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Equulust-II: The Homecoming

(© 2010 "CarLOS Penguin")

Preface

I went a little "novella" on this one.

I began writing at the encouragement of SF user "Equuleus" to tie up some loose ends in the story. The plan was to come to about the same 30 pages or so (in the word processor). Well, this led to that and it's a damn good story!

If you're impatient, the Yiff is in chapters 5 and 6, with some cute stuff in 4.

Reading of Equulust first is recommended for background.

I sent this a while ago to my proofreaders and never heard back. Forgive any errors.

I hope you enjoy.

1 - "A Family Matter"

"You smell funny!" a young Equuleusian girl said inciting giggles and laughter among her classmates.

"Mr. Carlos is an omnivore, Lician. People from the Terran system require larger amounts of natural protein in their diet, otherwise they will become ill. We likely smell equally as strange to Mr. Carlos." was the reply from Sami's eldest sister Hauna, who worked as a pre-trades school teacher on Equuleus Prime. Back home, this would be known as an "elementary school" class of probably about grade two.

When it became known that I was living on Equuleus with Sami's family, the natural curiosity of the Equuleusian's brought them out in droves to "pay respect" and "visit" her family, which we all knew was a ruse to see the alien newcomer.

A few weeks after my arrival, I volunteered to visit the local public gathering places throughout the week to meet the curiosity seekers and give Sami's family some peace. Today was the visit to the school Hauna taught at.

Not that my people weren't here already. Earth and Equuleus Prime had very good diplomatic relations and trade was common. But the visiting Terran teams usually stayed in the capitol city and worked in office buildings and came out only rarely on their days off... likely because of the intense tropical conditions on Equuleus. Heat, humidity and a nasty insect population was usually too much for a non-furred species that didn't come with a tail or mane to shake to swat the buzzing blighter's away.

But the young girl was right, I smelled funny. The bugs didn't like the taste of me that much and a mild insect repellent was all that was needed to keep me from being a pincushion of various proboscis.

After answering a plethora of questions from the Equuleusian children and class had been dismissed, I flopped on a bench with a big sigh "How do you do this every day? Questions, questions, questions!"

"What can I say? We are a curious lot." Then smiling and raising an eyebrow, Hauna asked "You didn't have problems yesterday at the town library... or is it just questions from our young that irritate you?"

Shaking my head, "Not just YOUR young, Hauna. I never did have the patience for children.... ANYONE's children"

Hauna sighed.

"I know that sigh. What's on your mind?" I ask with an uncomfortable feeling I did something wrong.

"Sami likes children." Hauna said, looking at me with head down towards her desk, but eyes up in a glare that in a way I think any schoolteacher on any planet is capable of.

"You don't approve of me dating your sister?"

"What I approve or don't approve of is inconsequential, Mister Carlos. It's the kind of future for her I fear if she does not come home while still of childbearing age."

Sami and I had been unofficially been dating for less than a year. We had two weeks of 'being acquainted' on the MV Nightingale and another eight on her leave. I came back to Equuleus at the invitation of her father and it's been six months since Sami and I were together, though we talked every other day via DSC, Deep Space Comm link.

"You're a bonded lady." I began carefully, "You have two lovely children of your own and a mate that cares for you greatly. But you have not been off world and haven't explored what else is there for relationships."

Sighing again and shaking her head, "You think I'm stuck in tradition, don't you? My sister and you are lovers, I don't think that bonds you two. Though that is our way."

"I'm not holding her to anything, Hauna. Sami is free to come home and bond and have all the little misfits she wants running around." I say trying to lighten the seriousness of Hauna's dialogue.

To my relief, Hauna gave a chuckle at my answer. But my relief was short lived as she paused and looked out the window, turning to face me again, face filled with sadness and a tear ran down her cheek, "That's my problem, Carlos.... I don't think my sister will come home any more." Wiping her eye with her hands, she grabbed her brief and left the room, holding her hand over her muzzle, as if to suppress a river of tears to follow.

I walked the few kilometres back to Sami's family home, a mind full of what Hauna had said.

A low rumble came from behind and rush of static tickled the hair on my shorts covered legs as Sami's father's hover-car drove past toward the homestead, a few hundred metres ahead.

It was a simple yet perfect piece of engineering. Most homesteads around the countryside were made from a mound of earth (as in the sense of their world, not mine), hollowed out and reinforced with a honeycomb metal structure inside. Think of a 23rd century "Hobbit hole" with all the comforts and gadgets this world had to offer and an environmental footprint that was the envy of hippies (yes, the 23rd century still has plenty of them). Most thankfully, their construction naturally kept the inside temperature a good 12-15C. Cooler than outside. An advantage on a world whose average temperature was 32C.!

"Carlos!" Marr shouted happily as he hopped out of the hover-car "Hauna not drop you off on her way to her homestead?"

"No Sir. She... uh... had something important come up after classes. It wasn't a far walk for me anyway" I said trying to avoid that we had a rather deep conversation.

Marr nodded, "All right then. Better let Miha check you over though." and he went inside.

Marr was a skilled welder and could assemble pretty much everything. He was even certified to work on stellar and interstellar ships. There wasn't a piece of anything he couldn't bond, from micro-cellular welding of composites, to raw metals with a plasma torch. He favoured the latter and even did old fashioned blacksmithing. It was his love that gave Sami her desire to build things.

Miha was Sami's other sister. She was only a year older and unbonded still (to her mother's dismay). She was a medical technician, similar to a laboratory technician plus pharmacist on Earth, but also had several years of nursing experience, though she never got certified as such. Marr likely was concerned the intense sun exposure on my walk home may have caused sunburn or melanoma irregularities. He was very over protective of his guests.

"Dude! Did the schoolies teach the old man anything new today?" a laughing shout came from Jorgen, Sami's younger brother. He was a complete sponge for anything new and when he heard a Terran was coming to stay with him and his family, he practically studied the entire database on North American culture in a few weeks! To his father's dismay, he picked up far too many Terran habits - he wore a cap, holes cut in it for his ears, baggy shorts and engaged in the Terran sport of basketball... something hoof clad feet were not designed to do! He also picked up plenty of Terran slang, including the annoying habit of calling all the other males, "Dude". I thought it was great! My very presence, created a rebel.

He was also a misfit in his own way, he wasn't skittish or flighty, but had iron nerves steadfastness about him, no matter the situation. He also adapted fast, even for an Equuleusian, to new situations. For an Equuleusian of just under four years (the Terran equivalent of 16), that was incredible. It was a trait previously considered the making of an Elder and those did not acquire it until past the age of 20 out of their typical 27 year lifespan.

Catching the basketball Jorgen tossed and dribbling it on the textured polymer pad Marr had made for his son to practise (still hard on hooves, but not near as eroding as steelcrete or break-neck slippery as plastiwood used on official courts back home), I make a run past him and in an ungraceful move, miss the basket completely.

"Yeah, they taught me that I smell!" I said with a smile.

"Serious? I thought it was just my nose on the blink!" Jorgen said with a wry smile as he dribbled the ball around me and with the skill of a TBA (Terran Basketball Association) player, sunk one.

"You're lucky then, you guys smell like fresh cut grass when you sweat!" I panted, trying hopelessly to take the ball from Jorgen.

"Yeah, but to us, fresh cut grass smells like shit! Tastes good though." and not even looking at the basket, Jorgen tosses the ball over his shoulder and sinks another.

Both of us bursting out in laughter, we were summoned for dinner.

Sami's mom, Sareen, is a pretty good cook. Not having the teeth designed for grinding, but cutting, she made the meal served to me a little more tender and made the protein supplement palatable. I never did ask what was in these protein supplements, I was afraid the answer had something to do with the insect population, because the thought of hunting or trapping the other animal life on the planet absolutely repulsed them. But a job killing a few bugs would have a line up of applicants.

After dinner, Miha buzzed about me with some gadget not unlike the ones I saw on the MV Nightingale. She said all was OK, but next time I walk any distance during the day, to spray on more UV inhibitor before doing so. She also reprimanded me that I had no excuse for not doing so, as they had hairless species trading with them and there was plenty available.

Jorgen pushed back his empty plate and let out a resounding belch, which drew disgusted looks from his mom and sister and while his dad tried to reprimand him, he was laughing too hard to do so and just swatted Jorgen's cap down over his eyes.

"Have a fire tonight, dad?" Jorgen asked.

"Great idea, son. Why don't you go get one started" Marr said as he tossed a pocket laser igniter to his son who happily caught it and ran outside.

I was helping Sareen clean up after dinner, which Miha was grateful for, as she had some work to catch up on. The medical tools were always advancing and the learning process was never ending.

"Will you be returning to Earth soon?" Sareen asked, sounding hopeful.

"Yeah, I'll be outta your mane soon. I really appreciate you and Marr putting up with me for these six months."

"Oh, it's not like that at all, dear." she said in amusement. "We all really enjoyed your presence. Not many Equuleusian families can say they hosted an alien."

"Oh, that's good to hear!" I said with some relief. "I got the impression I wore out my welcome.... especially after my visit to Hauna's work today."

"I heard about that. I'm sorry, I think she was just being overly emotional. But..."

"Uh-oh, here it comes..." I thought to myself.

"...we are concerned about Sami. She won't come home you know."

"I thought I explained that to Hauna..." I tried to say, but Sareen gently placed her fingers over my lips and gave a motherly smile.

"We know, we know, you two aren't bonded now in the traditional sense. But you are bonding, my dear." Taking her fingers off my lips and clasping her hands, paced and explained "When you and my daughter mated, you bonded only physically. Now distance has you apart and you talk to her no less than when you first got here. And when you do, both your eyes glow and faces rejoice. Time... time my dear, has bonded your hearts." Turning towards me and crossing her hands on her heart, "And when you meet again, your souls will bond. It will be complete."

"Then Hauna is right, she won't return here, unless I live here too." I said with gravity of realization.

"Even if you do, her heart will be fully yours and therefore of Earth. Even living here, she will not 'come home'. She will be a Terran mate."

Looking a little uncomfortable, that maybe I caused a grievous cultural faux pas, "I didn't get her ostracised or something because of this?"

Sareen laughed, "Oh no! We don't do that. But as my heart belongs to Marr and he belongs to Equuleus, Sami's heart will be yours and you belong to Earth."

Realization clicks in as to how things are working in this culture. "I think I understand. On Earth, we do similar, but it's usually with last names. The wife takes the husband's in a traditional marriage."

Nodding, Sareen shouted "EXACTLY! Now you have it!" She threw her arms around me in a big hug, something she had not done before. With the Equuleusian tradition of 'clothing only as necessary', it was both uncomfortable being hugged by another male's naked wife, especially one that has shared his home with me, though I did get a 'guilty pleasure'... Sareen was definitely not an ugly lady "You see Mr. Carlos, you have honoured our traditions, you only did it backwards."

Heading outside to the fire where Jorgen and Marr were already enjoying the bug-repelling smoke it gave off, I reflected on just how much I did love Sami and missed her dearly. I couldn't wait to see her again.

Her mom was happy that she would be bonded, but Hauna's concern... children... what if that's what Sami wants too? The thought of another male impregnating her brought a wave of anger. Too many 'what ifs?' now. One day at a time. Deep breath, one day at a time...

2 - "An Adventure Begins"

"Hey, glad you're here. I thought for a moment you weren't joining us." Marr said, handing me an evening cocktail glass of something that didn't taste all that different from lychee nut juice back home.

"Hmm, this is good! What is it?"

"Tuaught" (Marr pronounced it 'twat')

"Excuse me?" as my eyes popped open.

"Tuaught, a drink of fermented lahrr stalks. Almost no alcohol, takes months to make, but worth the expense."

"Ah! Are we celebrating?" I straightened up with a grin. No alcoholic hit, but my head was tingling. I wonder where I put thatanaphylaxis injection kit, just in case? I hope Miha wasn't asleep yet...

"Jorgen's going with you to Earth."

"Oh?"

"Yup! The Nightingale is due there for a computer refit in one of your months and Sami will be there on the layover. He figures he can meet his sister and grab a little adventure and get it out of his blood now while he's young."

"Is he old enough to be off world?" I really like Jorgen and his company, but when company becomes a babysitting job, here comes that kid-o-phobia again....

"In a couple months by your measure. That's why he needs to go with you. By the time he's ready to return, he can legally cross through Terran Sector space into the Pegasi Sector on his own."

The whole time Jorgen was smiling, listening to his dad. Then he looked at me, hopeful that it was OK, though it seemed his dad made the final decision already.

"Figure out what you wanna bring, kiddo. We leave in three days".

Jorgen leaped with a joyful shout, Marr saluted his son with his drink, toasted me, then we enjoyed the rest of the evening by the fire.

My final day on Equuleus had arrived and it was both sad and happy. Happy that I'd see my dear Sami again and sad that I was leaving her family for who knows how long. During that time, I felt more than a guest, but part of the family as well.

We got our passes in order, tags temporarily placed just under our skin on the shoulder. Travelling to the Pegasus and Equuleus sectors, this wasn't required. But the Terran bureaucrats insisted on it for anyone entering Terran Sector space.

What would have been aboard a cargo ship a three and a half month trip to this sector, was a journey of three weeks via one of the new Procyon-class cruise ships, 'Canis Borealis' and their quantum tunnel drive system (though the ships were of Centaurian build, the physicist that developed the drive was Canisian). Smooth ride, but they never overcame that feeling of becoming 'pulled taffy' when going in or coming out of hyperspace.

There was so much to see and do for Jorgen on the cruise ship, that time flew by quite fast. I too was impressed with the ships amenities and normally couldn't afford to travel in such luxury, but less than a year out of shakedown, the company that owned her was offering incredible discounts for the first year after certified being 'ship shape' for passenger duty to try and entice return customers... at a premium price of course.

We pulled in to space dock and passengers were shuttled to the surface, arriving on Earth at 2AM local time. This was the equivalent of dinnertime for us, still being on Equuleusian time. The Vancouver Spaceport was bustling with activity even at this hour. It was mid May, the fresh crisp ocean air off the Salish Sea was a chilly 9C. After spending six months on Equuleus Prime, it may as well have been mid January and blowing ice crystals for how cold we felt.

"I know why I'm cold, but I thought your fur was supposed to keep you warm?" I asked the baggy shorts clad lad oblivious to the crowd staring at him and whispering, just crossing his arms and shivering.

"M-maybe in a week, I'll adjust" he replied, eyes wide. If he wasn't so uncomfortable, the sight would have been rather funny.

"C'mon Jorgen, lets get you a coat and some pants." I said, leading the way to some shops.

We didn't find a coat that fit his equine physique, but a nice thick knit sweater looked pretty good on him, as did a toque (which he nibbled holes in for his hears to the amusement of the clerk offering scissors for that purpose) and surprisingly enough, jeans that were about the size for me, fit him perfect. The clerk even had a pair with a hole for a tail, a line designed for the canids that were becoming increasingly familiar travellers to Earth, now the Canis-Centaurus peace treaty was in full effect.

Looking at himself in the mirror, black toque, dark grey thickly knit sweater and jeans, Jorgen gave a smile of approval and was satisfied with the selections the clerk found for him. Of course, I got the tab. Marr would wire currency weekly to my account for looking after Jorgen, but the food aboard the cruise ship was NOT at a discount and cleaned Jorgen out of what Marr originally gave him for the trip.

"You look like a longshoreman!" I said as we left the shop.

Jorgen stopped, cocked his head and looked quizzically at me in a way that made my heart yearn for Sami. "A what?"

"A Stevedore. The manual labourers that load and unload ships."

"Oh!" he said in comprehension. Then taking a pose like a weightlifter and flexing his muscles and saying in a comical voice, "Me lift heavy cargo... attract many female." and laughed.

Pizza places, the odd 'adventure food' even I wouldn't eat at and a pub just outside the space port grounds were the only eateries open at this time. Of the limited choices we had, we agreed the pub would be most likely to have the vegetarian dishes Jorgen could eat.

It took a good 20 minutes to walk across the grounds to come to the pub and we were quite hungry by now. We fortunately availed ourselves of the cruise ship companies baggage valet service, so they were on their way to my flat and we weren't burdened by having to drag them around too. But, our luck was running shallow anyway.

'CLOSED AT 1AM' read the sign on the restaurant section of the pub. It was now quarter past three. But life was emanating from the other side of the building. We followed the beat of the deep bass around the corner where the pub and cannabis lounge were still open. Matter of fact, it didn't have any 'open/closed at...' time at all.

*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*

This is why I never frequented pubs. They were so loud, you couldn't even hear the reaction powered escape-velocity engines from the ships at the adjacent spaceport over it. Nevertheless, Jorgen tucked his ears under his toque and nodded that we should continue in anyway.

The place was packed. Most of the people wore uniforms and coveralls and were workers off duty from the spaceport, or taxi drivers sipping pop, tea or coffee and waiting for fares. Most of the patrons were also men or other males from various local systems, laughing and having a good time. Their didn't appear to be any 'drinking for the sake of drinking' going on so often found in the early afternoons to late evenings.

A waitress waving caught my eye as she strained to see us over the crowd from the other side of the room. Motioning with her hands, she asked if we wanted a drink. Shaking my head, I motioned back that we wanted to eat. Acknowledging this, she lifted a pair of menus and pointed to a corner.

Making our way through the crowd, there were curtained booths along that side of the wall and free tables. The booths were big with small tables, but were designed in such a way, at least Jorgen and I could hear each other.

"Sorry to put you here boys, but we got slammed tonight." the waitress apologized.

"Why so busy at this hour?" I asked, as Jorgen was massaging his ears, recovering from the music.

"That cruise ship that came in has a crew layover until tomorrow morning." she explained.

"Ah, OK. We were on it too from Equuleus."

"You're not eating in your hotels?"

"No, I live here. We're just hungry now. Got any vegetarian food for my Equuleusian friend?"

It was just then the waitress noticed Jorgen in the dim light as he had removed his toque to massage his ears. "Oh! We have a real newcomer here! Welcome!" she said happily.

Jorgen just nodded shyly, never having met a non-Equuleusian female before.

"I served an Equuleusian embassy office worker once and she loved the fettuccine Alfredo..."

"We'll have two, please." I cut her off, getting grumpy from the long trip, hunger, music and now chit chat. "And a pitcher of water please."

Nodding and scurrying off with our order, Jorgen replaced his toque and asked if I knew where the washroom was. Not having been at this particular establishment before, I hadn't a clue. Jorgen wandered off to find it. I didn't see him for another half an hour and our food was getting cold. I went looking for him.

Looking in the washroom turned up nothing, nor did near the bar. I caught the eye of our waitress and motioned about my comrade and shrugged my shoulders. She gave a smile and pointed her finger towards the door that led to the cannabis lounge. "Oh my GODS!" I thought to myself, "He'll think it's FOOD!". I pushed through the crowd as quickly as I could, mortified at the thought of having to explain to Marr why his son's brain was orbiting the planet from nibbling on "Earth grass".

