"Is this it?" Bo gasped, as the two rounded the bannister to the ship's ninth deck. "Are we there yet?"

"Almost," Dan replied, after consulting his ship card. "One more floor."  After six flights of stairs, he wasn't nearly as winded as Bo seemed to be. Bo ducked his head and gamely soldiered on, up yet another flight of elegantly carpeted steps.  Cresting the top, Dan felt a huge wave of relief wash over both of them.  Bo might be as strong as the proverbial ox, but his cardiovascular fitness could stand to be improved.  

The varius tried not to wheeze as Dan took a few moments to confirm their position on the holographic map of the ship.  "Oh, hell," Dan muttered, disgusted with himself.  "We're on the right level but we can't get there from here. You've got to go down two levels, walk all the way to the front of the ship, then go back up."

Bo was momentarily annoyed, but his ire was directed more at the designers of the ship than at his mate. "It's okay, buddy.  But can we just take the elevator?"

They had both wanted to do a little exploring once boarding the ship and had rejected numerous offers from helpful crew to escort them to their cabin, preferring to find their way themselves.  Although they had uncovered a number of interesting spots as they meandered through the huge vessel, they'd also done a lot of walking while doing so.  Dan was all about discovering new things, but he wanted to get Bo off his feet as soon as possible.  Standing in so many lines had really made his paws ache. Dan pushed the elevator call button and pointed to the bottom steps of the stairway. "Have a seat."

The first two cars that arrived were so full of disgruntled-looking passengers that taking on two more, especially when one of them was a battle varius, was not going to happen.  Dan knew Bo didn't like to use his priority status for anything but emergencies, but this was getting ridiculous. On his third attempt to summon a car, Dan gave the call button two short pushes, a third long push, then a fourth quick one, the sequence which commanded the system to send them an empty car.  

"Come on, Boo," he called, motioning Bo into the elevator when it arrived. "Let's get moving."  Bo had to bend his legs and duck his head to fit through the doors, but once inside the car he could stand with only the tips of his ears brushing the ceiling.

Thirty seconds later, they were surprised when the doors unexpectedly slid open to reveal a neatly dressed concierge at his small, spare desk. Dan stood where he was, nervously waiting for the doors to slide shut and take them closer to their cabin, but they stubbornly remained open.  After a few uncomfortable seconds, the concierge looked up at them. His initial double-take at seeing the huge, furry form shoehorned into the elevator was quickly replaced by a bearing of smooth professionalism. "Mr. Taylor?" he asked, hesitantly.

"Uh, yeah," Dan said, with an equal lack of certainty. "That's us."  He took a few timid steps out of the elevator, but Bo remained glued in place. "Is this the way to cabin 10500?"

"This is cabin 10500," the man replied, motioning to his left.  The door he indicated had been decorated with a huge red heart, resplendent with ribbons and spangles that glinted in the light. A pair of animated doves on one side of the heart slowly flapped their wings as if in flight. Emblazoned across the monstrosity glittered the words, "Just Married!" in glowing white, fiber-optic letters.

"Oh, my."  Dan's expression of horror provided sufficient encouragement for Bo to pry himself out of the confines of the elevator and look for himself. Bo was not the sort of man to turn down the opportunity to stare at a disaster.

The man behind the desk smoothly got up from his seat and extended his hand. "I'm Julian, your personal concierge for this trip." Noticing Dan's gaze locked on the door decoration, he added, "It's yours to keep, you know."

"That's just peachy!" Dan said, as the two doves settled on their branch and snuggled up next to one another. "Is there a dumpster nearby?"

"No!" Bo broke in, from close behind Dan.  He stared at the decoration with the sort of critical attention one might bestow upon an artwork of rare value. "I sorta like it!"

"I apologize," Julian said, breaking the stunned silence caused by Bo's remark. "I was expecting..." he re-evaluated what he was going to say, making certain it was in no way offensive. "someone else."

"It's all right," Dan reassured him, "I'm sure with something like that hanging on the door, you were expecting one of us to be a woman."

"I have assisted quite a number of same-sex couples over the years," Julian said, "and a few varius couples as well, but you're the first same-sex, mixed pair I've had the pleasure to serve." Now back in his groove, he walked to their door and motioned to a slot on the wall. "Shall we program your door to your fingerprints?"

