Drew's Trouble with Cats and Roaches Pt. 18

"All in favor?" Drew intoned. All passed.

"Now for the next conundrum," Drew started his newest worry, "after my stunt at the Governor's conference, many things have come to light. We have had wholesale smuggling by earth factions into the colonies. These include, but are not limited to, military grade weapons, slaves," there was bit of commotion from the UN side of the table on that one issue," non-selected exotic animals, and banned substances."

"Weapons? Slaves, what slaves? Earth has not had slaves for hundreds of years." Ms. Easterbrook commented. Of course, all the Cats in the room knew the truth.

"I must beg to differ with you. Let's start with the weapons issue." Drew responded and continued with his part of the presentation. "We have had two instances within the Omega and Gamma colonies. In both instances, diplomatic shuttles were shot at by military grade weapons. The last instances cost the life of a pilot. She was a good friend of my father's. Her name was Percy."

"The agreements were, that Customs on Earth outbound ships, would be handled by Earth. And we would verify Customs on all outbound ships that were traveling to earth. Yet I have military grade weapons coming in," he sent a message to Alexander, who walked to a side table and pulled of a fabric covering of a pile of earth designed and built weapons. There were gasps from the UN side.

"I have a large storeroom full of these, and we have not really started with Gamma." Drew continued, "and now we find out about the shipping and use of slaves?" He could see the further disagreement of Ms. Easterbrook, so he held up his hand.

Drew sent a message, and he could hear a tumultuous amount of noise. He just took a deep breath and rolled his eyes.

Goldies bounded into the room and went immediately to her Aunties Thing One and Two to get her scratches. Kitten loped in and then became more dignified and padded to Target.

DB, Cara, and a beautiful Kettle walked in, hand in hand. Adrian was about to get up, but one look from Ms. Easterbrook stopped that.

"I would like to introduce Nalia. She will be the next Envoy to join our group. She will be Envoy of the slaves."

Nalia immediately dropped to her knees, her forehead on the carpet. She repeated earlier comments, "Lord, I am not worthy. I am only a slave."

"Niece! Get your furry ass up off the floor! You are no longer a slave. You will show honor to my sister, your mother, by learning to lead, train and teach the others. They too are no longer slaves and must be taught to be an equal part of our society. I will not tell you again." Stated Target now standing and looking 'ten feet tall' and pissed.

Nalia scrambled up and went into the open embrace of both DB and Cara.

Drew turned to the UN delegation. "It's remarkably interesting how the negative conditioning of a slave will continue even though they are now free. She has lived her whole life on earth, as a slave. She came to us, through Earth Customs, stuffed in a crate labeled 'Cattle' with several others. I believe we will find the same concerns, for what we guess maybe, a thousand more beings in the colonies. Those extra mouths to feed, the cost of education and the general concept of dealing with slaves from earth is not something we have planned for. They will have to be taken into consideration when we come to the last of our discussions."

Target turned to Ms. Easterbrook and Adrian, "She is my true blood. My oldest sister's youngest daughter. She was sold off before the ending of the 'beautiful One's' program. She saved DB and then he made her free." Target tuned to DB and performed a formal bow. "I will never be able to show my gratitude to my adopted cousin, DB."

DB limped to the chairs at the table while being held by both Nalia and Cara. He took a seat and Cara sat to his left and Nalia to his right.

"My apologies for the subterfuge on the location of DB. He was 'meditating' and out of ability to contact until he just awoke. The Deputy Director can attest to the depth he goes when 'meditating'. We will have to leave the family get-togethers for after our meeting," commented Lord Drew.

"So, we, the overall Colonial ruling body have a serious humanitarian issue. Well, I guess we will have to create a new word instead of one that starts with human. We have two colonies that are on subsistence living, going into our winter. 3 months of a major lack of crops and 3 months of growth before a first harvest. That translates into half of the population starving in those 6 months. That is if we cannot get a minimum of 1200 calories a day for each inhabitant." Drew paused.

