Surefoot 12: Caitian Holiday

He set aside the trimmer and began dressing the cub. "It won't always be fun, or exciting, or smooth. It'll get bumpy, and boring, and when you fight the bit out, thoughts will scream into your head about what a mistake you made in marrying this bitch, and that you should just go." He looked into Mirow's eyes. "It's natural to have those thoughts. That doesn't necessarily make them true."

He fitted the gold armlets on Mirow's forearms, and then his tripartite kilt. "Little displays of love and consideration daily are worth more than big gestures, like keeping a fire lit by steadily feeding it kindling, rather than waiting a long time and then sticking a big stick of wood on it." He smiled. "And speaking of wood, when all else fails and she still won't forgive you for whatever you've done or not done... always be willing to leave her with Fluttertail. That never fails."

"What's Fluttertail?"

"You never heard of it?" Hrelle smiled. He then proceeded to tell him in detail how to give a female Fluttertail.

The cub was shocked. And pleased. "That's... amazing! Why haven't I heard of it?"

"It's a secret known only to older males who aren't as flexible as they used to be, and have to compensate with ingenuity. The females who've experienced it know about it... but they're usually too busy grinning to talk about it."

Mirow laughed. "I'll have to try that." More seriously, he added, "Thank you for this. I... I barely remember my father, though it feels like I know more, just from what Mom says about him, and seeing and smelling his things. I'd- I'd like to think he was a lot like you."

Hrelle felt himself welling up now. "Well, I've never had a son. And I probably never will, despite our efforts. But I'd like to think that if I did, he'd be a lot like you. And if you ever need anything, anything at all... call on me."

Mirow smiled. "I will."

They hugged.

*

Sasha wore a beautiful aquamarine sarong that Kami had helped her purchase on the liner, something she would not dare wear on the Surefoot, or anywhere else but Cait, and she stood on the grass with her father, with Kami, and the people of both clans - and C'Rash, who clung onto Sasha's arm. Though the female had made no sexual advances towards Sasha since their talk, she remained the most tactile person Sasha had ever known. And Sasha didn't mind one bit.

Mirow and Ptera stood together on a raised dais, with their respective M'Traals, their ceremonial protectors, at their sides, and the Priestess, a slim female with spotted oatmeal-coloured fur and a plain light-blue dress, at the centre.

Then people began... singing. At first Sasha thought it was something they were doing to encourage the start of the ceremony, like she'd heard happen at sporting or entertainment venues when there was a delay.

Then she realised that it was the start of the ceremony. There was nothing serious or hymn-like about it, but rather a joyous celebration, a celebration of life and love and unity. It was like an old-fashioned musical.

She grinned to herself; she should have known. Caitians couldn't be sombre if their lives depended on it.

When the song ended, then the couple began singing together, their own song, a song of love and hope that made tears well up in Sasha's eyes - and made C'Rash silently chuckle at the human's reaction.

Now the Priestess sang, and her song was one of praise to the Great Mother, and to the forces that brought this couple, and their clans, together on this blessed day. As she sang, she made a show of bringing the bride and groom's arms towards each other, entwining them, having them clasp each other - before drawing them even closer.

There was a final song from the congregation, a reminder to cherish life and all the precious people in it. Sasha reached out and took her father's hand in her own, squeezing tightly. He glanced down at her and smiled.

And then it was done, and Sasha couldn't believe it had been so quick, considering the amount of preparation that had gone on to make it happen.

When she told this to C'Rash as they were mingling with other people, the female laughed. "We don't want to waste too much time on ceremony; there's food and drink and dancing and sex to be had!" At Sasha's reaction, she amended, "You don't have to worry about the last part-"

She stopped when Sasha suddenly pulled her into an embrace, their breasts squashed together as the girl bit the Caitian's neck.

C'Rash pulled back, gasping. "Tailless, if you're not careful I might get the impression that you're in for some of the last part."

Sasha grinned slyly, clutching the Caitian's hips. "If you're not careful, I might give you that impression-"

"Runt of the Litter!" her father called out from across the crowd. "Stop groping that female and get your ass over here!"

Sasha blushed beetroot and stormed over to him. "Oh look, you two are not rolling around on top of each other; I hope someone has a camera ready to take a vivid, this is rarer than a supernova."

Kami chuckled, nudging her husband. "She's been hanging around the older cubs too long."

"No, she was always a little smartass." Then he became more serious. "Sasha, the offer for me to be fully adopted by the clan extends to you too - if you want it."

"Me?" Sasha glanced around in disbelief. "But I'm- I'm human-"

C'Rash snorted at the protest. "Barely!"

"Indeed," Ma'Sala agreed. "But we will understand if you wish to refuse-"

Her further words were lost as Sasha rushed into the female's arms, hugging her tightly. Ma'Sala, after a moment of surprise, hugged her back.

Finally Sasha broke free, adopted an expression of recollection, and then spoke in Old Caitian, not usually managed by the Universal Translator.

Bneea beamed. "Well, that was unexpected! And impressive!"

Hrelle smiled proudly. "I didn't know you still remembered the lessons I gave you. But why are you taking her dinner from her?"

Sasha's triumphant smiled dropped. "What? I didn't say that. I said 'I will treasure your honoured gift'."

"No," Kami corrected, grinning. "You said 'I will treasure your honoured dinner'. It makes no sense."

Hrelle chuckled. "Well, it does if you've ever seen her in the Mess Hall. The other cadets and crew have to set up patrols to keep their meals safe from her."

"There's nothing wrong with my grandcub having a healthy appetite," Mi'Tree warned him jovially, watching a finger at him. "And you're not looking very svelte yourself, my son. Some of us, of course, carry it better."

