Nella Careful sat anxiously in the Rocket Science Development Department in a waiting room outside department head Dr Ismini's office. The ferret sat in a smart suit with a notepad on her lap but it threatened to slide off as her leg nervously bounced.

She knew she was a smart cookie. Like many others at the Universal University, she was scooped up by talent scouts when she was young. She excelled in her classes and often set the curve.

But if Nella was smart, Dr Ismini was a genius! Not even that many years older than Nella but much, much more accomplished. If this interview went well, if Dr Ismini agreed to become her thesis advisor, it could mean great, exciting things for Nella's academic career.

A sign lit up that said COME IN so Nella went in.

Dr Ismini sat behind her big desk, covered in piles of papers and scientific models and awards. She was wearing a blue mini dress which gaped open to show her cleavage. Nella looked anywhere but directly into it. She was studiously examining the ceiling when a sign lit up that said SIT DOWN so Nella sat down.

The squirrel didn't look at Nella but she held up a copy of Nella's thesis proposal and made a show of flipping through it.

"Nella Careful. Student #G0774-G-O5P4C3. Perfect 4.0 GPA. Commendations from professors, glowing review from the Second Sagittarius Student Swap, prizes from science fairs, and one award for perfect safety record. I have read your thesis proposal. It does not excite me. It lacks."

Dr Ismini put the thesis proposal in a pneumatic tube which delivered it to the floor because Nella hadn't been ready to catch it.

Nella's heart sank and thumped as loud as her thesis did. She had been terrified of this exact outcome and it turns out it felt a lot worse than anticipated.

"is there anything specific i should work on?" Nella asked quietly, almost hoping the squirrel scientist didn't hear her.

"It's too safe. You outline a very thorough research plan but its all simulations, simulations, simulations."

Dr Ismini got up from her desk and walked to the big window that showed an amazing view of the Explosion Yard, where experimental engines were tested. She put her hand to the glass and sighed.

"When I was... well, I was much younger but when I was in your shoes, I had a thesis advisor who took me out into the bigger universe to learn just how there was to learn outside the lab. That's what I propose to do for you."

It was like whiplash. Nella thought she'd been rejected but Dr Ismini was going to be her thesis advisor after all?

Nella asked that very question.

"Not just advisor. You'll work as my lab assistant as well."

Dr Ismini's lab assistant as well! Nella's heart beat like a piston. The things she could learn working directly with the great scientist! And and and... the personal satisfaction of working alongside such an enthralling and beautiful woman!

"I accept!" Nella squeaked. "It would be an honor."

"And of course, if you're going to be working with me, you will need to wear an Ismini-tech spacesuit."

A sign lit up that said GET NAKED. This time, Nella didn't immediately obey.

"Why do you have that sign?" she wondered aloud.

Dr Ismini didn't sign twice. When Nella made no move to GET NAKED, she pressed a button. A laser unfolded from the ceiling and fired at Nella.

She threw herself out of the way... but too late!

But it didn't cut or burn or... harm. Then she saw that though the laser hadn't cut her, it had cut a line in her smart suit.

"How often do you need a get nude sign or a clothes laser??" Nella wondered.

"Better to have it and not need it," Dr Ismini replied.

Dr Ismini hit the button a couple more times and a couple more lasers unfolded. Nella was an academic, not a space ninja. There was no dodging so many clothes lasers. Soon her nicest outfit was reduced to squares of fabric thanks to the perpendicular criss-crossing lasers.

Nella held some squares over her chest and one over her crotch. She didn't have enough hands to also cover her butt. It was pointed away from Dr Ismini so as long as nobody entered the office-

The door whooshed open and someone entered the office.

It was the hunkiest guy Nella had ever seen. Oddly wearing only shorts, boots, and gloves. So she could see his strong arms and muscular torso and skipping right past that and powerful thighs. Oh my god, a verified dreamboat and Nella was standing there holding squares over her rated M parts!

She was screaming internally when the white tiger held out an outfit for her to change into. His smile was gentle and his ice blue eyes kind. He wasn't jeering or leering at her state of dishabille.

"Dress code," he said, with the distinct sound of repeating something told to him. "We work for Dr Ismini, we wear her outfits."

How was what the tiger was wearing an outfit? Nella wondered, keeping her eyes respectfully above belt level. Even though that V shape wanted to draw her down.

"This is Jesse Timbus," Dr Ismini said. "He is the hottest intern assigned to this department. He will be working directly with us."

