"eHarmony.cats"

[Kansas_Jones 0]

ISS Agincourt ICC-81762

“eHarmony.cats”

 

Written by: Kairi (as Daena) and Kansas (as Left Ear)

 

MVess “Left Ear” JoNs, Caitian master of the Dark Fury, stood on the upper - you will pardon the pun - catwalk in the ships cargo bay, watching as her family and crew loaded the supplies in neat stacked rows or secured the crates under cargo netting.

 

Daena, the Mithraan and newest addition to the crew, walked along the catwalk towards JoNs. She was still wearing her slaves clothes, even though she had been freed a couple months earlier. It wasn't as if she wanted to be reminded of her times as a slave. The clothing was just physically comfortable to her. The Mithraan tried wearing one of the Caitian uniforms once, but found it terribly uncomfortable to her sensitive skin.

 

Her tail swishing in rhythm as she walked, Daena moved to Left Ear's side. "Hello," she said purring.

 

The Caitian turned to her distant genetic cousin, and offered a welcoming smile. "Daena. Glad you popped up here. I wanted to ask you to help my father out with the distribution of these new supplies once we have them settled and recorded...excuse me...."

 

Vrrowl JoNs's three children had come tearing into the cargo bay area, yelling and playing, scampering here and there as they chased one another.

 

"...you three! Don't make me come down there!" The tawny furred Caitian pointed a paw at her nephews and niece. "You know better then to come in here when we are loading supplies! Off with you. Now!" The three Caitian children sheepishly did as they were told, and Left Ear turned her attention back to Daena. "Sorry about that."

 

Suddenly a black panther was spotted running behind the three children. JoNs raised a good natured whisker as she caught sight of the panther.

 

"Cozy, heel!" Daena yelled, just as the panther tackled the little girl and began to lick her face.

 

"I must say, your pets are very good for the children. Teaches them how to take care of an animal."

 

The Mithraan's ears flattened in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. The kittens are excited. They didn't get to run like this before..."

 

Fluffy, the white tiger, casually strolled into the cargo bay. She moved up to one of the other children and pawed at them. The laughter of the three JoNs children carried within the expanse of the cargo bay.

 

Left Ear favored the younger woman with a small smile. "I am glad they can now run, and I know the children are absolutely thrilled at having extra playmates; they need to wait a couple years until Ravars twins are big enough to play...Now, how are you doing Daena?"

 

Daena leaned on the catwalk's railing, looking out at the crew moving supplies. "I am doing well, thank you." She spots Srrett out of the bunch, hefting a large crate. "I don't mean to pry, but have you noticed something different from your brother, Srrett?"

 

A sly, though playful, look was winged at the Mithraan. "As in...the fact that he has been flirting with you?"

 

Daena's tail subconsciously danced at those words. "Flirting with me? No...I hadn't noticed...His scent had changed since I first came onboard..." She was really oblivious to the concept of someone actually flirting with her. Her days as a slave saw to that.

 

"...he means no harm you know? He has always flirted with a pretty woman, and he is just the biggest goof you'd ever want to meet...would you like me to talk with him? I know he would understand that you needed some breathing room. And if he doesn’t, I will just cuff him one." The tawny furred Caitian winked and her tail lashed playfully. "Pay him back for all the trouble he caused me when we were children."

 

The Mithraan, glanced down at Srrett once again. He was rather intriguing. "No...it's ok..."

 

Left Ear chose her next words carefully. "And Daena - you do realize that if you ever became, uh, involved with my brother...you both would be equals to one another? None of that veken slavery stuff...." The female feline ships master got mad just thinking about anyone being held as a slave.

 

"Yes...I know..." Daena said shyly. Her ears drooped a little. "Does...does he really like me?"

 

"He has been a flirt his whole life...but I grew up with him Daena, and I really do think he likes you..."

 

Her tail danced once again, but quickly stopped when the Mithraan got worried again. "How would I talk to him?"

 

JoNs couldn't believe she was playing at the part of counselor, but it was the least she could do for the Dark Fury's newest crew member. "Speak to him just as we are now."

 

"Ok..." Daena said as she continued to watch Srrett with her maroon eyes. He was still moving crates below, and probably had no idea what the girls were talking about above him.

 

JoNs leaned on the support railing and indicated the three children playing with the two big cats directly under where they stood. "And, I'm not saying that you two will have children, or even enter into a union with one another...but if you do, your children will always have a home and be educated and taken care of. This isn’t the most glamorous life, but we make due."

 

Daena quickly blushed at such a notion. She had just found out a man liked her. How could children come into the conversation already? The Mithraan lowered her head a little, trying to hide her blushing behind the railing. Though her tail, as subconscious as ever, was dancing like it was on catnip.

 

"Wow..." Left Ear eyed the tail. "And I thought my guardian child's tail could be perky." She grinned at the younger feline woman.

 

Embarrassed, Daena quickly grabbed her tail. The blushing seemed to intensify then. "Sorry..."

 

The ships captain placed a paw lightly on the Mithriaans arm, pulling it back just as quickly. "Just take everything in very slow, and you will be fine. This is a big world out here to explore - and you will see most of it as a member of a Caitian cargo ship. This is why I and my guardian child thought it best for you here. And you are doing fine."

 

Srrett had by now stopped what he was doing, stood just below the catwalk, and stuck a pink tongue out at his sister and Daena.

 

Daena smiled softly as she gave the Caitian captain a hug. "Thank you..."