Dan slid his ship card out of its pouch and into the receptacle, and under Julian's direction, pressed his thumb against a small, dark-colored window set into the door's frame.  The machine beeped, Dan retrieved his card, and Julian motioned to Bo.  "Now yours?"

Bo looked skeptical, but did as he was told.  Fingerprint readers were useless to varii, whose pad surfaces bore no consistent marks.  "This one is a little different from what you might be used to," Julian said, as he rolled Bo's pawpads over the scanner's window.  "It works by scanning a few millimeters deep and recording the growth pattern of your dermal cells."

The machine beeped with as little drama as it had with Dan, and Bo took his card back. Seeing the look of doubt that Bo flashed at the machine, Julian assured, "You can always carry your card as a backup, if you wish. And if that doesn't work, I'll be here for most of the day to let you in."

"That's your job?" Bo said, brusquely, "to sit out here all day long just in case I lose my I.D.?"

Julian chuckled. "It's a little more involved than that," he admitted. "I actually serve the needs of a dozen different guest rooms." He swung their door open and guided them inside their room. "Some of the requests that guests make can be somewhat difficult to accommodate, but whenever possible, we do try.

"I'll only take a moment of your time," he said, showing them into their room, "but I would like to point out a few of the more unusual aspects of this suite," Julian indicated a flat panel showing a dozen electronic switches.  "These control the lights..." At the push of a virtual button, the room lamps dimmed to a romantic level, "...background music..."the twist of a knob made the currently playing jazz combo a bit louder, "...and best of all..."  He flicked the last switch and, one by one, the outer hullplates of the far wall slid majestically down to expose an expansive, wall-to-ceiling view of the stars, a view which left Bo and Dan speechless. Remembering how the spectacular view had first affected him, Julian remained silent. Simple things like this were the best, and Julien had no desire to spoil the happy couple's experience.

"Oh my God," Dan gasped.  Without looking away, he found Bo's arm and intertwined their fingers.  "This is amazing."

"This is arguably the best spot in the known universe from which to see space," Julian said, quietly. "It's the largest span of reinforced polymer ever constructed, and is the pride of our fleet.  And you, my friends," he added, somewhat enviously, "own it for the next ten days."

Dan felt wonder wash over his mate at the insane beauty of the natural spectacle. "You've been out in space," he said, squeezing Bo's hand. "You've seen this before."

Bo shook his head, not looking away from the literally stellar view. "Never like this." He pulled Dan a bit closer. “Military ships use cameras and viewscreens, and maybe a thick glass porthole or two. The view is great in a space suit, but you're so crammed in there that you can't really enjoy it.

"Would you like to take lunch while your luggage arrives?" Julian asked, after a respectful silence.

"Sure," Dan said, but he was hard-pressed to tear his view away from the stars. The Earth was rotating into view, spinning slowly beneath them at a stately pace. "Can we, uh... take it in here?"

"Absolutely," Julian replied, walking to a charging station over the wet-bar.  He removed two of the four display pads and handed them to the men.  "These contain everything you need to know about the ship, including show times and menu selections.  Please ignore the notation that certain food items are not available on the room service menu.  As guests of the concierge level, all items are available to you at all times, and at no additional charge."

The smiling man was about to say more when a voice bellowed from the foyer outside their door. "Service!"

Julian winced. "I see that my other premium client has returned."  He sighed deeply as he prepared to deal with a most unpleasant person. "If you need anything," he said, turning back to the two men, "anything at all, please let me know.  Although I serve a dozen rooms," he assured them sincerely, "you are my priority on this trip."  And with one final, friendly smile, he left them.

Bo jerked a thick thumb toward their cabin door and the unpleasantness going on behind it.  "If that's the sort of people he has to put up with on every trip, we're going to be cake." He kicked his shoes off, aiming them for the foot of the bed. "Don't get used to this," he told Dan, looking around the room. "No way were our little freebie tickets good for anything this nice." He looked longingly at the wall of stars. "They must have gotten us mixed up with some other pair of newlyweds."

"Huh," Dan grunted. He was about to agree with Bo when he spied a framed photo propped up on a corner table next to the door. Their co-workers at Magnum stared out of the frame, all smiling broadly and giving enthusiastic thumbs-ups to the imager.  Underneath the photo was an envelope labeled, simply, "Surprise!"  Dan

“Look at this, Boo." Dan slid a finger under the envelope's flap, pulled out a sheet of paper, and read aloud,

"Boys,

The two of you have been a major part of the success of Magnum Metals over the past few years, and I don't think I've adequately expressed my appreciation for all you've done for us.

