Drew's Trouble with Cats and Roaches

To all,

Due to the interest in this series, here is part 17. I want to thank the individuals that have volunteered to edit my work and provide constructive comments on pacing, content and continuity Anonymous and Lost Boy. As I have said before, while I will not consider myself a writer, I do love the story telling. I thank everyone so much for reading my stories and enjoying them.

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

Part 17

***

Drews shuttle landed at the rear Castle landing pad with little disturbance. Target piloting, began shutting systems down with Drew acting as co-pilot. Once systems were shut down and verified, the hatch and landing ramp opened and slid into position.

A quiet entourage crept slowly and calmly into their suite of rooms. Be serious, it was a heard of stampeding animals, a child, no, sorry, a young woman, and an excited spider that sprinted off the landing pad and into the servants' entrance. Drew could hear things crash, but he was far from worried. He was only glad to have Cara home safe and seemingly sound.

Drew and Target took their time, hand in hand, walking the corridors. They entered the suite in a more controlled adult pace.

Kitten must have already checked and then checked out of the excitement in Cara's room, because she was on her normal pillow starting her daily grooming. Goldie on the other hand was head in and ass out of the doorway. Huge tail brushing back and forth as she enjoyed having her adopted sister back in the pack.

Drew and Target walked over to the room and looked in to see how Cara was dealing with the spider version of a remodel. They had already seen it of course, and commented as it was being built, but it was amazing to see the wonder in Cara eyes.

Because the rooms were originally built for tall bipedal beings, all the rooms had high ceilings, three meters above the floor for even the smallest of rooms. In that top meter, Hoppy had built a web platform with a nest in the back corner.

Beautifully designed web arches had been created from the ground up and over Cara's bed. The most amazing feature was the 'twinkle lights' that gave it that fairytale look. They were many of the interesting bits of knowledge transfer, that were starting to happen across species.

Hoppy tried to explain, but Drew just translated into human. Spiders would get a fungus that grows in the jungle and chew it. Drews personal translation was like chewing gum. The mixture of spider saliva and fungus created a lighted ball. The ball could be tuned off and on by a certain harmonic pitch.

So, with hundreds of these balls intertwined with the web, Hoppy's nest took on a true fairytale vision. Cara was beyond amazed and excited. Drew was still trying to get past the idea of having a monstrous spider nest directly above Cara's bed.

Drew's concern about Cara losing her ability to talk to the spiders turned out to be unfounded. Cara, like himself, could now do it without touching. The two of them were having a running dialog about what fairies and the earth Fae were and generally babbling about where they were going to explore next.

As they stood outside the room looking in, Drew was brought back to real space and time by a hard smack on his ass, and the feeling of Targets claws extending on his right ass cheek.

"Tell both daughters how happy you are to have them together. Ask them if they need anything from us, and when they say 'no', take me to our room and fuck me until I scream," she whispered in his ear as she bit his earlobe.

Drew just chuckled and reached down and grabbed her left ass cheek, "Yes dear"

***

Face down with plasma rifles to the back of their heads gave pause to anyone fighting back. That is how an insurrection dies.

The group of 'bodyguards' were lined up on their knees with hands behind their heads. All weapons had been removed and several had been gagged when they refused to shut up.

Their bosses were handled somewhat more demurely, well not really. Drew felt lucky that no one was hurt during the action.

It had not started out quietly and would not end quietly. But at least the day started with a beautiful sunrise.

*

Drew was leaning on the filigree stone guardrail at the edge of his balcony. Sipping tea as he watched the colors change in the far distance. Target silently walked up to him wrapped in her warm robe. She slid into his arms. He pulled her in close so they could kiss and cuddle in the morning light.

"It's going to be an interesting day for you, my Lord Drew. I wish I could be there by your side."

"We talked about this. You can help me best by sitting your cute ass in our Corvette overseeing the airspace as we 'convince' the 'Odessa' to give up quietly. The Russian mafia does not normally play by our rules, so I presume they have some alternate plan to get back to their colony."

