Meanwhile on Earth...

Still disappointed to be left behind here on Earth, while everybody else was going to have some fun, Liam entered the Taelon embassy in Washington. He had been told that the new Companion for North America, Ki'va, had arrived on Earth.
Liam had tried to gain information about him, but he couldn't find much. Ki'va seemed to be the most inconspicuous Taelon ever.
In Da'an's, no, Ki'va's office, Liam corrected himself, everything was quiet. A little too quiet.
Liam entered the room and stopped perplexed.
In Da'an's chair sat a cat and in front of it stood a Taelon in his natural state, and both stared at each other in suspicion.
The Taelon had to be Ki'va. He hadn't noticed Liam's presence yet and gave him the opportunity to calmly eye his new boss.
Ki'va was small, smaller than every other Taelon Liam had ever met before. But that could have nothing to do with his age, since Da'an had told him that Ki'va was older than him.
His colors were of a delicate, translucent light blue, nearly without a trace of violet or pink. His appearance was fragile and light as if any gust of wind could blow him away.
Liam caught himself liking this Taelon immediately. Surprised about his sudden outburst of protective emotions he pulled himself together.
He didn't know this Taelon. His outer appearance could be misleading and there stood a second T'than.
Liam now turned his attention to the second being in the room. The cat looked familiar. He took a second look. Yes, that was Aldrin, alive and kicking. After Da'an's capture by the Jaridians the cat had vanished miraculously and had not come back when Da'an had returned to Earth.
Da'an had missed him a lot (Zo'or less), but Lili had told him about cats and the way their thoughts and likings went.
And now Aldrin had finally returned.
Behind Liam steps became audible. Cat and Taelon looked up and noticed Liam standing in the doorway. Ki'va lightened up in bright colors, apparently startled about Liam's sight.
Then a young woman stormed into the room.
“Oh, sorry, didn't want to interrupt anything. Have you seen Mecki?”
“Who?” asked Liam, staring at her. He knew her from somewhere but couldn't remember. He noticed her skrill. Hm. A companion agent. Ki'va's protectress? But that was his job!
“Mecki, my cat. Ah, there you are! What are you... Down there! Immediately!”
Resolutely, she marched over to the chair and picked the cat up, placing him on her shoulder.
“Mecki?” Liam wondered. “That's Aldrin, Da'an's cat, who vanished some months ago.”
“Aldrin? Hm, that's possible. He appeared in on of our portal rooms and just stayed.”
” Our portal rooms? Who are you, by the way?”
“Oh, yes, how impolite. My name is Foxfeather, I had been stationed in Germany.”
She turned to Ki'va, who had stood there motionless, and greeted him Taelon-style, the cat still hanging over her shoulder.
Ki'va returned the greeting, more in reflex than in politeness.
Foxfeather frowned and looked questioningly at Liam, who shrugged.
“I am Liam Kincaid”
“I know. We've met at Dru's birthday party.”
Ah. That had been it. Now he remembered her as the girl who had nearly knocked Zo'or unconscious when he tried to grab her during a game of tag.
His gaze fell upon the still motionless Taelon.
“Ki'va,” he greeted him with the Taelon gesture, “I am your new attaché and protector.”
Ki'va just stared at him, then winced as if he had remembered something important. He concentrated and started to build up his human-looking façade.
Liam noticed without surprise that it looked as fragile as his real appearance.
In a quiet yet strangely enchanting voice he started to speak: ” I apologize. I forgot that humans do experience Taelon natural appearance as disturbing.” He blushed blue and looked down.
“I have never met a human being before.” He looked first at Foxfeather, then at Liam. “You are the first I get to know. Please be lenient with me.”
Liam groaned mentally. Never met a human and then forced to be North American companion. Perfect!
May I ask you what you have done before you came to Earth, Ki'va?” he asked politely.
“I am Mati'khi. A... collector. Or better a librarian. No, that is not the correct term. I collect stories and legends of all times to learn from them for the future of our world and our race.”
Foxfeather picked up her ears.
Liam groaned again. A bookworm. No, two bookworms. What had Da'an thought of when he chose Ki'va as his successor? Liam saw hard times coming his way.
The Taelon now moved slowly towards Da'an's, pardon, his chair. When he had reached it and started to sit down, Aldrin started to growl, hooked his claws into Foxfeather's shoulder, making her squirm and then jumped off, graciously landing in the chair.
Ki'va backed off quickly and stared suspiciously at the cat.
“I believe he thinks it's his chair. Or Da'an's. He wants to protect it.” Foxfeather said, rubbing her punctuated shoulder. She turned to the cat. “Down!”
Aldrin ignored her.
When she tried to pick him up he scratched her.
“Ouch! Who do you think you are?”
“Let him stay there”, Ki'va interrupted softly. “Perhaps he's right. It is Da'an's chair, not mine. I will find another place.”
Liam and Foxfeather stared at him.
“As you wish, Ki'va, but let me give you an advice: Never give in to a cat, especially this one. He will dance on the tip of your nose if you do.”
“I think we will come to terms.”
Aldrin sensed his victory and curled himself into a purring ball.
Liam still stared at Ki'va. Great. He gives in to a cat. What will he do confronted with politicians? Or Tycoons? Or one of the Jaridians?
These were going to be hard times. Very hard times.
Liam could only hope the Da'an would come back soon.