Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2007 22:37:14 -0700
From: Micinjensue <micinjensue@gmail.com>
Subject: TAG MATE: Part 2

All characters belong to J. L. DUFF.  All likeness to persons living or
dead, or existing places is purely coincidental.  This story is M/M
fasntasy.  Read at your own risk.


Tag Mate: Part 2


Morning light, streaming in gently golden from the windows, tickled Jaimz
toward a very relaxed and peaceful state of awareness.   That awareness
came gradually to him; it was filtered with memories of other places and
other times that made him feel safe and warm like the big furry pillow he
sprawled across.   He tucked his hands deeply into that luxurious fur and
breathed in a deep slightly musky yet nonetheless clean scent and just
squirmed in pleasure.  He tilted his head and lazily blinked open a
sleepy eye, taking in the vista beyond the large oval windows that
marched along the entire wall.   The vista was a spectacular painting of
warm hues and cool shadows stretching for as far as the eye could see.
Smiling he turned his face back into the warm fur and thought about just
falling back to sleep again since it was still very early.   Then he
turned his head again and really looked, not just at the vista, but at
the windows that framed that sunrise vista... He bent his gaze up enough
to take in the room, the bed, and the curtains that were not drawn on the
window side of the bed and realized with a faint sense of confusion that
he was not snuggly back at his home... That indeed, he remembered after a
moment, he would probably never see his home or family again.   He turned
his head back to look at the fur pillow, recognizing of course that what
he lay upon, was no great soft furry pillow, but Kaiel, sprawled sound
asleep on his back with his limbs crooked and bent in what ever position
seemed comfortable to him.

He started to sit up, thinking that he would just slide off Kaiel without
waking him that way Kaiel would never know how he had used him as a
sleeping mat, but that movement unfortunately caused him to freeze in
shock and stare at Kaiel in disbelief.    For in moving he realized that
he and Kaiel...were physically attached, he wasn't just sprawled across
Kaiel's body... he was hugging his rod inside too.   Shame instantly
flared on his cheeks as he wondered how he could have possibly gotten
into this predicament, since the very thickness of Kaiel should have
alerted his body to the invasion well before the rod had seated itself
inside him.   His cheeks flared even hotter still when he recalled how
wet and swollen he had been immediately after his first time with
Kaiel...and at that moment he suspected his own damn body had entirely
betrayed him by letting that damn red serpent seek a new warm home inside
him.   Furious at himself, and peeved with Kaiel as well, Jaimz still
didn't want to alert Kaiel to anything and craved desperately to extract
himself before Kaiel became aware of where exactly part of him was lodged
at that moment.

With that in mind he knew the easiest way was to simply lift up off the
rod, and since it was very slick and very flexible and the flare was not
engaged he doubted that he'd have any trouble extracting it no matter how
long his body had been nursing the damned invader.   Carefully, while
still watching Kaiel's face to gage his state of slumber he moved his
legs to straddle either side of Kaiel's big body and braced himself up on
his hands.   That...was a mistake, shifting like that half dragged the rod
out of his rectum, and the sensation of all that slickly solid flesh
tugging its way free of his yielding anus, only served to make him lose
his precious balance so that instead of ending up braced on his knees
where it would be a simple matter to rise above that pulsing length and
free his anus of its guest, he actually fell right back onto Kaiel's lap
and in doing so was rewarded for his clumsiness by having the full length
of the rod drive deep inside his gut again.   He gasped at the electric
sensation and helplessly squeezed his thighs shut, which availed him
nothing and only helped to make him squirm more emphatically upon that
tower of rigid flesh.   He heaved and shuddered, hunching forward while a
wave of incredible pleasure pulsed through his body, starting at his gut
and just spreading right through him.   He stared at Kaiel, wondering how
he could still be asleep during this while he quivered and moaned in
shameful delight.  Of course, Kaiel's mind might still be slumbering, but
to Jaimz' groaning shame, he soon realized that his body was very much
waking up.   It was amazing to feel, even as thick and deep as the rod
was, that cursed flare come to life and complete his total entrapment.
Sobbing in denial he continued to huddle there, his body curled up, his
thighs so tight that it only served to make the sensation more and not
less obvious...and Kaiel continued to blithely slumber while his body
woke.

Finally, with tears trickling down his cheeks and his shame absolute
Jaimz knew his only recourse was to wake Kaiel up and get this morning
fuck over with, for he didn't know if the flare would recede without
ejaculation and he didn't know if he could manipulate the situation on
his own... By manipulate, Jaimz meant, to start to work and gyrate his
hips until he garnered the kind of relief they both needed.   He just
couldn't bring himself to do that, initiating it would mean that he liked
it...and he just wasn't ready to admit that.

Kaiel was dreaming, a wonderful dream, and even though it was a formless
dream it still felt soft and silky and ever so warm.   He felt wrapped up
in a grip of heat that was just extraordinary, even though on the edge of
his awareness he was also conscious that he ached in a mild and
inexplicable manner.

The warmth that surrounded and hugged him gradually took on form;
coalescing into a being he wanted desperately but felt that he would
always be one step behind.   That fawn colored hair fell in tangled
coils; those sea foam eyes blinked away pools of aquamarine tears.  That
petal pale skin shone like a golden pearl in the morning sun.   He looked
so incredible, with his thighs gripped together and his shoulders
hunched, like a vulnerable and altogether too delicious cub.  He groaned,
cubs, even ones as delectable as Jaimz, were off limits, he knew that.
And yet that face did not fade away, those tearing eyes didn't melt back
into his dreams, that vulnerable and desperate position didn't dissolve
into fond memories.

Besides, in his dreams, Kaiel did not expect to have Jaimz speaking so
emphatically to him saying, "Wake up!   Kaiel Wake up!  Please...oh please
wake up!"

Hearing that, and seeing Jaimz' pale damp face and those impressive eyes
of his, Kaiel realized that he was on the edge of sleep, in the place
where the real world touched on the dream world, in the moment before
sleep gave way to wakefulness.   He stretched and drew his legs up toward
him, the dream Jaimz cried forlornly, "Don't do that Kaiel!  WAKE UP!"

With that he sat up, coming to wakefulness in a bleary-eyed hurry, and
Jaimz yelped as he fell backwards onto the bed, between his open and
crooked legs.   He gaped in amazement, feeling and seeing what had Jaimz
so distraught.  Jaimz squirmed, trying to push himself up on his
elbows...and Kaiel barely stifled a groan at how damn good that felt.
Then Jaimz sagged back and grumped, "You got me in this mess!  Now fix
it!"

Kaiel was still confused, even though he knew that he was engulfed within
Jaimz' snug body he had no idea how he had gotten there.   Of course it
felt good and he followed through with Jaimz' command by shifting forward
until he was on his knees and leaning over Jaimz and had Jaimz by his
hips, supporting him as he thrust for home, even as he made sure to not
get tangled in the line that still connected Jaimz to his med-drip.

Jaimz groaned as he rocked his hips into Kaiel's thrust and felt his
cheeks stain with hot color again.   He wanted to cry in shame that he
moved this way, matching and accommodating Kaiel's long and powerful and
yet entirely arousing thrusts.  But he couldn't, the pleasure within the
shame swept him up, captured him and carried him over the edge as he
gripped at Kaiel with his thighs and clawed at his pelted shoulders with
his tensed fingers and barely managed to keep from crying out for more
penetration...as everything he did, guaranteed just that.   He knew that
his only real protest was the soundless tears that marched along his
cheekbones and soaked into his hair.

Even as he rode every minute of it, and his body rose to its own release
his mind spun with shameful confusion as he wondered what was wrong with
him, thinking how he could like it so much, like taking all of Kaiel
within his body and still crave for more from him so that he desperately
ground his hips into Kaiel's powerful groin.   This pleasure filled him
with such shame for he had never been like this before, he had never paid
any interest to the men of his own world even though he had known that
his was a pretty face and some men would have liked to bed him.   But he
had never wanted that.  When he had first arrived and Lorz had raped him
he had hurt for days and days afterward, of course Lorz had raped him
again and again while he was recovering from that first brutal assault so
that he had never properly healed anyway...and to make matters worse Lorz
had shared him with Ham...sometimes both of them raping him in succession
until he'd be half dead with the pain of such brutal penetrations.   But
even after he had become used to Lorz' brutality he had never ever
enjoyed it, he had always fought and tried to run, and even though he was
weaker and not nearly as fast he was quick and could dodge well enough to
occasionally trip up Lorz or worse Ham, but he'd always ended up caught,
always ended up with one or the other's big rods reaming his reluctant
rectum, and both Lorz and Ham were larger than Kaiel.   That realization
gave him pause, made him gasp with something other than the pleasure of
another wonderfully deep thrust.  Was it simply because Kaiel wasn't
quite so well endowed that he was better able to accept his full length
and thickness without the horrid pain joining with Lorz had always
brought?   Could that be it, had his time suffering from Tag Withdrawal
actually finally healed him enough and prepared him for Kaiel?

Unfortunately he couldn't long think about that theory, for the pleasure
swept him away again, dragging him down into the heady rush of it until
he felt as if he was going to swoon for he was so dizzy and breathless
with lust.   He was wet with his own release, but he barely noticed that
shameful dampness as Kaiel pumped his first hot jet into his bowels and
followed with a deep thrust to plow that hot wave even deeper within.
He shuddered and moaned, rocked by the next and the next wave after.
Again and again Kaiel burst inside him, spraying his innards with his
ripe hot sperm, plugging him snuggly so none of that sperm could leak
away and escape.   Kaiel, a very modern day cat, was bent on the
primitive act of thoroughly impregnating his Tag Mate.  That was what
mating was all about, procreation, but it didn't care if the body it was
trying to procreate in so completely was utterly impregnable.
Generations of Zaran ancestors had ensured that this one thing remained
the same, the drive to procreate was a fundamental instinct and with or
without the Tag that drive had to be met.

So Jaimz took it, every bit of what Kaiel gave him.   When it was all
over except for the receding of the flare and the final withdrawal of the
well-used rod, Jaimz was a quivering and trembling heap, sprawled so
wantonly on Kaiel's lap and looking so utterly and thoroughly fucked that
if he had thought about his appearance at that moment he would have been
ashamed all over again.   But he had gone beyond shame, though it wasn't
to far away and his mind was pretty much empty of everything except the
awareness of that still rigid flare plugging his flesh...deep, very deep
inside his bowels.    He was minutely aware of the moment that flare
receded and he moaned expressively as that long thick length finally slid
free of him....

  Jaimz couldn't move and to be honest he didn't want to move for
everything ached and yet nothing hurt.  He felt exhausted and yet never
so energized in his life for he knew that there was no way he'd fall
asleep now, instead he felt like he could run and win a marathon and
enjoy another good fuck at the end of it.   Even with his mind clouded
with white noise, and his eyes hardly aware of seeing... that last
though...reminded him of his confusion and shame...and that was when he
rolled over onto his side and curled up in a fetal position while his
body still shuddered and recovered from that incredible ride.   He knew
that Kaiel was right there, recovering as well, but in a sense he kind of
forgot about him while he thought about the unwelcome revelations he'd
already had this morning...the only thing he was sure of, was that his own
shame was not Kaiel's fault.   His friend had been nothing but
accommodating since they had met after Lorz' death.

Kaiel flopped down on the bed beside Jaimz' huddled form and eased his
aching rod with one hand while muscles too long flexed now relaxed at
last and retracted his near rigid length back into its sheath and deeper
body recess.   He wondered at what had happened and how they had come to
be joined.  It boggled his mind to think that Jaimz might have initiated
it and he had to shake that thought away for he knew that Jaimz wasn't at
all ready to make that leap, maybe he never would be.   By the deep ache
in his groin he recognized that his rod had been unsheathed for a rather
long time, extended to the max that his muscles could flex it.   But the
low-grade pain in his groin still did nothing to explain what he had
awoken too.  It had been magnificent of course and so totally
unanticipated, for he hadn't expected to be called to that duty again
until the 72-hour demanded it, and he was grimly prepared to accept that
fate and continue to live his own life as fully as he could, knowing that
he was tied to another who really didn't want him but who literally
couldn't survive without him.

He glanced at Jaimz, worrying about his huddled and defensive position,
he wanted to touch him and take away his pain, but Kaiel suspected that
Jaimz would not react well to him touching him now.   Instead he asked
sensitively, "Are...are you okay Jaimz?  Did I hurt you?"

He grew concerned as he waited, and leaned slightly forward.   He ears
flicked helplessly back and forth and it was all he could do to control
the drooping of his ruff.  "Jaimz...?"

Jaimz sighed then and whispered faintly.   "No."

No to what though?   No he wasn't Ok?  No he hadn't hurt him.  Still
worried he tentatively reached forward, not quite...touching Jaimz.

Jaimz sobbed breathily, "No...you didn't hurt me."

Relieved Kaiel leaned back, but Jaimz wasn't done he pushed himself up
with his shaking arms and looked at him in obvious confusion.   "You
didn't hurt me..."

"Jaimz?" Kaiel questioned, as he grew concerned again.

Jaimz hung his head and sobbed, "I don't understand why it doesn't hurt
me...why don't you hurt me Kaiel?"

Confused Kaiel shook his head and asked uneasily, "Do you want me to hurt
you...? I could never..."

Jaimz laughed softly, but there was no pleasure in the laugh, "I don't
want you to hurt me Kaiel.   I just don't understand why you don't."  He
glanced toward Kaiel's groin and his innocuous seeming sheath, it was
still heavy and gapped slightly exposing a hint of the red fiend it
sheltered, but it seemed so unthreatening and yet, "You are still large
to me Kaiel.   So much bigger than me... I mean... I can't even hide mine,
you can see how puny I am... but you're...so big...." Puny, compared to a
Zaran he was puny, and unmanly and delicate and fuckable...it made him
sick that amongst the Zaran people he was less then he should be.   He
wondered if he had done it to himself...or if being raped repeatedly by
one male and then another, who was so much bigger than him in all ways,
had prepared him for this?

"I..." Kaiel began helplessly, unsure how he could reply or even if he
should.

Jaimz stared at him, seeing his confusion and sighed moodily, "It's okay
Kaiel.   I really am okay.  I'm just...being stupid."

Kaiel flicked an ear nervously, still so uncertain and finally asked,
"Are you--certain?"

Jaimz smiled, it was still a little sad, but his eyes warmed.   "Yes, I
am ok really.  I just don't want it to happen again."

It, being this morning's wondrous fuck that had been completely unplanned
and likely to never be repeated.   Kaiel felt his ears lie back and even
his tail tuck up against his legs, for it shamed him that he didn't
understand what had happened and he expressed it with his heartfelt
words, "I'm am so sorry about that... I don't know... I really don't know
how it happened." Flick, flick, flick involuntarily went his ears.

The very next moment he was surprised when Jaimz went to his knees before
him and caught his flickering ears between his hands, "Stop doing that."
Jaimz muttered, smilingly.   "It wasn't your fault anymore than it was
mine.  Our bodies decided mutually that they wanted to fuck...and the hell
with what our brains wanted." He actually could look down on the
reclining cat, it was a real switch because even when sitting Kaiel sat
very tall.   "I think too," he added ruefully, "that it was mostly my
fault, if I hadn't have let you in my back door...none of the rest would
have happened anyhow."

Kaiel didn't say how unlikely it was for Jaimz' back door, as he so
quaintly put it, to have prevented his onslaught.   He knew very well
that the slick, rigid and yet flexible nature of the rod made it very
hard to resist and that because of the very shape, being so tapered that
the immediate entry was easy, after that with the slick texture and its
flexibility even as the width expanded substantially...female--or
male--openings usually just yielded and stretched to accommodate.   Jaimz
could not have denied the rod once it gained entrance...though he could
have moved or pulled away, and that would have ended things properly
then.

Jaimz sat back down and looked at him thoughtfully, "But..."

Kaiel cocked an ear, "But what?"

Jaimz looked at the lines plugged into his wrist and said wonderingly,
"I'm hungry.   I'm hungry...and I think I want a shower.  I think I want a
shower mostly...and then yeah something to eat....  Isn't that great?  I'm
actually hungry."

Kaiel smiled in response, "Then that must mean you are really better,
that it worked."

Jaimz smile faltered slightly, "Yeah, it worked."

Kaiel sighed and said simply, "Jaimz I will promise you this.... I vow I
will always follow your lead and what boundaries you set I will respect.
  That is my promise."

Jaimz looked at him for a long considering moment, then tugging at his
right side ruff he murmured, "Thanks Kaiel."

Kaiel flicked his ears with pleasure and rolled toward the edge of the
bed, "Well, I will get Medic V'Ran, I guess he will have to release you.
  And I will see about getting some breakfast ready for you and a fresh
change of clothing to."

Jaimz feeling shy all of a sudden cried out as Kaiel disappeared behind
the edge of the curtain.   "Wait Kaiel!"

Kaiel stepped back into view, and canted his head bemusedly; Jaimz
blushed, and said, "I thought that we were going to try to-to keep
this...our 72-hour thing a secret."

Kaiel smiled faintly, "Yes."

His cheeks growing even pinker Jaimz muttered, "B-but what if someone
sees you leaving my room at this time in the morning?"

Kaiel flicked an ear in acknowledgement of Jaimz' observation.   "Not to
worry.  I won't be spotted." Since his route had been instantly changed,
Kaiel didn't bother to go by way of the curtain again.   He did stop to
pick up his discarded garments though, saying, "Guess these better go
to."  He walked toward the central window and while Jaimz was watching he
pushed it open.   It pivoted partially into and partially out of the
room.

Jaimz gaped and laughed elatedly, "Do they all do that?"

Kaiel shrugged and grinned, "Pretty much, this is a very big house,
remind me to show you when you feel up to it.   There are a lot of paths
between rooms... there is a path between mine and yours... I will use it
when we need to--meet."

Jaimz swallowed, and nodded, saying softly, "'Kay, um...it is pretty neat
though.  And Kaiel... I want to see everything!"  He called as Kaiel
pivoted the window closed again and walked along the outside, Kaiel waved
before he disappeared from view, and Jaimz being unfamiliar with his new
home had no idea that next to his room was bit of a grotto, and on the
opposite side of that grotto, was Kaiel's sanctuary.

Left alone to his own devices he crawled to the curtained side of the bed
and pushed it open.    He felt fine and was beginning to resent to pain
the line was causing his wrist.  He slid off the bed...which for him was
pretty high and looked over at the monitor, and after a moment of
watching the steady readings he was pretty certain that he was well on
the way to being completely recovered.    That thought led him back to
the Tag and it indications; he remembered that he had started to feel
better almost as soon as Kaiel's first ejaculation.   Though thinking
about it, and remembering how it had felt made his cheeks warm and
certain areas pulse responsively, he understood that something Kaiel had
released in his sperm must have been the answer to the Tag's demand.
That thought gave him a new direction to explore, and it might be
embarrassing to try and follow the direction that thought led...but if he
could somehow beat the tag...then a little embarrassment was worth it,
considering the alternative.

He didn't have to wait to long, much to his relief, for he really was
getting anxious to feel clean again.   Medic V'Ran wordlessly let himself
into the room.  He was a heavy set older lion, with a ponderous dignity
and a gentle spirit.   His short trimmed mane and pelt were mostly gray,
if it was his natural color or caused by age, Jaimz did not know.  He had
a very friendly beardless face with lively and inquisitive eyes, and full
cheeks framed by long and luxurious ruffs.   Today he was dressed in a
violet trimmed sleeveless beige tunic and violet slacks.  Incongruously,
fluffy white slippers encased his big furry feet.

"Doc." He greeted merrily, waiting for Kang to come to him.

Kang, becoming very used to the nickname Jaimz had given him, nodded
smilingly and glanced at the monitor briefly.   After a moment he was
smiling more broadly and saying, "I understand that you would like a
wash?"

"Uhmmm yes... I want really bad." Jaimz said keenly.

Kang smiled affectionately at the youngling, "Then I guess I had better
take that line out."

Readily Jaimz extended his wrist, he was nearly bouncing with
anticipation.   Kang chuckled, "Calm down youngling.  For the time being
I'm still going to monitor you, you can get the med-cuff wet since it's
perfectly waterproof."

Jaimz nodded, "But I do feel much better."

Kang stroked the youngling's cheek and acknowledged, "I know you do...but
you were very sick... I may still need to manage you for a bit.   See that
you get to bed and all that other stuff before you wear yourself out...."

Jaimz grinned, "I'm pretty resourceful...."

"And stubborn... knowing you, you'll start trying to build your gate, or
cure the Tag or something and forget to take care of you.   Which is why
I intend to hang around until you are well and truly healed."

Jaimz blushed then, the medic's words reminding him of something he had
been thinking about earlier.   Kang noticed the sudden blush and even as
he worked at removing the line from Jaimz' wrist he gently asked, "What
is it?"

Jaimz ducked his head, purposely watching the medic at work rather than
meeting his eyes, "I was... I was wondering why it didn't hurt... I mean
like it should."

Kang winced as he eased the tape up from reddened skin, hissing softly in
sympathy even though Jaimz didn't wince at all.   He concentrated on the
task at hand, but allowed himself to answer Jaimz' question.  "Why should
it have hurt?   You have been--I'm sorry to say--taking Zaran rod for
long enough now for your body to adjust to it."

Jaimz' blush deepened, "Y-yes... maybe, but it always hurt before
with--Lorz."

Kang peeled the rest of the tape away, and took with it the internal
canule where the line had been attached.   He pressed down over the
bleeding and tender spot with a ready piece of gauze and answered.  "From
the sounds of things Lorz abused you horrifically, why he would do that
when he Tagged you seems to stink of madness to me.   Nonetheless all he
did was hurt you continuously and do--as I understand--worse things as
well.  That alone would have made mating with him uncomfortable.   As you
would have always been afraid he was going to hurt you and you would be
tense and anxious...so of course it always did hurt you."

Jaimz interrupted, muttering, "It isn't mating."

"Of course it is." Kang scoffed, "Just because your male and he's male
doesn't change the very nature of mating."   He peeked under the gauze
and then reached for a compress bandage as he said airily, "That
silliness aside, back to why it doesn't hurt... while my dear youngling
during these last few days--dare I say week almost? --Though you have
been very sick you have also been healing in certain...areas, shall I say?
  And when Kaiel mated with you it did not hurt like you expected it
should, even though you mentally prepared yourself...your body was ready
for him...."

Jaimz uttered angrily, "I don't want it to be ready for that.   It can't
be normal!  At least when Lorz was hurting me that was normal."

Kang looked up from placing the bandage.   "Why cub?  Why do you think
the pain is normal?"

Jaimz felt tears well in his eyes, "Because he's still so big and
I'm...well look at me, I'm so damn small!"

Kang seemed puzzled as he stood there, pressing the bandage in place.
Then he sighed, "I see, you don't just mean big in how much bigger he is
than you... as all Zaran are.  You mean big by length?   What is he 12--14
inches long?"

Blushing again Jaimz nodded, "I think, I think so-- It isn't like I've
measured it!" he exclaimed indignantly, "Even if he isn't as l-long as
Lorz or Ham...he's still b-big and Oh God... I can't do this!"

Kang grasped the youngling by his arms and gave him a gentle shake before
he could completely panic, "Yes you can.   Tell me why this bothers you
so much?"

"Because there has to be something wrong with me if it doesn't hurt!
I'm not made like you, I'm not a female, I don't have a passage made to
accommodate that rod... but if it doesn't hurt when it's riding my ass
then something has to be wrong with me!" Jaimz exclaimed.

Kang tsked and shook his head, "Foolish cub, remember the rod is
flexible... where you curve...it curves with you.   And this," he startled
Jaimz by touching his bottom with his free hand, "Is made to accommodate
that rod.  This is made for pleasure too, else you would indeed feel only
pain."

Jaimz stared at him, suddenly concerned and wondering why his hand still
lingered near such a sensitive area.   Kang smiled gently, "I won't hurt
you Jaimz."

Bravely Jaimz remained standing with Kang's hand way to intimately close
to his private places, finally he asked sullenly, "Why? Do you want to
fuck me too?"

Kang chuckled, "Of course not!   But I am a medic and it is my duty to
make sure that you aren't injured."

"I feel fine." Jaimz insisted, "Besides...it isn't like I'll be lifting my
tunic to let you take a look after the next 72-hour or so..."

Kang nodded, "This is true...but by that time, or the time after you will
be perfectly healed and you wouldn't have nearly died the day before...now
would you?"

Jaimz sighed and muttered, "This is embarrassing."

Kang breezily exclaimed, "Posh...what is there to be embarrassed about
youngling...? Now over with you."

Jaimz could have continued to protest, but he no longer felt any concern
regarding Kang's motives and with a few choice mutters he turned toward
the bed and climbed up onto it, providing the doc with a good view of his
nether region just to spite him.   Behind him, while it did make him
blush all over again, Kang only chuckled.

The touching was light, very clinical even, though the bit of probing
showed that he was a actually sore after all, but after a moment Kang
patted his bottom and said, "Looks good, a little red and swollen... but
that's perfectly understandable after you spent to night tied to Kaiel."

Jaimz flopped over and gasped, "You knew about that?   How?  Did Kaiel
tell you?"

Kang backed up a pace and shook his head, "Of course I know about it and
no Kaiel didn't need to tell me... for I saw it."

"You--!" Jaimz huffed, "You saw?   How?"

Kang waggled his finger in front of Jaimz' nose and smiled, "I'll never
tell."


________________________________________________________________________________


Having had very little exploration of the house Jaimz had to rely on a
house staffer to show him to the bathroom facility.   The bathroom proved
to be exactly that, and it was huge.  There was a large tiled bath...big
enough for 4 or 5 big leonine bodies to share comfortably...and to Jaimz
it seemed like a small wading pool, and a shower alcove that had no door
and also looked as if it could handle an entire family at once.   The
bath had no other facilities, not of the sort that Jaimz was used to
seeing with such a setup...but then he knew that there was a lavatory just
off from his own room and he thought it likely that there were probably a
few more to be found in just the family wing alone.   Only on the ship it
seemed were the facilities combined, he supposed that was for space
constraints.  The bathroom was quite lovely, bright and airy with potted
ferns hanging from the high ceiling and braided reed throws on the floor,
smooth stone benches lined the open shower stall, to hold soap, and
scrubbers and brushes and likely also anybody that wished to be seated
while showering.   More of the same benches sat outside the open shower
holding bath towels and wraps.  Two large windows framed either side of
the recessed shower and one more large...fixed window framed the inside
shower wall.   He was getting used to seeing windows everywhere and
starting to lose a bit of his shy modesty in front of them.  He supposed
that the Zaran, being fur covered never really considered themselves nude
even when they wore nothing at all, but as he let the oversized robe slip
off his slight frame, Jaimz mused ruefully that when he was uncovered he
was indeed quite nude.   The only saving grace was that these windows,
though not facing out onto the savanna, didn't seem to have another set
of windows facing them either, even though he saw another wing of the
house through them and a wondrously magical garden in a between.   He
decided that even if one of those windows did look indirectly toward the
shower area that the arrangement of trees and greenery would break up the
show for the most part anyway.

He stepped into the shower, and as he crossed the threshold the overhead
jets began to turn on.   Medic V'Ran had assured him that there were
sensors in the floor tiles that would follow his movements, turning on
and off different overhead and wall jets.   The water was slightly cool,
but that was okay, for the morning was already proving to be warm and the
day was likely to get warmer still.  For a long moment, because it just
felt so good, he just stood under the jets and let the water stream over
his head and body.   Once he was thoroughly soaked he began searching
through the soaps for something he could use to wash his hair and body,
he couldn't yet really read Zaran so it wasn't easy to find which soap
was shampoo and which was for body fur... Of course, after he picked one
of the liquid soaps that smelled like a blend cinnamon and vanilla he had
to laugh, since the Zaran were a furred species they probably didn't have
a separate soap for separate body parts.   He might have to make do with
one type of soap that would wash all his parts equally well.  Starting
with his hair he lathered up thoroughly, and then with that same soap he
washed his face and body.    He was still dripping with streams of foamy
lather when a voice called his for attention from outside the shower,
turning shyly away from the opening he lifted his face into the stream of
water to rinse the soap away before canting his head around to see who
had come.   It was a female staffer; she was standing just outside the
shower, watching him.  "Yes?"

She seemed to need to shake herself back to the task at hand and with a
flattening of her ears (females had no ruffs to be disturbed by
embarrassment) she announced, "Kaiel Ni sent these garments for you Jaimz
Ni."

Blinking water out of his eyes Jaimz noticed the bundle of fabric she was
carrying, "Uh...thank you.   Just put them on the bench please."

She nodded and stepped from view, he continued to watch, not wanting to
continue his bathing until he no longer had an audience.   She stepped
back into view again as asked, "Is that all?  Do you require help with
your washing?"

Feeling his cheeks heat with embarrassment he shook his head, "No...no
thank you."

She tentatively offered, "I could brush your--fur." She didn't know what
to call his hair...fur seemed as reasonable a label as any.

Feeling a little like a bug under the looking glass he croaked, "No...no
that's fine thank you!   I don't need any help... thank you!"

For another moment she hesitated, still looking at him, then nodding with
what surely wasn't disappointment she back up and finally turned away.
He watched until he was sure she had left the bathroom...and then he
hurriedly finished washing and just as quickly wrapped a bath towel about
his damp and naked body.    As he dried himself he mused about her
reaction and others to him.  He noticed that the Zaran seemed to want to
touch him, and he was getting somewhat used to that, but it was very
disconcerting to think he might be some sort of attractive oddity to the
Zaran.

Once he was fairly dry he unfolded the clothing and was surprised to find
that it was a complete outfit and not a pair of coveralls as he was used
to wearing.   First was a pair a silky blue slacks with a drawstring
waist...and a quick inspection showed that the tail slit had been
carefully sewn closed...which was a nice detail for an open tail slit just
made certain areas of his body to accessible.   A matching high-necked
open-sided blue tunic with black scrollwork trim finished the garment.
Since no under garment had come with the outfit he slipped into the
slacks first and snugged the drawstring tight. The lightweight and silky
pants were nearly the right length, which made him wonder if he was
wearing a cub's outfit.   Not that it really mattered he supposed.  He
had to open the collar of the tunic to pull it over his head and then
refasten the small black buttons since leaving the collar open neither
felt nor looked right.   The open sides of the tunic only fastened
together at the waist with black ties, leaving his upper body exposed at
the sides every time he moved his arms...but at least it was an outfit and
he knew that open-sided tunics were fashionable, for hadn't Kang showed
up wearing just such a tunic this morning?

A pair of cub-sized black slippers finished the outfit and Jaimz, feeling
ever so much better, left the bathroom and padded back toward his room
where Kang would be waiting to take him to breakfast.

When he stepped inside the outer room, he saw that Kang was working at
his Com-Pad.   Jaimz was still learning the Zaran written language, but
he was starting to recognize the symbols and he new that it wouldn't be
long before he was rewriting code on his own Com-Pad.    "What are you
doing?" he asked, noticing some of the chemical symbols he had already
learned on the Com-Pad's screen.

Kang didn't turn away as he explained, "Just imputing some of the
chemical combinations that you can't stomach--literally.... This way we'll
be able to find out what foods and what combination of foods you really
need to avoid.   It won't help much yet...but soon it should give me a
good listing of foods you can eat, foods you can tolerate in moderation,
foods that will just make you ill and of course foods that will make you
extremely sick or worse."

"Oh...." That was interesting, and it would be good to know if what he was
eating was going to disagree with him later.   As it was, right now the
foods he could safely eat were somewhat limited, mind that was maybe due
to his rather limited ship experience.  "I could help you with that."

Kang smiled at him then...and then his smile widened as he said, "You look
very nice youngling and that color is perfect on you." He rose and caught
Jaimz by his arm, "Yes, yes, I will appreciate your help with this.   But
not now... let's get you something to eat shall we?"

Reminded of that lack for the last few days (at least), his stomach chose
that moment to grumble.   Jaimz grinned, "Okay. Maybe you are right."

Kang snorted, "Maybe I'm right?" as he walked beside him out into the
hall.

Jaimz was busy looking around trying to understand the layout of the
house, and trying to peak in through the odd open doorway or out the odd
window.   The hall seemed to meander a bit, and like a stream following a
course set down by nature the hall had no straight lines.  Everything was
very organic, the walls curved gently below and above, doorways were long
lazy arches, windows were round, oval or oblong and while there might be
windows showing out into gardens or savanna here, a few paces later as
the hall shifted again there would be an open space for sitting or a door
leading into another room.   The one sure impression Jaimz did get was
that the house was large.

"Is it...only one level?"   He couldn't remember asking that previously
and he really hadn't been all that aware of the place while he was sick.

Kang shook his head and explained,   "In the cities and sometimes the
villages, because space can be limited we tend to build up instead of
out.  But the great houses are almost always single level sprawling
affairs that successive generations continue to build upon or alter...
though I understand that K'Lan house has not been altered in a few
generations."

Looking out another window, at another view of the morning vista Jaimz
shook his head and asked, "Is it as big as it seems?"

Kang shrugged, "I suppose it can seem a bit overwhelming.   There are
only four wings though each running off the central receiving room.  The
family wing is where you live.   The guest wing is where I am staying.
The staffer and household wing is where the live-ins live and also where
the kitchens, laundry...stuff like that can be found...and of course the
formal wing.   That's where House K'Lan holds formal events like dances,
dinners, meetings and whatnot.  It is quite big...but it is actually
fairly easy to find your way around."

