Lately Roger had made himself scarce and whenever she asked the answer was business. Suppliers, maintenance, marketing, whatever. She was pretty sure most of it had been excuses. In the weeks before he had talked to suppliers too, maintenance as well, but that had been a phone call now and then, nothing that required him to actually go somewhere.

  And now he had been gone all night. Just told he needs to get some things organized, and wished her a good night before he left. Meanwhile it had become afternoon, he was still gone, and didn't answer any calls. The loft was quiet, except for the slight hum and hiss of the air conditioning, and she was resting on the couch in lack of more interesting things to do. At least she had a corner now with plants and the couch in between where is was easy and pleasant to waste time.

  It couldn't be long anymore till Roger returned. He had to bring her to the club in time for the makeup, so she'd be ready for the opening ceremony.

  She heard the door open and sat up on the couch, still dozy from the long rest, to see Roger enter with a woman at his side. "Hey Vivian, are you up already?" She heard him call and stood up from the couch, "Roger?"

  "Ah, there you are. Didn't see you right away. Come and meet Tanja, she will help me manage the club", he waved her nearer.

  Tanja didn't outright stare daggers at her, but her gaze was cold enough to send a shiver down her spine. Long, pale blonde dyed hair, a gothic style makeup, and a figure shaping black leather body under a light coat, which she wore open, didn't quite give her a friendly expression either.

  A bit hesitantly she walked over to them, almost certain he had spent the night with this woman, and from what her nose could pick up once she got closer, this was true.

  Meanwhile Roger explained, "Tanja, please meet Vivian, my companion."

  She offered a hand to shake, "Hello Tanja, nice to meet you", just to have her offered hand ignored by Tanja, "So you're the mascot?"

  She tilted her head, hand still held out a moment longer before she let it drop, "I'm acting as mascot for the club, if that is what you mean?"

  Tanja looked her up and down, "I don't like your voice, but I think you'll be good enough as mascot."

  "I'm sorry?" She looked down at the shorter woman.

  Tanja glared up at her, "I said, I don't like your voice, but I think you'll do good enough as mascot. Probably. Roger told me the patrons like to see you dance, so that seems alright. Guess you could do more."

  She was lost for words.

  "Vivian, I need to meet a supplier to talk about details of the next delivery. Tanja, try to be a bit more friendly, Vivian does a good job as mascot and as dancer. And I want both of you alive and well when I return, alright?" Roger gave her a quick pat to her shoulder and Tanja a kiss to her cheek.

  She nodded, "Sure. See you Roger". Her voice lacked all enthusiasm.

  Roger waved and left the loft, "See you!"

  She still stood there, clueless what to do, and Tanja took the chance to walk around her to inspect her from all sides, "Roger has invested several thousand credits in you just because of this 'mascot' idea of his. I don't think you realize what that means if all you do is to laze about all day."

  She turned to face Tanja, "I'm Rogers companion. My job is to give him company. It's not my fault that lately he's away all the time and has me wait here. You just saw it. I've always tried to be a good companion."

  "That's my job now, I'm sorry to break it to you. Starting tomorrow you'll join the cleaning brigade and work with them, refill the bar and if there is other work left to do after that, you'll do that too. I'll send a message around that you're available for other work once cleaning and the bar are done, so don't think you can slack off easily."

  "You cannot force me to work", she refused.

  Tanja wordlessly pulled a ray gun from under her coat, and even that she tried to jump to safety as soon as she saw the gun, her move came to late and the shot caught her. Pain washed over her mid jump, but before she could scream the pain was gone already again, but she was lacking all strength and her landing was just a barely controlled fall and roll over the floor.

  "You shouldn't try to jump if I shoot you. You could easily hurt yourself", she heard Tanja's voice while she tried to get onto her hands and knees, but her muscles felt like pudding without any strength to support her.

  She felt her tail grabbed and yanked and pain shot up her spine, but she barely managed to hiss.

  "See. I can yank your tail till you think your spine rips apart and you can do just nothing about it. So unless you want more of this, you will work. And don't try to report this, I just need to say you tried to attack me and I've acted in self defense. Police won't like to hear you've attacked yet another person," Tanja's voice remained cold as ice.

