Disclaimer: I do not own Zootopia or any of its characters, they all belong to Disney.
Chapter 15
Earth – The Hague, Netherlands – Netherlands Congress Centre hotel – August 22, 1990 10:37 am CET.
Tomorrow Dawn and a hundred and three of her closest friends would attend the opening of the 48th World Science Fiction Convention on this newest version of Earth. Only ninety-nine of them had actually checked into the hotel with her while the other four would arrive an hour before the convention's opening aboard two of the heavy troop carriers from the Zootopia III. She thought about what the other attendees would think and smiled. Then the elevator dinged and the doors opened on the penthouse floor. As she stepped off she heard one of the others ding and its doors open also. A few seconds later the first group of her friends spilled out of the other four elevators along with their porters.
She had only one suitcase while several of the others brought carts full of stuff. After making sure everyone was present and accounted for she went to her room and tossed her large suitcase on the bed. It opened and she put her clothes and other things away. Then she looked at the silvery metal that lined the large suitcase which became soft and quickly formed a puddle in the middle of the bed.
"I sure hope you can do that in reverse or I'll have to carry stuff home a paper bag," she said and chuckled. The puddle quickly reformed into a suitcase. "Good." The freeform robot took only a minute to become a character in her favorite book. She circled it and ran a hand, beginning on its flank, across its back and through the mane at the base of the two necks. "Your skin feels quite real, but you need clothes."
"Actually I don't," Ellie said, one eye on each of her two heads staring at her, "but as the humans say 'when in Rome.'"
"We're not, but the idiom works either way," she said as a cloth formed, covering her flank. "Better?" She trotted to the window on her three legs and opened the drapes with one of her mouths. Then she looked toward the city. "So should I be your boyfriend?"
Dawn just stared at her.
"Please just play your character," Dawn said and smiled. "How is it walking on three legs?"
"It took a little practice, but it was still only a simple problem in physics."
She chuckled and then there was a knock at the door. Dawn opened it and Jill Hopps and her son Michael stood there. She was a large Rabbit and he was a cat-like alien called a Ris and currently he looked like anything but that. Dawn had to smile.
"So you actually let him do it," Dawn said as Ellie came up beside her.
"He wanted to so bad," the Rabbit said and shrugged, "and I just couldn't say no."
Dawn snorted and looked at the cub.
"So I see you shaved your tail and ears and changed your fur color," Ellie said, continuing to inspect him, "but you not quite tall enough yet."
"I look fierce!" he said, standing and expressing his claws, and growled.
Apparently Ris cubs grew fast, now being taller than his mother and just a bit taller than herself too, Dawn thought.
"You do," she said and reached over to scratch behind one of his ears. Michael leaned into it and got a blissful expression on face. "I've tamed the wild beast."
"Let's have lunch," Jill said.
Earth – The Hague, Netherlands – Netherlands Congress Centre hotel – August 22, 1990 11:25 am CET.
There were several people waiting to be seated when they entered the restaurant. The maître d' looked at them for a moment, a hint of smile coming to his face.
"A table for four?" he asked in English.
"Yes please," Dawn said in Dutch. "How long is the wait?"
"Only ten minutes," he replied in the same language and smiled. "I've seen a number of people in costumes today, but by far yours are best."
"Costumes?" Dawn said and raised an eyebrow.
The maître d' frowned and she smiled, looping her long tail over her right shoulder almost touching the man's face. Ellie stepped closer and for a moment the eyes on each neck stared at each other. Then they turned toward the human. Michael licked his muzzle, exposing his impressive dentition and his mother's ears came up and swiveled toward the man. Then some of her friends began filing in behind them.
"You're..." the man began.
"not from this world," Dawn said, finishing his thought, and cocked her head.
"My God!" he exclaimed and grinned.
"If you'd like to talk later I have some time," the Lemur said and looked back for a moment, seeing more of her friends entering the waiting area, "but I think for now you're going to be quite busy."
Earth – The Hague, Netherlands – Netherlands Congress Centre hotel – August 22, 1990 12:44 pm CET.
