Tales of Redstreak Chapter 10
#16 of Chakat Universe
Red returns home finally and has to meet a family shi has no memory of
Antilles walked up to a familiar house, sadly in the past it was mainly to deliver bad news. The last time he delivered bad news was when Redstreak was considered dead. Thankfully he had good news this time. He knocks on the door and it opens to reveal a white and blue furred chakat cub of 7 years. "Hello Whirlwind, are your parents home?"
"Yes they are." Shi opens the door more and yells behind hir. "MOM! DAD! Commander Antilles is here to see you!" Antilles took a seat on a couch as Medallion comes out of the hallway. Shi sees him and gives him a small smile. Then Coaldust emerges from the kitchen. Shi wasn't the happy energetic feline that Antilles met years ago. Hir tail was never up and he knew shi only smiled when shi played with hir children, especially the ones sired by Redstreak.
"So what's up today commander that you would come here again?" Medallion asks.
"For once it's mainly good news I bring." He looks seriously at Coaldust. "Redstreak is alive."
"Alive, shi's alive?" Coaldust collapses as Medallion goes to hir.
"Yes shi's been living on a barely charted planet for the past year till a mercenary ship found hir and is currently bringing hir home."
"Alive." Coaldust says and Medallion asks.
"You said mainly good news, My sister and comate has returned from the grave. What could be a blight on that?"
"Well shi received a couple of bad head injures and lost all of hir personal memories. And shi will be arriving with a mate."
"A mate doesn't concern us and if having to help hir remember who shi is then that's a small price to pay to get hir back." Coal manages to nod and an hour after the commander left the go a prepare for the return of someone they thought they lost.
Being one of the major colonies of the Stellar Federation Chakona was filled with the hustle and bustle of commerce. Freighters coming and going, Luxury cruise ships docking at the Gateway Station, to Fleet and Corps docking at the starbase for R&R and resupply. It was in this atmosphere the the Sunovagun emerge from warp. She was no longer the gleaming corvette that found Narnia. Her upper nacelle was gone and her left torpedo bay was gutted. Shi had blast marks all over her hull as she limps to a nearby repair station. On the battle scarred bridge Bomber was in a foul mood. Most of the trip went well as shi helped Red and Flamy how to use Federation technology. However a week ago a small fleet attacked them which navigating a nebula. Two raiders and a pocket carrier so Sunovagun did well and left scrap behind which will help pay for repairs. Bomber's best guest on why the Sun was attacked was slavery. Shi had reported finding a planet of primitive foxtaurs previously unknown to the Federation thus no laws to protect it. An easy catch for slavers for the League of Non Align Worlds. The damage ship wasn't the only reason for hir foul mood, though thankfully none of hir crew were killed though some had to spend time in sickbay. No it was hir inability to take Red and Flamy all the way home. As they begin final docking procedures Bomber leaves the bridge and heads for the nearest airlock. There shi sees a chakat and the strange looking foxtaur female with carrisacks and hand crafted chests that contain all of their possessions. "Sorry I can't bring you all they way home Red like I planned to."
"Things happen Bomber, you just deal with it." Red replies, Shi and Flamy did all they could to help with the repairs. Bomber then hands them a pair of credit cards.
"These should give you enough for a few days at a hotel and passage to Earth. I wish I could do more but I'm limited." To Bomber's surprise they both suddenly hug hir.
"You've done enough Bomber, you gave me the ability to go home." Red said.
"And without you my mate would be in worst shape so you save hir when I couldn't. Thank you." Flamy interjects causing Bomber to tear up. The shudder and clang of the docking signals for them to break up the hug. Soon the airlock opens and the three wave farewell.
After a couple of minutes Red and Flamy were on a shuttle heading to Gateway station. Both marveled at the view of the starscape and the Gateway. They wander through the Gateway with looks of awe and wonder. After having a bite to eat they go and look for quarters when the hear a feminine voice cry out. "HEY RED!" The pair look to see a Chakat in a uniform waving at them as shi approached. Shi was a blue furred chakat with green dots all over. The chakat bear hugs Red and says. "I'm so glad to see you here it's been ages. Did they have you on a deep space assignment or something?"
