Chapter 2: Return to Home

specton - 2 1/2 minutes
quant - 2 1/2 years
heckson - 2 1/2 miles

Bill was pacing outside the city, where was that star cruiser? They had ample time to reach this primitive dust ball of earth. Looking over at his two guards who would soon be his mates, he smiled. They were both still in their cat form. Unlike him, they craved their true cat form.

Twitty, a grey striped tabby with white streaks down her back. Gleena, a red-colored cat resembling a Bengal tiger. Both were half cat and half, Bill guessed, something approaching human. They had both been ready to fight to the death for the honor of being his mate. Laughing, Bill thought that was a joke, him? A desired mate?

Sighing again, Bill knew there was a lot he’d have to do when he returned. That is if he returned! The length of time it was taking the star cruiser to get here, he wasn’t so sure. Looking at his chronometer again, his face started to twist into anger.

“I want both of you to call Xendra. Let them know I am more than displeased that the cruiser isn’t here yet. It has more than enough time to reach this system.” Bill roared, transforming a moment into his full cat form.

Both Gleena and Twitty were trembling at the raw power that their mate was showing. Both pulled out their small but powerful communication devices. Almost frantically, they were calling the cruiser’s commander and command control, advising them both that they best hurry.

“The commander states he should touchdown in two spectons,” Gleena advised Bill.

“Xendra command says they were delayed by a magnetic storm of one hundred hecksons across,” Twitty purred.

Bill nodded; he normally wasn’t this impatient, though with the death of his brother, he felt that haste was best at this point. Grabbing Twitty’s communicator, he growled, “Command, I want triple guards on my uncles. If they escape, I will hold all accountable! No matter where you hide, I will find you!”

“Yes, Sire!” The voice at the other end said as there was suddenly a lot of shouting. “They will still be incarcerated when you return, Sire!”

“Good, I am not really in a good mood to go hunting when I get there!” Bill growled out again.

There was a gulp, then the other voice said, “Yes, Sire, I wouldn’t want that for you either!” Clicking off, Bill was relieved when a moment later, there was a rush of air, then a door opened in front of them.

Both females drew the same type of gun Bill had seen Gleena with earlier. Nodding as he looked over their shoulders at the standard skimmer gun of the royal guard and special agencies. Advancing, both females took up positions on either side of the opening. As the commander stuck his head out, he suddenly had a barrel digging into the side of his neck.

“I do not recognize you, should I dispatch him, Sire?” Twitty stated as she bared her claws and fangs.

“Recognition code?” Bill growled out low and menacing.

The commander swallowed hard, “A beast with eyes of moonlight, fur knotted like wool. The teeth like pearls, so bright, He slips away.”

“The response?” Bill growled as Twitty pressed harder into the commander’s neck, her claws out ever closer to the commander’s throat.

“A shadow,” the commander replied.

Bill nodded, then walked up to the commander, smacking the man across the face, causing a few places to bleed. “This type of sloppiness won’t be tolerated. I should kill you on the spot! As I am in a hurry, best you remember! If there is another instance of this, you will find yourself staring at the sky as you bleed out. As I said, I should rip your insides out! Let’s go now!”

The commander had everything inside in record time. Another thirty seconds and they were in space.

“Commencing hyper drive.” There was a whine, then the ship shot forward. The commander came to Bill and saluted. Bill nodded, then the commander reported, “Sire, we should be arriving within 24 spectons.”

“Good, I am anxious to execute both of my power-hungry uncles. Part of your offenses is forgiven, commander. If we arrive in the time you have stated, then I might remove even more.” Here Bill pointed a finger at the commander. “I suggest that you don’t push it, though.”

The commander saluted, then bowed. Turning away, he breathed a sigh of relief. His mate wouldn’t be pleased he’d upset the king. Most of the penalties he’d incurred, though, were removed so she wouldn’t be as pissed off. Shaking, he’d rather face the king mad than his mate on an anger spree. She was after all of the same clan as special agent Gleena. The commander ruminated.