Lunch had been interesting, Dawn thought and smiled. The Ris cub had eaten four large steaks and still looked hungry, but his mother had insisted that he eat some vegetables too. He insisted that he was a carnivore and the Rabbit reminded him that she knew for a fact that Ris were omnivores. When some of her friends who were adult Ris sat at the adjacent table began to eat her point was proven. In the end he ate his vegetables. During this time humans who weren't part of her group tried not to watch, but she noticed some of them glance over every once in a while. She smiled.
"So are you full?" she asked the cub.
"The meat was wonderful!" he said and looked at his mother.
"And the vegetables," Jill said.
He only looked at his mother and she smiled.
"So what do you want to do now?" Dawn asked.
"Let's go see the city."
Earth – The Hague, Netherlands – International Court of Justice – August 22, 1990 13:25 pm CET.
It would've been quite a hike from the hotel to the city's downtown so they took a city bus that covered the 28 kilometers in just a little over half an hour. It stopped only a block from the International Court of Justice and they followed the signs and soon stood before the ornate building. She noticed two of her friends who were wearing armor which she hoped were only modified crew models and not the ones the Ris soldiers actually wore. They shouldn't be able to get those, but sometimes things did get 'misplaced'.
"So this is where the trials are being held," Jill said, remembering her sister mentioning it in passing.
"Beginning in two weeks," Dawn said as the others gathered around.
"I know someone who's going to be a witness," one of the adult Ris said. "She was a doctor in China and saw some terrible things in Beijing."
The Ris cub grew bored, listening to the adults, and soon noticed humans watching them or more specifically him, but also giving their group a wide berth. He wondered why, but knew better than to leave his mother to investigate himself. The humans all looked so different – tall, short, male, female, old, young. He certainly found watching them more interesting and dropped to all fours, lying on his stomach. That seemed to make them give the group even a wider berth. The smallest ones holding the adult's hands must be human cubs, he thought. Several tried to pull the adult with them toward him, but were always directed away. So intent he was on watching the humans he hadn't noticed that his mother and others had drifted away. They'd just assumed he'd follow.
Eventually he saw a human cub by itself and in that same moment it saw him. It squeaked and started in his direction. He wondered if it were male or female, but then noticed it had longer hair. The adult female humans usually had long hair so he decided that it must be female. Soon enough she stood before him and giggled. Then she patted his head and ran her finger though through his thick fur. He stood on all fours so they'd be at eye level and rubbed his face against hers. She giggled again and then hugged him.
Jill finally noticed that her son wasn't beside her and looked back the way they'd come. Then she saw him down the block with a human child on his back. She rolled her eyes and started toward them.
"Jill?" Dawn said.
"Look," the Rabbit said and pointed.
Dawn laughed and followed her friend. Then the others saw the same thing and laughed too and followed the Lemur. Just as the Rabbit squatted down beside the cub and his new human friend a scream split the air. Michael looked toward the sound and saw a woman running toward them. They he heard the human cub say something and he stepped toward her. The woman tripped on the curb and landed on him and his mother. The human cub was pinned between him and the women and then she began to scream.
A block away two police officers heard the screams too, called it in, and then hurried toward the sound. When they arrived they saw a tiger throw a woman off this back and a large rabbit lifting a child off into her arms. The woman landed in an untidy heap about five feet away. They drew the service pistols and in less than ten seconds they would find that had been a mistake.
Two of the teenage Ris who were dressed in armor noticed the human with guns and where they were being pointed. Theirs weren't the actual armor that Ris soldiers wore, but very good copies and certainly could and soon would stop and/or deflect small arms fire. The teenagers were smart enough not to make the armor all at one time, but had the parts build over several months on several different Alliance ships. They simply brought it with them and assembled it in their hotel room. The Ris were soon to find out that their armor worked as they expected, but it had been built just a bit too well.
So intent on tiger the police officers hadn't noticed the armored figures until they were nearly on top them. One officer just had enough time to squeeze off a single shot before their pistols were taken from them. This led to a single broken wrist and three broken fingers. The Ris had fun bending pistols double and dropping them in front of the surprised officers. That first and only shot had scattered the crowd. Then something very tall and furry stood over them.
