The child stood in the hall screaming high and shrill red-faced. Jay and Lilicoon find the child and get them to some help. Why is the child screaming? The place was very, very, crowded, and they'd lost track of the parents. -- The New Guy
It was too loud thanks to a fault in the nearest air circulation fans. They created a shrieking din so cacophonous that it was hard to hear oneself think. The local engineers were working on it, but they first had to install a reserve system to maintain the air flow.
It was the only reason why nobody else noticed the kid.
A very small child, almost a baby. Their wailing lost amongst the shrieking fan's noise. Dodging between the legs of those already in a hurry to leave the area as fast as they could.
Jay signed, "I literally can't pick them up. I'm not cleared for caring."
Lilicoon signed, "I am," and scooped the child up.
It was Jay, using his Murder Stride, that parted the crowds for her. All the way to an Emergency Bay that -thank the Powers- had noise reduction technology.
"Penalty for misuse of the Emergency Bay can range from one Week to one Year depending on the severity of the misdemeanor," intoned the answering clerk. "Please state the nature of the emergency."
The kid was still crying, even though they were distracted by Lilicoon's pet-able fur. "Lost child," said Jay, hanging deliberately back from them. "I'm not cleared for contact, but Lilicoon has a basic caring license. We're on the concourse with the noise complaints."
"Yes, we know where you are," said the clerk. "The parents are in another Emergency Bay. I can open an access path between the two in order to reduce extra stresses. Please follow the directional lights."
The grateful parent was not that grateful. They snatched their child out of Lilcoon's arms. "You unhand my baby, you Alliance mutts! I demand a full health check this instant! I know my rights!"
"Ah crap, a deregger," whispered Lilicoon.
"You didn't accept the free security bracelets and anklets for your little one?" said Jay, fighting to remain civil. He had one hand balled into a fist, but he kept it behind his back where the parental could not see.
"I will not allow you Alliance perverts to be able to hunt my child for whatever sick gains you had in mind! I have the right to decide what happens to my baby and you can't do anything about it!"
Something snapped.
Jay didn't move a muscle. He stared unblinking at the parent and, with an ominous quiet like a hiss of leaking air, intoned, "Refusing to use the security bracelets or anklets is tantamount to criminal neglect. Further, someone could have decided that your child is a free baby. They would have the right to accept responsibility for your child. You would lose all your rights too. And I might have the right to hunt you." It was all said in a calm and reasonable monotone.
This did not make it any less threatening.
The parental, sheltering their child in their arms, told the attending ERT, "I think I might accept one of those tracer things. A temporary one."
[Photo by Rob Curran on Unsplash]
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