Stellar Cruise Part 4

Kestra manages to make her message heard, the will of the bored zombies is begining to crumble...

The past week Kestra had been under cabin arrest was the worst in history. She was so bored that she was about to rip her long furs out in frustration. The charge had been passenger harassment, which was fine, technically she had been harassing, well, everyone. But the sentence was unjustified, literally as soon as she was officially charged, she was sentenced. The captan was just after her to stop her religious crusade, just like every authority figure in the known galaxy.

This was not the first time she had spent this long in the cabin, but this was different, she couldn’t leave this time. Last time her mind was occupied; she was perfecting the wording of her religion. Now, she had no way to alleviate the boredom, she was almost ready to start using again. At least she was positive she would not be able to score anything untoward, this time.

In the half year they had been cruising it had only been a month of active conversion. She had expected resistance, sure, it was only natural to change, and rational people like she was trying to attract didn’t believe. But she hadn't even one disciple to show for it, this was crap. People's hatred of religion was stronger than she anticipated. Stronger than even her machinations, limited as they may be. She was almost ready to give up, figure out something else to do with her life, yet again.

She knew she was losing ground, and she didn’t have any ground to lose. The old adage of out of sight out of mind kept ricocheting through her head. The guards had no reason to come in, so they would not listen to her. The cleaning staff had stopped coming after only a day, they apparently weren’t paid enough to deal with zealots. She saw no one, her food had started to appear through a small trap door at the bottom of the main door that she had never noticed before. How was she to spread the word like this?

In the painful silence, she looked up to the overhead considering the origin of this campaign. To think, it had all started because she was kicked out of college for a misunderstanding she still could not comprehend, something about her drug use/dependency. She had only been trying to compete with her peers, collage was a contentious atmosphere, everyone needed any edge they could get. Then, with all edge she then had to deaden her mind; studying was tedious and mind numbing but in a different way.

It had not been the right thing to do, apparently. One had to always been in control of their faculties, they had said. She too believed in that ideal, but sometimes it was harder than others. As any that could be seen as an enabler would have also been on the ropes as enablers, (who were the worst kind of civilized people) no one would help her, even though she had made great strides in getting clean in the last few weeks she had her scholarship.

When it came down to the nitty gritty, only the religious nutjobs in a community near the college even gave her a chance, even though she had routinely abused them while attending the university. When they gave the last of their funds to her to get to a new world before they were shut down, she knew that even if she could not believe in it, religion was the answer to the galaxy's woes. But why was it so damned hard.

Groaning again in pained boredom, she rolled over and buried her snout in the soft pillow to alleviate the noise of her pain. Just as she paused for breath, a knock came at the door. Ears perked in anticipation, she checked the chrono on her nightstand. It wasn't chow time yet.

"What the fuck do you want?" she wanted to scream, but instead returned as pleasantly as she could, "If you have finally decided to see the light, and head the word..."

"Shove it, Veit!" the guard cut her off, "You have a visitor, would you like to see her?"

"Her?" Kestra though with a grimace, then aloud, "I will gladly shepherd any part of the flock that wishes it."

A quick scan of the cabin as the locks were noisily released told her that she really should have kept it straight. As quickly and quietly as she could she threw clothes in her trunk, threw on a simple robe, righted the table and chairs, and, as the last latch was released, she sat down and hoped her long furs looked alright.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, Rorry poked her snout into the room. Eventually her entire body was through the portal, and as soon as her tail was through, the door was slammed and latched behind her. The slight twitch of her tail revealed a nervousness she tried very hard to hide, her eyes were crusted from lack of sleep, Kestra couldn't have asked for a more ready first.

"He called you Ms. Veit?" Rorry began, fidgeting with the crumpled brochure, "I thought allot about it, and you are right, I have no direction, no real goals in my life."

Kestra smiled, "We all have difficulties in life that we must identify before moving on."

"To be perfectly honest, I only started reading this out of sheer boredom, then I tried to find the flaws, like I had done with the Rosians..."

"Oh crap!" Kestra thought under a calm exterior, "I hadn't expected to match wits with the cult buster so soon."

It had been the Rosians that had provided Kestra succor when she was at the bottom. As they helped her recover, she learned of the problems they were having with their believers and the ‘Cult buster’s’ crusade. It was because of that, and their desire that the money in their coffers not go to the government, that she was even on this cruise. She had used that crusade to form the words of her religion. Even though most of what she had written was a direct counter to the Cult buster's arguments, she had to be wary about her, this could all be a trap.

"...I have always been looking for meaning." Rorry finished as Kestra ran scenarios in her mind.

"Well, Ms. Snath. No, not through divination do I know you, you are simply a very famous person, who has done a very famous thing." Kestra hoped she sounded calm, "As far as meaning in life, it's always a search for answers, isn't it. And no answer is worthwhile if it is easy."

For a moment they just sat there, eyeing each other looking for something to call out.

Finally, Rorry smiled and her ears perked in excitement, "You know, you’re right. I was half expecting some malarkey about spreading the word, or other crap, just like I expected that from the pamphlet. But I only found, I only hear logical progression, a pattern of thought that makes sense even on a scientific level."