Dan, you've come in early, stayed late, made certain that the office is run smoothly, and all my appointments get kept.  Everything runs so much better than it did three years ago, and the main reason for that is you.  Thanks to your hard work, I can concentrate more on building the business and less on what happens in the office when I'm gone.  Thank you.

Bo, you've worked yourself to the bone and never asked me for anything special in return.  You've done everything I've ever asked of you, and more, without a single complaint.  Although I wouldn't trade away any of our employees, if I could have a plant full of workers like you, I would.  Thank you.

And now that my two best workers are getting married, I, or rather, we, think a proper send-off is in order.  Your cruise was nice, but we all thought you deserve something even better.  So we've all pitched in and taken the liberty of upgrading your cabin. The Presidential suite was already taken, so you get to be in the honeymoon suite.  It seemed fitting.  So enjoy yourselves, boys.  You've earned it!"

"That was nice," Bo said, and although his voice hadn't changed, Dan could feel the underlying emotion.  Rarely in his life had Bo felt accepted, and this unexpected gift had done much to build his self-confidence. "I guess that explains the big heart on the door, huh?"

"I can't imagine that happening without Ken's help," Dan said, glaring at the door. Their circlemate was artistic and outgoing, and had a distinct sense of humor which all but guaranteed that the door decoration was his creation. "That abomination can not come home with us."

"Aaw, come on," Bo pleaded. "Someone spent a lot of money boosting all that stuff out of the gravity well. We might as well at least bring it back to show him."

"Yeah, well, that'll be his souvenir," Dan grumbled. "Motorized doves?  Really?"

A knock on the door surprised them both. "Luggage."

Bo answered the door and relieved the porter of their two largest bags, allowing the compact sapiens man to carry the other two into their bedroom.  On his way back out, Bo caught the man sneaking an indiscreet look at Dan's rear end.  "Thanks, Chief," he said, ushering the man out the door with a condescending pat on the rump the way an adult might pat a toddler on his diaper. "Bye bye now," he said, shutting the door and locking it after him. "Pervert."

"What?" Dan asked, oblivious of the man's attention.

"He thought you were hot," Bo told him, annoyed.

"Doesn't matter what he thought about me," Dan said, wrapping his arms around his lover, "It matters what I think about him."

"So what did you think about him?" Bo grumbled.

Dan laughed. "I have no idea. I didn't even look at him." His eyes sparkled. "You know I only have eyes for you, Boo." It may have sounded trite but it was also absolutely true. "You ready for lunch?"

"That's a stupid question," Bo said, harshly.  His rude words were belied by the soft warmth of his eyes and the warm touch of his hands as he pulled Dan close. "I'm always hungry."  To Dan, the look in the varius' eyes suggested a different sort of hunger.  There would be plenty of time to explore the ship later, as there would be time to investigate the abilities of their suite and the temptations from the ship's kitchen. Right now, he knew, his varius mate had a different kind of hunger that needed to be fed.

***

"Service!"

Victus cringed at the verbal assault. True to form, the Negin was big, he was loud, and he was obnoxious.

The sapiens concierge emerged from the other suite at a fast pace, somehow managing not to appear rushed. Victus had evaluated him upon their arrival three days prior, assigned him a preliminary rating of 15  and dismissed him as being of no immediate threat. "Hello, Negin Mal," the concierge said, "What may I do to assist you?"

Victus could tell that the man disliked Mal, but he showed no outward signs of animosity.  If he was this good at hiding his feelings, what else might he possibly be hiding? He raised the man's base threat potential from 15 to 20 and continued to scan the room and its occupants.  A ship this large, carrying thousands of people in an enclosed space, could be filled with threats to his charge.  No matter how convinced the cruise line's security personnel were that each and every passenger, package and suitcase entering the ship was scanned at multiple points before being allowed on, he still did not completely trust them.  It was his job to protect the negin from danger, and as a Kenzine Protector, he took that job very seriously.

Security cameras were in two corners of the room, and their movement and the lightening and darkening of their irises seemed to indicate that they were working models and not merely dummies.

