there always seemed to be one around the house. It was only strange because I don’t think I’d ever bought one at our place, which begged the question of how they got home.

As we stepped out, I could make out a crowd of students milling not too far away. They were keeping to the far end of the cobbled road from the Bastion, which was probably pretty wise.

“Myalis, can we make sure the point defence on the ship doesn’t shoot anyone if they try something mildly stupid?” I muttered.

And if the thing they attempt is more than mild?

“I mean… a warning shot to start?”
There was a loud and rather ominous ka-clunk from the ship behind and above me.

Primary cannon armed.

“You’re so fucking cute,” I said.

“I think she’s very cute,” Lucy said as she stepped up next to me. “I don’t know what she actually looks like, but I’m sure it’s very pretty. Maybe she has a little bow on top of her… circuit board, or whatever?”

“Your lack of computer knowledge is showing,” I said. Lucy stuck her tongue out at me and poked my cheek in punishment.

Please let Lucy know that I am, in fact, adorable. You may also start adoring me at your leisure.

I didn’t, in fact, tell her that, instead I gestured with a nod towards a familiar face approaching us through the crowd. “Looks like the VC is here to say hi,” I said.

The Vice Principal ran over while adjusting the fit of his jacket. He put on a brave smile as he stopped nearby. “Hello and good morning,” he said. “I’m happy to see you both here.”

“Hey,” I said. “You got here fast.”