by L. Fergus
“Ok, when I’m finished you can come in and say you’re sorry,” said Case.
“Sorry? What do I have to be sorry for? She’s the one who’s been turning me down.”
“Listen, you want her to be happy and in fighting shape, right?”
Kita nodded.
“Then take the blame. It’ll make her feel better.”
“What happens the next time I go to Cotton’s?”
“This bunny must be good. I might have to take a turn,” Case said with a smile.
“You can come with me.”
“That’d be a story to tell, I had sex with a bunny and a chicken at the same time. People will think I have a thing for barnyard animals. Anyway, I’ll call you when I’m ready. Don’t go wandering off to shag a doggy.”
Kita gave her a nasty look. Coming home after sex should never be so tedious. I’m sure Cotton is still bouncing like a ball. Or not, her father was standing guard in the common area. Neither one had been quiet or subtle going in or out.
Jupiter huffed at the door unhappily. Leaning against the wall reliving events, Kita missed Case’s call and the cats’ mews. Case opened the door and yanked her inside.
“Sorry for, ah…” Kita shrugged.
Case yanked on a feather.
“Ow,” Kita snarled. “Let me grab some of your hair and yank.”
Kita took a breath and tried to compose herself. Rabbit had a death grip on her bear. Jupiter hopped on the bed and tried to work his head in. Why does the cat want his head crushed? She knelt down in front of Rabbit.
“Hey, listen, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you felt that way. I should have cleared it with you first. I still care about you, and you’re still my friend. I’m here to talk about it if you want, or later, or never. It’s up to you.” She waited for a moment, but Rabbit didn’t say anything until she made a motion to stand.
“Why do you like her? What makes her special?” Rabbit said grumpily through her bear.
The totally honest answer of, we’re both nasty spoiled bitches that have way more sexual experience than you ever will, and we just wanted to have fun, is probably not the right answer. “It’s just lust, that’s all. You know how it is. Sometimes, you can fight with a person constantly and still be attracted to them. She’s definitely not you.” She smiled as she touched Rabbit’s leg.
“I don’t know, but ok. It’s still not cool.”
“I understand. I’m sorry. Look, Jupiter’s here to make you feel better, too.” Kita pointed, trying to deflect attention.
Rabbit nodded and scratched the big cat’s ears.
Sarge sat in the doorway with a disappointed look on his face.
“What?” Kita mouthed at the cat. Sarge came over and head-butted her into Rabbit. “Hey,” Kita said, looking at the cat annoyed. He huffed at her. “You want me to be honest?” she whispered in his ear. The cat growled approvingly. “I am not. I need her, I like her, and I don’t want to hurt her more,” said Kita. Sarge head-butted her again. Kita sighed. Nothing worse than a pushy cat.
“Hey, listen,” Kita said to Rabbit. “I’ll probably see her again, maybe, but it’s nothing serious. Just having fun. I’m totally yours whenever you want. Ok?”
Rabbit gave her a funny look. “What’s that mean?”
“It means Kita wants to have her cake and to eat it, too.” Case sighed. “I’m so glad I’m finding out about this now,” she hissed in Kita’s ear.
Kita stood up. “It means I’m not being claimed by anyone and am open to anyone. I’ve never been shy about giving and receiving affection. I try to make everyone happy, and I love the attention. I am sorry if it is misconstrued as meaning more than it is. That doesn’t mean I’m shutting doors. It just means if you want more, all you have to do is make your intentions known.” She looked down at Sarge. “There, are you happy?”
The cat huffed and nodded.
“Ugh,” Kita said, rolling her eyes. The cat’s tail lashed back and forth happily. She stood up and stroked Rabbit’s hair. “I’m around if you need me, but we’ve got work to do in a few hours.”
Rabbit nodded and shook Kita’s hand off.
Huffing, Kita left for more welcoming faces.
“Vicereine on deck,” a young Diamock soldier on guard announced as Kita entered the bridge.
