[c][b]Sphere Two
Mercury[/b][/c]

Saldura shouldered the small bag of clothing shi took planetside, looking into Gildedtongue's eyes, giving another kiss.  "I'll be sure to call when I get to the ship," the badger reassured hir spouse and mate, who was currently clutching a pair of weeks old kittens to hir bosom.  "We should be back in a couple years.  Don't worry," the badger's smile was a little forced, trying to be supportive of hir spouse, but shi didn't want to leave as much as the chakat wanted to see hir go.

Tears were running freely down Thallon's cheek, trying to look away from Gildedtongue, not that he could hide his sadness from hir empathy, but he felt worse unable to control his feelings.  Gildy made hir way to the crying folf'taur, using hir tail to lift his chin to kiss his lips, "I feel the same, Thallon."  Hir husband ran his fingers over Gildy's ears, deepening the kiss for a moment before pulling back.  Steelfur, the light grey furred kitten clutched in Gildy's left arm, squirmed slightly, unlatching hir sated mouth from Gildedtongue's nipple to let out a mewl that shi was finished.  The larger Thornbreaker took this as a cue to switch teats as well, squirming all around the motherly chakat's arms.  "Gah, you two!  If it isn't one it's the other!"  As if in response, Steelfur's diaper felt heavier and wetter as the kitten gave a contented gurgle.

"And that's our cue to get out of here!" Thallon said with a mischievous grin, walking towards the door, "We'll call you when we get to orbit.  Love you!"  Saldura smiling, offering the same sentiment before they got into one of the PPTVs towards the spaceport.  The chakat sighed, not helping hirself to smile at the departure as shi went to change the cubs.  A pang of envy ran through hir head, imagining hirself blasting back off into the stars.  Shi did choose to live here, even if it was Dreamweaver's suggestion, and it made sense to at least try out a bit of domesticity.

After shi was done changing them, the two cubs got up onto all sixes ,crawling around in hexapedial motions, their back muscles not quite strong enough for full quadruped movement, but the kittens could cruise around well enough despite that.  Enough, certainly, to keep Bravehunter on hir toes.  Jadestripe stepped gingerly over the darting kittens as Gildy disposed of the soils.  "You know, if you let them run around more, they'll find the box easy enough," Jade chuckled quietly as Gildy rolled hir eyes, shrugging.  "Been keeping up with them well enough, sis?" Shi asked, responded with a nod of agreement before Jade smiled more, "And the feeding?"

That did cause Gildedtongue's ears to splay as an embarrassed blush ran through hir ears, "Barely.  They're getting hungrier every day." Shi admitted, giving a quiet sigh as shi watched hir children play, Thornbreaker was stalking Steelfur, unaware that the grey furred kitten was trying to make the hunter the hunted.  As if choreographed, both kittens lept in a pounce, landing in the other kitten's spot before they both bolted underneath the elongated couch.

The two old chakats laughed at the youthful antics.  Gildy sighing quietly as Jade smiled, ruffling hir younger sister's hair, "Next time you're full, Gildy, call me over and I'll have a drink.  Things would be easier with two sets of breasts for those hungry mouths, no?"  Jade smiled as shi walked off, leaving Gildedtongue watching the cubs and thinking about the offer.  Shi sighed again, knowing that Jade was right.  Hir brief melancholy was interrupted by two sets of pouncing paws atop of hir flicking tailtip.

The rest of the household was busy cleaning up after their guests, thankful of their neatness as Babelcat put the extra towels in the hamper for later cleaning and Lovefur, another lion patterned chakat with dark headfur and a naming splotch on hir left flank, was redressing the beds.  The guest room housed Gildedtongue as Jade spent most of hir nights in the communal sleeping den.  Gildy felt a little out of place, having come to Chakona to spend time with other chakats, only to spend hir nights with hir non-chakat mates, but, baby steps.

Early in the evening Babelkat came home, bringing with hir a small stack of pizzas.  Their greasy aromas pulled the house into the kitchen on growling bellies.  Bravehunter attacked hir half slice with predatory gusto, getting most of the sauce in hir fur rather than hir belly, eager for the morsels of meat.  "We've nearly got another Rakshani bible translated," Babel said between gulps of mushroom 'za, "It's in the ancient Sacred Tongue, and oye, if you think the Low Tongue is a pain in the arse with it's twenty conjugates, and grammar based on if the sentence is about someone friendly, an enemy, a superior, subordinate, formal, neutral, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.  I mean, that's just a lot of data on its own, but you can learn it.  Translating Sacred Tongue?  Ugh." shi sighed around another slice of pizza, this time covered in sausage, "It's pictographic, rather than alphabetical, so sometimes, I swear, we're just guessing."

