Voyage
#1 of Voyage
Chapter 1
Merlin pounced on the dandelion stalk, and watched the seeds drift off. He tried to pounce on the next one but the restraint on his chest restricted his movement. Merlin growled under his breath for the tenth time. He knew the restraint meant a car ride, however he didn't know where he was going. The fact that he didn't know where he was going worried him a little, compounded by the fact that Tommy had been talking about surgeries lately, he was sure that Tommy wasn't going to be operated on.
While Merlin pulled on the leash again to grab another stalk his ears perked up from to the sound he had been hoping to hear. From previous experience he knew that the humans wouldn't hear it.
"I can't find it," Aiden's voice erupted from the front door of the house.
"Are you sure you looked everywhere for it," Tommy's father replied.
"I looked everywhere I could think of," he replied back.
"Well come and hold Merlin's leash while Tommy and I go and look."
Merlin was able to jump forward to another dandelion stalk when he heard the second calling. If I'm lucky someone will drop the dreaded leash so I can jump through the portal, I really need to make this trip, he thought to himself.
The drop he hoped for, didn't go as planned, Aiden was now holding on to the leash. Merlin knew that they pretty much felt the same about each other, and that was basically as little as possible, though to his credit Aiden wasn't really mean to him, at least not since the last time. He tried to pull on the leash again, and found himself falling head over heels, followed by Aiden laughing.
"You silly cat," Aiden said inbetween laughter. After a quick check Merlin found that Aiden decided to just let the lead go out of the leash, he knew from previous experience that the leash would be long enough for him to get to where he was going. He quickly hopped on all fours and ran around the corner.
Merlin to Station, Merlin to Station he broadcasted as he rounded to the corner.
Station here, the reply came back.
Coming in hot, he broadcasted back. When he got two feet away from the building the familiar green light shined on the wall, and Merlin jumped through.
As he progressed through the transfer beam, he knew something was different, he assumed it was just the fact of the leash falling away from him as the beam realized it was not a living creature. He stood up on hind legs and flexed, it had been a long three months since he had been back here. He waved up to the other cats in the control room who waved back to him, and the door to leave opened.
"Hello Son, how was your trip," asked a female cat who waited at the other side of the door.
"Ah hi Mom, the trip was good, but I'm glad to be back."
"I'm glad to see your still complete."
Merlin blushed a little, as he picked up a tunic and slipped it over his head.
"Will you be staying long, this time?"
"I don't know, they had me in a leash of some sort. I think they are wanting to take me somewhere."
"Well I'll ask the people to make sure to keep an ear tilted for you, so they will know when your being looked for."
"Thanks Mom, do you know if August or Boots are around?"
"I think August is still Earth side, but Boots may be around, you really do need to find better friends Mellin."
"Mom please, you know I like my Earth name much better."
She sighed, and looked down at her feet. "Very well Merlin, but I still think you spend to much time with them. I know you think of Earth as being your main home, but you could be so much happier here."
"You know I love you and Dad, but I also love my human, he would be devestated if I just upped and disappeared on him." He picked up a small string rope and tied it around his waist.
"Just make sure your home by dinner ok," his Mom asked.
"Sure thing, no problem," he replied as he opened and stepped through to the outside.
* * *
Aiden quickly decided to let Merlin have as much of the leash as he wanted, he laughed as the cat flipped tail first after unexpectedly finding the tension gone from the leash. He looked away just barely holding on to the leash, he didn't really care if the cat made it to the vets or not.
He was really surprised when he felt a strong jolt on the leash, reflexively he tightened his grip and soon was surprised to find himself being dragged.
What is Tommy feeding this cat, he wondered. As he turned the corner, he saw a light projecting from the wall that should not have been there.
When he should have hit the wall, he remembered thinking the green light seemed to surround him. As he felt himself swallowed by the light, he found the words, "In brightest day, in blackest night," floating through his head. Finally he landed on a padded floor. He looked up for just a second, his eyes were a bit blurred. Next thing he knew there was a sharp pain on the side of his neck and he could recall his face hitting the mat again.
