ANOTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL down.
Not a good time for a failure to happen. During the Pet Show? No, it should be when they tested all the equipment before putting it all in storage, or when pulling it out to set up the show.
Damien stood. The service aisle between two rows of enclosures was already small, but the boxes and bags of supplies the exhibitors stored there made it even smaller.
His bot reached up with a robotic arm, offering to take the defective controller. Damien handed it over. "And which one is next?"
The bot zipped between his legs and headed in the opposite direction with a fading whistle.
"Right, the glowing cats." Glowing cats that apparently liked things nice and hot, in contrast to Vallory's daubpups who apparently hated high heat.
Just the thought of her brought up her face in his mind. A very nice face, and the rest of her was fine, as well. Including a sharp mind.
He found himself frowning as he moved to the next problem enclosure. Yes, a sharp mind, and sometimes sharp tongue, but there was something else going on there. While she was obviously devoted to the needs of her pets, she wasn't so much to the pet show.
He automatically went through the motions of finding the problem and starting to fix it, allowing his years of working with the station to guide his way. Ah, the connection to the station facilities had degraded. How odd. Testing should have spotted the problem before pets were even put in the enclosure.
One part of his mind continued the repair, while the other side mulled the problem of Vallory Schist. The repair was more straight forward. The issue of Vallory proved more challenging. The pets belonged here at the show. Cute, lovable, a little mischievous. The attendees would love them.
Was Vallory here out of a sense of duty? Because breeders tended to do shows like this to show off new pets or breeds, whether or not they were for sale? If so, there were other avenues to get word out. She didn't have to come here. Considering the expense of attending, even doing smaller shows on whatever her home planet was would have worked better.
Which brought to mind something else. Did she even have a home planet?
"I have a home. It's here," Damien murmured. His bot gave him a firm bloop of agreement. He grinned. "Glad you agree."
He didn't even try more names with his bot. He'd tried all morning to no avail. How embarrassing to be reduced to looking up baby names in an effort to find a name. Why did it bother him, anyway? He'd gone how many years without his bot having a name, and now he was looking up lists of baby names to try out? If he were looking through those types of lists, it should be to look up baby names for a coming baby.
He clamped that thought down so hard that his hand flexed on a circle of metal. The sharp edge cut into his hand.
He took a deep breath and forced his hand to open. A trickle of blood came from the fleshy part of the palm under the thumb. His bot moved in close, erupting with worrying noises.
"It's fine," he automatically told it. One day it would happen. One day he would find someone to share that life with him. To set up a home and start a family.
One thing he knew for certain, it would not be with Vallory Schist, the self-proclaimed nomad.
Her voice came drifting over the sound of the crowds. Vibrant and clear. And angry?
Damien finished reattaching the environmental controls, pleased to find his scanner showing it working. The temperature ticked upwards a fraction of a degree.
He stood, trying to determine the direction of her voice. Why angry? Other than in a hurry, she'd been in a good humor this morning. Perhaps someone was messing with her pets? They weren't far from her enclosure. Just down the service aisle a bit.
His bot tapped his hand with a metal hand. Damien glanced down, realizing he still held the defective part. He let his bot take it. It headed off down the aisle towards their waiting cart.
More raised voices, of which one was Vallory. Despite himself, he found himself heading towards her enclosure. If someone were giving her grief or bothering her daubpups, they would find that both of them had another protector.
Oh great. When did he start thinking like that? Not good.
And yet, he still continued on his way, unable to stop himself.
He slipped out of the narrow aisle next to her enclosure. The public aisle on the other side was still full, but there was an empty area around a small group with Vallory in the center.
She held a daubpup, the one that was the color of an old-fashioned penny. Wasn't that the name of the creature, as well? He couldn't remember. She'd talked to several of the animals the last time.
"Just what are you trying to say, Mr. Pyman?" Vallory challenged.
And challenged beautifully. Pale skin with spots of red on her cheeks. Leaning forward with her shoulders, feet planted firmly, placed under her shoulders as if ready to fight or dodge either direction. He had a feeling she would have had her fists on her hips if she wasn't carrying Penny.
"Now, now. We don't need to do this here," Ms. Mishley said, standing to the side. The woman looked like a regular exhibitor, with a nice gray suit against which her pets would display well, complete with a conservative skirt and flat shoes.
Then there was Vallory. She really didn't look like any of the other exhibitors. Not with her long flaring skirts, salmon-colored shirt with a dainty golden crocheted over-shirt. And yet, it fit her well. He tried to imagine her in a gray or dark-blue suit and failed utterly.
