Chapter 27: Domestic

When he stepped off the Crimson Light's bridge, Gary was not in the least surprised to find Avocato standing opposite the door, waiting for him with barely-contained impatience. There was a hard glint in his eyes and none of the tension had left him.

"You heard?" Gary asked.

Avocato nodded, not the least put out by eavesdropping when time was of the essence. "I also reviewed the footage."

Knowing Avocato wouldn't mention it unless he'd found something, Gary pressed, "What have you got?"

"It's not much, but I can offer some insight to the races we're dealing with. I also gave AVA my command overrides to see if she can hack further into the spaceport's security system."

"Good thinking. Guys," called Gary, assembling his crew with a quick gesture. "Cato, shoot."

"AVA, give me a visual," ordered Avocato. Immediately the AI generated a hologram showing a still frame from the scuffle between Little Cato and the slavers. Avocato pointed, and the first alien was highlighted and an image of each species and general stats from AVA's data files was shown right next to it. "The smallest one with the pointy head is a Foog. By all appearances, it's still immature, only eighty or so years old. That means that without those optic lenses it's got on, it's highly susceptible to light. Even ambient light will blind it." He pointed to a slim insectoid. "This one is a Kssess. As a whole the species is pretty unremarkable, with no natural outstanding offensive or defensive capabilities. What's more, their limbs are pretty brittle and will regenerate quickly. They tend to armor up to compensate, though this one doesn't appear to be heavily armed. The humanoid is probably either a human or a Delgan, I can't tell from this image. If it's human," he gestured at Gary and Nightfall, "you know your limitations. If it's Delgan, it's a host body with the same limitations. Just make sure to burn it so you kill the worm in its brain, otherwise it can live in a non-Delgan host for a while." He caught Gary's horrified look and amended, "On second thought, just burn it. Don't even try to figure out what it is."

"What's this last one?" asked Nightfall, pointing to the largest alien in the group.

Avocato's eyes narrowed. "That's a Kormidorn. Overall, a very advanced and enlightened civilization, but when they go bad, they go very bad. Unless they've got some berserker Chorbina in this crew, that's the most dangerous of the lot. They're strong, fast, and very hard to kill. On the bright side, they're extremely difficult to get along with and are usually pretty disliked, have only one eye, and have a tendency to act first and think second in high-pressure situations."

"And our little boy kicked him twice in the head," said Gary with unmistakable pride. "Okay. AVA, keep up the surveillance and trying to break into the security system. Give me a map of Geegua." Instantly the aliens were replaced by a mostly-circular 3-D map of twisting streets and too many shops jammed into a tight space. As with the docking bay, most of the spaceport was carved from the rock, like an ant colony that was open to the sky. "Okay, squad, it's not real big but it's way crowded. If Fox is right, we should find the slavers over here." He pointed to a location about a third of the way along the radius of the town. "Keep in mind this is the bad side of a town with no real good side. We're leaving HUE and KVN to guard Bodek. Ash, Fox, stay together. Fox, you think of anything else that might help, call us immediately. Nightfall, you take Chuckie and be our eye in the sky. I got Mooncake. Avocato." Taking a deep breath, he braced himself for what he knew was coming. "You have to stay here."

"No."

There was a deadly threat and promise in that tone. Sensing the pending eruption, Nightfall herded the children and Mooncake away to arm themselves and give the two ranking officers adequate space for their first domestic dispute.

"Captain," said Avocato in that same steady, quiet, frightening voice, "this is my son."

"Mine, too. I get it, but you have to stay here. You're too well known. People will recognize you instantly."

"I don't care."

"Well, I do."

The look he got was fierce and bespoke a savage and barely-contained fury. "Captain," he growled again, his voice carrying, "I am not that creature's slave so that my child can be one as well."

Down the hall, Ash and Fox exchanged a wide-eyed look of shock and dismay at the notion. In that instant, both of them forgot they were in the past and could think only of Invictus. Edging closer to one another, they looked to Nightfall for reassurance. Nightfall grimaced and bowed her head for a moment, then opened the locker they used as an armory to get a gun for Ash and more power packs for her own weapons with new determination.

"Come on," she ordered, handing over the gun before ushering them toward the lift. "Help me get Chuckie moving." She glanced back to where Avocato and Gary faced one another squarely. It was a confrontation for these two men alone, one they needed to have, and Gary would have to overcome Avocato's instinct to protect his only child.

