Drew's Trouble with Cats and Roaches Pt. 15a: Cara

"She had several while we were working with the spiders. The earth term in English is migraines, I think" Li-Jing commented. "They really worried me. She fought through them, but something is not right."

"OK, I'll make some calls from the shuttle on our way to my valley. I'll get her scheduled in for a medical review."

He made it back to gather up the two weary travelers only to find a spider a bit smaller that the queens mate bouncing on its pads beside Kitten and Cara,

Drew walked up and surveyed the scene, somehow, he knew this was going to end badly.

"And our friend is who?" Drew asked standing over the energetic spider.

"I named him Hoppy. He is the spider emissary to the capital. But that sounds so formal. He is our friend. He wants to see our huge nest and then come back and share stories." Cara stated with the enthusiasm of youth.

He heard and then felt the queen approach. He slowly turned and was greeted by her foreleg stroking his chin. He felt her in his head and the symbols and images flowing. She was asking if he 'could be her child's mother for a short while and allow her to experience all of his nest."

Of course, he said yes.

They boarded the shuttle and after a brief pre-flight, they lifted off and started towards his valley. The three 'children' were in the back looking out the many view ports.

He put on his headset and called Eddie.

"Yes lord, what may I do for you?" asked Eddie.

"Before I stomped out of the meeting, you had mentioned lesions or scar tissue on Cara's brain because of the treatment?" asked Drew.

"Yes lord, but as I said, it was a cursory checkup, mostly dealing concerns over viruses and other contagions. I really need to have medical do a full work up. Is there a problem?"

"Yes headaches, massive migraines when she spends too much time being empathic." Drew said with a great deal of worry.

"When will you be back lord? I will schedule a full work up..." Eddie offered.

As Eddie was talking, he heard a squeak from the back and turned his head to see Cara holding her temples.

In his mind he heard Kitten say "Papa, sister hurt."

Drew did three things at once, he reached back, grabbed Cara with one hand, swinging her forward and into the co-pilots chair. He punched off the autopilot with his other hand and yanked the ship over for home. He cut Eddie off in mid explanation on differing tests.

"Eddie we are inbound, with a medical emergency. Clear the lanes and a landing space next to whatever medical facility you want" Drew was starting to cry, 'I can't let her feel the pain anymore."

Drew was crying remembering the pain of his change and through his link to her, he was feeling her pain now, and just could not bear it.

End of Chapter 15A