" I'm sorry but a suffered a head injury and lost my personal memories. Me and my mate are trying to get to Earth but our initial ride was attacked so we have to get a place to stay as we find new transportation."
"Well you can bunk with me and my mate. We owe you big time and I can find a good deal on transport so follow me." Red looks at Flamy and the foxtaur shrugs and the two follow the chakat. "Well since you can't remember my name I'm Chakat Polkadot, child of Raindrop, and Sunshine."
"Well you know me, this is my mate Flameria Blazefur."
"A pleasure Flameria.'
"Call me Flamy." The two followed the older chakat to a transporter room where they beamed down to the planet. They walked a couple of blocks till they got to this nice little house. "Clarissa, I'm home and we have a couple of special guests, so make a large supper." A gray furred head with brown hair peeks her head out of the kitchenette and sees Red.
"RED! Please have a seat let me finish up a couple of things." They heard some clattering for a minute or two before the gray furred foxtaur came out, a heavily PREGNANT foxtaur. She waddled up to Red and hugged hir. "It's so good to see you again. How have you've been?"
"I've had ups and downs, Flamy and returning home the ups, losing my memory a down." Red went into what happened to hir last year up to the drop off while poor Clarissa went back and forth between the living room and kitchenette. Finally dinner was ready and served at the small table. There Clarissa filled Red in of what she knew of hir. Needless to say it was a shock to Red. Shi used to be a human male. It seems hir 'sister' had some explaining to do. Near the end of the meal Clarissa stood up and raised her glass in the air and said. "A toast to friends and maybe, if you want Red to family." Red looked over to Flamy with an unsaid question to which the foxtaur nodded. Red got up and raised hir glass.
"To friends, and" shi looks at Clarissa "To new family." What ever shi was going to say afterwards is lost to history as both Polka and Clarissa hug hir. They eventually break off and do the toast. That night the slept together and Red missed having more than just Flamy to sleep with so shi slept better then shi did on the Sunovagun.
The next few days Red and Flamy lived with Polka and Clarissa. Since Polka was a Star Corps Lt. Commander Clarissa only worked part time at home, which her mate was extremely grateful for since Clarissa became pregnant the older taur's protective instincts. Heck Polka was secretly gratefully that Red was here so Clarissa could be protected while shi worked. Meanwhile Red taught Clarissa hir cooking skills. Clarissa admitted that one of the perks of her new body was she was able to cook, Polka couldn't cook very well so Clarissa had to endure years of barely edible food. Clarissa also took them on a tour of Amistead and Flamy commented on the layout.
"It's as big as Kitswana back home and while not as blended as are buildings you still incorporate nature in them." The gray foxtaur nodded and replied.
"Yes the government here does there best to balance nature and the needs of our people But all good things come to an end. Polka had found a cruise ship that will take Red and Flamy directly home. After a tearful farewell Red and Flamy board the ship and find their quarters on board.
"By the Kitsune this room is luxurious!" Red nodded in agreement. After touring the rooms they were in and unpack they toured the ship and were awe in the splendor of the ship. After having a nice dinner at a fancy restaurant they went to their quarters and made love. To Red it seemed being pregnant increased her need for sex not lessen it. Luckily Red had the stamina for it. Their couple weeks long trip they used the pool, checkout the various shops and restaurants and of course made love every night.
Finally they made orbit of Earth and the pair made ready to beam down to the starport. They didn't see anyone waiting for them when the beamed down so they decided to walk outside. As soon as they did the here. "RED!" Red barely has time to look to the source when shi is bear hugged. "You're back! You're finally back, I've missed you so much." Says the gray chakat hugging hir.
"I honestly wish I could say the same about you."