“Sire?” Gleena said after a few minutes. “I hope you don’t keep these restrictions on him. His mate is a sister of my clan. Though what she saw in his wire hair clan I’ll never know.”

Bill looked over at Gleena, a smile on his face. “Actually, I heard that they are fantastic lovers,” Bill said, a smile crossing his face when Gleena’s mouth dropped open.

“By the great feline! If I wasn’t your mate, I would have to find out! Wait, sire! You are joking, aren’t you?” Gleena asked.

“Ha!” Twitty laughed. “If you knew him as well as I do, you’d know he NEVER jokes! Sorry, sire, but I have been your guard for four quants.”

Bill waved her comment away, a broad smile on his face. “Yes, but that was with a full mind shield enwrapping my mind. It has been known that they can dull the sense of humor.”

Twitty got an extremely hurt look on her face, “I apologize if the shield made you that way, sire. It was only just a standard total mind shield.” Throwing herself at his feet, she started to beg his forgiveness.

Shocked, Bill reached down and lifted Twitty’s head to stare into his eyes. “As of this moment, you are mine! You both are mine! No one may touch you, no one may disobey you. Remember, rule fair, rule smart. I have the power to remove you from your position as queen. I will not hesitate to do so if it means the safety of my, of our people!”

Both females were bowing and pledging themselves to him and the people.

Bill was going over all the reports that he could. There were, after all, two quants to catch up on. Nodding, he could see many of the brilliant things his brother had tried to do. It really was a shame that such a grand ruler as his brother had been killed. Plus, there was the fact that he now had to try and fill his brother’s shoes.

Bill realized that he’d fallen asleep for a few spectons when the commander announced that they were on approach.

Bill’s eyes snapped open. He saw that both Twitty and Gleena were standing a vigilant watch over him.

“We thought it best to let you rest, sire. Breaking a full mind shield can be very tiring,” Gleena said, staring at him. Looking down, he saw that he’d half transformed into his lion-type form. A small mane of yellowish fur around his shoulders drew his attention. Sighing, he switched back to his human guise. “Sire, your regular form is so strong and handsome!” A trembling with excitement Glenna started her long tail twitching back and forth.

“Yes, sire, soon we will see only your true form. I am excited to see you in your total Xendran form!” A slow panting Twitty was saying.

Shaking his head, Bill was unsure about correcting them. His people were actually both human and feline. Many, it seemed, had forgotten that simple fact. All the centuries that they had been settled on Xendra had, it seemed, dulled that fact. That was the reason he’d chosen to hide on the mother planet of Earth. It was perfect hiding as a human; any odd behavior was just shrugged off as him being eccentric. There would have to be something done about the people forgetting just where they had come from.

Sitting up, Bill strode to the front of the ship, watching as the blue and green planet of Xendra quickly came into view. Sighing, Bill had to make himself ready. There weren’t all that many who knew what he looked like; it was ... Suddenly, a wide smile lit up his face as he looked at his two mates. Aside from them, perhaps a few techs in control and the special agent center, no one knew what he looked like!

“Commander, change course now!” Bill said as he lunged at the computer. Hearing the engines strain as they made a hard turn while slowing had Bill smiling. A moment later, a huge explosion came from where they would have been! “As I suspected! My traitorous uncles were hoping I wouldn’t be paying attention! Control! Find out where that blast came from, take all there! I want a few left alive for questioning. If they resist, kill them. If they don’t, I want them in prison! Remember my earlier warning!”

A young Chartreux clan male snapped to attention, then started yelling orders. “Position already charted, a full company is halfway there,” the male replied. Speaking into another communication device, the male yelled, “Take as many alive as possible! The king’s orders! If you kill them all, you’ll have me, and then the king to deal with! Get it done!” The young male was growling.

Bill was smiling; this was more like it! If all went well, he might need to have the male promoted. Then again, Bill thought with a wry smile, we’d have to see about that.

“Advise when the position has been taken. Also, check that my other uncle doesn’t have the same type of trap awaiting us,” Bill advised.