Page 24 of Experimental Voyage
I wanted one of my own. “Hit me with it. How much is this?”
“Three million,” he confessed, grimacing and glancing at the other Veloc in the quarantine bay, who were preparing for our first venture onto the beach. “They don’t have many ships, not like some of the other clans do, so the ones they do have get tricked out. I fly for them, but the ship is mine and they pay me for the work, as I am notorious about trying to dodge gifts. They wanted to go to a newly discovered planet, but the mandates for the planet required data analysis and toxicology run. They needed a scanner, so the bastards decided part of my pay was this specific toy. And since they tossed it in as part of my pay, I couldn’t refuse.”
Clever, clever Veloc. “You’d probably suffer a great deal less if you just accepted their gifts.”
“They would win if I did that,” he replied in a solemn tone.
Men. Species didn’t matter; men were men, and I’d yet to meet a male who could readily set aside their pride for their benefit. Pridealwaysinterfered somehow. “But if losing means you get toys like this, I would lie down on the altar of gift receiving and wait patiently.” I gestured to Palta, who engaged a scratching post with dangling toy in the corner I’d learned was hers should we need to go into quarantine. “You’d lose for Palta.”
“I would,” he admitted. “With genetic manipulation and restoration, she’ll probably outlive me. And the instant we’re back home, I’m going to take my share of the bounty earnings, do a refit of the ship, and make space for her to have a companion. I can’t be with her all the time, and space travel can be lonely, especially for a cat as social as she is. I won’t enjoy the next few months of her hissing at the males I introduce to her, but here’s hoping she actuallylikesone for more than basic breeding purposes.”
“Maybe get her a female friend for companionship?” I suggested.
The look of utter horror Waldren shot me reduced me to tears of laughter.
“One litter of kittens tests his patience,” Herserael informed me, coming over to peer at me before whistling. “But she makes a good point. You could both get pairs of females, and once all the felines are properly bonded to their owners, they will be able to mingle as a small colony. Then you can bring various males around for their entertainment, deal with all the kittens at one time, and strongly help with their natural diversification. We could acquire a set of four males to keep on our world so your kittens form a stronger genetic base. If we mix and match the males and females, then we can repeat the process with the next generation but more exterior males—and make a strong collection of good male stock for those with unrelated females abroad. We can use the ship to transport the breeding candidates.”
“So many kittens,” Waldren muttered, shaking his head. “Last litter, I couldn’t count all the little bastards on both hands!”
“Palta is quite skilled at providing her loving owner with large, healthy litters,” the Veloc cooed in reply. “You are just upset you had to find homes for so many wondrous animals.”
“I should have kept one,” he grumbled.
“You sold them for a hundred thousand credits each, far below their market value, and only to good homes that were willing to sign documentation establishing their responsibilities to pet and species. You are merely upset because you will have to do many contracts with this ploy, and you hate paperwork.”
“So much paperwork.” Waldren bowed his head. “It’s a good idea, but I’d have to overhaul the entire ship.”
“Or buy a new one, which discovering this planet would allow you to do. And you can keep this one as your trainer ship when working with young, beautiful pilots like the lovely Camellia here.”
“Even with the haul from discovering a planet, I can’t afford a new ship, especially not with the number of shiftgem crystals I would need to set the drive up. Sure, I could buy the body and main parts and get her built, but the engine would be an issue.”
The Veloc’s crest snapped up, and he hooted, trilled, and clicked something at Waldren, who scowled before replying in the same language. Herserael’s reply, which involved some hissing and clacking, triggered a rapid-fire discussion between the two, and the rate of hisses increased with each exchange.
Expecting feathers to start flying, I headed for the hallway, poked my head through, and hollered, “I think Waldren’s getting into a fight with a feathered murder machine, and I’m not sure who is going to win.”
Alban, armed with the small medical box I recognized as containing my various medications, hurried down the hall, his feathers standing on end. I got out of the way so he could peer into the quarantine bay. A moment later, he burst into hooting laughter. “They are fighting over you. Waldren appears to be offended that Herserael suggested you be trained on an inferior ship should he upgrade this one—quite due, really. Herserael isjust egging Waldren on at this point, as he has an enjoyment of pushing shiny red buttons. What started this?”
“Herserael suggested we get all female cats and start a breeding program. I started it because I asked about finding Palta a female companion. Herserael just added fuel to the fire.”
Alban’s feathers smoothed, and he spent a few moments preening and situating himself. “He is heartbroken every time he lets any of the kittens go, so this tracks. He loves his cats dearly, even the kittens he sends off to bond with other sentients. He may not be the easiest to get along with, all bristly and determined to be independent, but he has a tender heart for the furry ones.”
That I could believe. Then a thought struck me. Had Waldren’s behavior to me changed solely because I possessed tidbits of Palta’s genetics? I could believe that, too.
He lived because of her, and he cherished everything about his furry companion. While I wanted to think that our ability to work together and spend time together had grown because of me, I realized Palta played an equal role.
Palta liked me, so Waldren did his best to like me, too.
“Maybe me getting cats isn’t really a good idea,” I mumbled.
Alban cocked his head to the side. “Why not?”
“If I get cats, and I leave to do whatever it is I’ll end up doing, it’ll hurt him because he likes cats that much. Perhaps it would be best to wait.”
The Veloc’s crest snapped up, and he considered me through a single eye, tilting his head this way and that. The motion reminded me of an inquisitive bird pondering how best to solve some problem. “Ah. I see. You are an affectionate, tender being, and you would rather hurt yourself than others.”
I couldn’t refute his statement, so I shrugged. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I can be selfish at times.” Igestured to my head and my tail. “I have these because of my selfish pride.”
“No, you have those because of your steadfast determination. Your dreams require ears which can hear. The tail is just an adorable bonus. No, that was not selfish pride. You have places you wish to go and dreams you refuse to give up your hold on. It is not selfish pride to listen to your heart’s song. That is caring for yourself, something that every being must do from time to time to thrive. Do not berate yourself for caring for your future.” Alban crouched, opened the box, and pulled out several syringes and a folding mirror. “Today, you will get to see your ears in their full glory. The itching should subside in the next few days, but it is time you begin your journey towards accepting everything you now are. I will do the injections first as a precaution. It has healed enough you may touch your ears and tail now.”
