Gentle Beast

by Margaret Afseth

  Arriving at the cubicle just as a young human woman was leaving it, and expecting to be the only one to be trained, Nyle was brought up short. He hadn’t realized there were full humans on staff in the med ship.

  He hesitated in the doorway.

  “Come in. I’ll be right with you.”

  Nyle stepped in, and stood waiting. The programmer had his back to him, and because Nyle saw the short fur travelling up the neck above the long-sleeved, collarless shirt the individual wore, he immediately assumed he was a pure Feline.

  When the being turned, Nyle was shocked to see the humanoid features. The male’s straight black hair was silver at the temples, and covered the tiny cat-like ears; the eyes were Feline with the dark vertical slit in a field of turquoise blue, but his face, hands and feet were decidedly human-like. It dawned on Nyle then, he’d seen no tail, and as most of the staff went barefoot, he knew a Feline foot when he saw it. This male had toes as human looking as Twila’s.

  Nyle’s eyes travelled back up the full height of the being.

  Man! How tall is he?

  “I am eight foot three; nine feet when I am together with my physical,” the creature disclosed.

  Nyle’s jaw dropped with the intrusion into his mind. He had believed Twila the only one able to do that.

  “Sorry to have invaded your privacy. As a telepath, it is not only my duty to train, but also to oversee others, so there is no breach in security. I did it from force of habit. My apology. I am called Liam.”

  “Twila’s brother?”

  “Yes. We are fosters.”

  “Ahh…I’m Nyle; she’s sponsoring my daughter and I.”

  Liam grinned broadly. “This I know.”

  “Ah…do you mind if I ask you a question?”

  Liam nodded, so Nyle went for it. “Are you two some sort of humanoid mix?”

  “No. We are Noor infected.”

  Nyle frowned.

  Infected?

  “What exactly does that mean?”

  “Infected is a term others use for our blood line. They call the Noor gene an infection because the Roog have taught the younger generation to fear the Noor species. Our parent species was once a very powerful force, policing the universe with powers of unmatched paranormal abilities.”

  Nyle latched onto the age bit.

  “And, you are how old, then?”

  Liam laughed. “Only sixty-five. I am of two species: one, the Feline, can live to an age of two thousand; and Noor, which had unlimited lifespan, but could still lose its essence if drained of energy.”

  “You said, the Noor were the police of the universe?”

  “Were, yes. The Roog killed off all pure Noor. There are now only five Feline Noor-half in existence…”

  “Twila, Jabek…”

  “Shiveron, Reon, and myself, Liam Loki. Have a seat; we should commence with your training.”

  “So, how does this work?” Nyle asked, as he sat down.

  “Please remove your translator.”

  “But,” objected Nyle. “Then I won’t be able to understand you.”

  “I will speak your tongue, until you have been educated; after that you will not need the device.”

  Unclipping the band from his neck, Nyle held it in his lap, because he feared he might be left without a means of communication, but Liam reached across, and took it from him.

  “Do not fear, human. Noors are known for their inability to lie, and I am seldom wrong with an assessment,” Liam declared candidly, placing the instrument out of sight. “Let’s see now. According to your first evaluation at the jump station, they thought your blood contained the Noor anomaly…”

  “What?” exclaimed Nyle, turning around to look behind at Liam. “How’d that happen? I’ve never been near aliens until now.”

  “First off, their tests could be faulty. Second, one does not need to be near a Noor to be infected; it passes from generation to generation, down through the family of a parent. If indeed the reading was correct, it would mean one of your ancestors was the blood recipient or was born a Noor.”

  Nyle gave a disbelieving laugh. “Don’t you think we’d know if one of our relatives was an alien? I grew up on Earth. Aliens don’t live there.”

  “Truly?” Liam said, tongue-in-cheek.

  “Well…especially a Noor. They’d have…powers, wouldn’t they?”

  Liam grinned. “Shall we just see if it is true first?”

