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"Has there been any change?" Eshara inquired of the exhausted looking Jaguar as she slowly entered the room.

The old feline just sighed and sadly flicked her ears a few times as she switched off her terminal and turned in her chair, the strain of the last 36 hours showing on her face. After the beating she and her staff had practically worked a merical saving nova's life but the boy had lapsed into a coma, the short time his brain had been deprived of oxygen exacting a heavy price. Melinda, using all her skills had redirected the nanites already in place from disassembling the bone fragment to repair as much of the brain damage as she could find, the bunny just not sure if she had gotten it all with her limited understanding of the human mind and the boys preexisting neurological injuries. Now, a day and a half later the jaguar just looked up to her equine friend with tired, blood shot eyes as she sighed " No, he still will not wake up and I dare not risk doing any more."

The unicorn just smiled supportively and started massaging Crystals shoulders, true tenderness and compassion in her voice as she spoke "I honestly pray the sweet child wakes before we get home, with as bad as things have been today I fear they will only grow worse until our friends can relive there guilt and gain his forgiveness. Our dear sweet captain has been coming down on everyone like a tyrant and the big bear has just been so torn up in side, I understand he has been here every few hours to check on the boy?"

Crystal nodded, relaxing back into the mares soft massage as she sadly purred "O goddess please don't remind me, Toby's last meal reminded me very much of recycled emergency rations." Then she tilted her head back, looking up to Eshara as she added "To be truthful I think most of them will get better in time, it is Dana I am worried about, all she does is work and sit at his bed side, I don't think the poor thing has eaten or slept since nova was teleported here."

The priestess knew that Crystal was feeling just as guilty as the rest of the command staff for nova's injuries, her stronger then average empathic gifts picking up on the felines internal turmoil even though she was doing her best to hide it. With a small shudder the doctor got to her feet and slowly made her way over to her office window, her ears laying limp as she looked at the disheveled mink sitting vigil at her sleeping boys bed side. "I pray the wolf that hurt him so badly finds herself in chains, honestly how could anyone believe that child was a threat."

The priestess just walked up behind the doctor and lovingly curled her arms around the kitty, pulling her close as she whispered in the felines ear " Dear child that is one prayer the goddess will not have to answer, it is my understanding that Fire has made her punishment his personal mission, In fact I saw her scrubbing the floors in the cargo bay just this morning with a pack of humans laughing at her." That earned a chuckle from Crystal as she turned around and curled her arms around the mare in return, sharing a long supportive hug with her head resting on Eshara's shoulder.

In the next room Dana was finding it hard to keep her blood shot eyes open, it felt like days since she had gotten any sleep, her exhaustion compounded by the emotional strain of the guilt and sorrow pressing down on her. Sitting here watching her boy peacefully sleep all she could think over and over again was that she should have never allowed the test to happen, what kind of owner could she hope to be to this human if he was almost killed due to her inability to protect him. Dear goddess she just needed to see his crystal blue eyes and warm smile again, Dana not able to feel anything except pain and heart brake with each rise and fall of his chest.

Thanks to the wonders of nanotech and dermal regeneration it would be hard to tell that less then two days ago he had been barely hanging on to life, not a mark showing on his body as the boy just slept so peacefully. Dana could not help but think It would be so easy just to pretend nothing had ever happened and move on with there lives, that is if her boy could forgive them. There was no way to know how he would react to the savagery of the attack on him, would he fear them all now? Would he paint all Anthros in the same light as his former owners? How could she expect her boy, no matter how sweet and loyal he was to ever place his trust fully in them again, if it had been her she surely would do anything she could to escape the ones that had nearly killed her.

The mink softly sighed as she brushed a few louse hairs from nova's face, watching the rhythmic rising and falling of his chest, her only comfort in all this was that Kayla had given her consent to her slave staying on board, she would be able to keep him at her side until they where both old and gray or until he was old and gray. Given the natural human life span and the normal Anthro one even if her slave lived to be a hundred years old he would still die more then 150 years before her, so much for grand cubs, she would be lucky if they where together long enough to see her own children starting there adult lives.

That brought a renewed sense of sadness to the mink, it reminding her about all the questions she had been asked by her staff not to long ago. As expected on a ship this small after the test word had quickly spread about her and nova, surprisingly most of the crew she had met gave there sympathies over his injuries, most of them even going so far as to ask her how they met. She had also found out that Morgan had been talking with the other mothers on board, telling them all about how nova had been with her cub, one of them on her staff even congratulating her on how lucky she was to catch a male so good with pups and asking if he was free to cub-sit before she knew of his injuries. That had earned the dim witted doe a slap on the back of the head from the bunny twins as Dana ran crying from the room, then she had come here in hopes that her boy had woken wile she was at work.

