"Tomorrow we start work on the Phantom again," Eliot decided as they made their way to the feasting hall.
There was a disappointed "oh" from Pavel, and Jabez asked, "Are you sure you're up to it?"
Eliot rubbed his neck and winced. "I'll manage," he replied. "We really need to get on the stick, guys. We're way late with Jorath's shipment; he's gonna have my hide!"
"Who's Jorath?" Mozu asked innocently as she trailed behind Eliot, leading Petrah by the hand.
Eliot jumped at the sound of her voice; he had almost forgotten she was with them. "Just a…a friend of ours," he murmured.
"Ha!" Jabez snorted. "With 'friends' like Jorath, you sure don't need enemies."
Eliot shot a glare at his loud-mouthed companion. "We were supposed to bring Jorath something," he continued, "and now we're late, and he really hates it when you're late, and, uh…Mozu, why don't you go take Petrah to her parents right now!"
Mozu got the hint and grudgingly led Petrah to where Ezotika sat nursing with Carbukety nearby.
"Eliot, I really think we're going to have to radio for help," Jabez said once she was gone. "Even with your mechanical know-how, I doubt we can get the Phantom to fly again."
"Radio for help?" Eliot exclaimed. "In Ungai space? Are you out of your mind?!"
"Why not?" Pavel asked. "We're not with the Alliance."
"The Ungai wouldn't know that and wouldn't care anyway," Eliot pointed out. "Terrans, Grenosians, Shalins, Rikisinians. They're all Alliance to the Ungai."
"We might get a response from the Unlai," Jabez said hopefully. "They tend to be more reasonable than their allies."
"I don't want the Ungai or the Unlai to find out about this planet," Eliot said darkly. "You know what they'd do with it."
Jabez and Pavel nodded glumly.
Their gloomy thoughts were interrupted when Old Dutironomy said the evening prayer and the feasting began. Eliot sat down to eat and Vyktorea took her usual spot next to him, nuzzling him affectionately. Forgetting himself, Eliot gave her a half-hearted peck on the cheek. No more french kissing. He'd learned his lesson after the first time.
When the caslikohs started their song, Vyktorea asked Eliot to dance with her, but he was too busy brooding over the state of his ship. So she went to the center of the hall by herself and began a simple but elegant dance. The Terran men couldn't help gawking as they watched her effortlessly bend herself into the most joint-popping positions.
As her solo dance wound down, Mistoffelees ran out to join her and began to sing in Coricus. Eliot had picked up enough of the language to understand that the young cat was extending an invitation to the other Coricats, who quickly joined the brother and sister.
Tughar pranced about the hall, grabbing each female and whirling around with her a couple times before moving on to the next one. When he had danced with each female at least once, the feline Casanova snuck over to the sidelines to stand next to Plaetoh. "Why aren't you out there with your little white sweetheart, Plae?" he asked a little breathlessly.
"Because she refuses to dance with me!" the tall white, black, and red Coricat complained.
Tughar followed his gaze over to where Vyktorea had sat down beside Eliot again, stroking the long, pale-colored fur that was only on his head. Then he observed his friend's stormy scowl.
"I'll get her to dance," Tughar said confidently. "Then you can take her away from me."
The female kittens began a little light-hearted dance and Vyktorea jumped up to join them. Eliot stood up to stretch and was suddenly grabbed from behind and turned to face Plaetoh. The big cat was obviously angry, but trying to control himself.
"Leave Vyktorea alone!" he growled.
"W-w-what are you talking about?" Eliot stammered. "I'm not even interested in her!" That was not entirely true, but Eliot was used to telling lies in order to save his own skin.
Plaetoh's face contorted first in concentration, then in frustration. His grasp of Terran was a little shaky.
"Just...leave Vyktorea alone," he repeated. "Don't hurt her. Or I will hurt you!"
So saying he gave Eliot a little shove and stalked away. Shakily, Eliot sat down next to Mozu, who had observed the brief altercation, and said, "I'm not interested in stealing Vyktorea from Plaetoh anyway. What's he worried about?"
"I don't think he understands that," Mozu pointed out. "And Vyktorea's obviously interested in you, so he's worried."
"About what?" Eliot demanded.
"He's worried..." Mozu faltered. "Oh, how should I say it? He's worried that...when her mating time comes...he's afraid that Vyktorea will reject him."
"In favor of me?" Eliot said incredulously. Mozu nodded. "Oh. Well...I'm afraid I don't know what I could do to disinterest her."
Mozu just shrugged and turned to watch the dancing. Mistoffelees had begun a solo dance and the other Jellicles backed away to give him center stage.Eliot smirked as he observed Mozu watching him with a dreamy look in her eyes. As her gaze followed his every leap and tumble, she sighed and whispered, "He's so beautiful!"
The small black and white Coricat concluded his dance with a leap into a forward roll, from which he rose into a kind of "ta-da!" pose. Then he ran right up to the sidelines and held out his hand to Mozu.
At first the little brown-eyed Terran sat frozen in shock at Mistoffelees' invitation. But the young cat nodded when she pointed to her chest to say, "Who, me?" With Eliot prodding her hard in the back, she stood up and took Mistoffelees' outstretched paw. He led her out to the center of the hall and began a simple dance with her.
No way she's gonna want to leave with us now! Eliot thought smugly to himself as he watched them.
Gradually other couples began to join them. Vyktorea tried again to get Eliot to dance with her, but he remembered Plaetoh's warning and turned her down. Disappointed, Vyktorea very reluctantly accepted Tughar's invitation.
Meanwhile, Plaetoh started out dancing with his little sister, Jemymah, then traded her to Tumblebrutus for Etsetera, and at a nod from Tughar, passed her off to him and accepted Vyktorea from his friend.
Hardly knowing how it had happened, Vyktorea found herself in the arms of the chief's oldest kitten. She couldn't look him in the eye. She was sure he had guessed that she had strong feelings for Eliot.
As if reading her mind, Plaetoh whispered, "They'll be gone when their space ship is fixed."
"I know," Vyktorea whispered back.
She felt tears stinging her eyes and started to move to the sidelines. Plaetoh stayed close behind her, so they were the first to see Grizabella enter the hall.
©1999 Delilah