They walked for a while more and then entered the central receiving room.
  Jaimz remembered this room...for he had collapsed in it.  He glanced out
the windows, and saw a view similar to that he saw from his own window...
  The vast savanna stretched out before him with herds of animals roaming
around in the early morning coolness.  He wondered if what he saw this
morning looked like how it might have looked when Africa was still a wild
continent and before man had all but destroyed the wild places.   He had
never seen Africa, even though his Gate made some of it as close as an
afternoon jaunt, and as he stood there, looking out at the view, he felt
a sadness as he realized that he would probably never see Africa now.
All his "meant to's" were now dreams best left in the past.

Kang had continued on and called him as he turned to go down the right
hand hall.   Shaking off his melancholy Jaimz caught up with him,
surreptitiously wiping away a stray tear that Kang had thankfully not
noticed.

This new wing followed the same meandering path, and windows once again
revealed the opposite wing, the inner gardens or a different vista of an
entirely different view that Jaimz thought that he would explore
eventually.   Good smells and low level yet familiar noises told him what
this wing was before Kang had to tell him.  Kang took him into one of the
big kitchens (the house apparently had two) and the cook and her staffers
all stopped what they were working on to welcome them.   Jaimz was a bit
surprised by the slight bows Kang received as the staffers each in turn
greeted the venerable medic.  "Good Morning Medic V'Ran.", "Good Morning
Kang Ni." They said individually, some using his title, while others,
more senior staffers like the cook greeted him with his name and
honorific.   Not expecting a like greeting, Jaimz was even more taken
aback when those same staffers bowed to him as well and exclaimed, "Good
Morning K'Lan Ni." "Good Morning Jaimz Ni."

Only one staffer, a young male tried to touch him, and while he was
reserved to such liberations with his person...apparently the head cook
was not about to allow any...for she growled, "Lan Frang...you must show
proper respect to Jaimz Ni!"

Both Frang's ragged ruff and his ears flattened with embarrassment.
Jaimz watched as the young male hurried back to his duties then turned to
look at the cook in charge.  The cook was a very tall female, and
actually a bit thin (compared to most Zaran's), her long and very yellow
mane was gathered back into an elaborate series of braids that she kept
in place with what looked like tortoise-shell clips (though Jaimz
couldn't be sure of that since he had no idea if tortoises or Turtles
could be found on Z'Rarla).   She was older then Kaiel at least, maybe by
as much as twenty or more years though about that Jaimz also couldn't be
sure.  She had a long face, with maple-brown eyes and oddly she had a
dusting of glittering yellow powder along her cheekbones and eyelids (or
maybe not so odd, Jaimz thought, recalling that earth women also liked to
make themselves up).   Her body fur was nearly blonde (so that she
matched her yellow mane), and she was garbed in a long green and rose
tunic dress.

Her ears at this moment were flicked right back and she bowed even deeper
to Jaimz.   "My apologies Jaimz Ni.  Frang is young and therefore
stupid."

He shrugged uncomfortably, "It was nothing." He explained, glancing
toward the still humiliated young lion.

Again her head dipped, "You are gracious."   She placed one hand on her
shallow chest (females did not have breasts like earth women -- maybe
that changed with pregnancy and nursing?) "I am Lan Zavalla--and that
ones mother! -- So if you have a special need please let me know.   I
have taken special precautions for you and it is my wish that you only
ever enjoy a meal I serve."

She had already turned away when Kang took him along again, out of the
kitchen and to another room, which could only be a dining room.   It was
a very casual dining room that had windows on both opposite walls and a
hallway leading through to what was likely the rest of the wing and the
second kitchen, etc.    Jaimz saw that his lack of height had been taken
into consideration and a tall chair complete with a footrest had been
brought in for him...likely a cub's chair, but if it allowed him to sit at
a normal height to the tall table then he wasn't going to complain.
There were dishes set and waiting but no food at the table...and there
were four place settings at the table.  He made his own way unassisted to
the table and pulled himself up into the chair, as he settled down he
noticed that there was a similar chair set up a few spots down, though
that chair didn't have a foot rest, he wondered if he was intended to sit
there but Kang seeing the same chair smiled, "That is for Drey most
likely."

"Drey?" Jaimz wondered, for he didn't remember Kaiel mentioning anyone
named Drey before.

Kang plumped the cushion on his seat and settled his plump posterior down
with a satisfied sigh before saying, "Ah yes, a very spirited young house
guest who I expect you'll be meeting very soon..."

Indeed, as soon as Kang explained, that young houseguest made his
appearance.   Like a little whirlwind the cub burst into the scene and
the fact that Kaiel--who looked bemused by the cub's energy--had followed
him in, went nearly unnoticed.

"Medic Kang, the hunters got the Maram!   Isn't that great?  Kaiel Ni was
worried 'cause he couldn't stay last night to make sure about it, but
this morning his chief Hunter told him that the Maram was dead... isn't
that great?" the cub announced, practically leaping into his chair which
was beside Kang.

"That's wonderful." Kang murmured, smiling warmly as he watched Kaiel
head directly for Jaimz and lightly exchange a greeting by touching his
shoulder.   "I guess that means your herd is safe?"

Kaiel nodded, though he still didn't look away from Jaimz.   "Yes...I'm
very relieved, the cat was sick and a menace."

Jaimz thought that Kaiel looked great, he was dressed all in black with
scrolling brown trim and he had braided two locks of his mane.   He
smiled at his friend, never even thinking about his own appearance and
asked, "What's a Maram?"

It was Drey who helpfully answered though he hadn't yet really seen
Jaimz... "A Maram is a mountain cat.   They are this big--!" the cub went
on to say...and then his words just stopped and every one looked at him to
see him staring at Jaimz with total fascination.   Jaimz started feeling
a blush warm his cheeks when the awestruck cub whispered, "So pretty...."

While everyone watched, the cub, so recently seated, now slid off his
chair and padded around Medic Kang to come stand beside Jaimz and stare
at him with innocent wonder.   Jaimz didn't feel threatened by the young
male, he recognized him for a cub even though he was the first actual cub
he had seen so far.  The cub had a mane of shocking red and to go along
with that red mane, were a pair of pale green eyes, which he knew was a
rare color amongst the Zaran.   He didn't recoil when the cub reached out
to touch him, and was surprised when the cub hesitated and looked
worriedly at him.

"C-can I touch you?" The cub asked ever so politely, and as no Zaran had
ever asked before Jaimz said yes.   Very lightly the cub stroked the pads
of his fingers along Jaimz' bare arm, he smiled gradually and as he
pulled back he exclaimed with delight, "Your so soft."

"Drey...." Kaiel warned, his ears flicking with agitation.

But Drey was too excited by the fascinating creature he had discovered to
pay any real attention to Kaiel.   "What are you?  I've never seen your
kind before?  Why is your hide so silky?   Why don't you have any more
fur?"

Jaimz, feeling his lips twitching with amusement, answered the cub's
harmless questions.   "I'm a human.  I'm from a very far away place
called Earth, and no...this is about as much 'fur' as I have." He
finished, ruefully tugging at his still drying hair."   He did flinch and
jerk around when a big hand stroked his hair, but it turned out to be
only Kaiel, who was using his claws to comb out the tangles before they
dried in permanently.   Jaimz for a very brief moment thought about
telling him to stop, but then he just settled down and let Kaiel work at
a knot and said nothing at all.   Kaiel moved in closer, and neither
noticed the medic nodding as they verified what he was starting to
suspect.

Drey, not to be outdone, chattered curiously, "Where is Earth?   Will I
see more like you?  Is every Human pretty like you?  Your eyes are
pretty.   Mine are green too."

Off to the side, Kang gurgled with laughter as he watched poor yet
obviously pretty Jaimz try to answer the cub's many questions.  Jaimz
sent him a scowl then looked at Kaiel for reprieve.  Kaiel reluctantly
stepped back and said to Drey.    "Cub...this is K'Lan Jaimz."

Drey stopped chattering and stared at Jaimz with very happy eyes.   "Oh,
Jaimz Ni?  I'm going to assist Jaimz Ni right Kaiel Ni?" he innocently
blurted out.

Kaiel's ears conspicuously disappeared at that revelation.

"What?" Jaimz wondered aloud, gaping at Kaiel.

Kaiel groaned and growled at Drey, "Remember I said only if Jaimz would
like to take you on."   He turned apologetically to Jaimz, "I'm sorry, I
mentioned that you might take him on to help you...but I never ever said
you would take him on."

Drey laid his hand on Jaimz' arm again, thereby attracting his attention.
  "You like me right?  I'm very likeable.  And I'm smart and I learn fast
and I'll take good care of you and--."

Jaimz smiled, "I could use an assistant I guess...Drey is it?"

Drey nodded emphatically, "Yes, Lan Drey, Jaimz Ni."

Jaimz winced, "Just Jaimz...please."

Kaiel's ears were almost back to the right position though his tail was
now lightly lashing.   "Drey," He said quietly, "would you please sit
down? Breakfast is sure to begin."

"Oh, oh sure." Drey replied, smiling once more at Jaimz before skipping
back to his seat.

Kaiel stared at the cub for a moment longer, than muttered something
under his breath, which even Kang couldn't quite catch, and sat down in
the chair next to Jaimz.   He turned to Jaimz and asked, "How do you
feel?"

Jaimz playfully waggled his med-cuff at him and said, "It's been green
all morning."

Kaiel flicked his ears and smiled softly, "I'm glad."   He looked
appreciatively at Jaimz then and murmured, "You look very nice."

For which Jaimz asked, "Where did this outfit come from?   Its nearly a
perfect fit."

Kaiel shrugged, "It used to be mine when I was younger. I wondered if any
of my stuff was still around and some of the staffers found those in
storage.   They are a bit out of date...but they do look nice on you.
They found a few other outfits as well, you'll find them in your room
when you head back."

Jaimz touched the silky fabric and thought about Kaiel wearing it as a
cub and said warmly, "Thank you."

Kaiel only smiled in reply, and if he was going to say anything else that
was when the servers filed in.   Four servers with four trays, while a
fifth staffer followed with two pitchers.  Expertly the servers set out
the trays and removed the lids, each tray contained a different
assortment of food.   On one tray were meats, thinly sliced or rolled in
pastry, or drooled with delicate gravy.  Another tray had an arrangement
of types of fruit around a bowl of what looked like curd pudding or
custard or yogurt.   The third tray contains breads, biscuits and
crackers.  While the final one had an assortment of cheeses, curds in
flavored vinegars and wines, steamed vegetables and something that looked
like a sweet baked porridge.   The pitchers also situated by the servers
contained in one a juice beverage and in the other a cold sweet tea
blend.

To Drey, who had likely never seen such an assortment of food at one
sitting, it was a feast... To Jaimz, who was hungry, it was just confusing
to wonder what was safe to eat or not.   Kaiel nudged his arm and said,
"It is all safe for you."

Still, even knowing that it was safe to eat, he ate carefully.   Taking
small portions and trying little tastes first.  He wouldn't be eating a
lot anyway, for there was no sense in putting to much food to fast into
his empty stomach.

"Jaimz Ni...what do you do?" Drey asked after scarfing down a delicate
meat and puff pastry roll.

It took Jaimz a moment to understand what the cub was asking.   Setting
his own meat pastry aside for the moment he said, "I'm a scientist... and
it Jaimz."

Kang chortled beside him, but continued to eat from his high piled plate
and made no response to Jaimz' wondering what he found so funny.

With Drey continuing to chatter and carry the conversation pretty much
himself the morning meal continued for a time uninterrupted.   Then one
of the staffers entering from the hall walked up to the other side of the
oval table and bowed slightly toward Medic V'Ran.

"Your pardon, Medic V'Ran...but there are newly arrived persons asking
after you." The female staffer advised.

Medic V'Ran raised an expressive set of brow ridges and muttered, "Who
knows I'm here?"

Kaiel, recalling what he had told Lan Nerell, the Pride-mother of Moro
village, had a sudden insight.   "Trina, these people, are they from Moro
village?"

Trina bowed toward him, "Yes Kaiel Ni... the head person said that you
told them to come here to see the Medic."

Kaiel growled, "I told Nerell to send Zeyer since he was injured..." he
stopped and looked at the staffer again, "Just how many of the villagers
are there?"

Trina glanced up, "I think at least ten Kaiel Ni.... They came in a
transport wagon."

Kaiel scowled as he turned toward Kang.   "I'm sorry Kang Ni.  Yesterday
I told Lan Nerell Pridemother of Moro Village that you were here and
could treat Zeyer, the fool cub was injured when he thought to beard the
maram in its own den.   I did not expect her to be sending a truck load
of patients to you today."

Kang grunted as he stood up from his plate, "No matter.   I guess I can
see to these folk.  Besides young Zeyer never did show up yesterday
either, so he's probably with that mix and I guess I should at least have
a look at him."   He stretched, belched contentedly and nodded at Kaiel,
"That was a very good breakfast...I thank you." Then he turned to Jaimz
and lightly touched his arm, "And you don't over do it... remember I will
be monitoring you." With that, and feeling quite pleased with himself
Kang gathered up Trina and was telling her to show the patients to his
guest room as he strolled from the room.

Kaiel watched the good medic leave, then sighing he pushed his plate back
and stood up too.   "Unfortunately I have work that needs to be attended
too, and I might as well get started." He too turned to Jaimz, giving him
a worried look, "You will be ok won't you?"

Jaimz flushed and asserted, "Yes...I'll be fine Kaiel."

Kaiel came close to touching him, and then let his hand drop as he backed
away from the table.   "Ok," he said, as he headed in the same direction
as Kang, "call me if you need...anything."

Jaimz felt his cheeks heat while he thought about the things that Kaiel
seemed to be saying without actually suggesting anything at all.   To
cool his cheeks he looked at the trays, with their still remaining food
and knew that he was done.  He glanced at Drey, who was stuffing a last
pastry into his mouth and said, "Well, it's just you and me now.   Would
you like to come to my lab?"

Drey, in the midst of licking his finger pads clean grinned and slid from
his seat with alacrity.   "Oh yes."

Jaimz used a bit more decorum to slide out of his seat and once he stood
beside the cub he found that he could nearly look him directly in the
eyes.   Drey was maybe all of an inch shorter than he...and he knew that
wouldn't last.  A slight noise drew his attention away from Drey, and he
saw one of the staffers emerge from the kitchen.   The staffer, a young
male this time--Jaimz entertained the possibility that it could be
Frang--bowed toward him and asked after the meal.  Jaimz indicated the
leftovers and said, "It was all delicious, thank you."

Whether the staffer was pleased Jaimz didn't wait to find out.
Remembering the way back to his suite Jaimz led Drey through the house
and realized that Kang had be right, it was easy to get around in this
huge place.

Once they arrived in his room, Drey expressed his recollection of having
seen the room already and showed his interest by asking after just about
every drawing and draft Jaimz had.   Jaimz spent a pleasant and restful
afternoon telling Drey all about his projects and began to formulate how
best to work with the friendly youngster.


________________________________________________________________________________


Days passed, and the household settled into routine.   Jaimz was no
longer bothered if anyone came in on his showers, though he still
resisted any offers to help him with his bath.  He worked very well with
Drey and found as a side bonus that he was finding it easier to pick up
the written Zaran language while teaching Drey the English language of
his home world.   He mostly saw Kaiel for meals, though sometimes in the
evening Kaiel would come and lay on his bed and talk to him, but nothing
else.  He saw Kang occasionally, and was just starting to think he'd miss
his help with the chemical library and other matters when Kang informed
him that Kaiel had asked him to stay on permanently and since he was
already semi-retired that he was considering it.

Jaimz worked on his projects as time ticked by, organizing them with
Drey's help mostly, but also with Kang once in a while too.   When Drey
was off playing or seeing his new tutor for his Zaran studies (something
Drey grumbled about upon hearing that he still had to have
normal-if-condensed lessons while living at the main house) Jaimz worked
on the Tag problem, something he didn't want Drey to know about.   During
the day of the 72-hour eve Jaimz was thinking about what was to come
later that night... and he was unusually sensitive to Kaiel's touch which
made him grumpy and even more sensitive so that Kaiel decided to stay
away for a while, which only made him feel more grumpy.   He knew that it
was because he was approaching that magic hour and was dreading while
also anticipating what was to come.  He certainly hadn't found a cure for
it yet, though he was fairly sure that Kaiel's semen would provide the
answer.   Getting that semen however was the question.

Kang had been working with him on that project and also on a project of
his own, but when his moodiness threatened to spoil the day Kang picked
up and left, even taking Drey with him.   Left to his own resources Jaimz
fumed about his room, huffed that there was nothing wrong with him...and
finally let himself out one of his windows to explore the area close to
the house, he found the grotto next to his room and it was a sanctuary of
meandering paths, welcoming benches and shady trees and he spent a good
hour investigating it in its entirety.    That hour did him well, for he
wasn't grumpy at all when Kaiel came looking for him while he was
lounging on one of those benches and gazing out over the fertile savanna.

Before Kaiel, who looked a bit winded and worried could say anything,
Jaimz rocked forward passing his arms around his bent knees and murmured,
"This is so beautiful Kaiel... Do you know what a treasure you have?   My
people have lost this in their big cities.  Nature is so far away now
that I think most of my people would be lost if they saw something as
free and wild as this."

Kaiel, who had been very worried when he couldn't find Jaimz, wasn't
looking at the green and gold vista that was dotted with myriad herds of
animals and trees and streams and lakes and hills, but rather at Jaimz
who was smiling so gently.   His sea-foam green-eyes were sparkling with
pleasure.  "Yes...it is lovely." He acknowledged, though it wasn't the
savanna that held his attention.

Jaimz finally looked up at him and then he flushed slightly and said, "I
drove everyone away today.   It would seem I'm not pleasant to work with
right now."  He ducked his head, "Sorry."

Kaiel sat down beside him, and looked out at the same vista, but what he
said, had nothing to do with the view.   "Today is the 72-hour.
Naturally you are thinking about it."

Jaimz leaned against Kaiel's big arm and simply said, "Yeah."

Kaiel sat there for a moment, feeling Jaimz against him, and almost
forgot why he had come looking for him in the first place... remembering
he gasped and groaned, "My father comes home today."

Jaimz sat away, "Oh...."

Kaiel muttered glumly, "He called just a while ago to inform me that the
transport was on the way." He looked at Jaimz and continued, "He be here
in less than an hour."

"Do...do you want me to meet him?"

Kaiel half turned toward him and rumbled, "Well you certainly can't hide
from him, you live in this house, in my bro--in the family wing." He
caught himself before he could say Lorz' name.   But Jaimz already knew
whose room he had taken over and strangely it did not bother him.

"I wasn't thinking about hiding from him." Jaimz stated calmly.   "But
how are you going to present me?"

Kaiel hunched his shoulders, "With him, a degree of the truth is best."


________________________________________________________________________________


The truth was hard to get across, especially since K'Lan Terrill wasn't
interested in listening.   He stormed through the front door already
yelling and only paused for a moment to take in the scene of his son with
an alien at his back, before he was yelling again.

"What is this about you stealing a cub from Moro village?" He demanded,
impatiently passing his travel satchel to a nearby staffer as he marched
into the room.

Kaiel, his weak and soft son, looked as ever taken aback, but after a
moment he replied readily enough and with a hint of rancor in his voice,
"I did no such thing, I spoke with Drey's parents and have their full
cooperation."

"Really?" Terrill scoffed, glancing past his son at the diminutive alien
standing just behind him and slightly in his shadow.   The alien was an
interesting subject Terrill decided, not ugly at all; in fact it was
rather attractive and not all that dissimilar in appearance from his
kind, being that it had a similar build (though much smaller) and
attractive features that shared in the symmetry of eyes, nose and
mouth...though the mouth was different, oddly shapely and soft seeming.
What was more interesting though was how that alien's small hand lightly
rested on Kaiel's arm, where he wasn't supposed to notice. "According to
Nerell you snatched the cub from her and also denied the village any
medical aid."

Kaiel snapped, "I did not!   I offered them medical care here at the main
house and they received it!  And as for the cub I already told you that I
spoke with his parents."

"Fine, fine whatever." Terrill waved his sons answer aside and indicated
the alien, "What is that?   Why is it in my house?"

That, seemed to be the signal to bring the alien forward, and Terrill got
an even better look at it and decided that it was a male.   But a male
who somehow managed to combine the sensuality of the young female with
the youthful promise of the young male with in that slight and small body
and he was indeed small, for his head didn't even reach Kaiel's shoulder.
  Still he had remarkably pretty eyes, open and expressive and so filled
with doubt at the moment that they shone like aquamarines.  And that
mouth, now that he could see it better, was oddly pretty too.   He
reached out to catch a strand of that light colored fur which adorned the
alien's head, and the alien flinched from him pressing right back into
Kaiel as if he was seeking protection.   That surprised him, for Kaiel
had never seemed one to inspire that sort of confidence.  Terrill let his
hand drop and waited.

Kaiel did not disappoint (though he oft did), "Father this is K'Lan
Jaimz.   Lorz' mate."

A boulder, coming through the door and striking him at full force could
not have floored him faster.   Only his dignity and pride kept him from
doing something that could prove to be an embarrassment to his family
honor.   "What was that?" Terrill asked with perfect calmness.

Kaiel pushed Jaimz slightly forward, though he kept his hands steady upon
his slender shoulders.   Terrill noticed that the aliens bare face was
flushing with bright color, and he realized that it was Jaimz' way of
revealing his discomfort.  "Father, he was Lorz' mate.  Lorz registered
him as such and provided him with the protection of the family name."

Still stunned, Terrill amazed himself that he was able to clearly say,
"Ah...I see." When of course he didn't see at all.   His son?  His proud
and brave son had mated with an alien?  A male alien at that?   No, no,
he shook that thought aside, the alien's gender hardly mattered...but what
did matter was that he was alien, not Zaran!  What could his son have
been thinking?   Then he looked at Kaiel, with his hands still on the
alien's shoulders and he wondered what his fool son was thinking in
bringing the alien into his home and allowing it to use the K'Lan name.
Only his dignity kept him from denouncing the alien and his son right
then.  He had to think, he needed to find out the legalities of this
so-called mating, for surely cross species mating was illegal?   But why
would it have ever come up before because prior to today he had never
seen an alien who looked so very beddable as this one did.  He was
attractive, pretty and so delicate and small that he inspired the urge to
protect.   Even now, thinking that he had to get rid of the alien, he was
also thinking that he was alone and in need.  But none of those confused
feelings played upon his face or touched upon his tight control as he did
the only honorable thing and greeted the alien.

"Welcome Jaimz, to K'Lan Pride." He bowed slightly, and breathed in the
scent of the alien.   He scented Kaiel on him...and then scoffed at the
idea, since Kaiel was so close to him of course he could smell Kaiel's
scent mingled with his.  He drew back, thinking it only too credible that
this creature had seduced his son and that sex had been bartered for
protection.  He was quite sure that it was a sexual as well as sensual
creature and that it--no he--must have intoxicated Lorz with the
aphrodisiac of his body.   There was much he had to learn about this
creature, for he knew nothing at all and he had heard absolutely nothing
about a new alien species introducing themselves to his people (and
imagine if they were all like Jaimz and they were loosed amongst the
Zaran's?   The very idea was frankly terrifying.)  "It is a pleasure to
meet you." He lied.

The creature, so charming and fresh, muttered, "Uh...sure...same to you."

There was no title; no honorific...it was as if the creature thought he
was his equal.   It rankled him but he carefully showed nothing overt.
He was trying to think how to get rid of the alien, when the alien
shifted and turned toward Kaiel looking up at him with those pretty eyes
of his, and he said, "I have some things I need to work on.   See you?"
Somehow there was a message in that final question, but Terrill didn't
know what it meant.  He watched his son watching the alien stroll away
toward the family wing.  Well, Terrill had to admit the alien didn't
really stroll, he more like hurried slowly...but when his hips moved like
that, whether he had a tail or not, strolling was definitely the right
expression to use.

Terrill looked at his son, waiting for him to stop panting after that
creature.   How pathetic he thought was his son, such a good-looking
young male, and yet he was weak and soft.  At least Lorz had been
artfully seduced...but it looked to him that his younger son was just
panting after the same thing Lorz had claimed and doing nothing to
possess it.

"Tell me," he said once Kaiel's attention returned, "What is that...Jaimz
creature?   Where did he come from?  Who are his people?  And how did he
become Lorz...mate... and When?   What about the betrothal?  What did Lorz
say about the betrothal when you told him?"

He noticed that Kaiel winced at mention of the betrothal, but he thought
nothing of it and just waited for his son to answer his questions.

"Jaimz is a human, father.   His people are from a planet called Earth."

"Never heard of it." Terrill muttered, "Are there other Humans?   Surely
he didn't come alone?"

Kaiel looked thoughtful and sad for some reason.   "Jaimz is alone,
stranded from his people and we don't even know where to look to help him
find them."

Terrill scoffed, "Well he didn't get here by magic!   So how did he come
to be in our space?  How did he meet Lorz?"

Kaiel growled at him, actually growled--at him.   "I'm getting to that!
Jaimz is a scientist--." Again Terrill scoffed, a package looking like
that did not use its brain for science.   But Kaiel just scowled at him
and continued as if he had never interrupted him, "Jaimz is a scientist,
he developed a prototype ship called a Jump Ship which can travel great
distances... but something went terribly wrong.   There was an accident
and the Jump Ship jumped far beyond the range that was expected.  The
ship materialized in the middle of a skirmish between our forces and the
Chai.   The jump ship cabin suffered a catastrophic failure and
decompressed--."

"How then is Jaimz even alive?" Terrill demanded, interrupting.

Kaiel glared at him, "Jaimz was in the lab on the ship, trying to figure
out why the jump was taking so much longer than it should.   When the
cabin decompressed the lab pressure-sealed and protected him.  He was the
only one to survive the accident.   Lorz found him unconscious in the
wreckage and rescued him."

So, Lorz rescued the alien, interesting and more interesting.   He was
beginning to believe that the alien was indeed very clever and maybe even
a scientist, and if he really could create ships that could jump great
distances then maybe his being here was truly an unfortunate accident.
But that didn't explain why Lorz would have taken him as his mate unless
the Alien set out to seduce him immediately.

"So Lorz rescued him?   But why would he take him as a mate?  That makes
no sense." Terrill growled, though of course he knew the reason why.

Kaiel though, who truly knew the truth, who had witnessed things and seen
things that made him wish his brother was alive so that he could kill him
again, said hoarsely, "I agree Father, but he did take him for his mate
and he did give him the K'Lan name.   I saw the documents, I spoke with
the Adjucator...it is all proper and legal."

"Huh...legal?   Lorz was obviously seduced you idiot!  That creature is
designed for sex and clearly he used his sex to win protection." Terrill
growled bitterly, and then continuing on another bent entirely, he
stated, "Maybe he isn't even real?   Did you think about that?  What if
he's some kind of Chai construct placed there to confuse the issue, and
now he's found his way into one of the most powerful of Zaran Houses?
Maybe his purpose was to infiltrate our family and take down our
government. Did you ever think of that?"

Kaiel was staring at him; his ears were completely pressed back.   His
expression comprised of astonishment and anger.  Finally he said, with
prefect serenity, "You don't know what you're saying father.   You have
no idea what you're saying." He turned away and said offhandedly, as if
he was speaking to a mere staffer, "You should get to know Jaimz before
you accuse him of such ridiculous nonsense."

Enraged, Terrill finally lost it, "Where do you think you're going?   I'm
not finished with you!"

Kaiel turned back toward him, his expression was mildly reproving, "But I
am finished with you father."

Terrill was left alone, and utterly amazed that his weak son had defied
him so completely...and so calmly, for he hadn't yelled nor had he stormed
away (like he would have before).   Was this more of Jaimz' influence?
He wondered and worried because he didn't like it that Kaiel could defy
him with such obvious poise.

Terrill had much to think about as he wandered deeper into his house, and
none of what he thought about was good.


________________________________________________________________________________


Kaiel sat on the bed, just watching while Jaimz paced.   It was evening
and the doors were secured against unwelcome visitors.  The wall of
windows looked out onto a starlit savanna of silver and shadows.   He
knew what was bothering Jaimz, it was his father who bothered Jaimz, all
during the evening meal Terrill had pointedly asked questions about
Jaimz' relationship with Lorz and though Kaiel and Kang both tried to
keep the conversation moving away from the subject of Lorz...his father
stubbornly brought it back.

Finally Jaimz spun toward him and cried fretfully, "I can't believe I
lied about Lorz for him!   My God after all that he put me through it was
all I wanted to do to shout at the man who sired that monster and tell
him what Lorz was really like!   God I feel filthy!"

Feeling sympathetic Kaiel murmured soothingly, "Jaimz if you would rather
wait, I understand."

Jaimz gave him a shocked look, then suddenly shook his head, "No, no.
I'm ok really... I'd rather not wait and have to anticipate it even
longer... I just can't believe I had to lie just to protect him!  And he's
so mean to you Kaiel...."

Kaiel shrugged uncomfortably, "Yeah...well, I'm used to it.   Lorz was
always the perfect son, while I was the disappointment."

Jaimz slipped off his pants and climbed onto the bed with Kaiel.   "Well,
your father is stupid too then." He said loyally as he arranged himself
across Kaiel's plush thighs.

Kaiel had the oil already ready and once Jaimz was waiting he withdrew
his rod and oiled it thoroughly.   Jaimz carefully didn't watch that
part, nor did he make any sound as Kaiel went up onto his knees and
brought Jaimz up with him.  In a moment he had positioned Jaimz onto the
peak of his rod and eased his cheeks open to prevent any
resistance...though there would be very little since his flare was not yet
engaged and his slickly oiled length provided no resistance for that
muscular ring as it stretched over him.   Jaimz did gasp and wrap his
arms hard about his neck, but he still didn't object to the rod's
intrusion.  To stretch Jaimz more gently he lifted him and lowered him
over his cone shaped tip several times, stretching his anus slightly each
time he lowered him.   Jaimz moaned at that and then bit his neck to
stifle his moans, but that actually felt wonderful to Kaiel, so he didn't
mind in the least that Jaimz was biting him.   With his pert cheeks
spread apart and his anus stretching so sweetly to enclose his rod Kaiel
let Jaimz go down on him, guiding and assisting but not hurrying him as
Jaimz' own slight weight and his gyrating hips did all the work of
feeding the rod into his snug hot body.   After a time, before Jaimz had
settled fully upon his length, Jaimz tucked his feet under and pushed up,
easing the stretching in the lift, only to lower himself again a little
more, only to repeat the same motion again a moment later.

"Jaimz?   Are you okay?" He asked, stroking his back.

Jaimz released his hold on his neck and laughed shakily... "Hurts a
bit...is all."

"Are you...do you want me to stop?" he worried, his flare hadn't engaged
yet, so there was still time to release Jaimz and try again later.

Jaimz holding position again for a moment and leaning heavily against his
shoulders shook his head against his neck and breathed, "No...I'm ok
Kaiel.   Its just it's been three days, so I guess I'm a little tight."
He lifted his head away from Kaiel's shoulder, looking up into his face
and whispered, "Lift me like before to help me stretch easier."

Kaiel was amazed, but he didn't need any further instruction.   He
changed position though, so that Jaimz could rest his back, and in this
position, holding Jaimz' legs up and open he worked at stretching
him...very slowly.   With each slow plunge and Jaimz answering moan, his
rod stroked deeper, until he could see fulfillment so achingly close that
he could taste it...and that was when they both became aware that they
weren't alone.

The both stared in shock toward the open inner door and Kaiel's father
who stood there gaping at them in true surprise.   Clearly Terrill had
not thought to find Kaiel here, though the fact that he had let himself
into a locked room did not go unnoticed by Kaiel.  "Father!" He roared,
"Get out!"

But after his initial surprise Terrill deliberately drew himself up and
observed defensively, "So you're fucking him after all? I guess you're
not as slow as I thought you were."

That, was the limit that Kaiel could take, heedless even of the
consequences he wrenched free, only wincing in reaction when he heard
Jaimz' cry of pain.   The only saving grace was that his flare was not
engaged.  He forgot about his father, he forgot about wanting to kill his
father at that moment and bent over Jaimz' small huddled form saying
anxiously, "Gods...I'm sorry Jaimz... I didn't think.   I'm so sorry!
Please don't be hurt badly... Gods I'm sorry."

Jaimz was curled on his side...not moving very much and suffering as much
from pain as from embarrassment.   He finally croaked, "Ouch..." and
yanked at Kaiel's pelt. "That hurt dammit."

Kaiel hugged him with his entire body, whispering, "I'm sorry... I'm
sorry."

Beneath him, throbbing in pain, Jaimz achingly acknowledged, "I don't
know that I can finish right now Kaiel... I hurt."

"I know, I know... I'm sorry... fa--." He wanted to yell at his father for
causing this, but Terrill was gone.   He sat up and stared toward the
still open inner door.  Though he felt horribly guilty over the pain he'd
unintentionally caused Jaimz, he was also filled with rage at his father
for what he had said and done.   "Jaimz, I know that this is the
beginning of our 72-hour and I'm sorry I hurt you... but I need to talk to
my father."

Jaimz attempted to straighten up, and thought better of it for he was
rather sore, but he thoughtfully stroked Kaiel's arm and said softly,
"Go... I'll be fine.   I'm not going anywhere for a bit."

Kaiel smiled contritely, and he rose from the bed, "I'll come back soon.
  Even if you can't...it will be okay." He pulled a light cover up over
Jaimz' splendid hips for which Jaimz smiled faintly and then he was
hurrying from the room and after his father.

It didn't take long to find him, his father had returned to his own room
and was in the middle of pouring himself a drink.   When Terrill saw him
all he said was, "What?  Finished already?  Goodness you cubs have no
stamina."

Kaiel very softly closed the door and stepped forward.