  Then she heard dial tones from a communicator while she tried to get back on all fours at least, just to drop flat after the first attempt and she just stayed on the floor.

  "Hello Bruno, this is Tanja, the new manager. Yes. No, Roger is busy at the moment, that is why I am calling you. Prepare one of the back rooms for the mascot, she'll stay there for a while. Yes, she needs a place to sleep. No, I can't tell right now for how long. Choose a room that won't be needed anytime soon. Yes. And I need you to fetch her. Yes, right now! I don't care if you are busy, get into the car and come here! Yes. See you soon!"

  Then she was kicked, "Don't play dead. At least crawl onto the couch."

  Meanwhile a little strength had returned to her arms and legs and she managed to sit up on the floor, but didn't spend any effort on getting up onto the couch, "Why shoot?"

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  "To let you understand that management has changed. Some don't understand it by words alone", Tanja's voice was hard as steel.

  "And Roger?" She failed at another attempt to get onto her legs.

  Tanja gestured to indicate all of the loft, "Do you see him anywhere? I'm now the one in charge of the club", and continued after a short break to let her words sink in, "So, once Bruno arrives, you'll fetch your things mascot, and get ready to move to your new home."

  "My things?" She had given up on trying to stand.

  "Clothes, items, hygiene stuff, I don't know what you have. I want nothing left here that belongs to you once you're out of the door."

  She was still sitting on the floor when she heard the door open, and Bruno came in. She rose an arm to wave to him, but soon had to give up, she felt just too weak to keep the arm up.

  "Night cat, are you ok?" He came closer with quick steps.

  "No she isn't, you stupid lump. Help her to collect her items. I want nothing left in this place, which belongs to her. After that, bring her to the club and try to get her into shape again for the evening", Tanja ordered.

  Bruno helped her up from the floor, "Can you stand?"

  "Too weak. Help me. My clothes are in the cabinet over there and in the wardrobe. My sports bag is in the wardrobe too. Brush and hairdryer are in the bathroom. Right, fur shampoo and the toothbrush too."

  Bruno helped her to collect her items, always under the wary eyes of Tanja, "You sure you didn't forget anything? Don't want to ferry your forgotten things to the club, just because you can't think from one moment to the next."

  "I'm pretty sure I have everything," she managed to say.

  "We'll see. Bruno, take the bag, get her to the car and to the club", Tanja ordered and gave her bag a kick.

  With Bruno's help she made it to the hovercar and slumped into the seat, Bruno stored her bag in the trunk and entered the car as well. The club's location was a quick dial on the autopilot.

  "What did you do to fall from grace with Roger?" He asked once the car was driving.

  "Nothing. It's not Roger, I don't think so. Tanja hates me. I'm pretty sure she wants Roger and I was in the way."

  "She hates everyone. She's been in the club earlier today and acted like she owns the place. What did she do to you? I've never seen you so groggy", Bruno asked.

  "She threatened to do it again, if I complain. So don't ask. Just bring me away from her", she was almost begging.

  "I think she shot you with a nerve shocker", Bruno commented.

  "I've said nothing."

  "I get it. Don't want to turn you in to her wrath. I heard nothing", he reassured her.

  They made it to the employee entrance and from there further back, an area where she had not been yet. Still clean, properly lit and with the scent of many people in the air when Bruno opened a door for her, "Room's been unused for a while. I know it's ugly, but it doesn't have to stay that way."

  The room was small, not even three by four meters, without windows. Two light panels in the ceiling shed an unpleasant cool light, and the air smelled of not quite properly working air conditioning. The whole room was empty except for some thicker mats placed in a corner, which she guessed had been brought up from the training rooms in the basement.

  "I've ordered a bed and mattress on Roger's credit, but I don't know if they will be delivered today, tomorrow for sure. A blanket and a pillow too, those should arrive before the evening. It was the best I could do in the short time since Tanja called", Bruno said.

