Jethro 3: No Place Like Home (63 page)

“I know. I've run five minutes over my time limit I had planned for you. So, I will schedule you for a follow-up and not mark you down as unfit for duty. As long as you get seen again soon.”

Jethro nodded, resigned to the meddling. “Yes, ma’am,” he said.

“Oh buck up,” she said, smiling. “Maybe I'll have some milk and I'll rub your tummy or something,” she said teasingly.

Jethro snorted. “The tummy thing works for canines, ma'am. I'm a cat.”

“Oh.”

“I might take you up on the milk though,” he joked, getting up. She blinked at him then snorted softly.

“Very well. Get going. I need a break then I so need to brush up on you people. It's obvious going cold and not reading your records isn't working. I don't understand why they insist on rushing you through so fast...”

“It's the nature of the beast doctor, duty calls,” Jethro said. She waved a hand. He came to attention smartly.

“Dismissed,” she said. He nodded, about faced and left quietly.

---( | ) --- ( | )---

At his next therapy session Jethro got into a debate about the psychology of Neos. They touched on various subjects like Felines, Canines, and Apes social hierarchy. “It is fascinating, the roles of Alpha, Beta, Omega social roles. Do you have trouble translating that into military and civilian life?”

He paused cautiously, not certain how to answer. “In some ways, there are some social cues that are awkward to deal with. Your human's showing of teeth for instance. In animals, we're hard wired to that reaction; a show of teeth means threat. That goes for just about everyone by the way—dog, cat, ape or other.”

She blinked and then nodded. She made a note.

“There are others of course, but over the years you learn to deal with them. I think, oh, years and years ago people, humans tried to change it all. But it didn't stick. So, we learned to deal with it. Just like humans learned to deal with us in our own way,” he said.

“And the question of how that fits in today's society?”

“Well, if I had to translate it, I'd say to some an alpha or beta translates to an officer or person in authority. There is some automatic obedience required there, and yes, some dominance issues,” he said. He felt a pang, remembering his encounter with Kovu on Agnosta. He'd slipped there.

“But really, we fight the animal urge. For some it is a constant struggle, for others it is easier. If you're asking if we regress in combat...” He shrugged uncomfortably. “I don't know what to tell you doc. When you are fighting it is life or death for all.”

“I see,” she murmured. “And you have no issues with authority? You don't feel the urge to challenge it?”

“It depends. I will accept and follow orders of course. But if I have a suggestion I speak up when it is appropriate. Sometimes when it isn't, but I know I'll get in trouble for it and accept it. That's not a challenge; it's just an alternative idea.”

“Interesting.”

“Where are we going with this?” He asked.

“Just talking,” she said with a hand wave. “I was curious about the natural urge to battle for supremacy, but with the artificial command structure thrust upon other cultures, it complicates things.”

He snorted. “We're indoctrinated, trained to handle it doctor. We can handle it.”

“True, but there are so many somatic types to deal with. Cultures. All in a vast vat. Throw in danger and death...” She shook her head. “It can all come apart.”

“And just as easily it can all come together doc. There is an old saying,” Jethro said. He paused to cock his head. “One's mind is concentrated with the imminent threat of a hanging. And oh, another, one man's enemy is another's friend. Binary solution set doc, work together or die.”

She frowned but wasn't quite ready to let it go. “But if you throw in interactions with the various species as well as aliens and you can have misunderstandings. Fatal ones.”

Jethro nodded. “True, but, over time things have changed as I said. We've learned to cope. We've had over a thousand years time to iron out all the bumps. In some ways Neos are more human now.”

“And the threat of going feral?”

“Remote,” Jethro said. “A proper diet, social interaction, and other things keep such problems at best a very bad holo horror film. And may I remind you, humans were the ones who invented those, and oh, serial killers and such— Adolph Hitler Stalin, Mengela,” he reminded her, reading the names off the list Bast pulled up.

The human flinched but then nodded. “A cheap shot, but I suppose well played.”

Jethro spread his hands. “Hey, you asked for it,” he said.

“Yes, yes I did,” she said, smiling politely. “And you did get me.”

“I know, I know, it's not nice to be on the receiving end of a prank,” Jethro said. “Trust me I know. We play pranks on each other constantly when we can. Most of the time it's minor stuff, shits and giggles. Slapstick really. Occasionally some have gone overboard,” he said, voice darkening.

“I take it you've been...a victim of one such occasion?” she asked.

“Well, yes, and it ties in to my bioform,” he said. He sighed when she seemed intent on his continuing. “Fine,” he said. “It went like this...” he went on to describe his experience in Firefly's Infirmary. How the medics had tricked him and then placed a device on the back of his neck rendering him immobile.

“You don't say. So it...you couldn't move?”

“No. That sucked. I could hear, see, think, but I couldn't move. It was like I was trapped in my body. I do admit it freaked me out,” he said. “Seriously, I don't like feeling helpless. And I resented it. But, you have to be able to take a joke, even a bad one. So, I did.”

“I see,” she murmured, making some notes. She seemed intent on that for a short while. He tried to relax but found the damn couch and position annoying.

“Do you ever...ever wonder about your form? I mean, the claws, teeth...” she finally asked, looking up.

“It's how I was born, doctor. I like what I am. There are a few things that bother me, but I'm fine with it. I just wished others accepted who I am. Those in the government of this system for instance,” he said. He held up a warning hand as her eyes lit. “That is in no way an inferiority complex, doc, just a simple statement of truth. Sometimes the world, or at least certain jerks in office, really are out to get you.”

“True,” she admitted. She frowned prettily, then made a note on her tablet. She sighed after a moment. “So much for getting you to relax.”