Gildedtongue nodded at hir great niece's talk of work, eating hir own pizza, "Sounds like you could use a Rosetta Stone."  The smile was shared between Gildedtongue and Babelkat as the rest of the group shared a blank stare.

"If we had that, well, I think I'd be out of a job quicker than I'd like," shi chuckled and shrugged.  Gildedtongue glanced at hir sister, who seemed content on hir granddaughter's xenotheological job.  Babelkat thought for a moment, looking at Gildedtongue, "I hate to ask, but, so, how does all this work with your own beliefs, Gildy?  I mean, aliens, ancient civilizations, all that can't really fit all that well with Christian ideas, can it?"

The leonine chakat shot a look at hir sister, who's demeanour soured in the last few moments as the conversation changed directions to a more Terran one.  Still, the exchange of ideas and the like couldn't be forbidden.  Shi took a deep breath and smiled at hir niece, "To be fair, the Christian Bible is about Earth, when it was written, it wasn't really taking in consideration things such as computers, A.I.s, or the sort.  Closest we've got to relation with anthropomorphic constructs would be the story of the Golem of Prague, but that dates to only the sixteenth century, and is more Jewish Folklore than Christian Dogma."  Gildy sighed before taking a drink of water, "It doesn't mention aliens, but it doesn't necessarily deny them either.  Just part of the mystery of the universe."

Babel nodded, crossing hir foreleg paws before hir, leaning hir forehip against the table, "And the various alien gods?  The Caitian First Family?  The Rakshani gods?  All those?"

A small chuckle came out of Gildy's lips, "Well, I've been chastised often for taking a more liberal reading of the Bible, but, if you ask me personally, its all part of the same world, the same God, just, as interpreted and viewed through different eyes.  Earth was given Jesus, Cait was given the Seven, and so on and so forth.  Love your family, love your neighbour, love your surroundings, love your God, all these tenants aren't wholly unique to Terran faiths."  Gildy shrugged a little, "So, no, aliens don't shake my faith, just offers me a new perspective on things."

Babelkat seemed satisfied with the response, though it didn't look like Jade was all too happy.  Before any objection could be raised, the wall comm buzzed with an incoming call.  "That should be for me," Gildy smiled and excused hirself, glad for the well timed call.  Thallon and Saldura were pressed to one another, vying for the camera's real estate, which only gave Gildedtongue a mirthful giggle, "Hey you two.  I guess you made it to the ship just fine?"

Saldura nodded, smiling back to Gildedtongue, "Yup, we're loaded up and ready to go.  Things are gonna be a little touch and go for the next couple months, but if we keep our belts tight, we'll be back to fattening ourselves up again."

Rolling his grey eyes, Thallon gave Sal's ribs a gentle nudge, "Tell that to Thirtysilver, even at our best times she's fretting about."  He looks back at Gildedtongue, "C'mon.  I want another look at the cubs just before I go!"  His bushy pink tail swished in the air behind him, making Gildedtongue chuckle.  Luckily, the twin terrors weren't too far away after hearing their father's voice.  The leonine chakat picked up each in turn, Thornbreaker looked at the screen, giving the image a loud, toothless yap.

Thallon laughed and smiled at the cub, "You're the spitting image of your grandmother.  Too bad the only images of her are up here," he said with a thumb pointed to his head.

"Mmmmm, and that's pretty empty place otherwise," Sal smirked, peering into the taller 'taur's ear.  Grinning, Saldura smiled at the squirming cubs, "Well, you two don't get too all up into your mum's mane.  We don't want to come home to a bald lioness, now, do we?"  Thallon laughed and nodded, of course, all the activity didn't help settle the cubs as Thornbreaker teethed hir gums upon Gildy's chest.

"I, well, I'd better get to this, loves.  So, you'll call soon, I hope?"  Gildy gasped as Thornbreaker squirmed free of hir mother's arms, landing on the ground on all six limbs before darting away to find new mischief.  Gildy rolled hir eyes, setting down Steelfur to do the same.

The laughter on the other side of the comm wasn't helping, "Hehe, we will."  The three said their goodbyes before the screen went black.  Tears rolled down Gildedtongue's face again as shi watched hir children play.  At least they should be happy here.