Jesse was standing in front of the door, smiling pleasantly. So Nella took the outfit, backed into a corner and quickly put it on.

It was cut almost exactly like Dr Ismini's but in red, like Jesse's. Nella was pretty sure that the mini-skirt was minier and the cleavage window was wider on her version than on the squirrel's. She tugged at the skirt nervously but there was only so much fabric and it wasn't going to cover more than it already was.

"Um, so, when is our first trip going to be?" Nella asked, wanting to distract herself from this new outfit which made her feel all kinds of exposed. "I'll need to organize my class schedule around the trips and, of course, its better to start on that sooner rather than later."

Dr Ismini smiled. "I think we will get along quite well, Student Nella Careful. It is better to start sooner rather than later."

She pressed another button and a sign lit up that said PREPARE FOR LAUNCH.

"Why does it say that?" asked Nella. When she didn't get an answer, she asked again. "Dr Ismini, why does that sign say prepare for launch?"

Nella felt strong arms on her shoulders, pushing her into a chair. A safety harness was buckled around her.

"Why does an office chair have a safety harness??"

Jesse sat in another chair and fastened the harness. But Dr Ismini walked again over to the window, looked out, and started laughing.

"Universal University thought I'd be quiet and content to rot away in an office? I'll show them, I'll show them all!"

Then with a roar, the building started lifting up.

Soon, the Rocket Science Development Department building had slipped the surly bounds of gravity

"Oh shimmering solar flares!" Nella swore, rocking back and forth and breathing heavily. She'd managed to unfasten her harness but had just flopped to the plush carpeting to panic. "We're in space. We launched into space. A university building launched into space! I've never been in space before and now I'm in space wearing a tiny miniskirt!!"

She again felt strong arms on her as Jesse crushed her against his chest and squeezed gently.

"Hey, you're going to be okay, Lab Assistant Nella. You're safe."

And she did feel safe in his strong arms. Even though she was in space for the first time in a building that could not possibly be spaceworthy.

When she was able, she stood up and pointed an angry... well, let's not get carried away... a respectfully disapproving finger at Dr Ismini.

"You can't just abduct someone into space, doctor! We just rocketed away from my whole life! Everything I own! My classes! My totally real boyfriend, Xavier!"

Dr Ismini scoffed. An actual scoff, fully dismissive.

"Student Nella Careful. This flying research facility has all the cutting edge equipment you could want. That Ismini-tech spacesuit is the only outfit you'll need. I will direct your learning - I am smarter than your professors by lightyears. And if you feel deprived of masculine attention, inform Intern Jesse."

Jesse smiled his gentle smile and looked out at space through the office window.

Nella flushed so hard that she was sure her face was as red as her new outfit. She would not be asking follow-up questions about that.

"Now go and rest up. We have a full day of SCIENCE tomorrow."

The carpet moved like a travolator and deposited Nella and Jesse outside of the office door, which whooshed closed behind them.

"I can't believe this!" Nella exclaimed. Although not loudly enough for Dr Ismini to hear through the door. She hoped. "Why aren't you freaking out as much as I am?"

"My rule of thumb is that the doctor knows best," Jesse said. "My other rule of thumb is that you have to take life as it happens. When Dr Ismini used me as the basis for her war himbo cloning program, I was skeptical about the ethical applications of a hot army of me's. But now, its like I have millions of brothers all over the universe!"

"War himbos????"

"Yeah! They're himbos, for war."

---

What is a mad scientist without some subordinates to boss around. An Igor or an intern or a lab assistant? Show me a mad scientist without one of those and I'll show you a mad scientist who talks to himself more than he should.

So along with space Dr Science, there's space Dr Careful and space Jessica. Based on their sex swapped incident looks. And with their relative relationships a bit scrambled. Careful is still a student, not a full-fledged doctor. Jesse is an intern but also the template for a clone army.

So, interns. Interns serve a valuable role in the Universal University social hierarchy. Because mad scientists need someone to talk to and students need someone to feel superior to. Sure, their supervisor may have called them a brainless noodle who doesn't know a beaker from a bunsen burner, but at least they're not a lowly intern!

And to keep this academic nightmare society running smoothly, students whose grades slip below a certain point become interns. Or the talent scouts enroll some no-hopers specifically so they'll wash out into the intern class. Or if you get good grades but show an affinity for the.... liberal arts! You can wind up an intern.

Jesse just liked philosophy too much. But he's pretty content with his life.

---

Dr Careful and Jessica Timbus and this version of them owned by me
Art by  szaris