"Starvation was the plan from the very beginning. The crops that are planted were for the monetary gain of the Odessa men on the ground. From the information already gathered, the idea was to cripple the two colonies and then ask for assistance. If that colony 'asked for assistance', the Russian Federation would 'lend' monies in any amount, if there is collateral signed over...part of each colony. The plan was fool proof. It has worked over and over for centuries on Earth." Drew paused again and shook his head.

"The Odessa will make out, and their benefactors make out. Regretfully the colonists of all races lose. They lose to starvation and more of the same, servitude and slavery."

"I must apologize." He walked over slowly and took a bottle of wine out of the rack, one of his California Syrahs and started to open it. I have my own rules, and that is not to drink before 5 in the evening. But as stated by many before me 'it must be 5 somewhere'." He poured a healthy glass and then walked back and stopped to look at the table.

"Again, my apologies, please feel free to fill and raise a glass. I would hate to be called a poor host."

The three female felines stood to do just that. Drew was going to comment about the pregnancies, but he knew he would be reminded they were not human. When all were seated again Drew looked at the UN representatives and was surprised that she too had a glass of white wine.

'Let us toast to the most destructive force we currently face on this planet...human greed!"

Ms. Easterbrook looked on with hardened face and eyes. She saw her deputy drinking and almost slapped the wine glass out of her hand.

"You do not approve of my toast Ms. Easterbrook? Please voice your concerns." Drew asked

"I do not approve of racist comments of any kind. Humanity has its faults, but we have our positive points also, lumping us all together is just baseless and false."

Drew raised his glass and agreed. "We have no disagreements Ms. Easterbrook. I agree that my statement was racist. I agree that Humanity has many redeeming qualities. I agree that I was lumping humanity on this planet all together. I am human after all." He could 'hear' her from across the table. She gave a little harrumph to his comment but that was enough for him to go farther.

'You no longer consider me human, that's interesting," without waiting on her reply he turned to DB and asked a simple question.

"Did you gather enough information to provide that presentation I asked you to put together?"

"Yes, but it's just random and...not ready... not anywhere ready."

"Can you sort out just the human interactions?"

"It's almost all human interaction, and some not really..."

"I understand, just two minutes of compressed data, full multimedia, if you understand me?"

DB shook his head yes and then looked at Drew for what to do. Drew turned his eyes to Ms. Easterbrook and smiled.

"Ms. Easterbrook, as the UN Ambassador to this sector, you have yet to venture forth into the colonies on your own. To help you understand my last remark, you are going to be given a crash course on what the humas have done over the last year, just in Omega and Gamma colonies. We will limit the course to two minutes. It is a compressed course, but one that will provide enlightenment."

"I have no interest..." she was rising in her chair to leave when the images slammed into her. Along with the images came the raw true feelings of those being abused. The fear, loathing and pain associated with beatings, raping, flogging and in one case the killing of an avian colonist. She felt the pain, the emotions, and the loss of control over their lives.

She passed out in her chair before the two minutes ended.

"Call medical and have her taken to the infirmary seems that she has soiled herself too. Don't tell her, it would just make it all worse. Have them put her in a tank for a day. I am not sure how her mind will handle the reality of living on the frontier. I wanted to teach her a lesson, not permanently hurt her." Drew commented to the whole party.

He felt sad in the intervening time, but he felt it need to be done. This new venture of colonization, and future colonies on other planets should not be dictated by people that live in glass towers.

"Alexander, please inform the UN that their Ambassador needs to be withdrawn. Let them know we will agree to anything that will help save face. Let's presume that she became ill to an unknown virus."

"Yes, 'Reality'," commented Target dryly, "Interesting name for a virus, 'Reality'. Can the tanks remove the broomstick that has been shoved up her ass while she is in there?"

"Dear, it's called diplomacy. Not your strong suit, nor to your dear sisters from a different mother," swinging his head at Thing One and Two, "but diplomacy none the less."

Drew looked at Adrian. "Alexander, please ask that we would prefer that the Deputy Ambassador be elevated to full ambassador. For the time being she is considered Acting Ambassador."

"Welcome to the fire, and walking on hot coals, Ms. Ambassador Booker."