He stopped to breath in her scent, "So I expect to find some cargo hauler somehow armed and somehow under their supervision."

"I want you in the meanest, nastiest little ship I can think of. 'The mouse that roared' seems to fit that bill quite nicely. I am glad it was on-planet for that upgrade. I need you safe."

He thought about that little craft, now all detailed out with 'sharks' mouth' and door emblems of battles and ships taken. They had kept his name off the ship, as requested, but there was a jolly Roger painted outside the port where the captain's chair was, in honor of his father.

Drew pushed her away from him so he could look into her eyes. She was smiling, a small soft smile, but he took it in his hand, under her chin, so their eyes could meet.

"Especially after what you told me last night. Could you be anymore cavalier about telling me you're pregnant? Seriously, we have some serious sex for a couple of hours and then as I am filling the tub and you are peeing in the other room, you just happen to mention that all three of you are pregnant at the same time?"

She just pulled him close and buried her face in his chest.

"So, I have my three hardest ass warriors, captaining our ships. Waiting for something stupid to happen. All while pregnant? Perfect!"

"The fathers of the broods Thing One and Thing Two carry don't seem to be worried. Its only you, my loving Lord Drew, that seems to bring your human worries into the fray."

"And you would have me no other way. How perchance did you get pregnant? Or do I have to drag Eddie in and make him answer?"

"Well it could have been a discussion I had with Eddie's mate, and her research into the old 'beautiful ones' breeding programs? You know how curious she gets when a new challenge is laid before her?"

"It could be that I love you in the way of humans and want a piece of you growing inside me?"

"Or it could have been my desire to be your full mate and provide you with sons and daughters we can raise together?" she pulled him close again and then reached up and pulled him down for a soft sensuous kiss.

"Do we have time for more fun before you must get ready for the stupid, sure to be exciting, meeting? All this talk of breeding, pregnancy and human love is making me very horny. Just a quicky will do." She reached down and rubbed his growing cock through his sleep shorts.

"Our version of a quickie is two hours, so no. I am late for an early briefing I wanted to have. The whole pregnancy thing has thrown me off. Not that I am complaining my mate." He paused looking over the city at the sun that was now half above the horizon. The backdrop behind him was an overly ornate castle on the hill that glowed in the morning light.

"Let's get this done and try and move humanity one step closer to living with other beings from the stars."

***

"Good morning and welcome to the first of what will become an annual Governors meeting. We thank you governors and your lieutenant governors for making this trip. I am hoping that the open discussions of some of the common issues surrounding the stabilization and growth of the colonies can be a focus of this meeting. I know that we are a bit behind and some of you are well over a year in the growth of your colonies, but I believe a shared perspective can help all of us keep our focus on one thing, the lives of our colonists." Drew paused smiling. God how he hated this bullshit.

"At each seat there is a pad I am sure you have found. Please log into it and what you will find is the pledge and contract you all signed before boarding back on earth. Please log it and re-sign this document and take a moment to re-read the pledge you made. That pledge will be the focus of almost all the seminars and discussion groups you will be attending over the next couple of days." Drew paused again, 'hate this shit,' he thought.

"We, the beings of Atlantis do solemnly swear to abide by the laws and rules set forth by the governing body and by our own colonies defined laws. We, a group of outcasts, misfits and survivors do promise to work side by side with our neighbors, no matter species, race, religion nor sexual preference to create a safe, fair and free community that will allow our children, and their children to prosper into the future."

"Since I was the one to create the pledge and since I do not feel it is up to its full potential, we will draft a new one together. At the end of our meetings, a volunteer group will be created to begin work on a new pledge. So for now, log in and re-sign your contract and pledge as leaders of your community."

On the board above and behind Drew, a check list of governor's and their lieutenant's names appeared and when they re-signed, their names turned green. The board quickly filed up with lots of green, except for 8 names. 'Surprisingly' all 8 were sitting in one corner of the hall.

