Star Kitten

by Purple Hazel

  Felina was right. And she had deduced all of that by just grasping his claws and sensing his deepest feelings. She truly was just as amazing as he’d imagined.

  “Yes-sss,” said Kscheeech raising up and taking a deep breath. “A better life,” he added, “For everyone.” Felina smiled and leaned further toward him, to kiss the end of his nose. Then she grasped and squeezed his claws with both of her paws for a moment one more time and released them. Upon her release, it seemed the blood was flowing normally within his body once more, but it felt like he was still a bit under her intoxicating loving spell. He recovered himself a bit more, and sat back with a bright smile… his body feeling kind of like he’d just had a refreshing twenty minute nap.

  As Felina sat back and returned to comforting Rex; Kscheeech decided to inform her of his plans to return with her to New Australia and give her as a gift to Solomon Mwanga, the Terminal Chief. “Felina; I’m proud to als-ssso tell you, that you are to be returning to New Australia with me… and Rex of course… to be given to the next leader of our planet. His name is Solomon.” Felina froze with excitement. Kscheeech noticed her reaction and smiled warmly, adding “He is now in charge of the main terminal where we’re going to be landing in a few weeks-sss; but he’s-sss respected and considered to be the wisest leader on our planet. I’m bringing you back with me to be his mate.”

  Felina actually gasped with widened eyes and excited surprise. She’d of course long since given up on any illusions that she may someday become a leader’s or a nobleman’s mate. That dream had faded right along with her very depressing “release” from Empath Academy years ago. Too opinionated, they said. Too strong-willed, they argued. Not obedient enough, they accused her of. Not demure enough, they complained. Oh but now… to become mated to the leader of an entire planet…?

  “Oh Keech, how wonderful… and who is this Pumalar?” asked Felina joyfully. Kscheeech chuckled happily, slapping his thick thigh with one claw, “Oh no my dear. It’s-sss not a Pumalar. It’s-sss a Human. Solomon Mwanga… he’s from Earth. And he was once President of a country there.” Felina shrunk back on her little stool she’d been sitting on. Her body heaved out a long happy sigh of relief and pleasured realization that indeed; after all these years, her dreams of having a wealthy powerful Human for a mate… was finally to be coming true.

  “Keech, that sounds fantastic! What does he look like… tell me about him would you?” begged Felina like an excited teenager. Rex just rolled his eyes and gave out another “ptah”. Rex said “Sweetie, it’s just a Pirate leader on a pirate planet who commands a pirate fleet of pirate space ships who conduct pirate raids on space stations and remote space colonies for food and female slaves… no offense intended toward our present host of course.” Rex gave a half-hearted apologetic smile toward Kscheeech who just snickered right back at the comically belligerent gay man with, “No offens-ssse taken, my Earth friend.”

  But then Kscheeech added wisely, “However, I believe my lovely guest here is quite pleased with the idea.” And he was right. Felina sat riveted, as Kscheeech leaned forward and said to the two of them, “Let’s-sss go get on board the Chengshi; and I’ll tell you all about S-sssolomon. He’s black, you know?” Felina shrieked back excitedly, “Like a panther?” Kscheeech laughed, “Sort of. You see, humans from his part of the planet Earth have fur on their heads and genitals that is black like a panther’s… but their skin is brown and shiny. He’s about your height… and very handsome.”

  Felina purred and patted her chest with her paw for a moment, then stroked her fur saying, “I’m so excited Keech. Thank you!” She leaned forward and hugged the short lizard-like humanoid, embracing him so hard it nearly choked the breath out of the little creature. He didn’t mind a bit, just gasped for breath as she squished his lizard beak between her breasts. She laughed and chuckled. Kscheeech did too. If he could have purred just like a cat, he would have done that as well!

  Soon they all three got up to go get on board the Chengshi. It was about time to load the last of the supplies anyway; and get the crew to their stations. The prisoners had all been secured. The crew was ready for their Captain to give the order to disembark. Yet soon everyone was amazed to see this rather odd looking threesome scurrying onboard, with Kscheeech their Captain… and a very tall gorgeous Pumalar chattering back and forth in Galactic about life on New Australia.