"What am I saying?" Mr. Pyman's voice raised a tick. "That every time another pet enclosure is found empty, here you come a few minutes later."
Other exhibitors loosely ringing the smaller inner group murmured agreement. Obviously, other's had noticed.
"I have meetings," Vallory said, her voice rising to meet his. The daubpup in her arms squirmed, as if wanting to escape the conflict. Damien didn't blame it.
"Has another pet gone missing?" Damien asked, leaning against the edge of her enclosure. He purposely kept his voice calm.
Mr. Pyman glared at him for only a brief moment before returning his full attention to Vallory. "One last night, one this morning, and now another just before the show ends for the day. And every time, here she comes, trailing after." Mr. Pyman's ample chin jutted forward, jiggling the second chin under it. "Coming back to see how everyone reacts to your handiwork?"
Vallory's sharp intake of breath was short and small, but easily heard in the sudden silence around them. Her skin went even more pale. The daubpup in her arms let out a squeek, and he saw her forcing herself to loosen her grip.
"You're accusing me of being the thief?" Vallory's asked, the words shaky. With more control, and her anger rising again, she nearly shouted, "I am not a thief!"
"I'm not sure how you came to that conclusion at this point. From what I understand, the investigation is still ongoing," Damien said before she could say anything more.
Mr. Pyman gestured angrily at her. "I just told you why! Who else could it be?"
"Plenty of people. Security created a special team to look into it," Damien said. He pushed off the corner of the enclosure and also gestured towards Vallory, but specifically towards Penny. "To me, it looks like she had an escapee today?"
She nodded at his question, hugging Penny tighter. "This is my group's escape artist."
"Simple explanation," Damien said.
"Yes, yes," Ms. Mishley said, wringing her hands together as she looked between the two nervously. "I have an escape artist myself."
Some of the others didn't look so convinced. The situation needed diffusing and fast. This wasn't an argument to have in the open with visitors all around them. He should probably get Security over here to break it up. In fact, they should have already noticed. What was wrong with Security this year? No wonder pets were disappearing if this was their response time.
He froze. Something was pulling at his pant let. Another of her pets escaped?
Only, it wasn't one of the other pets. This one was so much smaller. A baby? He didn't remember a baby from the day before.
"Simple? This is the third time!" Mr. Pyman shouted.
But, the doubt had been put into the crowd around them. Two left while two others started talking to each other, nodding their heads.
"I am not a thief," Vallory shouted back. "I was looking for Penny."
Well, at least he'd remembered the daubpup's name right. "Uh, Vallory."
"And if you have an issue with me, take it up with security," Vallory continued.
The creature on his leg reached his knee. He deepened his voice and said with the same tone he used when coaching the Fifth Ring Youth League soccer team, "Vallory."
She responded the same as his team, giving him her full attention. He pointed down at the baby that was now making headway on scaling his thigh. How was it doing that? He could feel the movements, but no claws. Or maybe its claws were still tiny enough to not go all the way through the fabric of his pants?
A corner of her mouth tried to quirk into a smile. "Let it climb. Daubpups love to climb and I don't want to ruin the learning experience."
He was now a learning experience?
"Don't divert the subject," Mr. Pyman said, his voice still loud. His face was well on the way to turning a bright rosy red.
"What subject?" Vallory demanded. "You accuse me of being a thief but have no proof." She hugged Penny. "I have proof I had to find my missing daubpup. The subject is done."
Mr. Pyman took a step towards her. "Look at you. You aren't even dressed like an exhibitor. Why are you really here if not to steal pets?"
"Now, now," Ms. Mishley said, the wringing of her hands growing more frantic. "No need to do this. Really. She had a missing pet herself, Noah."
"I wasn't aware there was a dress code here. Should I go to the principals office?" Vallory taunted.
Okay, this needed to end. Yes, she could defend herself, but Ms. Mishely was right. This was not the time or the place. He ignored the little voice inside him telling him that he was motivated by something else. Such as wanting to protect her.
With the baby now up to his waist, he felt safe enough to move. At least, slowly. His movement was notice, and not just by Mr. Pyman. He must be glowering to judge by Ms. Mishley's quick step back and her nervous expression.
Mr. Pyman didn't back up, but then Damien hadn't expected him to. Mr. Pyman wasn't the type.