Terrill watched him and snorted, "Look at you.   You're completely
disgraceful, parading about the house unclothed."

Kaiel snarled softly but said nothing, he was as presentable as he was
going to get for his father, and at least his rod was retracted.

Terrill, watching him coming closer finally growled belligerently, "What
do you want?   You disgust me!  Get out."

But Kaiel planted himself all of a few feet away from his father and
loomed, "No father.   You are going to listen to me.  What you did
tonight was--."

"Perfectly within my right!   I'm master of this House!"

"Shut up!" Kaiel roared.

Terrill was surprised for the second time that day.   Kaiel was forceful,
demanding. Dominant.

"Why did you go to Jaimz' room?" Kaiel asked, calm again, though rage
thrummed in his voice.

"I was going to my dead son's room." Terrill countered, denying any
wrongdoing.

Kaiel was on him in a second and snarling into his face, "Liar!   I told
you Jaimz was sleeping there!" he growled, "What was your intent father?
To catch him alone and sleeping?   Did you want to rape him like Lorz did
every time he touched him?"

"That's a lie!   I was going to Lorz' room!  And what do you mean rape?
That creature seduced Lorz and its obvious he's seducing you too!"
Terrill rumbled belligerently, pulling back from his son.

"That's a lie father!   I was there!  Lorz raped him and shared him with
Ham and hurt him so much that it took him days to heal after Lorz died."
He stared at his hands as he snarled; "I would rip Lorz apart if I could
for what he did to Jaimz."

"You take that creature's side against your brother?" Terrill spluttered
in shocked anger, "Of course, of course you do, cause he's totally
seduced you hasn't he?   Gods--."

"SHUT UP!" That time there was real volume in that resounding roar.
"You know nothing!  It was Ham who fired the fatal shot that caused the
catastrophic failure.  And it was Lorz who found Jaimz in the wreckage
and rescued him only so that when he awoke it was to being raped by
Lorz.  You don't know how he cried and screamed and fought and bled
whenever Lorz touched him.   You don't know that Lorz gave him to Ham...
you remember Ham don't you?  Over and over again those two raped him."

"Lies, how do you know that? That's impossible to believe, you're lying."

Kaiel growled, "I know because my dear brother had to share the details
with me.   He told me what he did to Jaimz, he told me in detail about
raping him right after he rescued him.  He laughed when he told me...and
do you know where Jaimz was while he was telling me what he had done to
him?   Jaimz was in Lorz' bed, crying because Lorz had just finished
raping him right before I showed up.  And Ham was there to, and he got up
and went to Jaimz and because I was too cowardly to stop him then...I
left.   And they laughed at that too, while Jaimz started to scream and
cry again... I heard it as I walked away.  Listened to him screaming in
agony and I did nothing!"

"You're...lying." Terrill muttered, and yet the pain in his son's voice
was too genuine to dismiss.

"No father," Kaiel murmured dejectedly, "I'm not lying.   Lorz was brutal
with Jaimz.  So brutal that he nearly died when Lorz did.  The only
decent thing that Lorz did do was to protect Jaimz with our name... and
father; I won't let you do anything to hurt him.   Jaimz is the innocent
victim in this.  He's the one who will probably never see his people
again in his lifetime; he's the one who will spend the rest of his life
on an alien planet surrounded by beasts like us.   He's the trapped by
circumstances that he can do nothing to alter.  And yet he's brave and
strong and beautiful."

Terrill stared at his son and stated, "You love him."

Kaiel shook himself and stepped back, he didn't acknowledge Terrill's
claim.  "Father, you don't know him, you are ready to condemn him on
suspicion and conjecture and nothing more.   Give him a chance to change
your mind.  That is all I ask."

Terrill said nothing as his son left as quietly as he had entered.   He
was surprised to find that he was still holding his glass of spirits, and
that it was only half sloshed; most of the ripe contents now tracked his
fur on his left side.   But that aside he had a lot to think about.  He
wasn't convinced, he still believed that Jaimz was a seducer, but Kaiel
had been too honest and too raw when he talked about the rapes.   He
believed that Jaimz had been raped, maybe as Kaiel had said, by his son
and his son's cub-hood friend, but that didn't mean Jaimz hadn't asked
for it.   After all, look at what he had walked in on, his firstborn son
was dead not even 10 days and Jaimz, his mate, was already getting fucked
by his other son.

Oh yes, he had much to think about indeed.


________________________________________________________________________________


Kaiel felt depleted when he let himself back into Jaimz' room.
Remembering his cowardly behavior when he'd first met Jaimz filled him
with total shame.  He thought also about his father and hoped that he'd
be more willing to listen and see Jaimz and not simply judge him.   He
moved into the inner room and stopped before the bed, and looking at
Jaimz, whom he knew had fallen asleep, and he wondered if he was still
sore.   Carefully he climbed onto the bed and tucked himself against
Jaimz' small lovely body.  Instantly Jaimz pushed back into the warmth of
his pelt and snuggled up against him.    He sighed, it hurt so much to
love him so and know that Jaimz just did not feel the same.  For Jaimz
the 72-hour was a curse, something to just do and get over with, but for
Kaiel the 72-hour was a license to touch Jaimz and love his body, as he
couldn't at any other time.   He looked forward to the 72-hour and knew
that he always would.

As he lay there stroking his big fingers through Jaimz' silky hair, he
became aware of Jaimz stroking him back.   Knowing that Jaimz was awake
filled him with hope and dread at the same time.  Lightly he asked, "Are
you okay?"

Jaimz leaned his head back on Kaiel's arm and murmured sleepily, "I don't
think I'm up to it right now.   I'm still a little sore."

Kaiel caressed Jaimz' neck and shoulder and asked, "If I could make you
feel better, would you then?"

Jaimz peaked one eye open.   "How...what can you do?"

Kaiel eased away from his Tag Mate and moved down to his legs.   "Let me
show you."

Curious Jaimz didn't protest as Kaiel parted his thighs and tucked
himself between them so that Jaimz' legs rested on Kaiel's shoulders.
"Wha-what are you doing?" Jaimz wondered shyly when Kaiel tilted his hips
up and ducked his head down.  He didn't have to wonder long though, for
something warm and wet laved over his still tender anus.   His entire
body shuddered with the pleasure of it, even though his anus continued to
ache.  He moaned as he looked up his body to Kaiel's silvery eyes,
watching him from between his parted legs.   Kaiel's eyes closed, and
again the warm wet pressure eased against his anus.  He squeezed his
thighs about Kaiel's head and cried out softly in shame mingled with
pleasure.   Again Kaiel's eyes opened, and again he looked at him, this
time the warm pressure came with out Kaiel completely closing his eyes.
Instead those night bright eyes lowered slightly and watched how his body
rocked when his tongue bathed his anus again... After another earth
shattering lave with his tongue, Kaiel lifted his head almost free of
Jaimz' thighs and asked, "Is this ok?"

Jaimz could only nod and groan, which led Kaiel to lowering his head and
starting again.   He stroked and circled and poked his tongue over,
around and into Jaimz' throbbing anus.  He pushed his face deep into
Jaimz' cleft, driving his tongue deep into his body, tasting him and
loving him completely until Jaimz surrendered, crying "Now Kaiel... Now
please Kaiel."

He knew and he was ready, he'd been subduing his monster against the bed,
but it sprang to instantaneous attention the moment he shifted his body
back into the dominant position.   His flare was fully distended and he
knew the width of it would hurt Jaimz again, but Jaimz didn't seem to
care as he grabbed his rod in his small hand and tried to drive it toward
his throbbing anus.   Kaiel stopped him gently, though it felt great to
be held in Jaimz' hand, and took control again rather than let Jaimz hurt
himself by trying to just stuff the rod inside.   He found the oil while
Jaimz sulked and liberally applied it to his rod and flare, then he took
his greasy fingers and pushed them gently and deeply into Jaimz' anus.
Jaimz stopped sulking and started moaning as he spread his fingers wide
in that soft yielding and hot flesh and eased that muscle as wide open as
it would go.    Finally he pressed up against Jaimz' legs, lifted his
hips, used his hands the spread his sweet cheeks and guided the tip of
his rod into Jaimz yielding body.   Jaimz made no sound at all, he just
watched him as he pushed and withdrew once, pushed and withdrew
twice...pushed and stretched his reluctant anus completely open with the
third thrust.   Jaimz moaned then...not from the pain of being stretched
so wide so he could accept the fully engaged flare, that had actually
been kind of pleasant, but rather he moaned with the long steady plunge
of Kaiel's rod as it descended into his snug and eager body.    Then
Kaiel slid back, and plunged in again, thereby setting his rhythm in
motion.  He wasn't long away from release; he'd been too long containing
it in the sheets with the flare engaged for him to get more then a few
strokes started before he was coming.   But Jaimz didn't care, he wanted
everything Kaiel was giving him, each lunge and each hot wave of liquid
that bathed his innards.  Ten-fifteen minutes of that wild ride drove
Jaimz to wanton heights of incredible pleasure and had him shaking and
gasping when it was all over except for the final withdrawal of the rod.
  He lay there feeling his rectum suck as that big shaft, squeeze around
the still distended flare and drink up every last drop the rod could
press out.   He was spent, just catching his breath, and knowing that
Kaiel was the same, and like before, when the rod had retracted Jaimz did
not want his Tag Mate to leave him.  That was when, when he was at his
most vulnerable that Jaimz knew how much he needed him.   Once his body
had recovered and his mind slept he would push that truth aside until the
next 72-hour allowed him to admit it again.   Hazily Kaiel worried, "What
if we tie again as we sleep?"

Jaimz, feeling that Kaiel's rod hadn't even completely retracted yet,
yawned and turned into his arms sighing "If it does we will deal with it
when we wake."

Kaiel thought of a better idea and briefly jarred Jaimz into blearily
wondering what he was doing as he laid him across his body rather then
down it, but then this new position availed itself to being within easy
reach of Kaiel's fingers and Jaimz just cuddled his head on his shoulder
and parted his legs and dozed off while Kaiel sleepily teased his swollen
anus with his fingers.


________________________________________________________________________________


Terrill stepped out of his room and onto the meadow grass beneath his
window, as the morning sun was just starting to cast its golden light
across the deep purple shadows of the savanna.   Momentarily he stood
there while he thought that it would be nice to just wander in the
direction of the rising sun and enjoy the breezes of the morning as the
coolness of night gradually gave way to the advancing warmth of day.   He
had not slept very well, because his thoughts revolved around his
sons...one dead and the other alive.  And those thoughts were inevitably
confused with that Jaimz creature that had somehow managed to alter both
of his sons' lives.   He had lain awake for along time thinking about
Jaimz and convincing himself without too much difficulty that somehow
Jaimz must be responsible for Lorz' demise.   He had distracted Lorz,
taken up too much of his attention, and left him open and vulnerable to
outside forces.  For a moment he'd even entertained the thought that
distraction hadn't killed Lorz but rather betrayal in the form of his
brother falling in love with his mate and conspiring to kill him.   But
he hadn't entertained that thought for too long since he just couldn't
see his surviving son having balls enough to actually take out his rival
in love.   No Lorz had died in battle and it was a brave and honorable
way to go, a sire couldn't ask for a better death for his son, but it
still pained him that he had not spoken with or seen his son before he'd
died.

Learning the news while he was in session at the Summit had been brutal,
and made all the worse because there was nothing he could have done...Lorz
was dead, his remains and personal affect were being shipped
home...probably sometime in the next week or so.   He could and did mourn
his son's loss without the need of his physical remains.

Still the loss was like a sharp wound, his wonderful brave son was
dead...and all he had left to continue his legacy was his
disappointment...his failure, his younger son. Where was that inadequate
son of his now he wondered, and while looking down the length of his home
he decided a walk along its walls would be as beneficial as one that
would take him out into the plains.   And it might show him exactly where
his useless son was and what he was up to at this hour of the morning.
Though he doubted he was up to much of anything, at least not good, even
if he was awake.

Passing by his son's bedroom showed his bed empty and suspiciously
undisturbed.   He nodded, for he had already expected this.  A little
further along the house was another bedroom, this one receiving the
golden light of dawn, and it revealed exactly what he expected to find.
His son lay sprawled on his back in the middle of the bed with his limbs
bent in total abandon.  The morning sunlight sparkled off his light gold
pelt, and played off his handsome features in soft relief.    Of course
he looked so utterly peaceful with one of his big arms tucked about that
creature's back.  He stepped back to the edge of the outermost window and
let his eyes wander, as they will.

The Jaimz creature lie half sprawled across Kaiel's big body; he was
lying on his belly with his head resting on Kaiel's shoulder and his face
turned toward the rising sun.    One of his long slender legs was tucked
up at Kaiel's waist while the other nested down along Kaiel's own hip and
leg and one of his slender hands was curled around Kaiel's side while the
other was stretched up and tangled in Kaiel's mane.   Terrill could
certainly see the creature's seductive appeal and could understand why
both his sons had taken to his bed; though it was true he was barely cub
sized which made Terrill's thoughts almost obscene, the alien had a shape
that was out-and-out sensual.   For all that he was small he was
perfectly portioned with a long tapering back, hips with just enough of a
flare to make those pale pert cheeks all the more enticing, while his
shoulders were just wide enough to balance out his hips.   Then added to
all of that were a pair of long slender legs.  He wasn't just short he
was cub small and yet his legs were plenty long enough to match his body.
  As he gazed at Jaimz he thought about all that naked skin shimmering
pearly and golden in the morning light and he just thought he shouldn't
find it attractive.   There was no reason why exposed skin should be
anything but ugly to him, and yet rather than being repulsed he was
attracted and very enthralled with the idea of touching all that skin
which he suspected felt like stroking a flower's petal.

As he stood there, watching the sleepers being teased awake by the golden
morning light, Terrill simply understood that one day he was going to
fuck Jaimz, for it only seemed logical to him that he should taste what
both his son's took pleasure in. Stepping further back into the shadows
he watched then as first Kaiel awoke and stretched indolently, and he saw
that Kaiel's motion woke Jaimz who stretched yawningly atop Kaiel's big
body and then pushed up so that he straddled Kaiel's waist and lazily
looked down at him.   Watching in his shadowed spot, out of direct sight
of the pair he saw Kaiel drape his big hands around Jaimz' narrow waist
and he saw Kaiel slowly smile.   Jaimz said something, but with the
windows closed Terrill couldn't catch it, but whatever it was, Kaiel
laughed, which made Jaimz sway languorously back and forth.

Thinking he was maybe going to see a treat, he was a little disappointed
when Kaiel rolled onto his side, spilling Jaimz onto the bed.   As both
of them slipped from the bed, Kaiel bent and gathered up what looked like
his discarded garments from the floor while Jaimz slipped a concealing
robe over his fine winsome body.   Then as Kaiel turned toward the
window, Terrill understood that he had to make a hasty retreat or risk
being found out spying, for soon Kaiel had pivoted the window open and
stepped out onto the meadow grass and then padded along the path to his
own bedroom sanctuary.   Staring after his son Terrill realized that the
pair were trying to keep their sexual liaisons a secret.   He smiled
slyly as he stepped back to the window and watched as Jaimz put together
the outfit he would wear today, it proved to be a nice green and gold
tunic and pant ensemble that would go very well those pretty eyes.

He had to step back quickly when Jaimz suddenly turned and stared toward
his shadowy corner.   He was certain that the human couldn't see him and
yet Jaimz continued to look intently toward his hiding spot for a long
time, he had to retreat again when Jaimz finally decided to investigate,
and while he pressed up against the wall he heard the window sigh open on
its well tended pivot shaft and the breeze wafted Jaimz' scent to his
receiving nostrils.   The same breeze carried his light voice too when he
queried into the silence, "Kaiel?"

Terrill could only wonder if Jaimz' curiosity would have brought him out
into the grotto to discover him, for someone, it sounded like the medic,
called him away from the window.   He waited as the window whispered
closed once more and then risked moving forward to watch again as Jaimz
joined the medic at the inner door and disappeared through into the other
room with him.

He was surprised by the presence of the Medic, and how his son had
possessed enough initiative to invite the old medic to move his practice
to K'Lan Pride.   He hadn't really had much of a chat with the good medic
yet, but he did notice that he seemed very fond of both Kaiel and Jaimz.

With much more to think about then when he had started out on his walk
earlier this morning Terrill resumed his meanderings.


________________________________________________________________________________


Jaimz felt a bit embarrassed about asking the Kang to accompany him to
the bathroom, but he was still feeling unsettled by whatever it was that
had been watching him this morning.   Kang didn't mind and he indicated
that he needed a shower anyway so Jaimz got to share his first shower
with another body and found it, different indeed.   Because the Zaran
were a fur covered race soaping and lathering their bodies was quite an
event which as he learned was why the bath and shower were so large, they
were meant to be shared so that they could assist each other at scrubbing
loose fur away and soaping all the difficult to reach places.   He didn't
have any fur to worry about but Kang lathered him up anyway and chided
him if he protested that a certain area didn't need Kang's attention.
He reciprocated by scrubbing and soaping Kang's thick back and shoulders,
and because Kang was quite tall (8.2) he had to stand on his toe tips.
Kang laughed at his grumbles then he advised, "You should shower with
Kaiel next time youngling."

Jaimz blushed, "And have someone come in when we're getting it on...no
thank you!" he complained.

Kang snorted merrily, "I don't mean for the 72-hour youngling.   I meant
only to clean each other and also to let him touch you when you're
soaking wet.  Your skin feels spectacular right now."

The blush only deepened as Jaimz bitterly acknowledged, "It would
probably turn sexual."

Kang nodded thoughtfully, "Ah...I see."

Jaimz rinsed off and stepped out of the shower, "What do you see?" he
mused as he dried himself with a big plush towel and picked up the green
pants to step into them.   He had resigned himself to the fact that
underwear just weren't forthcoming, and besides the pants he wore were
all so soft and comfortable anyway.  He snugged the drawstring waist
closed and unfolded the tunic...stepping aside for Kang, who, while
smelling like a cinnamon-snap cookie, emerged from the shower.  All that
fur needed more than one big towel to scrub it dry, and even then Kang
would be getting dressed while still slightly damp.

Kang pulled the towel about his broad body and as he rubbed at his fur he
answered Jaimz' question.   "Sex has become part of your relationship
with Kaiel.  When you think about him, even innocently, sex comes to
mind."

Jaimz blushed again and denied, "No...no it doesn't."

"Of course it does, otherwise you wouldn't be coloring up so
beautifully." Kang chided, reaching for another towel. "Even if it isn't
always on your mind it doesn't take much for sex to come to mind when the
thought is coupled with Kaiel.    It's not your fault.  Your addicted to
him."

Jaimz balked and then yelled, "But I thought that answering the 72-hour
would make me less addicted."

Kang canted his head, "No...that simply answers the Tag's demand and lets
you continue to live your life.   But you are addicted to Kaiel.  You
need him like you need water.  When you touch him don't you feel good?
Actually I've been thinking about writing a thesis on the Tag, using you
two as anonymous subjects of course."

Jaimz stared at him...and grumped, "Well that's nice for you."

Kang chuckled, "Don't get bent out of shape.   The addiction has its
benefits too, like you heal easier.  Which is likely why you survived
Lorz as well as you did."

Jaimz recoiled and he vehemently snapped, "I was not addicted to Lorz!"

Kang was left alone after Jaimz stormed out of the bathroom.   Of course
Jaimz was still very sensitive about Lorz, so he understood why he'd been
so upset.  Besides, he mused, with K'Lan Terrill in residence and Jaimz
having to lie about his relationship with Lorz to protect Terrill's
sensibilities, Jaimz was probably having a very hard time coping.   What
he needed was a distraction.


________________________________________________________________________________


Kaiel turned off the COM and sat back, thinking about the message Heron
had just delivered to him.   His assistant, while working on the Chai
problem back on the Kattaf, had just been given a very big lead toward
solving the Chai dispute.   The Chai wanted to talk about
compromising--and they wanted to talk with him.  He was sitting there,
wondering what part of his report to review first when his father entered
his office.

The big male sauntered in as if he owned the room, he didn't announce his
presence or otherwise ask to be allowed entrance...he merely strolled in
and glanced idly about Kaiel's office as if he expected something to have
changed since the last time he had bothered to grace him with his
superior company.

As if speaking to no one in particular he said casually, "I finished an
interesting conversation with L'Teran.   It seems they want to press
forth with the betrothal ceremony even though Lorz is dead."

Reminded about that very touchy subject, Kaiel said, "Uh, father I wanted
to talk to you about that--." but Terrill interrupted him.

"I decided to let it stand.   I want grandcubs and you're all I have left
now."

Kaiel went from shock to embarrassment to anger, "What? I get no choice
in the matter?" he growled.

Terrill fixed a bland eye upon his son and said disdainfully, "I don't
recall giving Lorz a choice in the matter either.   Besides she's of a
good House and can provide you with cubs."

"Except I don't like her!   And Lorz did defy you over the betrothal
too!" Kaiel snapped.

"Pishaw...you don't have to like her to get cubs on her." Terrill
retorted, "Besides I already invited L'Teran Vreda and a companion to
spend a few days with us so that she can get to know you better."

"Then you entertain her!" Kaiel snarled bitterly, "For I have much more
important matters to attend to."

Terrill canted his head and smiled slyly, "Like fucking your pet?
Really, you can do that any time, and I'm sure she won't even notice your
neglect."

Kaiel clenched his fists and told himself over and over again that this
was his father and that he needed to use restraint when dealing with
him... but his maligning Jaimz was just intolerable... Quietly he said,
"Jaimz has nothing to do with this...and I remind you to give him a
chance, Gods just a fuckin chance..." oh yes, he was starting to pick up
Jaimz' idioms just fine.   "What I have to work on is something new
concerning the Chai so I doubt I'll be able to make much time for Vreda
or Jaimz."

That caught his father's attention.   "Ah...the Chai?  What new matter
concerning the Chai?"

Kaiel didn't have an answer yet, he would need to get Heron back on the
COM and try to pin down why the Chai had suddenly suggested a compromise.
   "I haven't all the information and I have very little time to prepare
for an emergency Summit session."

"Curious." Terrill murmured, "I haven't been contacted yet."

Kaiel shrugged, "You're not with the Diplomatic Core father, and this is
a diplomatic matter."

"Pishaw...it's an internal matter as well." Terrill retorted airily,
"Besides we spent a good quarter of the High Summit discussing the Chai
problem."

"Did you arrive at any real solution?" Kaiel casually asked, knowing full
well that those old hide bound councilors would have spent most of that
time arguing and little of that time actually coming up with any
productive ideas.

"It's too soon.   The Chai problem is complicated." Terrill dismissed,
"Well, since you will be working so hard to prepare for the Diplomatic
Summit I suppose that I can find the means to entertain Vreda and her
companion... But I still expect you to attend all the meals and set some
time aside for her...I'll let you decide what to do with that time." He
declared arrogantly and then smirking slyly, he added, "And as for your
little pet...I suppose I can entertain him too... to help him pass the time
so his isn't so lonely for you."

Kaiel gazed at his father through narrowed eyes, and said grimly, "Don't
you touch him."

With his eyes sparkling in amusement, Terrill smirked, "I never said
anything about touching him, Kaiel.   Oh my, how exceedingly crude of
you."

"Father..." Kaiel growled softly.

"Oh don't twist your tail into a knot." Terrill quipped, grinningly.
"I'm only joking.  I'd as soon pester a Skarll than waste time with your
ugly naked pet."

Kaiel didn't say anything to that, but he didn't need to, for his doubt
and mistrust was evident in his watchful and guarded eyes.   Terrill
smiled, thinking about all that lovely touchable skin and decided that he
probably would have to pester that creature Jaimz...just for the fun of
it.   "While, I have work to do as well, since you decline to do any
preparation for Vreda's visit I will have to make all the arrangements. "

"You invited her." Kaiel calmly reminded him, not revealing even a hint
of discomfiture.

Terrill snapped, "Yes, yes, its obviously too much to ask you to spare a
little consideration for your betrothed."

Kaiel just gave him a closed look and said icily, "I have work to do."

With the slightest tip of his head to acknowledge his son's cool
composure Terrill let himself out of his son's office.   As he stood in
the hall afterwards he thought about the changes in his son and realized
that if they had been actually embroiled in a contest of wills that Kaiel
might have actually won that round....

As he turned away he noticed the old Medic striding ponderously toward
him and he called to him, "Oh Kang Ni, I should like to talk to you about
that creat--er--about Jaimz."

The Medic stopped at the door and gave him a respectful nod, the kind
that was given between peers.   It was obvious to Terrill that the Medic
had come to see Kaiel, so he added, "When you can spare the time of
course I just have some questions.  I'm naturally curious you see and I
thought it best to speak with you, his medic." He was even more curious
as to why Jaimz had needed someone to look after him so closely.

Kang spared him a thoughtful look then glanced at his watch before
musing, "Well I am going into the city to start bringing some of my
things over -- By the way it is very kind of you to let me convert the
room next door (to mine) into a clinic -- anyway I should be able to
spare a moment in about half a mark.   If that works for you?"

Terrill nodded, "That will do nicely.   Until then Medic V'Ran." He
strode away as Kang was rapping his claws on the door, and waiting for
Kaiel's response.

Vreda and her cousin Zuzu were expected to arrive just after the noon
meal.    He would have to arrange to have the noon meal pushed back to
after their arrival.  Of course the females would need quarters and
though two of the guestrooms were already spoken for there were still
plenty of other very nicely appointed guestrooms that would serve nicely.
  He thought that fresh flowers in each of their rooms would be nice,
then amended that idea to add that displays of fresh flowers and greens
in the L'Teran and K'Lan colors would be a nice tasteful touch.   He had
much to do and with his son refusing to take part in getting ready for
his betrothed arrival it was up to him to make sure that everything was
perfect.


________________________________________________________________________________


Kaiel was a bit impatient at being bothered again, especially after just
dealing with his implacable father, but at seeing his new visitor was the
good medic he relaxed.   "Kang Ni, what can I do for you?" he said as he
set the ream of notes he was going through aside.

Kang lowered his ample bottom into a nearby chair and explained, "I'm
heading into Chocho today.   I thought that I would start bringing my
stuff over and of course I need to let my current clients know where they
can find me if they choose to retain my services after I close my
office."

"Oh... would you like some help?   I can send some of the Staffers with
you, unfortunately I won't be able to come with you...I have--."

"No, no that's fine, I can see that you're busy." Kang hastened to
explain, and then offhandedly he added, "Actually I was thinking about
taking Jaimz with me."

Kaiel's reaction was instantaneous and violent.   "No!  Are you insane?
You can't take Jaimz to the city!  He'll be in danger!   I can't allow
it."

Kang looked at the scattered papers, scattered by Kaiel's violent
reaction and shook his head, softly he said, "My dear cubling, you can't
keep Jaimz confined to this house either or he'll begin to believe that
he is caged.  Is that what you want?  You need to expose Jaimz to the
population of Z'Rarla, so that they will grow used to him.   Keeping him
hidden away will make him only more intriguing.  The staffers talk about
him.  The villagers in Moro know of him.   I'm certain the city dwellers
in Chocho are starting to hear about him too since the staffers and
villagers mingle freely with the residents of Chocho.  You know the
adage, familiarity breeds contempt?   Well secrecy propagates intrigue
too!  If you keep him a mystery he will be in danger...but if you let the
people of Z'Rarla know him...they will get used to him."

"But...anything could happen to him in the city Kang Ni.   He's so small
and helpless, he could be hurt or--worse." Kaiel fretted, for he knew
that there were Zarans with less self-control, who wouldn't be able
govern themselves properly if they wanted to touch Jaimz.   For he had
come to recognize that Jaimz was captivating to his people and even
though his staffers were growing used to Jaimz and Jaimz felt comfortable
with them, that they often stopped what they were doing to stare after
him, and just as often they wanted to touch him, to stroke his hair or
caress his silky skin.

Kang leaned forward and touched his shoulder, "Kaiel Ni, I won't let
anything happen to him.   I'll bring him back safe and sound. Why I'll
even make him wear a cloak at all times just to keep him hidden from
view...and furthermore I'll bring young Drey along for company.   Your Tag
Mate needs a break before he breaks."

"Wh-what?   Why?  Is something wrong with him?"  Kaiel asked, concerned
for Jaimz' emotional stability now.

"No, no there is nothing wrong with him....   Nothing of any merit
anyway.  I think his simply tense about your father.  Last night was hard
on him.    And this morning he didn't want to shower alone.  He needs a
break Kaiel, and a simple change of scenery will suffice I think."   He
explained kindly.

Kaiel lowered his ears, "I didn't know he was feeling confined."

"He probably isn't yet Kaiel, for there is still much to explore right
here.   But you will need to let him explore beyond these walls too.  If
he is going to spend the rest of his life here, he must explore what is
out there and he must feel safe and comfortable while doing that.   The
only way that will happen is if the people of Z'Rarla accept him as one
of them.  Even if a bit of a strange one of them." Kang concluded with a
wry smile.

Kaiel scrubbed his hand through his light ruff and up into his mane,
"You're right, I've been so busy with--everything.... That I didn't think
about how to immerse him in our society." He sighed and sat up
straighter.   "Well, even if I am busy I can make arrangements to
introduce him to Z'Rarla...." He lowered his hand and looked at Kang,
asking hopefully, "What was he like in the shower?"

Kang grinned mysteriously, and said, "That you'll have to discover on
your own, youngling.   I will say that touching all that wet skin was
delightful though."

Kaiel flicked his ears then sat forward, saying, "Ok... I will let--him go
with you.   But you must promise to protect him and not to let him out of
your sight!"

"Of course," Kang exclaimed airily, "my word of honor I will guard him
well." He smiled kindly then and continued, "Besides to risk him is to
risk you...and I wouldn't do that."

Kaiel didn't say anything to that, he knew that he was going to have to
get used to letting Jaimz off his tether, and part of what he had to get
used to was the fear of fatal separation.   He allowed himself to nod and
then said, "Uhm, well, it would seem I have even more work to take care
of now."  Then he looked anxiously at Kang and asked, "You won't be too
long?"

Kang smiled, "I won't be late if that is what you mean.   We will all be
back to sit down to supper so your father can harass poor Jaimz about his
life with darling Lorz."

Kaiel's ears laid fully back with that, and he snarled, "I think my
father won't bother Jaimz tonight.   I had a few words with him and
straightened him out about a few--things."

"Ah, well, that's good." Kang exclaimed amicably, "Anyway I have an
interview with the worthy Terrill myself.   So I suppose I should go see
what he wants."

Kaiel stared after the worthy old medic and sighed, he had to admit the
idea of letting Jaimz go anywhere without him was just terrifying.   And
yet, they couldn't stay tethered together for the rest of their lives.
Sometimes he was going to have to go away, and sometimes he suspected
Jaimz would need to see other places or things with out him tagging
along, so he was just going to have to get used to it and start letting
Jaimz go on these little excursions.   As to what the medic had said,
about familiarity breeding contempt...he was correct.  Though the staffers
were still intrigued with Jaimz he doubted that any would think of
harming him now and they worked easily with him once they worked through
the initial desire to touch him.   As the medic stated, while Jaimz was a
mystery he was more intriguing which made him more vulnerable.  He knew
that the only way to get Jaimz quickly into the public eye was to
introduce him to the public.   He supposed one sure way would be to get
him on COMCAST News, which was aired by most of the Broadcast Stations of
Z'Rarla.  He headed to the COM to put in the necessary call.


________________________________________________________________________________


Jaimz accepted the cloak wordlessly and followed the quiet Medic V'Ran
and the excited Drey out to the truck Kang had managed to wrangle for his
trip into the city.   He wondered why the medic was so quiet, but with
Drey skipping and chatting as they approached the transport he had little
chance to ask.

Kang opened the driver side door and said to Jaimz, "Put that cloak on
and keep your head covered."

Jaimz silently did as the medic suggested, though he wondered why he
needed to as he climbed up into the passenger side of the transport
beside Drey.   He supposed it had something to do with the fact Kang was
taking him into the city of Chocho.  From his studies of the Zaran
language what he had learned was that cities tended to spring up between
the Pride lands of the Old Houses.   In these cities all the Houses and
their lesser names congregated, here sons or daughters of Pride families
came to find work, mates or to rise high enough in power to gain the
title of a House without being born into one.   Medics for instance
gained the Accented Honorific of their House even if they weren't born to
the High House. This was so that wherever they went and whomever they
treated they would receive suitable respect and honor.   Adjucators also
gained the same honorific, as did senators and councilors and ships
captains.  Basically anyone who rose to a position of power gained the
honorific and respect necessary for him or her to be accepted by the High
houses.   However the honorific in this case was only for the individual
and was not attached to his family or descendants, unless he did
something extraordinary that required he or she be raised to a High
House...and that was something that happened very rarely.

Of course from his studies he had also learned that Zaran society was
very different from how his had once been, even though there was a
distinct separation of Classes, the Zaran people over all were a very
homogenous mix.   If you belonged to a Pride (and what Zaran didn't?)
then you had all the benefits of that Pride, and the higher in Power that
Pride was (such as one of the High Old Houses) the more prosperous the
regular Zaran people were.   Thus all Zaran seemed to work within his or
her Pride to help it prosper which ensured the comforts of normal life.
He didn't know what he would call this kind of society...maybe a
cooperative communal?   These people truly believed that by pulling
together everyone would benefit.  Of course there were individuals with
in these communities that went their own way and succeeded or failed on
their own, but these individuals were actually rare...since those that
succeeded generally were those that founded a new House, and how often
were new Houses founded?   Not very often if his studies were to be
believed.  The last new House to be founded had been over two hundred
years ago.   A high House or an Old House was something else completely.
To be born into a High House was like being born into royalty. These
proud Old Houses almost never mated outside of other proud Old Houses.
Their family pedigrees could be traced back to the ancestor who founded
their very line.  And the Lineages were closely observed to ensure that
the sons and daughters of those Houses produced only the most
intelligent, beautiful, and remarkable offspring.

