The Nexu And The Wolf Chapter Thirty-two

Category:Chapters of The Nexu And The Wolf
"Nexu!" a voice whispered behind me. A finger pointed. A large male nexu sat calmly on the deck behind Captain Holland as though he belonged there. There were no chains, restraints or shock prods in evidence, only a collar around his neck with a tag. 
"Captain, don't move . . ."
"Whoever has blasters in their hands, holster them NOW; that's an order!" Holland moved to put herself between three blasters and the seated nexu. "Vrix, I'm sorry you had to meet most of my crew like this. I never meant for this to happen, boy."
I slowly lowered myself to my hands and knees, trying not to make direct eye contact with any of the nexu's multiple eyes. Extending a finger, I held still. My finger's about the same size as a nexu nose, I thought. "Hi, handsome boy." I made a sound halfway between a growl and a purr.
Vrix flattened himself to the deck and approached me slowly.
"Cadet Piett?" Holland whispered. 
"He's introducing himself like a fellow nexu would to a new pack member," Namillus Jakin whispered back. 
Vrix pressed his nose to my finger; I continued lowering myself until I was flat on the deck. Then I slowly rolled over on my back, exposing my throat to the large predator. Vrix leaned in and gently, so gently that his multiple teeth didn't even break my skin, took my neck in his mouth and just held me for a few seconds. No one dared breathe until Vrix released me and moved back. 
"If I hadn't seen it I wouldn't believe it!" 
"I've seen it and I still don't believe it!" 
"Mister Piett, what you just did took a lot of trust and a lot of courage. Even I wouldn't have the guts to have done that. He licks and nuzzles me, but he never touches me with his teeth."
"Captain, where did you find him?"
"Vrix is my baby; I got him off a koochoo running a roadside zoo on Coruscant and have raised him myself since. He was so young at the time that he didn't even have stripes."
"Poor little thing. I hope you got him or her shut down for abuse."
"Oh, I did. The poodoo was using shock prods on almost all of their animals."
"WHAT!?" Every bridge officer except the captain yelled the word. I vaulted to my feet, fists doubled at my sides.
"Sir, I'd like a name so I can take care of those. . ." Jakin began to growl. The Mon Calamari looked ready to punch something or someone.
"You'll have to wait your turn, mate. There's going to be a long line."
"Attention on deck!" Captain Holland barked. The entire bridge crew jumped to his or her feet, at rigid attention. 
"I understand how all of you feel, I felt the same way when I found out."
Those of us who were able to, blushed. Every officer looked down. 
"Ma'am, we're sorry."
"I can't blame you, this is the first any of you are hearing about the incident. I reacted the exact same way but then I took care of it legally."
I made a very faint, gentle growl low in my throat and extended my hand again; Vrix nuzzled my hand before licking it and purred loudly at me.
Dystrian knelt and offered her finger next. "He's a beauty, ma'am."
One at a time, the rest of the crew introduced themselves the same way Dystrian had.