Loving Kit (Felines of Furyne Book 1)

by L. M. Brown

  Once again he spoke to them all together on the flight deck.

  Captain Farraday listened quietly as Logan gave his report, once again editing out the more personal details regarding the nature of his relationship with Halor and Kit. Unlike Captain Collins, Captain Farraday didn’t question Logan’s honesty and only interrupted to ask for clarification on points. He authorised the change of route immediately and without any complaints about the lengthening journey or fuel supplies.

  “And these two aliens are here on board?” the captain asked.

  “Yes, Halor’s ship is in the docking bay and they are waiting down there until I fetch them.”

  “Ready to do a flit if necessary,” the captain commented with a smile. “I’d like to meet them.”

  “I’ll go fetch them now,” Logan said.

  “Just a moment. I have one more question before you bring our guests up. What has Captain Collins decided regarding the search and rescue mission for the crew and passengers of the Mercury?”

  “Nothing, sir,” Logan replied.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Captain Collins authorised the new route of the Neptune and we have agreed to provide them with additional fuel to ensure they have enough to make it to New Earth then land. We’ll do the same for the Jupiter, of course.”

  The captain rose from his seat, his face almost purple with rage. “Do you mean to tell me that nothing is being done at all to find them?”

  Logan shifted uncomfortably. “Halor and Kit have offered their services to help me to do what I can to find our people.”

  Captain Farraday turned to Doctor Marshall, the head medic on board. “Go wake all the officers on board this vessel. I want them to report to me as soon as they’re on their feet. When two aliens show more concern about our people than the captain of one of our vessels, there’s something seriously wrong with the world.”

  Doctor Marshall hurried to do the captain’s bidding.

  The Captain pointed at the pilot’s chair, his silent order clear. Logan hurried to obey.

  “Increase speed to maximum level,” Captain Farraday ordered. “If my calculations are correct, we should catch up with the Neptune in one month.”

  “Sir?” Logan asked, though he did as he was told without hesitation.

  “I want an explanation from Captain Collins as to why he chose to abandon a third of our population.”

  “I believe he didn’t want to risk impacting on the primary mission of colonising New Earth.”

  “I don’t give a damn what his reasons are. We don’t abandon our people.”

  Logan checked their course and speed and turned back to the captain. “Auto-pilot re-enabled.”

  “Thank you.” Captain Farraday clapped his hands together. “Now, I’d very much like to meet our new allies. If you’d be so kind as to go and fetch them.”

  “Yes, sir,” Logan replied. He offered the captain one final salute before hurrying down to the docking bay.

  “Logan, wait up.” Darcy was panting as she struggled to keep up with him. “I’m still not entirely myself.”

  “Sorry,” Logan said, slowing his pace a little. “You’re doing a lot better than I was when I first woke up. I was crawling around on the floor and barely able to function.”

  “So, what are these aliens like?” Darcy asked. “Do they have those big bug eyes like all those twentieth century reports of alien abductions?”

  Logan laughed. “No, they don’t. I did see a few bug-eyed aliens at the spaceport, but Halor and Kit are nothing like that.”

  When they arrived at the dock, Halor was sitting on the wing.

  “Logan? How did it go?”

  “A lot better than the last briefing,” Logan replied. “No examinations required to prove you’re not human, and Captain Farraday wants to help find the rest of the people from my own ship. Where’s Kit?”

  “He’s lying down. He was feeling sick again. I think the rough docking upset his stomach.”

  Darcy nudged Logan in the arm. “You can really understand him? I just heard squawks.”

  “The implant is amazing,” Logan replied. “I’ll just go check on Kit then we’ll head back to the flight deck with Halor.”

  Halor jumped down from the wing and gave a small bow to Darcy. “Logan, please convey my heartiest felicitations to your lovely sister. The family resemblance is remarkable. She is as beautiful as you.”

  Logan snorted at the gallantry. “Halor says hello,” he told his sister.

  Halor scowled at him. “I believe something was lost in translation there. When meeting a member of my lover’s family, it is customary to be polite and courteous.”