Sasha grinned. "Well, looks like I've got new grandparents to back me up, so you'd better watch your ass, Fat Cat."

Hrelle shook his head. "So much for respect."

"This is a Caitian clan gathering, Esek," his daughter reminded him, thoroughly pleased with the change of family dynamics in her favour. "No one can pull rank here except the Matriarch." She turned back to Ma'Sala once more, and more seriously informed her, "I will treasure this gift, Ma'am, and will always strive to be worthy of it."

"I am sure you will, cub. You can learn more about the clan, and your responsibilities and obligations within it, during the remainder of your stay." She nodded at C'Rash. "Now will you go fuck her already? The tension between you two is annoying."

Sasha turned scarlet, as C'Rash grabbed her arm. "Come on, orders are orders!"

Kami laughed - and then something caught her eye: a strange Caitian female in a startling red ceremonial robe was speaking with an impressed-looking Jnill. "Who's that?"

Hrelle smiled. "I called in a favour at the Consulate, and asked someone to drop by and impress the visiting Matriarch - and name drop me along the way." He watched with amusement as Jnill looked in his direction, visibly reassessing her opinion of him. He nodded and turned back to Kami. "That should improve my standing with her."

"And me," she joked. "I didn't know you had such influence, getting a genuine Consul here-"

"Actually," he whispered to her, "She works in their Facilities Management Department. I told her that if she could borrow a Consul's robe and get here on time, she could have all the food and drink she wanted."

Kami laughed. "I never thought my brother would be so cunning."

"Your brother?"

"Sure. We have the same mother and fathers, so technically we're siblings..."

Hrelle cleared his throat. "Well, there's an erection killer if I ever heard one." Then the band started up again, a raucous, joyous dance number that brought old and young up on the floor. He took his wife's hand. "Come on, Sis..."

*

It was two days later when Hrelle heard about his father's death.

Ma'Sala had broken the news, when she was updating the Clan Registry to fully adopt Sasha and him. His heart had given out, a day after Hrelle had reunited with him - and fought with him. A cold grip of guilt twisted his insides at the thought that he had inadvertently triggered the cardiac arrest from the stress of their meeting.

"No," Ma'Sala assured him when he said as much. "It was triggered from a lifetime of being an inflexible, insufferable, mean old kussik who pushed everyone out of his life, who literally disowned his entire family because he didn't get his way, and had no one there in the end when he needed help. It's amazing his heart lasted as long as it did, having to circulate all that vitriol."

Hrelle hated what she said - or rather, how much he agreed with it. "He never got over Mama's death-"

"He never chose to get over your mother's death," she corrected gently. "I have had husbands and wives who have since gone to meet the Great Mother. And I loved them so much, and their deaths left a hurt that never heals - you understand this, too.

But you and I chose to not let this hurt be what makes up the rest of our lives. Your father chose to embrace the hurt. You have nothing to feel guilty about."

Without any registered kin anymore, the local government took over Hrelle clanlands; for a moment, he considered making a claim towards it - but he had a clan already, and was content.

The local government also arranged for Sherresek to be buried at sea, as was tradition. Hrelle and Kami managed an invitation to attend; they turned out to be the only mourners.

"This is... pathetic," he noted. "That only we show up. Is this his legacy?"

"No," Kami assured him. "His legacy is you, his cub. Our parents guide us - but not always in ways they would expect, or like. In his case, he guided you to be a better father, a better husband, a better man, than he ever was."

As he watched the shrouded body be raised to slide into the wide, embracing ocean, he felt... the closure of this part of his past, a part that had always remained open for as long as he could remember, without it ever being any use to him, like a spare part remaining from an appliance long since discarded.

He watched the body float and bob on the unceasing waves, before sinking away.

"Goodbye, Papa..." he whispered, heard only by Kami beside him, her arm around his.

*

Five Days Later:

Hrelle lay naked on the balcony stones, hands behind his head, eyes closed, basking in the growing heat from the sun rising over the trees, as swoops circled and cawed high overhead, and the smell of grilled shuris drifted up from the kitchens below. It was their last day here, and their parents - their parents! - were determined to have the remaining clan members celebrate the imminent departure of its Starfleet members.

And he didn't want to go. For decades, he had considered just about anywhere else as a home: the Furyk, Salem Four, the Surefoot. Anywhere but his birthworld. Now, he had one again. That was a wonderful feeling - and bittersweet, knowing he would be leaving tomorrow.

He smiled as he heard his wife step out onto the balcony. "Enjoying yourself, you lazy bastard?"

"Yes," he replied unapologetically.

"You've put on a few extra kilos."

He shrugged, eyes still closed. "I've been working out. Surfing."

She snorted. "You tried it once, fell off the board after a minute, then gave it over to Sasha, who was brilliant at it!" He felt her recline against him as she admitted, "And how are you feeling now compared to when you arrived, Esek?"

His smile became a grin. "I couldn't be happier."

She made a sound. "Bet you can."

He felt something tapping on his chest, and half-sat, opening his eyes to see Kami sitting against him, facing him, propping a medical tricorder on his belly. He cupped his hand over his eyes and squinted at the image on the display: a kidney-shaped organic structure, cherry-orange in colour, with a ribbed border and black dots here and there, all in front of a black background.

He was bemused - it was something that was just scanned only a few minutes ago - and he glanced at his wife. "So... what am I supposed to be looking at here?"

She smiled back with sheer elation. "Your son..."

THE ADVENTURES OF THE SUREFOOT WILL CONTINUE IN... VECTORS