Surefoot 65: Lone Cat and Cub

Sasha had left hours before in the Tailless, but Esek had since missed the deadline for the next communication... but there was still another communication awaiting her: Mistress Nvell of the Kaetini Order, the elderly ash-furred female appraised of the situation. "We have operatives in Sekuro Port, Commander Hrelle; we'll make enquiries."

Kami nodded "Thank you. We believed they were going to try and get the maglev east to Pakui, but the Ferasan communications traffic indicates that the Jem'Hadar are flooding Sekuro looking for them." She paused, breathing in, as Bneea reached out and rested a supportive paw on her shoulder. "They've put out a huge reward for my husband."

"If the invaders had captured him, they'd be declaring it throughout the planet. As it happens, I pity anyone who tries to claim the reward by taking on Big Balls."

Kami nodded again, knowing her new responsibilities meant she couldn't just stay focused on Esek and Sreen. "Your Ferasan prisoner... what have you learned from him?"

"Your husband's suspicions were correct: there is definitely something wrong with the Ferasan genetic integrity. The Augmentation that they triggered a millennium ago began... unravelling... two generations ago. Infertility, losses, genetic instability causing fatal physical and mental disabilities. They've kept it quiet to prevent panic, as well as potential exploitation by outside powers, but they strongly suspected they would need us, both as breeding stock and... to take our cubs, to alter them physically at a young enough age and raise them as their own."

Kami stiffened; the more she had heard from Esek about his suspicions, the more she read of the reports of the false Metremia Threat as an excuse to gather up appropriate... subjects, the more sickened that she had become by it all. The civilised part of her railed at the Ferasan's choice of action: not to end centuries of hostility and simply... ask for help, but to take this terrible, murderous course of action... She looked to Tshal, who had returned from completing the installation of the transporter inhibitors. "Do we have the latest figures about the Caitians who have disappeared to date?"

The older male glanced down at his station near her, before looking up again. "It's- It's not comprehensive, Commander, but... as of yesterday, the number exceeds... 62,000. This- This doesn't include those who have simply... vanished. Scientists, teachers and doctors, politicians, commentators, journalists. Anyone who has publicly questioned or opposed the Ferasans and their lies just... goes, with no sign of where they end up."

And more are disappearing every day, Kami told herself. "We don't have the resources to fight the enemy openly, not yet. But we can't keep letting our people believe their lies, and blindly obey their orders... and then facing whatever fates await them. We need to get the message out, and now."

"Secretly monitoring communications from here is one thing," Tshal reminded her. "Getting a message out without it being backtracked to our location is another."

"We might be able to assist," Nvell offered. "If you can put together a brief, compelling message... preferably with accompanying evidence. We recorded the confession our prisoner provided, and can include it in any data package, and we have some young cubs quite proficient in accessing the Cynet." She glanced away, before adding, "Our communications window is almost closed."

"Understood. I'm glad you're back with us, Mistress Nvell. We'll speak again at the appointed time, and we'll have something ready for distribution by then." She signalled for Tshal to end the transmission, wishing for the thousandth time that Esek and Sreen were here. Jnill had promised her that none of the transport ships the Ferasans were making her company build would be operational, and Kami didn't doubt it, but that didn't stop their people from being killed and abused. "Can we reach the Tailless, and update them?"

"Not at this time, Commander." He rubbed at his eyes.

Kami took note of that, but turned to Bneea. "We need a publicly-recognised figure, a much-loved celebrity, someone used to speeches you can be compelling and believable, to be ready to deliver a message to the Motherworld at short notice."

Bneea smiled. "I'll wake Mi'Tree and get him ready."

He started to turn and depart, but Kami caught him by the elbow and indicated Tshal. "You can take Mr Tshal here and ensure he goes to bed. He's been up all night."

The other male shook his head and tried to wave off her concerns. "I'm fine, Commander, really, but thank you-"

She smiled at him. "It's adorable that you think this is a suggestion rather than an order. Eight hours minimum, with a meal... and a sonic shower." She crossed her arms. "Or I can get Doctor T'Ana to sedate you."

Tshal shuddered and rose. "Thank you, Commander, but no. She's talked about sinking her coital hooks into me if she got the chance." He blinked. "I'm assuming that she's not one of those rare Caitians who was born with them. Don't want to know either way."