  She nodded, "Thank you anyways, Bruno, it's appreciated. I can sleep a night on the mats, I've seen worse. Maybe I get lucky and the bed arrives before the club closes. Say, are there showers on this level?"

  Bruno shook his head, "Nope, only in the basement, you know, by the training rooms."

  "Right", she nodded, "And I better not need a bathroom in a hurry."

  Bruno chuckled, "Toilets are on this level, you know."

  She laughed a little too, "I'll be the real night cat, stalking the dark corridors of the deserted night club."

  "Ah, don't worry", Bruno rubbed her shoulder, "There are always some of the security team around."

  She took a step closer to hug the big wolf and felt the embrace of his arms as well, "Thanks, Bruno. I'll lay down for a while and try to recover. Call me in time for makeup and the opening ceremony, please?"

  "Sure thing, Vivian. Nerve shock is nasty, but doesn't have any lasting effect. Try to forget Tanja, with some luck people dance with you in the evening and you'll have a good time. Right, food. I guess we need to order food for you?"

  She grimaced, "Look for a pet shop, one which has food for large cats and dogs. Two pounds of mixed meat."

  She felt his hand on her hair and her head slightly pushed backwards so she had to look at him, "Vivian, I can order proper food for you, you know? Just because Tanja has been mean to you you don't need to put yourself down."

  "It's what I eat. I didn't choose this body, you know. I eat meat", she let him know.

  "Sure?" He looked at her with a serious expression.

  "Definitely", she confirmed.

  "Alright, two pounds of mixed meat."

  ----

  It had taken more than an hour to recover from the effect of whatever sort of ray gun Tanja had used and she was now sitting in a chair to get styled for the show. The chair was not unlike the ones that hairstylists used, just with an additional head rest, and the makeup artist was working one her face when a familiar voice sounded up, "I've seen your room mascot, very appropriate."

  It was Tanja speaking and the very moment she opened her snout, Tanja rose a finger, "Don't speak. You know I hate your voice."

  She closed her snout again and swallowed her words.

  "Good, I see you have learned something", Tanja seemed satisfied with her reaction.

  "Now Mister", Tanja addressed the artist, "I don't think you have the right idea here. She's not supposed to be your pretty neighborhood cat girl, but a ferocious predator on stage. I know she is a weakling, but she at least must look like someone strong and dangerous. So step back and let me outline the idea. I can do makeup too. Maybe some day I can even beat some proper posture into her."

  She just closed her eyes and hoped the storm would pass.

  It took what felt like an eternity, and probably was half an hour before Tanja declared, "Guess you can see now what I mean. Complete that and style her like this every day from now."

  She heard footsteps fading and opened her eyes again, the makeup artist carefully rearranging the cloth around her neck, "What was that about, Vivian?"

  "That was my daily dose of 'fuck you in particular', I think. I dunno. I'm her favorite victim or something", she explained.

  "Seems about right. So, I'm supposed to finish that?"

  She nodded a little, "Unless you want your butt kicked better do it exactly as she told you. She's good at kicking butts. And yanking tails."

  "That sounds like you speak from experience", the artist had resumed working on the area from her eyes towards the sides of her head.

  "Yeah, quite painful", she confirmed.

  She closed her eyes again and tried to relax while he continued the work. It seemed he understood that she wasn't in the mood to talk right now and worked quietly, until he let her know, "Vivian, I'm done, do you want to take a look?"

  She opened her eyes and nodded, "Guess I better know what the people see if they come to dance with me this night. Yes, please."

  "There you are", he presented a mirror and moved it left and right so she could see the details from different angles.

  Stylized black flames, which reminded her more of tiger than lion traveled her face from her snout and eyes outwards and upwards. It didn't look bad, but it felt so completely not like her. She didn't even want to fill this pattern with life.

  "Thank you. I think it will look good on stage", she told him anyways.

  He nodded, "Tomorrow I'll do it better. Her groundwork is way too rough, the colors don't blend properly. But today there was just no time to redo it all after she left."

  "It is fine, don't worry. There will be many more days to practice this. Until she has a new idea", she granted him a smile and got up.