The hani stared over at the bewildered desk clerk. "What do
you mean," He asked, eyes flickering back to Thunderwolf, who was
bouncing his mace in his paw. " That my reservation is lost? I have
the conformation number, the credit card has been charged, what's the
problem?"
The poor clerk stammered, more looking at the angry lion
behind the hani, rather then Chanur himself. "Well, sir. I just don't
know what to say. Yes, we have your reservation, and yes you did pay
for the room. But right now, we just don't have any room for you."
She smiled apologetically. "We can, of course , put you up in one of
our suites, for a slight additional charge.."
WHAM! Thunderwolf brought his mace down onto the counter and
smiled, teeth bared.
"of course, for you, there would be no additional charge."
She stammered staring at the six inch gouge across the check-in
counter. Behind the pair, other guests also gaped. "I just need to go
get a few additional forms.." And with that she fled to the back
offices.
Well, what do you know, thought Chanur, grinning broadly.
Maybe having a lion around might not be such a bad idea. The hani
half turned, to find the saborlion already ordering from the bar. And
it's a good thing I also brought family credit. He added, watching as
Thunderwolf took the bottle from the bartender without a second
glance and drained it dry. The bartender didn't bat an eye, instead
glancing at the hani. Chanur nodded his approval and wandered over to
sign the bar bill, dryly noting the saborlion had included a twenty
percent tip. No wonder why the service is so good around here.
Chanur glanced around, settling in himself and noted the
poker machine set into the bar top. Well, he thought. It will be a
few minutes before the keys are ready. He thought, feeding in a
twenty. Might as well enjoy myself. He'd barely had the first hand
dealt when a person with a suit and nametag tapped him on the
shoulder. Inwardly, the hani sighed. Now what?
""Mr. Chanur? I'm Peter Tamarcus, the hotel shift manager. We
apologize for the delay in getting you to your room, but we need a
few moments to finish cleaning it from the previous guests." The man
smiled broadly. "Your associate has taken the time to fill me in on
all the details, and I can assure you that something like this won't
happen again."
Nakur was taken aback. "My associate?"
"Yes." The suit smiled slightly. "it's not every day that we
have visiting royalty at our hotel." The man caught to look that
passed the hani's face. "I understand your desire for secrecy, but
rest assured, had we but known everything would have been in
readiness for your arrival." The manager reached into an inner suit
pocket and produced a single fold over brochure with a pair of card
keys inside. "Your suite will be ready in an hour, so anytime after
then please feel free to go up. I've taken the liberty of having the
bags sent up and a line of credit is available at the cage for your
use, should you so desire."
I'm going to kill that Saborlion…..
"Well, thank you." Answered Nakur, taking the keys from the
gentleman. "But I don't think a line at the cage is necessary….."
"Hey, Chanur! Check out all the neat stuff at the gift shop!"
Roared the lion, a personal shopper walking after him, followed by
another bell cart loaded down with what looked like every case of
cold beer in the place. "It's like they have everything!"
"However, a line at the hotel stores…?" Nakur asked, inwardly
moaning again, wondering just what the limit on the card Aunt Pyanfar
had given him was.
Mr. Tamarcus smiled again. "It's taken care of, sir."
**********************************************************************
"Damn." Muttered Thunderwolf as the double doors swung open
to reveal a floor to ceiling plate glass window overlooking the
strip. Below, the lights of the MGM Grand, the Excalibur, and The New-
York, New-York glittered. Chanur paused long enough to watch the
roller coaster go by at the latter, the screams of its riders audible
to the sensitive ears of the two felines. The bellman placed the
single suitcase before the walk-in closet and shuffled to the doors,
pausing with a grin when Nakur handed him a twenty. Thunderwolf gave
the hani another glance while the doors closed.
"You're sure free with the cabbage." Mentioned the lion.
Chanur shrugged.
"If you knew what these hotels pay, you'd be free with it
too." He answered, eyes returning to the view outside the
window. "The base wage barely covers the tax on tips. Besides, this
is a vacation. If I don't spend it here, or at the shows, I'm going
to spend it at the tables." The hani grinned. "At least this way,
someone goes away happy."