“Vicereine has the bridge,” the executive officer called. As a female, she was smaller, sleeker, and softer looking than her male counterparts.
“Belay, Commander. I am here to observe only,” Kita replied in Diamo, the official language of the Diamocks.
“Vicereine, a sidebar?” said the commander.
“Yes.”
“Lieutenant Erko has the bridge,” the commander announced.
Kita followed her over to a quiet corner.
“Yes, Commander Zentix?” said Kita curiously.
“Vicereine Kita, I recommend you speak in your language with the crew.”
“I thought they liked that I spoke Diamo.”
“They approve. Morale is good because you can. But, they need to know your language in case we make contact with humans. They need to know what humans are saying. It will be a combat multiplier.”
“Excellent recommendation, Commander. I will, and the crew has two cycles to learn basic Common commands. Do you believe that’s fair?”
“They will, Vicereine.”
“I need to know if it’s fair,” said Kita. “I don’t want to give them an impossible task or one that lowers morale because they’re spending all their free time studying.”
“You learned ours in hours.”
“I know, but I have a gift for languages.” Kita had no idea how she had learned the language so fast but was glad for it. “I am an exception, not the standard.”
“I understand, Vicereine. My recommendation is give the crew until we reach the Tetrahedron for the summit.”
“I will. Issue the order, Commander. Anything else?”
“No, Vicereine. Permission to return to the bridge?”
“Go ahead.”
Zentix gave her a funny look.
“Unlike Diamo, which is quick and precise, Common has many words, many with multiple means, and many phrases with multiple meanings,” said Kita. Wait until you have to learn to read. Maybe Dallas has some kind of language teaching tool aboard that could be adapted. It might be prudent to require a few classes.
Zentix saluted and left, leaving Kita free to wander between stations to watch and learn. The door opened.
“Princess Cotton on deck,” the guard announced.
Kita looked at the clock. That didn’t take her long. I’ve only been out of my quarters fifteen minutes. She tried not to laugh when she saw Cotton’s outfit.
“That didn’t take you long,” said Kita with a sly grin.
“Whatever be you mean?” said Cotton with a pleasant smile. “I be surprised you here and not in your quarters resting. Did something disturb you?”
Kita smiled playfully. “Nope, not a thing. You female bunnies must play some twisted games with each other.”
“What you be meaning?” Cotton said aloofly.
“You really think I didn’t know our romp would have upset Jess?” Really, I just don’t care.
“Is the little human upset, why?” said Cotton, feigning concern.
“She took it like a champ.”
Cotton batted her eyes. “And how many tears did you catch?”
“Enough.”
“The Verisom warren matriarchs can be known to be pulling tails now and again.” Her eyes twinkled a bit.
“I’m willing to bet you have it down to an art form.”
“They be known to send the males out to settle scores.”
“War? Really…” Kita said, impressed.
“Not war. Each side be sending an agreed upon number of males. They fight until one side has none left. Loser must be conceding defeat publicly.”
“I bet that stings. So, what happened to the sarongs? Or, did you only h
ave one?”
Cotton laughed. “I have plenty, but they be casual and ceremonial. You be a war commander, not be a ceremonial commander. You be wearing weapons and armor where you go. I follow example.”
“And this is dress armor?” Costume, more like it.
“Yes, be for ceremony and such. It not be full combat rig. That be too bulky for daily wear.”
Kita tapped Cotton’s bracer. It felt real. “So why do you have armor? I thought you were a researcher.”
“I be. Your cat not be only versatile one. I be a master lancer.”
“Really?” Kita said, trying to be polite and skeptical at the same time. “What’s a lancer do?”
A compartment on Cotton’s leg opened. She took out a long metal rod. She touched a button, and the lance extended in length to almost ten feet. A blade opened to create a poleax on one end, and a point opened on the other to form a spear. “My rig has thrusters that be launching me high into the air, so I be attacking enemy from above. The axar fires heavy energy charge to destroy enemy. Also, energize blade to electrocute enemy.”
