[Vfw-times] story: HEA The Purchase

[Oren Otter]

This story is set in the HEA universe.  The archive of HEA stories can be
found on the Story Island at Otter's Pond.

By the way, the rat in this story is based on my own pet rat, who passed
away last winter.  Though he seems awfully human, I haven't exagurated a
thing.  He really was that amazing.

HEA
The Purchase
by Oren the Otter

	The pet store had been a bustle of activity, lately.  This was a
reasonable expectation, of course.  More and more people were being made to
give up their human possessions, and so they flocked to the store to buy
whatever species-appropriate things would be allowed.
	The little black-hooded polynesian rat stared with wonder out the side of
his little glass cage.  The customers had changed so much over the last
three years.  He liked the big, friendly humans who came to visit every
day, but he had not seen one that actually looked like a human in a long
time.  No, they were looking increasingly more like cats and dogs and
ferrets and mice.  The rat supposed that eventually, they would be
indistinguishable from the real things.
	An man who looked like an otter walked into the store.  He glanced around,
looking for something, or perhaps trying to convince himself that something
he was trying to avoid wasn't there.  He made his way quickly to the
counter, but said nothing until there were relatively few customers nearby.
 In fact, he didn't introduce himself until he and the shopkeeper were alone.
	"Jimmy, it's me." said the otter.
	"Oren?  What happened to your face?"
	"James' smoky friend gave me a makeover so that the spooks wouldn't
recognize me.  It's getting more and more dangerous for me to make these
runs, dead or not."
	The little rat watched the otter with great interest as he talked with the
ferret-faced shopkeeper.  He wished that he could understand human speech.
	The ferret gave the otter a box full of assorted items.  Cans of food, a
few toys, and some strange metalic items which he could not identify.
	"These are compressed air grenades." said the ferret.  "Almost harmless to
solids, but they can blow a plasmoid to kingdom come.  The big one is a
static generator.  It'll keep the enemy from being able to communicate by
radio waves, and from operating most of their equipment."
	"Thanks, Jimmy." said the otter.  "The deadmen owe you big."
	"Just remember me when you win."
	The otter hurriedly closed up the box as another customer came in.  He
hastily switched the subject.  "So... business has been good for you?
Selling lots of animals?"
	"Barely any." Jimmy answered.  "After all, who's going to buy a dog when
in two years, they'll BE a dog?  People are buying lots of stuff for
themselves, but they don't want pets."
	"I noticed that the German Shepherd is gone from the window."
	"That's right, but she didn't get sold as a pet.  A stage four coyote came
in here one day and it was love at first sight.  They're going to the
Carribean for their honeymoon."
	"Two years ago that would have been weird."
	The new customer came up to the counter.  "Hey, Jimmy, any more of those
rats left?" he asked.
	"Just one."
	The little rat saw Jimmy pointing right at him.  The new customer, he
recognized.  He was becoming a cat, and had embraced the ways of the cat.
The rat had seen this monster cruelly devour all of his brothers and
sisters.  He squeaked to the curator to save him.
	"Mmm, juicy!" said the cat as he lifted the lid.  He reached in, only to
have the rat scramble madly backward.  He reached down to grab the
creature, and immediately withdrew his hand when the rat's teeth drew blood
from his finger.  "Ooh, you're gonna pay for that!" he crooned.
	"Wait a minute, there." said the otter.  "Jimmy, you never did tell me,
how much for the rat?"
	"Um... eight fifty, why?"
	"Oh no... this is my lunch!"
	Oren placed a ten on the counter.  "I'll thank you, Sir, to unhand my pet."
	"YOUR pet?" complained the cat.  "Jimmy, you gonna let him do that?"
	"Well, he DID pay for it." replied the ferret, ringing up the sale.
	The otter placed his hand in the cage.  The rat new that there was
something different about this one.  He could smell the hormones of a
predator, and yet, he knew that he was not going to be eaten.  This hand
was turned upward, as if in invitation, not downward, as the cat's had
been.  Cautiously, he crept forward, sniffing curiously.  He decided to
perform a test.  Slowly, carefully, he opened his mouth and placed his
sharp incisors on either side of the otter's finger.  He sensed worry, but
the man did not pull away, nor did he strike the rat for biting him.  The
rat was satisfied with this display of trust and good intention, and licked
the otter's claws affectionately.
	"That's my FOOD!" said the cat again.  
	Oren ignored him.  He offered the rat a piece of nut.  The rat responded
by rolling over like a dog before accepting the tidbit.  Upon accepting it,
he picked up a green food pellet and placed it in the otter's hand.
	"I think he likes you." said Jimmy.
	Oren placed his hand under the rat, who leaned over and allowed himself to
be scooped up.  Oren placed him against his cheek and stroked his fur, and
the rat responded by lifting his head and caressing the giant cheek with
his own.
	"I think he looks like a 'David'." said Oren.  "Do you like that name?
David?  Davy?" 
	"You want a cage for 'im?" asked the ferret.
	"I don't think that will be necessary." He placed David on the floor and
walked toward the door, the rat following him like a puppy.  He even
followed him back to the counter as he backtracked to pick up his box and
his change.
	It wasn't until after they were well away from the store that David felt
something creeping up behind him.
	Oren's arm shot out.  David whirled around to see the cat holding his nose
and staggering.  David shot out and bit the cat on the toe.  Pulling his
foot up, the cat lost his balance and fell on his rump.
	Oren scritched David on top of the head with one claw.  It would be nice
to have such a skillful fighting partner.
	"You're not getting away with this!" yelled the cat.  "I know who you are!
 I'm getting the enforcers!"
	Oren now looked fairly worried.
	David bounded along next to his new friend, wondering what could be
troubling him.  Then one of the clouds appeared.
	David usually liked the clouds.  They were friendly to animals, and
smelled like a spring rain.  This one, however, was different.
	"Oren Verden?" asked the cloud as it hovered in front of the otter.
	"No... my name is Richard.  Richard Dupont."
	The enforcer checked the records which had been committed to his eidetic
memory.  The face of Oren Verden did not match that of the former human
before him.  It did match one Richard Dupont.  Apparently, the one who had
informed him of the whereabouts of the resistance cell leader had been wrong.
	"And this?" he said, indicating the rat with a wisp of plasma.  "This your
son?"
	"Yes." said Oren, without blinking.  "He's a stage six."
	The nacelite seemed to consider this for a moment.  "Very well, then.  Be
on your way."

	* * *

	David's new home wasn't anything like his cage.  It was a little dirty,
but he was allowed to run and play as he wished.  There were many
human-like creatures, and a number of friendly clouds.  They all fed him
and took good care not to step on him.  He did his best to repay their
kindness by being on his best behavior.  He never made a mess except in the
bathroom, where it was expected, and if he found something to eat, he would
always bring it to someone to ask permission before he took it.  And even
though he had a nice, cozy bed to sleep in, his favorite place to nap was
snuggled up in Oren's lap.
	That's how an ordinary rat came to be the most beloved member of the deadmen.

	This story is dedicated to the Memory of David B. Vary, the world's most
wonderful little rat, who was exactly the same as I've described him here.


-Oren the Otter
8=-3
tlhaQ biQ Ha'DIbaH
The Changing Workplace: http://www.geocities.com/duster_skunk/strips.htm