Jethro 3: No Place Like Home (46 page)

He did manage to take the suit off the next day to take a much needed shower and stretch. Bast had been asleep again and had only woken when he'd started putting it back on. “See, I'm getting back into it, no need to have a fit,” he said. He felt her phantom cheek caress when he finished. He'd left the helmet off though.

The next evening Jethro took the suit off and then stretched. He curled up on the bed. He sighed when he felt something moving. He kept his eyes closed though, even when he felt something cuddle up to him. When he felt the real cold touch of metal on his flank he opened his eyes a slit to see the head of the suit cuddling up to him. He sighed but accepted it as a compromise. After a few moments he stopped caring as Morpheus claimed him once more.

When he woke in the morning he stretched, and then slipped out from under the suit. It curled up into a ball. He realized Bast was asleep; her eyes were still closed. He stretched; then took a shower. He checked; she was still asleep so he padded off to breakfast.

Just after he finished his steak and eggs he noted Bast's eyes flutter. He got up, policed his tray and then moved out. “Good to see you naked Gunny,” Hart teased.

“Letch,” PFC Kiara said. She was on Valenko's squad. “I thought you were off duty, Hart?” she asked as Jethro passed them.

“I am, just got off. Boss wanted me to look at some recordings. It took longer than I thought,” the human said, rolling his eyes.

“Anything?”

“No, not really. It takes time he said. But we have to be familiar with the players and how they act he said,” he sighed.

“Right,” Kiara said, thrashing her tail. Jethro moved to the lift and entered.

When the lift doors opened his suit was there sitting on the other side. He couldn't help it; he chuckled. “Impatient?” he asked. The suit cocked its head at him. “Come on then,” Jethro said. The suit moved as he passed it. “Can you move the suit on your own like that? Of course you can. I mean for a while?” Jethro asked. Bast blinked on his HUD. “Well?”

She meowed. He looked at the suit, but it just cocked its head at him. He felt a touch and noted the tail was wrapping itself around his left thigh. “Come on, let's go for a run shall we?” Jethro said. He dropped to all fours and then stretched. “Ready? Set? Go!” he said and moved off at a sprint. He looked back when the suit didn't move. It was sitting there still. “Well? Coming?” he asked, still moving. The suit started to move slowly. When he rounded the corner Bast's eyes on his HUD flared. He heard the clatter as the suit picked up speed, then the sound quieted.

He turned back to his path just in time to see something coming at him from the side. He curled around it as it impacted, bowling him over. He gasped, then laughed as the suit wrapped him in a hug. “Okay, okay, you caught me. Good girl,” he said as the suit and AI purred.

“Okay, you can let go now,” he said, struggling to get free. She kept her grip, purring. “Seriously Bast, behave. we...come on now, we need to get to our quarters and suit up I suppose,” he said. She relented enough to let him up. He waved and she moved on all fours, loping beside him. That damn tail though was firmly wrapped around his waist.

He was glad no one saw them the rest of the way back to his quarters. He entered and then turned to see the suit standing and opening like a flower. “Impatient aren't we?” he asked. He sighed and suited up.

That little side adventure had a side effect he found out later. After he got Bast to let him out of the suit that evening, the AI took off with the suit. He followed just to be sure she didn't get into trouble. She explored a little, just around their quarters before returning to them. She moved about on all fours though, very much a cat and not ashamed of it. He yawned and entered with her.

Over the course of the next week Jethro found that after he'd exited from the suit Bast tended to prowl when he wanted to sleep. She was going further and further out. It took him a bit to realize she was using the sensors to avoid people in her adventures.

He was amused when she was spooked while exploring. She opened a janitor's closet and the mops within fell out startling her. The suit reared back and then rushed back to him. He'd had to reassure her as she rubbed up against him for several minutes.

When he had time he caught up with Ox. The Tauren was busy, working twenty hours a day in engineering, moving from one station to another or one repair site to another. Fortunately, Jethro caught him in the dining hall making repairs to one of the food replicators when the panther went in for a meal.

