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Ch15. Trio

**

Ken sat in his class listening to the older instructor drone on about cargo weights, explosives handling, and all the minutia that existed in the world of being a "gunner's mate." Kelten was beginning to have an idea that maybe joining the military, especially the Navy, wasn't such a bright move.

This wasn't the standard Navy of the 20thand 21stcenturies. Ocean going vessels still existed, but they were more of a honor guard since the Final Founding had taken place, and it was considered a privilege to serve on such ancient museums. No, the Navy today consisted of what the "old salts" would call, Long Haulers (Transports), Scab Fighters, (fast nimble ships capable of defending the fleets from hostiles) and War Cruisers, large slow ships capable of containing a whole city inside but capable of wiping out a colony if need be. Preventative Stance they called it.

Once the People had finished fighting among themselves, they had once more turned their eyes skyward and had found homes on the moon, mars, and some of the outer moons in the solar system. Faster Than Light (FTL) travel had not yet been discovered, so the Navy, while powerful, was slow. It took months to a year or more to get to the outer regions of the claimed territory.

Ken was learning that the hostiles weren't the aliens he thought of as kids, but rather, pirate raiders. Desperate people trying to eek out a life in space, and willing to do anything for some food.

Ken's imagination was quickly filling what his near life was going to be. Long voyages, polishing explosives, munitions, and the weapons themselves, and that was about it.

Well....I wanted simple....

He stared at the back of Jacob's head. At least they were in this class together for another month or so of training. After that, Ken didn't want to think that far, and neither did Jacob. There was a big possibility they would end up on separate ships, and may never see each other again except for leave days. Ken thought about the words the bull had spoken to him at his parents house:

"Too much Ken. Think of now, enjoy what we have. You know, when we ship out, it will be months before we come back. Enjoy this, for what it is. It may never last."

Good advice Ken. Just enjoy what you have....

The advice didn't make it any easier.

**

"So, you're how old now?" Dal blinked a couple times. "Oh, nearing sixty." Chas replied with his smooth baritone.

"Wow."

I knew we furs were long lived, I know great grandpa lived well over a hundred and didn't even begin to look his age until he was in his 90's and he only lasted about ten years more, but Chas isn't one of the larger furs. I thought they all had shorter, more average life spans. He doesn't look a DAY over 35!

"Can you think of one reason why?"

Rick gave Dalten a canine grin, his deep blue eyes shining. "I can, the bond. It allows you to share energies, like Dal and I did."

William nodded. "Yes, I would far outlive Chas otherwise, together, who knows, I may gain a few decades. One thing is for certain, we will die together when the time comes."

Rick's smile vanished. Dal nodded to himself. It was a sobering fact that Bonded pairs rarely outlived each other by more than a few hours at most. Only a few records mention one of the pair outlasting the other by more than an hour, and only then during dire emergencies, or life and death (for other folks) situations.

Dal grinned inwardly. He should of known he would get some good ribbing from the Tiger and Bull over his tryst with Rick. Chas gave as good as he got and was incredibly good matured. The four of them were finding their conversations lively. Over the last week or so Dal had gotten to know Chas about as well as Rick and William and found that he was becoming very fond of both of them as friends.

"You see, there isn't much known about why Bonded's, that's what most people call us by the way, are formed or made. In the old chronicles after the founding, it seemed anyone who had a "True Love" was Bonded. Then later it only seemed people who had a major life purpose were Bonded. Now? Who knows?"

The Tiger shrugged. "Look at William and I! Forty years together, working restaurants, spending our lives in luxury, but we had no major calling, no major purpose, other than good food, but what good is that for society?"

Dal thought deeply. He'd mentioned the conversation with the priest with the Tiger. Chas had only smiled and nodded and said that when he was bonded to William that a similar situation had happened. Some priest from some order with a thick accent (in their case, Russian) and told them the grave news, and that "they'd not be alone" in their quest for their purpose. So far William and Chas had only once briefly met another Bonded couple, an elderly pair of Canines in the old U.K. Both had died in a car accident some time back.

Rick nodded to himself. "Maybe it has more to do with just being who we are. Maybe that's the purpose. To just be?" Chas smirked. "All well and good, but where does that get you....speaking of Dal, how did your conversation go with Havestorm and Company?" Both Dal and Rick grimaced.

**

It was the evening after the hot tub incident. After Rick and Dal had disentangled themselves, they decided that Dal should at least call the representative Mark before it got to be too late back home. Dal had entered the contact information and waited. Soon a receptionist answered.

