Celta Cats Read online

  Randolph’s mouth quirked up. I’m learning.

  STUPID PEACHES! yelled Stripey along the Fam only mental stream. We will settle this. I will be top cat. I am oldest.

  Yesss, Peaches agreed, turning his head and angling it down to Stripey who stood on the floor. We will hash this out. I am the Best. Then Peaches looked ahead, not having to hide his smirk. He knew more about Stripey than Stripey knew about him, and Peaches would use his smarts to beat him.

  A few halls away they stopped at the door near the Captain’s quarters where Randolph’s Grandma Chloe lived.

  The door slid open to reveal a small room with built-in metal furniture to sleep on, sit on, and store stuff.

  “You’re late,” Chloe snapped, her old face crinkling into the pattern of the many lines. She stood, hands on hips, tapping her foot.

  Her skin showed one tint darker than most humans. “We’re expected in Conference Room A in five minutes to meet with the newly Awakened colonists.” She touched her white hair, stopped before she ran her fingers through it like she often did.

  “Time enough,” Randolph soothed.

  Peaches thought so. The thin woman walked slower now, but even dawdling they should get there by the time a paw’s worth of minutes had passed.

  “We must leave.” Peaches heard her teeth click together. Not a good sign.

  “Grandmother—Grandma—” Randolph spurted forward to the old woman and Peaches had to whisk his tail around him before the door closed.

  Her face scrunched in deep lines and Peaches gut tightened. “Randy,” she snipped back.

  FamMan heard the tone, too. His face went blank but he continued walking up to her and put his arms around her. Peaches noticed a while back that Grandma Chloe had shrunk since he was a kitten. He recalled her much bigger. But she carried great responsibility. She was high up in Ship status, The Executive Office. Second to the Captain, and she helped run the Ship.

  That burdensome duty, and the death of the previous Captain, had worn on her.

  Right now, everyone except Grandma and the Captain and Captain Lady and the pilot had been born on the Ship, for many generations.

  And those people who Grandma Chloe and the Captain Lady had Awakened from the tubes today. Might have been tiring, maybe that’s why she grouched.

  “You used to call me Randolph,” he murmured, rocking with her in comfort.

  Peaches leaned down from his perch on FamMan’s shoulder and and purred near her head.

  She moved a little in his arms, looked up at him, panted out words, “Before your friends shot me!” She stepped away and put her hand over her side.

  FamMan closed his eyes and wavered a little on his feet.

  Peaches decided he wanted to be on his feet, too. So he jumped down.

  Before FamMan could apologize again, Peaches reminded her, FAMMAN SAVED YOU!

  He shouted from his mind to theirs. FAMMAN SAVED ALL OF US! We are going to LIVE on a planet. YOU remember living on a planet, don’t you? He sat on his rump near her toes and looked up and gave her the big cheerful eyes and quivering-with-joy whiskers.

  Her mouth opened, but this time only a shaky breath went into her. She glanced down at him, then her eyes seemed to blur as if she looked into a-long-time-ago.

  You can help us! Peaches enthused. Grandma Chloe liked being helpful best. Because you know about living Outside.

  “Yes.” The word quavered. Her lips pursed then flattened. When she spoke, she sounded stronger. “Outside can be beautiful....”

  We will make it so! Peaches revved his purr, ignoring his own doubts.

  Her shoulders relaxed and when she bent down and petted him, she moved less stiff with fear.

  “Yes, the planet Celta will be beautiful and we will make it a home.”

  Thanks to FamMan Randolph! Peaches backed the words with a mind purr.

  Grandma Chloe straightened. “Yes, Randolph—”

  Helped A LOT.

  “Yes,” she sighed and touched the badge on her shirt as if reassuring herself of her status as Executive Officer, motioned at the door and it slid open behind Randolph. “Let’s go confer with the newly Awakened.” She fingered her badge again. “Everyone is expecting us.”

  FamMan ran his hand along her arm in support. “I redeemed myself by helping the Captain put down the conspiracy and working hard on determining that this planet has the physical characteristics to become a good home. Grandmother, you, as always, are doing an excellent job.”

  “Yes.” Out she walked, head high and with purpose.