For a moment, Gary was unable to speak. He was too stunned. It was a confession he had never expected Avocato to make where there was the least chance of being overheard. For Avocato to claim that title and expose himself so completely was testimony to his resolve and the lengths he would go for Little Cato. It was at once heartbreaking and devastating, a bitter and damning truth, and once again he ached for the Catos and the injustices they had endured. As he struggled for words, Gary reached out with both hands and lifted Avocato's paw, clasping it close to his chest. He felt oddly dizzy as he looked into those yellow eyes, and it was as if he was watching himself for a moment as he swore,

"I will not let that happen."

The general may as well have been carved from ice. "Neither. Will I."

"Cato . . . listen to me. Little Cato was in that time shard for sixty years. For us, it was an hour." He paused to gulp some air, fighting to control the overwhelming instinct to pace and fidget in the face of a topic so completely distressing. Fortunately, Avocato, who possessed enough self-control for ten people, was a statue, just waiting for Gary to go on. "Every minute for us, for me was a year for him, but it sure as hell didn't feel that way. We were fighting to get him back. We threw everything we had at that wall to break it. Ash finally managed to use the engines to enhance her powers and broke through. He still has nightmares about it. I do too. But sixty years on his own and he survived."

"I understand."

"Not enough," insisted Gary, tightening his grip. He swallowed, his throat constricting and pressure building in his chest as he thought back on the hardships his son had endured and the absolute terror that had consumed Gary for what was hands down the worst freaking hour of his life. Losing his dad, losing Quinn, losing Avocato could not compare to the all-consuming fear of losing Little Cato. Even remembering was enough to upset him, and why not? This was his son, and Gary's heart ached for him. "He had nothing but the resources contained in this ship. He kept it running, he kept himself fed and alive and while not completely sane, relatively healthy. He figured out how to make something from nothing, and he did everything by himself."

"What are you saying?"

He sniffed, swiping at his nose and feeling the weight of Avocato's frown. "I'm saying our son is the smartest and most resourceful person I know and if anyone can hold on, it's him. We will find him and he will be okay. I need you to believe that and me and stay here, Avocato. Please. I know I'm asking you to go against every instinct you've got. You can do this. You're stronger than me. We both know it. Hell, even Invictus knew it. I've never broken my word to you. I swear to you, I will find Little Cato, but none of that's any good if the people who want to kill you find out you're here. I can't fight on two fronts right now," he whispered tightly, begging. "So, please. For me. Stay."

Avocato opened his mouth, then shut it, hating that Gary was right. Clasping his hands tightly behind his back, he stood straighter and looked Gary squarely in the eye. The storm was still raging in him, but with supreme effort, Avocato said, "I'll stay, Gary. If you need me, call."

"Thank you," said Gary, not sure if he meant the promise to remain behind or the offer of back-up. Both, really. He sniffed again and blinked his eyes against the urge to give in and be an emotional disaster, hoarsely adding, "Here I go. I need a good cry when we get back."

The general's calm voice belied his intensity, though there was no criticism in him as he promised, "I'll make sure you get it."

"And I promise to call if things go south."

Another hard look, and then Avocato nodded shortly, believing him and trusting he'd keep his word.

Gary nodded back, his gratitude for his husband's understanding evident. He swiped at his drippy nose before he unholstered his gun to check the energy pack in it. Returning it to his hip, he leaned in to kiss Avocato goodbye and good luck. It was quick and a little sloppy, Gary being a leaky mess at the moment. If he was surprised at the unexpected gesture, Avocato hid it well. For Gary, it seemed the most normal thing imaginable for him to do and with a final nod, he bustled down the hall to the lift. What he had done did not even occur to him until he was bounding down the ramp of the Crimson Light into the open docking bay and and experiencing Zee Secundus' slightly lower gravity for the first time. He paused, blinking as he realized he had just casually kissed the general as if it was something he did every day on his way to work. And Avocato had just . . . kissed him back. How had they fallen into such an easy and comfortable routine? He looked back, half-hoping to see Avocato but knowing the general would not risk being seen. Instead he got a stern-looking Mooncake zooming down at him. Gary smirked, matching the little face hugger's determination.

"C'mon, Mooncake. Let's go get our Spider Cat back."