I nearly fell from rushing through the easier-to-open-than-they-looked large doors to find Jorgen sitting at a table, mesmerized. "Too late" I thought, but soon realized there was no bowl in front of him and his eyes were fixed on the stage.... a stage where two exotic dancers were performing their act... one bouncy redhead human with decent curves and the other, a very lovely little Canisian darling.

"Your food is getting cold!" I said while standing beside Jorgen, not taking my eyes off the stage.

"Uh-huh" was his reply from a mouth hanging open, like a cartoon.

"I thought bare bodies were the norm for your people?"

"This... this different. This... dance... is an art."

"Yes, yes they are!" I agreed and scooping him up under his arm and helping him to his hooves.

The girls on stage began giggling and pointing at us as we were leaving. The Canisian lady was hiding her face in her paws, giggling and peeking out with one eye and the woman was just shaking her head with a smile and pointing down to her bead-bikini. Jorgen and I both looked down at ourselves to discover it was him that unknowingly not only had an erection, but only half of his equinesque length was contained by his jeans.

Pulling his sweater over his exposure, he did his best to regain composure and walk straight line, returning to our table.

Sitting down, Jorgen pulled his toque over his eyes as I chuckled, "That happens to all of us at these places".

"You're just saying that."

"No, it's true. But we don't pop-out of our pants as easily."

Jorgen lifted his toque off one eye and looked at me for a bit, then we both burst out in laughter. Just then, out waitress brought two new bowls of pasta, "I tried to keep it warm for you fellas, but it went all gooey. Here's two fresh bowls, courtesy of the cook!".

Finally, we got to eat. By 5:30AM, we caught a transport to my flat in the 'country city' Abbotsford Metro where Jorgen made it as far as my futon before falling down on it, head draped over the edge, muzzle almost toughing the carpet and immediately began snoring.

3 - "School Is In Session"

I awoke to banging and clanging coming from the kitchen. It was noon and I wondered how long it would take to get my tired, aching body back on to local time. Too bad there was no pill for space-lag.

Jorgen had emptied every cupboard on the counter and startled by my appearance, dropped one of the pots on the floor with an annoying clang. "Sorry dude, I was hungry." The place had been cleaned out of perishable food before I left on my trip.

Pulling a jar of oats out of the pantry, I handed it to him. "I know you boil water at least. Add hot water to these and wait five minutes." With a nod and a smile, he grabbed the kettle and was figuring out where to add the water as I headed off to the shower.

Towels were all over the floor and were soaking wet. This boy had more in common with a human teenager than I thought. I wonder if Sareen always let him get away with this or if he was about to begin his life off-world as a slob bachelor?

Cleaned and mildly awake, I came to the dining table where Jorgen took my instructions literally and cooked the entire 5 litre jar full of oats. To my amazement, he had a small bowl for me as well as a cup of tea just the way I liked it and had already polished off the rest of the oats.

"That was great! What was it called?" he asked, handling the empty jar and sniffing inside.

"Oats. It's one of our grains. Thanks for saving me some."

"No problem. Got any more?"

Jorgen didn't eat this much with his family, but I think the new food was a rather tasty treat for him.

"No, but we'll have to go shopping today and we'll get food suitable for you."

"More oats?" he asked happily.

"Yeah, more oats. But careful with this new food. Your tummy needs to adjust and too much grains will make you as fat as me!" I said as he leaned back and patted his stomach and laughed.

It took some time to rearrange my kitchen and Jorgen spent the time on the computer, checking out the scholastic opportunities the various systems had to offer.

"I dunno what I want to do." he said leaning back, rubbing his mane in puzzlement.

"I've rarely met a teenager that did." Though by Equuleus time frame, a teenager was one of middle age, he was familiar with the connotation here from his research.

"I don't want to be a 'study bug', I just want to go out and do something. Something that'll take me places."

Well, that was a curve ball. Until now, I thought Jorgen wanted to return to Equuleus in a couple of months and follow in his father's hoof-steps or something.

"You don't want to go home in a couple of months and finish school there?"

"Well sure, that was the plan. But on the trip here, I spent time looking at all the travel brochures and realized there's a whole galaxy of opportunities out there."

I chuckled, "You're a misfit, just like your sister!"

"Heh, I only realized that myself a few days ago." Turning to me pointing in mock accusation said, "You are making even more misfits on my world! You describing your experiences and adventures on Earth.... do you know how many Equuleusian children now dream of the stars?"

I gave a guilty nod and shrug, as I did rather promote the other systems in my public talks. And also made arrangement deals with Pegasiian merchants in the travel industry, promising them a future surge in travel from the Equuleusian system in exchange for a percentage of the deal.

"What can I say?" I had my hands up in resignation. "I blame your sister for getting me involved."

Jorgen smiled at that answer and got settled into the apartment and cleaned up his mess in the washroom as I checked my messages and handled some immediate business before we went shopping.

"There's too much!" Jorgen said, handling a honeydew melon, then taking a bite out of it. Grabbing the melon and adding it to the basket, I explained we had to pay for these on this world before chewing on them.

"Too much... what?" I asked as I threw a few packs of Asian grass-jelly juice in the basket. I never liked them, but the smell was close to the green goop Sami loved so much.

"Choices! What would someone do to travel, finish their education and end up with something useful in the end?" he exclaimed as he shook a large bottle of pop and looking curiously at the bubbles inside, proceeded to open it.

"Jorgen! Don't do tha...."

*PSHHHHHHHHHT*

Too late. Jorgen had the same embarrassed look on his face as last night at the pub, only this time was soaking wet, as was I, with the sticky liquid.

"I... sorry." he said sheepishly.

There was only one thing to do.. laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

An older store clerk with an unamused expression approached us and without a word, took the now half empty bottle of pop out of Jorgen's hand and replaced it with a mop. With even deeper in embarrassment now, Jorgen swabbed.

"New to the planet?" the clerk asked, handing me a rag to wipe my face.

"He's fresh off the boat last night." I said, handing back the towel, drier but stickier than I was before.

Jorgen handed the sticky mop to the clerk who handed him back the half empty bottle of pop and said, "You still have to pay full price for it. Welcome to Earth." As the clerk headed down the aisle, we overheard him mumbling "Why always my store?".

On our return trip home, Jorgen learned something about Earth insects, namely bees. They were one, attracted to sugar covered humans and alien visitors; two, swatting at them with your tail brought a painful response and three, they could fly much faster than a hoofed biped could run.

After cleaning up and getting some assistance with an anti toxin/dermal regenerator sting/bite kit, Jorgen decided that was enough adventure for one day and was going to very carefully sit down ("ow" was a common word for him throughout the evening) and make a call to his family. At this distance, real time two-way communication was impossible. It would be three days before he would get a response on the DSC.

A new morning and beginning to get back into the groove of being home again, the second day back began with promise. A decent sleep and no clanging pots waking me rudely. Needed my morning tea, so I went to steep a cup while I showered.

On my way to the kitchen, Jorgen was sitting at the table staring at the computer screen with his head on his hand, eyes three quarter shut, still clad in the towel around his waist from after his shower after returning from the fateful grocery trip.

"Did you get any sleep?"

"Nuh-uh. Hurt too much"

"Sorry to hear that. Why don't you sleep in my bed now. It's softer."

"Thanks. I'll *yawn* do that."

A few minutes later, snapping to attention fully awake, he shouted, "Bridge officer!"

"Huh?" I asked, pouring the hot water over the tea bag in the cup.

"Being a bridge officer on a ship! It's perfect!" Jorgen said excitedly.

Scratching my head and wandering over to the table, looking over his head at the screen as to what he's going on about. "L'il Dude, you won't live long enough to become a bridge officer on a ship like that. Most Terran's don't even qualify until they're in their late twenties..."

"I can do it!" he excitedly cut me off. "Though the Stellar Alliance Reserve!"

I absent mindedly placed my hand on Jorgen's shoulder and remembered it was a bad idea when he winced and let out a muffled 'squeak' from the still-tender stings. "An Equuleusian joining the military? Isn't that an oxymoron and such a misfit thing to do, I'll likely have a warrant for my arrest on your world for collapsing your society with one swoop of my influence?" I said only half joking.

"No, no... look here..." Jorgen flipped through pages of documents on the SAR information site and stopped at one page entitled 'Civilian Educational Advancement'. "See, through the SAR, I can become an Ensign-equivalent (E-e) in three years with their tough training and not have to sign a contract for combat or regular duty service. I just have to pay for the course myself."

It seemed the lad definitely did have an option. He could travel, get an education and as an E-e, he would be qualified for bridge duty on most of the deep space vessels, especially the freighters that were starving for qualified people.

But like so many young fellas with a lofty goal, he needed a way to achieve it. I pointed to the cost of such a program and shaking his head in non-comprehension, I pointed to the drop down box that set the pages currency (which my computer being on Earth, defaulted to our planetary currency, the New-Euro). Once the price was listed in Interstellar Dollars (ISD), Jorgen's enthusiasm dissipated like the wind in the sails of a boat crossing the doldrums.

"Talk to your dad." I said encouragingly. "Maybe he has what we call a 'scholarship fund' for you." Jorgen just looked at me curiously. "Money set aside for your education." Alas, his expression turned to one of disappointment again.

"I'm the youngest of four. There isn't any more. Sami's engineering training on Centaurus took over half of what was entirely alloted, because she was educated off world." Leaning back with an "ouch", he went on, "Miha's medical technician training was expensive, but getting it on Equuleus, it was mostly paid for by our government, as was Hauna's teaching certification."

Realizing the situation he was in now, I had nothing more to say in the way of encouragement. "Get some sleep. Get a fresh look at your options later after dinner". Getting up and leaving the towel on the chair, Jorgen groggily went over to my bed. I didn't know weather exhaustion or disappointment numbed the pain of the stings, but he fell on the bed with a 'flop' and was snoring in no time.

Turning to the computer, I dialled up the courier company I used regularly and asked for the area superintendent, whom I had known since he was a new hire and drove deliveries.

4 - "An Unexpected Visit"

"Carlos? .... Dude?" I heard Jorgen's voice in my ear and felt him shaking my shoulder, bringing me out of my sleep. I looked over at the chrono and rubbed my eyes. Yup, it was 2AM.

"What's up?" I ask groggily. "You eat all the oats again?"

"My sister's here!" he said with a excited voice.

I bolted out of bed with butterflies in my stomach. "Sami's here already?"

"No! It's Miha!"

Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes and saying somewhat confused, "Miha? Why is she here? Did you let her in?"

"No, dude... she's at the spaceport. She wants us to pick her up. I think she's lost or something."

Feeling groggy and scruffy, I whip some clothes on and nearly forgetting my transport pass, Jorgen and I were out the door. After a quick stop at a vending machine for something hot and full of caffeine (to call it coffee would be an insult to Colombians), we caught the next express tube to the Vancouver spaceport.

"No, there is no last name. Miha, pronounced mee-ha. She came in from Equuleus about an forty-five minutes or an hour ago." The clerk at information had about as much information as we did. Another cruise ship, the sister ship to the one we arrived on, 'Canis Australis' came in from the Pegasi sector, but hadn't gone anywhere near Equuleus. Though the manifest did show an equine passenger named 'Meela' did board and disembark.

"Looks like this time we may find the luggage, but they lost the passenger." I chuckled and looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse, or hoof sound.

Jorgen was not amused by my humour and thought of having spaceport Security get involved in the search. I advised him that getting this particular spaceport's security involved in looking for any lost new arrivals was likely a very bad idea.

"Excuse me! Excuse me!" shouted a lady coming from the direction of the shops. "Are you looking for an equine lady?"

"Yes, we are!" Jorgen said with a frantic expression.

"I served you on your arrival. She came into my shop and bought an overcoat and it was my comm she used to call her brother." I thanked her for letting Miha use her comm and asked if she know where she was presently.

"She was hungry and I sent her to the restaurant across the lot, where you guys went last time."

Oh, geez! That restaurant wasn't open at this time. It was now quarter past three in the morning, meaning she could have only ended up in the pub, or the cannabis lounge. Remembering the 20 minute walk last time, we grabbed a taxi and lucked out with catching one just going off duty and the driver headed in that direction anyway to meet other drivers for a beer, so no charge.

We entered the noisy pub to find much of the crowd gathering over the cannabis lounge doorway and plenty of 'hoots and whistles' emanating from that direction too. "Hey, sounds like great dancers are here again tonight!" I slapped Jorgen's chest and he smiled in return at the thought.

We looked around the pub and in the booths. No Miha. We asked a waitress if she could check in the ladies washroom for an Equuleusian female. "You don't have to look in there for her, hun!" she shouted across the music. "Try next door!" and she motioned where the crowd was gathering.

Jorgen and I looked at each other with puzzled expressions and headed toward the lounge. This time, the loud music was coming from here and lights were flashing excitedly on the stage. The pretty Canisian gal was there, but she wasn't dancing. She was to the other side of the stage, clapping and cheering on someone else. We couldn't get closer at the moment, but to this near side with her back to us, I saw the redhead human, also clapping and cheering someone on.

The crowd shifted and we were able to slip inside and we had a shock of shocks since our arrival - in the middle of the stage causing all the commotion, was Miha, holding on to the pole and shaking her naked rear from side to side, tail swinging perfectly to the beat of the music.

"If father saw this...." Jorgen said, hand on his forehead and looking on in total disbelief.

One hand on the pole, Miha began to skip around, her long mane and breasts bouncing and jiggling with each step, driving the crowd into cheers that drowned out the music, Jorgen took advantage of the distraction in the crowd to run up to the stage and try and get his sister's attention.

Miha saw him and stopped, waved to him and smiled, pointed to him and looking over to the other dancers, said something and swayed somewhat unsteadily on her hooves. I had never heard or read of an Equuleusian dancing before and assumed Miha was just dizzy.

The redhead woman brought Miha her new overcoat and the Canis lady brought her the dress she arrived in. Putting them on, Miha with a big wave and a smile to the cheering and disappointed moaning from the crowd, stepped down off the stage and walked a crooked line over to Jorgen and I.

"Hey, Carlos hun!" Miha said as she walked into me and gave a smile, her muzzle inches away from my face. The reason for her actions and unsteadiness were quite clear to me now, as her breath told the tale of a decent quantity of alcohol in her system. Equuleusian's didn't as a rule drink anything over about 1% alcohol and only on occasion, as it was far more toxic to their internal organs than it was to any other species in the Tri-Sector Alliance.

Jorgen looking both relieved and concerned, put his arm around his sister and brought her over to the pub booth we were at a few days earlier. In a scolding manner shouted over the music at his sister, "Miha, what were you thinking? Dancing like this... on a planet so obsessed with sexuality?"

"Don' worry, little brother..." she said, patting him on the side of his face "I didn't do anything sexy... not yet anyway!" and with a giggle not unlike her younger sister's, took a sip of the water the waitress just brought and motioned for her to return.

"What will you have?"

"More sweet, bubbly water, please." Miha said with a slight slur.

I clarified for the confused waitress, "Three coffee's and a bowl of pasta, no sauce."

With a wink, she knew what was to be done and headed off to get the order.

Jorgen leaned over and whispered, "What's wrong with her, Carlos?"

"Sweet bubbly water tells me she likely partook of the 'champagne flight' they have on the last to hours before arrival." I whispered back.

"She's drunk?" Jorgen asked, holding back laughter.

"Yup! She got into a barrel of rotten apples, this one!"

That reply sent Jorgen into stitches.

The waitress returned with a plate of plain pasta and three coffee's and was kind enough to leave the carafe at the table. Miha began picking at the pasta with a toothpick as if it was a hors d'oeuvre, popping them one at a time in her mouth. "Mmmmm, chewy!" she said following it with a sip of coffee... her first sip of coffee ever. The remaining pasta in her mouth and coffee immediately found itself expelled all over the pub floor.

"Here she is!" said one of the now dressed (damn!) cannabis lounge dancers as they both approached our table. "Can we join you?" asked the human dancer. Jorgen with a big smile on his face slid over in the booth, squeezing beside me and patted the cushion beside him for her to sit. Miha squeezed against my other side to make room for the Canisian dancer.

"I'm Shelley and this is my partner, Teela." said the human redhead as she held out her hand to the Canisian lady who now close up looked like a metre tall fennec fox dressed like a farmer's daughter.

"Ummm, nice to meet you She-l-ley. I'm Jorgen!" he said somewhat star-struck and trying to wrap his lips around the difficult to pronounce name for him, which brought a giggle from the ladies and they shook his hand.

"And the squished-in-the middle guy here is Carlos." I said, pulling an arm free and shaking their hands. "And you seem to have met Jorgen's sister, Miha."

"We do indeed! Miha has quite a gift with those hips of hers. We haven't packed a house like this since we got the job."

"I find that hard to believe!" Jorgen said, surprised.

"We're students!" Teela answered. "Shelley is going to be a lawyer and I'm training to be a xenobiologist."

Shelley expanded, "We go to UWNA (University of Western North America) and can only work at night. This job is the only thing that pays enough in a four hour shift to let us accomplish our goal."

"Stuck on the night shift, no one is hardly here, other than spaceport workers and travellers on different time schedules." Teela fluently finished Shelley's thought.

They then explained Miha's arrival and ending up in the lounge looking for a place to wait for us, saw the dancers and trying to imitate some of the steps and doing quite well, they invited her on the stage. The men and alien males began to cheer and being encouraged by this, she joined the stripping act too.

"Equuleusian's don't dance usually and our friend has had more alcohol than her species should.... so she's not quite herself. I'm sorry if she interrupted your work" I said.

The ladies were saying it wasn't a problem and throwing her arms around Teela, Miha slurred "Its was a lots of fun!" Looking at her brother, "Earth is a fun place! We stays here for a while!" and nodded with a silly grin. "No more coffee though." as she pushed the cup towards Teela who scrunched up her nose and shook her head.

"Can't let it go to waste!" I said as I took her cup and offered my untouched one to Shelley, who accepted it.

Just then a portly Pegasiian gentleman wearing a gold bracelet that must have had a hundred diamonds in it came to the table. "I hope we can see your Equuleusian friend again, Shelley!" he said as he handed her an envelope. "I've only seen a four-hour take like this on a Friday evening!" and walked away smiling.

Shelley opened the envelope and there must have been a few thousand New-Euro's in there. "Is that typical of your shift?" I said.

"Hell, no!" she said. "A few hundred at best." as she counted out the money.

Looking over at Teela who nodded, Shelley handed Miha 1/3 of what she counted out. "You earned it, honey!"