"Then you'd best head straight to bed. Alone. And Papa? Have some breakfast sent down, would you? I haven't eaten since almost this time yesterday." She motioned towards the doors, letting the males depart while she focused on the remaining personnel at the stations here, most of them unfamiliar -- as yet -- to her. She suddenly understood a little more how Esek and other commanding officers felt when there were crew out there, missing in action, their fates uncertain, but being unable to ignore greater responsibilities. That it was her husband and daughter shouldn't, in theory, make any difference.

But of course, it did.

"Excuse me," she announced. As heads turned to face her, she drew up, and with the best facade she could manage, she continued. "I am Commander Kami Hrelle, wife of Captain Hrelle, most of whom you'll have met already. I wish we could have met under better circumstances, but since we're here, let's get to know each other."

*

Several thousand kilometres east by southeast, the Tailless, operating under a disguised vessel registry and energy signature, was beginning a descent over the vast ochre desert of the Pakui Province, the clear azure sky above occasionally broken by fluttering ribbons of sand lifted up by the winds to offer a haze.

Captain Biggleshen's large paws moved over the pilot's controls once more, making a sound to himself.

Beside him, Jhess Furore looked in his direction. "Problem?"

Biggles' muzzle creased into a smile. "No. I'll just never quite get used to flying like this. It needs a stick, something to grab onto and pull back on, to make her do what you want with a confident touch."

Jhess raised his arms to stretch, yawn and smile. "That's very revealing, Captain. Fortunately for you I'm only a cub psychologist." Then he rose. "I'd best wake up Sasha, and see what she looks like in her holosuit." He ventured to the midsection, rapping on the door. "Sash, we're almost at the Skycats Aerodrome."

He heard a grumbling sound, and then the door slid aside. She stood there, eyes wide, alert, almost acutely so, clad in a form-fitting black suit, cowl and boots, the many miniature holoemitter units on its surface reflecting the ambient light, and allowing her to wear a Caitian blaster at her side and her Kaetini blade strapped over one shoulder. She started as he frowned at her. "What?"

He breathed in through his nostrils... catching her scent. "Are you okay? You seem a little jumpy. Did you not get any sleep?"

She shrugged, shifting in place and tugging at the gloves and hips of the holosuit. "Sure. This thing just keeps pinching me in places usually left for my lovers." She walked around him. "Captain, how are you doing with the controls?"

Jhess hung back, leaning in to keep the door to her quarters open, seeing the dishevelled interior, focusing on an open medikit on a nearby table, and a hypospray-

"Hey, Jhess."

He stepped back into the corridor, the door sliding shut as he returned to the cockpit. "What's up?"

She was sitting in the co-pilot's seat, frowning at him. "Something wrong?"

"No," he lied.

*

Hrelle had waited until Sreen began mewling before removing her headscarf and finally feeding her the remainder of the purchased formula, resisting the urge to snoop around, wanting to stay alert until-

-Captain Sallah entered his quarters, moving behind his desk, eyeing Hrelle suspiciously until Hrelle said, "Captain, I want to thank you-"

He held up a callused paw to cut him off. "I don't want to know. I don't want to know who you really are, or why the Aliens were after you..." He paused as he glanced at the top of Hrelle's shoulder bag, where the handle of his Kaetini sword and was sticking out, the Order's emblem on the pommel, and glanced at Hrelle with astonished recognition before he finally continued. "Or your life story, or anything else."

Hrelle studied him. Sallah seemed... well, a lot like many fisherfolk he remembered from cubhood: focused on the job at hand, with little interest in the affairs of the rest of the world. But that wouldn't suit Hrelle's purposes. "Captain, you've seen what's happened to our world... the Ferasans and the Dominion have taken over-"

"They haven't reached my ship. This is my world."

"They've wiped out our Militia, our Government, they're taking our females and cubs-"

"That's for others to worry about, not me. Or should I alert the Harbour Police and ask them to come collect you and your cub?"

Hrelle didn't respond.

Sallah leaned back in his chair. "Back in the Port, they call me the Black Bane of Sekuro. And they'll say many things about me, and I'll guarantee you, none of it will speak of my charity. I only took you on because you seem to know one end of the ship from the other, and because I need someone else onboard who won't make me feel as old as the First Martyr compared to the rest of this boatload of cubs just out of their first Season." He sniffed in Sreen's direction. "What's that metallic wrapping on her, some sort of... armour?"