  Logan rolled his eyes. “Darcy, Halor says hello very politely and courteously. Now, I’ll go check on Kit.”

  Logan left his sister with Halor and went inside the ship. He found Kit curled up in bed. “Hey, how are you doing?”

  Kit groaned and sat up slowly. “I just felt a bit nauseous. I think it’s passed. Do we need to go to be examined again?”

  “No, that won’t be necessary. The captain would like to meet you, but I’m sure he’ll understand if you’d rather wait until you’re feeling better.”

  Kit shook his head. “I’ll come with you. I want to meet your sister, too, before she’s put back into stasis, and I know you want her to check me over.”

  “If you’re sure you’re up to it?” Logan said.

  Kit wrapped his arms round Logan and buried his face in his chest. He took a deep breath and sighed. “That’s better.”

  Logan planted a kiss on top of his head. “Well, Darcy is just outside the ship with Halor, so let’s go introduce you two.”

  “I hope she likes me.”

  “She’ll adore you.”

  “Really?”

  Logan chuckled. “Back on Earth, Darcy had three cats. Believe me. She’ll love you.”

  The conversation between Halor and Darcy had apparently not been overly hindered by the language barrier. When Logan and Kit exited the ship, they found Darcy peering at the places on Halor’s arm where the skin stretched from his arm to his torso.

  “Fascinating,” Darcy said, looking up from her contemplation at the arrival of Logan and Kit. “Oh. My. God.”

  “This is Kit,” Logan announced. “As you can see, he’s a different species to Halor.”

  Darcy rushed over to Kit and only just seemed to stop herself from petting his head and ears. Her hand hovered a moment before she let it drop to her side. “Evolved from cats, right?”

  “Yes,” Logan confirmed.

  Kit inched closer to Logan, which was quite a feat since he was already standing right next to him. “Hello, Darcy.”

  “He meows just like a cat,” Darcy squealed. “He’s just adorable.”

  Kit flushed red.

  “Darcy, stop embarrassing him,” Logan said. “We need to head back to the flight deck before the captain starts to wonder where we’ve disappeared to. Kit, are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

  “Is he ill?” Darcy asked. “He does look a bit pale, but with all his markings I don’t know whether that’s his normal colour. Do you want me to give him a check-up?”

  “Tell her I’m okay,” Kit said.

  “He’s okay,” Logan said. “Though before you go back into stasis, I would like you to examine him for us.”

  Darcy frowned. “Of course, though why would you want me to examine him if he’s okay?”

  Logan didn’t want to get into that particular conversation right now. “I’ll explain later. Right now, we need to go speak to the captain.”

  * * * *

  Captain Farraday was delighted to meet both Halor and Kit and was as fascinated with their alien attributes as Darcy had been. When Doctor Marshall joined them with her questions as well, Logan could barely keep up.

  Finally, more important matters needed to be discussed. Logan acted as translator for the discussions between Captain Farraday and Halor, while Kit remained quiet at Logan�
��s side.

  They discussed the various races who were likely to have purchased the humans, locations, routes, alliances, and more. It was clear that the captain intended to organise the rescue missions, regardless of the primary mission to colonise New Earth.

  “Well, I think we should adjourn these discussions until the rest of my officers are awake,” the captain declared. “We’ll find you all quarters on board the ship.”

  Logan shook his head. “Halor’s ship has adequate quarters. There’s no need to inconvenience anyone on board when we’re all settled there.”

  “If you’re sure?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The captain stood and stretched. “In that case, let’s meet here again tomorrow at eleven hundred hours. Halor, Kit, it’s been a pleasure.”

  Halor rose and bowed. “Likewise.”

  The captain nodded and smiled. “No need to translate that, McRae. I believe we’re all on the same page here.”

  Logan gave the captain one final salute, and once he and the navigator had left the room, he sat down and breathed a sigh of relief. The monumental task of the rescue mission didn’t seem quite so daunting now.