-+-+-

"...and we ask that you put away any electronic devices, books, and check around your seat as we'll be landing shortly.  MephitBelle would like to welcome you to New Bletchley and hopes you enjoy your time in the Skunktaur Archipelago."

After Jadestripe's second trip back to hir offices 'upstairs,' Gildedtongue and hir cubs joined the longtail back to hir home.  The two infants were kept amused by some tassels on Gildedtongue's new top, and as the aeroplane eased onto the runway, the chakat found hirself in a half unravelled top.  Still, at least they weren't bawling their eyes out, so shi quietly thanked God for small miracles.  The airport was small and efficient, reminding Gildedtongue more of the bus depots shi knew back on Earth than the grandiose Starports.  Jadestripe hefted up hir suitcase out of the carousel as Gildedtongue manoeuvred hir cubs to one side, getting hir duffel bag on hir free shoulder.

An older, black maned lion chakat stood in the busy pick-up point.  Gildy thought shi recognized hir from the birthing party, however shi found the whole party to be an out of focus blur.  Jadestripe hugged the other chakat firmly, purring loudly before addressing hir sister, "Gildy, you remember Proudroar, don't you?"

A sheepish shake of hir head answered hir sister's question as Gildedtongue nodded to Proudroar, "I'm sorry, if we met, it was probably during the party, and I had about twelve billion things on my mind."

Laughing, Proudroar gave a one-armed hug on Gildedtongue's duffel side, "S'a-ight."  The chakat gently took Gildedtongue's bag, tossing it into the open hatch on the rear of the purple PTV.  "Got lotsa time t' make up for it."  Gildedtongue did hir best not to question or even call attention to the chakat's ebonics, at least, not at the moment.  Proudroar quickly did the same to Jade's suitcase before the five scrambled into the vehicle, and moments after Gildedtongue had buckled in hir cubs did it pull into the parking lot traffic.

Merging into the highway, Proudroar engaged the autopilot AI.  "So, again, forgive me forgetting, but, are you one of my older nieces, or..." Gildedtongue trailed off, looking between Proudroar and Jadestripe, seeing if shi could guess.  Empathically, all shi could get was a mischievous mirth from hir sister.  Proudroar snickered before prodding Jadestripe's flank with hir tail, getting the white tiger to giggle.

"Hey!  Stoppit!" Jade squirmed in hir seat, the movement causing the buckles to tighten on the chakat before shi batted away the offending tail, "Roary here is my Lifemate.  We've been together, what, fifty years now." Shi smiles, reaching to pet the other chakat's tail gently.

Proudroar purred quietly, "Fi'ty-fou' yea's," shi corrected.  The longtailed lion turned to address the middle aged one, "Tho', we were de'mates fo' twenny."  Gildedtongue nodded at the explanation, which answered hir unspoken question of why shi didn't know about a lifemate the last time Jadestripe had visited.

"I guess I'm just a late bloomer," Jadestripe smiled back at Proudroar, who, in turn, tsked at hir mate and ruffled that white mane.  "Well, not that I can complain, really.  I've had so many good companions and denmates through my years, I guess things have been good."

The cubs were much more active in the back seat of the PTV, not having been so confined for such a long period of time.  Gildy was having a difficult time keeping them entertained enough not to completely run amok.  Thornbreaker had decided shi was hungry as Gildedtongue took the cub to hir breast, Steelfur not far behind, wanting the same attention as hir sister.  "Proudroar, I've got to admit, I don't think I've heard that accent outside of old movies, where are you from?"

Roary loosed a loud laugh, one that the kittens joined with their mewlings, the other lion chakat crossed hir arms under hir bosom with hir grin.  "Oh, I grew up in the mean, mean streets of 'Stad, where's 'kat-eat-'kat, n' ebry alley gotta phase aimed at yer eyes." Proudroar pointed hir finger at Gildy and shot a 'zap!' with hir mouth, followed by a wink.  "Nah, pick'd't up on my work stat'n t' 'roid."  Shi coughed slightly, taking in a deep breath, "You'll find a lot more lower class housing there, and I've come to use the accent to get some people to talk more openly." hir grammar and accent having moved to a more neutral Terralingo.  "But, yeah, I work for the Stellar Federation, and when a colony is experiencing some problems with some civil unrest and I go in to see if it's something that can be dealt with locally, or if martial action is required."  Proudroar shrugged, "Thankfully, the latter isn't all that common."

