Storm World Ch. 02

"As you command, Ma'am," said the engineer with a twitch of his whiskers that might have been an expression of amusement. "I would not trust him to guard anything at this time."

She turned her ears forward and narrowed her eyes inquiringly.

"The gunner has a lack of good judgement," he explained. "Often he overreaches his authority. I do not know why."

She gave TaH 'Kiy mTh a nod and turned away, still munching on her awful vegetable biscuit. Glad for a chance to rest, M'peth qHo found a place out of the way against one of the low stone walls and sat down to finish her meal. She drank a little water from her suit's reservoir and then lay down, curled in a ball. To her consternation her tail cramped inside her suit and she had to spend a few Taq'a taking the damned thing off. To get a measure of revenge against the uncomfortable garment she removed the armor plates and the atmosphere tanks then laid it out flat and curled up on the softest part. It felt good to be out of the confining thing, to have her toes free to stretch as they should and feel air stir her unkempt fur. She was asleep in only a few heartbeats.

*****

Notes:

*taq'a - A jZav'Etch minute equal to .9375 Earth Standard minutes.