"Let's all sit back down and figure out the most immediate problems we have with Omega and Gamma. As I see it, starvation, security, and future economics. Anyone have any ideas other than throwing money at the issue?"

DB and Cara shared a look and then DB just stated 'yes' mentally. Drew looked back and just smiled.

"Let's keep it verbal, my dear cousin so I do not get in trouble with my mate again," requested Lord Drew.

Target just rolled her eyes and refused to take the bait.

"Cara and I have been talking about what the Odessa planned to do with the marijuana, liquor and other sin goods. We just want to take it up a notch and do it legally. We want to ship it back to Earth as goods from a foreign planet. It will take some advertising, but we believe there is a high-end marketplace on Earth that will pay top dollar for our specialty items. We can use those funds to pay down any debt load we will be creating for supplemental foods and for seed for the next growing season. Cara will take lead on all negotiations, marketing, and business transitions.

If there is an interest in the future, we will shift the growing operations to a limited amount of farmable land and therefore create a limited supply. We can work with Governor Lin with her marketing on the Spider works and items she is fabricating on her side of the continent.

As for food sources, we will need to provide supplement goods, but Nalia may already have a partial solution. All eyes turned to Nalia and she felt two feet tall. She did not belong in this grand room with these grand people.

Target was building up steam again, but Drew placed his hand over hers and shut her down.

"Nalia, what do you know to help the peoples of Omega and Gamma to survive this winter?" Lord Drew asked quietly.

"There is plenty of food, not fancy but it will keep them alive," she paused to dig through her bag at her hip. She pulled out a lump of root and set it on the table, "This grows everywhere, it's a tuber. Slaves always look for added food sources because we are always the last to be fed. I was told about this by a local farm hand. Its bland, but it is filling and seems to be nutritious."

Drew was going to walk round the table to get it when it just slid over to him. Everyone gasped and Drew looked at DB. DB just nodded his head.

"Well cousin, you have been playing with your new powers I see. I am asking that all parties keep this bit of information regarding DB to this room. He is already going to be hunted by the Odessa and I do not need him hunted for his powers too."

"Anybody know what this is?" Drew asked holding up the tuber.

"Its %$#*&" the translator spit out as Hoppy tried to explain. "We use it to feed our *&^&%$#," Hoppy stopped and then skittered over to Drew to touch his hand.

A mental image of a giant slug came to Drew, he passed it along. he also passed the knowledge that it was bred and raised as a spider food source, like a human's relationship to pigs and cattle.

"We need to get Eddie to analyze this and define its nutritional value" he was putting it in his pocket when he heard Nalia squeak.

"Yes Nalia?"

"May I have that back please? I'll gladly dig more for you Lord. That one has special meaning for me. I dug it up to feed DB and want to keep it, in remembrance of my freedom."

Drew walked over to her sitting at the table and she started to stand he put a hand on her shoulder and sat her down. He then slid the chair around to face him as he kneeled in front of her.

"I owe you a great deal little one. You saved and nurtured someone I am responsible for. You did it, not knowing his importance. You did it, no matter his race or species. And, for all of that, I will always be in your debt." He got up off his one knee, kissed her forehead and placed the partial tuber on the table before her. She was quietly crying and very overwhelmed.

He turned to the table and looked at most of the people he cared about.

"It looks like we have some potential solutions to our problems. Let's work on them and see if they pan out. Is there anything else?"

Drew felt a connection with DB and looked his way.

DB looked around the table and stated "I think Gamma and Omega need to be combined into one larger colony. They are facing the same issues, created by the same source. They are adjoining and, as of yet, the beings of the colonies have not gained any feeling of nationalistic ties. We can combine our efforts with one group of officials for the same problems and issues."

"With the acceptance of this counsel, I want to explore the combining of the colonies of Omega and Gamma colonies. Present us with additional information in next month's meeting. In the meantime, let's get Eddie back on planet and see if he can help with the colonies effort." Drew commented and then paused.

"If that is all, lets close this meeting and let the new Ambassador see her son. Meeting adjourned," sighed Lord Drew of Pride.