The other door had shut itself after the concierge emerged, and Victus had heard the sound of the lock engage, temporarily removing it as a portal through which enemies might emerge.

At the periphery of his awareness he heard the negin demanding a massage.  The man had kept himself squirming in eager anticipation for three days now at the lurid thought of the small Asian women employed by the ship's spa running their hands over his more-than-ample flesh, and apparently, his ability to delay gratification had exhausted itself.  He'd had weeks to schedule his appointment, yet as usual he had waited until the last possible instant to demand satisfaction, forcing all parties involved to drop whatever they were doing and serve him instead.

The concierge had picked up a stylus which might be used as an instrument to stab the Negin, he'd just been insulted, and he'd moved to within arm's reach of the man.  +20, +10 and +20,  for a total threat factor of 75.  Victus moved two meters closer to Julian, downgraded the threat to 50 and continued to scan.

Victus disliked how the negin behaved.  Not only was it embarrassingly rude, but it created all manner of unnecessary security risks.  He did not hate the negin. Hating the man would have required Victus to care about him.  No, he simply tolerated the warm blob of flesh and did his best to protect the man until his contract was up, he had proven his value to the abbey's elders, and he could  move on to a position more worthy of his efforts.

Lucas was at his side, for which Victus felt grateful.  Under other circumstances he would have classified the other man as an unwelcome distraction and demanded that he be left behind, but he couldn't bring himself to do that here.  Lucas was in training, and he would never learn if he wasn't present.  And, Victus had to admit to himself, he wanted the man nearby because he was in love with him.

"Follow," Victus told Lucas, simultaneously making the hand signs that they used when verbal communication would not be appropriate, "stay close but not at my side.  Remain vigilant."  Immediately after, but only after, receiving Luc's verbal and visual signals for acknowledgement, Vic resumed his security scan.  

Even when his senses were otherwise occupied, Victus kept a close watch on his employer's conversation. He had been trained to follow a half-dozen simultaneous conversations, so keeping track of one - especially when it was as loud as the negin's usually were - was child's play.  The man had requested a private massage and spa session, been refused, been offered the same service in his room, which he refused out of spite, then had, as usual, been accommodated.

Victus grimaced.  He appreciated the concierge's awkward position, but each time the negin's unreasonable demands were met, the man's estimation of himself and his own power went up another notch, making him that much more demanding and difficult to guard.  With a sigh, Victus consigned himself to working yet another long and frustrating cruise.

***

“I cannot guard effectively if you continue to sequester yourself like this," Victus objected, from his side of the closing door.

“I don't need a guard for this," Mal said, frustrated by Victus's continued attention. “Or a chaperone. It's not like there's anywhere she can hide a weapon. She's not wearing anything but perfume." To emphasize his point, Mal held up a small bottle of cologne and spritzed Victus square in the muzzle.

“But-"

“Go away."  Mal slamming a door in his face was such a common occurrence that Victus no longer considered it an indignity, any more than he would have been insulted by the barking of a dog or the blowing of the wind. Although unpleasant, it was hardly unexpected.  

Were he alone in the hall outside the ship's spa he would have waited quietly for the negin to finish his...business, using the time to stretch or to engage in some walking meditation.  After spending most of his life among monks and scholars, Victus was used to spending long periods in quiet solitude, but his assistant was not.  To be forced to stand quietly for that long would have been torturous for a man like Lucas Mackenzie. 

“Come," the lupine said, stifling a sneeze. He was pleased when Lucas followed him without question, and as reward for his obedience Victus clarified, “We shall wait in the room."  As they passed the entrance to the spa, the Kenzine handed the attendant a card with his comm code on it.  “Please," he requested of her, “call us shortly before the end of his session.  We won't be more than thirty seconds away."

“Don't tell me you're actually going to trust the ship's security," Lucas chided.

Victus knew he was being teased, but from his mate it did not offend.  He teased back in his own manner by responding as if the comment were serious. “After four days of careful observation I have seen no evidence that the security on this ship is anything less than effective.  To maintain vigilance past the point where it is necessary is counterproductive," he added. “The wise warrior knows when to rest."  The elevator door opened at their approach.