Drew was hoping to deal with only the four, but he had the worst case covered. While he was giving the pantomime show from the dais, security officers had come in at each entrance. It was not missed by the Odessa members.

"So, we have an issue with re-signing your agreement and contract to be sitting where you are?" Drew commented while looking down at the group sitting at the two tables.

Sacha from Omega and Victor from Gamma, both the lieutenant governors jumped up and started to protest. Drew held up his hands for quiet and began to address the whole assembly.

"As I explained in no certain terms, on multiple occasions, to you and the other colonists, we will not accept a repeat of human corruption. Please look around you. Do you see anything odd or amiss? Of the twenty-four of you, fifteen are human. Of the 8 species that now make up our colony effort, and yes, I am including the spiders, humans make up over half of the governing body," Drew paused and nodded at a security booth high and in the rear of a hall.

Security force shields came up, surrounding the two separate tables holding the 8 people of concern.

Drew stood up straight and looked out at the crowd of selected leaders, he paused because his frustration and anger was trying to overwhelm him.

"Of the twelve colonies, two are known totalitarian and will be dealt with today and two others are on their way and will placed in receivership until free and fair elections can be held." Drew looked down from the dais.

"We humans have a penchant for administration and the organization of civilizations. That is either a blessing or a curse depending on what side of the looking glass you are on. We, the governing body of Atlantis will not allow the spread of fascist and totalitarian regimes."

While Drew was droning on the views of the count changed to a split screen with the footer defining the colonies of Omega and Gamma. Scenes of beatings, public flogging, graft, discussions in Russian with subtitles all playing for the benefit of the other governors.

"A UN ambassador has been requested to come participate in the change of leadership. I, and WE will not tolerate a return to the past. The ambassador's participation is to show we plan a fair handed approach to the democratic principles you all agreed to when you signed on to come here. Be grateful I do not believe in corporal or capital punishment."

"Nicholai, Sacha, Pavel and Victor will be immediately be transported to the new penal colony until further dispensation can be adjudicated. 张伟 and 张秀英 of Delta, and Ji-woo and Ha-rin of Zeta are under arrest for flagrant violation of their contract. These governors will be handed over to the authorities of their respective colonies and judged on the merits of their crimes."

Drew turned to look and watch for a second, but he had spent hours watching the videos and seething. He turned back to the crowd and was met by silence. Luckily, the security screens were soundproof because the Odessans were screaming their hearts out.

"We have a chance to create something beautiful here. Something to share and grow upon. And yet we humans created a 50% failure rate within the human run affairs. A 33% failure rate overall, across all the colonies. Why?"

Drew just hung his head and started to walk off the dais when gunfire and explosions rang out from outside the conference hall. Security teams moved to Drew and tried to pull him to safety, but he literally shrugged them off.

"Fuck that, let's go find out what all the ruckus is," Drew could feel and hear the bug weapons powering up to full. He mentally scanned ahead of him and knew that things were well in hand. He did have the oddest vision of a child like glee of jumping on the bed. He shook his head and scanned the other direction.

The security team and Drew exited the building and found a lot of prostrate forms being handcuffed and shackled. At the end of the rear alley he found Target. Well...Target inside the corvette, sitting on top of another small vessel that was crushing a ground lift vehicle.

He just spread his hands and shrugged his shoulders in the universal 'what the hell?' symbol.

"Hi, honey I'm home," came from the outside speakers of the Corvette.

"You know we just had that repaired, right?" pointing at the damage to the undercarriage and then to the sides of the corvette that she must have banged pretty hard to get it to fit in the alley.

"Hey! They fired at me first! They are lucky I just trapped them instead of using the bug weapons." Target's voice booming out of the speakers, filling the ally with her justification.

The corvette just lifted a couple of inches and banged back down on the small shuttle. She did it over and over like the mouse-that-roared was laughing as it crushed the shuttle and the ground car further and further.

Then the ground and buildings started to shake. His ears popped, and from above, the sky darkened. Artemis and Aphrodite had entered atmosphere and stationed themselves above the city. He could think of no greater tribute than the three women he loved, come to protect his stupid human ass.