  Despite the tension of the moment, with everyone wanting to beat a hasty exit, here was their Captain so calmly and happily telling her all about hydroponic farms, the Tribal confederation, glacier water under the planet surface, the Slartigifijians, the mineral deposits, and the solar power plant that supplied the planet with electricity. He was almost downright giddy. This was a side of their Captain they’d never seen before!

  Rex just tagged along behind and continued to roll his eyes with arms crossed and an obstinate look on his face. He sneered right back at the surprised and glaring crew, stubbornly rejecting the whole idea of going home with these degenerate scalawags.

  Christ, they’d been captured by pirates and were being taken back to a pirate planet as prisoners. His restaurant was destroyed. Hundreds had died. And here was Felina… all excited like a playful kitten who’d discovered a ball of twine, talking about traveling across deep space to an unknown planet to live with the supreme leader of an entire pirate planet, no less. “Fucking Empaths… I swear,” Muttered Rex to himself. “And this ugly little gecko had better find my friends when we get there, or I swear…!” he said out loud.

  Kscheeech just chuckled and corrected Rex politely with, “We’re called Zorgs-sss actually. And yes-sss, I promised you I’d find your friends-sss if they’re onboard the Warthog. Don’t worry Rex.”

  Chapter 18:

  The Voyages Home

  The Voyage of the Varanus

  The Varanus was the first of the ships to “high-tail it” toward home. Seeing no Star Fleet presence yet, the Varanus Captain chose a direct route home and headed toward New Australia at full power, careening through deep space and hoping to dock back at the main terminal in just over two weeks.

  Its cargo was made up of the surviving troops from the Smilodon Brigade—including General Bengal himself. Plus it carried about a hundred female Pumalar prisoners. The General had also been wounded in the battle (in several places) so he spent the whole journey recovering from surgery. The medics on board the Varanus tried their best with Bengal to try and dig out the projectiles from his body before any infection might start. Bengal was a general and a very important leader back on New Australia after all; Chieftain of the Smilodon Tribe too. And now on top of all that he was a legitimate hero because of his defensive stand back on Star Pussy against the SP Police counterattacks. Somehow they needed to save him.

  Informed of this, the hundred or so Pumalar Empaths captured during the raid and sent with the Varanus to be nurses to the wounded, took extra special care of Bengal and also the several hundred other terribly wounded troops. They were like healing angels right from the start; soothing and comforting the wounded with dedicated care. It really made a difference for a lot of them being able to recover. But not all were going to make it; that was for sure. Several died on the flight; and had to be removed to a make-shift morgue set up in part of the cargo bay of the ship. Almost all of the dead were Pumalars, so by tradition they were to be given a hero’s military funeral when they returned; cremated together in an ancient ceremony honoring them for a noble death in combat.

  Death in combat was the greatest of all fates to befall a Pumalar warrior; and meant almost sure admittance into the Great Hall of Warriors in the afterlife. It was the foundation of this warrior culture to believe that way; because for every Pumalar male kitten growing up on Pumalar, the warrior ideal of dying gloriously in combat was what drove millions of males every year to seek military service. Glory in battle was only fleeting, after all. But to die in battle? That meant eternal honor in the after-life.

  All Pumalars grew up believin
g that the brave who’d been slain in combat would get to pass on in the afterlife to Fukuoka, which was the Pumalar name for heaven. No matter what their sins in life might have been—if they died in battle—their souls would be permitted entry. Best of all, they’d be allowed to join their ancestors in the Great Hall of Warriors. Then they could spend the rest of eternity drinking ale made from sacred catnip; drinking and singing and feasting, all the while awaiting the rest of their breed to come join them.

  What’s more… for the very bravest of warriors there was the additional possibility of reincarnation; or at least the Pumalar equivalent thereof. This was because the descendants of brave Pumalar heroes made regular supplication and prayers to their ancestors whom they deeply worshipped. When called upon for intervention on behalf of a descendant, it was said that an ancestor’s soul might actually enter the body of the descendant who’d summoned him; and live within them until a task or quest was completed.