"My name is Eshu," he said in Dutch, "and I'm a doctor."
Earth – Rhein-Main Air Base, Federal Republic of Germany – August 22, 1990 13:35 pm CET.
Two hundred and ninety miles east Vajjar, Captain of the 'Ris' Pride', was visiting the Rhein-Main Air Base near Frankfort in the Federal Republic of Germany. The Ris was giving the American base commander and his senior officers a tour of one of their smaller troop transports as he called it. The American officer thought looking at cavernous space they could get a least six fighters with the pilots, ground crew, and all their necessary equipment inside. He idly wondered if he could talk the Ris into lending him a few of these. Then a Ris came running from the flight deck.
"Captain!" she said, interrupting them. Vajjar looked at her with a raised an eyebrow. "West of here in the city of," she looked at her pad, "The Hague one of our armored suits is under fire."
"Does the Alliance have any soldiers stationed there?"
She tapped her pad. The same pads that had been also supplied to the Americans had translated their interaction.
"The International Court of Justice is in The Hague," the base commander said, looking at the Ris, "as are the Russian, Chinese, and North Korean prisoners. Could someone have gotten hold of one of your sets of armor?"
"No," Vajjar said and looked back to the female Ris. "Can you get an identity from the armor?"
She tapped her pad.
"No sir."
"That's impossible!" he said and then tapped on his own pad.
He received the same results.
"Someone could be going after the prisoners to either release them or kill them," the base commander said. "The Russians have never been particularly well liked by their neighbors nor by the peoples they'd conquered over the centuries. There've been several acts of terror against Russian nationals in various parts of old Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in the last few months."
"I've read about that," he said and tapped on his pad again. "The Ris' Pride in on the other side of the planet and would take half an hour to send marines."
"Sir, we're closer," she said. "We could be there in less than ten minutes."
He stared at the female for a few seconds.
"We lift in one minute," he said and female Ris turned and ran back to the flight deck.
"Sir," the base commander said and Vajjar turned back to the man. "It might be better if you have some humans along with you."
"Do you have anyone in mind?"
"Sir, I've been to The Hague during the war and several times since."
"OK."
"Sir, maybe my Air Police could come with us."
"You mean your bodyguards," Vajjar said and the man smiled sheepishly.
The troop transport's engines began spooling up.
"They're not really bodyguards."
The Ris smiled.
"Get them."
Earth – The Hague, Netherlands – International Court of Justice – August 22, 1990 13:48 pm CET.
Just as they began to hear sirens in the distance and a Ris troop transport appeared overhead and hovered. Then it set down in the middle of the nearest intersection and the boarding ramp lowered. Twenty-two armored figures marched down the ramp followed by a ten armed humans. One of the armored figures and a human started walking toward the armored Ris teenagers.
"What are they doing here?" Dawn said and started off to meet them.
The others soon followed.
Earth – The Hague, Netherlands – International Court of Justice – August 22, 1990 13:50 pm CET.
Vajjar stopped and looked at the two armored soldiers.
"What unit are you with?" he said, opening his visor.
"Sir, we're not in the army," the taller of the two said.
"Where did you get that armor?!"
"We built them," the other said.
"Why are you here?!"
"We're here to attend the World Science Fiction convention," the Eshu said, standing a facing the Ris Captain. "So Vajjar, why are you here?"
"One of their suits reported that it had been fired on," Vajjar said and one of teenagers pointed a police officers.
"He was going to shoot Michael!" one Ris teenage said.
"Hi Vajjar!" Dawn said in the Ris language.
The Ris captain looked at the Lemur for moment and then looked at the Ris cub. He cocked his head and remembered the human book Dawn had given him. The cub had furless ears and tail and striped fur and Ris captain had to smile.
"Do you have a name?" he asked and the cub stood.
"Speaker!" he said and hissed.
He padded the cub's head and looked back at Dawn.
"So this is where you were going after visiting Madagascar on this new Earth."