"We'll work on that." The chakat brushed hir hand over the scar above Red's left eye. Before looking over to Flamy. "So you're my new co-mate. I'm Chakat Coaldust, child of Snowboard and Nightsky."
"I'm Flameria Blazefur but my friends call me Flamy." Coal hugs her and says.
"Welcome to the family you can call me Coal." Dallie then approached the group and Flamy was surprised. She expected to see Medallion looked like her mate she did notice the differences. Dallie wasn't as buff as Red and of course didn't have the scar above hir eyebrow, shi also wore hir head fur differently then Red's. The big surprise was the fact the smelled nearly the same, true the was a subtle difference to do where the two have been but their base scents were exactly the same.
"Welcome home sister." Dallie says and lightly hugs Red. "Thanks Medallion."
"Call me Dallie Red."
"Okay, Dallie." Coal and Dallie help haul the luggage into the PTV and Dallie drove them home as Flamy and Red looked at the city. A half an hour later they arrive at the house. Red looks at it trying to remember it but it doesn't feel familiar at all, just a nice house. A house fill with a family shi doesn't know anymore. The door open to revel a buff chakat with blue and yellow fur streaking across hir lower torso.
"Welcome home Red, glad to have you back." Shi then moves aside and directs them to a room to out their stuff in before directing them to the living room. Not only was Dallie and Coal there but two other adult chakats and several cubs. To of the cubs ran to Red. One was about 5 years old with tan and gray fur the other about 2 with orange and red fur. Both hug hir forelegs and the older one says cheerfully.
"DADDY!" Red stands their stunned before putting hir hands on their heads and shi feels their happiness of hir return. Shi can't help but smile at them while Flamy looks on with a smirk of her own. She knew Red would be a good father, correction sire. Then the two older chakats come and hug hir before everyone settled down and made introductions. Red found hirself bracketed by hir children Sandrock and Blazefire with Flamy on one side and Coal on the other.
"Okay Dallie, how are you and me identical sisters?" Red asks and Dallie tells hir how the met and all they have been through. Flamy told them of her experience with Red as Red looked at hir children trying to remember them.
After a yummy dinner Coal found Red in their room looking at the items at one wall. Until recently it served as a memorial to Red and Red and Dallie changes it when they heard Red was alive. They never removed the Stars and Stripes from the wall and they placed Red's main keyboard next to it. The dresser next to that held various pics of Red, Coal, Dallie and the kids. Also there was the custom gun Red had ordered years ago. Red touched and looked over the various items before looking at Coal. There was sadness in hir eyes. "I can't remember, I try but I can't remember any of it. I'm not the Redstreak in these photos anymore." Red turns away from Coal. "I'm not the Redstreak you fell in love with." Coal walks up behind Red and puts hir arms around the other chakat.
"Not completely that's true but the core of who you are is still there. You protected me and Whirlwind when Double H was bombed. Then guard Alexis when shi went recruiting , then join the Star Corps do to your need to protect those you care about. And finally protect my new co-mate from rape. Your memories are gone but the core of who you are remains. The core I fell in love with so even if you don't regain those memories I will still love you and we can still make a future together. Now get out of this depression. Your back from the dead it's time to celebrate." Red couldn't help but smile and followed Coal out of the room and to the family shi wants to know again.
A week later they got a comm call. Red was the one to answer it this time and sees a familiar face. "Hey Polka good to see you."
"Same here Red, I have someone to show you." Polka steps aside and looks to hir right. From the right Clarissa appears carrying a little bundle. The child was defiantly a chakat but shi seemed to have inherited hir mother's coloring minus the spots and specks on yellow all over.
"Red meet Starlight our daughter." Red touches the screen teary eyed.
"You named hir after me."
"Well the name fits with hir pattern and without you shi wouldn't be possible. So now shi sees hir auntie for the first time."
"Auntie?"
"Yup, if you want the job anyway."