Nodding, Gildy kept quiet for the rest of the trip, minding the kittens as they play.  The ocean to the vehicle's left, and to the right, the central mountain of the island, the volcanic summit looking like a scissor snipped the tip off of it.  Jadestripe gestured towards the top of the mountain, "Mount Mephit.  Her activity brought half of the islands on the archipelago to life."

The newcomer nodded, looking over them as they sped along the highway, "Is it dangerous living on an active volcano?"

Jadestripe shook hir head, "Lava irrigation on the north side keep this from doing any damage.  This volcano is more of a bubbler than a blower."  Shi looked back at hir sister, "Also the local geology labs from Dewclaw get data from probes in the magma, so we should get fair warning if something changes."  Jadestripe grinned, "Otherwise, the volcanic ash is harvested along the irrigations and sold as fertilizer to the local farmers.  The mineral rich ash is what makes this place so green.  The backseat chakat nodded in acceptance of the information, not helping but be amazed at how these people have not conquered, but learned to direct nature to not only serve their needs, but let the local wildlife thrive.

They turned off of the main loop, joining a bridge highway to the northwest.  Signs above the road warned "A.I.D. Bridge.  All non-emergency vehicles must engage A.I. Drive assist systems."  Considering Proudroar's lack of hands on the wheel, Gildy was safe to assume that they were following the letter of the law.  The metal and concrete bridge cut across the clear blue sea, the sun reflecting off of the surface amid the puttering boats.  A train sped by the side of the bridge on its own tracks.  "So," Gildy started to ask idly, "are the schools near your home looking to hire?"  Being more or less laid up for so long had made the chakat's feet itch, hoping to get back into the rhythm of working.

Jadestripe looked over at Proudroar for a moment, who shrugged slightly.  Shi smiled back at Gildedtongue, "Ah, sorry.  Guess we were so busy getting the house ready for someone new we plum forgot.  But, you've been teaching for, what, more than thirty years?  I think your experience should be able to get you through the door."  Shi smiled, "You might be teaching age groups you aren't used to, though."

Gildy shook hir head, chuckling as shi tickled Steelfur's belly, "I'll bet you that isn't true.  On that ship I was with kids of all ages."  Shi settled back, nodding to Jadestripe.  Shi was right, there shouldn't be anything that shi should be worried about.

The sun was close to setting by the time that they pulled into the driveway of, what Gildy assumed, was Jadestripe's home.  A stone wall peeked out of the green growth, the home built into the grassy hillside, and a rock staircase went up along side the front door to the rest of the hill.  It would be easy to miss the house entirely had the PTV not parked in front of it, announcing their arrival.

Next door, a pair of porcine children played in the tall grasses, kicking a football back and forth, dodging the trees marking the opposing team.  Jadestripe and Proudroar watched them with slitted eyes, their lips curled in disapproval.  Thornbreaker gave a confused mewl, feeling the background emotions, which seemed to snap the two chakats out of their vigilance.  Proudroar went to the back of the PTV, getting the luggage while Gildedtongue followed hir sister inside the house.

Within the home, a modern, yet rustic décor contrasted and complimented the almost primal exterior.  Clay tiles paved the floor, just underneath painted stucco walls with heavy pieces of timber supporting the ceiling.  The earth provided enough insulation that it rarely became uncomfortable inside.  Of course, it came with the cost of requiring more lamps in any room deeper inside, but it wasn't a detrimental trade-off.

With the new smells and feel of the house, Thornbreaker and Steelfur were off like two furry missiles, there was much more to explore and new mischiefs to make.  "I'll show you to your room, Gildy," Jadestripe smiled, leading Gildedtongue upstairs and deeper into the hill.  Down two doors to the left, the tiger let in hir sister.  It was a good sized room with oaken (or, at least what looked like oak) furniture around the walls.  Wardrobe, desk, a chest of drawers, all with a motif of six pronged leaves carved in the fronts.  A thick mattress was at the head of the room with pillows arranged neatly.  Above a skylight brought in the red twilight, and Jadestripe pointed out how Gildy could open it to vent any stuffiness.

"I'll talk to Proudroar to see when we'll start dinner," shi smiled at Gildy, who nodded thankfully as hir stomach growled.  Thornbreaker and Steelfur must have mounted the stairs well enough since they scrambled in, chasing their mother's scent.  With a tired smile, Gildedtongue scooped them up before laying down on the cushions.

