Children of Steel (6 page)

"I'm a member of your Clan, and as you don't
seem to be interested in taking care of yourself,” I sighed, “I was
elected."

"Wait a sec," she said between mouthfuls, "I
don't belong to any Clan."

"You know that invitation you got to the Clan
meeting tonight? The one you ignored?"

"Yeah so?"

"That's your Clan."

"No it's not!"

"Listen, you live on the ship, you're a
Leopard, so you're in the Leopard Clan, period. And no matter where
you go for the rest of your life, you're going to find the same
thing. Clans are a way of life for all animen, including you. We
function better that way."

"I've done just fine on my own thank you, and
prefer it that way."

"Looked in a mirror lately?" I asked
again.

She stopped eating and looked at me "Listen I
can do just fine on my own, this was just my own ignorance. Now I
know better."

"Oh? What about that little attack from
behind in the hallway? You can't even defend yourself. Somebody has
got to look after you. This isn't a nice safe human enclave you're
in now. My predecessor had his neck broken in a bar fight for
wising off to the wrong guy, and he
knew
how to fight.
Anyway, I'm bigger than you and right now what I say goes. Finish
your food."

"I'll go to the Captain!"

"Don't waste your time, he'll just tell you
to take it up with your Clan."

She started eating again, "But it's not my
Clan, I've never been in a clan, I don't know anything about
clans!"

"That's why I'm here, you done?"

She looked at the two empty bowls of food, "I
guess. Oh I ate all yours too!"

"That's okay, I ate earlier. Come on next
stop."

"Where are we going now?"

"Showers, your fur looks like crap, and
there's a scent on you that I don't like."

She stopped so I grabbed her hand and started
dragging her along again.

"You're not going to try anything funny are
you?"

I looked at her, and she seemed real worried
all of the sudden.

"Rape is still punishable by death on this
ship, and I'm sure Balizar would make it a slow one for anybody who
messed with a member of his clan. Even people who thought they
didn't belong." I smiled, "And there are two very lovely ladies who
seem willing share my pillow. And ..."

"I know, I know," she said glumly, "have I
looked in a mirror lately."

I took her up to the showers by my quarters,
stopping in them briefly to grab a robe. It was just past half
shift so the showers were empty. I directed her over to one of the
shower stalls in the back and started to undress.

"I guess I don't really have much of a
choice, do I?" she asked watching me undress.

"Come on, it's just a shower. What in the
hell did those idiots teach you anyway?"

"It's not that," She said a little nervously
while undressing, "I'm just not used to being with someone
else."

"You'll get over it," I replied, and then
added mumbling "if it kills me."

"What?"

"Nothing, just get in here."

I looked her over as she got in the stall.
She really looked thin, and her coat was pretty dull and ragged. I
got some medicated soap from the dispenser and started to scrub her
down. When I got to her back a lot of fur started to come off in my
hands.

"Damn!" I cursed violently.

"What's a matter?" she asked, "and stop
scrubbing so hard."

"Damn, Damn, Damn! Didn't anybody teach you
anything about hygiene?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Your coat! You haven't been taking care of
your coat. But then looking at your overall condition I guess I
shouldn't be surprised by anything at this point. Damn!"

"Would you please tell me what you're talking
about? You're scaring me!"

"Your back's been itching quite a bit hasn't
it?"

"Yes, so? A few spots on my legs and arms
have been too. Why?"

"Ringworm," I said with a dejected sigh,
"you've got ringworm."

"Is that bad?"

"Listen, ninety-five percent of the crew has
fur or feathers. Ringworm not only itches, but it causes both fur
and feathers to fall out, and it's easily spread. If anybody finds
out you have this, you'll be a social pariah faster than a leper at
a salad bar. At least it's easy to cure."

"Oh," she smiled "Great, now I know how to
get you to stop bothering me. As soon as I let the crew know,
you'll have to leave me alone or they'll ostracize you too."

THAT really did it! I'll admit I have a bit
of a temper, all Leopards do; mine was just a bit overdeveloped. I
blew.

