Lowering the Hammer Snippet 4

 

 

Antigua

 

AdmiralIrons replacement search for a new secretary of industry was off to a rockystart. Sandra’kall had recently resigned to join her family at the Nuevo Bcolony and be a member of the ruling cabinet there. He still thought she wouldhave done better for her people in her previous position; however, she wantedto be closer to her people and her family so he couldn’t fault that decision.It was just unusual for a usually logical Centaurian to choose emotion overcold hard logic.

Ofcourse, there might be something else involved he was not aware of. Not that itwas any of his business apparently. He glanced at the candidates. Sprite hadtwo dozen files from the literal thousands that had been initially generated.Even more had applied for the position once it had come out that the Centaurianwas resigning.

He’dthought they’d be able to fill her post before her departure, but apparently,that hadn’t been the case. The first three candidates had not passed thevetting process and the fourth runner-up had some issues that had come outduring the committee hearing with congress. It had been embarrassing enough forthe candidate to withdraw.

Ofcourse certain parties on the hill had gloated over that. He wasn’t certain why;it meant the post was vacant and the star nation as a whole had a problem. Notthat they saw it that way of course. They saw it as scoring off of him and hisadministration. Reining him in.

Pettypolitics in other words.

<<V>>

Antigua

 

Jethrocontinued to deal with the pain of loss of Lil Red. Shanti continued to blameherself. Both had been to a therapist but it helped to talk to each other. “Iwas supposed to keep her safe,” she said.

Jethroshook his head. She sounded so … broken. Like it was her fault. It wasn’t; theyboth knew that. She hadn’t been home; it had been a freak crash during an airshow that had killed their adopted daughter.

“Youcan’t be blamed for a freak accident! Murphy maybe, but not you love. Ithappened. We can’t wrap them in cotton and keep them safe forever.”

“You’dthink she’d be safe at home! I should have insisted she stay with you.”

“Ithappened,” Jethro sighed. “It is something that … the rest of us will have tolive with. I love you,” he said softly.

“Ilove you too,” she murmured back, kissing her fingertips and then holding themout to him. He smiled tenderly to her holographic image.

Ablinking LED caught his attention. He knew it was time up. He reached out for aphantom caress of her cheek. She smiled tenderly and closed her eyes and seemedto rub into it.

“Iwon’t tell you to stay safe. I know you too well,” he said.

Shechuffed.

“Butwatch your six and kick ass.”

“Yeah,”she said huskily. “We have to go.” She dashed a tear and then straightened upand nodded. “Kick some pirate ass. I love you.”

“Iknow and I will. And I love you too,” he said. “Thanks, Captain,” Jethro saidas he looked up.

“You’rewelcome, Chief. Terminating virtual chat,” Commander Enki replied.

<<V>>

Jethroprepped for work quietly. “Was that mom?” Baghera asked sleepily. He was theblack panther male of the quartet. All four had a ways to go in the maturitydepartment. A bit of that was because he hadn’t been around to be a father. Hewas trying to make up for lost time but it wasn’t easy this late in the game.

“Yeah,she had to go; sorry, you lot were asleep.”

“Wasshe here?” Bagheera asked, looking around in confusion. He sniffed the air, hisbrows knit still in confusion. “Wait, I don’t smell her.”

“No,it was a holo call. Brief,” Jethro explained patiently as he cleaned up thekitchen.

Bagheerablinked in confusion. “Oh,” he said.

“Redis …”

“Theycremated her body and will ship it back as a diamond,” Jethro said quietly.

 Bagheera blinked again and then yawned.“Damn,” he muttered. “It is … is she really gone?” he asked and then ran afinger under his nose as he snuffled.

“I’mafraid so,” Jethro sighed softly. Some of the family were still struggling withthe loss. Red had been their adopted daughter and an older sister/aunt/sitterto each of the litters. They were each dealing with the grief in their own way.The FBI as well as the Cadre had each offered a grief counselor to the family.So far he wasn’t aware of anyone taking them up on it.

Thefirst litter were buried in their work. They were more mature and knewintellectually such things were bound to happen eventually. The sudden reactionwas what caught them off guard.

“Momshould have left her here to be safe with us,” Bagheera muttered bitterly.

“Redwas an adult; she wanted to be with your mom to help her out and so shewouldn’t feel so alone.” Jethro shook his head.

“Yeah?And it cost her her life!” Bagheera flared.