  Nyle turned back around, and sunk into the padded seat back behind him.

  “If you are part Noor, you should train easily, for they have an incredible ability to process and retain knowledge…”

  “I have to go to school?”

  “No. First off, Nyle, discard all preconceptions regarding gaining an education. This is a new life with different ways of doing things. In the outer universe, we teach by sleep programming. The device I will attach interfaces directly with your brain. Within a short space of time you will have what you need at your disposal. It works when awake, but best when you are in sleep cycle. Please close your eyes and relax; it will speed the process.”

  Liam attached a small round metal disk to the left side of Nyle’s head just above the ear.

  “Let’s see. You’ll need languages, defence, board and repair training. Of course, the basic Feline customs and history, some Noor knowledge, and as Twila has chosen you in promise, you will need pleasure training.”

  Nyle frowned. “You mean sex? I know how to do it. I got a child, you know.”

  Liam chuckled. “Yes, well…with us, it is done a little different. As I’ve stressed before, forget previous misconceptions. Now, just sit back, and close your eyes. I’ll be here to monitor, making certain the feed doesn’t move too fast, but if indeed, you have Noor blood in your make up that shouldn’t be a problem. And when you are done, I will be testing you.”

  ****

  Nyle woke with a start when Liam removed the teaching appliance.

  “Well, it seems you are infected with the Noor anomaly,” Liam admitted. “You would not have retained as much or as quickly as you did, if you were not.”

  “But, how did it happen?”

  “More important is are there others out there like you? We thought that we knew all Noor-half. Are your grandparents or parents living? Do you have siblings?”

  “My grandparents on both sides are dead, so are most of their older family members. My dad’s dead, too, but my mom’s alive, and I have an older sister with a daughter.”

  “Your sister…is she mated?”

  “No, never was. If I’m infected, what about Kaudy, my daughter?”

  “The anomaly proceeds down the blood line. You are Noor; that means she also will be.”

  “Could I have gotten it through my older sister?”

  “Not likely. To be as receptive as you are means it comes through the older generation, but as most of those in your family tree are dead, it must come through your mother.”

  “Why wouldn’t it come through dad?”

  “How did poppa die?”

  “Blood clot started in the lung…they think. Then, went to his heart.”

  “You see if he were Noor that couldn’t happen. Noor are self-healing.”

  “My mom’s mom also died of a heart attack…”

  “And the other grandparents?”

  “All died of old age related conditions.”

  “Then it must come from momma.”

  “Whoa. Mom got sick lots of times too; she even was being treated for something female, last I heard.”

  Liam shook his head. “Interesting. This must be a new infection…unfortunately we do not have all the facts, so until we do, we must wait to solve the puzzle. How about we test you instead of worrying about it?”

  “Okay. What do you want?”

  “Stand up.” Nyle obliged. “Now, you are Human-Noor; most will think you merely human…”

  Nyle grinned. “That’s good, right?”

  “It is to your a
dvantage to keep it hidden, yes. You do realize you are able to obtain weapons to defend yourself?” Nyle nodded. “You are in a mostly Feline society; show me what you would use were you attacked.”

  “I’d use manipulation, give myself claws.”

  “Do so then. Show me!”

  This is going to be fun.

  Nyle raised his hands, willed the nails to extend, then withdrew the claws back to normal human length.

  “Good. Can you shape-shift?”

  Nyle metamorphed into a large longhaired Feline.

  “Good! Excellent!” Liam said pleased. “Now, come back.”

  Nyle was laughing gleefully, as he returned to his man form.

  “I caution you, Nyle. You need to be careful. It is best that those outside our family nest not know your abilities. Sometimes it is even wise to keep it from Dia and Kimon. They would be exceedingly frightened if they knew all our capabilities.”

  Nyle sobered, knowing immediately there was danger just in being Noor.

  “Now, let’s test your board skills.”

