'What made you reveal that you've lost your symmetrical fur pattern a while ago?' asked the hostess of the morning show where Minou gave an interview.
The short dress she wore showed the difference in size of her black fur on her lower thighs and her feet.
'It was a very sweet man that convinced me I didn't need it to be attractive and that I could be myself.' she said with a bright smile.
The hostess chuckled. 'That almost sounds like you found a love interest.' she said.
Minou looked at the camera. 'I just might have.' she said and winked.
The next moment in a certain apartment Guy got pummelled with pillows while he kept saying he was innocent.
Even miss Tesha looked suspiciously at him when she brought over the itinerary later. Guy had given up on trying to explain and quietly read it.
'Medical test?' he asked when he read the day's plans.
Miss Tesha nodded. 'To make really sure there are no long term effects on the different species living in close proximity.' she said. 'So far no issues have appeared but we want to keep an eye on everyone for a few years at least. See if there are any changes to the immune system, blood chemistry, hormones, etcetera.'
'And it's at the Administration?' Ara asked.
'Yes, the most convenient place.' miss Tesha said. 'Most contact is there and we have medical personnel from most worlds on the premises.'
Some time later miss Tesha pulled into the driveway to a complex of several buildings four to six storeys high. There was a guard post but she drove right past it.
'They're there in case of emergencies.' she said. 'It isn't really classified what we're doing here.'
She pulled into an underground parking and led everyone to the main building, a wide six storey building with a central flat tower sporting a diversity of antennas. Inside the reception hall she registered everyone and handed out badges.
'As you can see we have personnel from most worlds working here.' she said, gesturing at the myriad of species walking around. 'The most recent addition and first of its kind, a hoofed species you could compare to deer. They were discovered at a dimensional link on Ara's world.'
'So, how does the map look now?' asked Guy.
'Follow me.' said miss Tesha and they went into a large, dimly lit room with several large screens on the back wall and various sections with one or more people working behind their workstations. A three dimensional projection of different coloured spheres in a grid above small globes of each world with lines going up and down between them stood in the middle.
'This is the current map.' said miss Tesha as they approached it. 'You probably have seen it in print, but this is one of the presentations of all known dimensional links on our worlds.' She tapped on a canine's shoulder. 'Charlie, can you show another view?'
'Sure.' he said and turned to the console close to him. 'What you see now are the connections of each link between the worlds.' he said. 'The spheres in the top grid are the dimensional links we know of. Green lines going from world to link and back to another world mean there's no traffic going through, the blue lines with arrows show traffic going in that direction and how far their synchronisation is. If there's something wrong the line would turn red and show the direction of the returning airship.'
He typed a few commands in his console and the world globes were arranged in a wide grid with the link spheres located on them and several lines going from one world to one or more of the others.
'This is the world view where you can see the locations of the links on the globes.' Charlie said. 'You can see how to reach some worlds you need to travel via another one first.'
'What are the yellow lines and spheres?' asked Mami.
'Those are links that aren't active yet.' Charlie said. 'Either because first contact has to be established yet or the worlds are still at the phase of creating a working connection.' He pointed out one link which had lines drawn to a fox dominated world and two yellow globes. 'This is a special one, it seems that link connects between three worlds. They're busy with separating the signals and establishing contact between the worlds.'
'We can choose a representation depending on the situation with this but most people here work with two dimensional views on their workstations.' miss Tesha said. 'Traffic control between dimensions is handled here in cooperation with local traffic control at each world.'
'We're also in the process of linking the various global communication networks together.' said miss Tesha as they left the room. 'You could get online on the grid here and then visit any site on the other worlds. But that will be a while with the different protocols and the amount of bandwidth we can create through the links.'
Miss Tesha continued the tour with a visit to the local server room, which was one node of many spread around the world for redundancy, and a walk around the various departments and training facilities. She ended the tour at the separate medical facility.
'You'll get your examination here, which shouldn't take too long.' she said at the reception hall where a group of nurses waited for them. 'After you're done we'll meet up at the restaurant for lunch.'
'I'm glad you got a male human nurse.' whispered Cani at Guy.
'Why that?' whispered Guy.
'Less chance of another addition to your harem.' whispered Cani and stuck out her tongue quickly.
Guy chuckled. 'I have no plans on adding more people.' he whispered. 'I've got my hands full with you girls already. Literally.'
Mami was the first to return from her examination but she didn't have to wait long before Feli arrived and the rest soon after. Guy was the last to arrive and the girls sniffed at him.