A white furred forefoot dug its claws into Gildedtongue's belly as a grinning Creekstripe leaned over hir daughter.  "Thought you were done with me, didn't you?" Those claws sunk deeper into Gildedtongue's guts, piercing into hir very core.  Shi could barely breathe, feeling hir heart getting squeezed as hir sire looked down upon hir with menacing eyes.  Just behind hir, the fat face of the skunk commander laughed gleefully.

Sharp teeth sinking into Gildedtongue's muzzle opened hir eyes as shi gasped in pain.  Thornbreaker let go of hir bite as shi and hir sister squirmed out of Gildedtongue's tight grasp.  The kittens mewled softly, making themselves at home back on their mother's breasts, having a midnight snack.  One of the moons was full, sending its light into the small hole in the ceiling, giving everything an ethereal blue glow.  Hir growling stomach reminding hir of hir missed meal, but shi was too tired to get out of bed.  Shi ruffled hir cubs' heads gently before closing hir eyes again, going back into a dreamless sleep.

-+-+-

Time froze in the receptionist office as Gildedtongue thumbed through hir PADD.  Shi still hadn't totally accumulated hirself to Chakonian time, twenty hours a day, a hundred minutes each, and shi was a good hour early for hir nine fifty meeting with Personnel.  'At least it makes me seem more punctual,' shi mused to hirself, adjusting hir blazer.  With some of the bonus money Peter Jacobs had gifted hir, Gildedtongue picked up a professional enough looking outfit, the beige jacket mixing well with hir fur, while hir white blouse offered a good contrast under a red bolo.

Hir eyes glanced towards the receptionist, a young cheetah morph, pencil clenched in her teeth as her fingers raced across the keys on her terminal.  The halter top looked good on her, but it did make Gildedtongue feel rather overdressed.

"Shir Gildedtongue?" a dark blue chakat peeked out of hir office, nodding to the waiting one.  Gildy nodded, putting away hir PADD, and momentarily checking hir ponytail as shi entered the office.  The leonine chakat felt a twinge of deja vu, an office covered in pictures by children, though the plants adorning the corners and the large bay window letting in light reminded hir that shi wasn't aboard the space station.  The Russian Blue patterned chakat sat down behind hir desk, 'CHAKAT BLUEWATER, PERSONNEL' adorned a small name plaque at the front of the desk.

Gildy smiled softly, bowing hir head in greeting as shi sat on hir haunches before the desk.  Bluewater was on a slightly raised dias, looking down at the newcommer, "So, you're looking for a teaching job here," Bluewater asked, looking over hir terminal.  Shi sighed, leaning back, making Gildedtongue's ears splay.  "It seems it's been a long time since your last time teaching, this isn't a job you can just drop and pick up again, you know."

'Well, during the interim I was teaching aboard an independent ore freighter during a clandestine Stellar Federation science experiment,' Gildedtongue would say truthfully if shi was looking to being locked up in an asylum, or worse.  "It was a needed sabbatical, but I'm sure my credentials will more than make up for such a lapse in employment.  My education alone should qualify me."

Bluewater looked back at hir terminal, shaking hir head, "I'm sorry, but, not really."

"What do you mean?" Gildedtongue looked shocked, "I spent over twenty years at the Federal Monastery, that should give me an equivalent of a Master's Degree at any Federation university."

"I'm afraid that 'should' doesn't mean 'does," Bluewater sighs, "I'm sorry, but the HCKNA Monasteries are not an officially accredited place of education in the Federation." Shi shrugged behind hir desk, "Technically, they are listed as places of worship, which is how a lot of their practices aren't questioned."  Bluewater sighed quietly, "According to the Stellar Federation, you're completely uneducated, not even privately tutored."

Gildedtongue felt hir hearts sink down to the floor.  Tears started welling up in hir eyes, but shi covered it with a brave face, "Very well, I can attend college, a proper university here, I've got a little money, maybe with some grants..." shi trailed off, looking at Bluewater shaking hir head still.  The younger chakat steepled hir fingers, leaning on hir desk.

"Look, I'm sorry, but, I don't think that will work out either.  Due to your... record, the school district is uncomfortable in your hiring." Bluewater gulped quietly, "They aren't comfortable with someone of your violent history in a classroom."

Gildedtongue's jaw was slacked as shi sat there motionless.  Finally shi managed to croak out a loud, "WHAT?"  Shi looked down at the floor for a moment, "What?  Because of the incident with Dreamweaver?  That punk was trying to rape hir..."

