Tomorrow's Mascots

These stories first appeared in the  Pets in Space® science fiction romance anthology, so each tale is science fiction with a happily-ending romance—and a faithful and friendly pet that helps the heroine and hero find their way through dangerous adventures, to each other. The pet might be (a) not native to Earth (b) not biological at all, (c) not made of matter at all, (d) not naturally evolved, but instead invented, or (e) invented, but not by humankind.

These are not just pets.

Of course many of our animal friends today aren't just pets either: we have guard dogs, service animals of all kinds, draft animals, elaborately bred varieties of many species, and clones of some. We have animal mascots for good luck, too! Who knows what creatures might walk or run or fly alongside us on the other side of the stars?  Here are five future alien beings, service animals, genetically engineered species, and mascots, along with their human friends and the accidents and enemies that threaten their love and their lives.