  Doctor Marshall had disappeared some time before to monitor the officers who were waking. Darcy had gone with her, but she appeared in the doorway almost as soon as the others had left.

  “How did it go?” she asked.

  “Good,” Logan replied as he stood and followed his sister back out of the room and down the corridor to the medical labs. “Really good. We’re going to meet again tomorrow at eleven.”

  “Did the captain say when we’re going to be put back into stasis?”

  “No. He wants to keep the general passengers in cryo, but the rest are going to be staying awake while the rescue operation is underway. We’re going to use this ship as our base.”

  “I’m going to see if I can get the crew implants,” Halor said. “It will make things much smoother if Kit and I can be understood. If your captain agrees, I’ll leave tomorrow.”

  “We’re coming with you,” Kit said.

  “What are they saying?” Darcy asked.

  Logan chuckled. “Halor is suggesting he takes steps to provide the crew here with implants. I’m sure you’ll agree that his idea has some merit.”

  “Definitely,” Darcy agreed as she unlocked the door to one of the medical examination rooms and waved them all inside. “Now, what about this examination you mentioned?”

  Logan took a seat and Kit edged closer to him, giving a small whine of fear.

  “It’s okay,” Logan assured him. “Darcy won’t hurt you.”

  “Um, Logan, is there something you’d like to tell me?” Darcy asked.

  Logan’s face heated. “Yes, Darcy, yes there is. You’ve already been introduced to Halor and Kit, but I didn’t mention that our relationship is a little more than that of travelling companions.”

  “Oh, Logan, you haven’t.” Darcy shook her head, but there was a faint smile on her lips.

  Logan patted his lap and Kit eagerly slid into what had recently become his favourite place to sit. “Halor and Kit were together before they…er, acquired me. Now we’re a threesome.”

  Darcy stared at Halor, then Kit, then back to Logan. “You don’t intend to go back into stasis after the rescue mission is over, do you?”

  “You always were too perceptive by far,” Logan said. “But no, I don’t plan on continuing the journey to New Earth. My life has gone in a new direction, and I hope you’ll accept my decision.”

  “As if I could ever talk you out of anything,” Darcy said.

  Kit was nuzzling at Logan, who gave him a quick kiss on the lips before turning back to his sister. “There’s more.”

  “Not more lovers?” Darcy asked.

  “What? No? Jeez, Darcy, what kind of man-whore do you think I am?”

  Darcy gave Halor and Kit a pointed look. “Says the man who has just told me that he’s sleeping with not one, but two other men.”

  Logan shrugged. “What can I say? It works for us.”

  “So, if it’s not more lovers, what did you mean?”

  “Before I tell you, I want your word that what I’m about to say doesn’t leave this room.”

  “Dramatic much?”

  “Darcy!”

  “Fine, fine. My lips will be sealed.”

  Logan placed his hand on Kit’s stomach, rubbing it gently through the fabric of his kilt. “Kit’s pregnant.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Kit is pregnant,” Logan repeated. “That’s why we want you to examine him.”

  “Him.” Darcy repeated the word back at Logan. “Are you telling me that this man is carrying a baby?”

  “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m telling you,” Logan replied. “And the child is mine.”

  “Bloody hell. Are you sure? I mean, he is male, isn’t he? He looks like a man, a cat-man, but still very much male.”

  Kit whimpered a little and Logan stroked him soothingly. “Kit is special,” he said, before explaining why Kit had the ability to carry a child.

  “He’s a hermaphrodite,” Darcy said. “And you say this is common in his species?”

  Logan turned to Kit and Halor, the latter answering the question for Logan to translate. “There aren’t any official figures, partly because the felines are poor record keepers but also because those who are born like Kit often hide what they are through fear or shame.”

  Logan kissed Kit after he had finished translating. “You have nothing to be ashamed of.”

  Kit purred in his arms.

  Darcy stood and came around to where Kit and Logan sat. “Kit, you can trust me, okay? I won’t tell anyone what you are, though if you’re really pregnant, I suspect people are going to notice sooner or later. It’ll be rather difficult to hide.”