Lucas leaned against the polished wood rail at the back of the car, staring through the clear plastiglass bubble at the expansive interior promenade. Lined with foliage from a dozen worlds, it could have masqueraded as a small city. “This ship is amazing." He turned to Victus. “And the fact that it's flying through space is pretty damned cool, too."

"You were a pilot," Victus observed.  "This can hardly be the first time you've ever been in a space ship."

"Of course not," Lucas retorted.  "It's just the first time I've ever been out here with someone I care about."  The elevator door opened and he held his hand over the sensor, allowing his Senpai to pass. "This would seem a lot less like work if you'd try to enjoy it."

The two men walked across the foyer under Julian's watchful but discreet gaze.  On his way past, Victus discreetly scanned the concierge's small desk for telltale signs that a weapon might be hidden under his papers. As he was closing the door to their suite he turned and examined the man's station from behind.  Neither angle revealed anything but dust-free wood and neatly organized printouts, and Victus reduced his threat potential to ten.

Once the door was securely locked behind them, Victus gave the room a quick scan and headed for the bathroom to wash away the stench of perfume.  “I smell like a French tart," he complained, holding back another sneeze.

“No, you don't," Lucas said comfortingly, as he walked into their bedroom.  “You smell like a tart from Amsterdam, which is far worse."  The sound of running water drowned out his laughter.

The Kenzine emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, scrubbing the fur on his face dry with one of the luxurious, water-wicking towels that bore the cruise line's logo.  “Did you check the bedroom?"

“Done," Lucas replied, not looking up from the magazine he was flipping through.  “Two cameras. Both set to Max's frequency."

The fact that the security director of House Mal might have them under surveillance was hardly a surprise.  It was so common an occurrence as to almost be a game between them. “Did you destroy them?"

“Heck no," Lucas smirked, flipping the magazine shut and tossing it onto the dressing table. “I put them both in the Negin's bathroom. One's above the toilet, and I pointed the other one up from below so that Max is sure to get a good view."

Victus scanned their bedroom visually, then set his comm to detect any well-hidden devices that his eyes might not be able to see.  “It's unfortunate that the only threats we ever seem to find come from inside our own ranks."

“It's not so unexpected when we're back at the house, but now?" Lucas complained. "We're on vacation, for fuck's sake."

“Language," Victus reminded him, unleashing a stiff finger to the back of Lucas's neck.  The soldier winced at the pain, which felt like hitting his elbow on the corner of a table. "This isn't a vacation. It's just work in a different place, and you'd do well to remember that."

Lucas flung himself onto the bed and made a great show of smothering himself with the pillow. "You're missing the point," he protested, once he emerged for air.  "Life is full of amazing things, Vic. Things you'll never appreciate if you never notice them.  And you can't do that unless you loosen up every now and then."

Victus looked at him significantly. "The Kenzine order is not widely known for being 'loose.'"

Lucas was quiet for a moment.  He considered making a lewd comment about how un-loose Victus' nether regions were but decided against it.  Eventually he rolled off the bed and padded across the room, stopping to pull a white orchid from the vase of flowers on the living room table.  "Sit down," he requested, coming back to where his mate waited.

Seeing no reason to do otherwise, Victus complied. He moved his tail out of the way and sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for Lucas to join him there.  The younger man held up the flower, and Victus sat quietly until he realized that Lucas intended on putting it behind his ear. "Stop that," he moved back, putting a paw up to block Lucas's hand.

"Why?" Lucas asked. "It's beautiful."

"I don't want it in my hair," Victus explained, sounding annoyed.

"Because it's not dignified?" Lucas pulled his hand back a few inches, but did not entirely withdraw it. "Please?"

This was not the sad-puppy act that Lucas affected when he was trying to get his way, it was a sincere request that, try as he might, Victus could find no logical reason to deny.  He nodded his head and settled his hands in his lap, carefully not expressing his distaste.

Lucas slid the orchid's stem behind his mate's ear, guiding the petals of the flower to rest delicately on Victus' brow. "You may not believe this," he said, sitting back and appreciating his handiwork, "but you're beautiful too, Vic."

Victus felt quite foolish having a flower in his hair, but it gave his partner pleasure so he left it alone.  The slight movement of the large petals tickled his eyebrows when he talked. "I'm gratified that you think that way."  He reached a hand out to his friend and smoothed the hair that had been knocked askew by the pillow.  "I am not so blinded by duty that I cannot appreciate beauty." As his fingers pushed hair behind the canine's ear he couldn't keep himself from flopping the seductively soft ear-leathers this way and that, enjoying their supple feel.