Recalling his studies, and that very subject Jaimz idly wondered where
K'Lan House had gone so wrong to produce a monster like Lorz?   Still, he
supposed Kaiel was a fair compensation and a more than worthy progenitor
for the continuation of that line when he decided it was necessary.
Thinking about that made him sigh...for it also made him realize that he
was jealous.  That made him want to hang his head in shame and cry, for
he no longer really recognized who he was any more.

"A problem Jaimz?" Asked Kang, carefully keeping his sharp eyes on the
dirt road leading out of the Pride lands.   He wasn't used to steering
such a boxy vehicle and though he was thankful for its storage capacity
he would have much preferred a small van or other such transport.

Jaimz jerked his head toward the medic in surprise and blushed fiercely
at being caught seeming to be in a sulk.   "Uhm...no." he murmured, "I was
just thinking about something."

He went to push the hood of the cloak back but Kang shook his head, "You
should keep it up."

Frowning Jaimz again did as he was told, but this time he asked why he
had to.

Kang chanced looking toward him; even with the cloak pulled up it merely
framed Jaimz arresting face and accentuated those aquamarine eyes.
"Because you are a stranger in a strange place and until your face is a
bit better known it would be much safer if you remain anonymous."  He
turned back to face the road again.

Jaimz scoffed, "I don't see how my face will get better known if I hide
it."

Kang chuckled, "Well, as to that, I think that Kaiel is working on a
solution for that."

Jaimz looked at him, and simply said, "Oh."

Drey listening to the adults (though one was his height and very pretty)
chimed in. "I could wear a cloak too, then Jaimz Ni will be even more
anonymous."

Kang smiled wryly.   "That's actually a good idea.  Unfortunately I only
thought to bring the one cloak."

Drey shrugged and patted Jaimz' arm and since Jaimz didn't seem to mind
Drey touched him fairly often.   "Are you excited about seeing the city
Jaimz Ni?"

Jaimz smiled at the youngster and said, "Sure." Then he added lightly,
"and it is just Jaimz."

Kang chuckled.   Every time Drey attached the honorific to Jaimz' name
Jaimz always corrected him.  Maybe one day he would succeed.

After a time of driving in companionable silence Jaimz' thoughts returned
to his concerns when they had first started this trip.   Turning toward
the medic he asked, "When we started out you seemed bothered by something
Doc.  Is everything ok?"

Kang glanced at him, but he said nothing as he continued to drive, though
now on a paved road which made the going much smoother.   Kang nodded
after a time, "Yes everything is ok...but, Jaimz should you ever find
yourself alone with Terrill Ni...find any excuse to leave."

"Uh...." Jaimz just stared at him in confusion, his few encounters with
the elder K'Lan were not the best memories for his memoirs but he hadn't
got the impression that Kaiel's father would harm him. "Ok."

"Good," Kang said succinctly, "you just remember what I said." He was
back to concentrating on the drive, but he allowed for a slight
distraction as he remembered his conversation with K'Lan Terrill.   It
had been revealing to say the least; the Head of House K'Lan had first
wanted confirmation on whether or not Lorz had really raped Jaimz.  Since
Kang hadn't actually witnessed those events he was unable to confirm
that, though he certainly believed Jaimz was telling the truth.  Next he
had wanted to know how long he had known Jaimz, if he had known Jaimz
when he was on the Kattaf with Lorz.  Having met Jaimz on the third day
after Lorz' death, Kang had told him that counting in the first day he'd
known Jaimz and Kaiel as well for only eight days.   Terrill had asked
some questions about Jaimz' reputed scientific ability, expressing some
doubt that Jaimz was any sort of genius.  But Kang had the impression
that Terrill wasn't really interested in Jaimz' remarkable mind anyway.
When the questioning moved to wondering what was the true relationship
between Jaimz and Kaiel he had avoided telling him about the Tag Mating
simply because the cubs wanted to keep that concealed for as long as they
could.   The last though, when the questions turned to musings about
Jaimz sexuality and his obvious capacity to mate with Zaran males, had
sent alarm bells jangling throughout the Kang's old brain.

Gradually signs of civilization began to show up, a single house out on a
spread of land here, a small community of homes there, a refilling
station for vehicles that ran on grain fuels, petrol or hydro
electricity.    The closer toward Chocho they drove the more frequently
they saw signs of habitation, and of course there were more vehicles on
the road or sometimes passing through the air, though personal air
transports were rare it was believed that one day all transportation
would be from the air, even over Z'Rarla's vast seas.   Finally the
scattered signs gave way to clear indications as Kang drove into the
outskirts of the city.

Jaimz sat forward to stare as they crested the hill above the city...it
was situated on the lowlands by a sparkling sea.   And when he saw the
skyscrapers reaching toward the azure sky he felt his eyes tingle...for it
didn't look so unlike the cities of home.  The city of Chocho seemed to
sparkle in the sunlight, though he knew it was because of the Zaran love
for large windows that looked out onto spectacular views, he still
thought the city seemed beautiful.   Somehow he had been expecting
something like a large villa; maybe a multi-level villa since Kang had
said that in cities Zaran's tended to build up. But as they drove into
the city he saw skyscrapers, apartment buildings, storefronts, business
and Government buildings intermingled with parks and green spaces and
waterways.   There were streets, alleys, paths and bridges.  And Zarans
were everywhere, walking along tree lined paths, riding conveyances that
looked remarkably like bicycles and scooters, chatting with friends,
buying things from the stores...busy going to or leaving some place.   And
there was traffic, though not as heavy as Jaimz would have expected for
the size of the city...and there was noise, but surprisingly there was
very little stink and no obvious sign of pollution.   Everything really
did seem to sparkle.   "Its just like the cities back home." He observed
huskily.

Drey rocked on the seat saying excitedly, "You should see the waterfront
parks and beaches, and the Market, and the shopping district and the..."

"Drey..." Kang tried to interrupt.

"Oh can we go to the Market?   Can we Kang Ni?  It would be so cool to
see the Market, I haven't seen it for a whole year." Drey continued
excitedly, his light green eyes bright with anticipation.

Kang shook his gray head, "Not this time cub.   Maybe another time."

Drey sagged back glumly, then shrugged and recovered with cub-like
aplomb, "Oh well, there's other stuff for us to see."

Kang chuckled, "Cub the only thing you are going to see is my home and
office and the back of this truck as you help me load some of my stuff
for the move to K'Lan Pride."

Drey sulked momentarily and then he asked, "And Jaimz Ni too?   Will he
be helping?"

Kang nodded as he turned down a street, "Yes but he'll be packing I
think."

Jaimz sighed, understanding that meant he wouldn't be going outside much
once he was at the medic's home.

Kang's home with its attached medical practice proved to be in a
moderately tall building with other such arrangements, this building was
a working building where the residents also happened to make their homes.
   His office was closed up and had been ever since he'd been called out
to K'Lan pride to look after Jaimz.  Attached to his office were two
examining and treatment rooms and also a small clinic with four private
rooms where he could look after patients needing more than stitches and a
prescription but not requiring to full services of a med center.   His
home was on the second level and could be reached through two areas from
the medical and also had its own entrance on second level.   Looking
around at the layout of the clinic, Jaimz thought that the one being
built at the main house would be similar though it would have only two
private beds and one large ward with eight more beds.   He also knew that
one of Kang's two nurses was moving to the Main house to continue her
service with him but that his receptionist (and second nurse) was not
moving and that a member of K'Lan Pride would be hired as his
receptionist and eventual medical assistant since Kang was already
screening applicants.

Kang spent a while looking around his clinic where he'd been for the
better part of his life and felt a little regret that he was leaving it,
but glancing toward Jaimz who had found one of the stairways leading up
to the second level, he decided that the move was worth it, even if he
was going to be semi retired he figured he was still going to be very
busy at K'Lan Pride looking after his new patients as well as helping
Jaimz work on the Tag problem and doing his own experiments as well.
Yes, he thought as Jaimz' curiosity led him upstairs; his new life was
going to be every bit as interesting as his old life had been.

The first thing one saw when reaching the top floor was the view, the
large windows had an almost unobstructed view of the sea.   Jaimz lowered
his hood as he walked over to take in that view, passing his hands
through his hair to shake out the flatness the hood had caused.  He gazed
out at the spectacular vista and wondered how the doc could give up such
a view while he unclasped the cloak and started to push it back off his
shoulders.  Only before he had the cloak off a pair of hands lightly
clamped down on his shoulders and Kang's voice chided him.   "There are
apartments with a perfectly good view into my home.  And if they can see
into my house they can see you, pretty cub.   Please leave the cloak on."
He advised kindly, as he resettled the hood back over Jaimz' light-brown
fawn-colored hair.

Jaimz scowled but finally shrugged, "Well since I'm here and I can't even
see anything what is it you would like me to do?"

Kang told him, and he got to work gathering up pictures and mementos of
Kang's life, carefully wrapping them and placing them in the box Kang had
provided.   From appearances it would seem that Kang had enjoyed a good
life, he'd had a mate once, though now long dead as Kang had sadly
informed him when he asked, and cubs, though now long grown and busy with
their own lives.   He also had grandcubs too though he rarely saw them as
they lived in another city with their mother, his elder daughter.  He
hadn't really thought about Kang having a mate and cubs and grandcubs,
though it seemed likely that he should have had a normal life.   To him,
Kang just seemed like a grand old lion, and someone that he was adopting
into his life as his friend and mentor.

Smiling he wrapped up a ceramic handprint--complete with claw
indents--that looked like it had been made by a cub and set it in the box
beside the rest of Kang's fond memories.   He was reaching for another
object when a commotion made him look over his shoulder.  It was too much
noise for Drey to make on his own, and even if he was with Kang it was
still a good deal of noise for the pair to make.   To his surprise and
distress it was neither Kang nor Drey who thumped up the stairs from the
floor below.  Instead there were three young males, maybe around Kaiel's
age, though one of them had a scruffier ruff then the other two,
indicating that he was probably the youngest.    They looked like school
hoodlums, complete with gang jackets and bandanas, though he doubted that
the matching jackets or bandanas had the same meaning as they would have
centuries ago on Earth.   For all he knew they could have been members of
a sports team, or they could all work at the same job...or anything for
that matter, the one thing he knew was that he didn't know why they were
here or who they were.   Hoping that they hadn't seen him he moved behind
on of the big chairs and carefully observed them to see what they were
going to do.  After all maybe Kang had corralled them into helping with
his move.

The trio looked around the big airy room, then one of them went off into
another room and came back seconds later shrugging his shoulders and
shaking his head.   The three split up then to search the other rooms and
Jaimz pretty much surmised that they hadn't come at Kang's suggestion.
Those three were here for another reason.   Remembering standing in front
of the window with his head uncovered he had a sudden realization that
maybe it hadn't been such a wise move on his part.

He watched nervously as one of the three moved toward the windows, and
thus closer to him.   He shifted silently, trying to use the big chair to
block the other's view of him.  His cloak like the chair was white, so
maybe if he were lucky the lion wouldn't notice him and if he was really
lucky Kang or Drey would show up and scare them all off.   At least he
hoped the three would be scared off, for he certainly didn't wish for
Kang or Drey to be harmed by them.

He knew that something had caught the male's attention when he suddenly
turned to look directly at him while he crouched beside the chair.   It
was probably his heartbeat, if he could hear it in his own ears, so
probably could the strange male.

Knowing he was caught Jaimz stood up and nervously faced the lion.   His
encounters with strange male Zarans wasn't all that good he recalled,
thinking back to the first Zaran male he had met....  He'd met his very
first Zaran male when he had awoken to the experience of being besieged
with incredible agony as Lorz raped him for the first time.    Just
thinking about that, and knowing he was alone with one and soon to be
three Zaran males, made he start to shake deep in his bones.  Frightened
and trying not to show it he moved back a step as the big cat stalked
softly toward him.   He was big too at nearly three or four inches taller
than Kaiel he must top 8 feet at least.   His scruffy mane was a solid
ruddy brown and his nose pad and thin lips were also brown.   He had
reddish yellow eyes and a long narrow face with a white scar in the hide
of his left cheek.  His ruddy ruff was not in fully yet, but it still
accentuated his cheekbones.   He had a bit of a muzzle too, denoting a
northern heritage.  When the stranger extended his hand probably to grab
the cloak's hood Jaimz gasped and jumped back, and slammed right into
another of the Trio.

He spun away trying to keep the two--no, the three, he saw with
apprehension as the last one came out of the kitchen--in view at all
times.   "What do you want?" he heard himself say in a shaking voice.

"He's scared," one of them observed to the others, that one tried to be
soothing as he said, "Don't be afraid.   We just want to look at you."

"Y-you shouldn't be in here." Jaimz pointed out as he backed toward the
window.   "You should leave, Medic V'Ran will be back soon."

"That old male?   He was all the way downstairs and heading outside when
we came up, and he never saw us either." Observed the ruddy maned male,
advancing on Jaimz again.

Jaimz stopped when his back hit the window, he looked behind him while
wondering if the window was on a pivot system, but there was no deck or
ledge for him...just a very long and fatal fall.   He looked back at the
three as they circled him, staring from one to another with what he knew
had to be very frightened eyes.

The scruffy ruffed youngster murmured.   "He sure is small.  Like a cub,
small."

"You sure he's a he?   Looks like a little female under that cloak."

Jaimz pressed back but he had nowhere to go, they blocked him from the
front and sides and the window was at his back.   "Don't touch me," he
warned fearfully as he tried to dodge the ruddy maned male's hand.  The
male was not successfully warned off and the hood ended up being pushed
back.

The three stared at his face, seeing his alienness in his smooth pale
skin, his curved and bowed lips, his long lashed exotic eyes and his crop
of light fawn-colored hair which fell in slightly flattened waves to his
shoulders.

Three pairs of hands started to touch him while he gasped fearfully and
pleaded for them to not touch him.   They ran their big fingers through
his hair, and lightly caressed his smooth cheeks even as tears trickled
down them.  One was intrigued with the shape of his lips and kept rubbing
his finger over them and between them...that one worried Jaimz more than
the other two, for he had a gleam in his amber eyes that wasn't just
curiosity.   That male was all blonde and quite the Adonis though in
Jaimz' eyes he wasn't nearly as beautiful as Kaiel.  The ruddy maned male
slithered his hand between Jaimz' body and the window and announced
amazedly, "He don't got a tail," even as Jaimz jumped at his touch.

The Adonis smirked, "I'm still not convinced he is a he.   Look at that
pretty little body."

The youngest, ogling Jaimz with childish curiosity while stroking Jaimz'
bare arm asked, "What is he?"

The ruddy maned one nodded after a moment, "I've been hearing rumors
about some new alien, he was supposed to be on the Kattaf, but I also
heard that maybe he'd been brought here... I heard maybe the alien was
staying at K'Lan Pride."

The Adonis chortled, "Of course that Old House would keep him.   They'd
want the prestige of being able to claim him.  If indeed that is what he
is.  If indeed he is a he at all."   He leaned in close, bending so that
his blond cheek was almost pressed against Jaimz' who whimpered as he
tried to push away.  "Why don't we find out if he's a he?" The Adonis
murmured sotto voce into the delicate shell of Jaimz' ear.

"Ahhhh...." Jaimz moaned in terror as his tunic was lifted and the pants
drawstring was pulled loose.   As big fingers thrust inside the gapping
material and closed over his fragile flesh he shuddered and started to
collapse.

"What's this?" Kang's voice rang across the room.   Instantly the three
released Jaimz, letting him finish collapsing to his knees.  "Helpers?
How thoughtful of you younglings."

Jaimz huddled shaking against the window while he pulled his loosened
pants back up and tugged the drawstring savagely tight.   He was crying
and he couldn't make the tears stop flowing while Kang directed his three
new helpers to take this or that item downstairs to the landing.

Once Kang was sure that the three were gone he went over to Jaimz and
murmured, "Well, this excursion didn't go quite like I intended," as he
drew the shuddering human against his big soft body.   "Are you okay?
Did they hurt you?"

Jaimz huddled in the medic's safe embrace and sobbed, "No...but...I
couldn't make them l-leave me alone."   He scrubbed at his wet eyes and
drew in a ragged breath, "God I don't understand why...why...."

"Its because you're beautiful Jaimz.   You're simply beautiful, but
you're also mysterious and strange which seems to bring out the worst
behavior in my people." Kang explained, while he soothingly stroked Jaimz
silky hair as the young human gradually calmed down.   He hadn't seen it
all when he'd walked in upon the little tableau, but that blond male had
been all together too close Jaimz and was likely the main reason Jaimz
had seemed to collapse.   Thinking that Jaimz might be at his limit for
the day he kindly asked, "Do you want to go home now Jaimz?  I can finish
this another day."

Jaimz caught his big arm in a tremulously tight grip, and shook his head
as he said, "I-I won't go outside or anything...but I want to stay with
you."

Yes, Kang thought, this experience had definitely frightened Jaimz and he
knew that it had been comparably harmless when compared to some of his
earlier experiences.   "Ok.  That's fine."

Jaimz kept his cloak on, and pulled the rim of the hood forward to keep
his face well in the shadows.   He was with either Drey or Kang all the
time, except when he waited in the lobby for one or the other to go out
to the truck and back.  He remained fairly quiet though Drey did get him
to laugh a few times (especially since the cub didn't know what had
happened earlier).   He carried and lifted as much as he could but his
smaller frame and build, slighter then even Drey, meant that he tired
faster.

On the drive back to K'Lan Pride, Jaimz sat next to Kang and leaned
against his side as he slumbered.   Kang drove along in silence; for even
Drey had been tired out enough from carrying and stowing things that he
was now snoring softly against the passenger side window.   The trip
seemed to take longer, and maybe since the truck was loaded he was being
a bit more careful in the steering...but at any rate both cubs were still
asleep when he pulled up in front of K'Lan house.

Nonetheless once the vehicle had rumbled to a stop Jaimz blinked sleepily
and lifted his head to look around while Drey stretched and yawned
mightily.   Needlessly Kang said, "Were back."

Back, where Kaiel was.   Where he was safe if he was with Kaiel.
Suddenly Jaimz wanted to find Kaiel very badly and did not even bother to
snatch off the cloak as he ran into the house.   Drey, thinking Jaimz had
something fun for him to do followed immediately behind.  Jaimz was
heading directly for Kaiel's room, but he barely made the family wing
when he literally ran into someone that was just suddenly there.   He
bounced back and went down onto his seat, gasping for breath.

When he lifted his head he saw an ivory pelted female with an ivory white
mane in which she had pulled the sides back from her face to show off her
high cheekbones and the full fan of her expressive snowy ears.   She was
dressed in a long open sided high-necked and silver-trimmed blue tunic
dress, and she had blue eyes.  He was dazed enough by smacking into her
that all he could think about for a moment was that if green eyes were
rare, how rare than was blue?   Or do the blue eyes go with that light
ivory coloring?  He also noticed that while her chest was flat, from her
slender shoulders to her curved hips, to those long ivory legs which the
open sided tunic showed off she left no doubt that she was female.

She had not been stunned by the impact that had knocked him down though
it had taken her a moment to collect herself as she stood above him.
Finally she exclaimed imperiously, "What is this?  What are two impudent
cublings doing running wild in the halls of K'Lan House and knocking into
people?"   She hadn't really seen him yet, as it happened the cloak's
hood had actually further sheltered his face, and with Drey skipping
anxiously around and with his own small size to confuse her, she simply
took him for another cub deserving of a dressing down.

Jaimz started to apologize, anything to get by her and move on to finding
Kaiel.   But then, as he stood up, he noticed the second female who was
standing behind the first, this one had the same ivory pelt as the other
but instead of having an ivory mane hers was a deep rich red that he
could only think of as burgundy, also her eyes were back to the more
normal amber tones of the Zaran.   She was also dressed more
conservatively in a short green tunic and pale tan pants (apparently not
a matched set).  Looking at them both he knew them for strangers, they
were neither staffers nor villagers.   He Wondered who they were and what
they were doing in his way and more importantly where they had come
from.  He sullenly lowered his head, still wanting to keep his face
hidden and muttered an apology for his impudence, as the blue-eyed female
had labeled him.

First because he didn't know who she was so he couldn't give her the
proper honorific, second he was to weary to care about that stupid bit of
politeness anyway, but that lack seemed to bring out the worst in the
female, for she stepped forward, grabbed his arm, stuck a out a foot and
tripped him.   Had he really been a cub her pettiness would have been
intolerable!  The other female indicated just such an impression as she
scolded the first.

The ivory bitch scoffed, "He was rude to me.   Now he'll learn not to be
rude to me again."

"Jaimz Ni!" Drey cried as he hurried to help Jaimz to his feet.   His
actions, though good in spirit, unfortunately caused the hood to fall
back and exposed Jaimz' alien face.

Jaimz had been frightened and mauled to many times in one day to stand
another stranger touching him, which was exactly what the blue-eyed cat
did when she got over her initial shock at seeming him.   Mind, maybe if
she had just touched him he wouldn't have reacted so horrifically, but
she didn't just touch him.  She looked at him with unreserved interest,
like the cat that had just caught the canary out of its cage, and then
bent down to snatch him up...right off his feet.   He screamed.  He
couldn't help it as he yelled in utter terror, "Don't touch me!"

Suddenly there were more people in the hall, pouring in from everywhere.
  Jaimz heard Kang's voice, and Drey's.  But he also saw faces unfamiliar
and strange, and with his day, being as bad as it was proving to be it
was just too much for him to take.   He screamed again, just threw back
his head and howled in utter hopelessness.  The female holding him was
quite shocked by his reaction, but she was in for a greater shock moments
later.

Kaiel had heard the disturbance; he'd heard the yelling and he'd
recognized the voice.   Stepping out of his office Kaiel came into a
congregation in the hall where the press of bodies and voices was nearly
overwhelming, but just one voice and one body in the press drew him like
a lodestone.   "What is going on here?" he roared, cutting into the noise
and striding forward he pushed at Vreda causing her to stumble and in
stumbling she released Jaimz.   Jaimz didn't even touch the floor; he
went directly from hanging in Vreda's unwelcome grasp to clinging to
Kaiel with his entire body.

The moment Kaiel's scent enwrapped him, and his pelt enveloped him, and
those big arms embraced him Jaimz grew quiet though he still seemed as if
he wanted to climb right inside Kaiel's big body and hide there while he
softly sobbed "Kaiel, Kaiel," over and over again in great
body-shuddering breaths.   With everyone staring at him, some aware of
how much he cared for Jaimz, while others like Vreda were just stunned
and shocked, Kaiel turned away and went back into his room, softly
closing the door, and everyone else away.


________________________________________________________________________________


Kang stared after the closed door and caught Drey's arm as the cub
stalked toward the ivory pelted female who had helped to traumatize
Jaimz.   Drey twisted toward him and scowling fiercely he snarled, "She
had no right--."

Kang sensing that the female wouldn't put up with any wise mouthed cub's
antics shushed the cub sternly and said, "Go to your room for now Drey.
I'm sure dinner will be called soon.  So go clean up and get ready."

Stubbornly the cub continued to scowl at him and send ugly looks toward
the female, who fortunately didn't seem to be aware of the irate cub's
glares.   He gave the cub a push in the general direction of the guest
wing and added a light tap to his bottom for emphasis and issued a direct
and stern "Go!"   Drey went, but the cub still continued to send the
ivory cat ugly looks as long as he was able...and since the guest wing was
just on the opposite side of the receiving room, he was able to do so for
a while.

The rest of the crowd was dispersing now, though he noticed that the
ivory white female and another female who looked close enough to the
first to be kin to her remained where they were.   The ivory white female
had an extremely stunned look on her lovely face but as he watched he saw
her expression twist into one of contempt and anger.   He feared she was
going to do something seriously reckless, which any sort of interruption
of Kaiel and Jaimz at this moment would likely be, but he needn't have
worried for the other female had the good sense to take the first by the
hand and lead her away from Kaiel's door just as the female started to
get verbally irate.   When the pair had moved out of the crowd, with the
red maned female talking rapidly but soothingly to the ivory-maned one,
their departure revealed another face in the dispersing crowd, Terrill,
who was casting a look of utter disgust at the closed door.

Kang looked at him, then at the door, and knowing that he was the only
distraction the pair would allow he approached that door and let himself
in.   He spared a glance for Terrill as he passed, and it was a look the
said exactly what he thought and how far he would go to defend that
pair.  Terrill must have seen something, for his face blanked, but Kang
didn't linger to gloat, instead he softly closed the door and continued
on through to the inner chamber.

The room was cast in light afternoon shadows, but he didn't need good
light to see the pair sitting on the bed.   Well actually Kaiel was
sitting on the bed, while Jaimz was kneeling on his lap with his arms
wrapped around his neck and simply clinging to him with his entire
shaking body.   Kaiel looked up when he came in though he kept stroking
Jaimz' hair in an attempt to calm him.  His eyes were bright with concern
and anger, concern for his Tag Mate, anger for how he'd found him.
"What happened?" a simple question, and yet loaded with trouble.

Kang gave a simple answer, "He's had a really bad day." A bland
understatement if he did say so himself.

Kaiel just stared at him for a moment, perhaps waiting for him to say
more, but Kang chose to remain silent on the subject for now, because
Jaimz didn't need to hear his voice just yet.   Then Kaiel returned his
attention fully to his distraught Tag Mate.  Kang found a chair and
slumped down in it and promptly closed his eyes; he'd be ready to talk
with Kaiel when Jaimz was ready.

Kaiel caressed Jaimz' back and wondered what had happened to him, but
other than those first desperate utterances of his name he hadn't been
able to get Jaimz to talk to him.   All Jaimz wanted to do right now was
cling to him, pressed so tight against him that it seemed like he wanted
to merge into him.  Jaimz shuddered still, in fact his entire body just
shook but he felt neither cool nor hot, so he wasn't ill, he was just
distressed to his bones.   All Kaiel's concerns and upsets of the day
were as nothing compared to the concerns and upsets of the small being
that quivered against him.  But he wanted desperately for Jaimz to tell
him what was wrong, for just feeling his distress was exhausting.
Finally he shifted and stretched out on his bed, Jaimz of course went
with him, and with Kaiel being on his back, Jaimz didn't need to hold
onto him so hard to still cling to him.   He felt Jaimz' hands relax
their grip and then reposition to hug him around his ribs.  Kaiel sighed
softly and slid his hand under the cloak Jaimz was still wearing to
stroke his back again, after a moment he needed to touch his skin, and
since Jaimz wasn't wearing an open-sided tunic today he moved his hand
down, and then up under the tunic's hem until his hand was lying directly
on Jaimz bare skin.   Lightly he stroked that satiny petal skin and
gradually he felt Jaimz grow calmer.  His other hand he kept in Jaimz'
hair, stroking his fingers through the silky locks.

That was how he stayed until Jaimz' head moved under his hand and then
after a moment he continued stroking his hair even though Jaimz was
watching him now.   Jaimz was quieter but his slender body still
shuddered with the occasional shaky breath and tears still coursed down
his cheeks.  After a moment he brought his hand down and lightly brushed
the tears off Jaimz' damp eyelashes, Jaimz blinked slowly, clearing the
remaining tears away from his eyes and then heaved a deep shuddering sigh
as his distress finally began to fade.   Kaiel smiled softly, wiping his
damp cheeks and asked warmly, "Are you ok now?"

Jaimz gave a shaky nod and slowly sat up to straddle his big body, which
seemed to be one of his favorite positions.   With Jaimz it was like
having a cub sitting on his belly, which was hardly a hindrance at all.
He lazily draped his big hands loosely about Jaimz hips, which were so
slim that he could easily span them with his fingers (he could probably
interlock his fingers if he wanted to).   Jaimz, who was still letting
out the occasional breathy sob, moved his own small hands under Kaiel's
tunic to just above the waist of his pants where he curled his fingers
into his pelt.   This seemed to calm him down yet again for with that bit
of pelt captured by his small fingers his breathing became easier.  Kaiel
wanted to touch bare skin, but he didn't want to lift his hands from
Jaimz' hips, so he did the next best thing, he undid the drawstring
holding Jaimz' pants up, and with the drawstring loosened, the pants fell
open, revealing plenty of bare skin for Kaiel to touch, he didn't even
worry about Kang, who seemed to be slumbering in the nearby chair, as he
slid his fingers back over those now bare hips.   Besides Jaimz was still
wearing his tunic which hung to the top of his thighs anyway, and more
than that he was still wearing the cloak which covered him nearly
entirely except for his head, since the hood had fallen back.

Jaimz rolled his hips slightly forward and leaned into Kaiel, and then he
looked down at him with such intense eyes that seemed to be asking for
something that Kaiel couldn't dare ask aloud.   Jaimz loosed his fingers
from his pelt, only to start to undo his button fronted tunic right to
the high neck.  Silently, wordlessly Jaimz pushed the unbuttoned tunic
open and ran his fingers through his pelt, tracing the hard muscles that
lay just beneath that soft pelt which helped shape Kaiel's beautiful
body.   Kaiel shivered with pleasure as Jaimz' fingers strolled lower,
following the central line of fur to where it swirled around his navel
and then farther down still until Jaimz' fingers rubbed at his belly just
above the line of his pants.   Again Jaimz rolled his hips, and again his
hands moved up to trace the path all over again, but this time his
fingers lingered where his pelt swirled into little peaks on his chest.
Kaiel rocked his own hips as those exploring fingers sunk into the fur
and discovered sensitive little nubs hidden beneath.  He moaned
softly...and then groaned outright when Jaimz leaned over and pressed the
tip of his tongue into that swirl in his pelt to actually lick his
nipple.    Then Jaimz arched back keening softly and slumped forward
against him again.  Kaiel felt Jaimz heave another shaky sigh, and he
knew that Jaimz was still okay, though he wondered what that last bit had
been about.

With his hands resting on Jaimz' pert and silkily bare bottom Kaiel
chanced a little exploration.   When stroking his finger between Jaimz'
cheek only garnered stillness from Jaimz he risked a bit more
exploration.  Skirting that oh so intriguing pucker he knew so well, he
let his hand stroke down between Jaimz' legs, pushing the pants bottom
even further down.   Jaimz was so smooth and silky there too, that even
touching his small velvety balls felt amazing.  Jaimz' response to his
touch was to tilt his exquisite hips up and spread his thighs even wider
apart.   Emboldened Kaiel enclosed his big hand over Jaimz' soft and not
so soft genitals and gently began to squeeze and tug at the diminutive
length of Jaimz' penis.   Jaimz hissed softly and breathlessly murmured,
"...Kaiel...."

That was enough for Kaiel; he rolled up, carrying the surprised Jaimz
over onto his back while he went to his knees before him.   Jaimz gave
him a wondering look, but Kaiel had no intension of fucking yet...at least
not right now, even though he peeled Jaimz' loose pants right off and
dumped them on the floor.   No, as much as he would love to sink his rod
deep inside Jaimz body, this time he would do something for Jaimz alone.
His hand returned to Jaimz' penis as once again he began to squeeze and
tug at it.   His skin there was as delicate as the rest of his body, and
intriguing in its loose softness over the swelling hardness.   As he
worked though the looseness of the skin firmed up as the length of him
expanded as if filling the looseness up from the inside.   That which had
started nearly soft became hard in his hand and even swelled at the tip
where the blood engorged crown pressed free of its delicate sheath of
soft skin.   Kaiel lifted his eyes to look at Jaimz' face, to see his Tag
Mate with his eyes squeezed shut and his upper teeth chewing desperately
upon his sensual bottom lip.  He wanted Jaimz to watch him, he wanted
those beautiful sea foam green-eyes to be fixed upon him, he got his wish
when he lowered his head and licked that throbbing tip, tasting another
flavor of Jaimz.   He kept his own eyes open, and he watched Jaimz
watching him with those amazing eyes of his.

It wasn't enough to lick Jaimz' penis, though he bathed the entire length
with his tongue many times, no, he needed so much more of Jaimz...he
wanted Jaimz inside him as he opened his mouth and sucked him in.
Jaimz groaned and rocked his hips, so Kaiel suckled him from base to tip,
which only made Jaimz' hips gyrate more.  He smiled around his mouthful
as Jaimz panted and groaned and gyrated for him, while all along he
watched him with those eyes of his.   He opened and bent Jaimz' legs,
gaining easy access to that which lay between.  While he nursed, licked,
laved, and gently scraped (with his teeth) he teased Jaimz' tight velvety
ball sack and moved his fingers farther down to massage his throbbing
anus.   Jaimz panted and gasped while his body squirmed responsively as
all his pleasure channels awakened.  As Kaiel's fingers stroked his anus
Jaimz pushed against him, encouraging his fingers to want to ease into
that swelling pucker.   While Kaiel continued to nurse his penis, he
watched Jaimz eyes and his expressive face, as he pushed one long and
thick finger inside his body.

Jaimz, who had taken more than a finger's thickness inside his body,
sighed, "oooh," and rolled his hips firmly into Kaiel's hand, seeking
more fullness.   Kaiel obliged, easing a second finger in beside the
first and teasingly stretching Jaimz' tender anus wider.  He continued to
nurse at Jaimz' throbbing penis to while he introduced finger number
three into that warm snugness.   There was a bit of pain now, as those
three fingers nearly echoed the thickness of his rod, but his pushed the
forth finger in, to Jaimz sobs and moans of both mingled pleasure and
pain.   He was careful now, because his four fingers together were wider
than his rod and they didn't yield at all so Jaimz' snug flesh had to
stretch to accommodate them.   It did hurt, and Jaimz squeezed his thighs
shut...but with Kaiel's head in the way Jaimz couldn't actually close his
legs so he simply pressed them tightly together around Kaiel, but even
though the stretching hurt the tugging and nursing at his penis
distracted him constantly from that pain, until all the sucking at his
penis and pumping at his anus melded together to bring Jaimz to a
shattering orgasm.

