“I’m not panicking, I’m watching you panic. It’s more entertaining.”
This was the first time she’d been locked in a room with a human. While it did bring people watching to new and increasingly intimate levels, it did rather limit the options, should said human start lashing out.
As it was, this one seemed to like saying ‘okay’ a lot.
“Okay… Oh….kay. Okay, okay, okay. Okay. Okayokayokayokayokayokay… Ooooohhhhhhh… Kay. Okay. I can handle this. I’m okay. Okay.” The human seemed to notice Jaka for the first time and said, “It’s goin’ tae be all righ’. No need tae panic…”
“I am not engaged in activity - panic,” said Jaka. “I am much more entertained by your panic.”
“Glad I can help,” said the human. “I go by Shayde.”
“Jaka,” said Jaka, shaking her hand. She was trembling. “Are you feeling cold? I am assured this is optimal temperature.”
“Aye, it’s that.” jiggle jiggle jiggle. “I don’t like small rooms. I really don’t like small rooms.” She dropped to a whisper so she could mutter, “…keepittogether, keepittogether, keepittogether…”
“This is unusual, so far from Sol.”
“No’ me fault. Bunch'a reet bastards dropped me off in here. Cannae go for’d… cannae go back… in more ways than one. I’m sorta kind'a a little bit stook. An’ na ’m stook werse.”
Jaka took off her info viewer and put it on display mode. “Here is map of service crews. They are coming to fix the problem. See? All little orange dot. Friendly orange dot. Friendly red dot, also. Coming to help. They has excellent sedative for you. Fun sleep.”
Shayde’s obsidian nail picked out a rainbow dot. “And one JOAT on me side. Ee! 'E’s gone in tae the vents. Poor bugger’d have tae shapeshift. I’m no likin’ this bill…”
“I’ll accept payment in baked goods,” said an almost-cat inside the ventilation grille. It carried a plastic blow pipe.
“Rael! Aw yer a sight fer sore eyes. This is Jaka. She’s nice.”
“Stop trying to fix me up with a date and let me have a clear shot at your jugular.”
“Don’t tell me… repairs are goin’ tae take more'n a bitty while.”
“Hours,” said Rael, readying the blow pipe.
Shayde pulled aside her hair. “Stand back. I go down like a brick.”
If Jaka had one complaint, it was that the human was not allowed to panic for longer. Hours in a dim veet, watching a human sleep were not as fun as the minutes watching her fear reactions.
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