Dana shook herself out of memories of the past as she felt new tears welling up, the mink leaning in to kiss her boy lovingly on the cheek and whisper how much she loved him in his ear. Then she snuggled up on the chair beside his bed and pulled her blanket up to her neck, maybe she could get a few hours sleep before her next shift and if the goddess allowed, some nice dreams of what she would do when her boy was awake again.

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Nova could feel himself floating, drifting, disconnected as if he had been cast into a vast ocean of slightly chilled water. The slave knew instantly that he was in his world of dreams again and like before, this world had changed in new and interesting ways, gone was the darkness and the burning space station corridors. Now the slave found himself afloat in a pond surrounded by large rocks in the center of lush grasslands, the sounds of a near by forest meeting his ears. It was just after sunrise, twilight giving way to the first rays of dawn, it so peaceful here in this place of safety, no pain, no fear, nothing that could hurt him, that the slave found himself on the edge of drifting off to sleep within his own dream. Although time had no meaning here the slave felt like he had spent hours floating in the water with nothing except for the sound of his own beating heart and the forest in the back ground singing him a tender lullaby.

When next he was aware of his surroundings he found the sun had risen high in the sky and a new sound had joined the song of the forest, a gentle beeping far off in the distance that seamed to be calling out to him. For a wile he just ignored it not willing to give up the peace and tranquility of this perfect world, the beeping slowly growing more insistent until nova could no longer resist it. It was like the sound was pulling on his soul, beckoning to him, like there was something at that sound he just needed to find, something so important that it had reached him here where the outside world had never touched before.

As nova opened his eyes and started to swim in the direction the sound was coming from he froze, there just a few feet away the mystery female had returned, her glowing radiance stretched out on one of the large flat rocks as if she was sunning herself. Nova knew he should be afraid of her, the only ones that had ever appeared in his dreams where the demons and monsters that wanted to hurt him, but that was only in his nightmares, to have entered this place, the safe place where no harm had ever reached him before was something that not even his owners had done. Very slowly he swam over to her, stopping a few feet from her, the brightness of her glow hurting his eyes. Very timidly the slave drew a breath and tried to speak, tried to ask her name, nova just needing to know who she was and how she had entered his world of dreams.

To the boys great sadness he found that once again he had no voice in this place, it dawning on him that in all the years sleep had brought him here that he never had cause for words, there was never anyone for him to speak to. Even though he knew it was pointless the slave drew another soft breath and tried again, his voice failing once more. With no other choice he moved slowly closer to her, a timid hand reaching out to touch the radiant spirit in hopes that once she knew he was there she would grant him the privilege of speaking to him. Time seamed to slow as his hand approached her, her glow getting brighter and brighter until it threatened to burn him to ashes, incinerating his very soul. Just as he was about to touch her the world started to fade away, the day fading to night and the female disappearing again. Right before she vanished the slave could hear a gentle and musical voice deep in his mind, her voice sending shock waves through him as it filled every corner of his existence " Forget, forget the pain and the past, Give yourself to her, mind, body and soul, trust in her and she will protect you."

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A wave of pain overtook the slave as he opened his eyes, every inch of his body hurting, the pain so much it blurred his vision and stabbed at him with every breath. Dear Goddess why did he hurt so much, had he done something to be punished for? It just hurt to much to think. For what seamed like a very long time he just laid there breathing through the pain, a very strange beeping sound very close to him that seamed somehow comforting dancing on the edge of his senses. When finally the darkness left his eyes nova turned his head in the direction the sound was coming from, at first it was a hazy out line, then a dimly colored blob and after a wile he could barely make out the shape of someone very close to him, a sleeping female coming into focus, it was his Mistress. Above her he discovered the source of the sound, a softly beeping display screen he could only guess was some kind of medical device, it beeping in time with his heart.

As much pain as he was in the boy could still not help but notice how terrible his owner looked, her fur was a mess as if she had not brushed it in days and her uniform looked even worse then the first time he saw her, how could this be, she looked so beautiful just this morning. This morning, was it this morning? Why was he sleeping in the middle of the day and why was he in the medical bay? Why was his owner in a chair and he in a bed? His mind was just to clouded with pain to think, each thought stabbing at him as if to tell him not to even try. He was just about to close his eyes again and try to rest until the pain was gone when a small tremble and whimper from the mink caught his attention, it telling him his Mistress must be having a nightmare.

It was as if a switch in his mind had just been flipped, his Mistress needed him and no level of pain would prevent him from going to her. He looked over to her sleeping form and noticed that her blanket had fallen to the floor, not that she would need it with as thick as her fur was, the slave knowing from the small sounds and twitches that she needed it more for the subconscious comfort it provided. The boy drew a very deep breath and turned on his side, the pain stabbing through him as he slowly moved off the edge of the bed and dropped to his knees, it taking everything the boy had not to cry out in pain. If, if he could just cover his owner then he could rest again........................