Kaiel closed his eyes as he drank Jaimz in, he slowly withdrew each
finger from inside as he dragged out every last drop of Jaimz' warm and
salty juice.   Then he drew up from the spent and trembling Jaimz, while
licking the last taste of him off his lips.  Jaimz looked so amazing as
he sprawled gasping on his back with his legs bent up and fallen wide
apart.   His chest heaved within the confining tunic, he was partially
tangled in the white cloak and he was deliciously bare from his hips
down.  He looked as if he was ready for some serious loving or better
still as if he'd just had some serious loving, he looked so wanton and
sensual that it was all Kaiel could do to calm himself and quiet his
beast before this came to be about his needs and not Jaimz'.

He leaned over Jaimz and whispered, "Thank you."

Jaimz nodded, smiling tremulously and murmured in reply, "That was
wonderful."

Their forgotten audience chose that precise moment to applaud them with
gentle delight, "That was quite lovely and more than my heart can take at
my terrible old age."

Jaimz froze, and a blush crept up his cheeks though his smile only
faltered slightly and turned rueful instead.

Kaiel choked back a ragged laugh and bent over Jaimz to rest his forehead
against his.   He couldn't believe he had so completely forgotten the old
medic.  The last time he'd remembered him, before things had gone totally
sexual, Kang had seemed asleep.   Now the old male was grinning at them
and his eyes were twinkling with fond amusement.  Embarrassed and amused
at the same time, he turned his head to look at the medic and groused
with a slight smile, "You could have made a noise or something."

Kang gave him a truly surprised look and then chortled richly; "Now why
would I have done that?   I wouldn't have seen such a grand display."  He
grinned cheekily as his ruff puffed out, and added, "I think you just
added another ten years to my life.   Ah life is all about the precious
moments."

Kaiel casually straightened Jaimz' tunic so that he was decently covered
and moved away from him while quipping, "I never thought you were such a
voyeur Kang Ni."

Kang just grinned and shrugged his ample shoulders, watching as the pair
rearranged themselves so that they faced him, though he noticed with
hooded interest that Jaimz was content to sit against Kaiel and lean into
his side while Kaiel draped his big arm around him.   He knew part of
that was Jaimz' trauma of the day being a still fresh memory, but he also
suspected that Jaimz was simply adjusting to his situation, resigning
himself to a role where he was the dominated even though he seemed to
indicate when he could be dominated.

Kaiel smiled tenderly at Jaimz and then asked, "Now that we have all
seemed to settle down.   Could someone please tell me what happened?"

Kang huffed unenthusiastically, "Well, I should say I fumbled things
today.   Bringing Jaimz out with me was not a good idea."

Jaimz however immediately exclaimed, "No...that isn't so Doc!   I was glad
for it!  It was wonderful to see different things and places and I want
to do it again....  It's just I will have to be more careful, and not...do
anything reckless."

Kaiel frowned as he looked from the medic to Jaimz and back again.
"What exactly did occur?"

Kang sighed regretfully, "Well you see, three young males slipped by me
while I was down stairs loading some of my stuff--I'd left Jaimz to
wrapping my personal things in my apartment--any way...those three
accosted Jaimz and gave him a bad fright."

Jaimz hastened to explain, "They didn't hurt me though!" after a moment
as he felt Kaiel relax again, he murmured vaguely, "It's just...I don't
understand why this shit happens to me."

Kaiel knew, but he made no reply, since he was sure that Jaimz wasn't
seeking external answers to his musings anyway.   Instead he pushed
beyond to irritating thought of those three males scaring Jaimz to what
he had witnessed when he'd found him.  "And what exactly happened in the
hall?"

Jaimz grew angry in the recollection and ground out, "She was
reprehensible!   Sure I ran into her, but it was me that fell!  And when
I apologized she tripped me!  I mean what if I really was a cub?   Adults
don't go around tripping kids Goddammit!  'Course when I fell the second
time and Drey tried to help me up the cloak's hood fell back and I guess
she saw my face for suddenly she just picked me up--the fuckin
Amazon--and well...the rest you know." He blushed with the conclusion of
his explanation and primly decided to adjust the hem of his tunic again.

"But why did you run into her in the first place?" Kaiel wondered softly.

Jaimz leaned forward, pressing his hands into the coverlet as he stared
down at seemingly nothing.   Whisperingly he said, "I was coming to you.
I--I needed to feel your touch--I needed to feel safe again." He bent his
face away so Kaiel couldn't see the hint of tears that shimmered in his
eyes again.   Not that it mattered, for Kaiel just pulled him back around
to him and hugged him.  Jaimz sighed deeply, relaxing into Kaiel's
comforting embrace as he rested his head against his big shoulder.   He
didn't even care that the coolness of air touching his bottom meant he
was flashing the good medic...he just didn't care right now.

From somewhere behind him, Kang's kindly voice concluded today's tale.
"Like I said Kaiel.  Jaimz had a bad day.... What with first thing this
morning and then in Chocho and finally just a short time ago.   Those
things just accumulated one on top of the other until he broke."

Kaiel tensed though for something in the medic's statement was still
unknown to him.   "What happened first thing this morning?"

Jaimz slid down against his body and looked up at him.   "Probably
nothing.  I'm just paranoid I guess."

Kaiel just cocked one expressive ear and waited for a better answer.
Jaimz sighed and muttered; "I thought someone was watching me after you
left this morning...from outside.  But when I checked there was no one
there."   He shrugged uncomfortably and absently swirled his fingers in
Kaiel's exposed pelt, before continuing.  "I'm just not used to having to
deal with such big windows and...well all that view." He glanced up again,
"Sometimes I feel a bit exposed."

Kang chose that moment to lighten the mood, "Well your are exposed and it
is a sweet little bottom too!"

Kaiel started to laugh, while Jaimz, reminded once again of his bared
bottom primly tugged the tunic back down to cover him once more.   He
also sent a scathing look at Kang, who just snorted and nearly fell out
of his chair laughing.  Since both males were laughing with great abandon
Jaimz slid from the bed, picked up his discarded pants and said icily, "I
have better things to do if you two idiots are going to carry on like
that."


________________________________________________________________________________


Dinner, when it was called two full marks later, proved to be an
uncomfortable event.   The females were, not surprisingly, seated at the
table and obviously guests of the house.  The blue-eyed cat was named
L'Teran Vreda and while the other with the rich red mane and warm amber
eyes was her cousin Teran Zuzu.   The meal was a fussy affair complete
with many meat dishes that were cooked in sauces or had bowls of dipping
sauces on the side.  Because of his intolerance to many foods a special
tray of select items had been prepared for Jaimz, which Terrill
benevolently guaranteed, were safe for him.   That was fine, though he
hadn't expected Terrill to act kindly toward him, and he was suspicious
that it was just an act.  He of course was introduced to the females,
Vreda, who had been watching him slyly was merely curious about his
relation with Kaiel, to which he made no reply.   The second female, Zuzu
was gracious in her greeting and curious about who, what, and where he
came from.

Speaking with Zuzu was pleasant he found, she was smart as well as
compassionate and showed sincere sympathy when he softly spoke about his
crew, dead now for over three months.

Of course Vreda wasn't as compassionate and scoffed at the idea that the
ship and crew had been his, she practically called him a cub and said
that it was obvious that he was too young to have such responsibility.

Trying not to rise to her bait he replied coolly, "The Jump Ship was my
design and the crew worked for me.  My age or lack thereof is
immaterial."

Before she could say anything to dispute him Zuzu asked, "What must it
have been like to find out that you were so far from your home and that
maybe--you might never be able to return?"

It hurt, thinking about it, even more so because now that he was tied to
Kaiel the likelihood of ever returning to earth to live, even if he did
find it again, was remote to impossible.   He looked down at his plate
and whispered, "It--was--terrifying."

Kaiel, glancing worriedly at him, explained in the silence afterwards,
"Our Astronomers and Diplomats are trying to locate his home world.   So
far the Astronomers haven't found the solar system he describes and the
Diplomats haven't had any luck yet with their Other World Allies.  Only
the Hasbet have replied as of yet, and that was to say that they will
contact their other allies."

Jaimz sighed sadly, "Chances are my ship jumped farther than any one ever
expected it too." He looked at Kaiel and smiling forlornly said, "For all
we know I could have jumped to another galaxy altogether."

Vreda snorted derisively, "Is that even possible?   Travel between
galaxies is far to distant...why it even takes sometimes years to just
travel across some of the larger systems."

Jaimz glared at her and snapped, "I used my Gate technology when I
designed the Jump Ship.   The whole idea of the Jump ship was so that we
could eventually travel beyond our galaxy to our nearest neighbor.  My
Gate technology has turned months or years of travel into days or weeks...
so yeah... that was my goal."

Vreda thankfully was silent for a moment, but Zuzu was intrigued enough
to ask, "These Gate things?   How do they work?"

Jaimz was happy to explain the mechanism of Gate Travel, both for outer
space and inner space...as in land based Gates.   He spoke
enthusiastically about Gates that used energy to attract and repel
vessels along there course and how the vessels, either trains on Earth,
or Space ships travel inside gravity streams, which protected them from
the sheer speed of the travel and prevented the vessels from being
literally shaken apart, which was one of the factors in how fast a vessel
could travel.   The Gravity stream protected the vessel because the
vessel was merely sailing along in the current of that stream.   Gate
Travel was exceedingly smooth and so extremely fast that a four day trip
to the moon now took all of an hour, and that included to time it took to
be ferried through Earth's atmosphere and also the time it required to
Taxi to the surface of the moon.   The one thing he hadn't been able to
work out was how to build a Gate on Earth that could safely pass thru the
atmosphere and connect up properly with the orbital Gate.   That was one
of the projects he had put on hold to build his Jump Ship Prototype.
Thinking about that shelved project reminded him of other projects he was
planning or even just dreaming about before the Jump Ship project had
pretty much taken up all his time.

As soon as he finished his description, Drey decided that was a perfect
moment to interject his own observations.   He had been sourly watching
Vreda from the onset of the meal, just waiting for his moment to jab at
her since he was still unhappy with how she had been toward Jaimz earlier
in the day.   "Yeah Jaimz is real smart ...his first Gate was built when
he was fifteen... That's only three years older than me!"  He crowed
proudly, "You should see his lab too.   It's full of all these neat
drawings and notes and things that I'm learning how to read.  He's
learning to read Zaran way faster than I'm learning his letters and
numbers."

Jaimz felt his cheeks warm and murmured softly, "That's because the
English language is complicated."   He peered thoughtfully at a choice of
meats on the tray, and decided that the tender slice of what looked like
roast beef was worth trying.

Drey spluttered incredulously, "But it's only 26 symbols and 10 numbers."

"Yes, however the combinations to form words and sentences and number
units is--infinite."   He tasted the meat, and found it had a bold strong
flavor, like and unlike beef, more gamy and bloody flavored even though
the meat was well cooked.   While thinking whether he liked the taste or
not he continued his conversation with Drey.  "The Zaran language might
have one symbol to describe an entire word or even a sentence, and by
grouping two or more symbols will change the meaning of words and
sentences--so, even though you have many hundreds of symbols and
combinations of symbols they were fairly easy to memorize once I
recognized the patterns.   Unfortunately there are no obvious patterns
with the alphabet.  I'm also starting to work on a Zaran/Earth dictionary
of your words--since I probably have a lifetime to prepare it and get it
ready before my people and yours make contact."

"You do speak our language--amazingly well." Zuzu observed, "Who was your
teacher?"

His teacher?   He nearly dropped his Nobi Sticks (like chopsticks), as
images of his teacher were conjured up.  He had never thought of himself
being taught anything other than how to get through the brutality and the
rapes he suffered at the hands of Lorz and his friend Ham.   He had
merely learned by listening for patterns and made word associations and
logical assumptions from that.  Fortunately he was saved from having to
answer when Kaiel speared a slice of moist red meat from his tray and
dropped it neatly on his plate.

"You should try this Sanat meat.   It really is delicious." Kaiel advised
smilingly.

Jaimz, grateful for the interruption that had saved him from a painful
discourse, smiled in reply.

Vreda though, who had observed the entire little scene with amused
contempt, couldn't help driving in a cruel barb as she purred sweetly,
"Are you going to start feeding him too?"

"Hey!"   Drey instantly reacted, he was still not happy with the female,
no not one bit.

But Kaiel, who spoke calmly over the cub's protest, said, "That does not
concern you."

For a moment the light pelted female just stared back at him, as if
astonished that he would dare to oppose her, then her lips twisted into a
sly smile, "Really?   How can you say that Kaiel Ni?  I think it should
matter very much to me what is going on beneath this roof, especially
once I come to live under it."

Kaiel growled softly, "Whether you ever reside at K'Lan Pride or not is
beside the point.   What is between Jaimz and myself is none of your
Fuckin business." His voice rose by increments so that by the time he
concluded his warning he was roaring.

Well, that was a sure indication that there was something between them,
Jaimz thought ruefully as he felt his cheeks grow warm with
embarrassment.

Vreda however wasn't good at taking a warning; for she smirked, "Nonsense
It is my business for when we are formally Betrothed, everything inside
K'Lan Pride will matter to me--including any reputation you may gain by
being unseemly protective of your--pet." She gestured dismissively toward
Jaimz.

However, Jaimz had stopped seeing or hearing at the word Betrothed when
it had been uttered in relation to Kaiel.    He was pretty certain that
all the blood had drained away from his face around the same time he lost
his appetite and all interest in his meal.  He recalled talking to Kang
about just this subject before he had accepted Kaiel as his replacement
Tag Mate.  There was no reason why Kaiel couldn't have a normal
relationship with one of his own kind--after all he only had to be with
him every 72 hours to keep the Tag at bay--he suddenly felt sick just
thinking about it.

Vreda was still speaking, "Of course I realize that K'Lan has offered
Jaimz Ni their protection, but I see no need for you to be ever so close
to him.   I will not be dishonored by you K'Lan Kaiel--as my mate I will
demand that you always conduct yourself with complete Honor and avoid
involving yourself in any sordid--activities." She couldn't possibly know
what kind of relationship Jaimz and Kaiel had, but by the way she hinted
and suggested it seemed to indicate some inside knowledge or extremely
good guess work.

Kaiel was about to blast into her when Jaimz pushed back from the table
and excused himself.   When Kang rose and Kaiel pushed away from the
table and even young Drey jumped out of his chair, Jaimz hastened to say,
"Please!  Don't leave on my account.   I just have an upset stomach.
Please finish you dinners."  Glancing at Kang, and avoiding Kaiel's
searching eyes, he added, "And I will take something for my stomach,
Doc."

Terrill frowned compassionately--no doubt an act, Jaimz thought
suspiciously--as he said, "Something must have slipped pass the Cook.
My profound apologies Jaimz."

Jaimz glanced at him, and seeing his slightly snide smile, he smiled and
nodded back, knowing full well that they were both sharing a perfect
moment where each knew the other was lying.

Kaiel moved as Jaimz did, saying, "Jaimz?"

Jaimz threw up his hand and snapped, "Don't!" that was all, but he used
the same tone he would on dog--and it only made him more angry to see
Kaiel's ears fold back in response.   He clenched his fists then spun and
marched from the dining room as quickly as he could with out appearing
that he was in a hurry.

Kaiel stood stunned after Jaimz had left, stunned more by Jaimz' anger
than by the tone of his voice, he understood that Jaimz was upset at
having heard the news this way, it definitely wasn't how he had planned
to warn him about his possible betrothal to that vicious cat.

Vreda was smirking and acting as if she had just won a contest.   Kaiel
looking at her was filled with such anger that he had no sense really of
what he was doing as he slammed his fisted into the dinner
table...disturbing place settings and the guests as he roared, "No matter
whom I finally take to Mate I will not abandon Jaimz!"   He glared from
Vreda to his father, just to ensure that Terrill realized he was speaking
to both of them.  Then, while still growling, he lunged away from the
table to follow after Jaimz.

After a moment of stunned silence Vreda sniffed disdainfully and said,
"How rude!   He is more considerate of that Pet than he is of me!  Why he
wouldn't even see me this afternoon when I asked him to show me the
formal gardens--but the moment that creature set up a ruckus he was right
there all concerned and worried!   It's just not natural I say!"

Kang stared across at the female who had managed to actually take his
enjoyment in eating away and once again he silently crossed another mark
off against her.

Drey, with fierce cubling loyalty, rose to his teachers defense, "Jaimz
is not a Pet!   He's smarter than you!  He's smarter than every one in
the whole wor--."

Gently Kang laid his hand on the cub's tense arm and said lightly, "That
will do cub."

Drey jerked toward him, his mouth working to continue his rant, but
finally he sullenly subsided and nodded politely at Kang, though his ears
continued to flick with his aggravation and finally he muttered, "May I
be excused please?   Dinner isn't sitting well with me either."

Once the cub had left, after nodding politely to everyone but Vreda who
received a fierce scowl, Kang waited for the explosion.   It wasn't long
in coming.  "How rude!  Terrill Ni I have been completely dishonored!
That cub!  Who is that cub to act so rudely toward me!  I won't allow it,
I demand he be punished!"

Kang sighed, he doubted that Terrill would order any such punishment of
the cub, he didn't seem to be that sort of male, but nonetheless the
female's attitude was utterly irritating.   He sent Terrill a look that
he knew the younger male could read clearly, a look that asked, just what
are you thinking?  Then he rose from the table, taking his half eaten
dinner with him and excused himself as well.   He gave the three still
remaining carefully measured nods, to Zuzu who had been profoundly
embarrassed by her cousin's attitude he gave a measure more of respect,
he didn't yet know what to make of her, she had been carefully silent and
observant throughout the entire uncomfortable exchange, so that his
opinion of her was not yet formed.

But before he had stepped far from the table he paused, taking in Vreda
and Terrill both with a disapproving look, "You should know--that which
is between Kaiel and Jaimz is complicated.   I feel that neither of you
will likely ever understand."  He left them then, knowing that his words
would only raise Vreda's ire, but it would leave Terrill wondering what
he meant by--complicated.   He knew that Terrill knew Jaimz had been very
sick, indeed the staffers marveled at how on one day Jaimz had seemed
ready to die and how on the very next day he was sitting to breakfast and
looking ever so happy and content.   But he didn't know why, for not even
the staffers knew about the Tag that had been masked during the night of
Jaimz' extraordinary recovery.

With plate in hand Kang sauntered from the dining room, leaving the three
to stew in their own thoughts.   Of the three, only Zuzu was the true
wildcard, for he didn't know what to make of her yet.


________________________________________________________________________________


Jaimz did not go directly back to his suite for he knew that Kaiel would
look for him there and he needed some time to think.      He felt a bit
ashamed at the tone of voice he had taken with Kaiel--but finding out
that way had surprised him.

As he thought about Vreda's callous announcement of the pending betrothal
he told himself that it was the way he had found out that bothered him,
and not the fact that Kaiel was going to be betrothed that bothered him.
  After all, why should he care either way?  He only needed Kaiel once
every 72 hours to tame the Tag Addiction.   Let Kaiel have a regular
family to keep him busy the rest of the time and that way without any
walking eight foot tall distractions around he could get back to work on
his projects, not the least was finding a cure for the Tag Addiction.

He headed from the inner garden, which was between the family wing and
the staffer wing.   This was where more of the kitchen gardens could be
found, as well as gardens for contemplation, solitude and to pass the
time.  He followed paths that meandered along babbling streams and
crossed arched bridges that led into green grottos.   He tried to think
about his projects--his land gates and orbital gates.  He wondered why
the Jump Ship had gone so far off course, and he still wanted to see his
ship's data because it would be easier to use the sensor data that it had
recorded rather than doing everything by guessing, even if they were
educated guesses.   All he really had of that data record was a memory
that the sensors had recorded a massive power surge right when his Jump
Ship had entered the Jump stream.   So knowing that the power surge was
likely one of the reasons for the accident he had a start point to work
with, but that still didn't explain how the ship had ended up here--when
he didn't really know where here was by the star charts--nor why his ship
hadn't disintegrated during the accident.   Wasting time with Kaiel
wasn't helping him to solve any of the puzzles that he was currently
working on.

Still, he sighed, if he kept telling himself that Kaiel was merely a
distraction maybe he would start to believe it.   Kaiel was his friend,
that was all and there was nothing between them except for the necessity
of answering the 72-hour.

He should be happy--no relieved--for Kaiel and celebrate his friend's
pending marriage--though he doubted it would be a very happy one since
Vreda was a real bitch.   No maybe his problem with this pending marriage
wasn't so much the marriage even, but rather the choice of spouse for
Kaiel?  Maybe had the female been different, even like the quiet Zuzu he
wouldn't even have been upset at all?

However, when he heard light footsteps approaching from behind, he still
frowned in irritation and it was an effort to keep his voice light when
he said.   "Surely dinner isn't over already?"

Under a tree of dark green leaves with masses of pick blossoms Kaiel
paused, the tree framed him perfectly and only served to make his pale
golden pelt even more rich in tone.   "I was concerned about you."

Jaimz leaned back on the bench he was sitting on and looked up through
the tree canopy at the bits of azure sky he could see.   "Really?  Well
as you can see--I'm fine."

"I see--that you didn't return to your room." Kaiel noted carefully.

Jaimz smirked, "I thought this way that it would take you longer to track
me down.   Nice job sniffing my out Simba."  Oh yeah, he was still very
annoyed.

Kaiel's ears flicked back--he recognized the insult if not the
reference--but he relaxed his ears and murmured, "I'm sorry.   I didn't
think that Vreda would have just come out and said it that way."

Jaimz shrugged and said, "Well it would have been nice to be forewarned.
  But it isn't like it matters to me."

Kaiel stiffened and growled, "Liar."

Now Jaimz looked at him coolly and enquired icily, "Why should I care?
If you marry her or not it your funeral and it has nothing to do with me
either way."  After a moment he added, "Good luck with that by the way, I
personally think she's a real pill."

Kaiel snarled, "I can hear by your voice that you do care either way--and
I have no intention of Mating with her!   My father invited her here, I
didn't and the less I see of her the better."

Jaimz laughed cruelly, "Poor you.   You are so put upon.  Me, I need you
every 72 hours, and now you have another demanding mate sniffing after
you.  Must be nice to be so popular."

"Don't talk like that!   I don't put up with you!  I never put up with
you!  What we need--what we have--is important, it's--."

"It's okay Kaiel." Jaimz interrupted, "Really it's okay.   It's better
this way.  I was starting to forget myself.  Get your mate--have your
cubs--leave me alone.   Just--leave--me--alone."

Kaiel flinched as if Jaimz had hit him, and then he asked bitterly, "Why
does this bother you so much?   I am my father's only son.  I need to
continue our legacy or the title will pass to another after I'm gone.  It
isn't that I want too--and certainly not with Vreda!  But one day I must
take a mate and sire cubs!  Surely you understand how important it is to
my house?   Surely you can't fault me for doing my duty?"

Jaimz found himself growing tenser with every word Kaiel said, and when
Kaiel was done, he simply snapped, "But it's always been duty with you
Kaiel!   You saved me out of duty!  You come to my bed out of duty!  Why
should anything ever be different with you?   You are so damn principled
that it was a joke for Vreda to even suggest that you could ever be less
than honorable.  I said I don't care!   Why should it matter to me?  Go
take your damn wife--go have your damn cubs--and leave me alone!  I don't
need you!   I've never needed you!  If it weren't for the fuckin 72-hour
I wouldn't want anything to do with you!  So go on--just leave me alone!"

Kaiel stood so tense that he was actually shaking while he stood looking
down at a furious Jaimz.   Those words had felt like stabbing knife
wounds, ripping at his heart, but he also knew that Jaimz was aching and
hurting too.  Jaimz day of upsets had simply been topped with the last
stunner to make Jaimz feel utterly vulnerable and defenseless.    He told
himself to calm down, that Jaimz was the upset one here and that he could
be the patient one here.  "You don't mean that." He chided while stepping
forward to touch Jaimz since he knew that in simply touching him he would
start healing the hurts.

But Jaimz didn't want to be soothed, he recoiled and snapped, "Don't
touch me!   Don't you listen?  Are you deaf?  I said leave me alone!"

Kaiel pulled back his hand as if stung and he glared at Jaimz as he
growled, "Fine!   Be that way!"  And then he spun around and stomped away
from him.  And when you weighed well over three hundred pounds and were
not trying to be quiet it was fairly easy to make quite a bit of noise.

Jaimz listened until he heard nothing--at least nothing related to
Kaiel--and once the natural sounds and rhythms of the garden were
restored he nodded to himself.   It was better this way, Kaiel was his
friend and that was enough.  They could still be friends and do the
72-hour, but there was no need for more emotional ties than he already
had.

Still, he felt very lonely as he went back into the house to return to
his own suite.


________________________________________________________________________________


Once back in his room he let himself forget his unhappy encounter with
Kaiel by immersing himself in his work.   He was working on a paper model
of the Gate--with all its intricate pieces to be meticulously fit
together when his door opened, there was no rapping of claws or enquiring
voice to ask for entry--the door just opened.   Still feeling defensive,
and half believing it would be Kaiel to try and sooth things over, he
reacted immediately, "I told you to leave me al--." Then he stopped
himself short when he saw whom it was that had intruded upon his privacy.
  He quickly recovered and muttered, "What are you doing here?"

Vreda, the pretty cat, lounged in the doorway.   She knew she looked
terrific with all that ivory fur and braided ivory mane and those icy
blue eyes rimmed with the same dark gray as her delicate nose pad and
wide thin lips.   She had changed for dinner into a sleek fitted indigo
tunic dress which though sleeveless was not open sided, and yet the slits
that ran from mid thigh to ankle still managed to show of those long
shapely legs of hers.

She smiled as she ambled into the room and though she said nothing to him
she did spend a few good moments looking over each project table and
board.   She carefully touched things, closely examined the precise
drawings and measurements of the revised drawings and rifled through the
notes, which he, Drey and Kang were laboriously converting to Zaran
script.   Most of the text she had no hope of reading for they were still
in his native language but she still spent a few minutes perusing the
notes which had been converted and she would purse her lips or beetle her
brow when ever she came across anything she could understand to a point.


After a moment she set the notes away and turned to look at him and
asked, "Can you really do this?   Build these Gates to make travel across
Z'Rarla and through Space faster?"

Jaimz nodded, though he refrained from saying anything as he was hoping
that she would leave now that she had seen everything of interest
apparently.   He was very glad that at least the Tag information was
safely locked away on Kang's Com-Pad, for he didn't want to try to
explain why he was researching that.

However she idly stroked her hand over one of the tables and lightly
touched one of the paper models he had put together of the bullet like
train the land based Gates used.   She smiled indolently and murmured,
"Very clever, if this works Z'Rarla will shrink then?"

He sighed and replied this time; "It will simply make it easier to get
places.   The Gates would link the major Cities and Space Ports, and
probably the Pride Houses if they wish it."

She moved around behind him then.   Taking in his Jump Ship project,
which he had sketched out meticulously on the Board.  The project was
complete with careful notes and observations in both Zaran and Earth
symbols.   He didn't bother to watch her, because he kept hoping that if
he showed no interest in what she was doing that she would leave him
alone.

However when she came to stand directly behind him he found himself
tensing even though he tried to stay relaxed.   She murmured, "If this is
for real and you really can do as you claim, the you will advance
Z'Rarla's Technology far beyond that of our alleys." She sighed, and he
tried not to flinch when her hand came down to lightly touch his hair, "I
suppose that having you belong to K'Lan house will only add Prestige to
K'Lan Pride."

At that he angrily shook her off and snapped, "I don't belong to K'Lan
house or anyone else!   I'm not property."

She chuckled richly, "Of course your not property in the sense that you
are a Slave or anything like that.  I merely meant that you are tied to
K'Lan House.  Why K'Lan has even given you the particular honor of using
the K'Lan name (she knew nothing yet about the mating contract)." She
smiled and reached out to stroke his hair again.

He shifted away from her and growled, "I have work to do."

She smirked, "You don't like me do you Jaimz?"

He hesitated, but rather than tell the truth, he hedged, "I really don't
know you well."

"Ah...so you can be polite when you need to be." She chuckled, following
him as he moved away from her.

"I'm not the one who tripped me!"   He retorted fiercely.

She shrugged unconcernedly, and said, "That was ill mannered of me."

Jaimz couldn't help twisting in the barb, "I suspect that you are always
Ill mannered.   Had I been a cub what you did would have been
reprehensible."

She chortled, "But you are not a cub for all of your small stature and
delicate build."

With the table between them he snapped, "Yeah, but you didn't know that
when you tripped me."

She shrugged an expressive shoulder and murmured as she watched him, "Why
do you run from me Jaimz Ni?"

Jaimz scowled, "Because you keep trying to touch me!"

She laughed softly, "That is your fault Pet.   If you were only ugly and
not so very fascinating I wouldn't want to touch you.  But as it is...I
think that you are more than touched by Kaiel--are you not little one?"

He felt his cheeks warm, which only made her smile stretch even more.
She canted her head and gave him a long thoughtful look, "How...do you
manage it?  I assume you take him in the manner of males together?"

"Shut up!   You don't know what you're talking about!"  Jaimz insisted
shakily.

She snorted inelegantly, "I can smell him all over you so there's no need
to lie to me."

He shuddered, then drew himself up and scowlingly said, "Yeah well I
don't fuckin care what you believe.   I have work to do--please leave!"

She smirked, "Kaiel said that same word.   I don't know what it means but
I think it must be something offensive?"

He smiled in return, though there was nothing friendly in his smile,
"Really?   Here's another one for you.  Get the Fuck out of here!"

However she remained unmoved and in fact seemed all the more amused by
him.   Instead she started around the table again while he stubbornly
stood his ground while she said, "I can see why you hold Kaiel's interest
and probably others as well.   You really are--quite pretty pet."

"Shut up!   Don't call me Pet!  Bitch!"

She merely smiled, "It would be easy to take you Pet."

"And do what with me?" he snapped bitterly.

She smiled slowly, "Surely you can guess.   You're so pretty--I would
like to touch you all over--see everything there is about you.  Delve
your mysteries.   Plumb your depths."

He paled, for obviously her choice of words had a double meaning.
Softly, trying to keep his temper he said, "Please leave Vreda."

Her lips twisted into something ugly, "I don't have to listen to you.   I
could take you so easily.  You could try to run but you know you could
never escape me.  And so long as Kaiel continues to delve your intriguing
mysteries I will be sure to follow suit."   She had him now, he didn't
even move away from her as one big hand caught him lightly and drew him
closer while the other stroked along his cheek.  He stared at her with
concern mingled with something that even he could not name.  He hated
her, she was as foul as any one could be and she was threatening him
too...but he was also intrigued in spite of himself.

She smiled, tucking her fingers into his hair and tilting his head back.
  She exposed the long bare line of his throat and murmured, "It would be
so easy to bite out that sweet white throat and have your life spill into
me... but that would be a waste now wouldn't it..."

He pushed against her grip then, resisting what she was trying to do.
"Let me go.  Don't touch me."

"Why?  Are you frightened little one?  What is there to be afraid of?  I
wouldn't hurt you, all you have to do...is cooperate."   She purred,
drawing her hand back down from his hair and over his cheek until she was
touching his lips with the edge of her extended claw.  "So pretty." She
murmured, pushing that claw between his lips, "So soft and delicate and
so...curvy."

He pulled back for her, it hurt, so he knew that she had cut the inside
of his mouth with her claw, but he wanted to be free of her.   "God what
is the matter with you PEOPLE!"  He hissed, jumping desperately away from
her, "Why the hell do you always want to touch and maul me!   WHY?"  He
suddenly wanted to huddle in on himself and howl, but he resisted and
yelled instead.  "Don't Fuckin touch me ever again!   Get out of my
room!  GET OUT!"

She seemed surprised once again by his reaction, but he didn't care, he
just wanted her away from him, he wanted everyone away from him.   A
scraping at his door spun him around, and there he saw to his immense
distress that the door was open, it had been open all along.  Standing
there, looking ever so uncertain was Zuzu.   He relaxed, and looked
toward Vreda.  "I have work to do."

Vreda just scowled at him, looking rather peeved, but finally she nodded
and smiled toward Zuzu, "Ah, you found me Zuzu Dear.   I was having the
most interesting conversation with Jaimz here."

Very properly Zuzu dipped her burgundy maned head and said, "Good Evening
Jaimz Ni."   Then she took in Vreda and said, "We were going to walk in
the formal gardens with Terrill Ni, remember?"

Vreda pursed her lips, and said wonderingly, "Is it that time already?"

Zuzu merely nodded her head and Vreda moved toward her, ever graceful and
lovely.   Then she turned and smiled, saying to Jaimz. "We will talk
again, Pet."  With that pleasant warning she strolled out of the room and
Jaimz--finally alone--sagged into the nearest chair as his body was over
taken with the shakes.

"Help me God." He whispered scrubbing his fingers anxiously through his
hair.   He was definitely in trouble with her.

His first thought was Kaiel, if he went to Kaiel he knew that he would
feel better and that everything would just not seem so bad, it was always
that way with Kaiel.   But then he sagged even more deeply into the
chair.  For he had been the one to build the wall that now rose between
them, and he wasn't yet ready to think about tearing it down.  He had to
have some distance; he needed some space else he forgot who and what he
was.