* * *
He opened his eyes for a brief moment and saw he was in a darkened room, he could just make out the shadow of some bars on the ground as he slowly sat up. After a couple of false starts he got up to his feet, and made it to barred door.
"Is anyone out there," he said out loud.
He heard some footsteps coming toward him. It seemed to take forever he thought but finally he could see who they belonged to.
"What do you want little human," asked the big gray thing. His brain refused to acknowledge what he was looking at, as it made no sense. It stood at least seven feet tall, and was built like a quarterback.
"Dog got your tongue huh? Well that's what you get for trying to slip into here," the thing said in an incredibly deep voice.
"I'm sorry, what are you," Aiden asked.
"What am I? I'm the guard. See right here," he said pointing to the badge on his arm, "tells you right here that's what I am."
"I must be dreaming, did I hit my head on something," he asked not really expecting an answer.
Off in the distance, a light blinked, the guard stood there studying Aiden for a bit, and then went to where the light was blinking.
"Hey are you called Aiden," the guard yelled from where he now stood.
"Yeah that's my name, why" he replied.
"Someone will be down to pick you up soon. Just stay good and I won't have to get rough with you."
Aiden sat back down on the bunk, and started to go over what had happened, as he sat down he finally realized he was missing his clothes. He ran back to the door, this time with his left hand covering himself.
"Hey what happened to my clothes," he yelled to the empty hall.
"If your owner wants you to have them, they will get some for you," the guard yelled from down the hall.
Chapter 2
Merlin sat at a table. The smell of tuna was in the air.
"So did you bring any with you this time," Kusin asked, inbetween cleaning of her white fur.
"No sorry, I wasn't able to grab any before the portal opened, but I do promise as soon as I can I will bring some of the catnip," he said looking for the waiter.
"You said that last time," she replied with a pout.
"I'm sorry they really protect it, I only get it occassionally," he said waiving his paw trying to get the waiter's attention.
"Yes young master, what can I get you," replied the Neko as he came up to the table.
"Is the tuna fresh," he asked
"Oh yes young master, my Father fetched it from the ocean just this morning."
"Very well, I think I will have that, and can you steam it?"
"Yes of course young master, and for your lady friend," the Neko's tail switched in front of his apron.
"I think I will just have some cream today, I had a big dinner last night."
"Very well, I will be back very soon," the Neko turned and walked back to the bar.
A gong rang in the distance, striking the 11th hour of morning. Kusin pulled out a paper envelope and withdrew a pink tablet from it.
"Your not that old, are you," asked Merlin, staring at the design on the tablet.
"Pretty close," she replied as she popped the pill in her mouth and washed it down with a bowel of water.
"Young master, here is your steamed tuna," the young Neko said seemingly appearing out of no where, putting the plate down.
"And for the young lady, a bowel of cream, will there be anything else?"
"Would you be a dear and get me some more water," Kusin asked.
"Of course, I will be back in two swishes."
Merlin brought his claws out and started digging into the fish, careful to not swallow any of the small bones hiding through out the bony fish.
Kusin looked at him and just sighed.
"What?"
"You know civilized cats don't just dig into fish."
"And?"
Kusin chuckled and drank more of her cream.
About twenty minutes later, the tuna was nearly gone, Kusin had helped herself to some of it, to the dismay of Merlin.
"Is there a Merlin Krangle here," asked an older Neko coming from behind the counter. "Merlin Krangle, anyone here named Merlin Krangle."
"I'm Merlin Krangle," he replied swallowing the last bit of fish.
"Call for you, young master."
Merlin got up and followed the older Neko back to the telephone.
A few moments later he came back to the table.
"Something wrong," she asked putting her bowel down.
"Seems something followed me through the portal, they want me to come and identify it."
"How did something follow you through the portal?"
"I don't know, but would you like to join me?"
"Sure, I've never been to the gate before."
* * *
Merlin and Kusin entered the observation room.
"Hello Kusin, it is so good to see you again," Bykier said nodding at the two just entering.