  Randolph sighed, too, and scooped Peaches up. Over their private mental line, Randolph said, Thank you, Peaches. She is good for now, but she’s not done with complaining. I believe she fears landing. Perhaps she believes she is too old to found a new world and family and thrive.

  Shock reverberated through Peaches. He hadn’t thought of that. We must make her feel better.

  You’re doing well, too, Randolph said.

  Peaches increased his purr. We both are.

  But FamMan’s lips turned down, like he knew their problems weren’t over. And Peaches’ gut squeezed at the thought of the big, black space outside and the planet far away.

  During the meeting in the luxurious conference room, a whiny woman fussing about names and pretending to be allergic to Peaches dominated the time. The seven other colonists who’d slept in the tubes and been Awakened just watched and listened.

  Peaches didn’t care too much about the tube people. He and FamMan had been born on the Ship. He and FamMan cared more about the crew people like them than the people who bought the Ship and paid for the trip.

  Grandma Chloe grumbled to the other colonists about the name she’d picked and FamMan Randolph had taken. She implied he hadn’t lived up to the good name, riling Peaches and depressing the spirits of Randolph.

  Just as Peaches thought of protesting, Grandma Chloe made the entire window wall open to outer space for some of the colonists, disturbing Peaches with the huge black and pinpoint colorful stars and the looming planet.

  Finally, Chloe said to FamMan Randolph, “Randy, why don’t you lead our friends on a tour of the GreatGreensward.”

  She spoke to him like he hadn’t become an adult the last month, more, like he hadn’t reached his tenth Nameday.

  With a brief nod to Grandma Chloe, Randolph kept the doors open as everyone filed out, Captain Lady first, patting Randolph on the shoulder.

  Grandma Chloe and Peaches remained after the doors of the conference room closed. She tidied up the leftover drink tubes and discarded scraps of papyrus with lists of names. When she made the portal a wall again, Peaches jumped onto the big, fancy wood table and stared at her, keeping his whiskers stiff, radiating disapproval to Grandma.

  She scowled at him. “What?”

  YOU disappoint ME!

  She flinched.

  FamMan is good. He is respected by good people, by the Captain and Captain Lady. You should not show you might doubt him in front of others. And you should not doubt him!

  Grandma Chloe stiffened herself. I have a right to my feelings.

  Peaches stopped himself from accusing her of being afraid. He gentled his mind tone. Yes, but you should not take away the name you chose for yourself, the surname you gave FamMan Randolph years ago.

  She swallowed hard. “I do have doubts.”

  Do you not also have faith? Faith in how you raised FamMan? Faith that he is a good man? Did he not SHOW EVERYONE that he is good by redeeming himself?

  Grandma Chloe reached out and gripped the solid edge of the wood table, lowered herself into the cloth cushioned metal chair. Like everyone else who’d been in the conference room, she stroked the wood. Not much wood in the Ship outside of the GreatGreensward, where trees lived. Very valuable.

  And this expensive table had been crafted on Earth, itself.

  You should at least tell Randolph that you will keep the name ASH, like he has.

  Chloe sniffed and her eyes l
ooked big with water.

  “I don’t—”

  I will remind you that he is all the family you have left.

  She flinched.

  Hurting him will make him not want to be with you.

  She hunched over.

  Instead of just feeling, THINK! And have faith in him and in US all. Peaches leapt from the table and sauntered to the doors that opened for him.

  He’d told her what she should do. Now she should follow his advice. His own feelings should follow his head, too.

  Early the next morning, Peaches slipped away from their quarters through his favorite air duct, leaving his humans to sleep while he took care of Stripey.

  Grandma Chloe had only been a little mean at dinner because she’d been tired from Awakening a few more tube-people.

  Peaches thought that his disapproval of her also made her think.

  She hadn’t told FamMan Randolph that they would continue to carry the name ‘Ash,’ so Peaches hadn’t quite fixed that problem like he’d thought he had.

  But he’d fix the one with lying Stripey, and rise to the status of Top Fam on the Ship once more. Then he’d figure out how to deal with Stripey’s lying man.

  Fams and his status among them was more important right now. He had to keep them thinking positive about the landing and the new world, so they would keep their humans from gloom and despair.

  He knew his target. Stripey liked to pee in the GreatGreensward when daylight-time began. He would get a surprise!