For a time longer he worked or tried to, but the urge to go to Kaiel was
so strong that finally he decided his only choice was to go to bed and
try to sleep.   He certainly wasn't accomplishing anything by working and
letting himself become distracted with other thoughts, not if his wrecked
model Gate was any indication.   He sighed as he picked up the ruined
pieces of paper that he had damaged with his clumsiness and dumped them
in a wastebasket, knowing that he would have to start fresh tomorrow.
Everything would look better tomorrow he told himself as he locked his
outer door, walked through into his inner room and locked that door too.

Getting ready for bed was an abstracted affair, he didn't even noticed
that he mixed a satiny red sleep-tunic with silky blue sleep-shorts, nor
did he feel the cool chill of the fabric as it brushed over his body.
He was actually getting very used to wearing silky fabrics anyway as he
had no other in his growing wardrobe.   Kaiel liked to dress him it
seemed, for right after he had found those outfits for him he had sent
for a tailor to come measure him and make him an assortment of clothing,
though underwear somehow still seemed to be missing for the garments.
He touched one of the outfits, idly thinking about Kaiel...and then he
slowly frowned and stepped away, while shaking his head at his revolving
thoughts.

Before heading for his desolate and lonely bed he also ensured that all
the windows were securely latched, he was still nervous about the feeling
of having been watched early this morning.   Besides it wasn't like there
was a big chain link fence to keep the predators away either, he told
himself, and if the windows could swing one way they could swing another
and let something in.   That was what he told himself anyway, he didn't
wonder if Kaiel had a key or some other way of getting in, for he wasn't
expecting Kaiel even though his bed looked so uninviting.

He cursed himself softly and marched to his bed and yanked back the
covers; he had a lot, even plush warm fleeces too, for he found that
without a furry body to snuggle up to the nights could be rather cool.
As he climbed into his bed he told himself that it wasn't like he hadn't
slept alone before, Kaiel only came during the 72-hour, but sometimes he
also came as he was getting ready for bed and they would talk, go over
the troubles and upsets of the day, help each other find solutions or
answers and just generally share a quiet moment with each other that had
no sexual strings attached.   He pulled up the covers as he snuggled down
into the bed, and he realized that he missed that part of their
relationship, he wondered if Kaiel would ever come visit him outside of
the 72-hour or would he respect the wall that Jaimz had built and do
exactly as he said he would..."I will only ever follow your lead."

He signed and turned his face into the pillow where Kaiel's scent still
lingered and he knew that he would have to fix what he had done.   He
wanted Kaiel--his friend--back, the sex was beside the point, for they
had no choice, but the friendship that was growing between them was real
and theirs and he didn't want to loose it.   He made his decision and
gradually he fell to sleep.


________________________________________________________________________________


Morning light found Jaimz a restive sleeper, for he was tangled up in his
bedding and he ached all over though he didn't feel sick or anything like
that.   He just hadn't slept well and he had the strangest sense that
someone had been watching him again while he was sleeping.  He shook that
feeling off, for that would be twice in a row and surely that was too
coincidental.

He got up instead and prepared to face the day, his first thought as he
padded into the hall to go to breakfast was how was he going to mend the
breech he has placed between himself and Kaiel?   Breakfast though found
him in unsatisfactory company for Kaiel was not there and apparently was
not expected to show up and neither were Drey or Kang.   With only Zuzu
as a wildcard at the table he decided to take a breakfast tray back to
his room and get to work.

For a moment as he stood outside his room with his tray he thought about
going to the next room where Kaiel was and proposing that they have
breakfast together, however he shook that thought aside and turned into
his room.   He knew he was being a coward for avoiding Kaiel but he
thought for certain that Kaiel was still angry with him and besides he
just wasn't ready to let Kaiel see him pining for his company.

He immersed himself instead in his work and nibbled at his breakfast in
the meantime, working made him happy and it helped him think of new ideas
that were worth exploring.   Of course it wasn't long before he heard a
familiar scratching and claw rapping at the door that announced Drey.
Since the cub had taken on the role as assistant that rapping and
scratching was all the warning he received as Drey let himself into the
lab.

Drey smiled and nodded at him, and then seeing his breakfast tray, his
smile broadened even more, "Didn't want another upset stomach did you
Jaimz Ni?"

He simply smiled in reply and popped another piece of fruit into his
mouth.

Drey announced then, "Kang Ni isn't coming right now, he is working on
getting his clinic set up.   He's having workmen knock out some
walls--it's really funny.  A Sheki is already here talking about balance
and order, and Terrill Ni is nearly pulling out his fur at all the dust
and damage this old house is taking." The cub finished with an uproarious
laugh.

Jaimz smiled again, he hadn't really expected Kang so early for he knew
that the medic wanted to get things ready for business as soon as
possible.   He thought it was a decent thing for Terrill to even allow
the clinic to be built right in the house.  He kept munching as he waited
for Drey to come see what he was working on and to ask what he would be
learning today.   Last night, after Vreda and before bed he had worked on
common Zaran phrases and idioms that actually translated fairly well over
into the English counterparts.   He had rewritten the Zaran phrases
slightly so that they would make sense to his people if they ever heard
or read them.

He set Drey to working on the translations--explaining the differences
from the Zaran to the English idiom so that Drey would understand why he
had changed them and then he returned to his own project of translating
more of his notes to Zaran symbols.   Eventually he would have a staff
that would need to be able to work with his notes, so he needed to make
sure that they would be able to understand what he wanted--since once the
actual machining began mistakes could be costly or fatale.

As he and Drey worked companionably there came another scratching at the
door.   Since the door was open it was easy to see that it was Zuzu who
stood diffidently in the doorway.

He invited her in and they spoke for a moment about inconsequential
things, the niceties of the day more or less, then after a bit she
indicated that she would like to see the house and wondered if he was
interested in going with her.   For a moment he wondered if Vreda had
sent her, but he doubted that Zuzu would actually take part in anything
she considered dishonorable or manipulative.   He agreed to go with her,
as much of the house was still new to him anyway and together they
walked, exploring where they could...and simply talking.  Zuzu proved to
be pleasant company and a good conversationalist; also, refreshingly, she
seemed perfectly content to keep her hands to herself.   She did ask him
questions though, ones that were related to the accident and with how he
was coping with being so far from his home and everything.  He sensed
that her questions were being asked out of simple curiosity tinged with
genuine sympathy, so he was content to share that information with her.

They wandered freely, undisturbed by anyone (though staffers were often
seen, busily working or fetching or doing whatever they did, and they
would greet them both politely before moving one.   Since his recovery
the staffers had started to treat him like one of the family and used the
same easy casualness with him as he had observed with Kaiel--though not
with Terrill, who demanded formality at all times).   When they stopped
by Kang's place to check on the racket going on, Zuzu had a very pleasant
chat with the old cat.  He noticed as Kang and Zuzu spoke that she was
shy about talking of her self and her ears would flick whenever anyone
addressed her directly.   He wondered (not for the first time today) why
Zuzu had come with Vreda when obviously the two were completely
different.

Finally, having seen everything that they could see they headed back
toward his lab and that was when he saw Kaiel heading toward his own room
with a late breakfast tray of his own.   It was strange how good it felt
to just see Kaiel even though he was nervous about how Kaiel would be
toward him after his outburst last evening.

But as always when Kaiel noticed them coming up on his tail he turned and
was ever polite as he nodded and greeted him lightly, "Good Morning
Jaimz.   Did you sleep well?"  He did frown faintly at seeing the dark
shadows under Jaimz' sea-foam green eyes.

Jaimz didn't want to tell him that he hadn't slept well, so he murmured
that he had slept all right and asked the same of Kaiel, to which Kaiel
replied that he had slept well.   With the Zaran they didn't give signs
of tiredness or illness away to closely, unless the rimming around the
eyes, or the nose pad or lips looked a little pale, of which Kaiel's did
not.

Kaiel than nodded to Zuzu and said softly, "It is nice to see you again
Zuzu Ni."   To which Zuzu looked embarrassed and pleased at once.

Then before Jaimz could say anything else Kaiel excused himself by saying
he had a lot of work to do and he returned to his room.   He softly
closed the door and every distraction out, including Jaimz.

Jaimz felt disheartened but he couldn't help notice that there seemed to
be something more than a one-time meeting between Kaiel and Zuzu.   So he
asked if she had met Kaiel sometime before.  Zuzu was still waffling
between pleasure and embarrassment but eventually she was able to
explain, "I worked with him a few times in the diplomatic core.   But I
never thought that he would remember me personally."

Jaimz smiled when he realized that Zuzu harbored a secret affection for
Kaiel and he wondered why she hadn't been offered for Kaiel, because he
thought that he could come to like her very much.   He was certain of
this when she expressed an interest in his work and asked if she could
help him while she was staying at the House for the next couple of days.
  She also told him that she would inquire after his people from the ship
and see if the World Council would allow them to be honorably buried with
all due respect for their personal customs here on Z'Rarla.    He was
genuinely touched by her offer, for he had often wondered what had become
of his crews remains after the accident...it had been difficult to think
on them during his time with Lorz, but now that he wasn't in the same
situation he often thought of them.   All he knew for certain was that
his crew was dead, he didn't however know if they were in fact intact or
if there was any bodies at all to be found.   He didn't really know what
the condition of his ship was; he only knew that the cabin had suffered a
catastrophic decompression, which would have killed them instantly if not
painlessly.   He also knew that for what ever reason the Chai had agreed
to leave the ship alone for the time being and that area of space where
the ship had jumped into was at this time considered a No-Go-Zone, he
didn't however know why that was the case.

After a time Zuzu left to rejoin her cousin for a while (it was her duty
as her companion) and Drey was off doing his Zaran studies with his tutor
so Jaimz absconded with Kang's Com-Pad and decided to spend some time
working on the Tag problem.   Thinking about the Tag, and what his body
seemed to need to make it to the next 72-hour he recalled his musing that
there was something in Kaiel's semen that answered the Tag's demands, and
thinking about that, led him to making his next decision though he was
unsure of how to go about following through on that decision.   Part of
it was easy, he simply helped himself to one of Kang's sterile specimen
containers and it wasn't to hard to make himself understood, though Kang
did laugh when he told he what he was going to try to do.   However Kang
also soberly assured him that he would analyze the sample once he had it
and check to see if there were any anomalies in it that would answer the
Tag's need.   The next part wasn't so easy...he was very shy about how to
request the specimen.  The first thing he had to do though was disturb
Kaiel.

Of course once Kaiel let him in the big cat immediately went back to
work--he seemed vague and distracted even while he was speaking to
someone over the COM.   Glancing at the display viewer he saw that the
individual Kaiel was speaking with was his assistant Heron.

Kaiel barely nodded at him, though he seemed to think nothing of telling
him to sit anywhere or of touching him lightly on his cheek.   That touch
made him feel a bit better but he was still embarrassed about what he
needed to ask of Kaiel, so he opted to interrupt the conversation for a
moment.

"Kaiel, I need to talk to you.   It will only take a moment."

Kaiel hesitated briefly then asked Heron to hold for a second then he led
Jaimz into his inner suite.

Jaimz wasn't sure how to ask, so instead he thrust the specimen container
at Kaiel and though Kaiel did take it, he looked understandably baffled
too.   All Jaimz was able to say was, "Fill it."

Kaiel gave him a perfectly mystified look, and asked, "With what?"

Jaimz felt his cheeks heat, which made him only more embarrassed, which
made his cheeks warm up even more but he finally was able to say,
"Remember?   I'm working on the Tag Withdrawal Syndrome--so I need a-a
specimen of your--of your--."

Kaiel just stood there, holding the specimen jar and waiting while Jaimz
grew more flustered with every second.   To make matters worse, the more
uncomfortable Jaimz got the wider Kaiel's smile stretched, until he was
displaying a good amount of white teeth--some of them rather sharp.

Jaimz almost felt like stamping his feet in a temper tantrum, however to
do so would get him nothing and would have been foolish and childish, of
which he was neither--most of the time--so he restrained himself and
tried to speak as calmly as he could, "I need a sample of your semen for
analysis."

Kaiel's grin faltered but didn't fade altogether, as he finally chuckled,
"I really don't think I can spare the time right now for that."

Jaimz blushed and hastened to say, "It doesn't have to be right now, but
soon?   So that I can find out what's in it that I need?"

Kaiel sighed, "I can't promise soon though maybe tonight if I have a
little time we can work on it."

Jaimz lowered his eyes and said carefully, "I don't remember saying that
I would participate in this.   Surely you can d-do it yourself?"

Kaiel's brow lowered into an annoyed frown, "You think that I knock
myself off just whenever I want Jaimz?   You know full well what is
involved in this.  If you want that sample, you can help me get it damn
you!"

Jaimz flinched, and muttered, "You're not being fair."

Kaiel grasped his arm and gave him a quick shake.   "I'm not being fair?
You are the one that said you didn't need me!  I'm trying to be patient
with you Jaimz...I know that this is hard for you.   I know that you
struggle with this 72-hour curse, and I know that you want to hate what
happens between us!  But I'm not the unfair one here!   I try my best to
respect your boundaries but you do nothing to respect mine!"  He
violently hurled the specimen container across the room and then he flung
Jaimz aside.   Even then Kaiel was careful to control his full strength
so that Jaimz didn't fall or stumble too hard, but that he was furious
was clear.  He stormed toward the door but before he stepped back out
into his office he turned and snarled, "Don't try my patience Jaimz!
Don't ask for such things of me and then offer me nothing in return!"

Jaimz stood stunned for a minute than ran after him, yelling, "Yes,
you're aren't being fair Kaiel!   I'm thinking about what is good for
both of us and all you can think about is whether you get a little play
out of it!"

Kaiel spun and tossed up his hand in the perfect stop pose...he had
learned it from Jaimz.  "Don't!  All I ever think about is what's best
for you!  So don't you dare say that all I think about is what I get out
of it!  Don't you dare!

Jaimz blushed, thinking about Kaiel's words and realizing how much he had
hurt him, he felt something just shatter inside as Kaiel turned away from
him again, and he just couldn't bare for Kaiel to stay angry at him
anymore.   "Please!  Please don't be mad!" he cried as he flung himself
at Kaiel's back, wrapping his arms around his waist and pressing himself
into his back.   "I sorry!  Yesterday was such a bad day and I-I don't
want to lose my friend!  Please Kaiel?"

Kaiel just stopped and stood there, while feeling Jaimz arms around him,
and feeling Jaimz' small shuddering body pressed against his back, and
hearing the tremulous tone of his voice he just stopped.    He tipped his
head back and wondered why he couldn't stay angry at this changeable
being that had become such a part of his life in so short a period of
time.   And yet, he knew that he couldn't hold his anger with Jaimz even
as he eased himself around in Jaimz' embrace and lowered himself so that
Jaimz could lean easily into his shoulders.   He tucked his face into
Jaimz' neck and he wondered softly, "Why can't I stay angry at you?"

Gradually Jaimz quieted, he hadn't actually cried, though Kaiel suspected
that there would be tears in Jaimz' lovely eyes even if they hadn't
escaped to track his smooth cheeks.   Jaimz had his chin on his shoulder,
but he turned slightly so that his cheek rested against Kaiel's, then he
murmured, "I-I'm sorry Kaiel.  I know I ask too much of you sometimes.
But yesterday was so bad Kaiel and I shouldn't have taken it out on you,
but...I really don't like Vreda."

Kaiel laughed softly, so that his entire body vibrated and it felt so
good that Jaimz just rode the vibration.   "I don't like her either.  And
I am trying to do everything I can do to get out of this betrothal; the
problem is I don't see a way out yet.   My father's stupid wording of the
contract ties me no matter how hard I try to unravel the knots."  He
sighed, which ruffled Jaimz' silky hair, "And of course I have the Chai
conference coming up--."   He pulled back then, just enough to see Jaimz'
face.  "I will have to go to the conference the morning after next...
Basically right after the 72-hour."

Jaimz looked into his golden eyes and mused, "That should be ok."

Kaiel leaned his forehead down against Jaimz' and said, "These
conferences can run for five days Jaimz.   That's longer than the
72-hour, and sometimes they have been known to run as long as an eight of
days what with all the debating and offers and counter offers put on the
table."

Jaimz cast his eyes up in a worried glance, "But that's too long. Doc can
give us meds to extend the time between the 72-hour.   But its so painful
toward the end of the second cycle that you wouldn't be able to function
Kaiel."

Kaiel nodded somberly, "I know, I have been thinking about that, if it
looks like the time will go over the five days will you come to the
Capital City? Will you come to Rydani?"

It was now Jaimz' turn to pull back slightly, his last experience in a
city hadn't been the best as he recalled, and it had spawned this whole
conflict between him and Kaiel, but looking at him, looking at his quiet
and waiting golden eyes he knew that Kaiel would need to be at his best
for the conference if he was to help settle the Chai situation
peacefully.   He touched Kaiel's chest and nodded, "Doc can bring me.  It
will be a little excursion."

Kaiel let him go then, though his hand lingered for a long slow moment as
it brushed along his cheek.   "I don't know that it will be much of an
excursion, I'll be so busy in the conference and the hours can run late
into the night...it will likely be an unmitigated nightmare.   But I thank
you."

Jaimz followed him and said softly, "If we feed the 72-hour on the
morning you have to leave that will give you a tiny bit of a window
too...."

Again Kaiel touched his cheek, "If that is what you want.   And...about
the sample I will try--."

Jaimz blushed, "Forget about it, we can do that later."

Kaiel noticed his use of the plural we, but he said nothing about it.
Instead he took Jaimz' hand and drew him into the office, "I do have to
try to figure out what is going on with the Chai though.  I have been
working with Heron to see if we can come up with something, but he's
still on ship.   In fact he'll be late coming to the conference since the
transport doesn't even arrive until Luna (the first day of the eight day
week cycle--Luna was in four days), he might not even make it before the
conference wraps up."

Jaimz didn't understand something and said so, even as Kaiel went to the
Com and signaled that he was back.   "Why you don't just fly Heron back
here if you need to work with him and have his help at the conference?
Doesn't K'Lan have the power to swing an emergency transport?"

Kaiel looked truly shocked, and even though Heron was coming back on
line, he said, "It would be wrong to use my House name that way."

"Hey?  What?" Heron asked from thousands of miles away in space.

"Nothing I'm just talking to Jaimz." Kaiel said offhandedly.

Jaimz leaned over so that he could see the screen and smiled at Heron, as
he recalled the young assistant had never showed any interest in touching
him either.   "I was saying to Kaiel why doesn't he swing an emergency
transport to get you down here sooner."  He turned to Kaiel and
continued, "It makes sense doesn't it?   You can't really work with this
distance between you and you need his assistance at the conference?  You
have the power so why don't you use it?"

Kaiel stared at him, and slowly murmured, "I never thought to use it that
way."   He glanced back at the screen and said, "Do you think you can be
ready to depart in...two days?  You'll still be late for the first day of
the conference...but I could surely use your help."

Heron's light brown eyes widened, and then he nodded, "I can be ready,
I've been working around the Chai's logic in calling this conference and
why they want to compromise...over what?   But I've also been busy dealing
with your brother's personal effects... but I can be ready of course.
Should you try to have Lorz remains and effects returned on the same
transport?"

Kaiel was quiet for a moment, then as he thought about it, that he was
going to pull rank to have his assistant shipped to the conference he
supposed he could also make his father happy and bring Lorz home early,
"Yes, I will arrange it.   Uh...Heron, sorry, I just called you back and
everything, but if I'm going to arrange this flight I better get on it
now.  I'll call you back at the 2 nd mark after the noon break and we'll
discuss the Chai matter again.  There has to be some reason behind their
sudden decision to compromise."

"Ok Kaiel, I'll continue working on everything at my end and see if I can
dig anything new up by then... talk to you later."

Kaiel sighed and leaned back into the chair that he had somehow just
found.   He stared at the blank COM for a long moment before saying;
"I've really never tried to use the power that is rightfully mine."

Jaimz stood at his side and said, "You need his help now Kaiel, not
later.   Besides, sometimes you have to remind people of what you have or
they conveniently forget and think that they can walk all over you," he
smiled, "figuratively speaking, I didn't mean you specifically."

Kaiel wrapped a big arm about him and pulled him close, and then he
asked, "Are we ok again Jaimz?"

Jaimz leaned over him and sighed, "I think so, though I'm still...working
on it."

Kaiel chuckled, and muttered softly, "Brat."   Then he sighed and
released Jaimz, gently pushing him back, "I really need to get working on
this new idea you gave me."

Jaimz smirked as he replied cheekily, "Glad I could help."

Kaiel was already talking to himself, muttering, "I have to call Heron
back in less than three marks...I have to contact someone with authority
to send a rapid transport out to the Kattaf...hmmm, my father might be
able to help with that...and..."

Jaimz smilingly turned and walked away from the male, he felt better and
more at peace with himself.   Things were not perfect yet, but life
wasn't perfect, however it was better right now and that was all that
really mattered.  And then Kaiel yelped, Jaimz spun back to him,
concerned that something had happened, but Kaiel was staring at him.
And then just as suddenly Kaiel groaned and smacked himself up along side
his head in the classic--How could I have been so stupid--reaction.

"What?   What's the matter?" Jaimz wondered worriedly.

Kaiel scrubbed at his mane and shook his head, "I totally forgot." He
muttered dazedly.

"What?"

Kaiel looked at him.   "Yesterday I arranged for you to be interviewed by
the local COM CAST News Crew.  I meant to tell you yesterday-- but you
know what happened there....   I told them to come at 2nd mark after the
noon break...today."

Jaimz just stared at him, and Kaiel's ears tipped down as he wondered if
springing another surprise (after Vreda's surprise) on him was going to
push him over the edge once again.   But Jaimz nodded after a moment and
smiled ruefully, "Well at least I did get some warning even if it is a
bit short.  After lunch you say?   Then I have time to get ready...no
problem."

Kaiel sighed in silent relief, and then said; "I told them to treat you
with utmost respect and to not try to touch you.   They are to only ask
you questions about who you are, where you are from...stuff like that."

Jaimz smiled again, "Okay... I can handle it."

Kaiel watched as Jaimz opened the outer door, and then he called out,
"Let's have lunch together okay?"

Again, the fleeting smile and those bright eyes warmed his heart.   He
sighed as Jaimz left his sight, and gradually relaxed back into the
chair.  Then he started to smile, recalling Jaimz' unease over the whole
specimen sample thing, he started to chuckle as he recalled Jaimz' face
after he suggested that Jaimz could help him collect the sample, and then
finally he was laughing as he remembered how wonderful it felt when Jaimz
ran to him.   He didn't have time to waste; nonetheless he let himself
laugh as relief spread throughout his entire system.

***

A short time later Lunch proved to be a fun time of laughter and joking
as Jaimz brought Kang, Drey and Zuzu with him.   Kaiel laughed at seeing
them all with their trays and smiled conspiratorially at Jaimz as he
observed, "We abandoned my father to Vreda's tender mercies."

Jaimz grinned back, though he said with perfect innocence, and when he
used his eyes that effectively one just had to believe in his innocence,
"But we all came separately.   This was completely unplanned, wasn't it?"
he said, looking at the rest of the conspirators.

Even Zuzu shared a nervous laugh though she did wonder aloud if she
shouldn't be with her cousin and Terrill Ni.   It took a bit of talking
but finally she decided to stay with them and share in the easy
conversation and the good company.

Afterwards once lunch had broke up and near everyone had returned to his
or her own plans or whatever they were up to, Kaiel spoke with Kang about
his eminent problem with the conference length.   Kang nodded with
understanding but scolded him that he couldn't allow himself to go to
long with out answering the Tag or he would be incapacitated.   Kaiel
explained that he had asked Jaimz to come to Rydani if it looked like the
conference was going to go on for too long.

Kang muttered that it was dangerous to even be apart, because what if
something happened to the other?   But he promised to prepare the
required medications to control the first stages of the Tag Withdrawal
and he said that he would bring Jaimz if Kaiel called.

Then recalling Jaimz' interview Kaiel put in another request, he looked
worriedly at the male who was rapidly becoming his friend despite the gap
in their ages and he asked needlessly, "Could you...if you would...could
you be there to watch and make sure no one from the COM CAST News tries
to take liberties with him?"

Kang just smiled, "Of course.   They probably won't even notice me but I
will be there, don't you worry."

***

As scheduled the news crew arrived on time, and Terrill blustered because
he hadn't been forewarned about them, but he let it pass though once
again he wondered at his son, who it seemed was changing before his eyes.
  Just before the noon break he had spent a heated half hour with Kaiel
arguing over his reputed necessity of having his assistant meet him at
the conference as soon as possible.   And the strange thing was, Kaiel
had won his case and he had called in a favor that would see Var Heron
shipped to Z'Rarla in a short number of days.

A senior staffer led them to Jaimz where he waited in his lab.   There
were four on the crew, the lights and camera crew and the interviewer.
Jaimz greeted them warmly, surprising each by boldly shaking their
hands...thereby letting them touch him while he was in total control, he
hoped that would suffice.   They were of course a bit stunned by his
appearance, but they had heard the rumors and were forewarned by Kaiel
too, so as the professionals they were they quickly set up and got down
to the business of the interview.   If they noticed Kang, off in a
corner, sitting in a comfortable chair with his Com-Pad on his lap, they
made no comment.  The interviewer was a female, she had a dark tawny mane
and light tawny pelt, and she also had dark eyes, darkly rimmed, as well
as a dark nose pad and lips.   She was, rather arresting.

She sat opposite him and turned on the audio device, explaining, "We will
tape and record you Jaimz Ni for both Audio and Video broadcasts... please
be comfortable and if at any time you feel you need to stop the interview
please feel free to do so."   She smiled into the video recorder and
said, "This is A'Aska Wren from the affiliated ChoCho COM CAST News and I
have a very special guest with me today.   Now I will explain some that I
know and then we will talk to him and learn his sad and yet inspiring
story."  She smiled as she looked at him, thinking that the rumors were
right, he was a very attractive alien and she knew that the ratings for
this interview would be very high.   "Now many of you have heard the
rumors about a new alien that has recently visited us.  The rumors are
true.  He is here on Z'Rarla presently under the care of K'Lan Pride, but
before that he resided on the battleship Kattaf, but other than that we
know little about him.  So let us ask him shall we?"

Now the video recorder shifted, and first there was a close up of his
attractive face then the cameraman pulled back for a more representative
view of the alien.

"First," Wren began, "Let us start with your name?"

Jaimz smiled, "My name is Jaimz Ryordan Gingko."

She chided, "Isn't it true that you have been adopted into K'Lan House
though?"

Jaimz smiled ruefully, "Yeah, my Zaran name is K'Lan no Gingko Jaimz
Ryordan... it's a bit of a mouthful."

She smiled, and leaned forward, "So tell us Jaimz Ni?   What are you?
Where are you from?  Are you alone?"

Jaimz leaned back and said, "Well I'm a human.   I'm from the Planet
Earth, which is the third planet from my solar system's sun.  I live in a
9-planet system in a galaxy my people call the Milky Way, that's because
sometimes in the night sky there is this filmy veil crossing the heavens
and...well I'm a long way from home I think.   Yes I am alone."

Wren was silent for a moment than gently asked, "Isn't it true though
that you weren't alone originally?"

He looked up at her, and felt the pain of his crews loss as he murmured,
"My crew died in a-an accident right after my prototype ship completed
its jump.   The only reason I survived is because I was in the ship's lab
trying to understand what had gone wrong with the jump.  When the
accident occurred the lab pressure sealed and kept me alive.   When I
awoke later...I found out that my entire crew was dead."  Of course he had
experienced other far more horrendous things that had pushed his crew to
the back of his memory for a time.

"It must have been so frightening, to find yourself so far from you
world, and alone amongst strangers." Wren murmured sympathetically.

He sighed tremulously, and explained, "At first...it was frightening, I
felt very confused and lost, but then I met Kaiel, and I've made more
friends and it's getting much easier now."

She smiled and continued, "What do you miss most about your world?"

He smiled sadly, "I miss my parents of course.   I will probably never
see them again."

Wren had been expecting some sort of description of his home world, but
his fondly smiling expression made this sidetrack worth pursuing.   "Tell
us of them."

His smile widened, "Well my mother Megan Gingko is a bit of a wild child
and a real free spirit.   She quite scandalized my Grandparents--that is
my father's parents--when they found out how she had spelled my name.  Of
course my father James is about as straight laced as they come, but he
can never gainsay my Mom.   I--wonder how they are?  What are they
doing?  My grandparents died a few years back so I don't miss them so
much...but I would like--I hope that maybe I will see my parents again one
day."

Wren nodded, she was quite taken with the alien, for he presented himself
so beautifully with out even trying.   His smiling face looked very good
on the screen, and the shimmer of tears that sparkled in his green eyes
when he spoke about his parents was simply...endearing.    To try and lift
his spirits for he still seemed sad to her despite his lovely smile, she
changed the subject.  "Tell me a little about your people.   Are you
indicative of your people or...?"

Jaimz laughed, "Oh no, I'm not the standard for my people.   My people
come in different shapes, sizes, creeds and colors.  We are very
diverse." He smilingly indicated his small frame, "Though in height I'm
actually in the above average category.    Your Zaran are much taller
than my people.  The females of my species are even smaller, on average
six or seven inches shorter than I am."   He chuckled and shook his head
again, "Of course we do have some taller humans, and most of those are on
our Basketball teams.  That's one of the international games that are
played throughout my world.    However they are the exception and not the
rule, so in height I guess I'm a reasonable meter for my people, but
otherwise no, I'm not indicative of my people."

Wren was quiet again for a few moments, just watching him and wondering
what it must be like for him to be so far from his home.   How sad it
must be for him.  Finally she glanced about his lab and indicated to her
crew that they should take a broad view of the room as she launched in
the next phase of her interview.   "K'Lan Kaiel indicated that you are
working on several projects designed to hopefully help you rediscover
your home world.  Could you tell us about some of these projects?"

He stood up and gracefully offered his hand, offering to lead her around
the room and personally show her the projects he was busy with.   She
didn't hesitate for more than a moment.  "Sure, I'll start with the Gate
projects.  There are actually two different kinds of Gates, though they
are based on the same technology."   He swept his arm out to indicate one
of the tables and project boards.  "Originally I thought I would be able
to reconstruct the first land based Gate in about a year, and the first
Orbital Gate soon after.   It only takes a year to build a Gate back at
home, and with several crews working at once a lot of Gates can be
erected in a single year.  Unfortunately I didn't take into consideration
that there are no Gate Factories here, and that there will have to be
substantial retooling, as well as the creation of new equipment to build
these Gates...so I'm now planning on two years before we even start
construction of the first Gates but the delay is acceptable because its
is much better to be sure that everything is right then to just go ahead
and maybe find out that things are seriously not ok."

"And what will these Gates do?   K'Lan Kaiel mentioned that they will
make traveling across Z'Rarla as well as through space much faster?"

Jaimz retained his hold on her hand as he lovingly described how the
Gates functioned.   "Well, think about how long it takes to travel...oh
just for reference one thousand miles?  On my world to travel that
distance by Jet once took--oh I guess--about 3 hours or so, and by
vehicle a good eight to ten hours or longer and usually you would want a
break in between.   With Gate technology a trip like that is finished in
about 30 minutes...not including the delay time for boarding and
unloading.   Traveling by Gate is very smooth and incredibly fast.... You
see I figured out that if the vessel could travel buffered by the gravity
stream that it would be protected from the sheers and pressure that high
speeds can put on vessels, thereby preventing breakup of the vessel and
of course death of people.   My Gates safety record has been excellent
ever since they went into use."

"A thousand miles in just 30 minutes?   That incredible." Wren breathed,
following him to the next display.

Jaimz shrugged, "That's nothing, I purposely controlled the speed of land
based Gate travel so that people could enjoy the scenery a bit... it only
takes about that long to travel from Earth to our nearest colony on the
Moon which is about 239000 times that distance.   You see in space you
just have to make sure that there isn't anything interfering with the
gravity stream or something crossing the vehicle's path and I can pretty
much allow the vessel to travel at the streams top speed, which is
incredibly fast.   The Gates actually work a bit like magnets, attracting
and repelling, and because there is no friction--." He shrugged, and then
he grinned, "The speed of travel is astronomical."

She noticed his fully illustrated Jump Ship diagram and asked him, "This
is what caused the accident which brought you to Z'Rarla, isn't it?"

Jaimz looked at the diagram and again a sad smile touched his ship, "No,
the prototype worked perfectly, it certainly made the jump--it just went
farther then I had ever expected it too." He touched the cabin area of
the drawing, "No something else went wrong, something that powered the
jump beyond the settings I had programmed it for.   I guess it was lucky
we didn't all die in transit...." He shrugged uncomfortably, because his
crew had died almost as soon as the jump was successfully completed.

She read his sorrow again, and once more knew to pull him out of it by
having him describe what his Jump Ship was.   He spoke easily and
eloquently as he set into the description of how the Jump Ship worked.
"Well first," he murmured as he placed two small dots at each end of a
piece of paper and then drew a thin line between those two dots. "The
proper name for my Jump Ship is actually SFJS or Space Fold Jump
Ship...because it doesn't just jump from place to place." He folded the
paper so the two dots came together, "The Jump ship causes an attraction
between two spots like these dots and it sort of folds the space
between..." He used the pencil he had used to draw the dots to pierce the
paper where the dots connected and he continued, "like this."

