Children of Steel (52 page)

"I guess I could do that much for you," she
smiled and swung out on the sill of the open window and put it in
my mouth.

"Thanks," I said swallowing it. She hung
there a minute and looked at me, I could feel it starting to work
by then and my head cleared pretty quickly.

"Better?"

"Yes lots. Well, I guess this is goodbye
then. Sorry I can't give you a hug, but I'm kind of tied up." I
smiled.

"Oh that's okay, I think you've already given
me something to remember you by anyway." she actually leered at me
and patted her belly as she said that!

"Oh, that reminds me." I looked at my arm to
make sure I was still had it on. "I want you to have this," I
gestured with my chin towards the armband I had gotten on
Pharaoh.

"Raj, I can't take that! It's worth a small
fortune," she exclaimed. "Use it to help pay yourself off."

"It’s not for
you
silly!" I said
laughing at her expression, "I want you to use it for the Cubs,
our
Cubs. I don't want you to bear the burden alone," I
didn't mention the fines that she might very well receive for
breeding while still under contract. They could be pretty sticky
about that sometimes even with permission.

"Thanks," she said, and worked it off my arm
with her free hand.

"And I expect pictures too," I said as she
put it on her arm.

"You got it my sexy big Tom," she leaned way
out then and gave me a kiss. "Bye Raj, I'll write."

"Bye Herza, take care." She popped back in
and that was that.

It did take me awhile to get down, I finally
used the back of my head to hammer in the window until it broke.
Then I just kept widening the hole with my back, butt and elbows. I
picked up quite a few cuts, but I eventually got the glass by one
of my bonds broken and was able to saw through it.

I nearly fell once or twice while getting the
bonds on my legs cut, my hands where pretty numb but at least
Terease had been careful, so they weren't totally useless. I
finally got back inside, found that it was my room, so I hit the
bed and went to sleep.

They made me pay for the window of course,
but I really didn't care. At least I had gotten down before
somebody saw me and got the bright idea of taking a picture!

I got in touch with Kathy the next day and we
all got together that night at the Lining. We were going to be in
port for nearly three weeks this time, so the replacements could be
worked in. It was a good time off, even though I did have to work
some during it. We even had a big party for Gabe and Karen out at
her folks' place.

Terry moved out of the apartment, to her own
place, and Gabe moved in. I was really curious to see how they'd be
doing the next time I was in port. Gabe started work after a one
week adjustment period, so during most of the time that I spent
with Kathy it was just the two of us.

Balizar also took the Clan back out to the
resort we had been to before. We spent a week there and I moped
around a bit, missing Herza. But Mist, and surprisingly Sheen too,
did their best to cheer me up. It was more than enough actually,
and I was over it by the time we had come back.

As for Kathy and myself, we did have quite a
few enjoyable times together, but our relationship was starting to
turn more towards friendship than sex. We still had fun together,
but we both knew that we would never be a long term relationship, I
had my sights set on Cassandra and Kathy I think wanted something
more than I could offer.

She was getting close to graduation now
herself, being in her final year at school and I suspect she had a
serious boyfriend waiting somewhere in the wings. I could
understand her not wanting to confront him with me if that was the
case; she was probably worried how we'd react to each other. Human
society was a little more uptight about such things as multiple
lovers. At least that's what I've been told, but she still wore the
ring I had gotten her at least, and that made me happy.

I did make a trip down to Martial, the fight
bar that Herza had taken me to. I brought Banner and Terease along,
Banner was there in case of trouble, Terease came just out of
curiosity.

I did pretty well and made about a thousand
on bets. When Banner decided it was a good time to leave nobody
decided to argue this time. I guess the extra bodies might have
helped.

The only other thing that was new was the
mail. Sunil had been through twice since my last trip. He had
updated news on Kali and said she was doing fine and the legs
looked perfect. He also had run into our sister Laeloni who was
working on an orbital platform doing communications work.