He also knew he had set a line in the sand. He would not accept the corruption of the old world to poison the new one.

The word would spread.

***

Drew was waiting with a platoon of 30. The three squads had already dealt with most of the Odessa underlings. They were being held in tiger cages in a segregated piece of the island waiting on dispensation of their crimes. Most were shown being the muscle for the crime syndicate, but there were questions on what to do with them.

Two converted bug bombers landed and discharge their cargo. Mr. Reginal Schober, Nicholai and Sacha of Omega, Pavel and Victor of Gamma were led off the rehabbed shuttles shackled and onto the dirt landing field inside the secure perimeter of the penal colony.

Waiting for them was Lord Drew, his mate Target, an older woman, a middle-aged woman, and a younger man.

"Good morning gentlemen, I am here to welcome you as the first members of the penal colony of Atlantis. Reginal, Pavel and Sacha started to speak, but Drew mentally reached in and closed off their windpipes.

"It is a new trick I learned by accident while dealing with Reginal. The good news is I only do it when I get angry. The bad news is, that you are the focus of my anger," by now all three had fallen to their knees and their faced had turned an amazing color of red. "Do not interrupt me again. You will have time to make a statement."

Drew released them and gave them a few moments to catch up on their breathing.

Drew looked down onto his pad, "I want to introduce the welcoming committee. You know me. You know the warrior that took out your escape shuttle. This distinguished lady is Ms. Pamila Easterbrook, earth's UN ambassador to the Cat area of space. Beside her is Ms. Adrian Booker Deputy Ambassador. And the last of this entourage is BD Booker..."

'Good morning cousin. Things have changed for me and we do need to talk. May we please do it more discreetly. I do not have much comfort in Ms. Easterbrook,' DB responded mentally. They both shared a type of mental bio and then brough themselves back into the here and now.

Drew paused when he heard his cousin mentally. Drew was shocked to have an earth human do so, and in such an odd fashion. Drew then actually paid attention to the young man, looking deep in his eyes and noted the odd tattoo of a blue diamond on the young man's forehead.

While the whole exchange only took several seconds, both Target and Adrian knew something had taken place, they just did not know what.

"They are here purely as observers. They have no authority, no chance for reprieve. Just here to see how the workings of the colony effort is playing out." Drew informed them.

"For the benefit of our guests, let us go over a brief overview of the charges you have been convicted of."

Drew paused and slipped through his pad.

"Mr. Schober, attempted murder of over ten thousand beings. The murder of four hundred cat lives through the subterfuge of sending a message ahead of our pending colony efforts. And as it turns out the charges of graft, and larceny from the NA could also be added to this but it's unnecessary."

"The gentlemen from Gamma and Omega are convicted of murder, assault, battery, conspiracy, torture, larceny and graft."

Drew turned to the UN observers, "The transcripts and mental projections are there for your review. I understand you have already started but did not realize the effort it takes to be 'in the moment'. They will always be there for you."

Drew turned back to the prisoners.

"So, here are the rules for our penal colony," Drew paused to take a stick in his hand and start drawing the rough shape of the island. He then sketched an inner shape that was the boundary between the jungle and the penal colony, creating a very rough donut shape. He then split the donut into roughly 4 equal parts with a little left over for the area they were currently standing in.

"You five will be released in Area One" he pointed with his hand at a far-off gate. And then pointed to the matching area on his dirt map. You will be provided with supplies that should last you 3 months. At the end of each quarter, you can come to the gate and requisition more supplies. You will have a pad that has limited access to information and zero capabilities for sending information out. You do have the ability to communicate with each other, but only with those in Area One. We gave you this capability because we realize that many of you are not the overall outdoorsy type of people. You can use this information to determine how to start a fire, dress out game, etc. There is also a large library of books to fill your late nights with." Drew paused, but by this time, the prisoners were getting the gist that this was not a game.

"Oh, just a warning if you try and crack open or tamper with the operations of the Pad it will explode."