Back in the doctor's office crystal just sighed in Eshara's comforting arms, the feline feeling so very helpless at not being able to do more for there boy. Even more she feared telling the captain that there had been no change, the Doctor sadly murring " If he has not woken up by the time we reach home hopefully a specialist in human physiology from the royal academy will be able to help him, I shutter to think what will happen if ......"

It was just then that the priestess brushed her muzzle over the side of Crystal's neck and released the hug with a tenderly whispered "Awwww that's just so precious, would you look at that."

Confused crystal slowly pulled away from the hug and could see Eshara looking out the window with a tender smile on her muzzle, her ears standing tall as she silently motioned for the doctor to turn. The sight that met the felines eyes was one that she would later pull from the surveillance video and add to the wall of family moments in the captains mess, nova was not only awake, he was kneeling at Dana's feet and pulling a blanket over her sleeping body. Crystal's muzzle instantly parted in a joyful grin as she happily muttered " That fool, that sweet innocent fool, he is going to hurt himself again."

Crystal's smile faded as nova finished tucking the blanket into place, the boys strength seeming to fail him as he instantly fell back to his knees and curled his arms around the minks legs with a pained expression on his face. She was already on her way to help when nova rested his head on his owners lap and just breathed, the minks paw automatically coming to rest on top of his head without even waking her. As the doctor and priestess both approached with the intention of returning the slave to bed Eshara could not help but take note of the change in Dana, her body language shifting from troubled nightmares to that of someone very much enjoying her dreams, waves of happiness radiating from her. It was almost a shame to disturbed this tender scene but nova needed to rest, even if most of the damage from the attack had been repaired he still needed time to heal. Just as the Doctor was reaching out to gently touch nova's back the minks com started emitting a preset alarm tone to wake her, it's loud and abrasive beeping causing Dana's eyes to snap open and the mink to ask in a startled and disoriented tone "Who? What?"

Dana had been having such a wonderful dream, her boy was awake and they had gone back to her cabin for hours of tender love making, then her boy had been torn from her arms again by the alarm she had forgotten to turn off. Still disoriented the mink switched off her com and glanced around, it taking several long seconds to remember where she was, the sight of the doctor and priestess standing in front of her reminding her of exactly where and why she was here. Her paw dropped back to her lap as her still groggy eyes drifted over to her boys bed only to find him gone, confused she just looked at the disarranged sheets as if her little blessing was still there and for some reason she just could not see him. Not able to understand what was happening she turned her head back to the doctor and was just about to ask where her boy was when a small motion on her lap drew her attention, it making her realize she was petting something. She froze as it dawned on her what this meant, her eyes getting wide as they drifted down and found that warm smile and enchanting blue eyes she had so desperately needed to see looking back at her. Her bottom lips started to quiver as tears welled up in her eyes, the mink trying to find the words when her boy beat her to it with a tenderly asked " Mistress you look so tired, may we go to bed?"

Happy tears wet the minks cheek fur as she curled her arms around her slave, mate and love, pulling him close to her with a joyfully cried out " NOVA." The mink just thanked the goddess over and over for returning her love to her, Dana telling herself she would never let him go again. So happy was the mink that she did not even notice nova's pain cry from being pulled to her, the mink having forgotten how much stronger she was then him.

Crystal smiled at seeing the mink so happy and gently reached forward to tug on one of her ears, happiness in her tone as she playfully admonished " Now, now, I know your happy to see him, but your going to brake the poor thing again, there will be plenty of time for you to love on him once he is feeling better." Dana looked up and blushed at the doctors suggestions, then frowned at seeing the pain in her boys eyes, both women helping him carefully back into bed. Once they had him on his back again Crystal quickly picked up an injector and gave the boy a good dose of pain suppressor, the look of agony in his eyes just braking the felines heart.

It only took a few minutes for the medication to take effect and for the boys suffering to slowly drop away, nova's keen mind having locked onto the doctor's words " Brake him again?" what had she meant by that, had he done something to cause his Mistress to punish him this harshly? No not this Mistress, he could not believe this beautiful lady in fur that had been so kind to him would inflict this level of pain on him. Feeling very confused he just looked up to the mink who was lovingly petting him, his voice very soft and timid as he asked " Mistress?"

"Yes my little blessing? " Dana answered as she pulled the covers over him.

The boy nervously licked his lips and dropped his eyes as he asked " Mistress did, did I do something wrong? I don't remember being punished."