"Listen stupid, I happen to like having
friends. I like socializing. I especially like flirting with pretty
women. We were seen eating dinner together, and rumors on a ship
travel faster than light. If anybody finds out, they're all going
to assume I have it too! And I will personally twist that pretty
little head of yours right off your neck and take my chances with
the firing squad!"

"Gagck!, Gurgle."

I realized I was holding her by the neck
about two feet off the floor. I set her down and looked around. The
shower area was still empty.

"Look I'm sorry about that." I said
quietly.

"You're sorry!" she gasped, backing as far
away from me as she could in the shower. "You could have killed
me."

"No, I wouldn't have. But you have no idea
what you just threatened," I said dejectedly. "This is my first
assignment. What little family I have, is spread out all over the
place, and I may never see them again. Belonging is very important
to me, if I were to lose that here I'd go crazy."

She looked at me kind of strangely and said
"I've never had anybody, I can barely remember my parents. I may
have been raised among humans, but I was never one of them. I was
like a pet or a mascot. Even at Engineering school I was more of an
amusement than anything else, 'look at the Leopard, what is she
doing here?' and 'is that
thing
housebroken?' I heard all
those remarks they whispered, with these ears how couldn't I?"

She was suddenly in tears at this point, so I
helped her rinse and dry. Then I wrapped her in my robe and took
her back to my room.

"Terease, I'm sorry about your growing up
alone. There's nothing I can do to change the past. But you're not
going to be alone anymore."

"But I don't know how to act around people,"
she looked up at me, "I'm scared."

"I'll help you, and the clan will help you.
That's why it's there. Now just lie down and relax, I have to see
about getting that ringworm taken care of."

I stuffed her uniform in my laundry bag with
my own, so it would come back here in the morning, and went out to
the collection area. I was in luck; they hadn't come yet, so I
tossed it in. I then went over to Balizar's quarters and rang for
entry. I hoped that the meeting had broken up, as I didn't want
anybody to know.

No answer, I rang again, twice.

"This had better be good!" I heard a few
seconds later, as the door opened, "Raj, I would think you would
know better than to bother somebody after a clan meeting!"

"Sorry, but I got a real problem, and I need
your help."

"You could have called on the intercom," he
grumbled.

"Not for this."

"What did you do, kill her?" he looked at me
a little askance.

"No. She's got ringworm, a real bad
case."

His eyes opened a little wider, and he took a
step back from the door. "Get in here," I walked in and he closed
the door behind me. "Damn if this gets out, nobody will want to get
near her or you for that matter. Okay, I'll get some medicine sent
over in the morning. I'll have one of the girls bring it."

"Hell no! If they find out, I'll be sleeping
alone for good!"

"I see your point," he said considering, "and
if I tell Banner or Lyle, they'll never get near Terease with a ten
foot pole." He thought for a second, "I know, I'll get Kate to take
care of it, she's a biologist it'll be right up her alley."

"Good, also somebody's going to have to go
down to her room and clean it. I'm not gonna' let her go back till
that's been done."

"I guess I can handle that, now if you'll
excuse me?" I noticed Sharazad's eyes glowing from over by the bed
in the dark. He opened the door and I started out.

"Oh, bring a mask." I said, and left. I got
back to my room, and was relieved to find Terease still there.

"I was afraid you might not be here when I
got back."

"Might I point out that you took my uniform,
and the robe? I believe that Captain has a standing order about
people wandering through the ship sans clothing." She replied
somewhat sarcastically.

"Well to be honest, I kind of forgot about
that."

"Well, I would like to borrow it so I can go
back to my room please?"

"Actually, I think it would be better if you
stayed here."

"Do I have a choice?" she said, eyes
narrowing.

"Noooo, but until I get your quarters
cleaned, I think you should stay. Also I have somebody coming by in
the morning with some medicine."

"So where do I sleep?"

"On the bed, where else?"

"And just where are you going to sleep?" I
could hear a faint growl in that statement.