Miha took the money, which she looked over curiously, never seen anything other than an ISD before from visitors to Equuleus (which used a computerized credits system, eliminating physical currency nearly a century earlier). "It's a good amount, Miha." I said. Looking around for her handbag, which was still at the cruise companies valet service holding centre, awaiting an address to send her bags to, she shrugged and handed it to Jorgen, who placed it in his jeans pocket.

Miha and Teela got on well. Miha being a medical technician with nursing experience had something in common with Teela and her xenobiology interest and looked forward to spending time with her. Jorgen was getting to know more about Terran females from Shelley, who seemed very impressed with his ambitious goal of getting an E-e. I learned that Shelley's law study was in Interstellar Commerce. I insisted on becoming her first client, that I was looking to expand my business into the Pegasi Sector.

Time flew by and the sun was rising. Shelley and Teela scrambled to get their belongings and leave, "We won't get any sleep before classes!" Teela said with a panicked voice. Sliding out of the booth, Jorgen and I helped the ladies with their jackets.

"I'll fall asleep in the lecture, for sure! Bloody hell!" Shelley quipped, grumbling even more under her breath as the two hurried off with quick waves.

"She's what you call a 'spitfire', that Shell-ey?" Jorgen asked, getting better at pronouncing the name.

"Yup! Strong heart, strong head, soft body. Probably near full Irish, my guess." I replied, patting him on the shoulder. His expression was definitely one of any infatuated teenage male, never mind the species.

*SNXXXXX*

The sound came from the booth behind us. Laying on her side and curled up on the cushions tucked into a ball, Miha was fast asleep.

We could not wake Miha. This ruled out public transport back home. We loaded her into a taxi (that trip costed a small fortune!) and with the help of the driver, carried her into my flat. Though her small size made her easy enough to carry, cradled in my arms, the far denser muscular structure of the Equuleusian's made them weigh almost twice as much as a human of equivalent size. Thus it required a set of arms on either side.

5 - "Love Is In The Air"

"OH GOD! OH GOD! OH GOD! " *BLEEEEACH!*

I woke up to the familiar sound of someone suffering a bad hangover.

It was early afternoon when I stumbled out of bed and threw on my housecoat. Jorgen was in the washroom with Miha, trying to comfort her as she was 'worshipping the porcelain altar', covered only in a towel draped over her shoulders. I went into the medicine cabinet and loaded an injector gun and pressed it to her neck with a *pop!*

"What was that?" Jorgen asked.

"Detox." I said with a chuckle. "It's OK, it works on Equuleusian's too. You don't spend over a month on a medical ship without learning a trick or two." Reloading it with a different canister, I gave Miha another shot of a vitamin mixture. "This one will reduce the toxic effect on her innards."

Holding her stomach and sobbing, Jorgen's disheveled mess of a sister motioned for us to leave and closed the door behind us.

"Will she be OK?" Jorgen asked with a measure on concern.

"Well kid, this happens to most humans several times a year around the holidays. She'll live for sure." We sat down at the table, "How much did she drink anyway?"

"One glass of the sweet bubbly water."

I realized now just how toxic alcohol was for them. Maybe a bottle of tuaught around the flat for when these people 'celebrated' was a far better idea. I wondered how to get my hands on some?

Miha was in the washroom for an hour longer. Hopefully she'd be finished soon, as Jorgen and I both really had to pee.

Miha exited the washroom, her mane in a towel and the rest of her fur just patted dry, sat down at the table as Jorgen holding his crotch, ran into the washroom immediately and with the sound of a broken water main, let out a relieved "Ahhh!"

I laughed, "Your brother is a funny guy. He's been a hoot ever since he got here."

Miha holding the sides of her head with eyes closed, just nodded.

"Hungry?" I asked. Scrunching her muzzle with a frown, she silently shook her head.

"Thirsty?" I asked, which brought several quick, shallow nods.

I got a grass-juice from the fridge and after a quick sniff of the strange can, Miha took a careful sip, then downed the whole can. Resting her head on the table, she pulled the towel off her mane and covered her head with a moan.

"Holy shit!" Jorgen exclaimed, finally out of the washroom. "When it rains, it pours!" he laughed, enjoying his vocabulary of Terran phrases. Scurrying in myself, I decided to get the whole 'shit shave and shower' over with, in case Miha had a relapse.

Some minutes later, "What do you remember?" Jorgen asked his sister.

"Everything." she said in a whisper from under the towel. "Father will hate me."

"What father doesn't know, won't get our ass kicked!" Jorgen said consolingly. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Meet Sami. I miss her."

"She'll be here in a couple days too!" Jorgen said, calling up the screen on the spaceport arrivals and checking on the expected arrival of the MV Nightingale. It was then he realized, there was a change.

"Uh, oh..." Jorgen muttered. "HEY, CARLOS?" he shouted, causing his sister to place her hands over her towel covered ears and let out a whimper.

Good timing. I came out of the washroom refreshed, tying the belt to my housecoat. "What's up, dude?"

"The MV Nightingale... it's scheduled to land at the Los Angeles Interstellar Spaceport, not Vancouver."

Of the west coast space ports, Los Angeles and Vancouver handled the interstellar traffic, while San Francisco and Seattle handled terrestrial traffic and interplanetary cargo within the Terran system. The large ships, like cruise ships docked in space docks and travellers and crew were shuttled to the port of their choice in smaller vessels. But special ships, like the interstellar ambulances, had atmospheric flight capability and could land on planets and take off again under their own power, even in very thin atmospheres.

"Then, we'll just have to go meet her there. When is it arriving there?" I asked, looking over his shoulder at the screen. Arrival of the MV Nightingale was scheduled at ... at 8AM... today!

Jorgen and I looked at each other. Caught off guard, I excitedly said while running to my bedroom for some clothes, "Get on the comm to them, find out when...."

*BZZZZT*

I was cut off by the door buzzer. Maybe it was the valet service? They had the address now for Miha's bags.

"DAMMIT! Not now, we have a mission!" I cursed heading to the door. "Jorgen..." I pointed to him and Miha, who in Equuleusian tradition, were wearing nothing. Well, other than a head covered by a towel in Miha's case.

Jorgen wrapped Miha's jacket over her shoulders, and tossed on his baggy shorts and nodded for me to open the door.

I Opened the door, ready to apologize to whomever was on the other side that we had to leave immediately, thanks for the service, but we couldn't talk. But as the door slid open, that perfect moment in time happened... when everything seemed to stand still.... it was Sami.

She had a long black faux-suede rain coat on that fit her perfectly, mane loosely tied up for travelling. Her shoulder bag slipped off with a 'thump' into the hallway and we threw ourselves into each others arms. Sami rubbed her head firmly on my chest and nuzzled me in greeting, then broke into tears, her head up and chin on my shoulder and whispered those three magic words, "I love you!". Placing my hand on the back of her head, I kissed her head, down the side of her face as she continued a joyful sob through a toothy smile. Placing my nose to hers, I looked into her tear filed eyes, "And I love you."

"Who is it?" Miha mumbled from under her towel.

Jorgen, sitting across from her and watching the whole event, said with a heart-warmed smile "Sami... and she's come home."

After several minutes and a long welcoming kiss, Sami finally made it in the doorway. Not expecting to see anyone else of her family there, she was again in tears of joy when she looked toward the table and shouted in wide eyed surprise, "JORGEN! MIHA!" and running over to her brother and sister, the three nuzzled each other happily and embraced.

The room felt different. It was like a loving family in here. I placed Sami's bag in my.... OUR bedroom and got some cans of that juice they liked and put on a kettle for me.

As I entered the living room where they were now sitting, the three were chatting excitedly away in Equuleusian. Even if a Terran could make their mouths go that fast, our vocal ability would never be able to come close to their speech.

Handing everyone their drinks, I sat down beside Sami who leaned over and with a murring, rubbed her head on me, then layed it on my lap, looking up with pure love in her eyes. Sareen called it 'the bonding of our souls'. I could see it and feel it... as far as Sami was concerned, I was her bonded mate, her husband. Running my fingers tenderly up the centre her softly furred nose, across her forehead and across her mane, as far as I was concerned, this was my beautiful bonded mate, my wife.

Sami was shocked, then tickled with laughter at the story of Miha's arrival and little 'oops' with a single glass of champagne. She was even more amused by the story of 'Jorgen and the pop bottle'. But evening sneaked up on us and the medicines having an effect on Miha (who was now very hungry), Jorgen downed his last can of grass-juice and suggested "Well, Miha... let's see what this city has. Map shows a vegetarian sushi place not a kilometre from here."

Miha, who caught the hint, sprung up looking much better than before said, "OK, I'll buy!". In a few minutes, they found some clean clothes (the valet did eventually find the right flat) and were off.

Still lying with her head on my lap, her brother and sister no sooner left the apartment when I felt my housecoat being untied. Sami ran a hand over my chest and said with a mischievous grin, "Alone.."

Sliding over to give more room to take my love into my arms, Sami pressed her mouth to mine, tongue thrusting deep as I felt her hot, passion filled breath against my face.

Pushing my housecoat off my shoulders, Sami ran her hands down my arms, guiding them to her hips as she knelt on the floor in front of me as I sat naked on the futon, lips still locked together with hers.

Lifting her dress (she has such great taste in those!) up and over her head, our lips parted only long enough for me to remove it completely. Sami moved up to kneel on the futon, straddling me, but had not yet lowered herself onto me. This brought her breasts to my face level as I fondled them, rubbed my face on them and one at a time, gently sucked on each of her perky teats, which brought a moan of pleasure from her each time.

Sami loved the way I savoured her body. Something she said no Equuleusian male would have done to his mate (I'm sure they could learn as easy as Sami did, once given the right 'teachers').

I gripped her round ass and pulled her against my body, kissing between her soft breasts. I felt warm drips on the tip of my penis as Sami's breaths became panting and her repeated nuzzles and rubs indicated she wanted her mate and now! Her tail was raised high as I ran my hand down from her ass around the back of her leg to the inside of her thigh. Stroking her soft fur as she spread her legs a little more, lowering herself into proper position for me to insert into her hungry pussy that has waited six long months for loving.

My hand running up the middle of her spread ass, across her silky soft lips, now soaked in their sweet juices and spreading them apart, I guide her hips until my head was touching her warm entrance. Sami lowered herself onto me slowly, her contracted muscles from her excitement being extremely tight, despite how well lubricated she was.

She lifted her head and let out a gasp when she fully lowered herself onto my shaft. We had never tried this position when we were together before on the ship or on her leave. It was incredible at how much deeper it felt I was inside of her.

I began to move Sami's hips back and forth as she soon began to do on her own. Running my hands up from her hips, I gave her beautiful jiggling breasts a further squeeze which enticed another moan and she began to thrust her hips faster. A suckle on one was the ultimate trigger for her passion, as I felt the steady squeezing of her pussy begin to pulsate rhythmically.

More intense the pulses became as Sami began to grunt with each one and thrust faster with each. Her grip on my shoulders was tightening with each passing thrust and I felt my own muscles begin their tingling and tightening deep inside as my release approached.

The pulsating rhythm inside Sami's pussy, massaging me, tugging me, was too much to hold back against. I felt my muscles deep within me clench at the same time I felt a squirt of pre-cum shoot loose inside of my lover. At the same time, Sami's own climax happened. Her pussy gripping me with a tightness like we never shared before together, she let out a shout in pleasure as the full force of my love was released into her. Her pelvis no longer thrusting, but quivering intensely with each grip of her orgasm and with each grip, a stream of consummating love filling her from my body.

Our orgasms continued for some time, even after Sami had stopped all together. Her sitting quietly on my lap and my hands steady on her breasts, feeling her chest pulse in and out with her quick breath. My pulsing and her squeezes seemed synchronized, becoming farther apart, less intense each time, but together they came.

Sami lowered her head, resting her forehead on mine, our heavy breaths unified, in and out together, looking into each other's eyes. I felt myself slowly contracting, sliping out from Sami's now relaxing vagina, then out from between her soft lips. After engaging in a long, passionate kiss, Sami wrapped her arms around my back and rested her head on my shoulder and let out a big, satisfied sigh as I lovingly stroked the back of her ears and her long mane.

Sami and I had retired to the bedroom after turning down the futon into a bed for Miha and Jorgen (and changing the cover). I was laying on my back and Sami lay against me, arm around me and head on my chest. My arm around Sami was playing with the hairs on her her mane, something she found very relaxing. It was nearly midnight when we heard the door announcer chirp as Jorgen and/or Miha returned. Whispering and and chuckling, "Think they're finished yet?". I kissed Sami on her nose and said in a low voice, "Honey, the kids are home!". She giggled and gave me a squeeze. We soon drifted off to sleep.

And a sound sleep I had indeed! I awoke with no concept of time having passed, but the light in my face and the sound of the pigeon's on the balcony rail cooing told me it must have been late morning already. I heard a 'clink' of glassware on the night table beside me and felt someone sit down on the bed who gently stroked my hair and down the side of my face. I opened my eyes to the only person it could be. Sami looking at me with an adoring smile, which I returned and said, "Good morning, lover!". Leaning over and running the side of her head up my chest, stopped with her muzzle at my nose, kissed me good morning and said, "Brought my love some tea."

The tea was perfect. I almost felt like I was on vacation in a fancy hotel, being pampered. Sami was wearing a low cut soft blue, thin fuzzy sweater and tight fitting jeans that were open at the sides with three 'love heart' shaped holes and legs that came down only halfway on her calves. Noticing my wandering eyes, Sami stood up and spun around with a smile, "You like? Miha bought these for me when she was out with Jorgen last night." I did my best, but there was no words to say how beautiful she was to me that morning.

"Where's your brother and sister today? More shopping?" I said sitting at the table after a hot shower and getting dressed, swivelling the computer around to check for messages.

"They're off to a district called... Langley. Yes! Langley today. Uh-hmm, yup! Something about a faire and meeting Teela." Sami said as she sat down with brunch for two. "It's just you and me today, lover!"

6 - "A Faire Good Time"

Jorgen needed the distraction. He heard a reply from his father that morning and there was no way that they could afford for him to enter the SAR's civilian E-e training. He had only a quarter of the funds to be able to do so.

Marr was sad for his son, but relieved at the same time. Though the civilian program was non-combat, no Equuleusian had ever joined any military. Their culture was peaceful and Equuleus being a dedicated pacifist system, fell under the protection of the Tri-Sector Alliance. Even before the Alliance, they were under the Pegasiian protectorate.

When Teela contacted Miha that morning and said that she and Shelley were going to a faire and would like her to meet them. Miha asked if Jorgen could tag along. Teela hesitated, hoping for a 'girl's day out', but Shelley insisted that Miha's 'handsome stud' brother be included.

Miha and Jorgen arrived first via the public transit. They were amazed at the strange amusements there. The costumes were very unfamiliar to Miha and she wondered what system those people were from. Jorgen remembered from his study of the North American cultural database that these people were dressed as they did in the 19th century on Earth, 350 or so years ago.

"Ah couple o' me horses are on tha' loose!" Shouted an exhibitor. Jorgen and Miha looked around for the horses, not wanting to be trampled. A man dressed in strange attire with floppy pants covers, wide brimmed hat and two what appeared to be shining weapons on either side of his hips approached the Equuleusian pair.

"About time ya two showed up.." he called to them, motioning for them to follow. "I need to take you horsies through the routine. Nice costumes by tha way... them cheeldren's will love ya!"

Miha was totally confused and had her head cocked at the man. Jorgen snorted with insult. Equuleusian's didn't mind being called 'ponies', they thought the term endearing. But to call them a horse, associating them with their primitive ancestors, was tantamount to calling a human a chimpanzee or a monkey.

Joining them and the anxious looking exhibitor, were two costumed humans, each dressed as a horse. One of them removed his head, "Hey! Bill, I thought WE had the job?"

The now very confused exhibitor looking back and forth a few times at the costumed humans and Jorgen and Miha, "Well.... what tha...?" and grabbed at Jorgen's mane and pulled.

"OW! Hey!" Jorgen shouted, stepped back and shook his head, his mane flapping defensively.

The exhibitor, Bill, leapt back with a frightened expression, "Hooooly Shiiiit!". Regaining some composure, "Ah am so sooory there fellas... errr... fella and ma'am." he said removing his cowboy hat respectfully. "Welcome to Earth here, our fine eeequine neighbours."

Motioning for the costumed humans to follow , Bill scurried off in complete embarrassment.

"Is this place safe for us to enter?" Jorgen asked his sister, who just shrugged and they approached the entrance gates.

Catching sight of Teela and Shelley as they stood in line, waved for them to come over. "You got us a spot in line already, how nice!" Teela said. "I told you this future 'man in uniform' was a gentleman." Shelley finished.

"I'm not a man, I'm equus." Jorgen said, puzzled by the expression.

The two ladies giggled as Shelley corrected, "OK, the future handsome 'equus in uniform' then!". Jorgen for the first time felt a 'butterfly' at being called handsome by this pretty coloured human.

Getting their entry passes, which Miha offered to pay for, Shelley and Teela thanking her, they entered as Miha and Jorgen looked around awe struck, Teela chattered excitedly and Shelley looped her arm around Jorgen's..... who was enjoying these 'butterflies', as Carlos described them.

They explored the displays and 'fun houses'. Though why humans called them fun houses was beyond the Equuleusian visitors. Jorgen found the constant surprises annoying and his sister was startled out of her mind, leaving the 'fun house' in tears.

While sitting at a table in the food area and calming his sister down, Shelley and Teela returned with cotton candy, candied apples and drinks. Miha sniffed the drinks and let out a frightened 'whinny' as she snapped back from the cup, "Sweet, bubbly water! Nooooo!"

"Miha, Miha, it's OK.... there's no alcohol in these." Jorgen said, patting his sisters hand consolingly. "It's like the grass juice Carlos gets us, only different." And giving a chuckle at the memory, "Oh and do NOT shake the cup!". Jorgen of course had to explain why he was telling these things to Miha, to Shelley and Teela, who of course thought the stories amusing.

*BURRRRRRRP!*

Jorgen being quite thirsty, had downed his pop in a few gulps and discovered the interesting side effect of doing so. Teela burst out laughing and Shelley looked at him wide eyed as Miha shook her head and snapped reprovingly, "What would mother say, little brother?"

"Mother isn't here, big sis!" Jorgen quipped indifferently as he nibbled a piece of 'sugar grass' as he called it.

Shelley snuggled against Jorgen and offered some of her candied apple with a smile. Jorgen took a bite off the side she hadn't eaten off of yet and gave a pleased expression at the flavour. Shelley turned the apple over to the side he bit off of and nibbled from it.

Jorgen stared, reading in her face that there was a connotation to this action, but it was lost on him. His study of the database was on culture and customs, not dating or sexuality. Then as if sensing his puzzlement, Shelley leaned over to him and rubbed her nose on his in an 'Eskimo kiss'. THAT was something Jorgen understood and flattered, turned shyly.