“So why do you have it? If you don’t go to war and are busy watching our TV?”
“Warren matriarchs be expected to lead the Warren into battle. It’s one of few times females must demonstrate why they are in charge.”
“And if one falls?”
“First successful daughter takes her place.”
“And if you all go?”
“Then entire Warren fights to last male. If fighting stops before then, remaining males are taken in by other warrens.”
“So, your people must have fought each other at one point.”
“No interracial war for nearly 600 years. My great something grandmother united warrens under her. We be remaining united since. We be fighting two outside wars. One with Diamo and one with Zentos.”
“Who are they?”
“They be looking like giant squirrel,” Cotton said, turning up her nose.
Kita smirked. “No wonder you don’t like them.”
“You be thinking it’s funny. Wait until you meet a race of giant chickens, Miss Kita.”
“I’m just saying I can see why you don’t get along. You can’t have more than one type of giant rodent per planet.”
“Don’t you be thinking you so smart,” Cotton said coldly.
“Speaking of smart, and I’ll be blunt so not to leave you any wiggle room: Why are you here, dressed like that?”
Cotton tried to look innocent. “What do you be meaning? We had fun. I thought it continue.”
“And yet the first thing you did was to try and rub Jess in my face. There are things to play games over. I am not one of them. If you think a few hours of sex and wearing armor are going to put you back in my good graces, you’re sadly mistaken. If you think you’re going to parade in on my arm, or worse, me on yours, I’ve got a new rabbit hole for you to jump down.”
Cotton’s nose twitched violently as her eyes narrowed. She spun on her paw and headed for the door.
Kita watched her cute, fluffy tail as she went. After the door had closed, she turned to go back to the station she’d been observing. Before she took two steps, the door reopened. Cotton come back in.
The Verisom marched up to Kita and looked her dead in the eye. Cotton stuck her slim finger in the middle of the X on Kita’s chest. “I be wanting you.”
“Why?”
“Because you be worth having.”
“I don’t belong to anyone.”
“The cat be saying differently.”
“I love Snowy, and she’s my friend. If anyone has the right to own me, it’s her.”
“So, how I becoming yours?” Cotton said, her anger still seething.
“Be more than a sex buddy.”
“Fine. No sex for you.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I know what you be meaning. And I mean what I be saying. No sex buddy or friend being with benefit.”
“Fine by me,” said Kita acidly. “But I suggest you come back in a much better mood if you want a second date.”
“Maybe you should be asking me.”
“I’m never going to ask. If you want me, you’ve got to claim me and make me want to be claimed.”
“You, I will own.” Cotton tapped Kita’s chest again. She turned and left.
Kita sighed and caught the eye of Zentix. The Diamock kept her expression neutral. Still, Kita had learned a Diamock’s quills movements told what was on their mind, and like with humans, the eyes gave away everything. Zentix looked highly amused by the confrontation. Kita smiled and winked, before going back to observing.
Rabbit arrived on the bridge, not a second sooner than she had to. The guard announced her. Kita and Zentix came over to greet her.
“Hi, Jess. How are you?” Kita said gently.
“I’m more than capable of doing my job, Vicereine,” the girl hissed.
“You know that’s not what I meant.”
“My personal business is my own.”
“That depends. If it makes you hostile to me here, then we have a problem.”
“Everything is awesome,” Rabbit said with a fake smile.
Kita sighed and let it go. Time was what the girl needed.
Zentix passed them over to a lieutenant to give them a more thorough tour of the ship. Kita stopped and talked to everyone. She asked questions she didn’t know she had. More good information leaking through the blocks in my head. Cracks have to be forming. When will the dam break?
Kita directed the tour to the combat training area after touring one of the many galleys to find out what the Diamocks and everyone else ate. The Diamocks’ digestive system wasn’t all that different than humans’. After Kita had sampled some of the favorite dishes, she was sure they didn’t have a sense of taste or smell. She added another thing for Raph to send over from Dallas, a cookbook.