"Don't get your fur in a ruff. It pulls out,
look." I pulled the extension out on the bed. "Now come on, let's
get some sleep."

She laid down on far side of the bed, "Just
keep your distance," she growled.

"Good night," I said, and turned out the
lights.

As I dosed off I figured that I hadn't done
too bad. At least she was spending time with somebody, and she
hadn't even tried to kill me,
yet
.

Suddenly I wasn't so tired anymore.

When I awoke next morning I was quite
surprised to find something warm and comfortable curled up against
me. I opened my eyes and looked down to see Terease snuggled
against me, with my arm around her. That she was over on my side of
the bed did not lessen my anticipation of the impending fireworks,
which started with a sharp pain in my wrist even as I realized that
she was now awake.

"You're on my side of the bed!" I said. No
luck, she just bit harder.

"Umm, I'm sorry?" I tried.

She started to growl. I realized this was
going to be one of those things that you just wished were over, so
I rolled off the bed onto the floor. She landed on top of me when I
hit the floor, claws out, but she had to let go of my wrist so she
could turn to face me. I batted her hands away from my face, and
let her straddle my stomach, then I tucked my head hard into her
stomach while kicking down with my legs for momentum.

I heard the 'whoosh' of expelled air as I
knocked her breath away, and continued my forward motion going by
pushing against the floor with my hands. Shortly thereafter I was
on top on her, with her hands pinned to the floor, and her legs in
a scissors lock.

She struggled for a few seconds, then the
glazed look left her eyes.

"Finished?" I asked.

"One of these days I'm going to get you." she
replied with a snarl.

"Probably, but why don't you wait till you're
stronger and know how?"

"Let me up, please?"

"Truce?"

"Only if you keep your hands to yourself."
she was still kind of snarling the words.

"Hey, I kept to my side!"

"How do I know you didn't pull me over?"

"Easy, what contagious skin condition is all
over your back?"

Her eyes widened as I finished, "and now my
chest?" I got up and helped her to her feet. "And another thing,
when you've got a good grip like that, you shouldn't let go." I
looked at my wrist, it was bleeding but not too bad.

"I'm sorry, I just thought that you were
going to try something," came a very soft reply.

"Let's make a deal, I won't try to screw you,
and you don't try to kill me. Okay?" I said while licking the blood
off my wrist and looking for something to wrap it with.

"Okay, but I'm still going to get you just on
general principles alone," she said with a faint smile.

"Fine, just as long as it isn't crippling, I
won't complain. Wait here and I'll go see if your uniform came back
from the laundry."

I grabbed my robe and went out to the laundry
area, and got my bag. It was clean and on the way back to the room
I ran into Kate.

"Good morning Raj."

"Ah Kate, you're a life saver, come on
in."

"You didn't waste anytime did you Raj?" she
said giving me a sly look outside the door.

"Listen," I said showing her my wrist, "I got
this just for getting too close last night."

"Let me see that a sec," she took my wrist
and looked at it, "umm, nice bite. Bleeding's stopped. Hurt
much?"

"Like you wouldn't believe. But I'm hoping we
may have reached a temporary truce. Come on in." I opened the door
and showed her in.

"Terease, I believe you know Kate?"

"Hi Kate," came a very quiet reply.

"Hello Terease. Well let’s see the damage,"
she set down her bag and took out a portable lamp. "You want to get
the lights Raj?"

"Sure what's that?" I asked as I turned down
the room lights.

"Fluorescent light, here watch."

She turned it on and played it over Terease's
body. You could see large yellow splotches all over.

"The fungus is fluorescent," she pulled a
spray canister out of her bag. "Close your eyes Terease." She then
went around spraying all of the glowing areas on her body.

"Okay Raj, your turn." She pointed the light
at me and I looked down. My chest and arms were glowing.

"Ah hell, how bad is it?"

"Close your eyes," I did and she started
spraying. "Well you only just got it, so you won't lose too much
fur. It'll just get a little thin. Week or so and nobody will
notice."