Miha whispered to Teela, "Shel-ley, she likes him, doesn't she?"

Teela nodded with a smile, "Yeah, she does. Did your brother tell you what happened at the lounge the first time?"

Miha shook her head, "No. The first time? What do you mean?"

Taking Miha's hand, Teela motioned for her to move over a table. Her brother and Shelley were in their own conversation and didn't notice them move.

Teela explained Jorgen's arrival in the lounge section of the pub, how he was mesmerised by their dance and as Carlos stood him up to take him out, he 'poked out' of his pants, entertaining the girls as much as he was obviously entertained by them.

Miha covered her mouth with both hands in expression of embarrassment for her brother and looked in his direction, but laughed an Equuleusian high pitched belly laughter.

That caught Jorgen's attention as he looked over with a puzzled expression. "My brother has more than the odd episode of 'morning wood'? Someone's all grown up now!" Teela added mischievously, "In more ways than one!" and gave Jorgen a wink.

Jorgen, eyes wide and mouth open as if to say "YOU TOLD?!?!?", pulled his cap down and clamped over it with his hands, covering his face in complete embarrassment.

Shelley got up and said only half jokingly to Teela, "You're such a little bitch, you know that!"

Teela hopped up on the table and shook her hips a couple of times in her 'country girl' dress she wore for the faire, swinging her bushy tail from side to side, "You know it, sista! You just know I am!"

Shelley rolled her eyes at her friend and scooping Jorgen up by the arm and looping hers in his, "Let's go have some real fun without these little troublemakers." and the two began to walk away. But as they did, Shelley turned back to Teela and stuck her tongue out, which brought an equal response from Teela.

Miha laughed, "You two are like sisters!".

Teela hopped off the table and back into her seat, "Yeah, we sure are. She's a good friend that human. A real good friend."

"What do you want to do?" Jorgen asked Shelley as they walked together.

"How about something crazy?"

"OK!" Jorgen replied, curious as to how crazy was defined in this context.

He soon found out. He and Shelley boarded one of the largest, scariest looking rides there, one called the 'Astrotwist'. It was three minutes of spinning, dropping, twirling and shaking. From negative G-forces to as much as +4 G's. The angles of the ride made it look as if the patron was going to crash full speed into the steelcrete parking lot, or one had the sensation the 'car' had broken free of the ride and was tossing you straight up into the sky. Shelley never stopped screaming the entire time.

The ride came to a complete stop and as the restraints released the patrons, everyone totally disoriented, fell out on their hands and knees before standing up. Everyone except Jorgen, that is. He just slipped out of the seat, stood up, brushed his jeans off and asked, "Was that it? Was that crazy?"

Shelley steadied herself against him as she rose from her knees, breathing deep from the horror, her long read hair messed up and totally covering her face. Brushing her hair aside, she looked up at Jorgen in amazement, "Wha... you weren't...."

"Scared?" Jorgen finished for her. "Hell no! Let's do that again!"

Miha came running up to her brother and threw her arms around him, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry.... I won't make fun of you any more. Just don't go on that thing again, please?"

Jorgen hugged her back, "It's OK, I forgive you." Looking into his sister's horrified face, "But it's a bloody lot of fun! You gotta try it!"

Miha looked up, way up at the ride and remembered the screaming of the patrons, "No... no thanks."

"That's one brave stud muffin you found!" Teela said to Shelley. "My people know of the Equuleusian's and I tell you, he's about as Equuleusian as I am a cat!"

"You are a big cat!" Shelley said, scratching her Canisian friend's head.

Curling her paws over, Teela made cat hissing and spitting sounds at her friend, who also curved her fingers into claws and made a 'reowrrr' sound at Teela. Jorgen and Miha watched the mock fight display with amusement.

"Wanna come back to my place for dinner?" Teela asked. "Shelley lives in Vancouver and will be crashing the night with me in town here. So the four of us can, y'know, hang!"

Jorgen and Miha agreed. "OK, let's... hang?" Miha said. Miha grabbed Teela's paw and Shelley and Jorgen holding hands, headed for the public transport tubes. Dinner sounded great!

Three types of pizza's were ordered, two 'herbivore', a 'carnivore' and an 'omnivore' from the local pizza house. For a biology student that had to commute, work part time, study practically full time, this was a 'Fillet Mignon' splurge.

Furniture was also a luxury for a student, as the four sat on the carpet. There was one table and one chair, filled with Teela's study material and computer. She also had one tattered chesterfield that contained a hide-a-bed, but no longer fully closed and squeaked horribly.

"So, how you fittin' in so far on your visit, big guy?" Teela asked Jorgen, who was still stuffing his face with the odd tasting, but rather addictive goo-covered food.

"Great!" he muffled with a full mouth. "Don't want to go home yet, anyway."

"How 'bout you, hun?" she asked Miha.

"Keeping this guy out of trouble seems to be a full time job." Miha replied, poking her brother in the ribs.

Jorgen laughed and rolled his eyes and swayed in mock drunkenness as he teased, "Ooooo, this coming from Miss 'sweet, bubbly water'?"

Miha gave a shocked look, pushed Jorgen over on his side and mockingly slapped him silly, to the rousing laughter of all.

After dinner, Teela asked Miha if she could trouble her for some help on her homework. While she was strong in biology, her chemistry needed a little help. Miha's skills in pharmacy would hopefully make short work of Teela's problems.

"Teela has a lovely view from her balcony." Shelly said to Jorgen, looking to get him alone.

Jorgen stood out on the balcony of Teela's flat. There was a terrific view... of the brick wall of the adjacent building. "Ummm, yeah. I guess this could be a good view... if one was a mason." he said puzzled.

Shelley put her arms around Jorgen and leaned her head on his shoulder. "What's the matter Jorgen, don't you like me?"

Jorgen was taken aback and turned to her, placing his hands on her waist. "I do...." he said with emphasis. "...it's just, well, my people don't really date. We bond for life when we mate."

"That's a helluva curve ball!" Shelley thought to herself. She didn't see that one coming. "Has it always been like that?" she asked.

Jorgen proceeded to explain in a nutshell, Equuleusian mating customs and that his sister Sami, was the very first one to have a relationship with another species. Also that because he couldn't afford his schooling off world, he would most likely be returning to Equuleus in less than two months.

Shelley leaned on the handrail, looking down at the alley, "Wow. I guess I should study interstellar cultures as well as interstellar law. Would save some heartache down the road.... I guess."

Jorgen pressed against Shelley, an arm around her and leaned his head across her shoulder and against the side of her face, the way his people comfort each another when sad. A moment of closeness meant to indicate the sad party wasn't alone and they didn't need to bear the pain alone.

"You're a very lovely lady and a lot of fun to be with. You give me... 'butterflies'." Jorgen said trying to sound consoling.

"I do?" She answered, sniffling and wiping a tear from her cheek.

"Hey.." Jorgen said, now standing up and gently turning her to face him. "No one from my planet in living memory, has spoken a deception."

"You'd be a fine officer Jorgen..." Shelley said, stroking the side of his face, "Because you are one heck of a gentleman." With that, she kissed him.

A surge through Jorgen's heart beyond butterflies, he considered for a moment that whatever this 'kissing' was, it had serious power. Maybe the power of it was Sami's life changing moment?

He followed Shelley's lead as they kissed deeper, their tongues entwined and lips nibbling the other's, "That... that's one helluva consolation!" she said with a deep breath.

Rubbing his nose gently against her cheek, "Maybe I am a misfit..." Jorgen whispered to Shelley.

"Why is that?" she asked, tingling at the sensation of her face being nuzzled by the handsome young 'stud' she had earlier set her heart on.

"Because now, I don't want to let you go" Jorgen replied, as the two embraced in a deeper, more passionate kiss.

While Shelley and Jorgen slipped out onto the balcony, Teela brought some of her study books off the table and sat beside Miha. Flipping through the pages, Teela explained the areas she was having problems with.

Miha had one of the books on her lap and was explaining to Teela how to re-examine a problem in a simplified forms. Same as for math, chemical analyses could be broken down in the simpler equations and built upon until the answer revealed itself.

Teela had been leaning her head on Miha's arm, listening to her new friends instruction. However, focus was difficult for her. She found the fur of Miha's short sleeved arm felt very pleasing against her own furred chin as was the unique scent of the herbivorous Equuleusian lady, the first she had ever met.

"Comfy?" Miha asked. Teela paused before lifting her head with a "Huh?"

"Sami and I used to study together back home not too differently. You're a lot smaller than she is." Lifting her arm, Teela snuggled closer and lowering her arm and wrapping it around the little vixen, took the book again and continued.

Teela tried to pay attention to Miha's explanations. Now having an arm around her, she felt cradled, protected. The new position also had the side of her face resting against Miha's breast, which made her tingle.. her schedule didn't allow for a lot of interaction with human or other females in such a way.

Teela knew she was different when she came to maturity. Her brothers chased girls and her sisters loved to be chased by the boys. She being closer to her brothers than her sisters, loved the thought of being part of the 'pack', chasing the girls in the moonlight. It was a secret she never let any of her family know. Shelley knew. Shelley didn't judge her and hoped she found love in her own way. Humans were so open about that. On Canisius, she would be an outcast. So when fate gave her the opportunity to finish her higher education on Earth, she couldn't be on a transport fast enough.

"Teela, are you listening?" Miha asked, jarring Teela out of her distraction and raising her head, her whiskers grazing Miha's furless, pink chin. Miha giggled at the tickling that gave.

"I'm sorry, I don't know where I was..." Teela answered in a 'white lie'.

Rubbing her chin and looking at Teela, noses almost touching, "Well, your mind sure wasn't on..... the...." Miha trailed off and stared into Teela's eyes. An Equuleusian was quick, observant and practically impossible to deceive. "Are.... are you attracted to me?" Miha asked in surprise.

Teela's eyes never left Miha's. She cocked her head back and forth slightly, caught off guard and not really knowing how to answer. She gave three cautious, shy nods of her head.

Miha just looked at Teela, not quite knowing what to say.. or do. Homosexuality was never frowned upon her world and happened without shame when there was an imbalance in genders. Everyone there was entitled to love, companionship and the act of mating between consenting parties was never questioned.

"I.... I... don't know what to say?" Miha truthfully and softly said, feeling flattered.

Teela slowly let her little fennec-like vixen nose touch the end of Miha's. When Miha didn't flinch, she closed her eyes and said in a whisper, "Then, say nothing." And gently licked Miha's muzzle in a Canisian kiss.

Outside on the balcony, Jorgen separated from another passionate kiss with Shelley. Feelings flowing through him he never had to deal with before and so pleasant, he hope would not be the last. He felt Shelley's fingers run gently through his mane as she smiled at him and he realized then, he had been fondling her breasts. With a 'Did I do that?' look on his face, he took his hands off of them, as she gently grabbed his hands and held them, "It's OK." she said, her smile widening.

Releasing Jorgen's hands, she unbuttoned her blouse and released her bra, exposing her freckle covered breasts with light pink nipples that practically blended with her milky skin tone. Taking Jorgen's hands again, she replaced them on her breasts, covering her nipples and holding them there. Kissing him on his nose, she whispered "I think we need some more privacy."

"This feels so... " Miha thought to herself as Teela gently covered her muzzle with gentle, slow kisses. Remembering Sami's letters describing how she learned what a kiss was, Miha opened her mouth slightly to the immediate sensation of Teela's long tongue slip inside and touch hers. "...good!" Miha finished her sentence in her mind as she felt Teela's paw touch the side of her face as they pressed their lips together, tongues exploring.

At the sound of the balcony door opening, the two ladies separated their kiss. Jorgen and Shelley entered, her open blouse telling a tale. Wordlessly, Shelley asked Teela for 'exchanged' sleeping arrangements, Teela acknowledging with a nod and nose in the direction of her room. Shelley smiled a 'thank you' and also a 'good for you, hun!', seeing Teela cuddled in Miha's arms. Jorgen not quite putting '2+2' together at that moment.

"Jorgen's going to be mated?" Miha said with a shocked voice.

Teela giggled and swinging a leg over Miha's legs, straddling her lap, "Not any more than we will be, honey."

Taking Miha's face in her paws and stroking her fur gently with one, Teela gauged her reaction. Miha with soft eyes, nuzzled Teela. She then slipped her dress off over her head, wrapped her arms gently around Miha's neck and continued their kiss where they had left off.

Shelley took Jorgen's cap off and tossed it across Teela's bedroom. Stroking the back of his ears and running her fingers through his mane, Jorgen was equally enthralled with how soft this furless, alien girl was. Stroking her skin and running his hands across her breasts, her nipples, her belly.

Lifting his tee shirt off over his head, she ran her hands across the muscles of the powerful and handsome equus, half naked before her. Jorgen now rubbing his face in this human girl's fire coloured 'mane', feeling the different texture of it, the scent of it.

Hands running down her back as he nibbled her neck, causing Shelley to giggle, Jorgen caressed her tailless rear. Shelley guided one of Jorgen's hands up to her waistband and slipped just his fingertips inside. Releasing the front snap to loosen her tight jeans, his hand immediately slid inside, exploring the soft skin of her rounded ass and giving gentle squeezes. Forcing her jeans lower, his hands explored the sides and rear of her thighs. An Equuleusian female had toned leg muscles and soft fur, this human had thighs that were very bare and very soft. "How completely erotic!" he thought.

Shelley loosened his belt (which Jorgen bought to keep from 'popping out' in public again) and releasing the little magnetic snaps, Jorgen's jeans fell down about his ankles. The two stepped back half a step, looking at each other's naked bodies.

Shelley ran the back of her hand down Jorgen's belly and onto his hips and thighs. He was a wall of muscle that made her heart beat faster at the sight. Running her fingers over his large and slightly fuzzy testicles and amazed how soft and smooth they felt compared to the texture and rough hairs on a human. Her touch was bringing him to full erection. He was long, but of average thickness compared to a human male. She ran her fingers over the extraordinarily soft skin of his penis, which pulsed with her light touch that tickled him eroticly.

Jorgen was running his hands across her thighs and hips, enjoying his new found fetish for soft, hairless females. Hairless except the fire coloured fur covering her pussy that was soft to the touch. Human females were also built different... their genitals were between their legs and toward the front of their body, while females of his world had theirs more toward their back. Another untapped fetish he discovered about himself and was liking very much.

She squeezed his penis, causing his body to tingle as a drip of liquid escaped and ran down the side of his shaft, which she ran her hand and over as she gripped and stroked his maleness.

Shelley embraced Jorgen in a kiss and taking a step, sat him down on Teela's bed. Jorgen wrapped his arms around her and leaned back, taking her on top of him. Sliding back, she kissed his chin, neck and chest. Jorgen felt a surge of pleasure and gave a couple of grunts as he felt her lips press against the tip of his penis with a suckling kiss.

He looked down as he saw her green eyes looking up at him as she ran her tongue around his tip and down his hard, pulsing shaft. He closed his eyes and shut out everything but the sensation of this girl, nibbling on him with her lips and running her soft tongue downward, then in circling motions over his tingling balls.

Sliding her body against and up on his, taking his penis between her breasts, she squeezed them on him and slid up and down, flicking her tongue along his shaft, causing him to begin dripping like a tap.

Jorgen ran his hands through her hair, rubbing her head as she did this slowly. She could hear him breathing deeper and she clamped her lips over him and giving a suck, felt his warm dribbling coat her tongue with a slightly slippery, slightly salty liquid that tasted better than any human she encountered. This action caused Jorgen to breathe faster and begin thrusting gently into her mouth.

Shelley began rubbing her breasts up and down Jorgen's penis, making it feel to him if he was penetrating much deeper than he was into her mouth. His thrusting became faster and his breathing deeper as she felt his back arch slightly. She felt his large balls swell against her belly as Jorgen's tip flared and with a loud groan from her handsome alien, several high velocity streams of hot, thick alien juices filled her mouth at such a rate that she had to swallow as fast as she could to keep from choking.

Miha ran her hands through Teela's thick fur, up and down her sides as they kissed. Teela's paws gently stroking the sides of her face and down her neck and onto her large, soft breasts. Miha massaged Teela's small breasts with her thumbs as she held her friend, causing tiny nipples to protrude through her fur and into view.

Teela unbuttoned the front of Miha's dress, one by one, the last one on the skirt, down between Teela's straddling legs. Opening the dress, exposing her equine friend, she ran her paws gently over the top of her breasts, down the front and across her teats, which perked at the Canisian's touch. Teela placed a paw under each of Miha's breasts and lifted them and looking admiringly, "These are very beautiful. You're very sexy."

Miha smiled, closed her eyes and lowered her head coyly, with an almost inaudible "Thank you." Teela leaned over, licking and suckling each teat, causing a quivering gasp of pleasure to escape Miha's dainty mouth.

Teela becoming more excited, licked with vigour up Miha's breasts, neck, face and pressed her body against Miha's, wrapping her arms around behind her, pressed her pelvis against her friend and rubbed her now wet crotch against her in slow thrusts.

"Poor hungry dear..." Miha compassionately whispered as she embraced Teela, running a hand down her back, over her ass and slipped it between her legs from behind causing Teela to immediately raise high her bushy tail.

She found the warm, slippery, wet patch of fur that covered a tiny set of soft lips. She slipped one of her fingers in between them where she knew her own pleasure centre lay, causing an instant moan of pleasure from the little vixen. Miha held her fingertips steady as Teela circled and gently rubbed with motions of her hips. Little moans and sighs of pleasure emanating from her friend as she appreciatively licked Miha's ears, face and forehead.

Miha's hand was soaked from Teela's juices as her pelvis gently quivered. Little gasps and whimpers of pleasure being whispered right next to Miha's ear, which Teela gently nipped. She slipped her finger tip inside Teela and immediately felt a squeeze on it as Teela gave quiet little 'yips' as her pelvis quivered in a tremor of climax.

Now panting, body still other than the movements of her breath, Miha gently and slowly withdrew her finger from Teela who relaxed her body against hers. Still holding on, Teela resting her face against Miha's with eyes closed, licked her cheek, "Thank you, hun." she said with deep appreciation in her voice.

Catching her breath, Teela placed her paws on Miha's face again, nose to nose and with a gentle lick said, "Lemmie taste you..."

As Teela stood up from her straddle over her, Miha removed her arms from her dress and now completely naked, rolled onto her hands and knees, raising her tail up and to the side. Teela also dropped onto all fours and came up to Miha from behind, a predatory grin on her face.

Miha let out a giggle and her body jerked as Teela's whiskers tickled her pussy as she gently whisked her nose up and down, taking in the erotic sweetness of her new friend. Miha could feel Teela's tongue gently kissing her lips, laping up the juiciness that covered them from their little escapade so far. Then she felt the full length of Teela's tongue plunge into her.