  He brought forth a portable, transparent, paper-thin, ten inch by two-foot wide rectangle; a computer screen. Then had Nyle return to his seat, and placed it in his lap.

  “I presume you left your family back on planet?”

  “Yes.”

  Nyle immediately knew how to operate the board. He activated it and it rose into the air to suspend, top just level with his shoulders.

  “I want you to look for your family. Tap into the human grid.” As Nyle obeyed, touching the screen to do each task, Liam continued instructions, watching over Nyle’s shoulder. “Next, select the Forbidden Planet system. Remember it is slower and more primitive than ours…last known address of each…”

  Nyle was both amazed and fascinated at what came up on the screen. Not only was there the residential address, but also birth date, driver’s licence, place of work and associated history, along with articles of news coverage relating to the subjects he sought.

  His jaw dropped. “Holy crap!”

  “Inappropriate language, Nyle,” Liam rebuked. “Watch that. As a Noor, you are expected to display exemplary behaviour.”

  “But…don’t you see? My sister and her kid are dead!”

  “Always remember; just because their media says so, does not make it fact.”

  “But the whole building blew up!”

  “Never assume. Were their bodies found?”

  Nyle searched the article. “No. No bodies.”

  “Well, then; there you are.” As if he had no empathy, Liam gave an order, deftly sidetracking Nyle. “Next, I want you to find what they have on you.”

  Nyle obeyed. What came up had him equally disconcerted, even though he had expected it.

  “Man! Oh, man! Seline has the police looking for me. I’m wanted for kidnapping, and my mom, for questioning. They think she’s an accomplice. Mom didn’t know anything! Bet that’s why it said, no known address for her. She must be on the run…”

  “As I stated previously: never assume.”

  Nyle laughed. “Yeah; guess you’re right. On earth we have this saying, ‘assume makes an a s s of you’.”

  As he translated and understood the meaning of the spelled word, Liam fought not to smile. “I quite agree.”

  “So, maybe they’re all together, then? How do we find them?”

  “Do you have pictures?”

  “Sorry, I lost them in the transfer when they sold my property.”

  “With their driver’s Id, we can put a search out on the stream. It will take time, but if they are on surface, we will find them. One or another should turn up eventually. So…I think I am satisfied as to your testing. You have retained considerable, and the rest is simply practice. So…why don’t you report to Thor in communication. He is quite overworked, and will be glad to put you to a task.”

  Liam took the board from his hand, and turned away. Nyle knew he had been dismissed.

  ****

  Deep in thought, upset by the findings of his board search, Nyle mulled them over, as he threaded his way through the beds in the med bay.

  Will Liam execute the search for my family, or am I supposed to do it? Maybe, because Twila and I are not yet intimate, they will just leave it slide? Also, there is entry to the area. It is forbidden. We can’t just go down there and get them.

  Nyle wished he’d gone about things differently.

  I never meant to get mom in trouble. Maybe that explosion wasn't an accident either?

  All kinds of scenarios fled through his mind.

  Did someone deliberately hurt my sister because of what I did?

  Nyle was so intent on his own thoughts, he took no note of his surroundings. He failed even to hear the envious hiss of disapproval, as he passed beside the cot of an injured Feline warrior. Nor did he see the male reach for his heavy weapon bar, which lay beside him on the bedside table.

  Nor was Nyle aware of the stealthy approach of his malicious challenger. The killer blow whomped heavy striking just above the neck; felling him instantly. Nyle plunged forward, landed eagle-spread on his face, bleeding profusely from the wide gash where the skull had cracked open.

  Pandemonium broke out above his inert body.

  CHAPTER 27

  The next morning, Loki decided to take the chance and bring his little she with him into the prison medical bay.

  “Stay very close beside me,” he warned. “Hide behind me, if there is trouble.”

  Uel was first to notice. “What’s this? You’ve found a pet human?” He followed her around, as she hid behind her benefactor. “This she is ugly as sin. Did you shave her so she wouldn’t attract attention?”

