Provisional Title: Sqid in the maintenance shop
2022-04-04

Did Florence pass her tests?

She did. She didn't do as well as I did, but I have more experience as a technician.

So
she's in?

I MIGHT be able to get her in. There's still the issue of paying an A.I. the same as
a human.

I pay the A.I.'s working for me more than I've ever paid a human.

Sam, stop trying
to make your evil sound good.

2022-04-06

This has an easy solution.
Hire Florence. She'll be
the first A.I. in a union.

Sell the N.F.T. of her union card. That should pay her salary for as long as we're here. You'll effectively get a good worker for free.

You are an underhanded sneak.

You're going to use my idea.

Darn it! Yes.

NFT - a now-fashionable crypto-asset that mimics possession of digital or physical property. Sam offers to sell a photo of Flo's union card for a lot of money because of its supposed uniqueness.

Provisional Title: Sqid in the maintenance shop
2022-04-08

Let's go, Helix. We still need to talk to Florence at the spa.

Good luck with that. Clothes aren't allowed there. You won't get in wearing an environment suit.

Nice of her to tell us. Let's swing by the ship and grab my breathing mask and shower skeleton.

Is that a good idea? Humans react badly to seeing you out of the suit.

That's planet dwellers. Spacers are a hardier breed. Besides, what's the point of having tentacles as fine as mine if you don't get to show them off once in a while?

2022-04-11

I really don't like the idea of going to a nude spa, but a promise is a promise.

The Convenient Censer

At least the name is somewhat comforting.

2022-04-13

You're here!

Ma'am! You're required to wear clothes in the lobby.

Don't pay any attention to that stick in the mud. My friends are dying to meet you!

I kept my promise of meeting her at the spa.
It's not too late for me
to run.

This way. Come on, Come on!

2022-04-15

Put your finger on the black square and the locker will open. Not working? No worries. I've got it.

Isn't this liberating? You probably haven't walked around naked since you were a puppy.

I never walked around naked as a puppy. I wore a collar.

Then this will
be even more liberating.

2022-04-18

People are staring
at us.

That might be because of you.
I'll fix it.

This is Florence! She's a Bowman's wolf!
She's perfectly safe and doesn't bite!

Now EVERYONE
is staring
at us.

I know. Isn't
it nice to be
the center
of attention?

2022-04-20

Tess! You must be Florence. I'm Al and this is Nettie.

Al. That's your name of the week?

Short for Albert.
I'm identifying as a twentieth century German physicist.

Last week she was Ms. Hikikomori and no one could get her out of her room.

You have eccentric friends.

I do. That's why I'm introducing you to the normal ones first.

2022-04-22

You don't need the towel. We're all naked here. You don't have anything we haven't seen before.

Actually, she does. Her skull is unique.
I haven't seen hips and legs like hers before. The modifications to the bone structure would affect the appearance of her lower stomach and her…

Oh. You were trying to put her at ease. I'll… just stand over here.

Thank you.

2022-04-25

Why do
you wear clothes?

To show I'm not
an animal and I'm following the rules of society.

Ah, but the rules of society are dependent on where you are. Behavior at a football game is different from behavior at a funeral. Both are different from behavior at a spa.

I often wonder how people keep track of all these rules.

Life experience. Though if you want to cheat, there's a Miss Manners app with position location.