Both women exchanged a look of confusion and concern at nova's question, this was something that Crystal had been afraid of, with the blows to his head and the lack of oxygen to his brain for almost 5 minutes memory loss was just one of the possible after effects. Choosing her words very carefully the Doctor reached out and traced a paw over his cheek as she asked " Sweet boy, tell me, what is the last thing you do remember?"

Nova involuntarily flinched when the doctor's gentle paw touched him, The contact invoking a deep sense of icy fear in him that the boy did not understand, the slave softly whispering in a trembling voice " In, in the kitchen, meting Master Link, they, they asked me to come to dinner at there place, Mistress."

Seeing the slaves reaction Crystal quickly moved her paw away and sighed, this was also something she was afraid of, sense memory. Even if the boys confused mind did not remember the attack it's self it had to fill in the reason for it's pain with something, some explanation and with physical contact increasing that pain for the moment it would soon start to trigger fear of pain every time the boy was touched. She needed to give him a reason for his pain before his mind latched on to the sense memory, if not fear of being touched would take firm root in him. The jaguar softly licked her lips, trying to find the words, how do you tell someone they where beaten within an inch of there life by mistake?

Just as the jaguar was opening her muzzle to speak a soft, musical voice cut in, a tender chuckle in her tone as she answered "O you silly child, what could you have possibly done to be punished for?" There was a warmth in her voice that just seamed to infuse a sense of safety and wellbeing into nova, his fear melting away as his childhood dream stepped up to his bed side. Before either woman could make the tragic mistake of explaining what had happened Eshara leaned in and traced a finger under the boys chin, kissing him lovingly on the forehead as she whispered " you where in a small accident dear child and you got hurt, but the doctor has made you all better. Your only task right now is to rest and get your strength back, we all need our sweet boy well again so that you can return to serving us."

Then the priestess leaned in close and whispered in the boys ear, the change in nova was like night and day, the fearful trembling slave was gone, quickly replaced by the sweet and happy boy they had all been getting to know over the last few days. Eshara had chosen her words very carefully, having touched the boys mind once again she knew exactly what he needed to hear not only to relay his fears, but to forestall him asking questions she felt should not be answered. With the boy now calm Eshara turned her piercing gaze to the dumfounded doctor, her voice still light hearted, but her eyes passing a silent command " I think it would be good for Mistress and slave to spend some time together kitten, would you please join me in your office?"

The look on Eshara's face was one that silently commanded the two females to do as they where told, a smile on her muzzle but a hardness in her eyes that neither of them had seen from her before. Dana understanding that her presence was not needed for this talk just smiled and slipped into bed with her boy, the mink's warm arms curling around him to share some very much needed cuddle time. With Dana snuggling up in her boys arms, Crystal fallowed the unicorn to her office, the mares light hearted and happy expression braking into a rage filled scream the second the door closed. Very startled by this the Doctor just stood there as the mare ripped the computer terminal from her desk, throwing it to the wall as she over turned it and sent the jaguar's personal mementoes crashing to the floor.

In all the years Crystal had known the unicorn she had never even seen the mare raise her voice once, now she looked like a wild cat tearing the Doctor's office apart. The jaguar could not help just feeling grateful at her office's sound proofing now, as much privacy as it had afforded her in the past if not for it now Dana, her boy and everyone ells in med bay would surely hear what could only be described as the priestess having an emotional brake down. As she finally got herself under control and dropped to her knees Eshara started to sob, her paws covering her face to hide her barely contained misery. " I cant believe ... it's just so horrible ... his poor mind."

Not knowing what to do the jaguar took a seat next to Eshara as she cried it out, Crystal curling her arms around the mare and purring tenderly in hopes of giving some comfort. It took nearly and hour before the priestess spoke again, her voice still strained as she whispered " I am very sorry kitten, I will pay for the damages."

Crystal just tenderly reached out and touched under the mare's muzzle, turning her long time friends head until there eyes met. The doctor slowly brought her muzzle up to brush against Eshara's as she tenderly whispered " Forget about the mess, what was that outburst about? I cant imagine anything that could cause such pure unrestrained violence from you."

The priestess just returned the tender nuzzle as she whispered in return " When nova asked you why he was hurt I felt .... felt something from him that I have never felt before and I could not help but reach out to his mind. The memory of the attack is there, buried just under the surface but it is not alone, I found darkness, pain and suffering, it, it was to much for me. Now I understand, his mind, that sweet innocent child's mind is fractured."

Crystal just looked at the mare with confusion in her eyes as she asked " I don't understand, fractured?"

The mare just nodded and slowly pulled away as she curled her arms around herself and a single tear dripped down her cheek, the priestess explaining " I don't even know what his disorder is called, my training in the temple never even came close to treating someone so, so, so victimized. I could feel another presence in his mind fighting desperately to hold on to all the pain, suffering and torment he has been subjected to, an, an, I'm not even sure how to describe it, but if felt like an entirely different mind born of pure evil.