Kestra was careful not to sigh in relief as Rorry continued to babble, "I want to believe in your ideas, in you..."

"Not my ideas child. I assure you this is unlike any other religion you have ever studied."

"I know, I want to learn more." Rorry’s desire was palatable.

"And, like everything else, it all starts at the beginning, walk the walk, talk the talk. Ask anything..." Kestra smiled.

Outside the compartment the two security guards assigned to keep Kestra confined this shift, talked away their day. One of them, Park, had his ear pressed to the door to try to listen to the activities, hoping for something interesting.

"Kang," He whispered, "I think the tigress is getting to her!"

"No way, Park..."

"Excuse me," Rorrin interrupted, "Have you seen anything odd?"

Park turned around, and they both stood up straighter, straightening their uniforms. They looked at each other for a moment, then they shrugged.

"The Tigress's first visitor is a chick..." Park shrugged, putting his ear back on the door, “And I think they are about to make out…

"As odd as a possible Sapphic dalliance may be,” Rorrin rolled his eyes, “I'm actually talking about in reference to the ship? You know, flickering lights, air handlers not blowing right, spectral gheists... "

"Sorry, Main-tech." Kang stood to tower above Rorrin, "Been kind of distracted by our job."

He looked up at the guard and thought just for a moment what he was going to do, "Getting paid to spy on the daughters of Sappha, hunh?"

Anger filled Park's eyes as he turned to also stand over Rorrin as well, "Got a problem, Tiny?"

Not one to be confrontational, he refused to respond with 'not as big as yours', instead he smiled, "You gentlemen, have a pleasant evening." He mock saluted, after which he continued down the hall.

As he walked off though, he couldn't help muttering about the kind of buffoons that were in charge of security. As he made his way down the corridor he continued to check his portascan to try to isolate disruptions keeping the battle of the bands from starting.

Opening various breaker boxes disguised as pictures or behind plants, checking the breakers then closing them, he got more and more frustrated, "This is fucking ridiculous, back to the starting point." He muttered as he entered the grand hall again.

The Grand hall had been all decked out for the battle of the bands. Portable bleachers had been erected, and they were all full, this was the biggest thing to happen since the ship set sail. The stage was decorated with various band paraphernalia, but it was dark, and the crowd was getting restless.

He avoided the looks of the audience as their ire rose, trying to find the glitch. At the foot of the stage was another box the hand held scanner indicated a problem in. He reset a few breakers then the lights and speakers came to life. Momentarily, the audience paused expecting to have their socks rocked off, then the commotion started back up, more rambunctious than ever. A rare smile crossed his snout as he bound up the stage stairs two at a time, two down, he was still civilized after all.

Backstage was full of dressing rooms currently being used by the bands. Xedra paced the hall nervously, fighting the urge to go four down, and shred the carpet.

"Xe!" Rorrin called bounding up to nuzzle her neck, "Sorry it took so long, it was like chasing my tail without the reward, but you’re back to 11."

A few days ago they had been stuck together trying to get out of a lift, and they had gotten to know each other. Now, they were almost inseparable, each feeling attachment to each other they had never felt for another.

Xedra cupped his snout and looked longingly into his eyes as her tail began to twitch excitedly, "Thanks Ror, you’re a pal."

"You know you owe me for this?" He returned, catching her tail.

"After the battle, please." She purred.

"As you command." He bowed, "I'll be waiting."

Willing her fur to lay down even in her excitement, she jumped to first door, "This is starting to suck, Ms. Stone." Alexis started as soon as the door opened.

"This is our first real gig, and it might not even happen."

"Good news, Ror... The main-techs have finally isolated the problems, you’re on."

"Great! Thank you..."

"To be fair to the other bands, I can only allow you to do one song."

"One song?!" Alexis moaned, "Our performance is a story, it can't be told in one song!"

"You have three minutes."

"What should we play?"

"Figure it out, you’re on."

“Thanks for the warning, com’on guys!"

As they rushed out they nearly knocked over Ketan as she slinked into the dressing room of the Klein Hearts. The room was small, they had all but trashed it, like they usually did. Each member sat in their own section with their illegal smokes she had provided for their inspiration. There Kamron was in the middle, joint in paw, exhaling a long stream of noxious fumes.

"You know, I was thinking," She knelt in front of him, "You’re right..."

He took off his dark glasses and stared daggers as his girl, "Not before the show, Babe."

"I'm trying to apologize, you ass."

"You know I can't..."

"You fucking bastard!" She stood up, the last straw falling to the floor, "14 years, four, teen years! I have made all the sacrifices. I pay the band's way, no matter what, I always paid the bills. Guess what, dick, rides over!"

Suddenly all too aware of what happened he sat straight in his chair, "What, Where...?"

"Not in my cabin, that's for sure!" She sniffed and slammed the door."

"Smooth move." the drummer intoned, the most sober of the bunch."

"Shut up." Ketan growled extinguishing his joint, “Any of you Schmucks got a plan?”