“So, busy?” Jethro asked, getting a tray and MRE.

“You'd know,” the Tauren said, eying Jethro. “I saw you on the security vids. Scuttlebutt said you've got a ghost in the machine?”

“You've known about that before,” Jethro said. “But yes, Bast is well, in the suit and in me. I'm not sure how much of which though,” he shrugged.

“I see.”

“It's...complicated. She's young.”

“So, you're the first of us to become a parent. Other than Valenko,” the Tauren amended, teasing Jethro.

Jethro shook his head. “Chirby was a dad too,” he said softly.

The Tauren nodded, tugging on his ear. “Yeah, I forgot that.”

“Well, you've been busy.”

“And you've been a new parent with a newborn baby. One you can't touch.”

“Yeah, it's...complicated. She can touch me, but I can't touch her.”

“Did you come by for suit maintenance? I'd think you'd be able to handle it, Gunny?” Ox said, checking his tablet. He scratched his shoulder and then set it down. “Right?”

“Yeah, no, just...wanted to catch up.”

The Tauren eyed him for a moment and then shrugged. “Knocked up, pregnant, and then having a kid all without anyone the wiser for how long?” Ox asked. “Should we have given you a baby shower?”

Jethro snorted. “You're not going to let that go are you? Are you jealous?”

“No, very curious about what you are going through,” the Tauren said with what appeared to be utter sincerity. He indicated the tablet. “And since that thing is running slow on the diagnostic, I've got time.”

Jethro scratched at his right ear in embarrassment. “Yeah, it's like having a cub I suppose. She sleeps at odd hours, wants attention when you are exhausted,” he said. “And yeah, the why why why can be exasperating,” he said, nodding to Valenko as the bear came into the dining room. The two nodded to the bear.

“What'd I miss?” the bear asked.

“Just catching up. Ox is quizzing me about being a parent. I think he's hoping to be a dad soon, if he isn't one already. What was that lady's name? Gwen?” Jethro teased, poking the Tauren.

“Oh quit, now you're making me blush,” the big guy laughed.

“Funny,” the bear said.

“He should be looking for parenting advice from you, sir,” Jethro said, now teasing the bear. “Or at least I should. I'm having an interesting time,” the panther admitted.

“I never got a chance to be a parent,” Valenko rumbled, eyes sad. He shrugged as the others got quiet. “But, I do admit to having an interest. What is going on?”

“Bast is...well, she's finally letting me out of the suit, though she does like to cuddle. She seems to um...need it or something?”

“Okay,” the bear drawled, grabbing a pair of MREs. He needed the extra fuel for his large mass. “Babies do that. Perfectly natural, even if she's artificial.”

“She's also getting into exploring now, which I think is a good thing. Though she does want me right there with her,” Jethro said.

“I see,” the bear said absently.

“It's...I'm glad she likes it. I do wish she'd take a more vocal role. Maybe help the crew.”

“She needs time to grow into a person. Let her have a childhood,” the bear said. “I will admit, having an AI, even a baby one helps out would be nice though. I'd like to actually talk with her sometime,” he said flicking his ears.

“Oh?”

“I could tell her stories,” the bear said with a shrug.

“That's all we need, your version of goldilocks,” the panther laughed. He noted Bast's interest in the bear. He shrugged mentally. He wasn't certain if he should encourage it or not. At least she was showing an interest, that was a step forward out of her shell.

“So, um, to change the subject a little, I was wondering about the others? And since you're more connected than I am...”

“What, you didn't look them up before coming here?” Valenko teased.

Jethro shrugged and spread his hands.

“I see. Yes, you were asleep on the job for a bit. Rip Van Winkle,” the bear snorted. “Let's see, a certain pain in the neck Tauren you know about already.” He nodded his muzzle to the Tauren who snorted.