Crystal just sat there with her jaw working, trying to process this information, the body she could heal, but the mind was something she had only a very basic understanding of. She looked into the unicorns eyes, questioning softly "A protective personality?"

The mare just sadly nodded " Exactly, a personality born of abuse, pain, suffering and pure horror I don't think any of us could ever truly understand. I feel I am ill equipped to help this human, maybe with the help of my matriarchs, but I don't think anyone has had to heal someone with this kind of illness in generations. For now I have done all I can, I projected as much warmth, safety and love in to his mind as I am able to, hopefully it will keep him stable until we are able to help him safely release his pain or at the very least bury it so deeply that it will never be able to harm him again."

The Jaguar just looked intently at the mare, questioning in her eyes as she tenderly asked "I know he has had a hard life, but won't it just be worse the longer he blocks it out?"

Eshara just looked into the Doctors eyes " Kitten it is worse then any of us could have known, I only saw a little of what he is repressing and I am still fighting the need to curl up in a dark place and cry. I know you have noticed how sweet and affectionate he is most of the time, like a innocent child that is so eager to pleas, then how drastic the change is when he is scared, now I understand why. I fear if the two personalities ever met it would destroy them both, like fire and water, they are to different to exist together."

With a sigh the priestess looked Crystal in the eyes once more, her expression grin as she stated " I think we should go speak with the captain about this, I cant imagine this affecting her decision to keep him here with us, but as the one who will have to take responsibility for the boy she has a right to all the facts."

Normally the Doctor would have a problem disclosing a patients medical information to anyone without there consent, but she had to admit there was nothing normal about this situation. With a sigh she agreed and locked the door to her office so no one would see the mess, Goddess willing no one would ever know how deeply nova's pain had affected there guiding light. After consulting the computer about the captains location Crystal gave her staff instructions not to disturb Dana and her boy unless absolutely necessary, they where only to monitor nova until there return and contact her if there was any change in his condition.

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Kayla and Sasha where taking some much needed time to relax in the captains mess, both stressed out females nursing on there coffee. The last day and a half had been very hard not only on the crew but it had taken a toll on there personal relationship as well. Kayla like any good leader felt personally responsible for things having gotten so out of paw and the boy having been hurt due to it. Sasha had tried throw gentle cuddles and a lovers touch to relieve the vixens guilt only to have her lover and captain lash out at her in shear frustration, it leading to the first night in many years the mates had not made love. Now with space dock not far off and the looming migraine of reports, inquiries and having to explain all this to command the vixens mood had only gone from bad to worse.

The white tiger looked at there half eaten meals on the table, it only reminding her about how upset Toby had been when they told him about how everything had gone so wrong, the big bear having broken down into tears in front of them. With lunch over he had gone to spend some much needed time with his mate, Sasha understanding the big bear's heart was just not in his work. With as close to port as they where the crew could be sated by the dispensers, not that they where eager for more of the bears cooking with as bad as his last meal had been.

With the days work completed and needing very much to be comforted Sasha scooted closer to her love and laid her head on the vixens shoulder, her voice very timid as she whispered " my love nova is going to be ok, the ship is going to be ok and everything is going to work itself out. I need you now, I need the warm hearted and happy puppy I fell in love with to curl her arms around me and make it all better."

Seeing the worry and need in her kittens eyes Kayla's stress and frustration just started to melt away, there was nothing like knowing the feline that held her heart was in pain to put the captains own needs on the back burner. Very tenderly she leaned her head back and lovingly licked the side of her kitty's muzzle, kissing from the tip of it down to the hallow of Sasha's neck as she tenderly whispered "I'm sorry I have been such a bitch my love, thank you for not giving up on me, it is times like this I need you the most."

The white tiger just smiled and turned to kiss her mate deeply and lovingly, her mischievous tongue slipping past the vixen's lips in the kind of kiss that conveys a million words of love not even the greatest sonnets by the most skilled poets could match. As this kind of kiss has been known to do the mates soon began to do more then kiss, Sasha's paw slipping under her loves top to teas one of her nipples with a claw tip before standing and straddling her mates lap, the white tiger taking the dominant position as she pinned Kayla's paws to the couch beside her head and kissed her even more deeply.

Both the females where so lost in the tender foreplay that they did not even notice when the new arrivals stepped through the door, it taking a none to convincing cough to get there attentions. When the vixen opened her lust filled eyes and saw the Doctor and Priestess both standing there Kayla broke the kiss with an embarrassed yelp, Sasha quickly dismounting her love, the two most powerful females on the ship dropping there ears like school cubs who had just been caught making out by there parents. Kayla was just about to growl and tell them both not to sneak up on them like that when she noticed the look on there faces, the vixen instantly thinking the worst as she asked " What's happened .... is he?"