Acorner of his father’s mind recognized anger as one of the stages of grief sohe kept to reason. He didn’t want to provoke the fragile truce with his son ormake the irrational anger turn towards him.

No,it wasn’t irrational, the anger was real. It was just adrift without a targetas they all were, he reminded himself before he spoke.

“No,a freak accident did. She was at home safe. It could have happened here aseasily as their or anywhere,” Jethro said, trying to keep his tone even.Bagheera glowered at him. “When fate chooses to snip your thread, it's a partof the circle of life.”

“Ohgah, not that shit again,” the smaller black panther said voice rich withdisgust. He snorted harshly.

“Itis what it is,” Jethro said with an ear flick of a shrug as he felt his furstiffen. Bast shook her head on his HUD. He took it to indicate a lost cause.“Some things are just out of our control. It sucks. Trust me, I’ve felt it. Istill feel it.”

Hereached out to touch his son but his son turned away and headed into thebathroom. The door clicked shut with a sound of finality to the argument.

Jethroescaped to his commute to work while he could.

<<V>>

Jethrosaw motion in the hallway near the floor as he walked through the new sectionof the base. His attention flickered from thinking about the list of things hehad to do to prepare for the movement to curiosity. Bast rolled her eyes on hisHUD and highlighted a familiar feline figure crouching in the shadows.

Hechuffed softly in amusement and pretended to ignore her in passing. Ember hadfigured out how to cloak in order to try to sneak out of the crèche again. Shewas good, but she had been tagged with an IFF tag and her cloak was only goodif she didn’t move. She didn’t have implants or an AI to manage her cloaks soeverything ran on instinct.

Heturned suddenly and swooped in to catch her and swing her off her feet. Shegrowled in surprise as he held her with one arm under her armpits and the otherunder her bottom as he leaned over her and gave his invisible prey a cheek rub.

Shemock growled and her ears went flat but he chuffed and purred. After a moment,she started to purr in response.

Atech saw him cheek rubbing something and holding it but whatever it was it wasinvisible. The human stopped and stared until Jethro tickled his prey. Embergrowled and lost focus and faded into place in his arms giggling and squirming.“Stop!” she said in a high pitch giggly voice.

Jethrochurred and laughed at her and hugged her tightly. The observer then blinkedand puckered his lips and looked away. After a moment, he shook his head andwalked off.

“So,what are you doing out and about, young lady?” Jethro teased. “Aren’t yousupposed to be with your friends?”

“Nonap,” she growled as he slung her up to his shoulder. She began to play withhis ear in retaliation.

“Really?You don’t like to nap?”

“No,”she pouted as he walked to the crèche.

“Uhhuh,” he said. “Do they know you are gone?” he asked in a light voice. Shesuddenly looked shy.

Bastrolled her virtual eyes and sent a text out to the crèche as well as Zuhura.

Justas she did a security alert came over the 1MC to look for a lost black kitten.

“Ithink they know you are missing. Your mommy is going to be upset,” Jethrowarned.

Emberlooked a little contrite but then flicked her ears.

Findout supposed to be in crèche. Snuck away in naptime.

Zuhuraarrived outside the crèche. She was clearly exasperated with her waywardcharge.

Jethroplay fought to hand her over, eventually relenting with a mock pout. Embergiggled. The byplay lightened the mood.

“Youaren’t supposed to leave the crèche without an adult, young lady,” Zuhurascolded.

“She’sgetting good at being sneaky,” Jethro said. “She almost got past me,” he said.He shrewdly tickled her. “Almost,” he teased as she shrunk back and giggled andthen growled and play swatted at him.

Shemight be playing but her eyes flashed, her ears went back and she started inwith her trademark head cock that said she was ready to get feisty.

“Uhoh,” Zuhura laughed. “Now you’ve done it,” she chuffed. She pretended to holdher charge away from Jethro as Jethro pretended to box with her and then holdhis arms out on either side and then move in to strike. She couldn’t look inboth directions and growled ears flat.

Zuhurachuffed as her father used one hand to distract and the other to strike. Thehead cock came out again.

“Ithink they need to learn to wear this little lady out a bit more beforenaptime,” Jethro observed.

“Nonap!” a certain kitten said, crossing her arms and instantly pouting.

“Yeah,”Zuhura said with a snort as she took the kitten into the crèche. “Thanks, dad.”

“Anytime,”he said with a wave to the kitten.

<<V>>