"OHH!" escaped from Miha's lips as her whole body quivered. Miha had never been penetrated by anyone or anything before. She knew her friends played with 'toys' for pleasure, but she never felt the need. If she needed relief, her medical studies revealed the location of a group of nerves just below her vaginal entrance, where one were to place a little pressure on, brought an immediate quivering of pleasure. But what Teela just did to her, surpassed that a thousand to one!

Another thrust of Teela's tongue brought another surge of intoxicating pleasure. Feeling her long tongue flicking and lapping her inside, she gripped the carpet and gritted her teeth, determined not to begin 'whinnying' like a newly-bonded mate as her male pounded her in uncontrollable lust. A third surge brought her flat down onto her stomach, her tail and hips quivering with the intense orgasm. The pulsing and rippling aftershocks she could feel inside, lasted even after her friend finally withdrew her tongue.

Lying on her stomach, panting out of breath and still gripping the carpet in total surrender, she felt Teela's soft little body slide up her back. Wrapping her arms around from behind, her head coming to rest over a shoulder and beside her face. Eyes closed, Miha heard Teela licking her chops with little smacks and give her a few tender licks on the side of her cheek. With a giggle, Teela whispered "You're sweet candy, girl!" and gently nibbled and licked Miha's ear as they lay together.

Shelley's lips released Jorgen's penis as it flopped down onto his belly, satisfied with release. She moved up beside him on the bed, kissing his panting muzzle and running her hand over his chest. "Someone was pretty pent-up." she said with a giggle. "Feel better, hun?"

Jorgen just nodded. Taking Shelley's hand in his and kissing it tenderly, he rolled on to his side toward her and ran his hand down the side of her naked body, over her hips and onto the side of her leg. Shelley lifted a leg, spreading it as Jorgen ran his hand up the inside of her thigh toward her crotch. She was wet halfway down the inside her thigh as he slid his fingers over the wetness and over her soft, pussy lips.

Shelley let out a moan and rolled onto her back, spreading her legs, heels of her feet touching. She looked up at him with a smile and ran her fingers over his ears, through his mane and down the side of his face. She saw his nostrils twitching as he caught her scent while admiring her beauty. With her hand still in his mane, she gave a gentle push toward herself, "Yes Jorgen.." she whispered encouragingly, further spreading her legs.

Jorgen slid himself down on the bed and between her legs. She felt his hot breath going lower down her belly, across her pussy and down the inside of her thigh, where he began licking the juices off her silky skin. His licks became audible laps that went higher up her thigh. His nose now touching her wet hairs and with a forceful lick, his tongue pushed between her lips and from back to front of her hidden treasures. This sent Shelley into a convulsion of orgasm, letting out a moan not too different than the one she heard clear through the wall from Miha earlier.

Jorgen uttered a couple of low grunts as his mating instinct began to kick in. Wrapping her legs over his shoulders and holding her hips to his face, he lapped her juices as he tried to remain gentle with this soft, fragile looking human female. She uttered another moan and called out his name, gripping with some force the mane on top of his head as she thrust her hips, rubbing her pussy up and down his muzzle and gave a restrained cry of pleasure as Jorgen felt a few squirts on his face.

Shelley looked down at her alien lover, gasping. She never experienced a 'female ejaculation' before this and like most of the men she slept with, believed it to be a myth perpetrated over the Data-net. She also noticed Jorgen had come to full erection again.

With a final lick, he raised his head and gave a series of grunts as his hands changed their position, gripping Shelley's hips and lifting her up with a power in his hands far beyond the gentle caresses of earlier, moving her into position in front of him with as little effort as if she was as light as the pillow she now gripped behind her head. "What have I done?" she thought to herself with her heart now pounding as much from fear as from erotic excitement.

Shelley had always been in control - of her life and her men. An ambitious law student, she knew what she wanted and knew what to take advantage of and when. She was even in charge of her and Teela's partnership as dancers at the lounge. But now, she was absolutely not in control and as fear inspiring as that was, she found it exhilarating!

Jorgen's penis positioned itself against Shelley's drenched pussy. She closed her eyes, hoping her experience wouldn't turn into a nightmare. She felt him inserting, gently at first, then more forcefully, deeper into her. Feeling the tip of his penis touch her cervix, she uttered under her breath "No, not deeper, please!" and immediately she felt the pressure release off of it. He gently backed off out of her a little, as she let out a sigh of relief.

As quickly as he was inflamed with passion, Jorgen became very gentle. Lowering her hips back onto the bed, releasing his powerful grip on her hips, he covered her in a classic missionary, giving her a comforting kiss and stroking her hair. He began slow, gentle, shallow thrusts. Shelley's fear disappearing as she gave herself to her lover. Wrapping her arms around him and returning Jorgen's gentle kiss with a more passionate one.

Quicker and quicker his thrusting became as Jorgen placed his head beside hers, breathing faster and faster. Shelley ran her hand down his ears and mane, his back and stroking his muscular butt cheeks, feeling the muscles working, rippling under his furred skin. Jorgen lifted his head panting through his mouth, his thrusts quickening again. She saw his tail raise higher, pulsing as she felt her equine lover swell inside of her as he gave a moan of pleasure. She felt every pulse of his forceful ejaculation inside her and a warm, wet feeling running out and down her ass as she could hold no more, but his orgasm continued.

The warmth of Jorgen's release and the pulsing of his penis inside of her, triggered another orgasm for her, as she panted in unison with her alien lover, pressing her face against his long chin. The fear of being torn asunder from the inside out by the powerful 'pony', a distant thought.

The two lovers held each other in the afterglow. Facing each other, she lay on her side, his neck being as a pillow to her. Arms on top cuddling the other. They held hands, fingers stroking each other on the side they lay. "I scared you, didn't I?" Jorgen asked apologetically.

Kissing his neck, she answered "You sensed how I was feeling and became gentle." Lifting her head and looking into his gentle eyes, smiled as she asked "Can you read minds?"

Smiling, Jorgen looked up at her, "What do you think? I am an 'alien mystery' for you."

Shelley gave a shocked look, "You can?" and at Jorgen's mischievous chuckle, she gave him a gentle shove, "Oh, you can NOT!". Laughing together, Jorgen rolled on his back, pulling Shelley on top of him, giving her a long, delicious kiss before they finally cuddled and drifted off to sleep.

Jorgen was the first to wake the next day. Rolling over onto his back with a yawn and a stretch, his arm bumped Shelley, who let out a sleepy moan. Looking over at her curled up with most of the blankets, her red hair all messed up, the memory of the night before came flooding back. "It WASN'T a dream!" he thought to himself. Tossing back the single sheet that covered him and sitting up on the edge of the bed, he noticed the matted fur and sticky mess of his genital area. Looking back at Shelley, he gave a big toothy grin and said to himself, "Shit, yeah dude! No dream at all". His words caused Shelley to grumble another sleepy moan as she pulled her head further under the blankets.

Out the bedroom door, jeans and tee draped over his arm and thinking of a nice long shower (Equuleusian males are just as picky as the females when it comes to grooming), he saw the tattered chesterfield had been transformed into its lumpy bed form. On it, his sister was curled into her usual sleeping ball position, but in her arms was Teela, who was also curled into her own sleeping ball. "Aww, sis has a teddy." he thought. Turning to go down the short hallway that led to the washroom, he saw her dress laying on the floor and beside it, Teela's. Looking back to his sister curled up on the bed, he smiled and thought, "Grow up with someone and still not know them... looks like we both got lucky last night."

"Ahhh, oh hell, yeah!" came echoing down from the washroom.

Teela's ears twitched and head perked up. "Dammit! That water pipe broke again!" and scurrying down the hallway she went. Miha's head perked up from her deep sleep to see Teela walking back from down the hallway, covering her eyes. "Sorry, sorry, sorry... I thought the pipe broke again." and hearing her brother laughing from the washroom.

Teela hopped back on the bed and leaned against Miha, who let out a big yawn and asked, "What is it, sweetie?" as she nuzzled the little vixen.

"Your brother... he has a freakin' huge dick!" she said, rubbing her eyes.

"Damn straight!" he shouted from the washroom.

Still rather clueless, Miha just laughed half heartedly, mostly to accompany Teela and Jorgen's seeming 'inside joke'.

"What's that?" Asked Shelley, standing in Teela's bedroom doorway, only half covered by a sheet and hair looking like it had been through a hurricane. Teela rolled around with laughter at the second person to ask her that and fell off onto the floor. Miha just pulled the blanket over her head, saying "I give up!" Jorgen responded with an enormous belch, followed by the sound of the shower turning on.

7 - "Change of Plans"

A TBA player I wasn't. A game of "21" with Jorgen meant 20 wins for Jorgen, one win for me. That one win either fluke luck or as I was convinced, he let me win and did a good enough job of hiding it, I couldn't prove it. I could just ask him, Equuleusian's refusing to lie and all, but in my heart, I really didn't want to know and took my win.

Sweating profusely and out of breath, I sat down to a pitcher of water and an iced tea at the patio table provided in the common yard of the building I lived. I poured the pitcher of water over my head. And drank the iced tea. Jorgen was barely sweating or breathing hard. Despite being 21C., it would still be considered a "sub-polar zone" temperature on Equuleus. "You hadn't spoken barely a word since you got back.." I asked. "Did you and Miha have an argument or something?"

"Oh heck, no dude." He said, still spinning the basketball on the end of his fingers. "We had a great time!"

"Uh, huh. That's why Miha will be coming this evening and you came back this morning", I said in a doubtful voice.

"Well, Miha has to actually do some tutoring. She tried last night and got.. well... distracted."

"Oh, yeah!" I said with a chuckle, "What's his name?"

"Who?"

"Your sister's distraction!"

"Oh."

After a maddening pause, I shouted curiously, "WELL?!?"

"Teela." Jorgen said with indifference.

Putting 2+2 together, I whistle and give a couple Neanderthal-like grunts. Jorgen rolled his eyes and shook his head with a smile, "Humans!"

"How about you?"

Jorgen turned his chair towards the table, leaned back, crossed his hooves up on the table and crossed his arms behind his head. Looking at me with a big smile, "Shelley!"

"Well, high-fives all around!" I shouted and we toasted our iced teas.

Looking more serious, Jorgen pronounced "I don't want to go back home yet."

"You feel bonded to Shelley now?" I asked, taking a sip of iced tea.

Shaking his head, "No. Well, I feel we're a part of each other, but that's not fully it."

Giving him an inquisitive look, he explained further, "I feel a destiny here. Even if I can't afford the E-e course, there's something calling me... holding me to this planet. At least for my immediate future."

"Ah!" I said, putting down my glass. "I may have the answer for you. But I can't be 100% sure until a couple of days."

Jorgen's turn to give me the inquisitive look. I held up my hand, "I don't want to get your hopes up, but we may be able to keep you here."

His serious expression turned back into a smile. "Another try for 21, old man?"

Getting up from the table, I just said "You have fun with that!" and headed up to my flat as Jorgen continued practising with renewed enthusiasm.

---

MESSAGE:

Equuleus government approved it. Cruise company approved it in principle. Subject to space dock upgrades completed within 12 months, Terran time measure.

Gondolar Jehara

Commerce Brokerage Services

Pegasi Sector

---

MESSAGE:

Carlos! Whatever you did, thank you!

I'm supervising the engineering team for the Equuleus Prime space dock. Tight schedule, so letters will be few. Can afford to help Jorgen more if he's still interested in his E-e. I can now pay half the cost, if you can find help with the rest.

Jorgen wrote me in his letter that he bore witness to the completed boding between you and my daughter. Welcome to the family, son!

Marr

---

"Yes!" I shouted.

Sami wrapped her arms around me from behind and rested her head on my shoulder. "Good news, honey?"

"Yup! Your dad got a promotion and more pay. All we need to do is find the rest of the money and Jorgen will be saying 'YES SIR! MORE POTATOES RIGHT AWAY SIR!' in no time!"

Sami read the letter on the screen, kissed my cheek and whispered "OUR dad, silly man. I knew father would accept you."

"OUR dad.." I corrected myself, returning her kiss.

"What's this?" Sami asked, pointing to the letter from Gondolar.

"That my dear, is our financial security working itself out. The business deal I worked on while on your world is in the works. But we won't see the residual commissions from that for a couple of years.

Just then the console beeped as another message came in.

---

MESSAGE:

Carlos,

Schedule changed. Had a meeting with the boss and Board of Directors this morning. They thought a scholarship was a great idea and unanimously approved to set up a program. But they will only pay up to 50% of the training costs.

See you for lunch tomorrow!

Jerrod Wilson

Area Superintendent

Interstellar Parcel Services

---

"And that honey, is the sound of your brother in cold, wet, muddy clothes with fifty kilos of rocks in a pack on his back for eight weeks of Boot Camp!"

Sami hopped up and down, clapping her hands and letting out a happy 'squeee-nnn-nny'. "I can't wait to tell him!"

Sami excitedly ran to the door, then to the window to shout, then back to the door, then over to me, planting a big kiss, "If it wasn't for your connections, my dear...." and finally she decided to run out the door to meet him in the court and tell him.

Minutes later, I could hear them excitedly chattering up a storm in Equuleusian as they came down the hall and into the apartment. Jorgen ran over to read the computer screen and read the messages. "That's what you were setting up for me?" I nodded with a smile. He put his arms around me in a bear-hug, "Thanks du.... big brother."

"You're welcome, little bro. Now write your.. I mean OUR dad and tell him the good news."

Jorgen excitedly sat down and began typing as fast as he could.

Sami was still excited and was singing a happy song as she began dinner preparations. I wrapped my arms around her waist from behind, as she clasped her hands over mine over her belly. Looking up at me, her nose on my chin and smiling gleefully, "Have I told you I love you today?"

I kissed her nose, "Seven times since morning."

"Then consider this num-ber-eight!" she said, followed by silently mouthing the three magic words in any happy relationship.

Our following loving kiss was interrupted, "Don't you two ever stop?" asked Jorgen, standing in the entrance to the kitchen, mock gagging with his hands at his throat and tongue hanging out of his mouth.

"Ye are a cheeky bugger!" I said as Sami and I chuckled. "How about helping your sister here while I toss those... USED clothes you came home in the sonic sanitizer unit before burning them." and I walked out, mumbling about lazy teenagers.

Grabbing a potato, tossing it up in the air and catching it behind his back, he spoke to it, "Looks like I'll be seeing a lot of your cousins, soon!" and proceeded to peel as if he never handled a peeler in his life. Which until now, he hadn't.

"What did Carlos mean by 'USED' clothing you came home in?" Sami asked curiously.

Jorgen did a little dance, "Your little brother became a STUD last night!"

"Oh? Who was she? Are you bonded?" Sami stopped her prep and looked at her brother, wanting to hear the story.

"Her name is Shelley and no."

"Oh? Shelley is a human name. Is the someone you met here before I arrived?"

Jorgen laughed, "Oh heck, you could say that!"

"I see." Sami said coldly to him. "So, you have embraced the promiscuity of this world already. What would mother say?"

"Well, father would toast me another glass of tuaught, so, whatever!"

Sami glared at him with a 'Don't talk to me that way' reproving look.

"Well, sorry to offend you, Hauna!" and he began peeling at a machine-like rate.

Sami taken aback by the comparison to her eldest sister. She never thought negatively of her and until now, didn't think Jorgen did either. But Hauna was very deeply rooted in Equuleusian traditions and did not approve of her love of Carlos. Now here she was disapproving of her brother for breaking with tradition and mating with one whom he chose too.

"Hey.." Sami said. Jorgen stopped peeling and turned around to her. Sami hugged her little brother, "I'm sorry. I was... I was just afraid for you. They have strange ways here."

Jorgen hugged his sister back. "We shared something and will be close friends no matter what. Just as if you and Carlos chose to not complete your bond. But I'm really happy you two did."

Stepping into the kitchen, "Your clothes are cleaned, little bro!" I said having for comic effect, a set of surgical glove covered hands raised in the air and an old style doctor's mask tied to my face. It took Jorgen and Sami several minutes to recover from the laughter.

Miha arrived in the evening and to a pleasant surprise, brought Teela with her.

"This is a niiiice place you have, Mr. Carlos!" the little vixen said as she explored every room, not waiting for the guided tour. She had on a colourful top and matching colourful, puffy skirt, with black stretch pants underneath. Very 20th century!

Having the carnivore over for dinner, I offered to prepare a steak. Sami very kindly prepared a small piece of chicken for me (I could see it in her face as she did, it was a very offensive thing for her to cook and yet she insisted I did not do it myself), but there wasn't enough of it for two.

"Ohhhh, my GODS! Mr. Carlos, this is ex-quis-ite!" Teela saying the last word in the best French accent she could. "Shelley would have liked this had she not had to stay home and study before tomorrow's classes."

I explained to Sami that student's here usually barely eat as they work their way through schooling if they didn't have enough funds or a scholarship. Been that way on Earth for over 400 years and isn't likely to change. Jorgen sat upright, looking proud and explained he got his funding.

"You're a lucky guy, Jorgen!" Teela said, happy for him. "Did you tell Shelley?"

"I sent her a message today, and she said she looked forward to seeing me in uniform... and... yeah, I told her." Jorgen explained with a shy smile as he trailed off.

"More like she wants to see that uniform coming off. " I mumbled, giving him a wink.

Jorgen with a toothy smile let out a couple of equinesque grunts I hadn't heard from him before. Teela hooted and gave a 'wolf-whistle' as Sami and Miha simultaneously turned away with shocked/embarrassed expressions, indicating to me it was a sound an Equuleusian male likely made while in the throws of passion.

Retiring to the living area after dinner, Jorgen flopped into the chair as I sat on one end of the futon, Sami leaning against me and my arms around her, as Miha took the other side and Teela hopping on her lap, Miha wrapped her arms around her, nuzzling and rubbing against her as Sami does against me. It was sweet to see other love birds (and damn hot!)

Damn Equuleusian's being so observant! Jorgen saw me staring at the two females as they cuddled and again shook his head and rolled his eyes, "Humans!". Lucky me, the girls missed it. "Inside joke." I said.

Finding out more about each other, we discovered that Teela had been a refugee from the Canisian-Centaurian war. The war by Terran standards was a short lived border skirmish. But it was enough to send millions of the dozen or so species of canids fleeing to neighbouring systems. Many had returned, like Teela's family, but after going through maturity and finding out she was attracted only to other females, she would be an outcast on Canisius and chose to come to Earth for her extra schooling. As a refugee, she was provided with some minimal necessities of life on one of the Capellan system moons, but everything else, she was responsible for. When she came to Earth, her refugee status and funds were cut when the bureaucrats learned that the rest of her family returned to Canisius.

