I was homeless when the Cat Distribution System recruited me. Camped under a bridge alongside the old canal, I shared my food and blanket with some homeless kittens.
âYouâre a good personâ a voice said.
I jumped and clutched my blanket, backing up against the concrete. âLeave me alone! I donât have anything to steal.â
âSorry to startle you. Iâm here to offer you a jobâ
âYou donât know anything about me.â
The stranger indicated the kitten nose-down in a nearly empty tuna can. âIâve seen what i need to see.â
âWhatâs the job? I wonât do evil.â
âKitten smuggling. We get them to a safe country, find them homes. Subsidised accommodation but a lot of travel.â
That was six months ago. If youâre on a train, plane or suborbital and you see a kitten poking its nose out of a human or augmented humanâs jacket, no you didnât.