Molly stormed out of the Commander's chambers. She utilized all her self control to appear calm, cool, and collected. Not really having any self control from years of having everything handed to her on a silver platter she was visibly angry, hurt, and twitchy. Her uninjured attendant, the hulking Hammerspaw, was waiting for her in the hall. He didn't need to ask how things went; Molly had always been an open book.

Molly trudged past him; too busy stewing in her personal thoughts to give him a glance. "Come on!" she called out while waving her arm, motioning for him to follow. Woloma uprooted himself from the wall he'd been leaning against and followed.

Molly nibbled on her lip unsure of what to make of things. Yes she'd been humiliated by the Terran boy when he'd broken her nose, and yes she'd failed to maul and devour him once more, but she wasn't pathetic! Not by any stretch of the imagination. She came from a good family, one that was respected, wealthy, and had a long tradition of military service (something very important for the Ctarl Ctarls). So how could she be pathetic when her blood, her heritage, said otherwise? She’d just been on the receiving end of bad circumstances. If only the commander had let her explain!

Molly let out a sigh. It was too late now. She was in the commander’s bad graces. Hopefully she could bounce back but, even if she did, how long would that last? There was something very schizophrenic about Aisha ClanClan.

“I hate this ship.” Molly sniffed, “I despise it and all the unwashed Ctarl Ctarl scrubs that make up the crew. The sooner I get transferred the better…. I think I’ll contact daddy.”

“It might be good to seek out a transfer.” Woloma agreed in his deep, gruff voice.

“Silence!” Molly snapped, “I didn’t ask you! You’re here for muscle, not for thinking, so don’t interrupt me when I’m thinking out loud!”

She was frustrated, though it had been Hojoma who had failed her she felt like taking it out on both of her subordinates. Hojoma would have to be punished for her humiliation….. In fact she’d cut mangy hooligan loose, he’d proven his uselessness as lackey and would have to be replaced. Clearly he was to blame for her recent failure, not herself. There was no other plausible explanation.

Woloma bowed his head submissively though Molly never looked back at him. He was paid to be submissive, compliant. He didn’t really mind, half the time he tuned his annoying little mistress out. Mild mannered by nature, at least by Ctarl Ctarl standards, he was able to take her rude behavior and snide comments in stride. The two made their way back to Molly’s chambers in silence.


…………………………………..


Jim was returning from the sick ward after visiting Paige. Nothing was broken, thankfully, but she’d been on the receiving end of a merciless bear hug that had knocked the wind out of her. Paige was much more fragile than the average Ctarl Ctarl and, though Jim was pretty sure she could bench press him, it seemed like a smart idea to have her looked at by a doctor.

She had some bruising along her tummy. Hojoma’s ruthless grip had snapped, crushed, and compacted the bones of the poor terran boy residing inside her. Fortunately he’d passed away more than a half hour before after falling into a peaceful, oxygen deprived sleep, but Paige felt terrible. It was decided Paige would spend the night under observation, to make sure there was no internal bleeding and to run a few more tests, just to be on the safe side.

Jim, being the good friend he was, had stayed with her until she’d fallen asleep. Now he was making his way back to Paige’s room lost in thought.

He was so lost in thought he failed to notice the Ctarl Ctarl standing in the middle of his path until it was too late. Before he knew what had happened his head was buried in a Ctarl Ctarl’s midriff. Jim sweatdropped, ‘great, I’m dead’.

“Jimmy, I didn’t know you liked me like that!” a familiar scratchy voice joked.

“Aisha?!” Before Jim could take a step backwards the catgirl wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a bone crushing hug. His face remained securely wedged into her cleavage.

“Hey come on, let go!” Jim struggled but, of course, failed miserably to push off the mighty Ctarl Ctarl.

“Well, you’re a feisty one aren’t you?” He felt Aisha’s breasts bouncing on his shoulders as she let loose the high pitched cackle of hers he’d grown to love. She let go of him and he took a few steps backward.

The two gazed at each other fondly. Yeah she was a man eating Ctarl Ctarl, but Aisha was also practically his big sister.

“Come on shrimp, we’re heading back to my room.” Aisha wrapped her arm around the boy and started leading him down the hall. It took a minute for Jim to realize what was happening, “Wait, were you coming for me?”

“Of course, when I contacted sick bay for an update they said Paige was under observation. So who’s going to take care of my little terran, fresh out of diapers?”

“Believe it or not Aisha I’m probably more self sufficient than you!” Jim shouted. Jim could be easily angered if you questioned his maturity, which was why Aisha did it all the time. The shouting quickly faded into friendly bickering as the two made it back to Aisha’s room.

Fortunately the cage in her room was currently empty. The last thing Aisha needed was terrans around Jim’s age begging him for help all night. Aisha patted her midsection, thank goodness for her lightening fast metabolism! Of course it hadn’t all been digested and turned into energy or muscle mass. Aisha had spent the better part of an hour and a half expelling what she couldn’t absorb. Kids were delicious, which is why she’d spent a good portion of the day considering how best to take care of Jim. The brown lumps of former terran she’d squeezed out of her behind could have just as easily been him. Molly had once more tried to devour him and it was quite clear Paige couldn’t protect her self proclaimed little brother. Hell, the weak little squirt would probably end up having to rely on her smart resourceful Jimmy if they ever got into a fight! The longer he remained away from her the more at risk he’d become. She had to get him back as her slave somehow. It would have to happen eventually anyway. No way in hell would Aisha like Paige take Jim when she got reassigned. The sooner she got Jim back the better.

“So, this is château la ClanClan, what do you think?”

“Wow, it looks like the room I was living in a couple days ago, imagine that.” Jim replied, voice dripping with sarcasm, “You’ve got a new coaster on your desk though, that is neat.”

“Yeah, well I thought I’d go all out for your homecoming.” Aisha gave him a smug grin.

“Gee thanks! And how can I possibly repay my modest host? Foot rub? Maid work? Balance the books? I know you’re a wild spender Aisha.”

“…… It’s great to have you back.” She confessed.

“Huh?... Aw, come on, don’t get sentimental on me. You’re a proud Ctarl Ctarl warrior who only lives for battle, glory, etcetera, etcetera.”

“What, I can’t miss having my own personal whipping boy?” Aisha sneered.

“It’s great to feel needed.”

“Okay smart guy, I was going to let you off easy to night but, just for that, you’re going to have to help me work out. I haven’t visited the gym in the past three days.”

Jim knew for a Ctarl Ctarl that was much too large a lapse of time.

“Well what do you want me to do? Towel you off, hold your feet when you’re doing sit ups?”

Aisha didn’t say anything, instead she reached out and picked Jim up by his belt, “…… You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“You’re a little light but you’ll do.” Aisha assured him.

“One, two, three!” Aisha began doing reps with her right arm using her new makeshift dumbbell. There wasn’t much Jim could do but hang there, arms folded, glaring at Aisha. In reality though he wasn’t cross with her at all, this was just the kind of playful relationship they had. Aisha’s bicep bulged as she continued her exercising.