'No, I didn't have any other person, human or otherwise all over me.' he chuckled while the staff at the facility stared at the strange group.
They headed out the door and walked across the green area between the buildings toward the main building and the restaurant there. Miss Tesha had arrived shortly before them and led them along the buffet with all sorts of food and drinks from the various worlds before going to the back where they had a reserved table to themselves.
'Everyone healthy?' she asked.
'They said I had gained a little weight.' Cani said. 'But it's not my fault that Guy's food tastes so good!'
Mami chuckled. 'You're sure it's not all the hours you spend gaming?'
Cani huffed. 'It can't be helped.' she said. 'They often ask for me to play along or do some promotion for a site on the grid.'
'And you, Avia?' asked Ara and chuckled. 'Have you also eaten so much that you can't fly anymore?'
Avia shook her head. 'Everything's good.' she said. 'It's not as much as I did at home, but taking the kids for a short and low flight often keeps me in shape.'
Feli nodded. 'Keep moving regularly and we'll be fine.'
'Well, that isn't a problem for Guy then.' said Mami and almost made Guy spit out the juice he was drinking.
'Mami!' hissed Feli as she pat Guy's back while he coughed. 'We're not alone here!'
Mami grinned a little. 'No one heard that, and there's no one close who doesn't know.'
Miss Tesha kept quiet and sipped her tea.
Back at the apartment they took their time to relax before they'd attend a gathering of more species in the evening. Guy was used as pillow by Mami and Avia while they read, Ara tried making a model of the links with her string and Cani went online to write in her diary. Feli rummaged through her backpack and sighed.
'What is it?' asked Guy.
'I forgot to pack my nail set.' she said and looked at her claws. 'They need trimming.'
'I saw a nail studio a bit left of here in the street, maybe they can do something?' Guy said.
Feli nodded. 'I'll go have a look.' she said and kissed him. 'Be good while I'm gone.'
'Yes, dear.' Guy chuckled.
Downstairs she followed the street until she saw the studio with pictures of various painted nails in the window. Some had a gradient of two colours, other miniature pictures. Feli stepped inside and was greeted by a young woman with several thin black highlights mixed in with her long blonde hair.
'Welcome.' she said. 'How may I help you?'
'Can you trim my claws?' Feli asked, holding up one hand.
'Sure.' she said and gestured to one of the chairs. 'I've done those of several species before.' She took a box from one shelf on the wall. 'I'm Jasna. Most of your species at the IPA know me since they come here too.'
Feli sat down. 'Feli.' she said. 'We're visiting here for a few days so I haven't spoken to many of my species yet.'
Jasna sat down and examined the claws Feli had extended. 'You're going to attend the informal meeting this evening too?'
'Yes.' Feli said. 'You're there too?'
'I've been invited by one of my clients who wants me to meet some of her friends who are interested in doing a little nail, or claw fashion.' Jasna said, filing Feli's claws. 'And maybe there are more things I can do. I've been studying on the care of padding on hands.'
'With more species coming here you'd get more clients.' Feli said. 'Good business.'
'Yes.' Jasna said and smiled. 'I can specialise then.'
Feli looked around at the studio and the pictures on the wall when she noticed Jasna staring out the window. She followed her gaze to see some people passing by and a porcupine species on the other side of the street looking left and right out of the alley, hesitating to walk out onto the street.
'You know him?' Feli asked.
Jasna blushed a little. 'I had a fight with my ex-boyfriend one evening.' she said. 'He was harassing me as I closed up my studio and he wouldn't leave.' She sighed. 'But then he showed up and made himself big with his quills and told my ex to never bother me again.' A soft smile appeared on her face. 'He asked if I was okay but before I could thank him properly he left.'
Feli watched him slip into the electronics store when the street was clear. 'You haven't spoken to him since?'
Jasna shook her head. 'He always disappears before I get a chance.' she said and continued working on Feli's claws. 'I think he looks kinda cute, but I'd be too embarrassed to tell him.'
Feli nodded and continued watching the people pass outside on the street.
When Jasna was done she painted Feli's claws with a light pink and Feli was pleased with the look.
'Now you can attend the meeting safely.' Jasna chuckled.
'I'll make sure the others see it.' Feli chuckled.
She said goodbye to Jasna and walked out of the studio, crossed the street and saw the porcupine leaving the store. He walked up to the alley, looked across the street for a moment, sighed softly and went into the alley. Feli looked at where he had been looking and saw Jasna in the window of her studio wiping the pictures with a rag. 'Aha.' she said and went back to the apartment, hoping the two would get a chance to speak again.