"And it seemed to have gotten more interesting since I've arrived."
"Trouble just seems to follow you around."
"I simply consider it being in the right place at the right time," she said and smiled.
The Ris sighed and his pad beeped.
"The human police are here," the female Ris reported.
"How many?"
"Sir, it looks like all of them."
Vajjar had to smile.
"Trouble has arrived," he said to no one in particular and then looked at the two police officers and the two teenage Ris. "You four follow me."
"I'm their doctor," Eshu said and both he and his mate, Risa, followed behind. "How is the woman?"
"She wasn't hurt and Jill's looking after her."
"You certainly have some interesting problems," the base commander said, "but I can sympathize. We have families on base with teenagers too. I could tell you stories."
"Maybe later," he said and put a hand on the man's shoulder. "Now we have to deal with them."
Dawn tagged along behind.
Earth – The Hague, Netherlands – International Court of Justice – August 22, 1990 14:01 pm CET.
Vajjar stood waiting as several police officers approached. The one that led them stopped, looked at the group, and then faced him.
"Why are you here with that," he said and pointed to the troop transport.
Vajjar assumed that this human was in charge as Dawn translated.
"Because one of your men fired his weapon at one of my people."
The officer's two bent and now useless pistols were tossed on the ground before them by one of the Ris teenagers. Vajjar had to smile as the human looked at the weapons and then at his two men and the Mellin.
"Follow me," the human said and led his men to what he thought was out of earshot.
Dawn continued to translate as they watched the two police officers explain and point in their general direction. After five minute they returned.
"Those two are under arrest," he said and pointed at the Ris teenagers.
"As you may recall all of our Alliance visitors have diplomatic immunity," the American Air Force General said, indicating the Ris and Mellin. "As I recall all the United Nation members agreed including The Netherlands."
"I don't care they assaulted two of my men!"
"Only after they pointed their guns at a Ris cub," one the teenagers said.
Vajjar looked at the teenager for a moment and then back to the police officer.
"Have you been listening Prime Minster?" Dawn asked and smiled.
"Yes," Prime Minster Lubbers said. "I'd like to speak to him."
"Certainly sir," she said and handed the pad which currently displayed the Prime Minister's face to the police officer.
Vajjar chuckled at the look on the man's face as he walked back to the troop carrier and Dawn continued to translate for the others. A few moments later the Ris' Pride silently came into view and a minute later stopped, hovering over the city.
Earth – Washington, D.C., United States of America – White House – August 22, 1990 10:11 am CDT.
President George Bush was in the oval office alone, but for a single Secret Service agent, for the first time today. He was finally catching on some of the briefs when his pad pinged. He sighed and touched the screen and it was filled with a picture of a spaceship hovering over a city. Then a smaller window opened and the Vice-President Dan Quayle's face appeared.
"This is a Ris ship hovering over The Hague," he said.
"Did something happen to the prisoners?!"
"Sir, we don't think..."
Just then a second window popped open in his pad and he saw the face of a Lemur.
"Mr. President, Mr. Vice-President, I'm here in The Hague and noticed that you're watching the video feed from here," she said and smiled. "Well actually my pad's AI did."
"Dawn..." he began, remembering the large Lemur when her mother, Catherine, had visited the White House several months ago.
"Clawhauser, yes."
"How..."
"It's easy."
"I thought my pad was protected."
"Sir, it is, but I know a few tricks."
"Of course you do," he said, sighing, and she giggled.
"I thought you might want to know what's going on."
"I do."
"Well, my friends and I are attended the World Science Fiction here in The Hague and," she began and for the next few minutes told the story. "It was just a small misunderstanding."
"It does seem that way," he said and almost smiled. "Could I speak to the General?"
"Sure," she said and handed her pad over to the Air Force officer.
Then the President heard the story again from the General's point of view. Afterword Dawn's face reappeared.
"Sir, Captain Vajjar is current speaking to the Dutch Prime Minster," she said and turned the pad so he could see the Ris. "I could fix it so all four of you could talk."
"Why not," George said and knew this was going to be another long day.
