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Dinky gambled over, chirruping and tail flicking. The petite female squeaked a couple of times and took a few steps back, but they were soon sniffing noses and curling around each other.

Wren settled on the couch and smiled as they played for the next ten minutes. Maybe she could keep them both in her quarters. And if they kept getting on this well, she’d definitely have a new breeding pair on her hands. Baby norkies would be so adorable.

She hopped up from the couch and headed into the kitchenette to grab a coffee. She shouldn’t drink caffeine this late, but she still had a couple of hours of work to do in the lab, so the boost would be welcome.

A crash and a squeak had her turning. She raced back into the lounge.

Dinky was on the back of the couch, his mane fur puffed out and his teeth bared.

The female norkie looked equally ferocious, and she had blood on her cheek.

“Dinky! Did you bite her?” Wren set down her coffee and ran over to him. When she got close, she saw he had a bite mark on his side. “Oh, I’m so sorry. You were getting along well. I didn’t think she’d do this.” She checked the bite. It wasn’t deep, but Dinky was distressed and panicked.

“You need to go back in your carry case, madam. This isn’t working.” Wren approached the female.

She growled at her, and her fur puffed out even more.

“Just relax. Everyone needs a time out.” She held her arm out to the indignant female.

The norkie sniffed it, bared her teeth, and bit her.

“Ouch!” Wren grabbed the female, pried her teeth out of her skin, placed her in the carry case, and shut the door. “That’s enough from you. You need to learn some manners. We don’t bite around here.”

Her door alarm pinged.

“ELVIS, who’s that? I’m right in the middle of something.” Wren inspected the bite on her arm.

“Two fair maidens from the stars.”

“Have you been reading old English texts again?”

“Thou knowest me so well.”

“ELVIS! Who is it? In modern English or at least something I can understand. The translators don’t like ye olden day talk.”

“Your blood pressure is elevated. May I—”

“ELVIS! Don’t make me send in a repair order for you.”

There was a high-pitched hum from the speakers. “Cleo and Daisy are outside.”

Wren’s gaze flicked to the carry case. She held out her arm to Dinky. He hurried over and wrapped himself around it, chirruping sadly to himself.

“Don’t worry. We’ll get you fixed up. ELVIS, bring down the draw bridge and let the maidens in.”

“Thou art wise.”

The door opened, and Cleo and Daisy stepped inside the room.

“Hey! I won’t be a minute. I just need to look after Dinky.” Wren hurried away and returned a few seconds later with a medical kit.

Cleo was peering into the carry case, while Daisy was righting a fallen shelf unit the norkies had knocked over.

“What happened in here?” Daisy asked.

“A planned introduction got out of hand,” Wren said.

“Is this one of the creatures you rescued?” Cleo said.