“Sergei is still a lance, the Major and I agreed he needed a bit more time in grade for seasoning. Oh he's got the stuff down, but he lets his lazy cat nature get the better of him too often. He's on Xavier I believe.”

“Pa'nash is a full lance now, she's on Gypsy Rose with her squad.”

“Why? They don't need guards there do they?” Jethro asked.

“No, but some of her people have engineering experience and training. So, they are doing double duty like we are here.”

“Oh.”

“Besides, she was injured in the boarding actions. Lost a leg. She's recovering there. It's light duty.”

“Oh. Damn.”

“Well, the good news is bugs can regenerate unlike us. She doesn't need cloned parts, though they'd speed things up.”

“True,” Ox said.

“Where was I, oh yeah...” the bear said taking a bite and then setting the MRE down. “Cold.”

“Microwave over there,” Ox said pointing to a box he'd set up.

“Good,” the bear said, getting up. He zapped his meal and then came back. “Let's see, Harley was also injured, but fortunately it was a light wound. She's um, on the Minerva Alabama.”

“Betty, Zebo, Jill, M'mbeki, and Lars all got transferred to the Admiral's force. They'll have their hands full there. Pongo and Ebensher went as well. Ufda was supposed to, but he requested to remain behind. Since he's also a tech weany, he's on Jumping Jack helping them keep that ship together.”

“I wish him the best of luck,” Ox said shaking his massive head.

“Let's see, Gusterson landed on his feet on the reefer. He's keeping a close eye on Mirilax, Wade, Nahele, Troughtman, N'tra'di, and the others.”

Jethro grimaced. He'd known there had been quite a few casualties in the boarding action.

“Spitterman is on Firefly with the Major; he's got his hands full with 250 raw recruits.”

“Yeah, that's just great. He'll frack them up,” Ox muttered.

Jethro felt a dark flicker of agreement. He nodded.

“Something tells me whatever temporary damage Spitterman does will be set to right when Gunny Schultz gets his hands on them when they get to Agnosta,” Valenko said with a shrug.

“Riley's still on Firefly. He threatened to resign if they moved him away from his precious armory,” Ox said with a snort.

“He'd be a pretty good engineer on one of the ships if he'd put his mind to it.”

“I think he's too set in his ways. He's been an armorer his entire life, it's all he wants to do. Narrow minded I know but I can't blame him.”

“Most of the rest scattered through the two fleets. You can look them up when we get back,” Valenko said with a hand wave.

Jethro felt relief that
his people
, people he'd served with or gone through boot together, had largely survived and in some cases thrived. “Are we going to have a face-to-face meeting, sir?” Jethro asked. The bear raised a shaggy brow. “I mean a staff meeting?”

“Sometime. I'm not sure when. I'm guessing you want to present your case about the drills?”

“I'd like your permission to hold a few mock drills with the Marines. Get them thinking about things and not just coasting.”

“I don't know Jethro. Let me think about it. We've got people scattered all over the ship. And this volunteer work party...” the bear waved a hand. “I wish they wouldn't poke their heads into places that are dark. I heard you've been doing much the same. At least you are in armor.”

“I thought the ship was secure?” Jethro said. He felt a pang, like a spark of concern.

“It is, but you never know. I don't want some idiot cutting a data line to say, the reactor or the computers or the hyperdrive,” Ox said dryly.

“True,” the bear said with a nod as he looked at the Tauren.

“But they are doing some good,” the panther said, indicating the hall and missing Horathian banners. Someone had put up the flag of the Federation on the third tier. They'd even re-arranged the lights to keep a spot on it at all times. Jethro appreciated the gesture and keeping with tradition.

“Looks a lot better,” the bear said looking around. “And hey, I'm all for the volunteers wanting to clean things up. As long as they don't get too carried away with it. I believe command wants the media to get a good look at this ship. Possibly with guided tours.”

“Oh,” Ox said frowning. “That will give people nightmares. It's...there are parts of this ship I don't even want to go near.”

“Even you?” The panther asked, surprised. The Tauren shrugged.