Earth – The Hague, Netherlands – Netherlands Congress Centre hotel – August 23, 1990 6:42 am CET.
Dawn woke early anticipating the arrival of the heavy troop carriers. Opening the curtains she saw the Ris' Pride still filling the sky above the convention center. The day before she'd spoken to Vajjar and suggested that he invite the Dutch Prime Minster to tour his ship and of course what better place would be than here during the World Science Fiction convention. She smiled and went to take a shower.
Just as she stepped out she heard a knock on the door and Ellie answer it. She heard Ben's voice and quickly rubbed herself with a towel. Then she wrapped it around herself and opened the door.
"Ben!" she said and hugged him. "I so glad you could come!"
The Cheetah looked at his daughter and noticed how much she'd grown. She seemed taller every time he saw her!
"You're still dripping," he said and smiled. "Go dry yourself off."
"Yes, mom," she said and went back in the bathroom. Ben rolled his eyes. "Ellie, will you help brush my fur?"
"Sure," the AI said and then they heard the hair drier."
"So you're supposed to be one the characters in one of Dawn's books."
"Yea," he said and stepped closer to Ben.
"Looks like you can do anything with one of those free form robots," he said and touched her back. "It actually feels like skin."
"I've been thinking of trying an organic body."
"That's a big step," he said and sat on the bed. "You can't just step out of it and forget it like one of those."
He motioned to her current body.
"I know," she said and sighed. "I know."
Dawn stepped out and looked at the two of them.
"What's up?!"
"We're just taking," Ellie said and motioned to the other bed. "Lay down."
Of course knowing no modesty whatsoever Dawn was nude and Ben looked away. Of course she noticed and smiled. Then she got her brush and handed to Ellie.
"How mom doing?" she asked.
"She's off in China," Ben said.
"Which one?" Dawn asked as Ellie began to brush her fur.
"The one here," he said and chuckled. "She's offering to bring in more Rabbits to help them with their agriculture and others to help rebuild and with other projects."
"I'd better send her a message about the desolation plants and its infrastructure."
"She already mentioned it."
"Good," she said and looked at his back. "How come you aren't with her?"
"I heard about you're little adventure and thought I'd better come."
"Did she..."
"No, it was all my idea."
"How is she?"
"She's one angry vixen that you came by yourself."
"First," she said, rising and standing before her father. A moment later Ben's ears turned pink and he looked away again. "I'm not by myself and second, I was just an innocent bystander."
Ben laughed.
"True enough, but..."
"Mom's a worrywart!"
Ben didn't say anything for a bit and smiled.
"In her eyes you're still that cute little Lemur that sat on her shoulder."
Dawn rolled her eyes.
"Tell me honestly what you think?"
"You look very adult," he said and she noticed his ears grow red.
She laughed and then she looked at the clock.
"They'll be here in half an hour!"
"Who?"
"You'll see," she said and smiled.
Earth – The Hague, Netherlands – outside Netherlands Congress Centre hotel – August 23, 1990 8:04 am CET.
Ben stood near the growing crowd and watched as the two heavy troop carriers flew over the convention center, giving the Ris' Pride a wide berth, and set down in an open field nearby. Then he felt someone touch his fur and looked down to find a teenage girl looking up at him.
"You're a Cheetah," she said and winked. It was going to be one of those days, he thought. "I've seen other..."
She stopped and looked at him.
"Animals," he supplied and she frowned for a moment.
"Around the convention center."
"Benjamin Clawhauser," he said and put out a hand. She carefully took it and shook. "Don't worry I keep them dulled."
She looking into his eyes and smiled.
"My name's Anne Brown and I'm from England," she said and smiled as her accent confirmed what she's just said. "Can I see them? He held out both hands and expressed all eight claws. "They look deadly."
"As you know looks can be deceiving," he said and returned her smile, showing all his teeth.
"Those look dangerous too."
"And they're sharp as they look."
Then three other girls about the same age joined them.
"These are my friends."
"Mary."
"Margret."
"Elizabeth."
"Nice to meet you all," he said and shook hands with them each in turn.