The training room ran the length of the ship and ten decks vertically at the high point. It was a busy place. Soldiers took turns firing and spotting at point targets, while others worked a primitive VI pop-up target system. Kita knew she had to get a better one. There was no combat simulator. Instead, the Diamocks practiced on each other. It wasn’t a bad way to train but led to more injuries. She noted a squad of medics helping those injured during training.
On the far side of the point target range, she spotted Hawke and Cross. The young Marine had a modified Diamock rifle fitted for his hand. Diamocks’ and humans’ hands were different. Diamocks had three large fingers. They didn’t have a thumb, but instead there were two fingers on top and one on the bottom. Two fingers held the grip, while the upper one pushed a button to fire, instead of pulling a trigger. The rest of the weapon was much the same. Instead of a chemical reaction to fire the bullet, they used a railgun-type firing mechanism.
Kita, Rabbit, and their guide went to watch Cross shoot. Everything was within a two-inch circle at 250 yards.
“You call that shooting?” Hawke snarled as he pointed to the screen displaying Cross’ shot group. “They need to be tighter than this. Shooting the enemy at range keeps you from having to smell what he had for lunch, son. You’re not watching my ass shooting like this. They’ve got to be dead on every time. Groupings like this mean you’ve got a huge area to miss them with. Go stare at something else for a few minutes and we’ll work on your mechanics when you get back.”
Cross sighed. He stood up and body-slung the rifle. Staring at the ground, he nearly bumped into Rabbit.
“Keep your head up,” said Rabbit. “The only time the enemy’s at your feet is when they’re dead.”
“Sorry, Captain,” Cross said tiredly.
“Grab one of those energy bars, kid. And, bring one back for me,” Hawke ordered as he turned to face Kita. “Those things aren’t bad. Better than the swill the Legion made us eat.”
“You should see how they’re made,” said Kita with a grin. “How’s he doing?”
“He’s good, for someo
ne fresh off the turnip truck. I’ll get him up and moving. I think he’s a little rattled by the environment. Give him another cycle, and his shots will be perfect.”
“He’s got to fight in all types of environments. The enemy doesn’t wait for you in a practice room.”
“Baby steps, big bird. You don’t train a legionnaire in a day, at least, not if you want him to live long.”
“And here I thought you were an uncaring pig,” said Rabbit.
“Don’t give me that pig crap. Girls are as bad as guys when it comes to being pigs. You’re not as vocal, or at least not in front of us. I give a damn about those on my side. We don’t work together, I don’t get paid.”
“Why do you keep thinking you’re getting paid?” said Kita with a sly smile.
“I’d better be getting something out of this.”
“Or what are you going to do? Go home?”
“I’d better be getting something.”
“You’ve already seen me naked. That’s not payment enough?”
Hawke grunted an acknowledgment. “A peep show is half a day’s work, sweetheart.”
Kita smiled. “I’m worth far more than that. I’m sure we can work out a deal. If we can’t, I’ll drop you on the nearest world, and you can hitchhike home. Maybe you’d better seek legal counsel.”
“I’m sure one of these hounds is a lawyer,” said Rabbit.
“Watch it, little girl, before I tell these dogs a little rabbit tastes better than a big one.”
“I am sure if and when we are ready to part ways, we can come up with a severance package for you,” said Kita.
“Yeah, his head in a box.” Rabbit smiled wickedly at Hawke.
“You try it, and we’ll see who goes home in a box.”
“Don’t forget, she’s the one with the armored suit,” said Kita.
“I know she’s too cowardly to face me one-on-one,” Hawke sneered.
Kita raised an eyebrow. Does Jess rise to the challenge?
“You’re on, Legionnaire, but if you lose you’re polishing all my brass.”
“If I win, I get to write ‘I love Hawke’ across the front of that bear of yours and then you have to carry it around and show it to everyone on the ship.”
