Friends

Kat sits on the small cot alone. She's battered and bruised; her home was destroyed a matter of hours ago. Of her entire sector she is the only survivor. There could have been another survivor – her unborn child of thirteen weeks – but...

"Excuse me?"

Kat looks up, eyes still dilated with the aftershock of PTSD. The male, Sirian, blue and scaled, speaks Earth English. She answers in the same language: "hello?"

"Miss...I," the male begins. His canine face doesn't express much, but she manages to find remorse and sympathy in his expression. "I am truly sorry for what has happened."

Kat can only nod and curl up a little more. Approximately sixteen hours ago, Felis was destroyed; approximately twelve and a half hours ago, she miscarried and her thirteen week old kit perished. Now, she feels hollow, in the darkest, cruelest sense of the world. "Thank you...I am sorry about Sirius."

The Sirian nods his thanks and hovers a moment. He looks to her for permission to enters; he receives it. As he enters the room he tries to be as unimposing as he can with his large stature. "Miss Manx, I have been sent to ask about your plans in the immediate future."

Kat almost lets out a mordant laugh but holds it in. "Your commanders want to drop me off quickly," she says as more of a statement than a question.

"My apologies, they don't have the best tact in any given situation. I told them that you might not have any, but it might not buy you much time—I'm sorry. We never thought Grumm would reach this far."

"What's your name?" Kat asks suddenly, voice surprisingly solid.

"Anubis Cruger," says the Sirian. His face softens discernibly as he looks down at the delicate feline woman. "I am the one who found you in your sector, Miss."

"Call me Kat, Mister Cruger; I'm not a missus anymore so you might as well," her tone is flat and there's a detachment in her words that allows her to say them without breaking down.

"I am without mate currently as well, so, please, call me Doggie," he is kind as he says it, neither harsh nor judging.

Kat smiles up at the Sirian softly and sighs a little. "Thank you, for saving me. I've always admired SPD for their valiance. My hus...husband...always told me to apply for a job at Felis' base."

"What is your profession, if I may ask," Cruger asks gently. He rescued the woman from her home, though he remembers the scent of chemicals clinging to her vaguely.

"Biochemical engineer, technically. I got my degree from SPD academy, actually, but when I found out I was carrying..." Kat trails off, the ending being implied, plus, now, she's tired.

Cruger shifts a bit and it captures Kat's attention. "Kat, I can tell that you are strong, and tenacious, and worthy of admiration. I wish for you to take all the time you need to heal; this is a traumatic event to deal with and you should grieve. That being said, should you decide to pursue work for SPD I would like you to contact me. By all means, I will assist you in any way possible."

Kat considers Doggie's kindness and decides not to look a gifted Sirian in the mouth. "Thank you, Doggie."

"Please, remember me...as a friend," Doggie offers a blue, scaled, clawed paw.

Kat offers her own, finely clawed hand, tiny in comparison. "I will, thank you, Doggie."

So, friends they become.