Lucas leaned into Vic's touch. "But do you see it in yourself?" he asked, after a moment.  When Victus said nothing, Lucas reached behind the Kenzine's head to the leather thong restraining his hair.

"No," Victus objected, with such a lack of conviction that Lucas knew that he could have continued if he desired, but no meant no and his hand went still.

"Why do you keep your hair bound?"

"It's the Kenzine way," Victus said, quietly.

"What's your way?" Lucas asked, pointedly.  "You make the perfect Kenzine, Vic.  You're smart, you're fast, you're strong, you're loyal to a fault," he sighed. "But no matter how textbook a Kenzine you are, one day you're still going to have to answer the question of who Victus is."

Again reaching behind his partner's head, he unfastened the cord and combed through the hair with his fingers to release it from the braid.  “You need to live a little, Vic. Find out who you are," he said.  “I love you.  Now you need to love you, too."  Untreated lupine varius hair was almost always straight as a board, but spending so much time in the tight braid that was emblematic of the Kenzine warrior protector had left the man's hair wavy and full.  "Just try it out for a few days," Lucas encouraged, coiling the leather thong and pressing it into Victus' hand.  "You can always put it back up if you need to, right?"

"Indeed." Victus managed an uncomfortable smile, but inside he was itching to put his hair back where it belonged.  Irrational as it might be, he felt exposed, naked almost, with his hair swinging freely like this.  It unnerved him, but in his heart he thought that Lucas's words had the ring of truth to them.  "In the meantime, since the negin is occupied and we are not. we shall exercise."  At Lucas's pained groan, Victus softened.  “I understand that swimming is an excellent form of exercise. Gather your things," he directed. “We shall wait by the pool."

***

Dan dug his fingers into the dense, soft fur under Bo's arms, and the result was as predictable as it was entertaining.  Bo virtually leaped out of the bed, trying to keep Dan at arm's length. "What are you doing?" he gasped, "Stop that!"

"I'm trying to find your 'off' switch!" Dan said, laughing as Bo moved back and forth to escape his prodding fingers.  "How can you spend almost a full day traveling and not need to rest?"

"I've never been on a real vacation before," Bo said, holding his arms close to his sides so Dan's fingers could not wiggle past to the ticklish areas underneath. "I don't want to miss out on anything."

"Vacations are all about relaxing, Boo," Dan groaned.  "Are you sure you want to do everything?   How about we just do some things, and let other folks do the rest?"

"Nope," Bo said, obstinately.  "I paid a whole credit for this cruise, so I'm gonna do it, whatever 'it' is."

Dan groaned and fell back into the soft, warm bed that had recently supported two men who were intent on banging the living daylights out of each other.  It had never crossed his mind that he and Bo might have completely contradictory opinions about what constituted an enjoyable vacation.  Dan spent much of his life stressing out about getting things done, and the last thing he wanted to do on vacation was to keep to a schedule.  His idea of the perfect vacation consisted of a beach, a book, a hammock, and a rum-filled coconut with a tacky little paper umbrella in it.  Bo, on the other hand, wanted to burn off as much energy as possible, participating in every activity as if it were to be his last.  From bingo to shuffleboard, it all had to be done.

"Tell ya what," Dan said, desperately hoping that Bo would agree.  "Let's go to the pool while everyone gets on board.  That way, you can swim, I can rest, and we'll both be happy.  They won't open up any of the activities until after the lifeboat drills anyway, right?"

"Okay," Bo said, brightly.  He'd been eager to go swimming ever since learning that the ship had a water slide.   He emerged from the bathroom wearing blue swim trunks decorated with an orgy of orange and white hyacinth flowers, a visual combination which made Dan's eyeballs ache.  He'd always thought of Bo as being a no-nonsense, black-swim-trunks kind of guy, but since they bonded the varius had loosened up quite a bit.  Apparently, having Dan in his life was just the tonic that Bo needed to open up and express his light-hearted side.  Abandoned by his father at two and his mother at thirteen, Bo had been forced to leave his childhood behind in order to make a life for himself.  Now that he was self-sufficient and mated to someone who loved him for who he was, he felt comfortable revisiting the more cheerful elements he'd been forced to put by the wayside.