"An exoframe, to compensate for her Neurodystraxia." Hrelle tensed as he put away the formula bottle, knowing how some the older generation viewed Caitians with such disabilities. After all he'd been through with his daughter, he wasn't in the mood for some bigoted old cat.

But Sallah just grunted. "This isn't a hospital ship, Mr Hanzō, or a cruise liner. I expect you to pull your weight without noise." He glared at Sreen, leaning forward. "From either of you. Normally you'd bunk with the crew, but I'll get Gershom to clear out the line storage behind my cuddy for you and your cub."

"Thank you, Captain."

"Don't thank me, I'm thinking of the crew, I don't want them disturbed with late night wailing from Fishbait there. And when you're on duty, you can leave her with Neshama, my servant... maybe she won't throw her into the stewpot, maybe she will. She's almost as rough a piece of timber as myself-"

Suddenly the door burst open unannounced, Hrelle drawing up his phaser into view, before almost immediately lowering it -- and being watched by Sallah throughout -- as Hrelle saw it was another of Sallah's crew, a heavy-set, slate-furred female of a similar age to the sea Captain, and in fact of a similar scent, her left ear sporting several gold earrings and her large frame filling up a vest and baggy trousers that smelled of spices and sauces. She glared at Sallah, a cleaver in one paw... but then drove it down onto the wooden surface of Sallah's table and smiled without malice or aggression as she left it there to regard Sreen. "Ahhh, so the scuttlebutt wasn't all bilge... you've let a cub onboard!"

Sallah rose to his feet, baring his teeth at the intruder. "How many times have I told you not to come in without knocking first?"

"Wouldn't know, I never listen to you, so I never counted." Her eyes still on Sreen, she drew closer and closer to the cub, bronze eyes wide... before sticking out her tongue.

Sreen stuck her tongue back, making the older female laugh.

"Nesh..." Sallah growled. "I'm busy. Get out!"

The female still ignored him -- Hrelle scented that they were definitely related, possibly siblings -- as she smiled at the cub. "You're as pretty as sunlight sparkle on the sea!" She looked up at Hrelle. "What's her name?"

He couldn't help but smile. "Sreen. I'm... Hattori Hanzō. And you're Neshama, Captain Sallah's... servant?"

The female had been focused on Sreen, but now looked up at him, and then at Sallah. "You're still telling others I'm your servant instead of your sister and co-owner of this ship, you lukewarm stream of piss? You'd best check your grub tonight for multi-legged surprises." She looked at Hrelle again. "I'm the ship's Machinist, the Sculler, the Quartermaster, I'll help haul in the catches and patch up the scars..." She indicated Sallah. "And I'll remind him which end is the bow and which is the stern."

"Nesh!" Sallah repeated, more sharply now. "I'm warning you-!

Now she looked at her brother. "Are you talking or farting? It's hard to tell the difference. Where are you putting them?"

Sallah bristled, clearly determined not to simply respond to her in front of strangers, before finally responding, "I'm getting Gershom to clear out the Line Storage cuddy for them."

Neshama grunted. "That's a very good idea of yours... but then, you were overdue." She looked to Hrelle, but indicated Sallah. "He's usually so dumb he couldn't drive nails in water."

Sallah rose, stabbing a forefinger in her direction, fury in his expression. "I don't give a damn if you're my sister, I'll not stand for disrespect from you!"

"Ooooh, I'm so scared!" she retorted, waving her paws in the air in mock fright.

Sreen imitated her. "Ooooh!"

Sallah ground his teeth, slamming his fists down on the table before storming around it. "I'm going to the Bridge to begin plotting our course!"

"You mean you're gonna radio back to Mom and whine, again, that I've been picking on you?" she teased him on his departure.

He cursed.

Sreen tried to copy his word, failing.

Hrelle looked to Neshama, hesitant about possibly causing trouble between the two of them... though he suspected this was routine, but still he didn't want Sreen and himself to get caught in the middle, on top of everything else. "I, uh, I hope he'll be okay with us here?"

The female smiled at Sreen and tickled under her muzzle. "If it wasn't, 'The Black Bane of Sekuro' would have thrown you off before we left port... don't let him intimidate you, Mr Hanzō. If you pull your weight, you'll fit right in. And I'll be happy to have this little Sea Sprite for company when you're on duty."

