Log 19
SD: 03290.3
Of cats an men, or dance of the sugarplum idiots:
It's been a quiet day on the Freedom for a change. I started to go to the art class that everyone was talking about, but when I got there it looked like a meat market with some poor embarrassed looking fellow in the buff being sketched by a room full of drooling females. I actually felt sorry for him.
Deciding to go back to my cabin and check on the replication of the bolt for my Mauser, I found that a package had arrived for me. It must have been picked up at New California, and just delivered. Inside was a rather brief note from Admiral Ironbottem explaining that the contents would help me gain info on my prime suspect Riit through his weak spot K'Lynxyl. Among the things I found several bottles, one of which was a bottle of "Caitian Musk" for males. I was just going to check the smell when the ship gave one of its rather frequent lurches, and I spilled it on myself. It had a smell like dirty gym socks and started me sneezing till I could rinse most of it off. When I went back and looked over the box again I found many more things including a bottle of Viagra. Ironbottem is such a bastard.
I'd just finished my looking at the boxes and was playing with one of the rubber mice I'd received after the Letter Log incident, when the door chimed. It was her, I put on my most charming face and invited her in. We talked for a time and oddly she seemed charming and demure, if a bit frightened by something that she wanted to ask. She also seemed pleased with the smell of the cologne.
We talked about other things for a time, and I showed her the Wtsai I'd taken off my first Kzin kill, and she seemed very impressed. I didn't tell her how scared spitless I'd been trying to kill the hulking brute with my cutlass in single combat, but she seemed impressed anyway and was able to identify it accurately as Late Hrall period.
I also gave her the mouse and the other peace offerings I'd received for her after that letter episode, and she seemed pleased.
When finally I got it out of her what she'd come here for, I was shocked. She asked me to go to a dance with her, and I don't have a clue how to dance! Or what's popular now for that matter. Sleeping for a generation and a half will do that to you.
I told her I didn't have a clue how to dance and she made a deal with me. She asked me to give her fencing lessons and in return she would teach me to dance. She showed me how to do a standard box step, but first she asked to remove our gloves as we had agreed
that morning on the holodeck. I agreed, and we started to dance. Goddess help me, I enjoyed it! I didn't want to, but it was fun.Now I go and will show her how to fence and find myself in a quandary. I am beginning to like this frightening person with her spooky pink eyes. If she is
working with her brother for the Kzin as I have reported, how will I feel if I am forced to betray her? Only time will tell, and Goddess give me strength to do what is right if it proves so.