"So, here I am a 'starving student' today!" Teela said, proud of what she accomplished to date.

"That's an awesome tale of success, especially for one as young as you and venturing into unknowns on a strange world!" I said impressed.

"Hun, the unknown is just a synonym for adventure." she said as she tilted her head upward, giving Miha a kiss on her chin, "Right, Candy Girl?".

Miha looked shocked, then turned her head with a shy smile. Jorgen and I chuckled as Sami shook her head at Teela's boldness, smiling and whispering "What would mother say?"

Teela also explained that there were many orphaned kits and pups on the moons of Capella and Sirius, the systems that originally opened their borders for the Canisian refugees, but due to the canids birthrate, their refugee handling system found itself soon overwhelmed. The richer systems, like Pegasi, extremely mistrusted all canids. The 'Wolf Warriors' that started the war swore they would dine on 'sweet Equuleusian flesh' as a source of food for their people. The Stellar Alliance not existing then, Equuleus was a Pegasi protectorate and vowed any Canisian ship entering the sector would be atomized! The embargo against canids travelling to Equuleus remains today, whereas travel to the Pegasiian systems are permitted under extremely strict visa restrictions. Still too soon after the war to travel to or through Centaurian space, the Terran sector was becoming popular with the Canisian's.

Miha gave Teela consoling kisses on the side of Teela's face as her story brought a sad expression and she wiped a tear. Jorgen too lowered his head in contemplation of this scenario and Sami covered her mouth, tears running down from her eyes.

"My people's history are full of tales like that. Seems we share a darkness." I said in an empathetic voice.

"I know. One of the reasons I came here." Teela said. "If there was any other beings in our known galaxy who would understand what my people endured, it would be the humans."

Having classes in the morning, she departed after another hour of more pleasant conversation.

Sami tossed and turned. At 1AM, she shook me awake. "Sweetie... hun? I can't sleep."

I yawned and rolled over towards my scruffy darling, mane a mess with strands dangling over her face from all the tossing and turning. She was adorable.

"What's bothering you?" I asked, stroking the side of her face.

"I can't stop thinking of the Canisian orphans."

"That's sad, yeah. Unfortunately there has been orphans and there always will be. Not all worlds are Equuleus, where the huge and extended families have eliminated the issue." I replied, knowing that there was little we could do to change the situation for Teela's people.

Lifting herself up and resting on her elbow, I was on the receiving end of a 'Wrong answer, MISTER!' glare that seemed to be built into wives, regardless of originating planet.

Rolling onto my back with a sigh, "What do you have in mind, hun?"

Sami layed her head on my shoulder and slowly rubbed her fingers through the hair on my chest, twirling the odd one. Her pause made me wonder if she was thinking, or already thought and was debating on how to deliver her idea.

"Could we adopt?" she asked meekly. I had heard many tones from Sami, this was a new one. She must have feel very, very deep about this subject.

Immediately my brain was filled with the thought of raising... good grief, KIDS? Not just kids, alien kids I knew very little about. Their culture, what they were like as youth, "I bet they bite!" I thought to myself, before they had a clue what went into the mouth and what didn't. How long do Canisian's live, anyway? Aww, geez! There's school, getting them work and what about food, clothing....

I felt something warm pool on my shoulder and run down to the bed. Sami's tears silently escaped her eyes as she awaited an answer. My conversation with Hauna returned to mind. This wasn't about me any more, this was about us... us as in Sami's happiness is my happiness. What kind of husband would I be to deny her this?

I kissed her between the ears on top of her head, "Let's check into it in the morning, hmm?"

Sami gave me a big squeeze and began to cry, "Thank you!" Wiping her tears and sniffling, asked "Have I told you I love you today?"

"We're going to need a bigger place, I think." I said with a smile as I kissed her good night.

My darling slept quite soundly the rest of the night.

I returned from my lunch meet with Jerrod. Not only had the deal for half of Jorgen's scholarship been sealed, the minimum condition of five years of contract employment with them had been for Jorgen's case, lowered to three, given the Equuleusian lifespan.

Jorgen comprehended that he would be obligated to the company in some way for the money and three years seemed fair to him, given he'd be spending three in the SAR. "I'd be a 'free agent' by the time I'm a little over 9 years old!" he said as he signed the courier company contract for service and scholarship application. That would make him about 36 in Terran years. Still young enough for choices and his immediate future was guaranteed.

"So, we'll have the place to ourselves when you're done Boot Camp and your sister is keeping the Nightingale flying!" I said as I patted my now little brother on the shoulder.

Jorgen looked at Sami, then to me. He gave a brotherly hug, "I'll let you two talk." and left the room.

Sami sat down at the table with a calculating look, but a grin that said it wasn't all bad news. I sat across from her and just raised my eyebrows and gave the expression, 'OK, lay it on me.'

"I want to resign." she simply said.

"Your job or us?" I said nervously.

Sami cocked her head, eyebrows raised and slowly shook it, giving me a hopeless look that said 'Could you be any dumber?'. Wow, Sami had these Terran 'wife looks' down pat.

"I talked to Chief and he said he could get me work planet side through a contact of his."

"Well, that's good. Because after talking last night, we'll need the Euro's." I said in exclamation. "It'll be a couple years before the commissions kick in from the tourism to your system..."

"But..." Sami said, cutting me off. "It's only part time."

I rubbed my chin, pondering the change in plans. "Believe me, no one will be happier to have you here, than me."

Reaching across the table, I held Sami's hands as she smiled with relief. "Now, let's contact the Canisian embassy and see about un-orphaning some orphans!"

8 - "Belonging"

The Canisian embassy said the orphans were refugees on Capellan moons. Contact the Capellan embassy.

The Capellan embassy said yes, they'd appreciate the adoption of canids, but it was a diplomatic issue and had to be resolved through the Terran consulate.

The Terran consulate referred us to the one on Capella. Round trip message time with administration processes, a week... if they weren't busy.

"AUUUUUUUUGH!" I shouted, leaning back in the chair and gripping my hair. "Bureaucrats!"

Sami began to massage my shoulders. "Patience, dear. I love you for doing this. It'll work out for us." and wrapping her arms around me, kissed my cheek as she grabbed some magazine headed off towards the bedroom.

Miha came in the door, slurping another pop through a straw. "You're addicted to that stuff!" I said as she let out a little burp and covered her mouth in embarrassment.

"It's the bubbles!" she said with a giggle.

Giving her belly a poke, "Yeah, bubbles that'll make you a plump little pony with no teeth, if you aren't careful!"

"Did Sami talk to you?"

"About her resigning? Yeah."

"Wait... what?" Miha asked with surprise and sat down at the table across from me.

"Well, what did you mean?" I asked, trying to divert the conversation, seeing I 'let the cat out of the bag'.

"Adopting Canisian's!" she replied.

"Oh!" I said, "Yes. It's all wrapped up in at least a weeks worth of bureaucratic red tape at the moment."

She stared.

"Better let Sami tell you..." I motioned to the bedroom.

Miha entered the bedroom to see her sister looking at the magazine, then the walls, pacing around as if figuring something out. "What colour do you think Canisian children would like?"

"Resign?????" Miha asked loudly.

"Oh." Sami said, putting the magazine down on the dresser and sitting on the bed, her sister sitting beside and facing her. "I want to stay planet side. Carlos needs me and I'll have a lot to do soon."

"So, you've gone from a 'tomboy daddy's girl' to mom in less time it takes to come out of hyperspace?" Miha said, getting louder.

"I have things to do...."

Miha cut her off, "And father spent how much on your training?"

"That's not fair!" Sami snapped back at her sister, getting annoyed. "I love my job. I also love being a Terran wife. And I will raise children! You are literally asking me to choose whose job is more important... dad's or mom's!"

Miha was silent.

Sami placed her hand on her sister's, "Look, I'm doing part time work. Carlos said I can use his shop downstairs to build and fix things. But I also need to consider my future. My future with my mate, my husband."

Miha nodded and silently got up and left the room.

Crossing the hallway, Miha looked over at me, lowered her head and went out.

Sami came out of the bedroom and gave a despondent sigh.

"Are you OK?" I asked.

Sitting down, she gave a half-hearted smile, "Of course. Time will take care of things."

"Hun, are you sure? I mean of the path you're taking here. I don't want you to be at odds with your family because of me."

Looking at me with a raised eyebrow, "You ARE my family. Did you forget about the message from father? If he heard his son saying the silly things you've said today...." and giving a playful slap across my chest and her little "Humph!", changed the conversation totally. "What colour do Canisian children like?" and taking the console, began searching the Data-net.

Miha had gone to the central park and leaning against the rail of the wooden bridge over the lake, began to ponder many things in her mind. Sami really wasn't coming home as her mom and Hauna predicted. Jorgen would be based on Earth for the next six years. Father was rebuilding her home world's space dock and would rarely spend time at home. Her mom was all alone right now. And then there was Teela.

"I wish I never came here." she said sadly and continued on the winding path around the park.

---

MESSAGE:

I'm home two days every two weeks and that is only because they force me to go down to the planet. Got to make sure things are done right.

Your mother is considering going back to her old teaching job she had before you were born. Hauna spoke with the district and they would be glad to have someone of her experience back in the classroom. She would also be in line to make Head Teacher after one year of her return!

Carlos, I don't know if congratulations are in order. You may know the history between Canisius and Equuleus. It's not good. But I'm sure with both of your loving guidance and if that 'red tape' gets cut, you will be wonderful parents. Sami has a lot of her mother in her, though she showed little of it at home. They won't lack love, that's for sure.

Sami, You have my support what ever decision you make regarding your career.

Jorgen, congratulations on your acceptance! Good luck son and we will see you at graduation!

Miha, I love you and I forgive you. Your mother misses you terribly.

Love to you all,

Marr

---

Three of us read the message together. Jorgen was very proud, as he should be. Sami was relieved. Her sister's words had stung. She felt better now. But where was Miha?

"Heya Carlos!" the cheerful vixen smiled back through the screen. Explaining to Teela that we hadn't seen Miha since she left after an argument with her sister, brought a look of concern on her face. "No, no I haven't seen her. She hasn't called either." She agreed to contact us if she heard from her.

It was now past midnight and still no word. We all stayed awake, worried and waiting for word.

"I'm calling Metro Security and file a missing perso...." I said, approaching the computer when Miha walked in. Sami and Jorgen ran to her, hugging and nuzzling her in relief.

"Where have you been?" Sami asked.

"Thinking. Thinking about a lot of things."

"C'mon, sit down" Jorgen said as he led her to the comfy chair that he usually sat in (and stole from me!).

"Carlos..." Miha looked at me with sadness. "Thank you for having me. I really appreciate it."

"You're leaving?" Sami said surprised.

Nodding, "I'll leave in the morning."

"But....." Jorgen just stood and said, looking stunned and his arms open in confusion. "I thought we were having a blast?"

It was a week night and Teela would be dancing at the lounge with Shelley by now. She needed to know this information, so I left a text message for her that Miha came back OK, but was distraught and would be leaving in the morning.

*BZZZZZT*, *BZZZZZT*, *BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT*

It was 6AM. We didn't have to catch the transport to the spaceport until nine. Who the hell could that be?

Jorgen was first to the door and opened it to a very pissed looking little vixen that just shoved her way in past him with a "'Scuse me, stud muffin..." Teela had got the message when she returned home from work and rather than catching a couple hours sleep before class, showed up here.

Seeing the ball under the blanket on the futon, Teela started poking, "The... HELL... you... ARE!" Her fur bristled and was even standing up on her back and neck, which was visible with the frilly open back blouse she wore, having yet to change from the lounge.

Sami sat on my left, Jorgen on the right as we sat on the end of Sami's and my bed, curiously straining to hear the spat in the living room. We had to strain more to hear Miha's responses, as Teela was letting her thoughts be known in no uncertain terms.

"Why are you concerned if I leave or stay? We aren't bonded!" Miha asked looking annoyed by her new friend getting involved.

"Because you're my friend! And I think you're making a helluva mistake running back home because you had a stupid argument with your sister! Hell, I have seven brothers and sisters and before I left, we argued all the time!" Teela exclaimed with frustration.

"I'm not leaving just because of my argument with Sami!" Miha said, equally frustrated. "I don't belong here!"

"Then why the hell did you come?"

"To meet Sami! That's it!"

After a pause, Teela sat down on the futon beside where Miha was laying on her elbow, propping herself up. "Well, she's right here." She said in a calmer voice, motioning toward the bedroom. "Not on Equuleus and not at the spaceport."

"It's time for me to go, though. Sami has mapped out her life, so has Jorgen. I need to go home and continue mine with the family." Miha said, also calming down.

"Hun, you're family is right here too. Sami, Jorgen and Carlos are no less than your family on Equuleus." Placing her paw on Miha's hand, continued, "Hun, are you returning home to Equuleus, or running away from Earth?"

Giving Teela a nuzzle, Miha layed her head across Teela's lap and said in a tearful voice, "I... I don't know any more."

Teela began stroking Miha comfortingly up her nose and over her mane. "Well, you need to figure it out, sweetie. 'Cause when you start running from things instead of to them, it's a hard cycle to break."

After pondering Teela's words, Miha agreed to stay at least another week. At least until she could define the new and unusual feelings about situations that have crept up over the last few days."You guys can come out now!" Teela shouted, knowing full well we were all listening in.

"Is everything OK, sis?" Jorgen asked cautiously as he came out of the bedroom.

Miha nodded. "I think... I think I'm just not a 'misfit'. You joining the SAR for three years and signing a contract to remain based on Earth for another three after that... Sami now being so much like mom and not dad any more and taking Carlos as her bonded mate... it's too much change too soon for me I think."

Sami went over and gave her sister a big hug and a nuzzle.

Miha gave a little sigh, "I just need time to adjust. And where else is best, but with my family."

"Here, right?" Jorgen asked, wanting reassurance she hadn't changed her mind after explaining things.

"Here, little brother. I'm sorry I had forgot that you... ALL of you are my family." Miha finished, looking at me with a smile, which I returned from the hallway, leaning against the wall.

Hopping off the futon, Teela said, "I gotta get the hell outta here if I want to make class!" Placing her arms around behind the reclined Miha's neck in an embrace, "I will see you Saturday?"

Miha smiled back at the vixen with a sultry glance, "You won't be able to keep me away." and they said goodbye with a passionate kiss.

Jorgen and Sami came back down the hall to give their sister some privacy. Sami gave a little shocked gasp, "Honey!" Jorgen shook his head with a chuckle.

"What can I say, I'm human and those two are damn hot together!" and shrugged, noticing just now I had quite a boner (we didn't get dressed yet for the fear of missing some of Miha and Teela's conversation and there's no pyjama's used in this apartment).

Jorgen continued past, going on into the washroom. Closing one eye and pretending to be looking at my equipment through a magnifying glass, "Geez, dude! My sister must REALLY love you!" and shut the door with a mischievous laugh.

Sami pushed me into the bedroom and shut the door. Looking up at me with a smile and seductive glance, not unlike the one her sister just gave to what I believe may just be becoming her girlfriend, she let out a mischievous cackle, "I'm not letting that go to waste!"

We were late for breakfast.

"What does father mean when he said he forgives me?" Miha asked curiously, finally reading the messages.

"I think I know." I said as I turned the screen to me and started hitting the memory review. "I was hoping Marr wouldn't have seen it."

Jorgen smiled at Miha as he got up and put his arms in the air and shook his hips in a jig.

The screen went to the public video upload site and in the top ten most viewed videos, was one titled "Pretty Pony Prancing!". I entered the authorization code, the video being labeled 'Mature' in category and it began playback of that infamous night of Miha's arrival. "You shaking your goodies has been seen by the entire quadrant of the galaxy by now." and patted Miha's shoulder in a congratulatory manner.

"Someone recorded it! You're famous, sis!" Jorgen chuckled.

Miha hid her face in seeming absolute shame as Sami comforted her and glared at us guys.

"Look, look... pause it! Zoom in.... there we are Carlos!" Jorgen said excitedly as the video also caught us pushing through the crowd and caught our expressions on first realization it was Miha. Jorgen fell over backwards in his chair from laughing so hard. "DUDE! We got to print that frame!"

Miha rubbed her eyes and looked up again at the screen, this time with a smile. Sami blinked at her sister's reaction, surprised.

"You know what? I did pretty good!" and gave a 'proud of herself' nod and replayed the video.

Jorgen, Sami and I just looked at each other.

"If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have met Teela." Miha said, looking at her brother, "And you wouldn't have got to know Shelley better!"

"And it seems as if mom is going to be doing OK too." she said with a relieved sigh.

9 - "Three Queens and Two Kings Is A Full House"

It had been a busy week. Jorgen was accepted into the SAR and had to report to the Whidbey Island SAR training station in ten days, for eight weeks of Boot Camp. He spent almost every minute of free time with Shelley, even meeting her at the University and only returning after her shift began at the lounge during the weekdays. On the weekend, he didn't even come home at all.

Miha as promised, arrived at Teela's apartment the following Saturday and came home, with Jorgen mid Monday morning. Both wandering in with that universal 'on cloud nine' expression.

Sami and I heard from the Terran consulate on Capella. There would be a few more hoops to jump through (mostly on the Terran side of things), but the Capellan's were elated to hear that there was not only a Terran, but an Equuleusian willing to adopt Canisian children.

"You know hun, we are going to need a bigger place!" I said after we read the good news together.

"What about our own homestead?" Sami said hopefully. Space was at a premium though. The corridor from Abbotsford to Vancouver and down to New Seattle (rebuilt and renamed after the catastrophic Mt. Rainier eruption of 2105) was practically one city that was home to over 100 million people.

Individual houses with a single family, usually had heritage status, which was immediately transformed into apartments when the last heritage family member moved or died. Wide open spaces where individual houses were still common and/or affordable, usually meant the less than habitable latitudes of the continent by Terran standards, let alone a tropical-loving Equuleusian.

"I think we might have to settle for a larger flat." I said regretfully, watching the enthusiasm drain from her face. "There's a four bedroom penthouse in this building that's coming available in a couple of months, I read in the Strata meeting notes when I got back." It was one of four the building had on the top floor, each being a corner unit. They were expensive, but not near as much as our own 'homestead' anywhere within the surrounding cities.

"Can we afford it?" Sami asked, looking doubtful.

Doing some quick calculations, I came to the conclusion "Not quite. Not with you working only part time and with what business I have coming in right now." Sami dropped her chin into the back of her hand with a frustrated snort.

Then and idea hit. "How would you feel about Teela living here with us?" I asked as Sami cocked her head, curious.

"Well, we're adopting Canisian pups... kits... whatever and who knows better about them? She could live with us for half of what she's paying for that dump, help us out for at least the first little while and it would only add twenty minutes on to her commute."