  He’d get a challenge by Peaches.

  Peaches had already sent a low level “come” spell out to the other Fams so they could see the fight and watch him triumph. Might even stop the last Cat from challenging him.

  Sometimes you couldn’t talk, you had to fight.

  He slid down a tube into the GreatGreensward close to the area Stripey liked best and marked most. Staying off the gravel paths humans preferred, Peaches stalked through the short, thick grass near low bushes, noting that other Fams hid nearby.

  He spotted Stripey and swaggered close behind him.

  Stripey squatted.

  Greetyou, STRIPEY!

  Stripey leapt up, turned in mid-air, landed, scowling at Peaches, hissed. This MY territory. MY time.

  Peaches rolled a shrug. Thought We should talk.

  Stripey lifted the top of his muzzle in a fanged sneer. You YAMMER too much.

  That stung.

  And you don’t talk well, Stripey sneered. Flattening his ears, Stripey began his growl, sounding all through the range of Cat hearing.

  Peaches responded with his lower growl, heard other Fams shift around until they circled Stripey and him.

  Narrowing his eyes, he waited. The first to attack meant he lacked control, would lose face. Peaches would have to be fast to retaliate.

  Stripey launched himself on Peaches, who moved, rolled, twisted. Stripey only got a swipe on his side. Hurt!

  They rolled. He put his feet up, protecting his belly, digging into Stripey’s soft stomach flesh. Peaches felt a bite near his neck, bit Stripey on his ear, ripped it good. Felt more blood trickle from a puncture on his own side. Another twist, flip, strike had Stripey submitting.

  Panting. Bleeding.

  Are you done, now, StripEY? he spit the phrase along a mental channel.

  Done, Peaches. You are Top Cat. Top Fam. And I am not Stripey no more. I’m STRIPED, now. Call Me Striped.

  Peaches hopped back.

  You will spread no more lies about Me? he demanded.

  No, Peaches.

  He stared at his opponent. Looked like Striped lost a fight. Peaches tested his own muscles. He carried wounds that would have to heal.

  Okay, Striped, he addressed the Cat.

  Youngest Cat trotted up, ducked her head, gave a small, rumbling purr. You are Top Cat, Peaches. She paused, glanced around her. Top Fam. Me didn’t believe no lies about You, she added virtuously.

  None of the other dogs or Cats protested.

  Good! Peaches flicked his tail, suppressed a yowl. Striped had gotten in a good claw on his tail, too, but his fur would hide wound until FamMan Randolph or Grandma Chloe could put medicine on his hurts.

  With an eye on Peaches, Striped rolled to his feet, limped away.

  Peaches followed him to a different tube than he used before, to watch him and his FamMan. This tube would whisk them to a corridor far above the GreatGreensward into the main public areas of the crew. Fine with him. Everyone would see he’d won back his title of Top Fam.

  The other Fams stayed in the huge park area, cheered that all status was back to normal, maybe talking about the short battle. Youngest Cat got distracted by hunting mice.

  One problem, easiest, taken care of. Now to see how he could stop Striped’s FamMan, Lewisy, from lying about Peaches’ FamMan.

  As soon as Peaches slid out of the tube into a near empty corridor, a man yelled, “You hurt my cat!” Striped’s mean-voiced-FamMan, Lewisy, yelled.

  Long bony fingers attached to a sweaty hand grabbed Peaches by the scruff of his neck! He squealed...and didn’t stop the sound from going to FamMan Randolph. Who woke and teleported into the hallway in his pajamas.

  People gasped. Not many could move from one place to another in an instant.

  The fingers dropped Peaches and FamMan grabbed him, put him on his shoulder.

  Peaches hissed at Striped’s FamMan. Striped huddled close by the wall, embarrassed that his defeat showed to everybody in his half-torn ear. Mortified that his FamMan arrived too late to any call Striped had made. And now his FamMan, Lewisy, mixed in Fam Business. Humiliating for Striped.

  Peaches sent his senses throughout the area, felt the Captain in a nearby training room. So he said telepathically to Randolph, Move back two doors. If this disturbance grew, the Captain would sense it and come out.

  What? Randolph asked, but followed Peaches’ advice, fading back a few meters.

  “You there!” Mean-man pointed a finger at FamMan. “Randolph...Ash?”