The varius was practically bouncing on his feet in anticipation when Dan finally got together his book, his towel, his water jug and his sunscreen.  "The pool isn't going anywhere," Dan said, pragmatically. "We've got all the time in the world."  Walking to the sun deck, Dan purposely allowed the space between them to increase so that when they finally did arrive at the pool, he wasn't soaked by the splash from Bo's enthusiastic cannonball into the water. Other passengers who had established spots near the pool's edge were not so fortunate.  Most of the ones who shot his mate dirty looks were well past middle age, and Dan had the idea that he and Bo might be the youngest passengers on board.

"Are you coming in?" Bo asked, peering expectantly over the edge of the pool at Dan.

"If I get wet I might short out my travel book," Dan explained.  "Have you tried out the water slide?"

"It won't be open until tomorrow. But I'm not sure I'll fit through it, anyway." Bo said, sounding disappointed. "I think it was really made for kids."

"Well, be careful," Dan warned, opening his book to the marked page. "If you get stuck we'll never hear the end of it."

Bo grumped something inaudible and pulled himself out of the pool.

Dan sensed what he was about to do.

don't you dare shake off

all over these nice people

"You never let me have any fun," Bo grumbled, using the towel Dan tossed him to wipe off the majority of the water.  "You told me I should meet some new people.  How can I do that if I don't get their attention?"  

He tossed the towel onto a recliner next to his mate.  "I'm going to go get the drink of the day," he announced.  "Want one?"

"What is it?" Dan asked, moderately intrigued.

Bo plucked a small, plastic sign off the nearest table.  "I dunno.  What's a Lunar Lady?"

Dan smiled up at his partner.  "Knock yourself out, big guy.  I'll be here when you get back."  He called out to Bo's retreating back, "And don't pay extra for the souvenir glass!"

i'll only buy it if it's really cool

Dan groaned, not wanting to have to pay freight fees on a full set of tacky souvenir glasses.  Once Bo had purchased the first one, Dan knew that he'd feel compelled to collect the entire set.  Looking around him, he noticed that most of the people sitting around the pool were considerably older than he and Bo.  He was wondering where all the more interesting people were when two male varii strode into the pool area. His eyes were well hidden behind dark sunglasses so he bookmarked his page and turned off his reader, confident that he could watch the two without being noticed.

Usually, Dan would not have assumed that the two men were partnered just because they stood close to one another.  Such was often the case with brothers or close friends, or even unacquainted European gentlemen.  But for some reason it never crossed Dan's mind that these two men might not be together.  One of them appeared to share pleasant characteristics of both German Shepherd and Rottweiler canines, blending features of each into a whole that was considerably greater than the sum of its parts.  

The other appeared to be pure lupine varius, evidenced by his longer muzzle and the color and texture of his fur.  At first glance Dan assumed the lupine to be the elder by at least a decade, but something in the man's manner caused him to wonder if he was far older.  He walked with confidence and dignity which would not have seemed out of place on a varius whose muzzle had gone gray with age, but everything else about the man gave the appearance of youth.  His face is so serious, Dan thought.  What must his life be like for him to have such a grave expression?

With a start, Dan realized that the lupine was looking not only in his general direction, but straight back at him.  Surprisingly, Dan felt nothing negative in the man's gaze, and felt comfortable returning it.  To Dan, the man's examination felt the same way it did to look up and find that his mother had been looking at him.  It left behind feelings of curiosity, not animosity, and he felt no threat when the lupine started walking in his direction.

By the time the other man arrived, Dan was standing on his feet with his hand outstretched.  "Dan Blocker," he announced.  "I know we couldn't have ever met, but you seem very familiar to me."

"My name is Victus," the lupine said in return.  In contrast with his expression his grip was warm and friendly, the handshake of an old friend, like that of a childhood buddy you hadn't seen in years or an honored teacher you'd come back to visit.  "I'm very pleased to meet you, Dan Blocker.  That," he indicated the other varius, who had climbed into the pool with infinitely greater care than Bo had, "is my partner, Lucas."

Dan was more than a little surprised that Victus had offered up that information so readily.  It was uncommon for varii of the same sex to pair up, and even less common to be open about it.  "Thank you for telling me," he said, sincerely.