"And why would she want to work twice as much for a longer commute, even for half the rent?" Sami asked thinking back to her trade school days on Centaurus, that she likely wouldn't take a deal like that.

"We will just have to give her an incentive." I smiled. Catching on, Sami smiled. In unison we called, "Miha!"

Miha came strolling down the hall from the washroom, where she was fussing with something for a long time and mumbling mild curses. "Hmm?" she just said, sitting down at the table with us.

"Earrings?" Sami said surprised, fondling curiously the new jewellery in her sister's ears. Equuleusian's liked to wear jewellery and even Marr had a very masculine chain around his neck, one he made himself in his school days and weighed a good five kilo's! But dangling earrings were not one of them. The insect population on Equuleus kept shaking heads and flapping manes busy, making dangling earrings impractical.

"Teela gave them to me on the weekend." Miha said. "Said it was our one week anniversary."

"But, you two knew each other for longer than that?" Sami said confused.

Miha turned shyly, "We... uh... did."

"It was a week since they got to be 'closer friends'." I said smiling and with a wink.

"Oh!" Sami simply said, catching on and returning to her chair.

We told of our plan to ask Teela to live with us, at least until we go the hang of raising Canisian children. I knew from my human friends who had children, guides be damned! No one successfully wrote an 'instruction manual' for babies yet.

"That would be wonderful!" Miha said with a happy squeak in her voice. We were thrilled she approved of the idea and she even volunteered to be the one to talk to Teela about it.

"I can even help out too!" Miha added.

"How?" Sami asked her sister. "Aren't you returning home in a few weeks?"

"I sent a message home, asking for an extended leave of absence from my job. I expect they'll grant it, but will hear in the next day or two for sure."

Sami's curious expression at her sister caused Miha to explain, "Teela gets something called 'summer break' and... I... well we... wanted to spend it together."

Smiling, I reached over and tapped her earring and patted her hand. "Sounds to me like some happy couple may be get-ting ser-i-ous!"

"Well... no... I mean... maybe. I mean... I don't know." Miha said, being confronted in words for the first time what appeared to have been sneaking up on them for the last couple of weeks.

"Honey, it's so soon. They just met." Sami said, placing her hand on my arm.

"When did you know you loved me?" I asked Sami.

Glancing up in nostalgic recollection, "The moment we parted company on the space station, after my leave ended."

"You know when it was for me?" I asked as Sami looked at me with loving eyes and a soft smile. "That day I sat beside you at the holo-game table on the Nightingale. I watched you play and when you won, you let out that little 'squeak' of delight, clapped your fingers, heels of your hands together and gave that cute, little giggle."

Giving her giggle at my answer, we held hands and rubbed our noses together.

"I wonder if Shelley can teach me to put on make-up?" Miha said as she left the table to leave us to our 'mushy moment'.

Sami gave a little gasp and eyes widened in mid nose-rub. I gave her a kiss and smiled, "I know, I know... what would father say?" Sami scrunched her nose, silently mouthing the words back to me, knowing I was teasing her.

Teela agreed to the arrangement. We told her that she would have her own room, Jorgen would have one, the kids theirs and mine and Sami's would be the master. "Better make mine the farthest from yours, Mr. Carlos. " Teela said winking through the monitor at Miha, "'Cause my Candy Girl here isn't a quiet one!"

"TEELA!" Miha shouted in total embarrassment as Teela and I gave a roaring laugh and Sami just covered her mouth with her fingers in mild shock at Teela's boldness.

"No worries, we'll make sure none of the beds squeak!" I said with a wink back to her.

"I thought I'd hit you up for the bedroom furthest away from you guys..." Jorgen said, having returned from the court, still with a basketball under his arm and catching the last of the conversation with Teela before we parted connection.

"Why? Shelley and you the loudest?" I ask with a wry smile.

"I think in a contest Carlos, YOU would top all of us!" and he tossed me the basketball and headed off to the shower.

Sami began giggling, then laughing at Jorgen's comment. Somehow I expected a snappy remark out of her.

"Am I really that loud?" stunned, it was something I had never been told before.

"Oh yes, my love." Sami said, regaining her composure. "And I wouldn't have my stud any other way." With a kiss, she got up and catching her off guard with a swat on her ass, she let out a 'squeak' and a giggle.

"Me stud, make noise!" I said in a Neanderthal voice, tickling Sami as I chased her down and into our bedroom. Miha and Jorgen could get their own dinner tonight.

Jorgen's departure was an emotional one for us. Though we would see him again in eight weeks, he would be in and out for the remainder of the three years of his training, depending on what assignment he had.

Shelley, Miha, Sami and even Teela were in tears as we stood at the departure platform at the transit exchange as they said their goodbyes to him. I shook his hand and wished him luck. He gave me a hug and said, "Thanks big brother!" and then gave a salute, turned and boarded his transport.

"He'll have the time of his life." I said encouragingly to Shelley, who couldn't turn off the waterworks as the transport started along its rail for its New Seattle exchange where Jorgen would catch a military hover-bus to Whidbey Island.

"In a couple a weeks, you can help us move into Carlos and Sami's new place!" Teela said, holding her tearful friends hand, guiding her to the exit. "Just think! You'll get to decorate Jorgen's room while he's gone. You can fill it with all sorts of girlie stuff to make his mane stand on end when he comes home!" That brought a smile and a laugh from the disheveling redhead.

The move went smooth into the new flat. It was on the 31st floor and had a wonderful view of the mountains to the south-east. In the evenings on a clear day, Sami never missed the setting of the sun and the way the always snow capped Mt. Baker glowed pink, then red to purple as night came on.

Shelley visited frequently on her weekends off and even spent part of her summer break with us. She taught Miha at her request, how to chose and apply make-up. She chose simple eye liners and a mascara they made her already very long Equuleusian eyelashes, extraordinary. She also used lipstick and conservative eye shadow when going for a 'night on the town' with Teela.

Seeing the effect this 'face paint' had on her sister's partner, Sami also gave this odd vanity a try. She found out that whenever she did, it was somewhat tender for her to sit down the next day, so she saved it for more 'special' occasions.

A week before Jorgen's return from Boot Camp, all the paperwork had been done for the adoption through the consulate. We were asked to come down and do an interview.

Sami and I got into the consulate in Vancouver and were called into an office. There we found a small, Pegasiian female wearing the Tri-Sector Alliance emblem on her Terran-style blazer sitting behind a desk. She introduced herself only by her first name, Carillia, and said that she was the inter-embassy liaison. Asking us to sit down and motioning to the chairs in front of her desk, we did so.

Sami felt a tugging on her mane, which was tied up for the journey. It came loose and fell full length beside her over the armrest of the chair. "Oh, I'm sorry." She said as she gathered it to tie it up again, but felt some resistance.

On the end of her mane and holding on to it, sniffing and chewing, was a small canid male in a one piece blue jumpsuit. Standing up, he barely came to the armrest. From where I sat, all I saw were two very fuzzy black tipped ears.

I got out of my chair and leaned over to see a soft, fluffy red fox-like face that was startled by the sight of me and stopped for a moment, staring at me, then ignoring me, went back to his chewing and sniffing on Sami's mane. She just stared at the little guy and looked as if she was about to break out into tears. She did.

Lifting him up on to her lap with the little lad facing her, he cocked his head back and forth and pawed at Sami's nose. She hugged the little guy and looked like a little girl hugging a teddy bear.

I went to return to my chair, thinking the interview will be soon, only to see the chair had another occupant. A second young fox-like canid was standing in the chair looking up at me. Easily the other's twin, only this one wore a little dress like the ones I had seen on dolls in craft stores. Two sparkling copper-brown eyes looked up at me, little black button nose with tiny whiskers twitching as she sniffed in my direction. This brought back the memory of the little Equuleusian girl who said 'I smell funny'. I smiled at the memory and the little girl cocking her head at my expression, raised two fuzzy paws out toward me. I lifted the little vixen and held her sitting on my arm. She also pawed at my nose, then hers, as if comparing. She gave a big smile and let out a giggle that sounded more like little 'yips'.

"Carlos honey, are you OK?" Sami asked me through her tear soaked eyes and a look of concern.

I sat down and held the girl on my lap, arm around her as she reached on to Carillia's desk and grabbed at a data pad that was laying on it. Carillia pushed it slightly toward the little girl with a smile as she grabbed it like it was a long wanted treasure. "Everything is just fine, hun. Why do you ask?"

Sami reached over and wiped a tear that rolled down my cheek. Until then, she never had seen me shed one. "Everything is just fine in the world today." I said as she smiled endearingly at me.

"Then this interview is over." Carillia said smiling as she got up from her desk. Sami and I just looked at her, puzzled.

"I wasn't the one giving you two the interview today..." Carillia explained. "The children were the ones interviewing you and they seem satisfied. So I am too."

Jorgen's arrival for a three day 'reflection' period after Boot Camp was a welcome reunion. Before taking him with me from Equuleus, I was worried it would be a 'babysitting' job. Now I had come to respect and care as deeply for the guy, as I would my own brother. And he had grown into a fine adult in his short time with us here. Marr would be proud!

He got off the transport wearing his cadet uniform and white flat top hat. The only thing that defined the non-combat civilian branch from the military cadets, were the colour of the neckerchiefs - white with black stripes for the civilian branch and black with white stripes for military. Other than that, the training they had to go through was identical.

Shelley ran up to him first, wrapping her arms around him and engaging in a deep kiss. It was a scene of many a returning soldier as seen in photos over hundreds of years.

Jorgen, Miha and Sami greeted each other with nuzzle and a hug. Jorgen looked at his sister Miha, who was decked out in earrings and make-up.... barely noticeable, but it was there. "Wow! There's been some changes around here for sure!" he said checking out his sister's new look. "Now if the honey's back home put in a little effort like that..."

"There would be a population explosion!" I finished his sentence with a laugh.

"Good to have ya back, stud muffin!" Teela said, reaching up and giving him a friendly, but solid punch on the shoulder. "You should see your room now, Shelley did the decorating while you were gone."

"Oh?" Jorgen said unsure.

"It's OK hun. It's almost as you left it, just a little homier." Shelley explained how sometimes she came and spent the night in his bed, thinking of him when he was away.

"Tough lawyer kitty, not afraid to tell a professor or lecturing judge that they are morons and you come along and bring her to her knees." Teela teased him and brought out front one of the adopted kits she's been helping us take care of.

"So, these are the little fuzzballs you wrote to me about?" he said happily as he knelt down and rubbed the young fox on the head, who shook his head, re-fluffing his fur and smiled. He proceeded to be fascinated with Jorgen's uniform. He examined the buckles, the clip-lock 'laces' of his immaculately polished boots, even the knots of the lanyard about his neck.

"Yup little nephew, your momma and daddy named you right!" Jorgen said, referring to the name of 'Hax' Sami and I had chosen for him. Of all the various meanings, it had one in common among all three worlds he would be tied to; one Earth meaning was 'innovator', on Equuleus it meant 'curious intellect' and on Canisius, 'creative'.

Standing up, Jorgen looked at the young vixen sitting in my arms, who smiled and shyly hid her face behind my neck. "Aww, little fluffball going to say hi to her uncle?" Peeking one eye out from behind my neck and giggling, she squeezed Jorgen's nose and said, "Fuffball.." and they both laughed. "Mridu is one beautiful little girl, Carlos!" he said as he gave her nose a gentle scratching on the ridge. That earned him a friend for life as she reached her paws out to him and he took her over to his arms.

"She's gonna be a real little girly-girl that one, methinks!" Teela said, watching the giggling little vixen snuggle up to Jorgen.

"I didn't know you liked kids?" Shelley asked, looking impressed and wrapping her arm around him and scratching Mridu under the chin. "I didn't either?" Jorgen replied, sounding surprised at himself.

"I think we have all been pretty amazed with ourselves... and each other." Sami said to the agreement of all.

With Mridu in one of Jorgen's arms and Shelley in his other, I picked up his duffel and we began to walk to the hover bus stop for our return trip home. Jorgen teasing Miha with a couple of pokes to her side with his elbow as we began walking, "Still addicted to the sweet, bubbly pop water here I see?" Miha squeaked as the poke tickled her and being grabbed by Teela immediately on the other side, who started playfully chewing Miha's midsection with mock growls, "Yeah! I like my softer Candy Girl!".

Embarrassed, Miha clipped ahead of the chucking pair, placing herself on the other side of Sami and Hax. Jorgen and Teela gave a laugh and each other a high-five. "It's good to be home again!" he said.

10 - "Three Years Later"

Miha could not get aboard the transport fast enough. This time her father, mother and sister Hauna were coming to with her, as it was Jorgen's graduation and the family wasn't going to miss that for anything.

When Miha returned three years earlier, Teela was still in University and Canisian's were still prohibited from coming anywhere near Equuleus. That meant Miha had to travel to Earth whenever she wanted to see her besides messaging each other daily and the time lag that brought, despite the numerous hyperspace communications relays scattered all over Alliance space.

Miha literally worked at her job back home for travel fare and DSC invoices. A year ago when my commissions from the Equuleusian tourism began, I offered to pay for her fare, but despite Sami's pleadings with her sister, Miha was as proud as her father and refused.

But this trip for her was different. Teela had now graduated with a B.Sc. in xenobiology and was working at various labs as a 'floater' around the nearby cities and still lived with us. Miha, without telling anyone in her family, had resigned from her job on Equuleus and had no plans of returning.

The two year old Equuleus space dock came into view of the approaching passenger shuttle and Sareen and Hauna seeing it live for the first time, nuzzled and hugged Marr, so impressed with not only how well done it was, but sheer size! It was three times the size of the old one and over the next five years, was to double again as Pegasiian merchants set up shops and an orbiting hotel.

The equines boarded the Canis Borealis, one of the now three Procyon-Class cruise ships that Jorgen and I came to Earth on. With the technological refinements over the last few years in the drive system, the at-the-time amazingly short three week trip from Equuleus system to the Terran system, was now only two weeks and the company that owned the ships, promised shorter travel times in the near future (also as a marketing excuse for the extortionate amount of ISD they charged for the flight).

"Father!" Hauna shouted, her expression that of a star stuck teenager and not of the middle aged school teacher. Marr turned around and was approached by a large, old equine male of 25, bearing a long grey mane tied in several places along its length. He walked hunched with a cane in one hand and the arm of his loving and grey, aged mate looped through his other arm. Around his neck was a gold chain with a large jewelled medallion. The jewels of the medallion made the Equuleusian constellation from their perspective in the centre and surrounding it, the Pegasus constellation. This symbolized the long relationship they had with the Pegasiians and their role in protecting the dedicated pacifist Equuleus from harm.

"Marr!" his deep voice bellowed.

Marr's eyes widened at the sight of him and he gave a bow not unlike a Japanese sign of respect. "First Elder!" he said. "We are honoured!"

Sareen and Hauna in also bowed in the millennia old tradition of placing a single arm across their breasts and bowing (which derived from the normally clothing free and well endowed Equuleusian females keeping themselves from 'dangling' before him. A symbolism that there were no male or female before the First Elder, only Equuleusian). Miha in her dress for travelling, gave him a Terran curtsey. The First Elders mate smiled at Miha in amusement at the greeting, then bowed her head slightly to her that she accepted this novel sign of respect.

"I have ordered your account be re-credited for you and your families journey." the First Elder said.

"By what reason may I ask that this generosity is bestowed on my family?" Marr said with surprise and genuine curiosity.

"Because this is a diplomatic mission, Marr."

Marr cocked his head, more confused than before he asked.

"Your family has made many firsts for our people." the First Elder explained. "Your daughter Sami, was the first of us to chose to remain off world. She was also the first to bond, with your blessing, to an alien. Your son, Jorgen, followed in his sister's hoof steps to finish his education off world and he has been the first of us to join a military."

Marr thought of explaining to the First Elder that his son's 'military' involvement was of a civilian branch of it, but thought better of correcting the First Elder, especially in front of his family.

"It has been decided!" The First Elder said, thumping his cane authoritatively on the cruise ship's deck. "The Council of Elders has called you Marr, son of Toran, to the Table of Elders."

Marr was speechless. He bowed again before the First Elder as his mate came and placed a gold chain around his neck. On the gold chain was a smaller medallion, containing just the Equuleus constellation in identical jewels as the First Elders medallion.

The First Elder patted Marr in a congratulatory manner on his shoulder and continued on to his private cabin, two highly decorated Pegasiian SAR officers in full dress uniform following a respectful distance behind him, accompanying him for his first journey, off world.

Sareen, Hauna and Miha nuzzled and hugged Marr, bouncing up and down like excited teenage girls, congratulating him. Marr was still in too much shock to really think about what just happened and would use the two weeks on board to contemplate the great honour, privilege and responsibility he now bore with the other Elders, in ruling Equuleus.

Sareen snuggled her mate's arm and nuzzled him with deep love and pride. "You know Marr, being an Elder now, also makes you eligible to be chosen by the Council as First Elder."

"Oh geez, Sareen... I hadn't thought of that!" he said, gripping the armrest and tensing with the burden more of responsibility now than of honour.

"You need to relax. " Sareen said and nuzzling him again, "Why don't we find one of those dedicated diplomatic cabins and you can show me how an Elder... wields his authority."

Marr's worries and burden's went out the window and drifted off into space, as he took Sareen's hand and ran down toward the cabin areas. Sareen giggling as they took off out of their seats.

"It's all sweet and cute until you see your parents do that." Miha said with a slightly nauseated look on her face.

"I never got used to it, kid." Hauna said in agreement. "Neither will our children."

Miha paused reflectively at her elder sister's words. Hauna was disappointed in Sami, Carlos and will likely be in her too when she reveals her plans when they get to Earth.

"Marr!" I shouted as they arrived at the Vancouver spaceport. Coming over and having a big smile on his face, I shook his hand then we hugged. "Smooth trip, dad?"

"Very smooth. Fattening too!" as he patted his stomach. Hugs and nuzzles were going around with the reunited family members.

Sareen came over and gave me a big hug, nuzzle and holding both of my hands, looked at me with an endearing smile. "You called it, mom." I said to her.

"Mother is usually right son, when matters of the heart are involved." she replied. "I see we may have even more to welcome, too?" she said curiously as she looked over at Teela and Miha, locked in a passionate kiss.

Marr had Hax on one shoulder and Mridu on the other. They were growing up fast and were now roughly the same equivalent age as Jorgen was, when he arrived with me, three years ago. "Grandchildren I can still carry around at their age? I like it!"

Hax and Mridu were awestruck by their Equuleusian grandfather's size and strength. Descriptions and video's were definitely no substitute for meeting the 2.5M tall welder in person.

While holding on to his mane, Mridu felt the chain about Marr's neck. "Grandfather, what's this?" she asked as she followed the chain and pulled out the medallion that was tucked into his shirt.