Crystal was quick to lift her paw and reassure her captain as she and Eshara took there seats " No, No the boy is fine, in fact he is even awake and spending some much needed time with the grease monkey."

The Captain would have smiled at that if not for the look still on there faces, a look not of someone here to deliver good news. With a sip of her drink Kayla leaned forward, her ears standing tall as she almost fearfully asked "If he is awake then why do you both look as if someone just died?"

The doctor sighed and lowered her head, taking a deep sniff of her tea as she tried to compose her thoughts, thankfully it was the unicorn who spoke, her voice soft and gentle but with a longing sadness that lacked the reassurance they where all used to hearing from her. Eshara tried her best to keep emotion out of her explanation and to keep it as simple as possible, but by the time she was finished telling them about the boys fractured personality and how such things are born she had renewed tears in her eyes. Like wise it had affected Sasha and Kayla just as much, wile they had known the butcher was famous for his sick, twisted and even demented methods of interrogation and execution, they had drastically underestimated just how much of it nova had been subjected to under that monsters ownership. Once the priestess stopped speaking the room fell silent for a long time, no one having the will or desire to add to the unthinkable horror that had just been laid out before them.

Once the information had time to sink in Kayla was the first one to speak, her resolve to keep nova with them now solidified beyond question as she took hold of her lovers paw and tenderly asked " So if I understand correctly he has repressed everything from the moment he first found that pad until he woke up in med bay?"

Crystal just took a long drink of her tea before sadly adding, her ears laid flat to her skull and her tail curled around a chair leg as she whispered " Every moment of it think the goddess, I shudder to think of his mental state if he had remembered. It is almost a blessing in some ways, he is just as trusting and happy as he was before ... before ... before that bitch almost killed him."

The next question Kayla asked was one that she phrased very delicately, the captain setting her drink on the table as she leaned forward and looked the mare in her eyes " Mother, I know the sweet boy dana has fallen in love with and that we have all been getting to know is completely harmless, but I feel it only prudent to ask. Could this ??"

"Protective personality " the doctor added.

"Yes, thank you" Kayla responded before continuing. "Could this Protective personality be dangerous? What I mean is, do we have to worry about it harming Dana or some other member of the crew without nova even knowing or being able to stop it?"

Eshara just lowered her eyes at that and curled her arms around herself, the mare needing the comfort as she explained " To be honest Captain I need to do some research on the subject, I don't think anyone has been trained in this disorder in over 500 years. We did get an overview of it in basic psychology, if I remember correctly the function of the protective personality is to act as a filter, only showing itself when the sufferer is to overwhelmed to handle what is happening to them. I don't think it would show itself unless Dana started beating the boy or someone was hurting him severely. I think it might be wise If your intention is still to keep him here with us that you establish some kind of safe guard to prevent anyone he does not trust from punishing him at least until my matriarch can speak with him."

Kayla nodded at that, a small smile parting her muzzle as she answered "If everything goes to plan that will not be a problem mother, I intend to make nova our new ships slave, as such the only ones that will be able to lay a paw on him will be the grease monkey and myself. The last hurdle we have to over come is command when they find out what he knows, but after that I am sure he will be ours permanently."

Eshara just flicked her ears a few times and actually shook her head as she replied "Given what we have discovered I cant in good conscience allow the child to be interrogated for information, not until one of my matriarchs have had a chance to evaluate him, If not done delicately I shutter to think what it would do to his already fragile mental state."

Again Kayla nodded and her smile got even wider as she added " Yes, of course, in fact that might even work to our advantage. I know the blessed matriarch herself has been willing to telepathically interrogate prisoners in very rare occasions, perhaps she could be convinced in this case not because he is unwilling, but for the boys own protection."

Just as the priestess was about to answer Crystal's com started beeping, one of her nurses voice's coming through in a frantic tone " Doctor we need you in Med bay, it's the slave and you might want to bring security with you. "

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Back in the Medical bay it had been a little over 2 hours since the mink had joined her boy in bed, both of them very much enjoying the intimate cuddle time until Dana drifted off to sleep with her boy held securely in her arms. At first nova to had tried to sleep, but with as much as his back and legs hurt he just decided to enjoy the rare opportunity of watching his owner sleep, the slave enjoying the way his blissfully slumbering Mistress's nose wiggled, ears flicked and the cute sounds she made as she dreamed. Given how cold the slave had been since arriving on this ship nova just smiled and closed his eyes enjoying the warmth of his owners fur, her arms and tail curled possessively around him, this was heaven, joy the boy would not have thought was possible even a few weeks ago.