  Loki said nothing. After a time, Uel let it go, and returned to his own work.

  ****

  Althea was enthralled and excited at being permitted to leave Loki’s quarters, but out here, she felt like the smallest of creatures. At five foot three, she was not much more than half Loki’s size, and though the other attendants were a little shorter, they still were larger than she.

  Loki went to an area that seemed to be an examination room, with a cot that was closer to the floor, low enough for a human to shift up on it. There was a shelf just above, and he lifted Althea to it, putting her out of harms way. The perch was sturdy, and wide enough that she could lie on her belly, and watch what took place.

  Through the day, a long line of human women came through his station, all in various stages of pregnancy. Loki examined each in a tender, modest and caring fashion. Althea realized he was physician to the bred females.

  When his day came to an end, Loki again made his way to More’s establishment. This time, they both walked, and he took a shorter, more circuitous route past empty cells reeking of urine and excrement.

  At More’s, he gathered the makings for a meal: fish, bread and half a dozen apples. Althea tugged on his sleeve to get his attention.

  “Can I have something?” she whispered, when he turned to look at her.

  Loki looked up at More questioningly. “Did you understand?”

  “She wears no translator, but she wants, right? More likes her; let her take whatever she want.”

  “Go,” Loki encouraged. “But only small things.”

  Althea scampered into the back, where her belongings lay stored, still untouched. She knew what she wanted, and found it in the kitchenware: her spices. She quickly found a box of salt, and a container of lemon pepper. She also found her store of candy bars. Slipping three of the bars into her front jean pocket, she picked up the other two items, but as she turned to go, Althea spied her electric frying pan.

  Her arms loaded, she went to where the two males were talking, hoping Loki would not reject the appliance.

  Loki looked down at what she’d brought. “Seems my she is better at shopping than I,” he commented, putting her acquisitions with his. “I’ll need a bottle of oil, as well.”

  Althea had forgotten that item.

  More
put all articles into a sack, and Loki headed out of the store, Althea close behind him. No currency had changed hands, and she wondered at that.

  Preoccupied with her thoughts, when the large black and tan cat with the bulldog face appeared in their path, she let out an involuntary squeal. Too startled to move, Althea stood there shaking.

  I recognize this male! This is my nemesis, Bom.

  The large beast laughed. “Found yourself a pet, after all, did you?”

  “You told me too,” Loki returned, as if the formidable creature was not to be feared.

  Bom snarled at the insolence, but seemed to think it not worth his while to carry the encounter to violence.

  “If you intend to keep that ugly, scrawny thing, make sure you tag it. When it fattens up, someone might want to eat it.”

  Loki said nothing.

  “You hear me?”

  “Yes.”

  Bom turned, and disappeared down another corridor.

  ****

  After they had dined on fried fish, Loki brought her out into the empty med centre again. He sat her down at a table and got out a metal tube with an attachment at the end, a box of fittings for the machine, and a sheet of miniature pictures.

  “Which one? You pick.” He handed her the sheet.

  There were pictures of cats and dogs; pigs and goats; dragonflies, ladybugs, and butterflies, among other things. Althea pointed to a blue butterfly with wings resting back against each other.

  “A tusha, eh. I like tushas, also.”

  “Tusha?” questioned Althea. “It means butterfly in your language?”

  “Yes. In Noor.” Loki grinned. “I think I’ll call you that. You do need a name.”

  Althea wasn’t going to tell him she already had one.

  Well, that chapter of my life is over anyway, I might as well have a new name.

  As Loki went about fitting the appropriate end to the tag instrument, he began enunciating different words, as if to teach her.

  “Titer…”

  “That’s not the Noor tongue,” she returned resolutely.

  “Tell me what dialect…from Earth.”

  Althea had never learned any other language but English. But suddenly, it was as if she could read Loki’s mind.

  “Titer…butterfly in Armenian.”