Hrelle smiled with genuine gratitude. "Thank you." He wanted to talk to her, try to get her on his side... but decided not to push things, not now, and focus on repairing the communicator and let Kami and the others know they were alive and well and out of Sekuro.

*

In the Medical Bay of Kaijushima Island, Bneea entered to find Mi'Tree half-sitting up on the biobed, staring ahead while Doctor T'Ana was at his side. "Look, Sugartail, I may have been happy when I was younger and in Season to spend the afternoon in my bedroom stroking off to the posters I had of you on my walls, that was a long time ago..."

"What's going on?" Bneea asked. "Is he still injured, Doctor?"

T'Ana grunted. "What? No, he's fine, just feeling sorry for himself like some cub with a kinked tail. You sort him out, I have better things to do."

As she walked away, Bneea took his husband's paw, squeezing. "Good morning. I'm glad you're awake. And alive too, by the way. You're needed."

Mi'Tree harrumphed. "You don't need me. I let those filthy murdering Ferasans invade our home, destroy it. They killed S'Graow, threatened our daughter, our grandcubs-"

"So, by letting them, you mean somehow being physically unable to repel dozens of armed Ferasans? I'm sorry, I forgot that you were actually the hero from your Clawback series and not just an actor."

Mi'Tree looked up and glared at him now, pulling out of his touch. "This isn't funny, Bneea! I've been told that Esek and Sreen are now on the run, being chased by those wretched Rat-tails! We should all be out there now looking for them!"

Bneea crossed his arms now. "Sasha, Jhess and Captain Biggles are out there now. We're needed for other duties."

The actor slumped down, turning away from him. "I'm not. I'm useless."

"I didn't come here to see you wallow in self-pity. As a matter of fact, a role awaits you. The most important role of your career. The most important role of your life, in fact."

Mi'Tree looked back at him over his shoulder. "What are you on about?"

"Our daughter is in command until Esek returns. She intends to deliver a message to the rest of the Motherworld, revealing the Ferasans' plans and rallying our people to resist. She wants someone known to as many of our people as possible... someone loved and trusted, someone comfortable with reading and enunciating... unless of course that disruptor blast has robbed you of your talent and confidence-"

Mi'Tree swung his legs over the side of the biobed and cast aside the sheet covering him, shaking back his mane and flexing his muscles. "I... am ready."

He strode out the door. Nude.

"Not like that, you're not!" Bneea scolded, chasing after him. "We want to rally the Motherworld, not frighten it!"

*

The maglev station was deserted, the offices shuttered and the schedules on the display indicating a reduced number of automated maglevs in recent days, since the Skycats, the only real reason to come out into this part of the desert, had shut down following the Occupation.

Biggles strode back to the others on the platform. "The next maglev is due in ten minutes. Have we heard from-"

Jhess breathed in deeply, the air a dry contrast to what he had grown accustomed to in the last few days on the Island. "No. They're overdue." He looked to the third member of their party. "Sasha?"

A Caitian female, young, blonde-furred, snub-muzzled and short-maned, and with a long, twitching tail sticking out of the back of her black travelling robes, had been pacing at the end of the platform, partly out of agitation... and partly to keep glancing at her reflection in the black glass walls. "This is the terminus, the end of the line; the maglev that arrives will have to head back to Sekuro. How long does the journey take?"

Jhess looked to Biggles, who replied, "Thirty, thirty-five minutes."

She nodded at that. "We'll leave the Tailless here and take the maglev and reconnoitre the Port, listen in on the Enemy's transmissions."

Jhess and Biggles glanced at each other, before the former asked, "Are you sure that's wise, Sash?"

She drew closer to her Caitian reflection, still regarding it. "Which part in particular?"

"Well... every part. Leaving the ship here, going into the city when it's swarming with Jem'Hadar and Ferasans-"

"I can summon the ship remotely if it's needed." Now she looked up at them, her holographic golden eyes fixed. "You two can stay onboard. I'll go alone."

Jhess stared back, before turning back to Biggles. "Captain, could you give me a moment to speak in confidence with the Lieutenant, please?"

The older male made a sound. "I'll go visit the Little Cats' Room."

As he departed, Jhess drew up to Sasha. "Turn that off."

She titled her head and looked back at her reflection. "Seriously, I hate to admit it to Nenjo, but this amazing. It picks up my human nonverbal clues and creates the Caitian equivalent, including the tail. She even said it releases a pseudo-scent-"