To all,
Due to the interest in this series, here is Chapter 22.
My apologies to those that noticed that the Roach (Actually called Zito in human English pronunciation) ambassador popped up out of nowhere. Since I write this stuff, I just sort of knew where it came from, the original Drew
SR'S
Troubles story. That story was about his dad. This Ambassador Zito and it is not the same Roach/Zito but a younger one. That story is included in my list of published stories. My apologies if it was confusing.
It's time to get back into space. Bureaucrats will start to creep in on the ground on both series. It is inevitable in the reaches of human societies. Cockroaches, bureaucrats and at least one accountant to keep track of them, will rule the world for all eternity.
Us explorers, artists, and adventurers, only hope to leave an acknowledged smudge on history.
Any aliens, real or imagined, are purely a construct of my twisted and warped mind.
I thank everyone so much for reading my stories and enjoying them.
As we play in this year of 2021, please stay safe and sane.
Part 22
***
Drew stated, "We will go greet the emissaries and you are going to be explaining yourself for quite a while young lady. And I do not even know how Target and the aunties are going to deal with you. You may be changing diapers in the nursery for years depending on how they feel."
He knew she hated being in the nursery. She could face 6 missiles without missing a heartbeat and yet a dirty diaper...
El went up to a very dejected Aya, "Come little one, let's go talk about the security flaws you found in our system, those fascinating Sims you programed and this new way of short hop transition." El looked up from the scared but hopeful eyes of Aya, into the eyes of Lord Drew.
"Maybe, just maybe after the adults talk and play, things might be forgotten. Not all mind you." El stopped for a moment and smiled at something she remembered from the report she had just finished reading before landing.
"The mission report that was provided, by others, left out parts regarding Biani and how you gifted her to the Lord of the planet. I want those holes filled in. Also, Biani still wants to 'talk' to you about one thing or another." El pulled on Aya's shoulder and pointed her down the corridor in the Administration building.
"Come little sister, let us get something to eat and talk of the future. Yours could be spent changing diapers and cleaning up baby vomit. Or maybe, just maybe, a life in one of the clandestine groups. Not in that costume of course." El ended her speech by lifting her sash and sword from her small body and tucking it under her arm and wing. She then gently took the tricorn hat and placed it under the other arm and wing.
Suddenly El was walking with a precocious hybrid little girl that needed to find her way in life.
"Do you think this is the end of it?" Alexander asked Drew.
"Not in my lifetime. I want to see how well she can play El. Aya has yet to fill in her life path, and it frightens me, as a father, how far she may go. She is my daughter after all!" Drew answered.
Drew smiled at the two retreating females of different species, one tall, one small, and both made of a metal that had yet to have its true strength tested.
***
"Lord...Lord," she stated and shook him softly at the same time, 'Lord we have reached the castle. It's time to disembark," she continued the light touching to get him out of slumber.
Drew slowly came out of the deep sleep. He could not fathom why someone was bothering him when he finally had a chance to sleep so deep and peacefully. His eyes slowly opened, and he was having trouble wrapping his brain around why he was being bothered.
He looked quizzically into the eyes of the rather attractive Foxy bending over his bed and wondered for a moment why she was not naked and lying beside him. It seemed forever since he had just woken up calmly with a beautiful, welcoming female next to him.
He noticed her flight suit and then with a slight move of his head and flick of his eyes he took in the interior of the shuttle.
He could feel it immediately, the weight of the world settled back on his shoulders.
His mind immediate organized his itinerary and schedule for the day and week. He moaned out a cramp in his calf as he rolled trying to sit up on the extended acceleration couch. He moaned again as he swung his legs over the edge.
"I assume I have you to thank for rolling out the couch after I fell asleep?" he stated, looking down and then looked up into her eyes.
"Aye, Lord. The pilot and I felt you would be more comfortable. You did not stir an inch as we helped to get you more comfortable." The female Foxy informed him.
"Well, my thanks," as he looked at his watch and realized he had gotten a solid 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
He hit the buttons on his armrest and the couch retracted back to its normal day-flight configuration. He gathered his things, ran his hand over his hair and over his face, and stepped through the hatchway.
It was one in the morning, and this was his private pad, so he was hardly surprised that there was no one to great him. He sauntered down the ramp with his travel bag slung over his shoulder and hit the concrete at the edge of his extended patio. Before he could take two steps, he was accosted by a huge predatory Cat.
"Kitten! How are you here? And how did you know I was home?" Lord Drew asked.
'Papa! Felt you wake! Missed you!' she commented mind to mind, as she rubbed her huge muzzle over his chest and neck.
"I thought you were at Omega with DB, Nalia and Cara?" Drew asked, happy to have his big companion close again.
'DB busy, all time. Fur Momma safe with cubs, smooth Momma grumpy all time as she get bigger and...other...not want me around, so come home! Protect home here.'
"Where is Goldie?" Drew asked wondering where the other half of the twosome was.
"She with new wolf pride mate, Lady. She too young now but be good friend for her later." Kitten commented.
Drew was struck how quickly Lady had been paired off. No jealousy from Kitten at her friend gaining a new friend.
He was also surprised how deep Kitten's mind had gotten since her treatments. He was fascinated that she was still evolving, like he had, after the Cat treatments.
He was curious about the comment she had made about the "Other". He assumed she meant Alaina, but he would search out the answer later.
He knew Target was off continent in the Colonies helping with the prototype Crèche for the cross-species children in Omega. And spending time with the new babies. She was scheduled back before the ceremony later in the evening where the Marauder Princess and consorts would be mated. This would join the two space kingdoms and put him firmly in the succession line after the Prince.
Drew shook off all the entanglements of his life. He was home or as close of a facsimile of 'home' as he was ever going to get. He was just looking forward to a deep soak in his own bath. And then sitting on his favorite patio and leisurely reviewing all the dispatches that he was sure were waiting.
Drew grabbed a handful of Kittens neck fur and shoved her in the direction of the servant's entrance. She swatted back at him, claws sheathed, in their age-old play. She went in first and trotted down the wide tall corridor. She waited at the hidden door into his sleeping chambers.
He pushed it open and breathed in the subtle scent of his own sleeping pit and wardrobes. He stripped off his garments as Kitten 'watched' from a curled position as she cleaned her paws ignoring him for the moment. Once a pile of clothes had been dumped on the floor, the custodial bots slid out from their hideaways and cleaned up after him. He grabbed a short stack of towels and headed to his in-suite.
Kitten bolted up, shook her longer than normal female mane and trotted out in front of him. While she hated the water and taking a bath, she was always nearby in some sort of protective mode while the other species frolicked in the tub or pool.
As she cleared the doorway and made the normal shift to the left, a series of emotions, noises and images slammed into him. He sped up and swung out of the doorway in a defensive posture and took in the sight before him.