Sushi

Disclaimer – The Rat Cat belongs to Julia. Everything and everyone else belong to Southern Star. I will remember to play nicely with all the toys I have borrowed and return them when I’ve finished.

By Sonia

Author’s Note – A big thank you to Julia for letting me borrow the Rat Cat for a while. Jules, I promise to take good care of him and feed him only the best food.

Summary: A cat’s gotta eat and everyone’s favourite ‘Rat Cat’ wants sushi. This is actually a sequel to Kitty Litter and the second installation of the Rat Files. More parts coming soon to a cat scratching post near you.

Date written – November-December 1999

Rat padded down the main corridor of the station and headed for the meal room.

There was that strange man in blue guarding the sushi buffet. Damn it! Why does one have to get past a guard to get fed around here?

Hmmm…Sushi or that meat thing Mummy put in my dish this morning? She said it was chicken and it was good for me. So why does it taste yukky?

Then she told the big bad man who took me away from my other Mummy that she and Auntie Helen wanted coffee. What’s coffee?

Hang on, there’s milk involved….I like milk and must try this coffee thing.

Rat ambled towards Frank’s desk, waited until everyone’s back was turned and took a couple of experimental licks from Helen’s coffee cup.

Miaoooooowwwww!

Rachel, Helen and Frank turned around just in time to see Rat’s pink tongue taking another dainty sip of Helen’s coffee.

"Great Rachel, that bloody cat is hyper enough already without it being totally wired on caffeine," Helen quipped.

"I think my baby can spend the day in his cat cage," Rachel cooed as she moved towards the file cabinet where Rat’s cat cage rested.

No Mummy…..I’m not spending the day in there….Rat chased his tail several times, tried to climb the wall, then scale Frank’s leg and bolted out of the detectives office as fast as his black and white legs could carry him.

"Here Rat….Here kitty kitty….Oh shit Helen, Frank help me find him. Rat’s done the bolt again."

Rat scampered down the hallway, dodging the nimble hands of Tayler and Jeff as he went. Hmm ….let’s go down here. Oh wow... this is a giant kitty cat’s playground. Lots of things to jump on and off. What’s out here? A cat must explore….it’s my job.

Rat had boldly gone where no police cat had gone before – outside the station.

Dave McCall was minding his own business on the Harpy and didn’t see Rat jump from the pier onto the boat.

Hey…a black boxy thing….I wonder what this button does……

The radio crackled to life.

"VKG Sydney Water Police….go ahead Harpy

"Miaow."

Helen couldn’t quite believe her ears. She really had to give up coffee and start drinking tea.

"VKG Sydney Water Police…..go ahead Harpy

"Miaow."

Meanwhile back in the station, the phone rang in Hawker’s office. It was VKG and they were somewhat concerned.

"Hawker…

"Yes, It’s Inspector Price from VKG. I don’t quite know how to tell you this but there’s been an illegal transmission on the water police channel and it sounds like a cat."

"Thanks Andy. There’s really no need to worry. I’ll take care of it."

Jeff rolled his eyes, put down the phone and checked his fish tank. Phew! They were all still there.

"RAAACHELLLLL!"

The Harbour’s marine life darted around the pier involved in its own little game of chasings.

Rat peered over the side of the Harpy. A sushi buffet! All for me! No silly guard on the door! Yippee! Must eat!

SPLASH!

"What the heck?" Dave looked around and saw a pair of black and white paws disappearing in a perfect swan dive off the side of the boat.

"Oh shit!

Dave couldn’t help laughing as he saw Rat, a soggy mass of black and white fur, "cat paddling" to save his one of his nine lives.

"The next time you want fish…ask that mother of yours to feed you tuna."

With an indulgent expression on his face, Dave grabbed a large net and tried to remove Rat from his watery predicament.

What is that white floaty thing and why is it coming towards me? It’s going to take me away from my sushi. Bad! Very bad! Must get away from it!

The more Dave tried to fish Rat out of the water the harder the cat worked to dodge the net. This called for some serious strategy.

"VKG Sydney Water Police…this is Police Launch Harpy

"Go ahead Harpy….

"Helen, could you ask Detective Goldstein to report to the pier as there is a matter I want to speak with her about.

"Sure Dave. VKG Sydney Water Police clear."

"Police launch Harpy clear."

A few minutes later Rachel, cat cage in hand, was walking down to the pier.

"Hi Dave! Where is the fast but furry little bugger?

"You won’t believe where he’s got to this time Rachel.

"Try me.

"Come on board and I’ll show you."

Rachel joined Dave on deck and looked over the side of the boat to see her baby in the drink and still cat paddling.

"Oh my….hand me that net will you Dave.

"Already tried that Rachel, Rat just does not want to play ball and co-operate.

"Shit, this means direct action is called for."

Rachel toed off her shoes, took off her jacket and stood on the back of the Harpy. Praying the Harbour was a little cleaner than usual today, she dived in.

Swimming over to Rat, she tucked the tired animal under her arm and scissor kicked back towards the Harpy.

"Come to mummy – you furry little bugger."

Rachel handed Rat to Dave as she climbed back onto the Harpy.

"I really didn’t go through all that life saving training just for this," Rachel muttered as she stuffed Rat into the cat cage, climbed off the Harpy and started walking back towards the station.

The door of the police station swung open with a little more force than Rachel intended.

" What the hell?" Helen looked up to see Rachel squishing and squelching her way up the stairs. Rat was now residing safely in his cat cage.

Rachel shot her oldest friend a look. It was the sort of look, which at other times, caused mirrors to slink off walls and go elsewhere to shatter.

" Don’t ask."

" He got out... AGAIN?? You both look like drowned rats" Helen doubled over with laughter.

"Funny Helen…very funny. You’ve got a birthday soon…how would you like a cat?"

Rachel barged into the ladies locker room, changed out of her soggy shirt and pants and started using her blow dryer to restore some order to her hair.

"Thanks Rat…I’m not going to be able to live this one down….this even out ranks the time you actually ate one of Jeff’s gold fish.

Why is Mummy angry with me? All I wanted was some fish for dinner.

Rat let out a thin miaow. He was tired, wet and starting to shiver.

"Oh you poor baby….let me dry you off." Rachel hoped none of her colleagues would come in and hear her talking like this.

After toweling Rat dry, Rachel just couldn’t help herself. Settling Rat on her lap Rachel flicked on her blow dryer, switched the setting to low and started blow drying her cat.

"Hope you don’t turn out like those cartoons when Sylvester comes out of the tumble dryer just a giant ball of fluff," she giggled.

Miaow….this is nice Mummy. Rat started to purr.

Rachel held Rat up to the top shelf in her locker where she kept some small tins of cat food.

"Okay, seeing you’re such a smart cat, pick what you want for dinner."

Thanks Mummy…..it’s about time you let me choose. Rat placed his paw on a can of tuna.

"If you wanted sushi for dinner you silly cat, why didn’t you tell me?"

The End