Bluewater shook hir head, "We all know that chakats can't be raped beca..."

"Because of what?  A little ring of muscle?  That's really going to stop people from trying?  Is that going to comfort a young chakat trapped in the back seat of a PTV with hir date trying to get some jollies?  Jesus Christ, fine, if this school won't hire me..." Gildedtongue crossed hir arms.

"You obviously didn't hear me, Shir Gildedtongue.  I said the board members of the school district said they weren't comfortable in hiring you.  You won't find any other schools in the archipelago saying anything different." Bluewater sighed, "And I doubt it would be any different on the Finder's Continent or elsewhere.  Look, I hear your reasoning, but, you tell the parents out there that one of their teachers is someone who most famously attacked a child, and you're going to see a very empty school.  It's just better to not hire.  I'm sorry."  Bluewater stood up slowly, "I do hope you find your place somewhere here."

Gildedtongue wasn't sure if shi was closer to crying in despair or lashing out in anger, of course, the later would simply confirm what was said of hir.  Shi got up, feeling hir legs slightly wobbly as shi thanked Bluewater for hir time before hieing to the PTV where Proudroar sat, watching the telly on the viewscreen.

"That was fast," Proudroar smiled, turning off the screen, "I'm guessing they hired you on the spot, right?  Start at the beginning of the week?"  Gildedtongue answered with silence, tossing hir saddlebag in the back seat after climbing in, crossing hir arms.  Proudroar didn't need hir empathetic talent to know that things didn't turn out that way.  The ride home was quiet, the dark lion letting the red one stew in hir thoughts.

Gildedtongue drug hir feet inside, broken and defeated.  Thornbreaker and Steelfur were there to greet hir.  The blood red kitten's mewls were sounding more like 'Ma!  Ma!' every day.  Hir grey sibling sounding more like 'Me!  Me!' but it warmed the tired Gildedtongue's soul all the same as gathered them up in hir arms.  With the immigrant smiling a little more, Proudroar took the time to ask what happened.  Shi shook hir head at the explanation, "Really?  You think they could get away with turning you down over that?  Like you said, you were found innocent of the charges."

With a shrug, Gildy stroked the back of Steelfur's head, "If it isn't that, it's the lack of recognized credentials, and if not that, then it's my recent lapse of employment, and if not that... well, I'm sure my background working at a decidedly non progressive educat- erm, sorry, 'place of worship' would come into question."  Shi shrugged.

Proudroar thought for a moment before smiling, "Hey, weren't you hired by the Federation to be a tutor aboard the [i]Purgatorio[/i]?  I'd call that experience and credentials right there!"

"Heh, not quite," Gildedtongue smirked, "Chakat Wanderer was hired as a tutor aboard the ship.  Gildedtongue was pretty much totally off the sensors for the last couple of years."  Shi shrugged again, giving hir kittens' heads a gentle kiss each, smiling at their purrs.

"So, what are you going to do now?"

The two cubs had enough of being held, squirming their way out of Gildedtongue's arms as they went back to their play.  The silver streaked lion smiled at Proudroar, "Well, you got the want-ad section?"

-+-+-

As a new and growing planet, Chakona had a number of jobs available in all fields.  From agricultural engineering, to law enforcement, clerical work, education, longshoresman duties.  However the number of jobs available to the un- and undereducated were more than slim pickings.  Nepotism was high in small businesses as many families arrive on the planet with the purpose of starting a trade with their family.  Gildedtongue momentarily considered a whirlwind romance with someone just to land a paycheque, but shrugged it off with a dark laugh.

Days turned to weeks.  While Jadestripe insisted to board hir sister without question, Gildedtongue did hir best to help out with hir meagre pocketbook from the gift shi got from Peter Jacobs.  The money shi made on the [i]Purgatorio[/i] was reinvested into the ship to help with repairs without a second thought.  Shi had figured shi would be making hir own money by now.

"Next on BBC Chakona, a new Doctor Who.  Will the Doctor and hir companion X-Ray figure out the mystery of the ancient Caitian pyramid before the Rani fulfils hir dastardly plan?  Later, the news followed by..." the announcer droned on the viewscreen.  Gildedtongue was only half-watching, most of hir attention glued on hir kittens.  By now they had mastered quadrupedal motion, and were picking up some words, not being able to repeat them, but able to recognize them.  Gildedtongue did hir best to teach them in Terranglo, English, Latin, Russian and Chinese, but shi had to admit hir Mandarin was considerably rusty.