  Such beliefs only encouraged and enforced an ancient warrior code of bravery and resilience in battle that was unsurpassed among other species!

  • • •

  The Voyage of the Chengshi

  The Chengshi was the last of the three ships to take off. And it left right after the Warthog disembarked the Human Environ docking station....

  Felina and Rex were identified by the crew and troops on board as being clearly off limits from physical advances of any kind; essentially because of the very manner with which Kscheeech treated them. It was practically like that of honored guests being welcomed by the Captain of a luxury passenger ship. Basically all anyone could surmise was that Kscheeech wanted them left alone and the crew and troops were to respect this. That was plenty enough. He didn’t really need to say anything.

  Not that anyone could possibly have minded of course. The ship had hundreds of Pumalar female prisoners as well as a few Humans captured during the raid. All were females; almost all of them were rather appealing, and the Pumalar females? They were supposedly all Empaths too! Not only were they quite easily manageable they were also very accommodative to all the Nausties onboard. They adapted to any male who approached them; and quite immediately they seemed to be quite comfortable with their circumstances.

  The other prisoners took notice too! Frankly these gorgeous female cat-like creatures—they all seemed to be having quite a lot of fun, royally enjoying themselves with the crew and its complement of Pumalar marines. Plenty to drink; and lots going on; the party began to look really inviting! Nature soon just took its course. Gradually they decided to just join right along with the festivities.

  Hell, even the obstinate and cynical Rex most certainly dove right in too! Now surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of strapping Pumalar warriors—fresh from the battle on Star Pussy—Rex was quite thrilled to dive in with the partying and debauchery every night down in the cargo hold where the prisoners and liquor were kept. And not only that: he found plenty to do during the daytime as well; starting with the kitchen. The appalling conditions of the mess hall immediately threw the rather eccentric and effeminate man into a real hissy fit when he saw how food was prepared and stored. The tables, counters, and even food prep tables were downright filthy. Rex couldn’t even believe people could eat there.

  He marched right up to the bridge of the ship and (respectfully) requested an audience with the Captain. By now he’d grown to trust Kscheeech a little bit… ever since the Captain had violated Naustie protocol and sent a Ship-to-ship message to Warthog instructing them to find Rex’s personal friends from Star Pussy. That impressed the capricious gay man.

  Ksceeech agreed to receive him on the bridge; which was not surprising. Frankly, it was damn good entertainment for his crewmen manning the command bridge because the lisping balding man was a veritable laugh-riot to watch whenever he was angry. After listening to a few minutes of Rex’s tirade about the cleanliness and sanitation of the serving areas; “especially the lack of proper care and handling of fish and meat”, Kscheeech very calmly said, “Then I’m putting you in charge. There’s no more capable being onboard… Go fix it, my friend.” Rex of course guffawed with surprise at first; but within a few moments he recovered himself and glanced over to see Felina grinning lovingly. Could he really do that? Just walk right back down there to that disaster in the ship’s galley and take over? Well, heck yes he could! He’d run one of the best damn restaurants on all of Star Pussy for the past two years, hadn’t he? He sighed deeply and smiled. “Sure… I mean… Yes Captain, thank you, I’ll get right on it” said Rex bowing like a butler.

  With that, Rex graciously took over the job as Kitchen Manager of the Chengshi; and wow… did he ever put that kitchen staff through hell! But they came through for him. Rex whipped that operation into shape within less than a day; and by the time of the next evening meal (about ten hours later); the crew, prisoners, and Pumalar marines were eating delicious gourmet food (served buffet style of course… with servers wearing clean white aprons spooning out aromatic concoctions that both titillated the senses and satisfied the bodies of everyone coming through the serving line.

  Kscheeech, by way of comparison, spent his days running the ship from the command bridge of Chengshi. His task was to simply zigzag back and forth (“swizzling” as he called it) while he cruised about a day behind the Varanus. This would enable him to confuse any Star Fleet vessel that might be tracking him, because at long range the Chengshi would appear to be changing course so often that sensors would confuse whether it was even the same ship showing up repeatedly in Star Fleet computers.