Of course he had to show each of them his claws and teeth.
"So I see you've been making some new friends," Dawn said, coming up behind him.
"As always," he said.
"And it seems like they're always female."
"You're a Lemur," Anne said.
"In the flesh and I'm from Zootopia," she announced, "as is my father here." The four looked girls looked between them and Dawn smiled. "As you may have guessed I'm adopted."
The four girls giggled and then they all heard the flap of great wings.
Earth – The Hague, Netherlands – outside Netherlands Congress Centre hotel – August 23, 1990 8:09 am CET.
The first Dragon launched itself out of the heavy troop carriers as soon as the ramp touched the ground.
"Wow!" Anne squealed and clapped her hands as the second one followed its father. "Dragons!"
"Follow me," the Lemur said and led them away from the crowd, "and I'll show you something even more interesting."
"But," Anne said and pointed toward the Dragon.
"Trust me," Dawn said and turned.
Ben followed his daughter and the girls, wondering just what else his daughter might have in mind. As soon as they we're away from the crowd and concealed behind some brush and trees she pulled out her pad and touched a few keys. Then spoke for a few seconds and one of the Dragons flew toward the Ris' Pride and landed atop it. The starship actually swayed a little and crowd oohed and aahed as the dragon walked across the ship and roared. A few seconds later the felt and heard the downbeat of great wings and the female Dragon and her two dragonets landed behind them.
"Oh my God!" Anne screamed.
"So how would you like to meet a Dragon?" Dawn said and smiled.
"I saw them on the Telly when they were at the UN last year," she said and Dawn took the girl's hand.
She felt a little resistance.
"They're intelligent and vegetarians," she said and the girl hesitantly took a step forward. "They can even talk and if you ask nicely they might even give you a ride."
"Really!"
"They did in New York," Dawn said and the other girls followed. "Remember?"
"Yes," she said and the female Dragon met them halfway.
Anne felt its warm breath on her face and looked into Dragon's eyes. Dawn took the girl's hand and put it under the dragon's jaw.
"They like to be scratched here," Dawn said and moved the girl's hand.
Anne felt the Dragon push against her hand and smiled. Then two younger and much smaller ones pushed forward and Anne heard Dawn's pad translate.
"Be careful, the humans are small and fragile," their mother said and children were soon amongst them.
The other girls felt the dragonets rubbed against them like cats, but unlike the much smaller felines they were large enough to shove them aside. The girls ran their hand across their backs and felt the scaly flesh. Elizabeth looked at the other girls and climbed on the male's back. Then he spread his wings and leapt. They glided about ten feet and landed lightly. Then he turned and looked back at his mother.
"She's just too heavy," he said and Dawn's pad translated.
Margret and Mary giggled and Elizabeth blushed. Anne laughed and soon everyone joined her. A few minutes later Elizabeth still glared at all of them.
"Maybe you ought to ..." Anne began.
"Just don't you say another word!" Elizabeth said and then heard a loud pop.
They looked up and a wing of Dragons flew over them. In the lead were a single bronze followed by eight browns, seven greens and a six blues. All of them had riders dressed in leather armor and then as one the Dragons breathed fire. Several more wings soon followed them. Lastly came one made up exclusively of twenty golds.
"So the Dragonriders made it," Dawn said and smiled at her father.
Earth – Washington, D.C., United States of America – White House – August 23, 1990 5:11 am CDT.
President George Bush woke and headed straight to the bathroom. Afterward he looked in on Barbara who was still sleeping peacefully and wondered if it would be the same when it came closer for her delivery date. Then he smiled and pulled the door shut. He went to the living room, patted the single secret service agent on the shoulder along the way by, and turned on the TV. George wondered why there was a monster movie on and who'd changed the channel. Only after he yawned did he notice the CNN logo in the corner and the words The Hague, Netherlands at the bottom of the screen. He turned up the sound and listened for a few minutes. Then he snatched up his pad and called the one person in The Hague who he was absolutely sure knew exactly what was happening. A few seconds later he learned exactly what a surprised Lemur looked like.