  FamMan’s shoulder stiffened under Peaches’ rump. Gossip must have spread through the Ship that Grandma Chloe doubted keeping the Ash name because of Randolph’s old actions of last month.

  Peaches hissed at the guy, but FamMan answered nice, “Yes, GentleSir Munz?”

  “The Captain co-opted you,” Lewisy sneered. “You abandoned the reg’lar people for the sleepers, the elite.” He hitched up his belt over his little belly, waved passersby to stop and listen. Some did.

  Randolph replied, “Because the Captain and my Grandmother were right! We can’t live on the Ship forever, travel forever. We were running out of fuel, the planet we’re heading for is our best chance. Best for the other starships, Lugh’s Spear and Arianrhod’s Wheel, too, who are also in dire straits.”

  “Don’ care about them,” Munz said.

  “Obviously not,” said Grandma Chloe, hurrying into view.

  “And you have always been with the elite!”

  She stood next to FamMan and Peaches, smaller so Peaches could have stepped down onto her lower shoulder. But she would have to use psychic magic power, Flair, to hold him.

  “Of course,” Grandma Chloe said. “On Earth I lived and fought in the ghetto for psi people. Fought against mobs who called everyone who used Flair ‘mutant.’ Neither the government nor the people liked those of us who were different.

  “I bought shares in this enterprise that purchased the starships and supplies and hired the crew.” She looked at the other humans. “I believed, and still believe, in a better future for us all, especially those gifted with psi.”

  “Which is pretty much all of us,” Randolph said, “including you, Lewisy. I can sense your Flair.”

  Moderate, Peaches sent to FamMan and Grandma Chloe.

  In her hand she held the thing that showed squiggles and pictures. Nothing interesting. Glancing down, she said, “GentleSir Lewisy Munz. You’re a supply officer.” She glanced up at him and though her expression looked calm, Peaches f
elt anger emanating from her. FamMan went still. “A rather high status job. Are you worried about your future on the planet as opposed to here?”

  “You gave away some of my supplies. Two tons of meal bars!”

  Her hand went to her side, and came up with a bar, she’d translocated from somewhere else. “Yes, the starship Lugh’s Spear needed the food and the subsistence sticks. We sent them to them.”

  “Lies! You wanted them for yourselves and you sold them to Lugh’s Spear.”

  You are the one who lies. And you do not listen! Peaches put in.

  “No, neither the Captain nor I lied.” Grandma stated. “The facts are clear. You can check them. And we sent the food four weeks ago. You’re still whining about that? Did you eat one of those sticks?”

  Again she looked around. “Did anyone here?”

  “I tasted one. Terrible.” A young woman stuck out her tongue.

  “So the Captain and my Grandma didn’t lie about that, did they?” Randolph smiled. “How many more meal sticks do we have, Executive Officer Chloe Ash? We can afford to give GentleSir Munoz hundreds, can’t we? See if he can sell them to whomever.”

  “Oh, yes.” Grandma Chloe bobbed her head. “We can fill up your bunk with crates.”

  Someone snickered.

  Face turning red, Striped’s man shifted from one little human foot to another. Big ego, moderate Flair, puny smarts. “Maybe you never sent the bars, that’s why you still have a lot of them.” His lips twisted and he jerked his chin up, revealing a scrawny neck. “Lies. The elite only want to keep us down, everything they say are lies,” he stated. As a crowd gathered, his skinny frame puffed up in importance. “And they’re lying to us, making fake projections on our portholes. There really is no planet.”

  Striped sat up, lifted a paw, licked it, and touched his bleeding ear. Always knew round ball in window was fake. Looks fake. Nothing like that is real. No planet, only Ship.

  Peaches hissed down at his former opponent.

  Striped shifted uneasily, winced as if movement hurt. Didn’t mean to challenge you again, Peaches. They fool you, too!

  YOU HAVE AS LITTLE SMARTS AS THAT MAN. *MY* FAMMAN HAS LOTS OF SMARTS, LIKE ME! All is real! I will show you the Landing Bay, Striped! Peaches snapped. He would not let lies stand, let himself be called a fool. The words would lead to a dip in his status. You can feel the cold of space outside. He jumped from FamMan Randolph’s shoulder and lit lightly.