  Meanwhile, his friendship with Felina continued to grow.

  She would just get up each morning in his private quarters (he had a bed of soft pillows set up for her to sleep in his room each night comfortably and safe from the rest of the crew). Then, she’d tag right along with him to work each day, learning the operation of the ship and meeting the crew. She’d even get assigned to different crewmen by Kscheeech during the day to show her their own function onboard. In this way she got to know many of the Nausties personally. They loved it and she really enjoyed herself as well. After every duty shift, she'd go sit with Kscheeech and review with him all she'd learned.

  They became really close friends just like she had done with Rex; but it was more like a relationship between an Uncle and his beautiful niece; or an old college professor tutoring a bright enthusiastic student who showed great potential. He was deeply, deeply in love with her; truly he was. But he made no advances. Never once. Never at all, actually. He just couldn’t.

  She was just so perfect; so lovely, so smart, and so easy to teach. It was just a pleasure being around a wonderful and beautiful being like Felina and watching her absorb information. And Felina Toyger made every day he experienced with her so joyful and fulfilling. She listened intently and patiently to him; and did the same with everyone he assigned her to. Felina never judged or evaluated information. Crewmembers told her everything… about the ship, their private lives, their pasts, and even of the deepest feelings and yearnings within their hearts. Her presence seemed to just improve the morale of the crew more and more every day.

  Kscheeech took lots of time to make sure Felina knew EVERYTHING about New Australia too, leaving out little in the way of details. Even really graphic details about life there: what they went through to survive and eventually gain their independence: the ramp, the battle, the takeover of the main terminal, the depravity of the arena, the execution of Warden Ggggaaah, the degeneration into civil war between the different rival gangs, just about everything. He told her far more than when they were back on Star Pussy waiting to load up onto the Chengshi. And why shouldn’t he? It was time she knew it all. She was going to be Solomon's "wife", as he referred to it. In human culture, the wife of a great leader is almost always the very backbone of a man’s career path… and no one in the universe knows him better than her.

  “Wife?” That word was strange to Felina, so she finally asked about it. She'd heard it in Earthe
r terminology—especially in Earth movies that she'd seen back on planet Pumalar. She’d certainly heard the term many times on Star Pussy when "married couples" from Earth would come to see her looking to spice up their "marriage" as they called it. "Just what is a wife, Keech?" she asked him one day when he told her of his plans for her to "marry" Solomon Mwonga, Chieftain of the Schpleeftkorkii Tribe and Terminal Chief for the New Australia port.

  Kscheeech sat back in his command chair with Felina curled up next to him on some nice pillows he'd had brought up to the bridge for her to sit on while he worked.

  He sighed deeply, measuring his words carefully—since this was going to be difficult for Felina to understand. He replied, "You s-sssee Felina... Earthers-sss have an ancient tradition of mating a man and female together; not only for the purpose of procreating the species-sss; but also for the purpose of creating a permanent relationship... a commitment to each other for the rest of their lives-sss. Separated only by their deaths-sss, to be specific." Felina thought about it a moment then said, "Yes... I guess I understand that... but why the ceremony and the titles? I mean, don't we all do that, on all the other planets... all other species I mean?"

  This was a very good point. So Kscheeech explained it thus: "Not exactly to that extent, my Dear. See, a Pumalar can mate with as many females-sss as he can financially s-sssupport... s-sssame thing with Porkonjii. They can mate with and support entire harems if they can well afford to do so. And males from both species mate or couple with partners-sss just as often as they can find a female who’s in heat. And Zorgs-sss? Well, we're even more, um… prolific shall we s-sssay…. Aren't we now?" Felina laughed. Oh yes, Kscheeech was absolutely right about that. Zorgolongians mated freely, aggressively, and promiscuously ... even more so even than the rodent-like Schpleeftii. It gave them both quite a chuckle thinking about it.