"Mr. President!"
"So..."
"You're up kinda early today."
"Yes," he said and yawned again, "and I just happened to turn on the TV."
"Oh."
"And wondered why there are Dragons all over The Hague and where they all came from."
"They're from Rukbat," she said and saw the President frown. "It's a star in the Human Federation. Of course there's one in all three universes, but they're from that one."
"So."
"This isn't really my fault."
"Tell me," he said and unsaid was that he's he the judge of that.
"I emailed them that their favorite author would be here," she said and shrugged. "They said they'd come, but I didn't expect them all to come and bring all their dragons too. You see they live on their planet like the characters in the books and the dragons are genetically engineered to be like the ones in the books too. Of course in their universe the author's been gone for a very long time and of course this would be their only chance to actually meet her."
"I see," he said and then a thought struck him. "How many other groups did you contact?"
"Only forty-two," she said in a small voice.
"Only forty-two," he repeated.
"I didn't hear back from all of them and I do have a feeling that this may have gotten around and other groups might have gotten much the same idea."
Her words were prophetic.
Earth – The Hague, Netherlands – outside Netherlands Congress Centre hotel – August 28, 1990 5:09 pm CET.
The one thing that would be remembered about the 48th World Science Fiction Convention was that its attendance was larger than any before it and larger that all the rest combined many times over. Also it was the first to have actual 'aliens' attending.
"All's well that ends well," Dawn said, looking at her mother and sister-in-law.
Catherine looked at Judy and sighed. Judy looked at her Lemur and rolled her eyes.
"She's the master of understatement," Sofia said and winked at Dawn.
"I thought it was interesting," Ben said and padded his wife's hand.
"Me too!" Daniel said and looked at his sister. "I wish I could've come the first day, but I had to stay with mom. I don't know why I couldn't come with dad!"
The smaller Lemur leapt to Ben's shoulder and the Cheetah staggered a bit. Catherine looked at her husband and son and sighed.
"Well I had a great time!" Nick said and grinned. "Apparently science fiction fans are..."
"Extremely affectionate," Judy finished, remembering the number women who approached her husband.
Of course he did nothing to discourage them either, she thought. At least Ben had tried at first, but he was male too.
"Now admit it you had a good time too," Dawn said, shaking a finger at them.
Catherine and Judy looked at each other for a few seconds and then laughed.
"I do remember a certain man who'd never met a vixen," Ben said and his golden eyes met green ones, "and was very persistent."
Catherine stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed.
"And I remember a bunch of children who just loved cu..." Nick began.
"Don't say it!" Judy said.
"Cute little bunnies," Jill finished and received a glare from her sister. "And it didn't bother me one little bit."
"They liked me too!" Michael said, "Even though I look fierce!"
Judy noticed that his fur was just starting to grow back in on his ears and tail.
"How'd Dawn's favorite author like your costumes?" Judy asked, looking at Ellie.
"He was impressed," the AI said as her two eye stalks faced at each other. "He was really excited to see the starship. He said the 'Lying Bastard' was perfect and really enjoyed our little side trip to Alpha Centauri. We also gave him the ship and he was very happy. He also sighed all his books even the ones he hadn't written yet!" She stepped closer to Ben. "I've decided to create an organic body and it going to be modeled off this one. I think other AIs will like to be Pierson's Puppeteers too."
"How Vajjar's ship?" Dawn asked. "Is he still complaining?"
"Let's just say it's a bit scratched up," the vixen said and smiled, "and we're just lucky we won't be walking back to Zootopia."
"It certainly did make a good perch for all the Dragons," Dawn said and looked at Judy. "Did all of them come back yet?"
"I guess I shouldn't have let them all have shore leave at the same time."
"I heard that some of them made it all the way to China and Japan," she said and smiled. "I also heard that some of them want to stay."
"They are free to do whatever they want," Judy said. "So what are you going to do?"
"I've spoken to General Chiang and he wants me to work with him," Dawn announced. "We'd better get going. The closing ceremonies are going to be starting soon."
Ben looked at his wife and winced.