After a wile nova started to think, the priestess had told him he had been in an accident, but for the life of him he could not remember anything past meeting Master link and the bears invitation to spend the evening with them. Even if the priestess had told him not to be worried about it he could not help but think, had something fallen on him? Had it happened in the kitchen or wile he was cleaning up? The more he thought about it the more it made his head hurt, it was like trying to remember was actually causing him more pain so he decided just to let it go for now, maybe later someone would tell him what had happened. It was not long after one of the nurses had given him an injection for his pain that his Mistress started to stir, a soft rumble from her belly telling nova it must be dinner time and she would wake soon. He smiled and applied a small trick his first Mistress had taught him, he softly inhaled and blew a gentle stream of air over her face, the fur waving side to side just enough to reach her skin below. He knew this would slowly wake her without her knowing it had been him, true to his training it was not long before the mink shifted, yawned and her deep brown eyes opened.

As the mink returned from the bliss of sleep the first thing to meet her gaze was her slave laying just inches from her, his crystal blue eyes and warm tender smile everything she could have asked for as he whispered "Welcome back, my Mistress."

Dana just smiled and leaned in to give her boy a long, soft, deep and passion filled kiss, Goddess this was the only way to wake up in the morning. Needing to be even closer to her boy as they shared this first, true lovers kiss, the mink entwined her legs with her slaves as she pulled him to her and closed her eyes, murring into this ultimate expression of true love. In this perfect moment Dana knew in her heart that she would never again let her boy go, goddess willing this is how she wanted to wake up every morning for the rest of her life.

She never even noticed nova stiffen at the kiss or the red flush over his face, this perfect moment burning itself into his mind along with his happiest memories. The slave curling his arms around her in return, just melting into her thick, warm fur as a wave of pleasure he had never known over took him. When the kiss finally broke nova was left panting and gasping for breath, his face flushed red with excitement, embarrassment and lack of air all at once as he whispered "Mistress that was.."

Dana just smiled and tenderly touched a finger to her slaves lips to lovingly silence him as she whispered back " No words my little blessing, just hold me." Nova did not have to be told twice, the slave obeying his owner as they both snuggled up close and exchanged another passion filled kiss.

They just laid there together exchanging love filled kisses, tender snuggles and the most intimate of embraces until a soft and familiar voice startled them both as it rumbled " Awww now if that an't the sweetest thing I ever did see."

A little disappointed Dana broke the kiss and looked up to see who had spoken, Toby smiling at them both as the big bear approached with a small basket in his arms. The large male just grinned at seeing the two so intimately entwined and the boy that he had come to care for awake and looking none the worse for ware. With a mischievous grin the big bear pulled a new loin cloth just like the one that had been ruined in the attack from his basket, setting it at the boys bed side along with a loaf of freshly baked bread and a bowl of soup as he spoke " A little bunny told me our boy was awake. I figured he would be in need of a change of cloths and something to fill his empty belly." Then the big bear wiggled his eye brows as he suggestively added "But by the looks of things maybe I should come back later, you look a little busy."

The insides of Dana's ears turned pink in the way that Anthro's blush as she sat up, the mink helping ease her boy up with a pretend look of shock at the bear's implications, a giggle in her tone as she stuck out her tongue and replied " That would be none of your concern you dirty old bear, besides this sweet boy is mine and I can do with him as I please."

The bear was just about to make another, even more suggestive comment when a dark and sinister voice from behind them cut him off, it chuckling softly as it chimed in " Actually that particular peace of meat belongs to me, Madam."

The rhythm of nova's heart monitor tripled in less then 10 seconds as they all turned to see who had spoken, the slave knowing that voice and it striking terror in his heart before he even saw it's owner. Standing there, leaning agents the door frame and confidently picking his teeth was a very large and well muscled tiger in civilian clothing, a braded leather whip and set of shackles hanging from his belt to make his occupation clear.

Captain Carnes, the owner of the recently destroyed Black Rock and one of the most brutal slavers ever to work in the business just grinned seeing the fear his voice had inspired in the slave as he approached the group, his tone cold and confident as he spoke "You can imagine my surprise when I went to check on my cargo after that little dust up the other day, only to find the most compliant and possibly valuable one missing. I see it has wormed it's way into another's bed without permission wile I was recovering, just one of the reasons it needs to be reminded of its place." He then lifted a paw and extended his claws, the large male threateningly pointing to his feet as he commanded " ANIMAL, HEAL."

Shaking violently nova could not have moved any faster if the tiger had yanked him from the bed by his hair, the slave instantly releasing the mink and dropping to the floor as he fearfully crawled toward the male on all 4's. Dana and Toby where shocked at the look of smug satisfaction on the tiger's face at nova's reaction, it telling them this is exactly what he expected and that there boy knew what would happen if he did not obey.

