Chronicles of Elysium City - New Beginings #1: Sweet Child of Mine
Disclamers and Legal
Okay, first off, I didn't create chakats. Bernard (Goldfur) Doove did. That being said, Aneko, Lt. Nightstar, Dr. Roan are my characters, So no stealing them. Elysium City is also mine, but if you want to use it, let me know first, please?
There WILL be graphic depictions of sex, violence, hate crimes/speech, adult themes and situations, pregnancy, birth and death. If such things offend/don't interest you, there are plenty of other stories around to be read.
I think that's everything. Enjoy!
Oh, please leave comments or email me and let me know what you think.
New Beginings 1: Sweet Child of Mine
_"Is Shir Aneko available?"
My ears perked up at the mention of my name. I heard the floor supervisor point out my cube and twisted my upper body around to see who wanted me. At the sight of the black Star Fleet uniforms, my blood froze._
"2. They never send two. Not unless... Oh no. No, no, no, no, no." _My thoughts raced, desperately trying to make them go away.
The two officers approached my workstation respectfully, the human female taking the lead as her rank allowed her. The male cat stood a pace behind her. "Shir Aneko?"
I had to force myself to breathe. I knew what was coming next, but I didn't want to face it. If I didn't answer, it wouldn't be real. "Yes?"
"I'm Lieutenant Steele..."_
* * * *
"Star Talon is holding steady at Lagrange 1."
"Copy that, Star Talon. How you feeling, Night?"
"All systems go up here, Control. Star Talon is in the pipe, five by five."
"*chuckle* That's for when your landing, Elle Tee."
"Roger that, Control. My bad."
"Star Talon, you have a go for transwarp drive startup."
"Copy that, control. Initiating starup sequence now."
"Roger that, Night. Showing clean startup down here."
"Fuel injectors are online, containment field is stable. Staring exotic matter reaction now."
"Copy that, Night. Reading the power increase. How's the containment shielding?"
"Looking good so far- Wait. Oh shit."
"Star Talon? What's wrong?"
"Control, I'm shoing a failure in the containment field emmiter. I'm aborting the test. No! Injectors are fused open. Shutdown's not working!"
"Reroute power from the warp core. Try to compensate!"
"I tried! The automatic squencers are locked!"
"It's going critical! Eject the core! Eject the core now, Nightstar!"
"Anek- *static*"
"Star Talon? Star Talon? Lieutenant Nightstar, do you read me?"
*static*
-Excerpted from official transcript of coms traffic during test flight of experimental transwarp shuttle Star Talon, NCC-6132002
* * * *
The shuttle Star Talon was lost with all hands during its first test flight. The ship was being used as a test-bed of several new systems, including a prototype form of propulsion that would put Star Fleet on the level with the Borg. An instability in the reaction chamber's containment field caused a core breach, mixing the exotic matter fuel in an uncontrolled fashion resulting in a miniature sun forming for a few seconds in stationary orbit where the gravity between the moon and Earth is most stable. That's what Lt. Steele was trying to tell me, and I would understand it later. But all I could think about then was that my lifemate Lieutenant Nightstar, Daughter of Clearsky and Windtalker, was dead.
I was excused from work early and my boss, a female rabbit named Jesse, called me a cab, seeing that I was in too much shock to be any good behind the wheel. As she walked with me from my cube, I grabbed the small picture frame that I kept on my desk and clutched it to my chest, trying to keep my composure long enough to get to the elevator. My four paws seemed to be moving with a mind of their own as I walked in a daze. I got to the floor lobby before I sagged against the wall and broke into sobs, the picture I took of Nightstar on a picnic last year held tightly against my top. A top that shi had bought me on my birthday three years ago. Just remembering that caused a fresh wave of sobs to wrack my body. Jesse moved closer to comfort me, asking if I was alright. I waved a hand at her, trying to send her away, but at the same time shaking my head. "I, I just need to get to the elevators." The rabbit moved over to me and gently lifted me away from the wall, supporting me even though I out massed her by at least 40 kilos.
By the time she had walked me to the elevator, I was somewhat under control, though tears were still running into my cheek fur freely. Jesse rode down the 20 floors with me and walked me out to the waiting PVT, telling the driver to charge the ride to the company's account and giving him my home address. I watched her, a little stunned and surprised. We had had a minimum of interaction in the 2 years I had been working there, but she was treating me like one of her closest friends. As she was fastening the last buckle on the taur-couch, I reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. "Why are you doing all this?"