The informal meeting at the IPA was meant to share some thoughts and experiences of everyone in a mixed species environment. It was headed by a brief speech of the IPA director who told about the status of discovery on new worlds and the partnerships built. Afterwards everyone mingled and enjoyed the rich buffet.
Miss Tesha took a moment to say hello before she had to speak to several new arrivals at the IPA.
'Would she ever have a day off?' asked Cani.
'I hope so.' Guy said. 'But I heard most staff here takes long vacations once in a while.'
Several people came up who followed the girl's diaries and soon enough they mingled with the rest of the crowd. Feli saw Jasna showing a colour chart to a canine female and smiled softly, thinking she'd do all right. She excused herself to go to the bathroom and when she returned she saw the porcupine standing alone in a secluded corner of the room.
She walked up to him and smiled. 'Hello.' she said, glancing at the room to confirm he was looking at Jasna again.
He looked up startled at Feli who was a head taller than him.
'Hi, I'm Feli.' she said 'You work here?'
'Ah, eh, yes.' he said, moving slightly back. 'I'm Osgar, engineer. I work on the synchronisation technology.'
Feli nodded. 'Impressive.' she said. 'I don't know much about it but I understand it's complex.'
He nodded.
'I'm sure my friends would want to meet you.' Feli said. 'We're all a little curious about how you make it work.'
'Ehmm..' he said. 'I, don't really do well with other people around me.'
'Ah.' said Feli. 'It gets too busy for you quickly?'
He shook his head. 'It's more that I'd bother and hurt others.' he said and gestured at his quills. 'In my world it's not a problem, but here it's easy to stab people with these sharp things when they get too close.'
Feli nodded. 'A little like how I have to be careful with my claws, only you have your whole back to keep in check.'
He nodded. 'If only I could get rid of those sharp tips.' he said and sighed.
She saw his glance turn toward Jasna again and an idea came to her. She smiled. 'I think I might know a friend who can help.' she said.
He looked up at Feli again. 'You do?'
Feli nodded. 'Could you meet me in the morning at the apartment where we stay?'
'Ehm..' he said.
'Good.' Feli said. 'I'll see you then.' She went back to the others before Osgar could decline.
***
'Good morning!' said Feli when she spotted Osgar at the side of the building.
'Ah, good morning.' he said, looking a little around him. 'I think I'd-'
'Come.' said Feli and walked to the back of the building, beckoning him to follow. 'We'll take a shortcut.'
He sighed and followed her through a couple of back streets until she stopped at a door and knocked on it. A moment later it opened and a surprised Jasna greeted Feli.
'Feli!' she said and smiled. 'Why are you at the back?'
'I'm here with someone I think you can help with his problem.' she said.
Jasna leaned out the door and her eyes grew bigger when she saw Osgar. Osgar gasped and wrung his hands, glancing around.
'I, I'd better go.' he said. 'It's safer if she doesn't get close to me.' He turned to hurry away but his path was blocked by Cani who stood with her arms crossed and smirked.
'You're not going to refuse a possible solution proposed by a charming female friend, are you?' Cani said.
He looked down and sighed. 'But my quills.'
'Which is exactly why we're here, so get in.' said Feli.
He stepped reluctantly inside, glancing only at Jasna to make sure she didn't get too close and she gestured at a stool for him to sit on in the middle of the room.
'I think you can guess what the problem is.' said Feli to Jasna. 'Think you can defuse his prickly situation?'
Jasna blushed a little as she looked at Osgar, then nodded. 'Let me see.' she said and moved towards his back but he shifted away. 'But I don't want you to get hurt!' he said.
Cani leaned closer to him. 'Sit still and she won't!' she said. 'Otherwise it's you who will get hurt.'
He looked down and twiddled with his fingers while Jasna pulled up one quill a little and examined the tip. 'I think I can work on this.' she said, pulled her box of files closer and started rounding off the tip.
After a minute of work the quill's tip was round and it was safe to poke it with a finger. 'There.' she said and smiled. 'That's harmless enough to walk around with.'
'But I have so many quills.' said Osgar. 'It'll take a lot of time to do all.'
'Well, I guess you'll have to talk a lot to fill that time then.' Feli said with a wink at Jasna.
'And don't think you're getting out of this.' said Cani to Osgar with a grin.
He sighed and nodded.
'Think we managed to get them together?' asked Cani when she and Feli walked back to the apartment.
'I think they'll do just fine.' said Feli and smiled.