"I do, I do." Turning hir head Red yells "Dallie, Flamy come here!" When they arrive the are introduced to Starlight and company. In the minutes that follow they got to know eachother before Polka had to cut it off but that was the first of many conversations. Over the next several months Red had multiple visits to various specialist to try to restore hir memory. Not much success but shi had many things to cheer hir up. A week after hir return shi was reintroduced at Double H and they regaled hir with stories of past deeds and old jokes. Three weeks after that Flamy gave birth to their child and received a bit of a shock. Since chakats genes were so dominant it was assumed that their child would be one as well with likely some of hir
mother's fur coloring. However their child seemed to be a true hybrid of both. The child was a herm as expected but shi had hir mother's fox like head and no head hair and a fox style tail. Shi had brown eyes and shi had red fur with orange stripes. Hir ears were black like hir mother's and had hir hands gloved with black as well. After going to specialist to figure this out and specialist came to the conclusion that a Kitsune Foxtaur's genes were nearly as dominant as a chakat's and speculated that any more offspring from such pairings can expect mixed features. In the end of it all their special child was named Firestripe and was much loved by hir family. Larsa also visited and though she knows Red can't do RS yet that didn't matter. She liked Red and hir sister even more and was in contact with them even after Red was declared dead. Though Red did seem to retain hir music talent tried out a couple of tunes but shi spent most of the time getting to know hir family again.
Whirlwind was chatting with some friends as they left the school building with classes done for the day. Shi scans for hir mother or sire visually and empathy and was surprised. It was hir uncle picking hir up today. "Uncle Red!" Shi runs over and hugs hir uncle with an all to familiar scent.
"Hey Whirl I decided to pick you up today." Red says as shi hugs hir niece before directing hir to the PTV. The pair get in and Red drives them home. "So how did school go?"
"Good, we had cook class today and the teacher said I was best of the class."
"Looks like you inherited your mother's cooking skills." Whirl grinned impishly in response then notice that Red was driving and asked.
"Why don't you let the AI drive?"
"I'm just not comfortable letting the AI drive."
"You see you were the same way before you went away." Red snorts and rubs Whirls head. The two chatted on daily stuff on the way home and it became a common thing for Red to pick whirl up over the months to come.
Red was walking into the building for another memory therapy session when unknown to hir shi was being watched. Two men watched hir from the cab of a large truck while a third looked at hir through a computer screen.
"So what's the story on this one?" one of the cab guys asked. After a minute of button pushing the guy in the back responds.
"Chakat Redstreak, Child of Sunspot and Fireblaze, age 27. Shi's an ensign in the Star Corps and was rescued from a planet months ago and suffers amnesia."
<Hhmmm, Shi's perfect for one of my experiments. When you have the opportunity take hir.>
"Yes sir." And they begin their plans.
Another day and Red was driving Whirl to school before heading to another therapy session. Shi enjoys these drives with hir niece and Whirl seems to agree with it, Then to hir surprise shi sees flashing lights behind hir. Shi pulls to the side to let the cop pass but the cop pulls behind them. The officer approaches them and as he nears them Red rolls down the window and asks. "What's the problem officer."
"License and registration please." Frowning Red does so. He walks back to his PTV for a couple of minutes before returning. "Shir could you and the cub step out of the vehicle. There's a security concern going on and for your safety we're searching various vehicles." Red and whirl leave the car but Red was cautious. The officer was lying about something but what shi didn't know. As shi and Whirl stand by the squad car the officer looks over the PTV. As a large van passes by the Officer whips out a phaser and Red only hears the phaser whine before darkness over takes hir.
The officer a helps the three men carry the chakats in the van since the cub wasn't expected but no plan survives contact with the enemy. After shutting the doors to the van he watches the van head to the spaceport. He returns to his PTV and heads out to home to convert it back to a normal PTV. Meanwhile the van gets into the port to a cargo ship. There they open the van and stun the chakats again before hauling them out. "What happen?" A crewman asks.
"Had this cub with hir so had to take hir to."
"Well luckily we had extra capsules." Red and Whirl and then placed into cryotubes and froze to transport to wherever and whoever has plans for them.