Drew's Trouble with Cats and Roaches

To all,

Due to the interest in this series, here is part 15 combined. I must apologize, Chapter 15A -- Cara was supposed to be pulled (from the sites submission path) when I decided to combine all three-infill chapters into the 'Combined" you have in front of you. My being a luddite surely helped in the error.

Due to comments after release of chapter 14, I had to re-examine my processes. Yes, it was rushed, but so is my real life. I am a two-finger typist (do not judge me please) and so I was trying to get a story out, of some type. Also, I did plan to throw out tendrils that I would blend in later. Well after the comments, I have decided to take a step back and do some backfilling.

I started the backfilling with three distinct chapters, but after some very nice folks volunteered to help me edit, it became clear that it was playing holy hell with understanding timelines. It made sense to me, but all this craziness is all in my head, or maybe I'm just crazy.

I do not include parts from the previous chapters ta add length to the new chapter. It was a tool I learned from other authors on this site, because normally there could be long time spans between the issuance of a new chapter(s). I found it compelling and a boon for me as the reader. It helped me with continuity and an understanding of the story. There is (was) no intent to cheat.

Any aliens, real or imagined in this story are purely a construct of my twisted and warped mind.

I thank everyone so much for reading my stories and enjoying them.

Part 15

Artemis and Aphrodite

popped into space directly behind the corvette. Both oversized Cat Cruisers were literally glowing green from all the bug and other weapons lit up at that moment.

An incredibly angry sounding Thing One and Two echoed in his head.

"Just what do you think you are doing 'Admiral?" entered his mind with as much sarcasm as could be felt.

"Just handling a human matter with my friends over there" Drew commented smarting from the rebuke of two of his longest friends.

"North Alliance fleet, you are now disabled and under arrest. You have two options, fight and die. Or have all personnel abandon the elder destroyers. We will tow the cruiser back into the Homogeny space and send for rescue. You have 30 seconds." Drew paused and thought for a moment.

"One more thing, Mr. Reginal Schober will be turned over for trial. That is all, 30 seconds."

The two Cat cruisers immediately fanned out and powered up all weapons systems.

At 5 seconds left in the deadline, audio was again heard.

"We accept your offer. We ask clarification on your request for the civilian Mr. Schober."

"He has to answer for a message that was sent by the North Alliance that cumulated in the deaths of many Cats. He needs to answer for that. This is a non-negotiable point. Also, please make sure that no one sabotages the destroyers when they leave. Those are my spoils of war gentlemen."

"Agreed, personnel now being transported," Alliance command reported.

"What are we going to do with those old ships?" Thing One asked.

Thing two responded to her sister before Drew could respond, "Same thing we do with all the other old ships, make them deadly."

***

Drew sent drones ahead through the nexus. They reported ships waiting on the other side, lots of ships. Their beacons were reading all over the scale. Homogeny, UN, North Alliance, Chinese, Russian...one big happy party.

In preparation for returning the North Alliance cruiser and its co-mingled crew, Drew demanded the Cruiser dump all its missiles, un-armed. These were gathered by armed shuttles from Artemis and Aphrodite. He then gave Alexander and Target the opportunity to burn off any cannon or other weapon that could be used to shoot at his '6' as he dragged the big ass thing through the nexus.

"Admiral Drew calling from Enterprise, please come in Captain." Drew called through comm.

"This is Captain Norwood go ahead Enterprise,"

"Captain, we are going to be towing you with Enterprise. As a past member of the Merchant Marines of the Norther Alliance, I hold the Navy in the highest regards. But I do not hold some of the other members of the Northern Alliance with the same regards. If something were to happen to Enterprise within the nexus, or as we exit into near-earth space, there are several limpid mines that are attached to your ship, and they will detonate. They are placed in specific locations that will cause catastrophic failure." Drew stopped and let that sink in.

"When we reach the other side, you are released for tow, and I am sure my ship is safe, they will disarm, disengage and come back to Enterprise. This is not an accusation Captain, just insurance in case other crew members, aligned Mr. Schober are on board."

"Understood" replied Captain Norwood, "May I ask the status of Mr. Schober? I will be asked of course."