  Halor moved closer to stroke Kit, as well. “We know that. Kit knows my ship is a safe haven for him, and it is our intention that he will always have that place as a sanctuary for such times when he would rather avoid the stares and whispers of strangers.”

  Darcy frowned as Logan translated again. “I’m not sure how practical that will be, but it’s obviously up to you.”

  “It’s up to Kit,” Logan said.

  “Okay, now, how about we start the check-up?”

  * * * *

  Kit sat on the high table, with Halor and Logan on either side of him. He gravitated towards Logan, craving the closeness, even as he worried that he was neglecting Halor.

  “What’s the matter, Kit?” Halor asked.

  “I’m worried that I’m wanting Logan more than you,” Kit whispered.

  Halor stroked him behind his ear and nuzzled his neck. “You’re carrying Logan’s child. It’s only natural you’re being drawn to him. Right now you’re nervous and your instincts are telling you to turn to the father of your babe.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “There’s no need to be,” Halor said. “I understand.”

  Darcy picked up the hand-held holo-scanner and held it over Kit’s abdomen. “Watch the hologram to the side if you want to see your baby,” she said with a nod to the holographic image stand.

  Kit grabbed Logan’s and Halor’s hands as they all stared at the forming hologram. “Is that showing what’s inside me?” he asked.

  “It is,” Darcy confirmed after Logan had repeated Kit’s question. “Your unborn baby in glorious 3D colour—or should I say babies?”

  “More than one?” Logan asked.

  “You don’t sound surprised,” Darcy said.

  “Felines have litters, just like Earth cats do,” Logan explained. “We’ve already discussed the possibility that Kit might be carrying more than one baby. Can you tell how many there are?”

  “Just two,” Darcy replied and Logan sighed deeply. “You were expecting a half dozen or more?”

  “It did cross our minds.”

  “Well, I can assure you, it’s only twins. Let’s look a little closer.”
<
br />   Darcy hit a few buttons and the hologram drew near. “I don’t suppose you know the date of conception?”

  “Thirty-seven days ago,” Halor replied immediately.

  Logan relayed the information to Darcy, who gaped at them silently.

  “Is something wrong?” Logan finally asked.

  Darcy shook her head and looked back to the holo-scan. “That’s not possible.”

  “What?”

  “I’m not an expert on babies, but your twins are far more developed than they should be for five weeks. If I had to take a guess at how far along he was, I’d have said it was more likely around ten weeks.”

  “Felines only carry for six months,” Logan said. “We aren’t sure when he’s likely to give birth with the differences between human and feline pregnancies.”

  “Are they healthy?” Kit asked.

  Logan repeated his question for Darcy.

  “Yes, they seem to be. Their heartbeats are strong. Here. Let me turn the sound on so you can listen.”

  “What’s that?” Logan asked, pointing at the hologram.

  Darcy peered at the image. “It looks like a cat tail.”

  “Like mine?” Kit asked.

  “Yes, like yours,” Logan said. “And they both seem to have one.”

  “I think you’re right,” Darcy said as she turned the image one way and another for a better view.

  “Will they have human traits, too?” Kit asked.

  “I’m sure they will,” Logan replied, obviously thinking that is what Kit wanted to hear.

  Kit gave an involuntary mewl.

  “What is it?” Logan asked. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  Halor kissed Kit and gave him a smile. “Your children will be unique, just like you, and they will be loved by me and Logan, just as you are.”

  Kit nodded and rubbed against Halor, who somehow always knew what troubled Kit, even before Kit could put his thoughts into words.

  “Halor’s right,” Logan said. “Now, how about we let Darcy run a few tests then we’ll retire to the ship until tomorrow.”

  Darcy ran the tests quickly and efficiently. When she was done, Kit twisted round to climb off the table. “Wait a moment. Can I take a look at you before you leave?”

  “You mean intimately?” Logan asked. “Is that normal at this stage?”