But then, neither was Damien. Not since a teen. He took a step forward, putting himself in Mr. Pyman's personal space. The man took an involuntary step back, and then his eyes flashed in annoyance as he realized what he had done.
"The show is still open, and we are blocking the attendees," Damien said, keeping his voice firm, but not loud. He didn't need to be loud to get across the words. "This ends now. If you have an issue with Ms. Schist, then take it to security."
His authority may have been diminished by the humming baby daubpup that was now nuzzling his ear. But, he kept his gaze steady and clear, his shoulders back and legs planted.
Mr. Pyman took another step back, having received the signal. He looked past him to Vallory for one brief moment before turning on his heel. He said over his shoulder, "Consider this reported, Ms. Schist."
With his departure a collective sense of relief went through those still remaining. Other voices rose in conversation, and the milling crowd started to move again.
"Oh, thank you," Ms. Mishley said, taking one of his hands into her cold ones. "It was not going well."
"No, not at all." Only then did Damien see the dark-blue suit of one of the security guards. Mr. Pyman would not be the only one to have a word with them. "Did I hear it correct? A third pet-napping?"
"Oh yes. Right in the middle of the crowd." Ms. Mishely's eyes went wide and she glanced down the aisle, whispering, "No one knows how they could have done it, and the security cameras show no one leaving the building with it. Everyone is worried over their pets."
"I would like to see them try for Penny. There isn't a cage that can contain her." Vallory tried to smile, but it didn't go all the way up to her eyes. The bright red spots on her cheeks were starting to fade, leaving her looking pale and wane. She opened the front main door of the enclosure and set Penny inside.
Penny whirled around to come right back out, to be blocked by Vallory's hand. "Oh, right. Her baby."
"Which I have here with me." Making love to his ear. Trying to be as careful as he could, Damien reached up for the little humming bundle as he knelt next to Vallory.
This time her smile was genuine, infusing her entire face. She reached up to help release its hold from his ear. "Like I said, they love to climb."
"And hum."
She set the baby inside. Such a small thing, barely bigger then her hand. It immediately climbed onto the top of Penny's back. Penny turned her head to nuzzle the baby. Vallory sat back on her heels and quickly closed the door.
"And safely back inside," she said, her voice full of relief.
"How did she get out?" Damien asked. "Do I need to repair something while I'm here?"
His bot echoed the question with a whistle. Ah, so the little guy had finally arrived to gaze adoringly at its new friend. Vallory let a hand drop to the top of his bot and stroke it as if she would the fur of the daubpup. Soft gentle hands. Ones he would like…
He clamped down on that thought hard.
Vallory shook her head, even as a light blush went through her face. Had she picked up on his thoughts? "The enclosure is fine. As far as I know there is nothing to repair."
He helped her rise to her feet, liking those hands in his. Warm, unlike Ms. Mishley's.
Ms. Mishley. The sound of the crowd came rushing back. The older woman was standing right next to them as the crowd started moving by behind her.
"While you are here, perhaps you could check the lock of my enclosure?" Ms. Mishley glanced nervously at the crowd flowing easily down the wide aisle. "Just in case the thieves decide to come back?"
"Not a bad idea, but not my specialty. I can put in a request for one of my co-workers to come down," Damien offered.
Ms Mishey gave him a pleased smile, even though obviously still nervous to judge by the way she held her hands tightly together. "Oh yes. That would be wonderful. Thank you, young man."
"It's been a long time since I've been called that," Damien said as Ms. Mishley joined the crowd to head back to her enclosure.
"Why not? You are young." Vallory gave a sigh and he realized her attention had returned to her animals. The other daubpups in the enclosure came over to sniff at the baby, or even to rub noses with it. "Maybe I should separate them. I'm not sure how this works."
That comment he couldn't let go. "You are the breeder. How do you usually deal with babies?"
"Well, that's the point. No one has successfully bred them. No one has ever even seen a baby or juvenile."
What the… "No one? How are you going to increase the number so you can sell?"
Another flush of color, but this time deeper and accompanied by a worried expression. Which didn't make sense at all.
This didn't make sense. Mr. Pyman's annoying accusations echoed through his head. Unable to stop himself, he demanded, "Why are you here if not to sell?"
Any reply was lost in the reaction of what came next. The crowd, the exhibitors, and a substantial number of the animals started complaining. Complaining loud and long, with some of the howls from the animals causing his eardrums to cringe.
The stench had returned, and this time it was hitting the Exotic Pet Show.