The new crew members had been showing up over
the last few days, I hadn’t really talked to any of them yet, I was
enjoying the last few days of my leave. When we started shipping
freight almost the day my leave ended I was too busy working to
sort out the new members either, but I noticed them immediately,
kind of hard not to after seeing the same faces all the time for
two years now.

“Hey Raj!” Chief Shandour called to me while
I was helping Rysan the loadmaster secure some cargo on one of the
large freight shuttles, “Take five! Balizar wants a word!”

I looked up and saw Balizar standing there
with the Chief and wondered what I could possibly have screwed up
this time. Shrugging at Rysan I walked over to Balizar as Shandour
walked off to deal with other issues.

“Yes Sir?” I asked coming to attention.

“At ease, this is clan stuff, not official
Raj,” And then Balizar grinned, “and you’re not in trouble. We
picked up four more clan members with the new crew members.”

I nodded, hopefully they weren’t all males or
I’d be spending a lot more of my evenings alone.

“Now I don’t know about the females in the
group, but I can assure you that Hawkeye is going to be looking you
up on fairly short order. Probably when you get off shift
tonight.”

I nodded at that and unconsciously cracked my
knuckles. Only one male? Not bad.

“He’s Herza’s replacement and I
don’t
want you thrashing him. Understand? You bow to him and acknowledge
him as your superior in the clan. Got it?”

I looked down at Balizar, he was a couple
inches shorter than me, but then I’d never run into another leopard
who wasn’t. “Why?”

“Because you’re still too immature for your
size and the position, because I want you to be listening to him
when he talks, he’s got a lot more experience than you do. And
because I will open your skull with a spanner if you don’t do as I
tell you to. Am I clear?”

I thought about that, I was bigger than
Balizar, I was definitely stronger than him, on speed, I’d say we
were about even. I’d never ever sparred with him, what I’d heard
was true, he
never
sparred with anyone but Sharazad, and
they only did it in private.

“I want something from you if I’m going to do
this Clan leader Sir,” I said as respectfully as I could.

Balizar tilted his head and flicked an ear in
annoyance. “This isn’t a negotiation Raj.”

“I want to spar with you, just once. That’s
all.”

“No.”

“Then how am I supposed to believe you can
open my head with a spanner?” I asked him.

“I could just have Chief Shandour sit on you
for me.” He growled.

“But that isn’t what you implied and you know
it, Clan leader Sir. If I’m going to roll over for a physical
threat, I want to see that the threat is real.” I grinned at him
then, “With all due respect Clan leader Sir.”

He scowled at me and then sighed, “You are
just itching to see if you can take me, aren’t you?”

I curled my tail and ducked my head in
embarrassment ears splayed, “Yes Clan leader Sir. Though I will
still honor and obey you even if I should win.”

“Win?!” Balizar growled. “Why you impudent
cub! Fine, defend yourself.”

I blinked and stepped back and took a
defensive stance. “Here? Now?”

“Will one fall be enough?”

I nodded. “Yes Sir!”

“Ready?”

“Yes Sir!”

I bowed, and then he bowed and I stood there
in a combat stance as he looked at me.

“I don’t have all day Raj,” he growled.

I gave an inward shrug and shuffled in fast
to attack, coming in low and hard. One of my better speed attacks
that put my center down low and let me test my opponent.

And suddenly I wondered why I was on my back
looking at the ceiling as Balizar looked down at me.

“Do I need to get a Spanner?”

“No Sir,” I shook my head and tried to play
back just what had happened. I couldn’t, it didn’t make sense and
it had happened in the blink of an eye. “Can you teach me how to do
that Balizar?”

“Maybe when you’re older, if you learn to
behave.”

“Yes Sir. Clan Leader Sir. Most Honorable
Clan Leader Sir.”

“Stop kissing my ass and get back to
work.”

I rolled over and got to my feet. It took a
second to get my balance back. “What about the other three?”

“Up to you. Clan meeting this Saturday night,
see you there Raj.” Balizar said as he walked away.

“Yes Sir.”

I walked back over to Rysan who was watching
bemused.

“He made that look easy.” Rysan laughed.