"Qiú," Gildedtongue rolled the plush Chakkar ball to Thornbreaker, who giggled and batted the ball back to hir mother, doing the same to Steelfur.  Jadestripe stepped in, sipping from a glass of juice from a local fruit.

"Find it a little amusing that you're teaching them different Terran languages.  The only one from there we speak here is Terranglo."  Jadestripe reached to ruffle Thornbreaker's slowly growing black mane, "I'd imagine it'd be better if they learned Yatta or Ratarsk."  Gildedtongue nodded a bit.

"Well, if you'd like to teach them that, I'd be thankful.  I can't say I'm fluent in either enough to be a good teacher."  Gildedtongue shrugged softly, playing with hir cubs a bit more.

"Suit yourself.  Anyway, I'd best be off.  Roary and I've got a Heritage meeting in a half hour.  Would you like to come along?"  Jadestripe asked, smiling at hir sister.

"Thanks, but I think I'm just gonna stay home.  I've got an interview early tomorrow, and I know how late you seem to stay for those meetings.  Have fun!"  Shi blushed as Jadestripe kissed hir forehead before heading off.  Gildy held on to the chakkar toy for a moment, glancing at the screen as the actors found themselves in some death trap.  It was odd, Gildy thought, one would think that discovering aliens and faster than light speed travel would have killed the science fiction genre, but all it seemed to to was add new mythologies to the pot.

The musings were cut short as there was yelling outside.  The three chakats scrambled to the window, the kittens peeking through the curtains curiously as Gildedtongue looked over them.  They caught Jadestripe and Proudroar both slamming their car doors shut, and next door, the two pig children shi saw earlier were clutching the hands of a middle aged human woman, looking rather miffed.

"Definitely something to ask Jadestripe in the morning." Gildedtongue muttered before going to the kitchen to fix hirself something to eat.  Shi was happy to see that despite the aversion to Terran items, shi found a slab of bacon in the crisper, taking a few rashers to prepare for a sandwich.  Shi felt utterly lost in a proper kitchen, but managed to clobber together a fine enough sandwich.

Shi was cleaning the small mess shi had made on the countertop making the food when there was a knock on the door.  Opening it up, Gildedtongue found a chakat in a police uniform, as well as a middle aged, pink porcine morph, undoubtedly the father of the two children next door.  The pig rushed in, his eyes staring angrily at Gildedtongue as he screamed, "Écoutez vous quatre pattes de chat, I've had it up to HERE with you making complaints about me, my wife, and my children, and I'm not going to be taking your legal bullying any more!" his snorting words came through in a thick, Earthen French accent.

Gildedtongue fell over hir own feet in hir back-peddling, wincing softly, but hir attention remained primarily with the angry morph before hir.  The officer grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back.  As Gildy had less of hir field of view covered by an angry pig, shi looked at the cop, amazed at how many yellows can fit on one morph.  The very golden cougar flicked an annoyed ear, "Heel, Jean-Claude.  I'd imagine we've had enough calls here that you'd know who's the people making the complaints."

The pig's demeanour changed a little, a bit more cautious, as he leaned forward again, his snout sniffing at the chakat.  He laughed softly, shaking his head, "Excusez-moi, I merely thought you were that Proudroar, dying your hair red.  When I get angry... sometimes it's hard to think, you know?"

Gildedtongue nodded quietly, looking between the two, "Um, what's the meaning of this?  Does this have to do with the yelling I heard earlier?" shi asked the officer, glancing at the badge, "Ah, officer Cornfield?"

The puma sighed and nodded, "According to our reports, the Champignon children were found trespassing on the Jadestripe-Proudroar residence after previous warnings of them not to."

Jean-Claude rolled his eyes, "They were just playing, Cornfield.  You know kids, you tell them not to go past that tree, and they'll find any excuse to go to the tree after that.  It's not like they're wrecking the house!"  Cornfield shot the pig a look, which made him lift his hands in defence, "Okay, okay, last year they broke a window with the ball, but I paid for it!"

Gildedtongue watched the two as hir kittens slowly crept up behind their mother, watching the interlopers.  "Look, you and I both know the reason they've been at this is because Bethany is human.  You know those types at those meetings," Jean-Claude said, looking at Gildedtongue, "I mean, you, you think humans are all evil, right?"