"Why sitting here in Enterprise in a rear jump seat, all trussed up and gaged. If something happens to us, I wanted to make sure it happened to him," Drew smiled at his prisoner, "say something nice, won't you"

All Captain Norwood heard through the comm was a muffled scream and words forced through a Gag

***

Drew admitted he was being an ass. He chose to drag the big offensive ship through the nexus using 'the mouse that roared.' He would broadcast vid coverage of the original confrontation of the whole North Alliance fleet against his tiny ship. The vid would be sent to show how the offensive force was dealt with limited loss of life.

Artemis and Aphrodite would stay on this side of the nexus. They were much too valuable to the new beginning in this parcel of space. Drew's intention was to either get blown out of space when he emerged dragging the big ass crippled earth cruiser or to make a great PR statement about "don't mess with us." He was hoping with all his might to have it be a PR stunt.

Drew had already injected himself before they entered the nexus. And Target had been given the flip side injection to give him just before they exited.

"God how I hate transition" he stated out loud, to no one really. Even with the drugs, his mind was impacted by the twists and turns of transitioning between real space, a place he did not understand and then back to real space. It felt like his mind was being folded into an origami swan. Being real, semi real, not real, and then back to real.

But what is real?

He sat back, actually he was strapped to his command chair in case he decided to do something stupid, as his mind folded. He thought of his love life, or sex life, or...hell with it. Tiffany, the first blond thing with the shaved sweet pussy, dumped him and then later seduced his Dad. The females of Pride that liked to play with him as a sex toy. Things One and Two...damn was that amazing. They were still there for him, his last rocks to cling to.

Meme, who he missed each and every day, killed because of betrayal. Tiffany, lover friend and a true Mata Hari, killed by his own hand because of her betrayal. Most of females of the Pride were just sex and breeding.

The flirtations with Elsa had been fun. Then that eventful night of passion and what he took for love. Their children were born, first human hybrids that anyone knew of. Then Elsa withdrew and became her old standoffish self. She left the children in the Cat Creche to be raised with the other cat cubs. She formally asked him to be the representative to earth.

It was not really a request. She knew there was a need. She knew that he knew, she was the most qualified. He agreed out of need and respect for her professionalism.

She grabbed a shuttle and left.

It left him hollow.

He had no one to lean on.

He felt alone.

He wanted Meme back.

'Owe, fuck!" he stated as he was injected, and his mind shot forward as they re-entered real space.

***

One little drone started to send out messages.

"This is Cat corvette Enterprise, on a humanitarian mission..."

Its voice was snuffed out by the North Alliance destroyer.

Two small drones came to life at different locations and sent out a short, compressed messages. They were snuffed out.

Four more came to life and sent out compressed video of the confrontation and compressed messages. They were snuffed out. It was enough to get the message out to all the ships and to earth.

"This is Cat corvette Enterprise, on a humanitarian mission. We are towing the disabled North Alliance Cruiser and its human cargo back to near-earth space. Please do not fire, we will defend ourselves if required. Mayday, this is a humanitarian mission. We need ships capable of towing this North Alliance Cruiser." The message played over and over.

The video was great. It showed Enterprise sitting in open space in front of the nexus. The large ships coming out of the nexus dwarfing the small Corvette. It showed them firing first. It showed the corvette answering fire in a very specific manner. And it showed the disabling of the destroyers and Cruiser in the most humane way possible.

The visuals of their entry into real near-earth space was fantastic. Drew saw them later, but you had this miniscule ship, pop out into real space with a magnetic tether that showed because of the electro-magnetic interference of the nexus. Then you had the nose and then the rest of the cruiser pulled through until the mass spectrum hit a certain level and then the cruiser popped out full into real space.

And then the firing started. Enterprise was rocked by beam and missiles from the two NA destroyers in the vanguard of the mass of other earth ships. The little ship just took the pounding. Drew knew that they could take it for a while. When Kay had first rebuilt the small cat craft, she had taken every square inch and filled it with three things, power, shielding and armament.

Thorough the haze of the Corvette being hit, comm lines lit up with demands of stopping the hostility. Then came the loudest voice, the captain of the disabled NA Cruiser.