“Worst of all, I can’t figure out what he
did.”

“Me neither, but then I’m not one of you
martial artist geeks.”

Sure enough, as I was heading back to my room
after my shift a male leopard I’d never seen before fell into step
beside me.

“Hi, I’m Hawkeye. I’m Balizar’s new
Sergeant.”

“Raj,” I said to him.

“Care to head to the gym?”

“Just let me get changed.” I got my stuff and
came back out. We were still planet side, I was working with the
loading crews when I wasn’t doing a shift flying. I’d move up to
the ship tomorrow. “So where does Hawkeye come from?”

“Old book, called ‘last of the Mohegan’s’,
our nanny was a reader, and that was the book she was on when she
got us. So we all got names from it.”

“Huh, interesting.”

“Why Raj?”

“Short for Rajah. Asian Leopards, Asian
names. Or so they said, one of my brothers is named Randell. So we
never really figured it out.”

We came to the gym then and went inside and
found an open area. People quickly got out of the way; Hawkeye
looked a little surprised, but didn’t comment. After all, this was
fairly typical.

We bowed in and then started sparring. He
wasn’t bad, he was actually pretty good, almost as good as Herza
was. For a moment I was tempted to put him away, I know I could,
and a few times I almost did, but I pulled it at the last moment.
He came back at me, but he started pulling his own punches as well.
I stepped back then and bowed out.

“I concede.” I said. I noticed a few who were
watching looked surprised.

“Excuse me?” He looked surprised.

“I concede.” I bowed again, “You win.”

“You were pulling your punches,” he said
dropping his stance and relaxing.

“So were you.” I suspected that telling him
about Balizar and the spanner probably wouldn’t be a good idea.

He shrugged and we hand bumped. “Far be it
from me to complain. I have to go report anyway.”

I nodded and watched as he walked out then
went to get my bag.

“Oh hi! I’m Danielle!"

I turned and saw a rather attractive female
black leopard walking over from the changing rooms. I smiled, this
was going to be fun.

“I’m Raj. Here to go a few rounds?”

She laughed and nodded. “I saw you two pop in
here so I thought I’d join in. Where did Hawkeye go?”

“He said he had to report, guess you’ll have
to catch him later.”

She nodded. “Just us two I guess.”

I nodded again and took up a defensive stance
as she came on to the mat.

It was a much more enjoyable match for me,
because I could do what I wanted to. Which meant win. But I didn’t
thrash her, that wouldn’t have been all that much fun when I
thought about it. So I bounced her off the wall and then stood
there waiting as she picked herself up.

Danielle looked at me, and attacked again and
so I bounced her off the same spot of the wall again a few minutes
later.

This time she scowled at me and came at me
harder.

I bounced her off a bit harder that time and
she winced a little as she got up. She looked at me and sighed ears
splayed. “I think you win.”

I smiled back, “Let’s go hit the showers,
then if you want I’ll give you a massage to make up for that last
one.”

She looked at me sort of side long, and then
looked me up and down taking me in.

“A massage would be nice,” she said after a
moment and smiled, “Shall we?” and she led the way to the showers,
her tail a little high flicking about as she walked in front of me,
her hips making a nice counter point to her motions to keep my
attention I was sure.

We washed each other down in the showers and
scrubbed each other’s fur.

“Serious muscles,” She commented as she
lathered my fur.

“I’m a bit of an exercise nut,” I admitted
while enjoying the feeling of her body as I lathered her as
well.

“A bit of a martial arts nut too I gather
from your performance on the mats,” she observed.

“Guilty as charged,” I said with a laugh.

“Anything else you’re good at I should know
about?” she asked with a giggle.

“Why don’t we dry off and go back to my room
and I’ll show you?"

“Oh, why don’t we indeed?”

It was a good night.

Kyrani caught up with me when I was off shift
shipboard the next evening. I was pretty amazed by her, she was
actually younger then me! Fifteen, fresh out of the crèche. I was
extremely gentle with her, even if the fight lasted less than the
time it took to talk about it.