He set the paper down, "Of course it doesn't really work like that,
because Space doesn't fold, but it's almost like...the Jump Ship rips a
hole in space at one point and exits at the other point.   So instead of
traveling to...you travel through.  It's incredibly fast and it really is
like--one second you are in one place, and then the next you
are--somewhere else.   The Jump ship worked absolutely perfectly, I used
the Gate signatures to key my points of entry and exit and it was jumping
between the farthest distance Gates because all the previous jumps had
been keyed to short distance Gates.   We entered the jump perfectly...but
after 3.07 minutes--which was already over the expected exit time--I
realized that something was seriously wrong.  We didn't exit from the
jump for over 19.45 minutes, which was way over the expected Jump
duration."  He turned toward an astronomical chart that had been hung on
his wall; it was of all the known charted space of Z'Rarla and her Allies
and some of there allies.

He sighed as he looked at the chart with all its star systems and said
forlornly, "I have no idea where I am....   I mean logically I know where
I am, but just not in relation to my own solar system."

She stood behind him, looking at the same chart and recognized how huge
the known area was, and she wondered, if his system wasn't on that chart
then how long would it take to find it?   But she asked instead, "What do
you think happened?" he was so young, and yet clearly his intelligence
was astounding.

Jaimz turned away from the chart and looked up at her, "The only thing I
know right now is that the ship's sensors recorded a huge power surge
when we entered the jump.   I can at this time only make an educated
guess that this power surge had something to do with why my ship remained
in the jump for so long...but it doesn't explain what attracted my ship so
that it exited in this system.   Somehow the course was reset and that
shouldn't have happened, and logically the Ship should have registered an
error and exited the Jump...it didn't.   I--I need to review the data from
my ship so that I can learn what went wrong...but until that space is no
longer in dispute...I have no choice except to keep making educated
guesses."

"That's...incredible." Wren murmured, watching him for another long moment
as he returned to his Jump Ship diagram.   She knew she needed to draw
him away from the mystery of the accident though, so she asked, "What is
your favorite things about Z'Rarla?"

He turned back to face her, "My favorite thing?   Well," he touched his
silk tunic, "I like the clothing." He smiled, "I haven't really seen very
much of Z'Rarla yet.  I was pretty ill when Kaiel brought me home and
I've only really been up and around for...four or five full days now I
guess?   But I did see Chocho city yesterday and it looked very lovely.
I would like to explore a market and look at things and see the seas and
the ocean, there is lots of things I would like to do..." he looked
intently into the video recorded and said, "I know that I'm different
from you, but I would like to be able to enjoy your world.   I may never
see my own world again in my lifetime and I think I would like to adopt
Z'Rarla as my new home even though I still plan to search for my home
system and my people.   Will you let me?  Will the people of Z'Rarla
allow me to adopt your home as my own?"

Wren smiled, "I will." Her crew echoed her and she knew that she wouldn't
edit their voices from the audio track.   She gave the signal that would
start wrap up and said, "You are welcome Jaimz Ni, K'Lan Jaimz of K'Lan
Pride.  You are very welcome."   The recorder faded around his small
hand, enclosed within her larger one and the interview was complete.  She
smiled again, "It truly was a pleasure Jaimz Ni, and you have extremely
good presence so I think it likely you will mesmerize the audience."

He nodded, "Thank you Wren Ni, you made it easy to share." He canted his
head then and asked softly, "So how much will be edited out?"

She laughed, "Oh, I think very little.   Your personal history is
intriguing.  The technology you bring is fascinating.  And your tragedy
is real.   I can't imagine that I will edit much from it, except maybe if
it runs to long...How long was the interview anyway Kel Ni?"  She suddenly
asked one of her crew.

The crewman, who had been managing one of the lights, replied even as he
stowed his equipment, "About 13 minutes Wren Ni."

She smiled and turned back to Jaimz, "I think that I will not need to
edit much.   I hope that you will watch the COM CAST News at 1st mark
after the dinner break tonight?"

After a few more moments of casual conversation the News Crew took there
leave of Jaimz and Jaimz find out that he was actually tired out as he
slumped down into a nearby chair.   He glanced toward Kang, who had been
unobtrusively working all along and said smilingly, "Well that wasn't so
bad."

Kang returned his smile and said, "You did very well youngling, very
well."


________________________________________________________________________________


The next day dawned bright and clear, Jaimz had slept well even though he
had slept quite virtuously alone.   Knowing that Kaiel and he had fixed
their spat had made sleeping the night before much easier.  Kaiel had
also slept reasonably well but with everything he was working on he had
gone to bed late and was up early, it looked as if today would be the
same kind of mad rush day and he knew that he didn't even have the
72-hour to look forward to at its conclusion since Jaimz thought it would
be better if they answered the Tag demand in the morning before he had to
leave for the conference.

Kaiel was not really looking forward to the conference; he wanted to be
armed with knowledge enough to understand the Chai's motivation, but so
far he had come up with nothing and Heron hadn't been able to find
anything either.   First thing he buzzed Heron, he didn't even bother to
get himself any breakfast for Jaimz would be coming by with a tray in a
little while.  When Heron came on-line he looked tired and frazzled and
Kaiel suffered a bit of guilt at knowing he was working his assistant so
hard.

He looked at him sheepishly and asked, "Did you sleep at all?"

Heron blinked at him owlishly and then to make Kaiel feel even worse he
yawned into the screen and absently scratched at his cheek.   "I think I
went to sleep...sometime."  He rolled his shoulders then and said, "But
there is still a lot of work and I'm no closer to finding out why the
Chai changed their minds, still I have found some interesting stuff in
your brother's personal effects; A Sheki's Guide to Pastoral Balance,
written by the great mystic Sheki E'Dra Zale.   A Thesis on Past Lives by
some Medic named K'Tal.  An Akibu Life-Mating contract.   The Personal
Logs and Memoirs of a Battle Captain by T'Rayaz Trevan, and--as you can
see, a lot of weird stuff."

Kaiel rubbed his eyes and sighed, "Well just box it all up so my father
can through it on his own...I really don't have time to go over the entire
inventory of my late brothers interests."

Heron nodded, "I've already got most of his effects boxed and ready to
go, it just seemed odd to me, he never seemed to be one of the great
thinkers to me...." He folded his ears back and said softly, "I'm sorry, I
know that he was your brother."

Kaiel shook his head, "My brother and I hardly had a brotherly
relationship...don't worry about it.   Now lets get back to the Chai
situation.  Has there been any odd behavior from them in the last little
while which might give a clue as to what they are up too?"

Heron shook his head, "I don't know, I suppose I could check and see if
there has been any reports of odd Chai activity..."

But Kaiel was thinking about something else and after a moment he
interrupted Heron to ask mildly, "Did you say an Akibu Life-Mating
Contract?"

"Uh..." Heron stared at him, momentarily confused by the change in
subject.   "Yeah...I did."

"Did you happen to take a look at the contract?" Kaiel asked lightly.

Heron shook his head, "Nah, I just started to unroll it to see what it
was, once I saw that it was an Akibu Contract I let it go.   Why?"

"Can you find that contract again?   I need to see what, if anything, it
says." He honestly didn't know what to expect, but he felt a little bit
of hope well up inside even so.  Heron hurried to find the contract
(though he obviously didn't know what Kaiel was looking for from it).
Alone with his thoughts for the moment Kaiel thought about the Akibu
Life-Mating Contracts, Life-Mating was another Zaran custom that had long
been out of practice, now mating contracts were for 5 or 10 years and
maybe they were renewed, or maybe they weren't.   With the Akibu
Life-Mating there was no dissolving of the contract, it was for life,
just as the title stated.  The Akibu, oddly enough belonged to the faith
surrounding the War God Z'Ullan, and they considered Life-Mating to be an
ever-fought battle to sustain stability in the midst of chaos.   It was
the very nature of the Life-Mating that made it so unpopular, for no one
these days wanted to be tied to one individual for the rest of his or her
lives.   And yet there was also no Mate taking contract more respected
then the Akibu Life-Mating contract.

"I got it." Heron gaspingly exclaimed as he returned to the COM screen.
He had obviously raced to Lorz' room to retrieve the document and return
so quickly.  With out waiting for prompting he untied the red ribbon
which kept the document bound and fully unrolled it, his gasp when he
began to read the details was significant and told Kaiel much even before
Heron spoke that something important was about to be divulged.

"You won't believe this," Heron stated, he sounded incredulous himself,
and he was actually reading the document.   "It seems that your brother,
actually Life-Mated with Jaimz Ni--I wonder if Jaimz Ni even knows?
And...uh...Kaiel Ni...you need to see the wording of this contract...Lorz Ni
has named you as the inheritor of the contract."

If Kaiel hadn't already been sitting down, he would have needed to at
Heron's announcement.   He lowered his face into his hands and digested
this newest bit of information.  Finding out that Lorz had Life-Mated to
Jaimz might be of some assistance to him regarding the potential
betrothal he was now threatened with, but finding out he was the
inheritor of the contract actually made him feel a bit dizzy.   It was
true that of all the Mating Contracts available, only the Akibu contract
actually allowed the spouses to name substitute spouses in the event one
of them died.   That Lorz would have taken this step and actually named
him in the contract was completely unexpected.

Finally he raised his head and asked hoarsely, "What is the stated date
of the contract?"

Heron told him, and soon Kaiel was smiling again.   For the Life-Mating
had taken place before the Betrothal was proposed, which made the
Betrothal actually invalid.  There were a lot of unwritten provisos and
clauses included in an Akibu Contract.   He would have to read up on them
now that he found himself unknowingly locked into one, but first he
requested that Heron send him a facsimile of the contract, and he only
urged Heron to be all the faster when Heron spluttered that sending an
image over such a great distance would tie up the lines for at least 10
minutes.    He told Heron before he got started that he was going to let
Heron off the hook for a while, though he still wanted him to check into
whether or not the Chai had been doing anything unusual in the last
little while.   Heron seemed surprised and baffled by Kaiel's sudden
change in attitude, but Kaiel couldn't worry about his assistant right
then, for he had to make arrangements to see the family's Adjucator
immediately.    Still with the lines tied up while waiting for the copy
to arrive there was nothing that he could do to contact Adjucator J'Lari.

While he was still waiting for the image to download a familiar rapping
came from the door, since Jaimz didn't have claws he had to rap with his
knuckles, the sound that made was distinct and unmistakable, but also
rather solid sounding...and Kaiel mused that if his knuckles weren't fur
covered that he would produce a similarly solid sound too.   He grinned
though and bounded up, crossing quickly to the door and flung it open.
Before Jaimz, who looked utterly sumptuous in a turquoise button-fronted
vest and matching pants, could even greet him, he'd grabbed the tray he
carried with one hand, and hooked his arm around Jaimz with the other and
laughingly spun both around.   Jaimz, who had no idea what was going on,
just clung to him and shared his laughter though there was some obvious
puzzlement in those terrific sea-foam green eyes of his.

Still retaining his hold on the breakfast tray he grinningly set Jaimz
back on his feet and even steadied him when he swayed dizzily for a
second.   He set the tray down then and popped off the lid, to peruse the
contents beneath.  Instantly he chose a flaky meat and gravy pastry and
popped the whole thing into his mouth, where it promptly melted into an
explosion of rich creamy flavor.   Jaimz was watching him and still
looked bemused if his partial smile was any indication.  Kaiel thought
that when Jaimz wore a smile like that, which curved his lips just so,
that his mouth simply looked amazing...but then, Jaimz was pretty amazing
anyway, he thought with a grin as he snatched another delicate and flaky
pastry from the tray.

"Eat--Eat before I scarf down all the best things!" he laughingly
directed, indicating the rapidly diminishing selection.

Jaimz gave him a perfectly bemused smile and then helped himself to the
last of the pastries.   As he delicately nibbled on it, and Kaiel stared
in complete fascination at his mouth while he did, which of course caused
him to faintly blush when Jaimz realized where Kaiel was looking, Jaimz
asked--and managed to avoid dwelling on where Kaiel was looking
altogether--smilingly, "You seem very happy today?   Did something good
happen?"

Kaiel couldn't help it; he reached over the table and the tray and
dragged Jaimz toward him once again.   Jaimz yelped, and held his half
eaten pastry away (protecting it probably) as Kaiel pulled him into his
embrace again, and spun him around once more.   Jaimz laughed warningly,
"You'll make me dizzy Kaiel!"

Kaiel chuckled against his neck and laughed freely, "I'm already dizzy,
so why not you too?"

Jaimz, being held rather high could actually look down on Kaiel and
queried laughingly, "What happened?   Tell me."

Kaiel grinned, and exclaimed, "You just saved me Jaimz."

Bewildered, Jaimz raised an expressive brow and asked smilingly, "I did?
  How did I do that?"

Kaiel set him down again and instead said, "Eat your breakfast."

"Kaiel?"

"Ah-ah, don't worry I will tell you all about it after I come back."

Jaimz canted his head, "You mean after the conference?"

Kaiel snorted and searched out another item to eat, "No, after I come
back from seeing Adjucator J'Lari today."   He popped the meaty morsel
into his mouth, and then recalling the still downloading image he went to
check on it, the device signaled the item was downloaded just as he
arrived to check.   He sent it to the documenter and while Jaimz watched
him curiously he called up Adjucator J'Lari on the COM.

After a few moments of trying to talk with the Adjucator and getting
nowhere with the older male Kaiel finally uttered, "My family paid a
large retainer for your services.  I'm quite sure another Adjucator would
be very happy to take on my family's retainer and arrange to see me at my
request with little difficulty."

That silenced the sour faced Adjucator, and after a moment he managed to
say, "That--won't be necessary.   I can arrange to see you this afternoon
say around the 1st mark after--." Indeed, he knew fully well that Kaiel
was next in line to the powerful K'Lan Pride Title...and J'Lari Vree was
fully aware that his retainer with the K'Lan family was substantial and
highly desirable, and for another Adjucator to take it would be quite the
coup.

Kaiel interrupted him; "I can be in Chocho in half an hour...no strike
that I want to finish breakfast, so in one hour I will be in Chocho.   I
will see you then."

Adjucator J'Lari stared at him, then he muttered, "This is highly
irregular Kaiel Ni...however, I will shift my appointments around an and
fit you in."

With that, Kaiel could afford to be gracious, and he nodded his head as
he said, "Thank you Adjucator J'Lari, I assure you that it will be well
worth your time."   And since to an Adjucator time was money that assured
J'Lari Vree's interest.

He cut the contact and turned back to face Jaimz, who was still watching
him with curious interest, he smiled and cocked an quizzical ear, "What?"

Jaimz smiled in return and while choosing a piece of fruit he observed
softly, "You're very--forceful this morning."

Kaiel stretched hugely and grinned, "I feel great." He actually growled
the last part.

Jaimz laughed softly, and remarked slyly, "I can see that."

Kaiel glanced down his body, and noted the slight bulge in his sleep
shorts, he then grinned cheekily back at Jaimz--who blushed
beautifully--as he replied mischievously, "No time for that type of play
this morning."

Jaimz looked at him with mingled surprise...and with something else in his
eyes...of what Kaiel wasn't quite sure, but he surely would have liked for
it to been disappointment that he read.   Not that it mattered, he
thought with genuine regret, for he really didn't have time to indulge,
because in having forced the good (if rather sour) Adjucator to rearrange
his schedule for him, he certainly couldn't risking standing him up now.


He sat to scarf down a few more choice pieces, Jaimz had gathered a very
nice breakfast tray, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to enjoy it
all, or Jaimz' company for to much longer, because he still had to get
dressed.   Just as suddenly as he sat, he was back on his feet and
reaching his hand toward Jaimz, saying, "Help me find the right outfit to
impress the Adjucator with, Jaimz."

He didn't need to ask twice, and Jaimz didn't seem to mind taking his
hand either, which made him feel very happy as he enclosed that small
hand within his great paw (in comparison only, for his hand, despite the
fur, was every bit as hand-like as Jaimz' was) and led Jaimz through into
his inner suite.

Jaimz glanced toward the bed, and recalled what they had done in it
yesterday, while unknown to them, Kang had been happily observing.
Remembering caused a fresh blush to warm his cheeks, and he soon was
cussing his skin, which so easily revealed his emotions when Kaiel chided
him teasingly, "It must be anticipation that has you blushing like that."


Jaimz glared at him, for which Kaiel merely grinned and shrugged, it was
true that both of them were more sensitive today anyway, since they had
entered the cusp of the 72-hour.   Jaimz was beginning to notice that
even as much as 12 hours before his internal clock began to chime that it
was time to do it that his skin and other areas were very responsive to
stimulation, and thinking about that made him want to blush again, though
he chose to ignore the slight warming of his cheeks this time.   He hoped
that in time he would be able to control his blush response, for he knew
that he gave far too much away, but as of yet...he simply blushed with
aggravating ease.   He didn't remember being prone to blushing before
Kaiel; even with Lorz he hadn't been prone to blushing, crying yes,
screaming yes, but blushing no.  He shook that thought aside, for he
really didn't like thinking about how it had been with Lorz, the pain and
the humiliation was still to fresh.

Kaiel was already at his wardrobe with the curtains flung wide open and
he was skimming through the choices of matching and non-matching tunics,
vests, blouses and pants.   Jaimz only watched him for a moment, as Kaiel
pulled out an item, held it up against himself, looked toward Jaimz and
just as promptly dropped the outfit to try something else.   Jaimz
chuckled and stepped forward as he picked up the discarded outfit, "You
shouldn't be making more work for the staffers than necessary." He chided
gently as he reached up and replaced to outfit back onto the rack.

Kaiel had another outfit and turned toward him, "Then help me choose." He
insisted, for which Jaimz was already starting to do.

The wardrobe here was tall, after all if was meant to accommodate the
average Zaran height, of which Kaiel was on the lower edge of that
average at 7'9".   However Jaimz wasn't so short that he couldn't go
through the outfits and pull one or two together for Kaiel.

In the end Kaiel was dressed in a simple unrelieved black vest and well
fitting breeches complete with tall black boots--usually Zaran's went
around in sandals or bare feet, but once in a while they wore formal wear
like shoes and boots--actually in any branch of the military service foot
wear was required nearly at all times.   The black looked stunning
against his pale gold pelt and of course it merely emphasized his
extraordinary build, of course the black wasn't as severe as it first
appeared, for on closer examination, and what had attracted to Jaimz in
the first place was that the Vest and pants actually was an etched black
on black combination.   The etching only showed when light hitting from
different angles illuminated different areas of the outfit, revealing
delicate patterns and whorls.   Kaiel looked fabulous, and very mature
and professional that sometimes it was hard to remember that they were
actually the same age and that both of them were still young enough to
not be taken seriously be older adults.   Jaimz thought ruefully about
his own smooth cheeks and knew that he would likely have a much harder
time of it for the rest of his life and not for the first time he
regretted the vain and stupid idea that had made him decide to have his
facial and body hair repressed rather than bother with the tedious task
of shaving (or getting a furry back in older life).

As he was thinking about his smooth cheeks and the foolish idea, which
would keep his cheeks forever smooth, Kaiel suddenly, startlingly, cupped
his face and stroked his finger pads over those same cheeks.   He looked
up into Kaiel's intense golden eyes wonderingly and he couldn't deny that
no matter how hard he wanted to stay to the 72-hour schedule and keep his
life outside of that schedule somewhat uncomplicated he was already
incredibly responsive to Kaiel's touch.   With worry likely clear in his
eyes he waited for Kaiel to do whatever it was that he seemed driven to
do.  He felt himself starting to blush again when Kaiel's thumb pad
gently scudded upon his bottom lip...and he swallowed nervously when
Kaiel's eyes lowered to follow the tracing of his thumb.   He knew that
his mouth fascinated the Zaran.  Zaran lips were very straight, and not
even the females had bowed curves.   In comparison his own mouth was very
shapely, something he would never have even thought about before meeting
a leonine Zaran, a people who had evolved from a lion like ancestor to
humanoid structure and build but still retain much of the cat within
their faces.

"Kaiel...." he murmured, hoping to distract his friend and shift his
interest away from his mouth.

Kaiel did lift his gaze momentarily and reveal eyes that were as bright
as new pennies.   But his gaze lowered again and Jaimz responded
helplessly to the touch of his gaze once more on his mouth.  Kaiel tipped
his head up and once again raised his eyes, and then very, very
tentatively he said, "Jaimz...I want to kiss you."

A tremor shivered through Jaimz' body.   "Kaiel...I--." He couldn't say
that he couldn't.  He couldn't take away the brightness and hope from
Kaiel's warm eyes.   Besides it was just a kiss, he had done--far worse
with Kaiel.

Even though he couldn't seem to say it, Kaiel seemed to know anyway that
he was willing.   The touch of Kaiel's lips at first was very light, and
curious, for Jaimz didn't know what to expect since his lips were more
like the flesh that rimmed the eyes and formed the nose pad around the
nostrils and even the finger or toe/palm or sole pads of the hands and
feet then that of the soft and delicate flesh of human lips, but the
feeling was not unpleasant at all Jaimz thought, ever the scientist as he
analyzed sheer sensation.   Soon though, the scientist in Jaimz was lost
in sensation alone, as velvety-fleshed lips caressed and explored his own
to distraction.  Jaimz shivered and fluttered his hands along Kaiel's
arms, before sinking his fingers into that soft pelt which so wondrously
disguised all that hard muscle beneath.   He heard a soft breathy sound
that he didn't even recognize as his own as he softened into the kiss,
and he rose up onto his tiptoes as the kiss deepened.

When Kaiel pulled away, Jaimz didn't feel relief, but rather regret,
which only made his cheeks brighten again as the conflict of what he was,
and what he was doing, struggled up inside him again.   Kaiel stepped
back from him and for a moment he looked quite stunned, fortunately for
Jaimz' sake he didn't make any light comment referring to the kiss they
had shared, though he did once again run his thumb over the full curve of
Jaimz' bottom lip.   He finally drew in a ragged breath and gave himself
a little shake to clear his senses and then he said roughly, though
softly, "I have to go," he gave a last gentle squeeze to Jaimz' shoulder
as he stepped away, "I will tell you all about it once I return."

Jaimz followed him out, watching and thinking as Kaiel strode down the
hall and out of sight.   He felt strange after sharing the kiss, not
excited exactly, and yet tingling all over at the same time.  He wanted
to attribute his response to being on the cusp of the 72-hour, but he
couldn't simply explain every pleasurable encounter he had with Kaiel by
blaming it on the 72-hour.   He blushed just thinking about the other day
and Kaiel and the pleasure he'd had with Kaiel that had nothing at all to
do with the 72-hour...and he turned not toward his own suite, where Drey
was probably already working, to wander instead to Kang's suite where the
old medic was still working on setting up his clinic.    He needed
answers and he thought that Kang might be the only one to provide them.

Even meeting Terrill in the receiving room between wings proved to be
unsettling, for all Terrill did was touch his arm and Jaimz felt a
responsive tingle sparkle along his spine.   He looked with dismay upon
the senior K'Lan and hurriedly excused himself before the older male had
time to do more then give him a good morning greeting, which he flung
over his shoulder as he half ran toward Kang's suite.

Once he arrived he saw that things had changed quite a bit since just
yesterday.   Now Kang had an inner and outer room and the outer room was
divided into an bright open area for his help staff--it was amazing that
in just one day the outer room looked complete, even to include a sunroof
with a shade that the staff could pull if the sun was too hot upon them
and a hall leading to two smaller rooms, one that was Kang's office while
the other, slightly larger actually was his client room.   At the end of
the hall was another door, which he knew led into the clinic and from the
sounds of things the workers were still going full out in there.   At the
receiving desk actually sat a small Zaran female, she was maybe only a
foot taller then he, short even for a female, she was a blond Zaran from
her mane to her pelt and had a very pretty round face and a slightly
plump body complete with, surprisingly, small breasts.   Her mane was
trimmed short and tended toward a bit of curl and her black-rimmed brown
eyes were heavily lashed with blond fringe.  She had a bit of a muzzle
denoting some northern ancestry, but her nose pad was positively small
and delicate.   She just looked so cute that for a moment Jaimz forgot
why he was worried.  This was Kang's devoted assistant nurse and acting
receptionist, the one that had stayed on with him when he had shifted his
office to K'Lan pride.

"Uh...hi." He said, actually blushing when she looked at him with those
pretty eyes.

They had not yet met, but it was obvious from her reaction that Kang had
told her about him for she smiled brightly and said excitedly, "Jaimz Ni?
  You are Jaimz Ni right?" Was there another Alien around who could
possibly be?  "I'm so happy to meet you!  Kang Ni has told me much about
you..." she sobered then and canted her head slightly, "He told me
about...that too, but you can be sure I will keep it secret as promised!"

Jaimz wondered why Kang would have told her about the 72-hour but he
figured that as his assistant he had probably enlisted her help in
researching the Tag.

"Is...Kang Ni available?" he needed to see him, and thinking about why
made him feel even more anxious for answers.

She smiled, "Kang Ni is seeing a patient, one of the workers was injured
earlier, but he said that his door will always be open to you or Kaiel
Ni.   You can go and wait in his inner suite and I will let him know that
you are here." She gestured toward the door behind the reception area
that obviously led to Kang's private sanctuary.   As he passed by the
desk, she very lightly reached out and touched his hand, that was all,
nothing more not a grope or a stroke, simply a way of drawing his
attention.   "My name is Lan no Zayad Rica."

The no meant that she was like him, either adopted or mated into the
K'Lan pride, though he had been mated into the High House while she into
one of the lower houses within the Pride.   In a way that kind of made
them like family and he was happy to say so, for which her ears folded
back in embarrassed pleasure.  It was then, as he took in her plumpness
and her developing breasts that he realized that she might be with cub
and he risked asking, for which her ears perked forward and her smiling
face confirmed his suspicion before her words ever did.   She stroked her
rounded belly and said fondly, "Our first cub.  My mate and I are very
excited."

Feeling somewhat more relaxed after talking with Rica he went in to the
inner suite wait for Kang.


________________________________________________________________________________


It didn't take long for J'Lari Vree to go over the document and gauge the
seriousness of the situation.   He glanced up at his young Adjucant
(client) and pursed his lips.  "I will have to wait until I have the
original copy in hand before I can proceed and I will most likely need to
speak with Akibu--." He glanced at the signature on the contract
facsimile, "R'Fram Merrim about the full legalities of this contract...but
as it stands now it does appear as if the betrothal between K'Lan and
L'Teran is invalid."

Kaiel sighed and relaxed, for once the betrothal contract was declared
void he would be free of L'Teran Vreda and he would be able to, at his
own pace, pursue a mate that Jaimz would find more agreeable.   Still
Adjucator J'Lari was not through yet.

The older male, with his sour features and observant eyes, leaned back in
his chair and said blandly, "Of course the ramifications of this contract
for you is--shall I say--unfortunate."

Kaiel flicked his ear forward, "Why?"

"This older style mating contract is nearly impossible to dissolve,"
J'Lari Vree stated slickly, "and to be named as the inheritor of the
contract means that you automatically inherited the deceased's spouse.
It's an old and barbaric practice, which only the Akibu would still
perform.  I haven't seen a mate taken in this manner in my entire
lifetime; though my father did mention dealing with one such when he was
younger.   He was not able to break the contract either even though the
two people were extremely unhappy.  I have no idea what became of
them...perhaps they were able to petition the Most High Akibu into
dissolving the contract?"   Then he concluded his explanation with a half
smile, a touch slyly.  "But what I am trying to say is that your brother
has managed to bind you to that alien."

Kaiel rose and leaned his hands on the Adjucator's desk, which kept them
neatly separated.   "You don't seem to understand Adjucator J'Lari...I
have no intention of trying to break the contract."

At that, those small unfriendly eyes widened with shock, but before he
could sputter any response Kaiel extended his hand and said, "I thank you
for looking this matter over for me, as soon as I have the original I
will courier it to you for safekeeping and though I will be in a Closed
Conference I am sure that you will be able to deal with the originators
of the betrothal contract and conclude it satisfactorily."

J'Lari Vree had no choice except to accept the young male's hand
gracefully and allow the meeting to conclude.   He noticed that the young
male very lightly extended his claws into the firmness of the grasp and
Vree who had not previously thought much of the younger son of K'Lan
Pride revised his opinion as he now thought that K'Lan Kaiel had more
than enough determination and confidence to carry K'Lan Pride upon his
powerful young shoulders.


________________________________________________________________________________


Kang sent his first patient off with a warning to keep his bandage clean
and dry for the next couple of days.   The young male had slipped when
they were taking out the pivot windows at the front of the clinic and
ended up slicing his arm open as a result.  After shaving the fur and
stitching and dressing the wound he certainly didn't want his efforts to
be wasted by any foolishness that could result in an infection.  He had
told the male to take four days off from the job as it was and informed
his supervisor as well, so he would see.

He left his things where they were for Rica would clean up and put
everything away since she was much better at it and scolded him if he
didn't fold the bandaging up just so...he smiled fondly, Rica had been
with him for five years, and he had even been honored to accept the role
of Acting Sire for her Mating Ceremony.   Recalling what Rica had told
him while he had been dealing with his patient he made his way into his
inner suite wondering why Jaimz wanted to see him.   Not that he minded
the younglings company, for he was extremely fond of him.  But Rica had
indicated that Jaimz had seemed anxious when he had first arrived, so he
knew that this wasn't just a simple visit, but rather another attack of
conscious.

It took him a minute to find where Jaimz was, and when he did he simply
joined him in watching the workers tear out the front wall of the clinic.
  The plan was to put in an entire bank of doors that could be opened
fully onto a patio where his patients could convalesce and enjoy the
sunshine or moonlight as needed.    Outside his own suite he still
retained the pivot windows and he planned to keep that but on the short
meadow grass he had set up a grouping of wicker chairs, lounges and a low
table where he could take his ease.

They were distant enough from the noise of the work crew not to be to
disturbed, and also distant enough to not be overheard which should
assuage Jaimz' peculiar shyness.   He called in for Rica to send a
staffer with refreshments for them (he didn't expect Rica to do it, for
she was busy with her own task of setting up her reception area--as well
as tidying up after him) and settled in to see what Jaimz was looking
for.

Jaimz started by saying lightly, "I think I'm going to like Rica very
much.   She's cute."

Kang nodded, indeed Rica was cute, and for a Zaran she was also rather
short at just around seven feet tall, still quite a bit taller than
Jaimz, but not so tall that he felt overwhelmed.   "Yes," he
acknowledged, "Rica is pretty special."

He leaned into the back of the lounger and observed Jaimz, the youngling
as always looked exquisite which of course was part of his problem for he
didn't understand what a pleasure it was just in looking at him.   Of
course he was surprised that Jaimz was so appealing to his eyes, but to
the rest of his senses he had no trouble determining why Jaimz was
frequently accosted.   Emotionally Jaimz stimulated the urge to protect.
Visually he stimulated the urge to mate (which understandably Jaimz
didn't understand).  Physically by touch and smell he unfortunately
reinforced that urge.  During his short but growing association with
Jaimz the one thing he had detected, though not mentioned was that Jaimz'
scent, though faint and often washed away with the clean smell of soap,
was very similar to that of a young female at her first flush of sensual
adulthood.   Jaimz probably wouldn't be finding himself being bothered if
he was butt ugly and his skin was not so fascinating, but his fresh scent
definitely played a part in his troubles, and of course since it was a
natural part of him there was nothing he could do about it so he wouldn't
be telling him and simply providing him with yet something else to worry
about.

As he waited for Jaimz to find the courage he needed to talk to him he
looked out over the savanna, like Jaimz and Kaiel his suite also looked
out over the same savanna though the view of course was slightly
different.   From where he was sitting he could easily watch the
long-necked Jennets browsing in the low scrub Ara bushes.  The Ara had
tiny dark green succulent leaves amid literally thousands of tiny thorns,
and yet the dexterous lips of the Jennet had no problem stripping those
tiny leaves.   The Jennet was a pretty creature with a short sand-colored
hide that on its shoulders and chest were covered with large angular
brown spots, it also had a short furry tail which it flicked to keep away
the flies, a short brush-like mane that began at its forehead and went
all the way down the back of its neck, there were also had brown stripes
around the lower portion of each leg and it had cloven hooves.   It was
the Jennet's face that made it really pretty, it had a small head with a
delicate muzzle and big heavily fringed eyes outlined in dark brown that
formed into deep teardrops on either side of its muzzle. The Jennet was a
favorite meat animal, but this was the Jennet's foaling season so they
wouldn't be hunted for a few more months yet, even though Jennet foal
meat was a delicacy.

Jaimz also looking out toward the small herd of Jennet grazing in the Ara
scrub bushes said lightly, "They remind me a bit of horses and gazelles
somehow combined together."   He looked at Kang, "Do Zaran ride any
animal?  For work or pleasure?  Racing?   Stuff like that?"

Kang shook his head, "No, we never felt the need I suppose since we are
strong and can run so fast anyway." He smirked and patted his ample
tummy, before continuing.   "Your people have a riding animal I suppose?"

"Horses...pretty much... although not so much anymore.   It used to be that
Horses were the only real way to get around or do anything before the
advent of technology, and then they were simply relegated to pleasure
riding and racing...or glue factories I guess."   Jaimz winced at the last
bit.

Kang pursed his lips, and said, "How sad, your people seem to do a lot of
things that we wouldn't even consider.   Every animal has its time; we
hunt when the time is right, and leave the animal alone when the time is
wrong.  Every animal has its own season and we respect that."

Jaimz felt his cheeks warm as he acknowledged, "My people made a lot of
mistakes it is true, and by the time they wised up it was too late to
save many species of fauna and flora...but they are learning and
protecting what we--they--still have."

Kang nodded, "Well that is good, when we finally do meet with your people
hopefully we will be able to help them husband their fauna and flora--as
you put it--better.   Everything to their season."

Kang looked up at the sky, such a rich azure blue and said, "Such a
lovely day it is cubling."