"Yes?" She was a mouse-like young lady, very pretty with pert ears. "Um, Dalton Taylor, to speak to Marc?"

"Yes, please hold."

Dal found himself holding, and holding. Finally after about ten minutes on the screen appeared another Equine, jet black, with a single star on his forehead.

"Mr Taylor! Sooo good to hear from you. We understand that currently we are operating under the old contract you had with Metreon, though I must say, it's a little, well dated."

Dal nodded. "Yes, that's why I'm speaking to you, they were a little, overwhelmed."

The equine nodded, crossing his arms behind his head and leaning back. Eying Dal's chest and mark. "So are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"Um, go through with what?"

The equine smiled. "Why, signing on with us of course, you know almost all of the people we represent are not necessarily classical musicians, but I think we can work wonders for your career." The equine grew serious and leaned forward taking up most of the screen. "Did you read any of the correspondence yet?"

Dal shook his mane in a negative gesture. They'd only gotten here today.

The other equine smirked. "Well, suffice it to say, we need to act quick, act decisively, and move now, while the, excuse the pun, branding iron is hot. Alice!"

The equine was joined moments later by the mouse like female receptionist who brought a stack of papers over.

"These are our standard forms. I know, I know, they are in paper format, and not electronic. We don't do business the new way I'm afraid. The laws are very strict on legal maters, and the pen, ah ha, is still mightier than the sword. These will be waiting for you when you get back. What I can give you over this device, is a voice recorded imprint agreement for a 30 day trial......"

The legalese went on for a while. Dal tried to keep up, but he was a musician, not a lawyer. Dal absently scratched at his mark. It itched. His eye turned to Rick. The canine was fuming. On the edge of his hearing he could hear something. Grumbling about being raked over the coals, and if only my dad was here.

It took a second for Dal to realize the thoughts, or intentions of thoughts were coming from Rick.

Hrm, this may work to my advantage

Dal grinned holding up his hand. Immediately the itching stopped as Rick stared at Dal.

"I think a trial period will suffice, at the old rates I had with Metreon. It is, after all, for only thirty days." The equine looked shocked. "And I believe, if I remember what Frank once told me, that both of you have a secondary clause on contract agreements?"

The equine looked flummoxed. "Yes but...."

Dal could feel warmth from both of his marks and smiled. "Then I doubt you'd have a problem if my lawyer, Mr. Agustus Wells reviewed the contract before we make this binding?"

The equine looked defeated, but resolute. "Yes fine, now moving on...."

Dal smiled to himself as he glanced at Rick. Poor Rick's muzzle was agape with astonishment.

"Well first off, we have three assignments for you. First of all, everyone wants an interview, but that wont get you anything but fame, and fame is fleeting. We were thinking of an audio commentary by you with the soundtrack of the concert, you giving your reasoning behind your composition, and why and how you did what you did, and of course, everything you can tell us about Rick..."

Dal nodded. He'd expected something of the sort. "No problem." Marc smiled.

"Good."

More papers were shuffled...."Speaking of, where is Spots anyway?" Rick's ears went flat, obviously not liking the nickname but poked his head into view. "Here."

The equine grinned. "I understand you're a musician? What do you play?"

Rick shrugged putting his arm around Dal's waist. "Guitar, why?"

The equine laid back again in a lazy gesture. "Well, you do come as a set don't you?"

Rick nodded.

"And I understand you are more than talented? Wasn't that last movement composed by you?"

"No, just a theme an variations by Dal on my original composition, but I do have a few sample recordings."

"Good....."

"Then we will need a photo shoot of the two of you...."

Dal soaked it in, listening to his hours and days fill up with things to do, when the final last bit of news hit him like a rock to the face.

"Then of course, by the end of the trial period with us, you will be in practice with the LSO." The equine was shuffling papers. He looked quite finished with this conversation.

"Excuse me....the LSO?"

"Yes! The London Symphony Orchestra." The equine smiled enigmatically. "They were most insistent. You'll be performing some of the greats, Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, your choice of material of course, and your concert Requiem Celebration piece for a two week booking with three weeks practice total before hand. They are already practicing your piece by the way, we sent it on ahead. We're hoping Rick might be able to have a song ready for intermission, the fee, is quite substantial...."

Dal paled at the fee mentioned. It was more than substantial. That single fee was more than he made in the last two years of composing by far.