Jesse smiled and stroked my hand reassuringly.. "Because I made a promise a long time ago. I was having a bad day, once. Didn't even want to keep living. A very nice Chakat made me feel better. I asked what I could to do repay hir. Do you know what shi told me?"
I shook my head, truly curious, even through my grief. "No. What?"
"'Pass it on. When someone else needs it, return the favor.' So that's what I'm doing; passing it on." I broke down in tears again and Jesse held me until I stopped. She took a tissue from the box the driver had found in the glove compartment and used it to wipe gently at my eyes. "Aneko, when all this is done and you don't have to cry anymore, you do the same. Pass it on."
I was so touched all I could do was nod as she handed me the box of tissue and the picture that had fallen to the floor. Jesse smiled at me one last time before shutting the door of the taxi and walking back into the building. I watched her long enough to see her wipe at her own eyes as the taxi pulled away toward my house.
* * * *
Aneko stirred restlessly on her mattress, going through the same nightmare shi'd been having for the past 2 weeks. The chakat murmured in hir sleep, trying to call out a warning, say goodbye, anything than have to see the Star Talon explode again. The shuttle shuddered against the shimmering backdrop of stars as a small point of light blossomed on the grey hull. A microsecond later, the craft detonated. The pulse of the explosion raced towards Aneko, the blinding shockwave pushing hir back rapidly towards the stars. As the superheated plasma obscured hir vision, about to engulf hir, the chakat awoke in bed with a gasp.
Aneko panted for a few moments, hir hand clutching hir bare chest as shi caught hir breath. Gradually she became aware of the alarm clock buzzing in hir ear and slammed a fist on it angrily to shut it up. Aneko shook hir hand and sighed as the ringing cut off abruptly. It wasn't the clock's fault that shi had a gaping wound in hir heart. But it felt good to vent on something. Groaning against the prospect of another day without Nightstar, Aneko crawled off hir mattress and padded into the bathroom to clean up.
The snow-leopard chakat looked hirself over as shi groomed out hir fur, dragging the fine brush over hir silver and black belt. Shi had always been proud of the dark splotches that adorned hir sides and back, but every spot now only served as a reminder of long, warm nights when Nighstar would make up for hir long absences for hours, nuzzling, kissing, limbs intertwined as shared passions and love became unspeakable ecst-
Aneko shook hir head to clear it. Dwelling on the past wouldn't get hir anywhere. Nightstar was dead and now amount of fantasizing would bring hir back. Aneko put the brush down firmly, once more resolving to keep hir mind fixed on the present and the future. Speaking of which, shi needed to get moving if shi was going to make it to hir appointment on time.
* * * *
"The time to act is now, brothers and sisters! These abominations have served their purpose. It is time to open the eyes of our fellow humans! The existence of these freaks can be tolerated no longer!" I looked out over the assembled leaders, watching them nod their heads in approval and support. They too were appalled by how quickly our world had been given over to those mockeries of humanity.
"Animals were not meant to walk as we do, talk as we do. These beasts are an affront to the natural order of the world and must be cleansed from the planet!" I took a deep breath as the gathered group started to applaud. I held up m hands to silence them. "This task will not be easy. The beasts have many unnatural abilities and many are faster or stronger than any human. They have many allies, in our schools, at work, even inside the very Federation that is supposed to protect us!
"The time for action is now! Today, we strike the first blow in a war for the future of our race!"
* * * *
"Your cub is in perfect health, Aneko. Shi's going to be beautiful."
Aneko returned the doctor's smile, rolling off the examination bed and down onto hir feet. "Thanks, Jamie. It's nice to know that at least something's right with the world"
Dr. Roan sighed. He hated hearing Aneko talk like that, but he understood how shi was feeling. He moved toward hir and gave the chakat a warm squeeze. "Aneko, there's a lot that's right with the world an you know it."