For which Jaimz only gave his non-responsive "Mmmm..." reply.   The kind
of reply he usually made when he was thinking about something else.  Kang
glanced toward him and asked gently, "What is bothering you, youngling?"

Jaimz glanced at him and licked his lips nervously before saying,
"Terrill barely touched me in the receiving room and I-I felt as if
everything was electrified in my body... and with Kaiel it's even worse...
why?"

Kang got down to the business of discussing Jaimz' addiction.   "Today
you have entered the cusp of the 72-hour.  Though you are still hours off
from the actual need to answer the Tag demand, your body is in its way
preparing you for later.   You already know that you are highly sensitive
to touch during this time, so when Terrill touched you your body reacted
accordingly." He held up his hand to stop Jaimz' protest and continued,
"I know what you are going to say youngling, that with Lorz you didn't go
through this.   Cub, Lorz perverted the whole meaning of the Tag by
constantly hurting you.  He didn't need to hurt you and I doubt we will
ever find out why he was determined to keep hurting you...but nonetheless
you would have felt pleasure with Lorz and your body would have
anticipated answering the Tag just as it does now with Kaiel."

Jaimz shook his head and tears sparkled suspiciously in his green eyes.
"But--it's all wrong.  I'm a male, it just isn't right to respond that
way to another male."

Kang observed him closely and then ventured gently, "I think this is your
culture speaking Jaimz.   They have screwed with your mind as much as
Lorz screwed with your body."

Jaimz gasped, and blushed profusely but he didn't deny it, "My people
believe that copulation is only to produce young.   Two males can not
produce young so being together--intimately--is frowned upon."

"But does it not happen at all amongst your culture?   Surely it must,
since you are so receptive you can not be alone amongst your people."

Jaimz shook his head and denied hoarsely, "I am not receptive!   I have
no choice!" then still blushing fiercely he said hesitantly, "It does
happen in my culture.  There are males and females who only choose the
same and though my people have grown more--tolerant--there are still
those who think that it is just morally wrong and depraved."

Kang leaned forward, "And do you think that because your body needs Kaiel
that you are morally wrong and depraved?"

Jaimz glanced away, and said softly, with an aching roughness in his
silky voice, "Before Lorz--did what he did to me, I was never interested
in males.   Never.  I knew that I was attractive and that even men liked
me--that way.  But I wasn't interested.   After Lorz...and Ham...and it was
so painful, always so painful I thought for certain that I could never
be--that way.  But," he lowered his head; "the day before with Kaiel I
let him...I let him, do that to me...." He blushed just thinking about
Kaiel's mouth around his cock, "and today...I let him kiss me.   Neither
of those things happened because of the 72-hour so I can't blame them on
it!"

Kang sighed, indeed Jaimz' culture had messed him up.   "Cubling, first
with today, you can pretty much blame any indulgences upon the 72-hour.
So the fact that you kissed him," at Jaimz' ready protest he waved his
hand and amended, "He kissed you, fine...can be blamed on your addiction.
  You have to remember that you are addicted to Kaiel.  You really can't
help it and you can't wean yourself off him either...it's quite
impossible."

Jaimz' face contorted, "It's still wrong!   I can't be addicted to a
person, I just can't be!" even though he knew that he was.  "And what
about the other day? Even if the 72-hour can be blamed for the
kiss...there was no excuse for that!"

"You were overwrought, exhausted, afraid and extremely traumatized...."

"So then every time I get like that it's an excuse to climb into Kaiel's
bed and let him do what ever he wants?" Jaimz asked bitterly.

"Or to do what ever you want." Kang gently amended, "Youngling you don't
know, and probably I should have told you, but I wanted to let you alone
for awhile.   Nonetheless you and Kaiel--resonate."

Jaimz just looked at him and frowned, he was a scientist, and he knew
what it meant to resonate.   It meant that he was starting to echo Kaiel
and Kaiel was starting to echo him... spiritually it meant that they were
starting to become one being that just happened to have two bodies.   He
scoffed at this ridiculous notion; he didn't believe that there was one
person meant for him alone, and certainly not an alien person who also
happened to be male.

Kang leaned forward, "Let me ask you something youngling."   He frowned
slightly, and said, "If you were female and the same species as Kaiel do
you think that you might possibly be falling in love with him?"

Jaimz gasped, and stared at him, for a long moment he was perfectly
silent then he evaded the question by saying, "But I'm not so the
question is irrelevant."

Kang muttered, "I said IF...if your were female."

Jaimz looked at him again and finally replied, "I like Kaiel...I do like
him....  He's my friend.  But I don't really know him very well yet.  I
mean I've only known him for...such a short time."   And yet, sometimes it
felt like he'd known him forever...it was very strange.

"And yet you trust him implicitly." Kang observed.

Jaimz shivered, and bowed his head saying idly, "Am I just supposed to
give in then?   Stop fighting this, give up trying to beat the Tag and
everything it represents?"

Kang reached over and squeezed his shoulder affectionately, "Cubling.
That is only for you to say.  I do think though, if you continue to fight
and doubt the rightness of this, that you will only hurt yourself and
Kaiel too, because whether you like it or not, he is as tied to you as
you are to him."

Jaimz smirked with a touch of ironic bitterness, "Yeah but he isn't
addicted to me."

Kang chuckled, "Cubling, just because the Tag works differently with him,
doesn't mean that he doesn't suffer his own kind of addiction where you
are concerned."

With that Jaimz simply blushed and looked away.   Kang gazed at his fine
profile and recalled how his face had contorted with pleasure and bliss
the other day and thought that no matter what his species, Jaimz couldn't
help being beautiful.

"Well have I helped you through this crisis or not?" Kang wondered.

Jaimz sighed and smiled at him before saying, "I seem to burden you with
a lot of my problems Doc."

"I don't mind though.   I like you youngling.  I think that you are
pretty special yourself.  And I also think that Kaiel is pretty
terrific." He smiled fondly and continued,   "There will be difficulties
for you, but Kaiel will help you with them and I will answer your
questions as they come up, and I will continue to help you with the Tag
until you either break it...or give in to it."

Jaimz looked at him for a long moment, then nodded as he rose to his
feet.   He turned back toward the savanna just as a breeze lifted his
hair and swirled it all around his face.  He brushed a strand out of his
mouth and smiled, "It did help me to talk with you Doc.   Sometimes I
think I've adopted you as a surrogate parent."  With that offhand comment
Jaimz headed across the meadow grass, not to go directly back into the
house, but rather to cross along the outside of the house to his own
suite.

Kang watched the young human walk away, proud to admit that he was happy
to act in the place of Jaimz' missing parents.   He noticed how the
workers watched Jaimz though none made any untoward move in his
direction.  The entire household and all workers brought in from out side
had been carefully warned about Jaimz and told that they were to treat
him with respect and honor at all times.   So they knew that Jaimz was
not to be bothered, but his beauty was still arresting and still drew
their eyes as long as they were allowed to look, and since even the older
supervisor looked, the workers had a few leisurely moments to enjoy
observing that very good looking if somewhat visually confusing male, and
then he had to chuckle, for he didn't think Jaimz had any idea that how
he walked, with that long gliding stroll of his, was actually quite
alluring.

Still after a moment Kang returned to other darker thoughts, worried by
Jaimz' own emotional hang-ups regarding his relationship with Kaiel.
And it was definitely a relationship, though still new and strained, he
suspected that it would only grow more solid in the coming seasons and
years.


________________________________________________________________________________


Kaiel was definitely in a good mood as the day advanced toward evening.
He had a strange sense of anticipation and fretfulness, even though he
knew tonight he wouldn't be seeing Jaimz despite the fact that sometime
after dark the 72-hour would arise.   He was okay with that and prepared
to take a few tablets to stave of the mild headache he would get from the
early stages of the Tag denied.  He had already seen Kang and everything
he would need to get through the worst of the Tag Withdrawal Syndrome if
the conference went over the expected five days was already packed,
including a warning wrist cuff and prepared auto-injections that he just
had to press against his arm to self administer.

He was waiting on Heron to return from an enquiry of his own that he was
on and he was also waiting on Jaimz to come see him, since he had
promised to fill him in on what had made him so happy this morning, and
was still keeping him so happy this afternoon...although that kiss
certainly had helped with his mood too.   He smiled broadly and thought
about kissing Jaimz and more, but then he shook that thought aside for he
still had work to do although it was getting close to crunch time now and
soon whether he was armed with the necessary information or not he would
have the leave for the conference.

He glanced up as the solid rapping at his open door announced Jaimz'
arrival and he smilingly said for him to come in.   Jaimz strolled in,
still looking delectable in the same turquoise outfit that he'd been
wearing earlier in the day.  He said, "I thought Drey was never going to
stop asking questions.   He must have watched yesterday's interview over
and over again.  He wanted to know every story about my parents, where my
favorite place on Earth was--." He stopped with a wry smile and shook his
head, "I thought it would never end."

Kaiel casually slid his arm about Jaimz' waist and was rewarded by having
Jaimz contentedly lean against him.   "That's because he's seriously
fascinated with you." He gave him a toothy grin and warned, "I'm going to
have to watch him as he gets older, cause I'm pretty sure he's in cubling
love for you."

"Hah...very funny!" Jaimz snorted, though as usual his cheeks glowed a
warm pink.   "I think he just wants to pick my brain for all the
information he can get out of me." The he turned so that he was basically
chest-to-chest with Kaiel and asked with a sly smile, "So what was it
exactly that I helped you with this morning?"

Kaiel spent a moment looking at Jaimz' month, and grinning even wider
when Jaimz' cheeks grew even brighter, but finally he explained, "My
brother, as much as you hate him, did me a favor.  His Akibu Mating
Contract with you was dated prior to the drawing up of the Betrothal
between K'Lan and L'Teran, basically what he did made the betrothal
invalid and now all that should be required is for the betrothal to be
formally voided."

Jaimz pursed his lips thoughtfully, "Well that is good, but what is an
Akibu Mating Contract?"

Here Kaiel knew he needed to tread carefully, for he didn't want to end
up with an upset Jaimz again.   "Well, you remember how on his Death
Testament he listed you as his legal mate?" at Jaimz' slight nod he
continued, "Well, until we actually found the contract that proved it
there was some question as to how he could legally call you such.    I
mean he could have just as easily tried to call you his property or
something like that, even though Slavery has been outlawed on Z'Rarla for
over 10 generations." He frowned just thinking about Jaimz being enslaved
and then hurried on, "Any way, this morning Heron showed me the actual
contract Lorz had drawn up.   It was an Akibu Life-Mating Contract, which
is one of Z'Rarla's oldest and most respected mating contracts."

Jaimz frowned, "I can't remember...." He grew silent after a moment and
then nodded, "Oh wait, I remember something.   There was this time, not
to long after Lorz first took me that this other male came into the
cabin.  I was...scared, because Lorz had already let Ham have me...and I
thought...." He shivered momentarily and then gradually felt better as
Kaiel, looking utterly furious, soothed his back.   "But, this other male
argued with Lorz.  I didn't really understand to well then so I didn't
know what was happening.   But after a while Lorz managed to talk him
around, I'm pretty sure that is what he did....  And then things got
really weird...and well unpleasant too.   This male, threw dirt on me, and
he cut Lorz palm and smeared the blood on me too... or now that I know
your symbols better maybe he wrote on me.  He painted blood patterns on
Lorz to and threw dirt on him also.   And then he used Lorz blood mixed
it with some ink and wrote on a piece of paper...or something.  Lorz
signed it...and he nearly broke my arm making me sign it too...for which
this male...this Akibu maybe? Yelled at him.   But then...he stayed and
watched Lorz--rape me." He finished, sounding confused that the male
would have yelled at Lorz for forcing him to sign...but not for raping
him.   "Why would he have allowed that if he was a priest?"

Kaiel, was furious enough to thrash the Akibu, but controlling himself he
explained, "The Akibu think differently then most Zaran's do, they aren't
peaceful priests of preach love and respect and all that...the Akibu serve
the War God, Z'Ullan, so for them everything is about conflict and
chaos...including mating.   Did he actually stay through the whole...act?"

Jaimz leaned his head against Kaiel's chest and said, "I don't
remember...I don't think so."

"Then probably he had no idea that Lorz was raping you.   He might have
assumed that it...hurt you at the start and that crying might have been
natural for you...and if he didn't stay beyond ensuring the consummation
of the contract he maybe wouldn't know that crying and screaming is not
natural for you." He didn't notice Jaimz' blush that time, but he was
definitely correct, for Jaimz neither cried nor screamed with him...at
least not from pain.   He continued, "And it wasn't dirt he threw at
you...it was the ashes of Z'Ullan. Or more correctly the ashes of Akibu
who have joined with Z'Ullan."

"Yuk." Jaimz exclaimed, "You mean he tossed the ashes of dead people on
me?   Yuk!"

Kaiel chuckled, "The Akibu are a very secular, strange and rigid group.
I do wonder though what Lorz could have offered as proof that you two
were supposed to mate for life, since you couldn't really understand and
therefore speak for yourself, he would have had to speak for you and
convince the Akibu that you wanted to be with him."

Jaimz blushed, "Maybe the fact that I was naked and had just
been--fucked--by Lorz had something to do with it?"

Kaiel leaned back and looked down at him and said slyly, "Well you do
look very convincing when you're that way."

Jaimz decided that he simply wouldn't talk to him for the rest of the
evening.   Kaiel laughed and bent to nuzzle his neck while saying, "There
is no way for you to spoil my mood today... but if you want to leave I'll
let you.... I still have a ton of work to do before I leave for the
conference tomorrow."   With that he let Jaimz out of his embrace...with a
bold pat to his pert bottom.

Jaimz didn't know whether to laugh or frown at Kaiel.   But he thought
that maybe he would return to his own suite and work on one of his own
projects and let Kaiel get back to work on his, since he sort of knew
that he was a distraction.   It was a bit disquieting to realize that he
was a distraction; it made him want to smile at the same time it made him
want to shake his head.  He thought about Kang and what he had said,
about how he was letting his upbringing interfere with his emotional
health--or whatever.

As he was heading for the door and Kaiel was heading for the COM though,
it suddenly chimed and Heron came on-line abruptly.   "Kaiel Ni?  Kaiel
Ni are you there?  We have a situation!" the assistant exclaimed with
agitated worry.

Jaimz was curious so he turned to see as Kaiel hastened to the COM.
"I'm here Heron."

"Thank you!" Heron breathed, "Oh thank you!   I worried that I would miss
you.  Something big is going down.  I asked the captain if any unusual
activity by the Chai had been recorded.   And when he hedged I knew that
something had happened.  So I pestered until he told me.  Kaiel Ni the
Chai were onboard Jaimz' Ni ship.   They were onboard his ship for nearly
twenty minutes they estimate before a Zaran patrol scared them off.
And...anyway this afternoon the Kattaf and the Zagar took up position near
Jaimz' Ni ship...and when they did two Chai battle cruiser's showed up and
took position opposite them.  It's very tense up here, but no one has
started shooting yet....   In fact the Chai are saying that they will not
fire, that they are merely protecting what they consider partially their
rights until the Agreement is drawn up.   The Agreement between them and
us.  The one they want you to preside over."

Kaiel looked at Jaimz, and Jaimz stared back at him in puzzlement before
saying, "What do they want with my ship?"

Kaiel realized, and knew that Jaimz did too at that same instant, and
together they breathed, "Jump technology."   Until yesterdays interview
the World Council had paid little notice to Jaimz' presence or his
intelligence, however after the interview they had taken notice and began
to think about all the alien technology in the ship and inside Jaimz'
head.   They had moved to secure the ship today, and maybe only acerbated
the situation because of it.  Kaiel knew, as he looked at Jaimz, why the
Chai were suddenly ready to compromise.   They must have been able to
download some of the ship's data records and realizing the potential in
that ship they decided that a compromise could be of value to them if it
allowed them to gain new technology.

Kaiel didn't know what to think though he was sure that this matter had
turned into something disquieting.   He didn't like the implications and
he didn't like how Jaimz was involved in it, for he was certain that
Jaimz was involved.  He wondered if the interview had given the Chai even
more to think about than they had acquired when they had raided the ship
for information.   He was so busy with Heron, gathering information that
he didn't even notice when Jaimz quietly left him.

He worked until his head and eyes just ached and he knew by Heron's jaw
cracking yawns that his assistant was utterly exhausted.   Thinking about
how tired Heron was reminded his body that he needed to sleep which also
reminded him that the head ache he had might not be solely related to
work overload.   He was already into the 72-hour by at least a couple of
hours, and the Tag denied was a bitter companion.  Finally he remembered
his manners and said to Heron, "I'm sorry...and you have an early
transport to catch too.   Go to bed Heron.  I will see you as soon as
possible at the conference."

Exhausted, his assistant stumbled through saying Sleep Well, and then the
connection was severed.   Kaiel wasn't even sure which of them had
disconnected first and as he slumped back into the chair he knew it
didn't even matter.  He scrubbed a tired hand through his mane, and
yawned hugely as he pushed to his feet, for a moment he wobbled until he
regained his footing, he had been sitting for what seemed hours and
hours.   He didn't even remember if he'd eaten dinner, then seeing a half
empty tray nearby he recalled that sometime this evening someone had
remembered him and sent a tray.

Having regained his footing he made for his bedroom, he needed to sleep
if he was going to be able to perform tomorrow morning...in more ways than
one.   He pushed open the door and wandered toward his bed, and as he
reached to pull down the light covers he stopped, his hand frozen above
the coverlet.   For his bed was not empty.  He just stood and stared for
a moment, to confused and sleepy to fully comprehend that Jaimz was
snuggled up in the center of his bed.   He shook his head, but the
apparition didn't go away, in truth Jaimz seemed more real and solid by
the second.  Just seeing him was lifting his tiredness as if lifting a
veil.   He shed his well-worn garments, and then lifting the edge of the
bedding he climbed in under the covers.   Before he had even lain down
Jaimz snuggled into his side and tucked his head against his shoulder.
He settled down, with Jaimz against him and stared up at the ceiling,
wondering if he was so tired that he had actually fallen asleep in the
chair and was actually dreaming.

Jaimz disabused him of that notion however when he murmured, "I thought
you were never coming to bed."

Kaiel shivered as Jaimz began to leisurely trail his fingers through his
belly pelt, but he was able to reply, "I thought--I thought we weren't
going to answer the Tag demand until morning?"

At that Jaimz lifted his head and gave him an amused look, "This is our
72-hour Kaiel.   I'm not going to suffer with even a little headache if I
don't have too."

Kaiel tipped his head back as he smilingly realized that he had
misunderstood.   Jaimz had never actually said they wouldn't have the
normal 72-hour, what he had said was that it would be easier on Kaiel if
they did it before he had to leave so that he (well both of them) would
have a little extra time before the next 72-hour hit.   He was aware when
Jaimz' fingers moved lightly lower, brushing against his thigh,
fluttering hesitantly across the mouth of his pouch, he did nothing
though, for he knew that Jaimz still had a difficult time with this and
if he was willing to explore even a little bit on his own he wasn't going
to do anything to distract or worse, upset him.

For a time those fingers just moved lightly over his pelt, trailing
through the fur, brushing it back, following little whorls and ridges and
he just enjoyed the sensation of his Tag Mate freely touching him.
Nevertheless when those curious fingers returned to stroke wonderingly
over the full length of his heavy pouch and then seek even lower into the
densely protective barrier of fur there...he couldn't help but gasp
softly.    Small warm fingers found his scrotum and very tentatively they
explored the fullness found there, he shifted carefully but even as those
fingers moved away...he waited, hoping and sighed softly when they
returned to explore him again.   He tipped his head down and looked
toward Jaimz and Jaimz was looking up at him.  His eyes warm with
interest and his expression was one of peaceful waiting.   Even in the
night shadowed room he could still see the faint brightness of color that
stained Jaimz' cheeks, so he knew that on some level where Jaimz was
exploring did bother him...but it pleased him that Jaimz was willing to
explore despite his mild discomfort.

He moaned softly when Jaimz' fingers moved up the length of his heavy
pouch once again, and upon reaching the slit his rod crown slid out to
greet him...again Jaimz hesitated.   He continued to simply watch his face
as Jaimz was with him, but then at the same instant Jaimz' eyelashes
fluttered down to hide his eyes as his fingers brushed against him, and
then slid around him.   He groaned as his rod slid forth between Jaimz
guiding fingers...those fingers, strolled up and down his growing length
explored his slickness, his sleek texture, his expanding thickness and
even the softly ruffled edge of the relaxed flare.   He moaned and rocked
his hips as those warm silky fingers encircled around his cone shaped
crown and then staying circled moved along his length until his thickness
eased those fingers apart.   He looked down at Jaimz as he explored him,
watching as Jaimz shifted his position so that he could see for himself
what he was touching and exploring.   He stroked his hand along the curve
of Jaimz' spine, feeling a responsive shiver, and an answering stroke
that once again took in the entire length of him, including his pouch.

He said nothing, neither did he stop stroking his back, when Jaimz pushed
up into a half reclined position and turned to face him.   He looked into
those intense and needy eyes and knew that the moment was now, but he
didn't take control away from Jaimz, he rather waited to see if Jaimz
would give it too him or if he still wanted to be the leader of the
moment.   He continued to watch in silence as Jaimz moved across him,
straddling him momentarily before sliding nearly off until only his calf
and foot still rested on his belly as he stretched for something beside
the bed.   Kaiel admired Jaimz sleek, slender and excited body with his
eyes, and finally, as Jaimz returned, and straddled his midriff once
again, he risked wrapping his big hands around Jaimz' narrow waist,
marveling at the slimness of this body beneath his hands.   Jaimz smiled
down at him, and he murmured teasingly, "Let me...." He said nothing
more...but he waved his hand before Kaiel's eyes, showing the tube of oil
he had retrieved for them.   Kaiel drew in a ragged breath as he released
his light hold on Jaimz and Jaimz slid off and around him, though as
before one leg stayed crooked up over his belly.

Fingers dripping with oil once again bravely touched his length and it
was all he could do to let the other keep control while he moaned and
rocked his hips and waited for this sweet, teasing agony to give him
release.   He felt his flare start to stir and his hissed a soft warning,
"Please...Jaimz, my flare will hurt you."

Jaimz tenderly oiled the lifting flare and he stated softly, "But I can
take it even then."

He squeezed his eyes shut and groaned helplessly, "You torture me...."

To which Jaimz simply laughed softly, and moved to straddle him again,
but this time he murmured, "Help me." He opened wondering eyes, to see
Jaimz trying to balance and seat himself upon the rigid rod, but his
length and Jaimz' slight size made this step somewhat awkward for him.
He had a choice, he could hold his rod steady for Jaimz and let Jaimz
guide himself by touch upon it, or he could lift Jaimz onto it.  He chose
to steady himself and allow Jaimz find him with his body.    He groaned
when he felt Jaimz close around him, and Jaimz' own answering moan echoed
him.  He grasped Jaimz' hips then, to steady and help him as his slight
weight drove his long oiled length deep inside.   The barely engaged
flare was no problem at all as the hot velvety snugness quickly gobbled
that up, but as more length and expanding thickness filled him up and his
body stretched to an aching protest Jaimz simply leaned forward on hands
and knees above Kaiel and slowed the progress to rock his hips and by
drawing the oiled rod in and out of his body he was able to gradually
stretch to accommodate more of the rod's thickness.

Jaimz whimpered and gasped breathily with each accomplished stroke, he
tried his best to control how quickly he went down on the rod, to prevent
serious discomfort.   He was aware of course of Kaiel's hands kneading
his hips and buttocks as they also helped to support him and he half
craved to reach fruition so that Kaiel could touch him in other places
that also felt so good.    He realized then, that he wanted and needed
Kaiel to finish for him, he needed and wanted Kaiel's powerful hips to
finish driving his length inside his body and he was happy to give up
control, he had done enough, he had bravely started it on his own, he
didn't need to finish too.   He just stopped and leaned completely
forward until he was resting on Kaiel's body, with his own body throbbing
around the fullness of Kaiel and he curled his fingers into Kaiel's pelt
and breathed, "Kaiel...."

Oddly enough Kaiel didn't need confirmation or further encouragement.
He rolled forward in one smooth motion until he was sitting up with Jaimz
supported between his raised knees.  Jaimz panted breathily as this new
position only repeated what he had been doing, except that he was
completely supported and Kaiel's guiding hands were now controlling his
descent.   He moaned and shuddered with pleasure as Kaiel lifted him
clear of the peak, with the flare still not fully engaged it was
possible, and then he squirmed and laughed looking up at Kaiel as his Tag
Mate helped himself to some more oil, and lovingly applied it to his
already greasy anus.   He then arched back gasping and crying softly as
he opened around that rod again, he felt it filling him slowly fitting
itself deeply within his hot snugness until, finally, he sat throbbing
and aroused upon the apex of Kaiel's powerful thighs.   Kaiel bent then
to meet him smaller mate in a lip-locking feed where Jaimz gasped and
shuddered, especially when he pulled him up toward him and nearly allowed
his rod to escape him again. Kaiel only laughed softly against Jaimz'
tender lips, as with his hands kneading his firm rounded buttocks he
simply drove him back down over his length again.   Jaimz cried breathily
against his mouth and Kaiel felt the pleasure of his mate's small fingers
clenching fiercely into the hard flesh of his shoulders, even with out
claws and even with fur to cover them, he knew that Jaimz was marking
him...and he loved it.   He released Jaimz' gasping mouth to bend lower,
dragging his lips and tongue over his arched neck, along his smooth
slender shoulder, he gently scraped the back of his neck and the joint of
muscle there where Jaimz' long neck merged into his back and shoulders
and there he gently, ever so gently bit down.   He was so careful, he
knew how delicate Jaimz was, but he still broke the skin ever so slightly
and licked the wound and tasted the iron rich and salty sweetness of him.


Jaimz moaned and shuddered, arching his long sleek body into the pleasure
of Kaiel's tender bite and wrapping his arms tightly around Kaiel's
powerful neck as he cried shakily, "Oh...Kaiel please...." Kaiel licked the
slight wound one last time and uncurled from around his small mate, as he
felt his body shudder and rock responsively in his first release.   He
felt the warm sticky wetness seep into his fur and eased Kaiel back from
him so that his tremulous and shuddering mate, still so thoroughly
wrapped around his rod, now sprawled against his knees.   Kaiel enjoyed
just a moment of gazing at that beautiful sweat slicked body and admired
the finer ripple of muscles that defined his graceful shape.  He gently,
ever so tenderly thumbed Jaimz' not quite flaccid penis and while
stroking it he bent forward effortlessly and dragged his tongue up from
Jaimz' chest, along his throat, and then he had his mouth captured again.
  Jaimz didn't need to wonder how he could be so flexible, he was a cat
after all, and his flexible spine and his bigger body allowed him to
reach in ways that Jaimz could never have experienced with his own kind,
had he been so inclined.   No, Jaimz didn't wonder as he dragged his
fingers through Kaiel's golden mane and pulled his head back to hiss
demandingly. "Fuck me already!"

Kaiel laughed at his Tag Mate's desperate command, and he deliberately
teased him some more.   Licking him, nibbling on his graceful throat,
gently pulling at his shaft as it firmed responsively in his velvety
fist.  As Jaimz squirmed and became more emphatic about what he wanted
Kaiel only dragged the pleasure out more until finally Jaimz howled as he
grabbed his mane again, this time pulling him back while he cried
pleadingly, "Please!   Please Kaiel fuck me!"

He looked so pretty, and so desperate that Kaiel could only comply with
his sweet command.   Once again, he rolled forward, pulling Jaimz against
him to support him, pulling his legs up and around him until he was in a
position of full control and Jaimz lay splayed before him on the bed with
his hands tugging at his arms and shoulders and his hips rolling in eager
anticipation.   Because the love play had taken a while, he was cautious
in thrusting forward again, easing in slowly and feeling how Jaimz
received him stroke by deliberate stroke.    Once he was well seated
again and now that his flare was fully engaged, he pulled back to the
hood of the flare and thrust forward again, faster, deeper as Jaimz
squirmed and arched and cried out in unmistakable delight as he was
pleasured inside and out.   Again Kaiel bent over him, arching his supple
back so that Jaimz could wrap his arms around his shoulders and still
pull his fingers through his mane while he once again reclaimed that
sweet and swollen mouth.

He felt it building, that sweet wild release that gathered in his gut and
thrust all its explosive strength into the first hot liquid burst to
spill within Jaimz' massaging passage.   Jaimz gasped and arched back
exposing that entire length of throat for Kaiel to bite down on.  It was
primal, almost violent, even savage as he thrust and thrust, stabbing
deep inside with each wave of liquid, but Jaimz clung to him panting and
gasping and crying through it all, loving every moment of it as his own
body shuddered to orgasm and released again.

Then, as always the moment of calm came when the final jet was launched
and the flare remained solidly in place, trapping any fluid from
trickling back for another few moments even as the pair collapsed panting
and quivering as gradually they cooled down.   Kaiel lay partially on
Jaimz, though most of his weight he still automatically supported away
for that smaller frame.  He was in no hurry to separate yet so he simply
lay, nearly on his side, with one leg over Jaimz to facilitate a
comfortable position while they were still joined as one.   He breathed
in deeply, drawing in the tangy scent of his gently gasping mate who lay
alongside him, with his legs still bent and open and both arms draped
lazily over his head.   Kaiel watched small runnels of sweat trickle into
a pool just above Jaimz' navel, and finally, after watching that silvery
pool ripple with each shuddering breath, he leaned forward and licked it
up.   Jaimz gasped, first because it had felt nice and secondly because
Kaiel's motion allowed his rod to slink free, though it remained still
fully extended.  Kaiel rolled onto his hands and knees above Jaimz and
even as he allowed his muscles to relax to retract his rod, he lowered
his head and upper body...and he started to very leisurely lick every
trace of that sweet salty sweat off Jaimz' body.

Before long, Jaimz, who had been winding down, was instead gasping,
shuddering and squirming, and laughing helplessly as Kaiel tickled him
all over with his tongue, they were likely headed for a second round when
Jaimz suddenly gasped for an entirely different reason.   Kaiel froze,
hearing a touch of alarm in that gasp, but before he could even react
Jaimz had sat up around him, with Kaiel's head, rather conveniently in
his lap, and had Kaiel not been interested in what had alarmed Jaimz he
would have taken direct interest in the semi firm flesh he found waiting
so achingly close to his mouth.   But curiosity had him rolling off
Jaimz' lap and looking around at him to see him staring, not with fear,
but bafflement at one of the big pivot windows.   He looked to where
Jaimz was staring, but he saw nothing, so he turned back to Jaimz and
asked softly, "What's the matter?"

Jaimz hesitated a moment then sighed and shook his head, as he said,
"Nothing.   I thought I saw someone standing outside the window...but
there's nobody there.  I think I'm seeing things."

Kaiel could have made nothing of it, after all Jaimz said that what he
thought he saw wasn't there after all, but instead he rolled out of bed
and padded lightly over to the window and pivoted it open, he wasn't
surprised that it was open, since Jaimz had to have gotten in somehow and
he didn't bother to lock any of his windows anyway...he even liked to
sleep with them open during the hottest nights of summer (still some
distance away -- though to Jaimz the hottest nights of Summer would feel
like a cool spring night to his bare skin...it was all that fur which made
Kaiel so warm and acted like a nice hot fur blanket for Jaimz too).   He
stepped outside onto the meadow grass and sniffed about, there were
scents in the air that he recognized and some of them were not very old,
but having two scents right on top of each other told him that it was
unlikely that either had been here at the same time and that they had
probably simply passed by.    He checked around both outside walls of his
suite, on one side was the grotto that separated his and Jaimz' suites,
and on the other side was another shallower grotto which if he walked
that way would take him to his father's suite and other unused suites in
the family wing.   Seeing and sensing nothing he returned to his room and
after closing the window he returned to the bed.

Jaimz crawled onto his lap as soon as he returned, and leaned against him
as he continued to look out over the night-shadowed savanna beyond.
"You must think I jump at shadows." He muttered, twisting his fingers
absently in the fur on Kaiel's chest.

Kaiel smiled, "These windows are probably very unusual to you... and being
uncovered as they are... you can't help feel but a little exposed."

Jaimz smirked slyly, "Well, if there are any voyeurs out there they must
be getting quite an eyeful."

Kaiel laughed softly and bent down to kiss the top of Jaimz' head.   "I
could have screens placed over both yours and my windows if you like?"

For a while Jaimz just sat there, content to lean against him and hear
his heart beat and feel his luxurious fur through his fingers, but
finally he smilingly said, "No...I think I'm starting to like them... let
them look if they want."

Kaiel muffled a laugh and fell back onto his bed, taking Jaimz along with
a loud oomph!   Jaimz laughed and shifted around until he lay tucked into
his side with his head settled against his shoulder.  For a while Kaiel
just lay there, enjoying the feel of that slim small body curled against
him then he wondered aloud, "Will you stay the night?"

Jaimz didn't even lift his head; instead he stretched his arm across
Kaiel's chest and tucked his fingers into his plush pelt and murmured
softly, "Yes...."

Kaiel lay there, feeling Jaimz grow more relaxed as he slipped into
sleep, he knew by his breathing that Jaimz was off and dreaming and he
smiled, gently stroking his hand over Jaimz' outstretched arm.   He
whispered softly to Jaimz' sleeping ears... "I want to keep you forever
Jaimz."

The reply he received was Jaimz cuddling more into his embrace, and a
softly sighed, "Mmmmm." But he had already learned that response usually
could be interpreted as...yes.   So gazing beyond his sleeping mate and up
at the starry canopy above the plains, he soon followed Jaimz into
peaceful slumber.

End P2....

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