Something in Dan's voice communicated his surprise, and Victus suddenly looked uneasy.  "I'm sorry, Dan.  I'm normally much more discreet than that." The corners of his mouth went down in consternation.  "I feel as if we've known each other at some point, and that misperception is undoubtedly affecting my judgement."

The man's eyes were the most peculiar shade of... yellow?  No, Dan decided, gold.  They were the color of a gold nugget reflecting the sunlight on a cool spring day.  "Don't worry about it," he said.  "Who knows?  Maybe we did know each other in a past life, or something," he joked. On a hunch he asked, "Do you believe in reincarnation?"  He personally did not, but the question was sufficient  to launch them into a spirited discussion on the topic of rebirth, a conversation which was unceremoniously interrupted by a loud yell and a lengthy series of splashes from Lucas.

Turning, Victus was first alarmed, then amused by the sight of his mate covered in children.  He'd seen only one or two juvenile sapiens in the three days they'd been aboard, and had thought that there were not many more than that to see. Evidently, the ship's crew believed that entertaining the passengers and their children were jobs best done in ways that did not involve blending the two groups. Victus agreed with that philosophy every bit as much as his mate did not.  With the skill he displayed everywhere they went, Lucas had apparently drawn every child on board to him, and at that moment they were attempting, with a single, unified will, to drown him.

Although the mass of children was in constant motion, Victus thought he counted five, at least one of whom was still in street clothes, weighing him him down.  A sixth child, wearing a bathing suit that looked like it had never been in the water, stood on the side of the pool, watching the action but not daring to participate.  After watching the ruckus for a few moments, the thin, pale child began to slowly back away.

"Snack time!" Lucas yelled, shuffling to the side of the pool where, one by one, the children climbed off his back and back onto the pool deck.  "Go dry off, and run into the buffet and find something good to eat!"  He smiled as the herd of children did as he asked without stopping to consider that it might not be what they wanted to do.  Lucas had that effect on people, and it worked even better with children than it did with adults.

When the last of the gaggle had scampered off, Lucas floated to the far edge of the pool, where the lone child stood and watched.  He neither approached Lucas nor ran away, he merely stood his ground, silently looking perplexed.

"My name is Lucas," the varius said, holding his hand out to the boy with solemn dignity.

"I'm Clay," the boy said, giving Lucas' sopping-wet paw a weak squeeze which implied how few hands the boy had shaken in his young life.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Clay."  Lucas slid his body back into the pool until only his head was exposed above the water line.  "So why aren't you playing with the others?" he asked, his arms moving back and forth through the water with fluid grace.

Clay looked "They don't like me much," Clay said, uncertainly.  "My mom and dad told me I had to play with them while they're at the bridge tournament, but I'd really rather not."

Something about the boy reminded Lucas of himself as a young pup; thin, shy, and precociously intelligent.  An understanding stranger had shown him kindness once, with a few simple words that had shown him his own value, even if he couldn't yet see it within himself.  From that point on, he had never failed to make a payment on that debt whenever he had the chance. "Were they mean to you?" Lucas asked, quietly.

"Not really,"  Clay answered, indifferently.  "They just don't want me in their group."  He looked down at Lucas. "You can always tell when you're not wanted."

Lucas nodded his head respectfully.  "You're right."  Pulling himself up with long, muscular arms, Lucas sat on the edge of the pool, his eyes at an even level with Clay's.  "I've got two brothers and a sister, and you're right. I can definitely tell when they don't want me around."

Clay stepped back so the large puddle of water growing around Lucas wouldn't get his new tennis shoes wet. “Why wouldn't they want you around?"  

"You seem surprised."

"They all came running up to you," Clay observed, of the other children.  "They all wanted to play with you, and they barely knew you."

Lucas shrugged.  "I talked to one of them first.  And when the rest of them saw how much fun we were having, they wanted to join in."

"I'm not much good at that," Clay sat on the uphill side of Lucas where the puddle of water would not touch him and picked at a pebble embedded in the side of the pool deck.  "I hate talking to people."

"I can teach you how, if you want," Lucas offered, and the cautious smile that appeared on the shy face made his effort worthwhile.

"Really?"

"Sure," Lucas said, sliding back into the water.  "It's really pretty easy. The first thing you have to do," he said, in a voice pitched to carry to his mate, “is loosen up!"