"Ok...."

The equine looked at Dal, his ears cocked forward. "Dalten, this is our chance to break into the classical music world. You've inspired the world, a political movement, you've even made people swoon over you. Yes, even Rick. The poor wounded puppy who couldn't be with his lover the night of the concert. You've stirred imaginations Dal, and all through just some simple good intentions." Marc put his papers together along with some notes he'd taken.

"I'd hate to see what you'd do if you really tried....."

The smile the equine wore was anything but pleasant.

**

"Ah I see...." Chas smiled hugely. "So you are to be a face for a movement." Dal winced, as did Rick.

"Oh come now....it won't be that difficult....it's just music...."

Rick gave Chas a half grin, hoping the tiger was right....

**

Dalten Sr. sighed. How did I ever get talked into this? She does nothing but complain.

Meghan sat in the kitchen complaining about her swollen belly, he distraught sister, her mother who was in tears, and of course, of the wretch Ken who had left her 'Like This!'

Vi padded the poor filly, soon to be mare's hand. Dal liked her enough, when she wasn't complaining. She was very beautiful, pure white, blue eyes, and a silken mane that she kept long. She wasn't of Clydesdale stock, but what did Dal care, he wasn't marrying her.

Dal munched on his lunch of greens as the filly droned on.

My word but she does nothing but talk. What did Dal or even Ken see in her? He chuckled to himself. _Oh I can bet, that rump, that sweet chest, that soft face, and that was all._Did his son's ever take his advice about finding someone they liked?

Well Dal did, too bad Ken knocked her up...

Dal sighed to himself. Vi looked at him.

Uh oh....

He could not lie. He never could. Anyone else could say "I didn't finish the milk, it was so-and-so" and get away with it. Dal could do nothing but tell the truth. Any lie he tried to form he stuttered on badly.

"Dal honey, is something wrong?"

Dal thought hard before answering. "No dear, just thinking about Dal and Rick...."

That stared the filly on another rant about Dal's younger son, Ken's fraternal twin. About what kind of a horse would join with a dog, and a male one at that? "It's bad enough he wouldn't be my boyfriend, but he has to go off and mate with a puppy???"

Dal Sr. fumed. He was just happy his son had found someone like he had in Vi. The glance Vi was giving him though indicated she knew that Mount Dal Sr. had been lit, and unless she did something to quiet the filly, Dal Sr. was going to give her a piece of his mind.....

"Sweetie, why don't we go into the Parlor? I'll get you some nice lemonade...." Vi stood quickly, patting the filly's shoulders....

"Oh I just couldn't, this foal is making me so nauseous. I wish Ken hadn't done this to me, then I'd be able to find a nice proper...."

Dal Sr. had it. He took the napkin tucked into his overalls and threw it on his plate. Vi's eyes went wide. Dal Sr. rarely ever raised his voice, but when he did.....

"You make this sound as if it's all Kelten's fault! Well, Miss Pure-of-Heart Meghan, the last I heard, it took two to tango, and two to make a foal. You certainly weren't complaining until Ken left you on the side, nor were you complaining when Dal tried to do right by you and date you. Grow a backbone would you? My Vi has had two foals already, and another is on the way, and you don't hear her giving a lick of complaints. So shut up, and get up to your bed if it's such a problem!"

Dal stormed out to the barn, not waiting for a reply.

**

"Dal?"

Dal Sr put the pen down, and closed his notebook. Writing, even after all these years helped him calm down.

"Don't you think that was a bit, well, unfair, the poor filly..."

"No I don't Vi. She's a vain foppish little thing and is playing the victim. I've heard the gossip around town, as did you. She even tried to seduce young Andrew after Dal left. She had her heart set on being a Taylor, and now that it isn't happening, she's throwing a fit. I wish I hadn't agreed to take her in, but her mother is all alone with Di, and well, I figured we could give her a place to relax. If I had known she was going to be so....."

"Annoying?"

Vi smirked at her husband.

"Yes! I mean, no...."

Vi sighed, and walked over, putting her arms around his thick neck, kissing him between the ears.

"Give her a break dear, she's having a rough time. I know she was stupid, but everyone is reminding her of that. I don't think we have any place to do so...do you?"

Dal Sr. sighed. He closed his eyes. "No, you're right. But I'm NOT going to apologize.

"Vi straightened up and made her way out of the barn laughing..

"I know dear, I do....I wouldn't expect you to..."

Dal Sr. fumed.