This time, it was the lion who shrugged. "If you say so." he
muttered, opening one of three doors set into the inside wall, to
reveal a bedroom. He wandered in, pausing to note the mirror inset
over the bed's canopy. "Check this out!" He shouted, jumping onto the
made bed, the springs creaking beneath his weight. Chanur sighed and
opened the third door, revealing a second bedroom, made up the same
way, only this one with a view facing back towards the airport.
"I'll take this one." Chanur called out, pausing to scoop his
bag off the floor and tossing it onto the bed for the moment. "I get
something with a Strip view, I'm never going to fall asleep." He then
closed his bedroom door to open the one between. Sure enough, it was
the bathroom, complete with another large window overlooking the
strip. A large whirlpool dominated the room, with a double vanity and
a small water closet on opposite sides. Thunderwolf came back out and
whistled between his teeth.
"You sure you can afford all this, hani?" Thunderwolf
growled, his eyes large at the fancy digs. "I mean, I know I kind of
laid it on thick with the manager, but…"
"I got the Clan credit, TW. Relax. Pyanfar said to spend it
like I got two years pay to blow, that's what she figures the family
owes me." Nakur turned and waved a finger under the saborlion's
nose. "Though, I am NOT," He growled. "visiting royalty."
"Sure you are. You're practically clan head."
Nakur sighed, turning off the bathroom light and closing the
door. "Only if there's a horrible accident and nine others die
unexpectedly. The lion grinned.
"Don't even think about it." Chanur moaned, wincing for
giving out ideas. "Oh, and one other thing." The hani smiled
sweetly. "I'll take this!" And with one swift move, grabbed the
lion's mace, and locked it away in the walk in safe. "That ought to…"
And with that, Nakur's world went black.
**********************************************************************
"Damn it, you flea trap, wake the fuck up. I didn't hit you
that hard."
Nakur moaned, the floor beneath him refusing to remain
motionless. Even through the plush carpeting, the hani could feel a
lump forming to match the one on his nose. "Gods-rotted bastard." The
hani muttered, still seeing flashing lights reflected on the ceiling.
Whether they were reflections from the view outside, or creations of
his battered brain was anyone's guess. :"You kill me, and you never
get the combination to the safe."
The lion appeared to think for a moment. "I could just beat
it out of you." He answered, reflectively.
"Not going to happen. Besides," The hani continued from the
floor. "It's not like you need that thing. Remember, it's only humans
out there." Nakur rose up, rubbing the back of his bruised
head. "Now, let's get something to eat. The "meal" on the flight was
a joke."
"You must want to die young." Thunderwolf responded, helping
pull the hani to his feet. "First, you steal my mace. Then you mean
to deprive me of the whole reason I came out here in the first place…"
"Which is?" Chanur asked.
**********************************************************************
Nakur sighed. He'd been sitting here for the last hour. Now,
not that he minded, so much. After all, there was a slot machine in
front of him, that had been nice enough to relive him of nearly a
hundred dollars over the time spent. But come on Thunderwolf…
The lion was in ecstasy. Of course here at the MGM Grand,
they'd made a big to do over the fact they now had live lions in the
casino. And so, Nakur had expected to spend some time here, while
Thunderwolf enjoyed himself. Chanur just hadn't planned on
Thunderwolf enjoying all the attention from the tourists. Or the
picture taking, Nakur thought to himself, looking over at the buff
saborlion. At the moment, the lion had his chest puffed out, his
fangs bared, and two young kids posed on his biceps while the father
took a couple of snapshots. On the other side of the glass behind
him, the habitat's featured lions looked on, the male with even more
interest then the others.
Of course, he'd been asked for a couple of pictures too. Just
not like the saborlion, or not from all the women who'd wanted him to
pose nearly nude, like the lion. Or from….
"You ready to go?" The lion enquired from over his shoulder.
The hani jumped, the bucket of quarters nearly spilling all over the
place. "I'm tired of all the attention."
Nakur snorted. "You? Never."
"I'm serious here." The lion shot back. "After all, you have
no idea what it's like to have all these people after you for…"
And with that, the hani snarled and dumped the bucket of
quarters down the front of the lion's loincloth. Thunderwolf stared
at the hani for a moment.
"Was it something I said?"