The fox siblings slid down from his shoulder as he held the medallion in his hand, letting them look at it.

"Hey sweetie, checkout dad's bling!" I said as Sami turned her head and covered her mouth as she breathed in a huge gasp, looking at it wide eyed.

"Whoa! Somebody won the lottery!" Teela said, coming over to take a look.

"You're an Elder?" Sami asked in disbelief. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"A funny thing happened on the way to Earth...." Marr began as we walked toward the valet service to provide the addresses for the baggage.

That evening, there was a big state dinner at the Equuleusian embassy. Marr relatively unfamiliar with clothing, accepted my guidance and he, Hax and I looked like a trio of penguins in our tuxedos. Teela tagged along to the haberdasher with us. "Fancy shmancy!" she said and whistled, bringing a most proudly pleased expression from Marr, never having been whistled at by a female before. Teela had already found the 'perfect dress' and had it hidden away until the day she would wear it, patting her shoulder bag.

Sami and Miha happily helped their mom and eldest sister chose something appropriate. After they and Mridu drove the store clerk crazy by loving one dress, then at the counter changing their minds least a dozen times, they settled on the simplest earth toned evening dresses the store had to offer. Mridu found something right out of a fairy tale. Sami and Miha were the exception, being already quite familiar with Terran fashions.

At the pre dinner gathering, the First Elder wore an extravagantly coloured and loose fitting African jacket and pants that were gifts of the Nigerian born head of the Terran Interstellar Council in honour of the First Elders first visit. He even sported the Kofi type hat that was part of the gift. It fit comfortably between his ears. "I may well wear this as home too!" the First Elder remarked at the comfort of the clothing. Getting a 'raised eyebrow' from his mate, he added, "Well my darling, maybe just this hat then."

His mate also wore a Nigerian style, elaborate and colourful 'Queen's Robes'. A gift to her chosen by the TIC head's wife. They got along well, talking and laughing, but between the thick Equuleusian and Nigerian accents they had, neither of the males could understand the other's mate. They just looked at each other, shrugged and found their own topic.

Teela looked very fine in her ankle length, thin strapped and low cut back satin two-tone tan and brown dress. The colours were split along the diagonal and it had a large bow on the back, just above her tail. "Where are those girls?" she asked. "The dinner is about to begin any time!". She referred to Miha and Sami. Teela stuck pretty close to me all night, as most of the Equuleusian's, especially the older ones, seemed skittish around her and Hax. Knowing why, she was just glad she was invited and didn't push it. Hax on the other hand, would chat engineering (thanks to Sami, it was his main interest) with anyone who would give him an ear.

Miha and Sami came in with the rest of us, but had to 'change and freshen up'. That was an hour ago. "They're probably gossiping or something and totally lost track of time." I said trying to reassure her. "Like when those two go and 'fix a snack' at home... we get the veggie platter and dip a half hour later!"

Hauna and Sareen were happily mingling with the crowd as Marr was being introduced to all the diplomats personally by the First Elder. Shelley had been invited, but without Jorgen, she felt as if she would not fit in this venue. She instead attended the pre-graduation party with the cadets and their girlfriends and spouses at the Whidbey Island base, where she could at least be with her beau.

An announcement was made for the guests to attend the dining room. Teela looked around concerned, still. I took her paw and placed it on my arm and escorted her in to the dining area. "They have pop as a drink option. Miha will be here." I said with a wink and Teela burst out laughing, gave me a slap on the back and placed her paw on my arm again as we continued walking.

Mridu came running up to us, "Mom and auntie Miha are coming. They're almost ready." She looked like a little princess in her bell-skirted light green dress with pink trim and ribbons. She also wore her favourite hair clip, a pink winged butterfly that looked like a bow until she walked, making the wings look like they were fluttering. Unlike Teela, who had a head of fur not unlike a Terran fennec, Mridu sported long, black hair that like the mane of her aunts and mom, never saw scissors.

There were three tables. The main table was a large semi-circle, like a giant letter 'C'. The others were circular.

The First Elder and his mate stood by their chairs in the middle position of the main table and waited until everyone found their spot. To his shock, Marr's seat was beside the First Elder himself. Sareen's was beside him. The Equuleusian Ambassador to the Terran system and his mate, was on the other side of the Fist Elder and his mate. This placed Marr and Sareen on equal levels with such an important figure and both were very honoured.

The rest of the seating on our side was arranged by the age of Marr's birth family members. Hauna sat beside her mother, then Miha with Teela, Sami and I with Hax and Mridu on the end. We each stood beside our seats and waited until the First Elder sat. We were to then follow suit. It was then that Sami and Miha came in the dining room, rushing to their positions.

The sisters were wearing identical style sparkling satin and sequined evening gowns. Sami in a ruby red, Miha in an indigo blue. They were thin strapped, low cut and open backed like Teela's satin dress, but were open on one side up the leg as well as open at the navel. But what was spectacular was the way their manes were done. The styling alone, I can see what took all the time. It was as intricate, with waves and layers and long curls. A single long curl draped down over one of their eyes on opposite sides. In their mane was a single hibiscus flower tucked by their ear; on the left for Sami and on the right for Miha. They had applied make-up elegantly and simply, but was not lost on any of the very observant males in the party, Equuleusian, Pegasiian or Terran.

The First Elder sat, and we all followed suit. I pulled the chair and sat Sami as did Teela for Miha, as per our Terran tradition.

Marr was looking intently at the strange styles his youngest daughters adopted, as did Sareen and Hauna. "Don't they look beautiful?" I overheard Sareen say to Marr, who looked at them with the love of a father, then nodded to Sareen.

We had just finished dessert and the staff was pouring each of us a glass of tuaught. The First Elder then proclaimed officially Marr's call to the Table of Elders and we all gave a toast.

This was Hax and Mridu's first experience with the drink. Mridu's nose scrunched at the taste and she was lapping her tongue against her top teeth, as if trying to scrape off the flavour of the drink. Hax on the other hand, his eyes popped open and whiskers twitched. He then downed his glass in one gulp that made his ears flutter and shook his head. He tapped his sisters arm and nosed towards her glass. She gladly handed it to him and sat down with an expression of 'yucky!' and downed two glasses of water.

After dinner, in honour of Terran tradition, there was a dance with a live ten piece baroque band. Equuleusian's as a rule, did not dance and filled their time with more conversation, as did Hax. That's why it turned heads when Teela came up to Miha with a bow and holding her paw out, Miha accepting it, got up on the floor and joined the Pegasiian's and Terran's happily swinging their partners.

Mridu was approached by a young Pegasiian male. Sami and I had seen him earlier and commented that he was dragged along for the event. He wore his world's dress clothes, which looked not unlike a daily wear for Terran citizens of India. Lose satiny shirt and pants, slippers of similar material, but on either side of the magnetic snaps, were elaborate colours and embroidery, which differed for each family. But they were crumpled and he even threw on a loosely tied Terran neck tie around the collar. "Pegasiian rebel?" I commented, drawing a laugh from Sami.

"No, no, no honey... you outclass him ten thousand to one.." I mumbled under my breath to no avail... she accepted his hand and went onto the dance floor with him.

I cuddled Sami as she had her eyes closed, focusing on the music. Had it not been for the occasional humming along with the pieces of faster tempo, I would have thought her to be asleep. Miha and Teela flopped down after several dances, in chairs at the end of the row where we were sitting and enjoying the band. Looking over top of Sami's head that was on my shoulder, I saw something remarkable.

After catching their breath, Teela got up, then knelt before Miha and took her hand. I couldn't hear the words for the music or the distance they were from us, but it was obvious to any one who spent any time on this planet as to what was happening. Miha covered her mouth with her free hand for a moment and lowering it slightly, I saw her lips move. Teela stood up and taking the hibiscus from Miha's mane, replaced it to her mane the left side. Miha got up and they embraced with a long, loving kiss.

"About damn time, you two." I said out loud, just above my breath. Sami raised her head with a "Hmm?" and nuzzled me. "I think we have another sister." I said, kissing her on the nose.

I could see the 'question mark' over her head as she sat up and looked at Miha and Teela, walking this way, hand in hand. They both had elated expressions as Miha was wiping tears from the side of her face. "Talk to ya guys in a second." Teela said with a wink.

"Congratulations you two!" I said as they passed.

"Did I miss something?" Sami said, puzzled.

"Father, Mother, can we speak?" Miha said to Marr and Sareen.

"Excuse us First Elder" Marr said, getting a nod to leave in return. The four moved over into another room, away from the music.

"What's on your mind, sweetheart?" Marr asked.

Sareen looked at the two and smiled. She knew at least part of what was to be discussed, but also that something distressed her daughter.

Miha looked as if she didn't know how to begin, so she just did. "I won't be coming home with you."

"I see." Marr said, leaning back and raising an eyebrow to his daughter. Miha squirmed a little bit, then Marr continued, "Did you decide this before or after you resigned from your job?"

Miha's eyes popped open with an expression of a little girl caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "You... you knew?"

Taking her hands as she stood in front of him, he smiled, "I knew it was to happen sooner or later, my dear." Standing, he held her in a hug, "Ever since your first return from Earth, your mother and I knew you eventually were going to return and maybe even never come back. Then all your subsequent trips since, I'm surprised it took this long."

"Though you never openly said it, you have pined with love for your Teela whenever you have been home." Sareen said. "Follow your heart, my dear. It is every Equuleusian's right to be happy, not to be bound by fears because of something that was said or done by fools a long time ago."

Marr sat down again. "Is there anything else you would like to say?"

It was Teela who came forth this time. "Yes, Sir." She said in as quiet of voice as anyone heard her speak in public. "I have asked your daughter to marry me. Y'know, like be my bonded mate?"

"Is that so, Miss Teela?" Marr asked and she nodded. His head turning up to look at Miha, "And what was your answer to this.... proposal of bonding?"

Miha moved behind Teela and wrapped her arms around front of her, as Teela clamped hers over Miha's and looked up at her with love in her eyes. "I said yes."

Sareen was the first to hug and nuzzle them both. The three than looked at Marr who shrugged, "Who am I to question matters of the heart?". Nuzzling Teela's face what to him was gentle to his large head, but for Teela was a decent 'bop', "Welcome to the family, daughter!"

The four returned to the main room where the dance wrapped up and the band was just finishing for the night. Sami, Mridu and Hauna were engaged in speculation about Marr, Sareen, Miha and Teela were discussing. Hax and I were finishing off the leftovers that were placed on a buffet style table. How did my boy stay so slender packing food away like that?

The First Elder approached Marr with a concerned look, "Is everything OK?"

"Everything is just fine, First Elder." Marr said. "Matter of fact, I just gained another daughter."

"Indeed!" The First Elder said, with a pleased look and a thump of his cane on the floor.

"Yes! Teela has bonded with my daughter, Miha." Marr said proudly.

"The girl from Canisius?" The First Elder said with Surprise. "Well, we are setting precedents, aren't we Marr."

Teela and Miha were telling us the good news when the First Elder approached. "Teela!" He called to her in his deep voice. She snapped up like a soldier being called to attention. Likely from being startled by being addressed for the first time by him directly.

"Yes, Sir?" Teela asked nervously.

"I hear that you are now bonded to the lovely Miha?"

"Yes, I am." She held Miha's hand, even more nervous. Maybe this love wasn't allowed? She hadn't read anything that it wasn't. But she didn't have her friend Shelley's knack for digging up hidden legal 'gotchas'.

Sitting down, he took her paw in his huge hand. "Then Teela, bonded to Miha, daughter of Marr, you may come home as a daughter of Equuleus, any time you see fit." He then embraced her gently and gave a nuzzle before returning to his place among the diplomats.

Teela just stood in shock at what she had been just told. Last she knew, the relations were so bad, she was and never likely would be, permitted to even visit Miha's home world.

It was a memorable night. Not only for Marr's family, but the declaration that night reverberated throughout the quadrant.

11 - "Graduation"

The parade grounds at the Whidbey Island SAR base were full of activity and demonstrations. In the stands were family and friends of those who were about to graduate the class of 2221.

Security arrangements had been made and the First Elder, his mate, Marr and Sareen had their own personal booth and immediately below them, the rest of Marr's and my family, as well as Shelley and Teela sat in pre existing 'VIP' seating. Surrounding the grounds, over three thousand different flags and banners flew, representing every planet and their territorial districts in the Alliance.

It had been a late dinner the night before and with all the travelling, we all had little sleep. Though everyone was fine except Mridu, who had cuddled against my shoulder and fell asleep. It wasn't long before I followed against Sami's shoulder.

A jar from Sami woke both Mridu and I as the graduation ceremony was about to begin. One by one as the cadets graduated and became Ensign's, they received their insignia's to a round of applause and retook their seats. Jorgen was called and the Commander announced that he fully completed his E-e with honour, was the first Equuleusian to join and do so and also, the first Civilian, let alone cadet, to ever receive the Stellar Cross, for bravery far beyond his call or commission (that is another story). The Commander pinned Jorgen's E-e insignia on him and the head of the Terran Interstellar Council pinned the Stellar Cross on him. It glittered in the sun as the thousands of microscopic jewels in the gold cross, were layed in accurate position to form the visible stars in the midsummer night sky.

Everyone in our VIP booth, as well as those with the First Elder while applauding, turned to Shelley, whose face was full of tears as she bounced and applauded and waved to her beau.

"Did you know about this?" Teela asked Shelley, after giving her friend a light kick to get her attention.

"Yes. And it's a hard story for him. That's why he did not tell any of you, yet." she replied.

"Jorgen will tell us, when he is ready." Sareen said from behind us. "Let's just enjoy his hard work finally accomplished today." and gave her daughters a reassuring pat on their shoulder.

It was a long day. Sami and I had made reservations for the entire family at the fanciest restaurant in the city to further celebrate not only Jorgen's graduation, but far more important to our hearts, his coming back to the flat.

"I'm glad you and mom would join us tonight." I said to Marr.

"The First Elder did invite us to celebrate Jorgen's completion at the embassy, but I for one am glad to just be with my family again." he said relieved. I think he was aware now that his appointment may have him separated more than he wished from his own homestead.

"And I for one am glad to be back here!" Jorgen said, equally relieved as Shelley that he wouldn't be gone for weeks on end.

"When do you start your courier job?" Miha asked.

"I get two weeks off to settle in, then they'll start me on orientation flights within the system before flying interstellar."

"Space Pony Express!" Teela added, to the chuckle of all.

"Then, I'll only get to see you now and again when you go on those trips." Shelley said with sadness and a sigh.

"I'll make our 'now and again' worth the wait, hun!" Jorgen said with a wry smile and gave her a kiss.

After receiving some quizzical interest in what being a school teacher was like from Mridu, "You have done exceedingly well by my sister, Carlos." Hauna said. "I would have never considered yours and Sami's solution to your bonding."

"Thank you!" I said proudly, remembering our conversation on Equuleus. "I am quite pleased that you... have seen merits in our relationship."

"Dad, do you think that with the First Elder accepting nan Teela as a citizen of Equuleus, Mridu and I can visit there some day?" Hax asked me. He was very close to his adoptive mom, Sami and she taught him as much about Equuleusian culture as she did about engineering. He felt as much a part of that world he had never been to as he felt of Earth, thanks to her.

"I will see to it, personally." Marr said to him with a smile. "Give me some time with the Table of Elders. I think we can come to an agreement."

"I would love to have my grandson and granddaughter stay in our homestead." Sareen added. "It has been very lonely without the rest of my girls and Jorgen. It's the only reason I returned to my old job."

Miha did stay with her family, but now she would not be returning with them. But, she and Teela would visit now and again, with Teela's ability to travel freely to Equuleus.

Mridu gave a happy little 'squeee' at grandmother Sareen's offer and clapped her hands together daintily, just as Sami did when she was happy.

"Just don't ask what the protein they feed you is." I whispered over to Hax, who now looked curious as to what it really was he'd be fed there.

"Not steak?" he asked as I shook my head. "Chicken? Pork? Duck? ... Kangaroo?" his expression becoming more one of hopelessness as I shook my head to each one in turn. "You're right dad, I won't ask!"

A week had passed and the apartment felt like a home again. But changes were coming soon. Inevitable changes as people grow and take their life into different directions.

Miha and Teela gave their notice that they would be moving out. Feeling the need to get their own place as part of their bonding and with mine and Sami's kids practically adults now, 'nan Teela' had done her job.

"I'm going to miss the hell out of you two!" I said to Teela as Sami and Miha were in each other's arms, waterworks going.

"We won't be leaving until the end of the month and we're just moving into another apartment in the building... you guys' old one came free!" Teela said.

"Well, then you two will have all the love where ours started." I said, giving her a hug.

"You are a big mush, Mr. Carlos!" she replied and gave me a kiss.

"How about you Jorgen?" I asked as he teasingly wiped Teela's kiss of his lips. He thought of her more as a 'fluffy little brother with boobs' ever since she started getting serious with Miha.

"How 'bout me what?"

"You and Shelley going to get your own place?"

Shaking his head, "Shelley and I aren't bonded. We're just... addicted to each other."

Shelley still had a year of University left before she could apprentice with an interstellar law firm. She had a lot of travelling and work ahead of her, her colleagues typically working 14 hour days when they *weren't* busy. Jorgen would be planet side varyingly for the next three years, depending on his courier runs.

"Right now, this place is home for me." Jorgen said, feeling very satisfied with what he had with us.

"So, can I get your room?" Hax asked his aunt and nan as he hugged them, congratulating them on their decision. Mridu swatted at her brother like a cat and gave him a glare.

Teela laughed, "Let the war begin! Will it be Hax or Mridu?" She wanted Hax to have the room and Miha wanted Mridu to.

While the siblings shared a room, when they came to maturity, Hax spent his time in his uncle Jorgen's room when he was away on his training. "Daaaaad! She wants to paint our room PINK!" Hax used to say whenever he annoyed his sister and she threatened to repaint their room. This would force her brother to sleep on the futon when Jorgen was home, or irritate his sister less. Though Sami said Mridu did just as much irritating as her brother did, daddy's girl usually got her way.

When Teela and Miha moved out, Mridu got her pink room. Hax called his, 'the design studio' and had computers, papers and parts of this, that and the other thing all over it in a typical teenager's mess.

Sami was in his room one day while Hax was in classes, tidying up. I came up beside her and putting my arms around her and whispered, "Oh honey, just leave the kid to his mess."

Sami protested that it was a mess and she had to teach our son some organization skills. Giving her a kiss on her cheek, "Looks to me like the organization skills of a certain assistant engineer in her much too small cabin on a certain ship."

Sami looked resigned at my words. Turning to me, we embraced and she looked up with those big, beautiful, soft brown eyes and said with a big smile, "Have I told you I love you today?"