The Calm Before the Storm Snippet 4

So, I got the manuscript back from Goodlifeguide last night. I'll work on publishing it soon.

I decided to skip to the end here and start one of the Christmas stories in the book:

I'll be Home for Christmas

Shanti McClintock parked the truck and then got out, checking her gear. She'd done her vehicle patrol, but she liked to do a foot patrol in a couple of areas. Her favorite part of the capital was a strip in the business area decked out in a Victorian theme. It was the most festive and therefore had a lot of shoppers and business.

Nothing beat actually getting out and meeting the people, let them see you as a person, not someone in authority lording over them. It helped when she needed information about a particular vexing case. She was more approachable on foot.

Besides, she needed the exercise and breath of fresh air. Sometimes she thought they'd taken a step backwards by getting the patrol vehicles. Sure they let her cover a lot of distance, and do so in a hurry on occasion, and they could haul a lot of gear, but they were so … confining.

Technically, she didn't need to be out on patrol; she was a Planetary Ranger Commander. She ran an entire precinct. By rights she should be in meetings. But she hated them with, well, not quite a passion, but enough of one to actively avoid them whenever she could.

Her implant feed scanned the crowd for her. No one was coming up in her wanted files. That was good; she didn't want to have to make a scene.

Her implants had come about after Jethro's last visit and assassination attempt. She'd received a full package including an antigeriatric stabilization treatment. She'd protested of course, but Moira, Rah, Cali, Moreta, and Blizzard had insisted. She'd even gotten an email from Admiral Irons, who she suspected was the true motivating force behind the gift.

He'd made it clear that he wanted to give her the tools to stay as safe as possible despite her profession and to keep the kittens safe. Given Jethro's problems with the Guild, she'd reluctantly agreed.

Besides, the implants were addictive. She didn't have an A.I. like her husband's Bast to manage them, but they helped a lot with handling communications and paperwork.

She tipped her hat or warmly greeted friends while out on her walk. She was polite to others who smiled at her, nodding and giving them a tip of her hat in passing as well. She passed on season's greetings and wasn't above getting a hot cup of tea and a snack. She saw vendors roasting chestnuts and other things and handing them out to eager shoppers.

~~~*~~~

Lil Red was busy at home. Once she got her usual morning chores done, she set into baking a few things for the neighbors. She checked on her sister's kittens. Her youngest nieces and nephews were sleeping so she slipped out of the house to check on the bears next door. She found them all hibernating nicely. She left the salmon cookies on the counter and then quietly slipped out and returned home.

~~~*~~~

When Shanti went off shift, she stopped by the capital building to talk with the planetary president, Colonel Moira White Wolf. Security was tight, but she was a ranger and had an appointment. She was also well-known and in uniform so it wasn't much of a hassle to get in.

The capital building was decorated for the holidays. Moira had restarted the tradition of holiday lights and festive things. She had recently overseen the tree lighting ceremony; Shanti had pulled security for it.

The arctic Neowolf was near the end of her last term. She was ready to retire again, though she wasn't sure if she would remain in the Marines or not. She couldn't help but tease Shanti about filling in her shoes.

Shanti shook her head frantically. “Oh no. No way. Uh uh! Not me!”

“Well, maybe later,” the wolf said with a grin and ear flick.

“In your dreams!”

The colonel chuffed a laugh.

“Well, there is a trip to Antigua coming up …,” the wolf said slyly.

Shanti grimaced, ears going flat. “The law enforcement conference?”

“Yes. We need to send someone. Since it is around the same time as the kittens starting their semester … and you'd get to settle them in …”

Shanti scowled. “I'll think about it, okay?” she said after a long moment.

Moira studied her and then nodded. “You do that. It passes through Protodon, and a little birdy told me that the military is staging through there.”

Shanti shrugged that idea off. The chances of seeing Jethro were remote.

“And, if you do go, you and the kittens might be able to tour Protodon and Antigua.”

Shanti snorted. “Are you trying to say I need a family vacation? Or just trying to get rid of me?”

Moira sat back with a canine version of a laugh. “A bit of both my dear, just putting a bug in your ear.” 

“Consider it in. Now, are we going to see you around Christmas?” Shanti asked, changing the subject.

Moira sighed. “I wish, dear, but I promised to visit the pack up north.”

“Ah, well, I'll have one of the kittens drop off your gifts then,” Shanti said. She felt a bit down about that.

“You don't have to do that.”

“Oh, but I do. And they all should try to see you since they are leaving soon. I don't know when they'll ever get the chance to see their “Aunt Moira” again.”

The wolf cocked her head. “Empty nest syndrome?”

Shanti sought out her own feelings and then shrugged it aside with an ear flick. “It's not empty yet,” she pointed out. “And I doubt it ever will be with Lil Red and Lil White around. Especially with Lil White!”

Moira chuckled. “Yes, she's her own population explosion,” she said with a shake of her head.

“Something like that,” Shanti said with a nod.

“Get a tree yet?” Moira asked.

Shanti shook her head. “We do that a few days before Christmas so it's fresh. That and so the kittens won't wreck it,” she said with a long suffering sigh.

Moira chuckled. “Your litter or Lil White's?”

“Both!” Shanti said in exasperation. Moira chuffed louder.

~~~*~~~