The chakat's eyes went wide, shaking hir head, "What?  I... no.  Most of my friends on Earth were human.  Look, I'm sorry about what my sister might have done, but, she's just really..." shi trailed off, looking for a word, "intense."  Shi offered the best comforting smile shi could muster, "I'm sure this is just heated emotions getting the best of us, okay?"  Gildy couldn't ever seem to get teenagers to stop bickering and fighting, shi had little faith in hir ability with full grown adults, but the boar seemed to have calmed down.

"Look, I'm not going to even file this complaint, but that's as long as you keep your kids on your side of the property, and not go flying off the handle when Jadestripe decides to be a grouch, okay?  Just try to be the bigger guy, alright?"  Jean-Claude nodded.  Cornfield crossed hir arms, "Now, I want you to apologize to, I don't think I caught your name."

Gildedtongue nodded to the officer, "Chakat Gildedtongue, child of Gladelong and Creekstripe."  Shi had gone so long with introducing hirself as an alias shi nearly gave them the 'Wanderer' spiel.  Still, Jean-Claude bowed his head, offering his apologies before stepping out.  Cornfield watched him momentarily, but stayed inside.

"Mind if we talk, Gildedtongue?" shi asked.  The older chakat swallowed a lump of dread as shi nodded.  Cornfield couldn't help but laugh, "Purely friendly conversation.  I haven't seen you around before, so I wanted to get to know you, if that's okay with you?"

Gildedtongue nodded again, "Ah, sure thing, officer, though, shouldn't you be out there?" shi nodded out to the street, sitting down on hir haunches.

Cornfield tapped hir comm-radio attached to the passant on hir uniform, "I'm still a call away.  Besides, this call came in on route back to the station before I was heading home."  Shi shrugged, putting hir hands on hir forehips, careful not to rest them on hir phaser or hir revolver.

Gildedtongue looked over the officer's uniform more closely, seeing the design of the SAPD on hir shoulder, as well as the pouches of items shi wore.  Shi cocked hir head at both weapons, "I can't imagine the street here are that dangerous."

"Oh, the old firearm?" Cornfield chuckled, "Nah, it isn't that bad out here at all.  Honestly, I've never had to open fire at all, and hopefully never will.  But, growing up, my parents taught me the way around a revolver, so I'm a bit more comfortable with it."  Shi smirked, "Besides, the click of a hammer sounds more like you mean business than the hum of a charging phaser."  Shi shrugged, "But, nah, police work is mostly the COMM and the PADD, and the badge."  Cornfield's stomach growled audibly as shi smirked, "oh, and the box of doughnuts, though I seem to have forgotten mine today."

"Heh, well, I was making a sandwich before you and Mister, Champignon, was it, came in.  You can have half of it if you'd like."  Shi said, going back to the kitchen for the almost forgotten meal.

"Bribing an officer, eh?  Well, I think I'll have to remember this place when I get hungry again." shi snickered as shi took the offered half-sandwich graciously.  "So, how long have you been on the archipelago?  Going to stay here long, I hope?" shi asked before digging in.

"Not too long ago, just a couple of weeks, really.  I've only recently come to Chakona from Terra."  Gildedtongue sighed quietly, "Been looking for a job, though a lot of places seem to be looking for a lot that I can't offer."  Shi explained hir predicament to Cornfield, who seemed interested in the new resident's plight.

Nodding, Cornfield finished off the rest of the sandwich, "That is a bit of a rock and a hard place.  Tell you what, though, I'll keep my ear to the ground for you, maybe something that'll be up your alley, no?"

"Thanks.  I've got a job interview in the morning, though, so, digits crossed and all that."  Shi shrugged and offered a small smile.

Cornfield nodded, "Well, I certainly wish you luck on that."  The officer's comm beeped again as shi sighed, "I'd better head back to the station.  It was good meeting you, chakat Gildedtongue, and good luck on the interview.  What was it again?"

Looking sheepish, Gildedtongue coughed, "Ah, corner-store clerk and charging station attendant."

The officer blinked, wincing slightly, "Well, it's a paycheque at least, right?"

"If I'm lucky.  But, thanks again.  Hopefully this'll just be something transitory."  Gildy mustered up a smile again, "Anyway, Vale, Cornfield!"  Cornfield cocked hir head curiously, "Ah, it means 'goodbye,' or, more literally, 'be strong.'"

Cornfield laughed and nodded, "Tail high, Gildedtongue."