"Mayday, Mayday, this Captain Norwood of the NA Cruiser Alberta. Stop firing now. I repeat stop firing now! We are mined and may explode if further hostilities are directed at Cat Corvette Enterprise. Again, we are mined."

The firing stopped and all was quiet.

Drew broadcast in Vid and audio for all to hear, "Well that was a fine greeting, when we are on a humanitarian mission." Drew paused and leaned forward in his chair, "to the two NA destroyers, you are blocking our path and must move out of our way or we will consider you hostile and return fire. Ask your captain how well that worked for them. I need you to turn 180 degrees and lead us away from the nexus. We need to know which ship is going to tow this disabled ship. Unless you have upgraded your ships, you are not fit for the towing operation."

Drew paused waiting when a familiar voice sound out.

"Enterprise, this is the UN dreadnaught Excalibur, it is our understanding that we are capable of towing a ship of that mass. The captain will fill in all of the particulars, but it's good to see you in one-piece Enterprise and it's good to hear your voice lord Drew."

"Same to you Elsa." Drew paused after a skip in his heart and the feeling of sadness.

"Admiral Drew, we have someone else on board that wishes transit to your part of space. Is there room for a lone passenger?" commented the Captain of the dreadnaught. Drew looked to Elsa but got a lot of smiles and mirth back.

Drew was piqued, "Yes Excalibur, we will make room. Do not approach until the two NA destroyers are well out of missile range. There are mines attached to the Hull of Alberta and they will disarm and remove themselves once I feel Enterprise is no longer in danger,"

"Excalibur to Enterprise. We have been informed by NA representatives that you are holding a hostage and they are demanding his return."

Drew smiled and responded, 'We are holding a war crimes prisoner. If they want him, they can come try and get him back. He will be tried under the rules of UN Tribunal procedures. If found innocent, released, if found guilty, he will be released to the parties he caused damage upon." Drew turned and looked at the gagged, bound man and found only hate coming from his eyes.

The two NA destroyers turned tail and ran for home. Enterprise released the mines and withdrew towards the nexus.

Drew took a moment to mentally reach out to Captain Norwood of the Alberta 'Captain, I know what I am about to say will be lost in the chafe of the next couple of days. But if you can, please let the families of the two sailors that perished on the destroyers know, we had hoped to have no fatalities during our interaction. My crew and I are truly sorry.'

To say the least the Captain was startled, but luckily, he was alone in his quarters, 'I hope this works both ways. Now that I know the type of man you are, I wish we could have served together under different circumstances. I will let the families know, some way. I wish you the best Admiral Drew. Fair winds"

'Fair winds and clear sky back to you Captain' responded Drew.

The shuttle from Excalibur came along side and they matched boarding locks. As the locks opened on his side, Drew could only smile. Drew Sr. trundled across the space in his levitating contraption that Kay built for him. Drew did not say a word, just grabbed his frail looking Dad and hugged him.

'Missed you too my son" he said pulling him back to look into his eyes. 'Alexander! How are you and who is this exotic beauty with you?"

"Target sir"

"Oh, honey we need to get past the 'sir' thing," responded Drew Sr.

"We ARE past that," responded Target, "My aunt Kay told me all about you!"

Drew saw the shocked look on his Dad's face and started to laugh, which caused the others to laugh, well except for the prisoner all trussed up in the corner.

Drew initiated the formal comm, "Enterprise to all ships, we are returning to our space. Peace be with you,"

'And to you Lord Drew,' said Elsa softly knowing that he would be reaching out for her.

"Got any beer in this Crate?" asked Drew Sr.

***

Drew was damn tired, not regular tired, not stupid tired, but DAMN tired. He had left his two furry compatriots at the Creche so they could tire out the children and maybe tire out themselves. After another day of pure human stupidity, the alone time would do him well. Plus, he had to check out the new 'home base' he had been given by the ad-hoc governing council he had created.