Aneko nodded. "I know that, Jamie. Up here, anyway," shi said, pointing to hir forehead. Shi closed hir eyes, resting a paw on hir chest. "Here just feels so goddamned empty!" Tears began to well up under hir closed lids, running down hir cheeks and splattering on Jamie's white coat. "I miss hir so much!" Aneko shuddered, stifling a sob. "It's not fair! Shi hadn't done anything! We weren't finished! We hadn't even started yet!"
Hir arms tightened around Jamie's chest, the grieving chakat desperate for any close contact. To his credit, Jamie did his best to provide what comfort he could, holding his friend tightly. "It's gonna be okay, Neko-chan."
Aneko stiffened in surprise, pulling Jamie away from hir to stare at him. The dark-skinned human grinned and Aneko managed a small smile through hir tears. "No one's called me that in a long time, Jamie. Even you."
"Well, it's been a long time since primary ed."
Aneko nodded. "Yes it has." Shi sighed and straightened hir halter, smiling sadly. Jamie handed hir a tissue and shi gratefully accepted.
As shi dabbed at hir eyes, Jamie made a few notes on his PADD. "Now, I want to see both of you back here in a month. And here," he passed hir a business card with the comm number of a counseling service. "Just in case."
Aneko nodded and hugged him again. "Thanks Jamie. See you later."
Jamie smiled back. "Tail high, Aneko," giving hir the traditional chakat farewell.
"Be well, Jamie." Aneko strapped on hir belt bouch and left his office, eyes cast down at hir feet as shi headed for the elevators.
* * * *
Aneko stepped out of the hospital, blinking the afternoon sunlight. Shi slipped on a pair of sunglasses from hir beltpouch as shi walked along the sidewalk to where shi had parked hir PTV. On the way, shi passed a billboard proclaiming the 240th anniversary of Elysium City's founding. There was going to be a weeklong celebration, culminating in a parade that passed over the river and through the dual centers of the city.
Aneko hmmed. Shi would probably skip that historical activities, but the parade sounded nice enough to check out. Shi knew the basic history of hir city anyway. Nightstar had told hir one night.
Elysium City was built on the ruined crater of 2 separate cities that were destroyed during the Gene Wars. It was constructed to be a tangible symbol of the Reconstruction, two separate cities and cultures putting their differences aside to build something that was greater than either of them was alone. In the middle of the river, a memorial was built on an artificial island, paying tribute to those who died during the war and serving as a reminder for generations to come.
Aneko disabled the security on hir PTV and climbed into the driver's couch, positioning hir lower belly comfortably. As shi started the engine, the stereo turned on. Shi had never quite understood hir lifemate's fascination with ancient music, but now that Nightstar was gone, Aneko had been browsing through hir library of 20th century songs. The pained arpeggios of an electric guitar seemed to speak directly to Aneko's heart as the singer launched into an emotional ballad.
_She's got a smile that it seems to me,
Reminds me of childhood memories.
Where everything was as fresh
As the bright blue sky..._
Now and then when I see her face,
She takes me away to that special place.
And if I stared too long,
I'd probably break down and cry...
Whoo-a-a-oh
Sweet child o' mine
Whoo-a-a-oh
Sweet love o' mine
Aneko gasped, listening to the words, touched by the ancient lyrics. This song was written over 300 years ago, but shi felt like the muisc was created just for hir, in this moment of hir life. 300 years and the person the song was written for was finally hearing it.
_She's got eyes of the bluest skies,
As if they thought of rain.
I hate to look into those eyes
And see an ounce of pain...
Her hair reminds me of a warm, safe place
Where as a child I'd hide
And pray for the thunder and the rain
To quietly pass me by...
Whoo-a-a-oh
Sweet child o' mine
Whoo-a-a-oh
Sweet love o' mine_
As the guitar wailed into an emotional solo, Aneko broke down into tears again; hir face buried in the control yoke of the PTV, every note slamming against hir ears, every chord hitting hir like a bullet. The song cut to the very core of hir pain and loss, but at the same time, making that aching hole easier to bear. The solo faded letting the singer return, whispering the same question that Aneko had been asking hirself since Lt. Steele had come to hir cube.
_Where do we go?
Where do we go, now?
Where do we go?_
Aneko shuddered, stifling a sob as shi lifted hir face from the PTV's controls. She put the vehicle into gear, backing out from hir parking spot and driving away, hir hand reaching out to tell the music comp to play the song again.
* * * *