Jethro 8 Snippet 6

 Most likely the last snippet before the book publishes:

 

Kathy's World

 

Shantiand Lil Red were met at the spaceport by Rah and Lil White. They exchanged cheekrubs and embraces and then went about chasing the men folk who had come tocarry the luggage.

"Justour luck Red went shopping," Lil White's husband groused good naturedly.Red pretended to try to kick him but he was out of reach.

"Loveyou too, sis," he teased mockingly. She shook a fist at him.

"So,which way is Jethro coming?" White asked as she looked at them.

"Ah…"

Abear stepped over the diminutive cat and kept moving. Red shook her head."Talk about a low bridge."

"You'retelling me! That was a kilt too and he needs to wash his undies!" Whitegrowled, loud enough for her voice to pitch across the concourse.

Thebear turned back and looked at her while other people around him sidled awayslightly.

Redsnickered. The bear looked ready to argue but he saw Rah in her planetaryconstable uniform and thought better of it and let the embarrassment drop.

Shantishook her head at the byplay. "Always taking swings above your weightclass I see," she said.

"Always,"White agreed with a snort and ear flick. "And quit stalling."

"Iwasn't stalling; you changed the subject," Shanti said as they waited fortheir luggage. "To be honest, I don't know."

"Well,if they did a jump from where they ended up to Nuevo Madrid, they'd shavemonths off the journey."

"Andrisk themselves on an unexplored route? I'll wait just fine. I've waited thislong," Shanti said with an ear flick. White looked at her searchingly andthen nodded once. She reached out and patted her friend with a gentle hand.

"Thereare two routes. The southern one is fourteen jumps but has two long ones in it.The northern one loops up and back as it dances around Horath." Shegrimaced at the reminder. "It's two jumps longer but they could movefaster. It all depends on who is driving."

"Ah."

"Themilitary wants them back, so they'll figure it out," Red said with an earflick. "Not that they are getting many of them back anytime soon. Jethrosaid he's taking a lot of his accumulated time off." She looked up with awicked grin to Shanti. "I understand they have time to getreacquainted."

"Whichmeans we'll have to make ourselves scarce," White chuffed in amusement.

Shanti'seyes lowered in embarrassment.

"That'sokay. We'll figure something out. I have been away for a while; you can show meall the changes. Did they build a theme park yet?"

"No,nothing like on Antigua. But there are ski resorts and other places. Plenty ofplaces to camp and there are carnivals that travel around," White answeredas the luggage arrived.

 >>*<<

Shantifound out as they waited for the luggage that they had arrived a week to tendays ahead of Jethro. That was good. It would give her some time to settle in,but it was bad in that she was supposed to report into her job in two weeksfrom her landing. She’d have little time to spend with him before she had toget back to work. She resented that a little, but it was what it was, there wasno changing it now.

Thetwo cats had been woken up from stasis in orbit on the ship and then yawned asthey were hustled out to the waiting shuttle. Despite the jostling from theturbulence, Red had curled up and nodded right off again.

Therewas news on the video screen, one part to get them up to speed and one part todistract them from the ride down. She knew she’d have to absorb it eventuallybut wasn’t really listening to it with her full attention. She used herimplants to check her email … did she get email through the ansible? Probablyofficial correspondence and short messages on occasion from Jethro or thefamily if they paid for it but anything else had to go by courier or not atall.

Whenthey got to the luggage area, she noted Lil White was wearing a shawl. Redhugged her, nearly knocking her sister over in her exuberance. “What’s with thegranny look?” she asked at arm’s length a moment later.

“Iam a grandmother. Besides, I’m cold,” White complained as shehugged herself. She was a short-furred cat like her sister so the cold got toher quickly.

Redblinked and then nodded. She looked a little sad though and stroked her sister.White leaned into her, as much for comfort as for additional shared warmth.

Theyhad to wait on the luggage arriving and then sort it out with the otherpassengers. Once they had everything, they had to haul it out to the curb andthen find a way to get it into the van along with themselves.

Therewas so much luggage that in the end they had to strap some of it to the roofrack. They had to go around the loop to keep from getting a ticket while theywent and found rope and straps to buy from the local shop. Shanti almost brokedown and tried to find a service to have it all delivered to the house. Shehadn’t anticipated the last-minute addition of her FBI wardrobe and gear wouldbecome such a complication.

Oncethe van was loaded, they crammed into the vehicle. White and her husbandBrandon sat in the front passenger seat. They rode home and initially admiredthe sights as the sun set. Rah and Red sat in the back with Shanti as Rah’smate drove. He willingly brought them through a fast-food drive thru to allowthem to get takeout and then continued their journey.

>>*<<