Page 44 of Saved By the Servali

KAMAU RAISED ONE OFthe traditional small red glasses toward the screen where his father and uncle sat. “I have news. I have waited to tell you, but I have news that is too good not to share. I have met her. AnAnbessa-Bastet.She has dark, curly hair with golden brown highlights and the softest, smoothest skin, and she is a shuttle tech who has just joined my crew, Father. Uncle Keem, she loves thebordeyou and Father made, and—”

Raucous cries and a shaking screen that blurred the visages of the two middle-aged Servalis cut him off. “You have found a Queen! My son has a Queen! Son, there are maybethreeyoung Queens who will be of marrying age this year and, of course, over a hundred Knights in the village. Some are even talking of marrying Canids! Or Avians!”

“There is nothing wrong with that, surely?”

“No, son, no. But they won’t be able to have children.”

“I was reading an article the other day,” Uncle Keem said, straightening his broken spectacles, “and some pioneering fellow, a Leonid, I think, had done a lot of research during the time we were confined to our own towns and cities. He had figured out that there’s something that makes us incompatible with other species that were formed through the human genetic splicing that occurred hundreds of years ago. Now, this fellow proposed that if a human would take something—a chromosomal booster, I think he called it—they could have Felid cubs. Maybe one day he’ll find the same thing works with Canids and Felids or Avians and Felids. Who knows? Kamau, why are you sitting there and preening your whiskers, you impudent young thing?”

“That is the work of Dr. Marcus you’re reading. He is the medical officer on my ship, and already there are cubs with human Queens and Leonid and Tigerite Kings. And who knows? Soon, there may be some with a Servali father—if my Queen would be willing.” Kamau smiled, face tight, as he dropped the obvious hint.

His Father did not pick it up. “You mean she is one who had to be sterilized to save her life? And there is hope for a human surrogate for you?”

“Ah, no. I mean—”

“Wait, Mau. Kamau said hair. Not fur. Hair! Kamau, is your Queen a human? Where in Bastet’s name did you meet a human in this galaxy?” Uncle Keem gasped, losing his spectacles again.

“That is a very long story that I cannot go into just now, Father, Uncle, but she is here on my ship, and... And I would like her very much to be my Queen. I believe she has no objections other than that I proposed almost on sight.”

Uncle Keem buried his face in his paws. “You are your father’s son, that much is certain.”

His father waved a paw in a cheering motion. “Well done! Snag her before the other Knights can. Now, let me help you work on your courting song. It should be long. Fourteen verses, at least, I would say, twenty if you want to be certain she will accept you.”

“Mau, you are overhelping.”

“Shut up, Keem.”

“Kamau?”

Kamau slowly turned from the untidy desk in the corner of his quarters.

A sultry, needy voice that instantly turned him to stone from the waist down was purring through the intercom.

“Nessa?”

“Is that her?” his father hissed.

“Shhh!” Uncle Keem elbowed him to silence.

“Can I come in?”

“Uh. Yes.” He looked hastily around his room. It was tidy enough, but Nessa had never come to visit him in his space. He always went to call on her, hoping to make her feel more like the honored guest she was.

Nessa walked in wearing—almost nothing.

His uncle and father made twin gasps. Keem slammed his spectacles back on, eyes huge.

“That is not a human. That is a goddess,” he muttered.

“I was just calling my father and uncle, my love!” Kamau stammered as she walked closer. Her hair was undone, long and flowing. The dress she was wearing seemed to have been made by imperfect machinery. The sides were missing. The neckline plunged. The skirt had slits all the way up her thigh on each side. “Wh-what happened to the crew uniform, Nessa? Rupex said I could leave it on your bed.”

“It’s wonderful, but it’s too hot. I can’t be in anything that has sleeves. Or legs.” Nessa stuck one out long, curved leg, the thigh jiggling as her foot came to rest on the seat of his chair—directly between his legs. “Do you think you could wait to call them later, Kamau?”

“I meant—I have called them. I was on a call with them,” he said with a nervous smile, pointing to the screen.

Nessa’s sultry expression turned to suppressed horror and embarrassment. “Oh. Oh my. Hello! I’m Nessa. Kamau’s told me so much about you!”

His relatives were silent. Slack-jawed.

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