The continent of Botany Bay lay before him as he came down to land. He was heading to the Other Cat capital of Sidney. Drew was going to have to quit thinking of them as 'Other' and "Clan" Cats. One way or the other he knew in his heart that they needed to come together, but they continued to be very 'nationalistic'. He had taken the old earth names out of a twisted respect. Botany Bay in old Australia was created with the cast-offs and riffraff of the old world of Europe. From that sprang a new civilization. He was hoping to meld something stronger here, biology just kept getting in the way.

Drew landed the Corvette near the aging castle on the hill. The castle was a ramshackle monstrosity built on a hill in the middle of the City he now called Sydney. It was built by some unknow race, and then taken over and refurbished by the Other cats, many generations ago. As the Other clan foundered so did the castle, admittedly less so.

It was ornate, ostentatious, inside, and out. The castle was filled with relics stolen from a hundred different civilizations. All for nothing with the fall of the Others on a field in the woods of earth. Drew felt it had a 'tininess' feel to it. Like all the luster it was trying to present was just at the surface. Just one scratch away from being sad. The bones of the original castle were grand. The structure solid and formidable. Drew just felt it was sad that someone had to gaudy it up for show.

They gave him these obnoxious quarters with a high ceiling and monstrous bedroom and a huge cat sleep pit. It was bigger than the breeding pit set up at the earth refuge. It felt ridiculous to even think of sleeping in this space, so he started to look around. He found a rear non-ornate corridor and followed it, looking in each room. The original builders had to have been bipedal and maybe a bit taller than earth norm. Perfect fit for the cats and his enhanced body.

He decided that this was a servant's corridor or some equal type of function. He found some small living quarters, a simple room with a bed and wash basin. Finally, he stumbled on to a suite of rooms that must have been for the head of the servants. It was perfect, three bedrooms a large living area, small kitchen, just about perfect.

He fumbled around in the corridor and then paid attention to the perpendicular corridors that lead back off toward his "ornate room" in the castle. The corridors had a series of storerooms and ended in a viewing area. Anyone could sit in one of these spaces and spy on what was happening in his bedroom.

He checked each intersecting corridor and found the same arrangement. The more he fiddled, the more he was sure he was not spending time there. Each had a secret doorway to enter his space.

"Hell no" he thought. 'there is no way we will be spending 'personal time' in that space.

He went back to his new suite and found a smaller one-bedroom affair next to 'his' new digs. He decided that it would be great for his dad once he was out of medical.

He found one the cleaning bots and turned it loose to clean the dust and debris caused by non-use over the years. He continued to explore and then he felt it, hunger. He went exploring for food and returned with purloined supplies and alcohol.

He was tired because of two space transitions in one day.

He was stressed, from the whole damn drama. Almost getting killed twice, killing those two sailors...

He was sad about the 'loss' of Elsa.

He was elated to have his dad back.

He needed a break.

He walked into the bathroom and saw the sunken tub. It was constructed long, wide, and deep, almost a small pool, definitely a two-person tub. He tried the water controls and they worked. He wondered briefly if all civilizations had discovered valves. Did they discover them at the same time? All of them seemed to utilize them in some fashion with fluids. It is one of his small fascinations, he found fun to contemplate while mundane tasks like filling the tub were taking place.

He found a version of a towel. It was thin but absorbent. He shook them out on the balcony and stacked them up, planning on using as many as he wanted. He left the windowed doors open to the balcony. It made him feel like he was bathing outdoors. When the bath was filled to his liking, he stripped and lowed his body into the warm, almost hottish water.

'What a luxury" he thought.

He reached for his drink, a passable red glass of wine. He sipped it, keeping the bottle close. He heard something from the main living area of his suite and called out. Living with multiple female Cats over the years had banished any version of shyness. He could be talking strategy with one as she rode him, while another wanted to talk to him about ship maintenance.

Life with aliens could be strange or plain grand.

Target walked to the door and just leaned on the frame. She was still in her utility top and kilt. Knife on one side, sidearm on the other. Her kilt was just a bit too short to call normal, well a lot too short to be regulation, if there was a regulation. But he was never going to complain.

She held a bottle in her hand, could be a hundred different liquors. He could tell she had been imbibing.

She did not say anything at first, she just looked at him and he at her.