After everything they had all been through to keep this slave Dana would be dammed if she was going to louse him now, the mink jumping from the bed and stopping nova before he had made it half way to the male. With a lashing tail and extended claws she stood toe to toe with the tiger, her teeth showing as she savagely snarled " this slave is mine, male and you will take him over my cold dead body." As Dana was speaking Toby had stepped up to her side also blocking nova's path to the tiger, the very large bear locking eyes with this smug male. Even if the tiger was big by feline standards Toby was a good 8 inches taller and far stronger then him, the bear knowing he could very easily snap Carnes in half if he so much as laid a claw on there boy.

Captain Carnes, as if unphased by the minks enraged proclamation or the bears intimidating presence just looked her in the eyes as he calmly and confidently responded " Dear Madam I beg to differ, that slave is my legal property and I have every right to return to my cabin with it and as you so eloquently stated " do with it as I please."

Just as Dana was about to lash out at this feline trying to take her boy the med bay doors opened admitting a none to happy jaguar, the captain, first officer and priestess not 2 steps behind her. One look at the unfolding confrontation was enough to get the Doctors blood boiling, Crystal stepping between them all as she asked " What by the dark pit is going on in my Med bay? there are patients here that need there rest." Crystal knew perfectly well that nova was the only real patient here, unless she counted two stomach aches and a miner case of the flu, but she needed to establish her authority.

The Captain of the Black Rock still unmoved by the increased presence agents him just looked down to the doctor as he replied in that same calm and smug tone "O it is nothing to concern yourself with dear Doctor, I am just here to collect my property and this "Female" is under the mistaken impression she has somehow taken ownership of it."

The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife as an audible growl filled the room, the collective course and icy looks cut short as Crystal hissed "I personally don't care about your claims on nova, as long as he is my patient he is off limits until I discharge him, now leave my med bay or I will call security and have you removed."

Although meant to be intimidating the Doctors statement just earned a deep belly laugh from Captain Carnes, the tiger showing his teeth as he responded " Nova is it now? You gave my animal a name?" The tiger just shook his head not understanding why they would waste something as valuable as a sense of identity on a slave, a human one at that. In his experience it was always easier to keep the animals under his thumb by degrading and humiliating them, give them a name and soon they would start getting ideas and disobeying him. With a small sigh he decided it was best not to risk a conflict over this animal, they would reach Anthro prime in less then a day and then not even the doctor would be able to protect it, as legal owner he could just have it transferred to his own companies medical facilities. With a polite bow of his head the tiger simply stated in his cold, arrogant tone " Very well dear Doctor please have my property ready for transfer when we reach home, then I can give it its remedial instruction on the price of disobeying when it is told to heal."

Thinking he would leave on that note the tiger turned and found himself nose to nose with the artic vixen, Kayla forcing a polite smile on her muzzle as she coldly spoke " Yes, Captain about your impending departure there are a few matters that need to be addressed. I have been weighting wile you recovered but seeing as you are on your feet again would you please be so kind as to join me in my office?" Wile the vixen had been professional, if cold the tone of her voice was one step shy of an order, the look in her eyes telling the Tiger she was not making a request.

As was common with felines when they where challenged the Tiger just smiled sinisterly, his teeth showing as he nodded and purred " If you wish Captain, you where kind enough to come to my aid when I needed it, the least I can do for you is a friendly chat." With that Kayla turned and walked out the door with the tiger right behind her and Sasha taking up the rear, the first officers tail lashing violently.

The second the group left Crystal turned and took one look at the slave's readings, his heart was over 110 beats per minute and his blood pressure was dangerously high, she had to do something fast before his still weakened body suffered a stroke or some other complication that could be disastrous to his recovery. With feline speed and agility the Doctor bolted across the room to get an injector of sedative and look up the maximum safe dosage for humans as Dana dropped to her knees and started slowly tracing a paw over her boys back, the mink softly kissing his quivering skin as she whispered "it's ok my little blessing your safe now, that alley cat is gone and we are not going to let him hurt you."

As Crystal returned she pointed for Toby to set the boy back in his bed, the big bear very gentle as he lifted the still frighten slave and carefully laid him on his back, one paw tenderly tracing over his cheek as the Doctor pressed the injector to the side of the humans neck. Then as the Doctor took a step back Dana took her place, the mink and bear both tenderly petting nova as they whispered soft words of comfort and encouragement. When the boys tears slowly stopped and he got himself under control he timidly looked up to his owner, fear still in his voice as he whispered " Please Mistress, please I beg you not to let him take me back, he, he will kill me for disobeying him."

More to come........