“Well, doc, you did bring up social concerns. And well, to be honest,” he turned and rolled onto his side. “As someone with an animal genome, you should know we're not happy about being on our back. It's a sign of submission, and it's also a bit painful after a while,” he said pointedly. “Forcing someone to assume that position is its own form of dominance play. Which granted is a psychological ploy, but it is annoying, be it for a human or...other form,” he said with a hand wave. He flexed his claws for the moment.

“Oh,” she said, blinking.

He snorted. “Just be glad I haven't clawed this thing to death doc. It is damned uncomfortable,” he growled.

“Sorry,” she said quietly. She shook herself after a moment. “Okay, moving on,” she said determinedly.

Bast seemed amused as the discussion wore on. She silently brought up a link or two for him to quote from, as well as a note about the therapist engaging in discourse and small talk to probe. That amused him, but he still ended the session on a positive note.

---( | ) --- ( | )---

Jethro waited on transfer to Agnosta. He received additional downtime on Anvil but it was a mixed blessing. The intention was for him to decompress and catch up with his family. But most of his family were either dead or in Agnosta.

His Matriarch adopted grandmother was still on the station, but in his absence she had become increasingly elderly despite the advanced medical care available. Neos aged rapidly, even with anti-aging treatments. Her mind was still there, still as sharp as ever, but her body was frail. It bothered him when he saw her, but he tried to hide it.

What bothered him even more was the changes around her. He didn't like it. The daycare was gone as was the prattle of the cubs. She wore a threadbare shawl, and sat in her old worn rocker, but she'd moved to a small room in the ever shrinking Neo district.

Her golden eyes twinkled. “You're wondering why I'm like this,” she murmured.

“I...yes,” he admitted. He'd long given up feeling the willies about how she did that. To her everyone seemed an open book she could read.

She shrugged, brushing the shawl with a frail hand paw. “It's simple, I'm old. Old and tired, young one. Ready to move on to the next life.”

“But the medics...” He protested.

“Did a lot for me. But I made a choice. I am not going to regret it. Besides, I am far too old for my body to accept the anti-aging treatments. Sure, they might squeeze a few more years out of me, but it would be an even slower decline than this. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer a fast death.”

“I'm sorry,” he murmured.

She brushed her whiskers. “Don't my grandson, don't be. I see you, Sergei, Hurranna and the other cubs and what you have accomplished has filled my heart with so much joy. Keep living your lives to the fullest. I'll be along with you in spirit.”

He nodded uncomfortably; then rubbed her cheeks with his. She patted his hand and then rested back in her chair. After a moment he realized she had drifted off into a doze. He waited for a few minutes, then got up and left quietly.

Jethro made certain to check his old haunts from his childhood. Things had changed, in some cases radically. He didn't like the looks some humans gave him. But since he was in uniform, none seemed to object. They did stare though, making him uncomfortable. Eventually he moved on. He stopped by where the armor had been stored for so long and took a good look around. Bast didn't seem interested so he moved on.

Only Hrriss and a few other Neos were still on the station, those that had good jobs and could absorb the damn Neo tax. To add insult to injury, now that the station was restored they had finally worked out a budget. Real estate was at a premium, which meant the rents and leases went up when they expired. He thought it was unfair to pick on the Neos and aliens again, making them pay additional fees for life support filtration, sound insulation and maintenance.

Apparently the sounds, smells and shed fur wasn't for everyone. Jethro couldn't see how humans could complain; after all they made sounds and shed too! But no, his people were to blame. He shook his head in disgust. Most of the cat clan and many of the other Neos had transferred to other colonies or to Agnosta. Even his Aunt M'wvekii was gone. The Neo and alien enclaves had shrunken to small pockets, being absorbed and replaced by newcomers to the system, most of them human.

Hrriss told him he too was considering a change, possibly as a civilian contractor with the military. Jethro agreed to put a good word in for him.

“What happened to her?” he demanded.

Hrriss squirmed, thrashing his tail back and forth, ears flat. Finally he sighed. “She...we've been pooling our credits to get everyone out. Your aunt...she didn't want to go, but when Fernando died some damn bureaucrat in admin took a hard look at all of the...
houses of ill repute
,” he said in disgust.

“So?”

“So, they hit her with permit violations, tax violations, the works. It sucked a lot of what we had saved up dry. And your gram had planned carefully, but that hit us hard. She put aside her own needs and used the last of the money to get your aunt and her retinue out of here.”

“So...”

“So, she's trapped. I'm building up a nest egg, but it's hard with that damn tax.”

“I'll...I'll talk to the others,” Jethro said, now feeling guilty about their trip to the casino. “We can do something, I know it.” He made a mental note to see if Hrriss could get a transfer to one of the stations building in Agnosta. He'd have to find out a way to approach command about that.

Hrriss nodded; ears drooping. “I'd appreciate it Jethro, and I'd pay you back. But she won't go. Not until every one of us is gone. This is her home she said. She'll close the door on it when she's good and ready.”

Jethro closed his eyes in pain. He felt Bast try to comfort him. He took a deep inhaling breath and then let it out slowly. “I see.”

“She's stubborn as the day is long,” the lion sighed. He'd grown; his mane and body had filled out with adult fur and mass. He was now a lion in his prime and quite proud of it. But because he was a lion, he was a marked man on the station.

“I'll...hell, I don't know who to talk to. I'll see what I can do. Valenko definitely, I know he's got family here. I don't even know if his ex is still here or not.”

“A lot of us left. I don't know. I can find out for you though,” the lion suggested helpfully.

“I'd appreciate that, but I'm not sure if he would. He's sort of touchy about his family. My butting in might offend him,” Jethro said.

---( | ) --- ( | )---

When newly minted
Captain Valenko
came off his brief leave, he moaned at what he found. He dearly regretted taking the time off but realized it was probably going to be the only time he'd have off for some time to come.