"So I hear that I brought something with me," Merlin asked looking at his Mom in confusion.
"Yes, dear it appears you brought that, with you," she said indicating the monitor.
"By the Tail, how did he wind up here," Merlin looked confused and ashamed at the same time.
"You know him, then," Bykier asked.
He sighed, "yes he is the older brother of my main human."
"How could you be so irresponsible, your old enough to know the law," she snapped at him.
"I figured he would have let go."
"Let go, let go of what," asked Kusin.
"He had me on a leash," he muttered quietly.
"A LEASH!, Why do they treat you like a dog? I thought you had good humans over there," Bykier growled.
"I do have good humans."
"Then why by the One's tail, were you on a leash?"
"They were going to take me somewhere, they put me on a leash so that they know where I'm at."
"I told you, that here you needed better friends. Looks like you need better humans too," Bykier spat out.
"It's better than being in one of those small cages," he replied hoping to get away from the matter of a leash.
"Well I do suppose there is that," Bykier agreed after taking a couple of long breaths.
"So, what is going to happen to Aiden," Merlin asked, after a long moment.
"Aiden is the human's name," asked Kusin.
"Yes, I believe that is his name, though my human mainly calls him 'The big pain,' I believe Aiden is his real name."
"As far as what will happen to this human, that will be up to the council, however I suppose you should get down there and take him out of the pound."
* * *
Aiden was looking at the back corner of his cell when Merlin and Kusin arrived. The door slid open, which caused Aiden to turn around to see the two new cats.
"Hello Aiden," Merlin purred.
"Who are you," replied Aiden.
"He's not very smart is he," the guard said from just the other side of the door.
"I realize this is a lot to take in Aiden, but I'm Merlin, Tommy's cat."
"Like hell you are, Merlin is a little fuzz ball, your as tall as I am."
The guard pushed his way into the cell, and tapped Aiden with his stick. A bolt of electricity shot through Aiden, and he howled in pain.
"You watch your tongue human."
Aiden stumbled a little back, his hand at his shoulder where the stick had touched him.
"For your last birthday, you got the new video game system you wanted, and then had it taken away from you for a week as punishment after your friends left," Merlin said.
"How did you know that," Aiden asked somewhat bewildered.
"Like I said, I'm Merlin, I was there."
"Are you sure this is the right human, he doesn't seem nearly as smart as you always said he was," Kusin replied.
Aiden quickly moved both of his hands to his groin, his face turned a bright red.
"Oh look the poor little human is ashamed of a molly seeing him nude."
"Would someone please get me some clothes," Aiden said in a pleading voice.
The guard looked over at Merlin, who just nodded his head. The guard left and quickly came back and threw something at Aiden.
"That should fit you."
He quickly caught it and slipped it on, it was a silk tunic that was just barely long enough to reach his upper theigh which he found himself keep pulling on to try to make it longer to no avail.
"Don't worry about it Aiden, we will get you something that will better fit you when we leave here."
"You're taking possession of this human then," the guard asked.
"Yes, I guess I will have to, no one else here will."
"Oh I wouldn't know about that, he may bring in quite a bit of money on the slave market, From what I have heard its been a while since they have had young fresh humans there. He could bring in quite a few credits," the guard said with a smile that made Aiden very uncomfortable. "Anyways if you are going to take him, there are forms to fill out, and taxes to be paid for a new slave, he doesn't appear to have a registration chip in him."
"I am no slave, I am a human being," Aiden said disturbed.
The guard flipped a switch on his stick and touched Aiden again. For a moment he yelped in pain and then crumbled to the ground.
"Was that really necessary," Kusin asked.
"Uppity humans, you would think they would know their place," the guard growled and snapped his fingers. Two Neko's rushed out and picked up the now sleeping boy and placed him in a wheelchair and started following the three cats.
Merlin filled out the information and swiped his paw to agree for his family account to pay for the human.
"If you get tired of taking care of this human, let me know I know quite a few queens who would love to have fresh young blood in their stable," the guard yelled as they left the holding area.