He closed his eyes and remembered the past. 'He knew that sometime in the past it had been easy. All he had to do was become a mechanic like his father, keep his job, bang little airhead earthling Tiffany and wake up in the morning and do it over again.

He smiled and thought, 'This is why the gods invented wine...'

***

Three hunter drones slowly entered Marauder space, from different locations and different vectors. Their paths crossed and they were programmed to do only passive scans. They were to act as space debris. The hunter drones had been loosed.

Days later, following the first small swarm, three more drones entered the dangerous space and went forward. They followed different pathways and had specific locations to reach. They were the first of the relay drones. They were the first of an information highway back to Pride space.

Behind them at the border were more relay drones. They were to gather the information from the other relay drones and dissipate that information farther into Pride space. All the subterfuge was created so the final receiver location could not be pinpointed.

Finally, the largest of the drones moved slowly over the border. This drone, a rehabilitated mining drone, was a mobile laboratory. Its purpose was sample the materials, metal, mineral, radiological and biological to define what may be happening in the marauder space. The hunter drones would send small cylinders of material back to the lab for analyzing.

It was not long before each of the hunter drones found debris fields. Most of it was older cat craft. They had been destroyed by an unknow type of plasma energy with an odd signature. Nothing matched any known species, including roach tech.

Hunter 3 was the first to find an anomaly in materials and bio signatures. Specimens were sent to the lab.

Drew was grateful that Eddie and Alexander were leading this venture. The slowness of the process was killing him. Months and months had gone by and all they had were more questions. They were all now waiting on the results of the odd craft and bio signatures.

Drew was on his patio again and his pad notified of an emergency distance meeting request from both Alexander and Eddie. He pulled up the meeting and on split scree they were both ready to talk.

"Good Morning, well at least it is in the Capital," Drew could see that the signal was heavily encrypted.

"So, what is with the cloak and dagger?" Drew could see the analogy was confusing both other parties. "So why are we at the heaviest level of encryption?"

Alexander stated to speak, but paused and started again, "Lord you know me, and you know I have little to fear in life, but what we just received has me fearful."

That statement alone had Lord Drew siting up straighter in his chair. "What is going on you two?"

"The metal and plasma signatures are still trying to be deciphered. But the Bio came up. Its Dragon. A heavily modified Dragon but still of that same genus."

Eddie cut in, "We will present the final genetic coding later, but we wanted to let you know that there is very little Cat comm traffic or Cat transfer signatures. It looks like the Dragons have taken most of the Marauder space."

Drew was quiet for a moment, and then decided to contact an old friend to see if he could fill in the void.

He looked for the location of a certain security chief and then found he was back on Artemis. Drew called up the bridge of Artemis and found a cat he did not know. He was feeling old. He used to know everyone. He contacted the Bridge Comm officer and was immediately rerouted to the Captain.

"Captain Nathaniel here..." the cat looking down at another display until he looked up. He shot up in his seat and looked very startled.

"I am so sorry Lord Drew, what can I do for you?"

"I want to have a private conversation with your head of security, D32. Is that possible?"

"Yes, yes, of course. He is in conference room 3 giving a lecture. I am sure he will take your call. I'll have comm forward." The nervous Captain replied.

The next thing Drew was looking at was a room full of crew surprised to have the front display to the room filled with the face of Lord Drew.

"My apologies my old friend for interrupting, but can you please reschedule your lecture? I have security questions to discuss?"

"Of course, Lord Drew, we were almost done." All of the different species filed out of the room, but the second dragon in the room hesitated after a look from D32.

"May my second in command, S42, stay my Lord? He is as trusted as I am and has a better handling of Colonial Security than I do," request D32 head of security for Artemis.

"Yes, if you trust him as much as I do you. This is not about Colonial security, but about the security of all of our space and worlds." Drew paused to look at the two immobile Godzilla lookalikes.

"The Marauder space has been taken over by another species. We have just received word that the only other specimen that has been collected was Dragon DNA." Drew paused and he could see looks between the two scaled creatures in the room. "Can you please help us understand what can be going on? None of your species have been captured or ventured into that space, as far as I know. Also, this DNA has been slightly altered, by time or medical means, but it is still Dragon at its heart."