Unsurprised, Callie found herself in an argument with Feral first thing that morning. She had decided to stop at his office to address the issue immediately rather than wait and call later. She was very glad Lt. Kam was there as he seemed to be able to help Feral listen better.
"It is my problem and my office will handle it, Ms. Briggs," Feral repeated for the third time after he'd heard about this problem.
"Ulysses..." a quiet voice interrupted carefully.
Feral bristled but turned a questioningly glance over at his mate who stood quietly listening as he leaned against the wall of glass.
"I don't wish to undermine your authority, but Ms. Briggs is correct. Neither of you have the time or resources to do this but the museum does and apparently it has been doing this kind of thing for a long time. And, more importantly, they have a person skilled to handle this properly and thoroughly which is what you need right now. Add to that, it costs you nothing and closes a very serious breach of your city's security," Kam said reasonably.
Feral opened his mouth to object yet again but in the face of such a calm and sensible argument he just didn't have a leg to stand on. Only his pride had kept him arguing and that had no place in matters so grim.
"Commander...Kam is correct but please...don't think we're ganging up on you. I didn't see our various problems either so it just kept repeating itself over and over again. It was while I was traveling to the Wotan that Captain Ing pointed out these very serious flaws that we simply couldn't see because we were too close to it. Now that this matter has been brought to our attention, we can let an expert ferret out the truth about our omegas status then dispose of the problems, if any, immediately and more permanently. The first one to be dealt with will be Mad Kat's box. If Mr. Katzmer has no solution that will make the box safe then I propose we allow the SWAT Kats to weigh and dump the damn thing into the deepest ocean vent we know of and get rid of it that way. I wouldn't even suggest having it taken away by the Wotan. It is just far too dangerous and could affect other worlds besides our own," Callie argued persuasively.
"From what I've read and heard about that demon box, I have to agree with her, Ulysses. It could indeed cause catastrophic disaster throughout the known universe and just the thought of that makes me want to shiver. To know you have something else on this planet that is an unimaginable threat is very unsettling," Kam added, gravely. "The Pastmaster, we thought, was the worst you had but this could trump him. I can't believe your city possessed this many galactic level threats nor the fact you've managed to survive this long with them still active."
Shuddering at the realization that he had blithely accepted these two threats as just nuisances made him feel incredibly stupid and foolhardy . Though Ms. Briggs was correct to say they were just too close to the problem to have been able to see or know how far reaching their seemingly innocent problems had been, that didn't make him feel any better.
Well, now they did know and he would not compound his previous stupidity by continuing to object over this matter. Someone was already trained to research this matter quickly and efficiently so he should just shut up and let it get done without further delays. Their world was in incredible danger from just two of these problems and action was needed immediately to remedy it.
"Alright...alright!" He said raising his paws in surrender. "You've convinced me and I withdraw my objections but do make sure I'm kept in the loop as each problem is brought to light so we are unified in deciding what actions to take to solve them," Feral said in resignation. "I am eternally grateful now for the Wotan's visit. I shudder to think what the galactic community would have done to us if they had an inkling we possessed such dangers and hadn't dealt with them."
"Oh that just gives me goosebumps when you put it that way," Callie gasped, rubbing her arms. "Gods, Commander, I hope that box is still safely in your evidence locker."
"Just a sec and I'll check," Feral said grimly, not willing to say it was just because he wanted it to be. He'd been proven wrong to often to take anything for granted anymore. He picked up his phone and made a call. He seemed to wait for about five minutes, got a response, thanked the person, ordered the box be put immediately into a locked safe then hung up. "It's there," he told them, relief in his voice.
"Thank heavens. I'm glad you're having it transferred to a safe. Now I feel a little better about it's security. So all we have to do is get rid of it. Are we in agreement then on allowing Dr. Sinian's archivist to do this? He'll have to be allowed access to all case files dealing with the omegas and any other problems we've overlooked."
"Yes, I'll allow it. I will, however, need his name, employee ID number, and a his physical description. I'll assign an officer to escort him everywhere he needs to go for security reasons and for ease of access so there are no delays."
"Perfect! I'll notify Dr. Sinian immediately and she should get with you sometime today or tomorrow. I'll leave you to your work while I return to my similar mountain of paperwork," Callie said, relieved to have this taken care of at last.
"Have a good day, Ms. Briggs," Kam murmured politely. She gave him a brief smile before turning and going out the door.
Feral sighed and shook his head, still distressed at how they had missed so much under their very noses. Kam strolled over and draped an arm across his troubled mate's shoulders, leaning forward to nuzzle the cheek near him, giving comfort.
"I'm sorry to have put you on the spot like that, love, but this was far too important a matter to allow pride and stubbornness to interfere."
The dark tom titled his head, accepting the nuzzle and apology. "You don't have to apologize. You're right, sometimes I am just too stubborn to see things right under my nose. I honestly didn't see how far reaching the danger was until you pointed it out. I swear, how we managed to survive this long without having been completely taken out by our own enemies or the galactic alliance is beyond me. We've been incredibly lucky for so long we've almost taken it for granted," Feral said ruefully.
"Don't take it so hard, Ulysses. Ms. Briggs is right, when you're too close to a problem, you simply can't see all that's going on." Kam murmured sympathetically. "Anyway, as for how lucky you guys are, that's what we like about your species. You're tough, fight hard for what's yours and do your best to keep your world safe and, yes, your planet has had an inordinate amount of incredible luck. Our psychics and wizards have told us recently, that they feel despite the fact you became a focal point for these omegas, you were also keeping these dangers from other planets...sort of a mousetrap holding the threats here, even though you didn't consciously know you were doing it. They think that whatever rules the universe had used you for this purpose and now it apparently deems you ready to move forward which is why we came on the scene when we did to help you clean up and deal with those dangers. It all seems surreal but they say they have felt a sense of satisfaction from the powers that be that all things are coming together as they should," Kam told him confidentially.
Feral turned completely to face his mate, a look of incredulity on it. "You're saying some supreme being or beings have been manipulating us?"
Kam could only shrug his shoulders. "All I can tell you, love, is the ruling body that is the Galactic Council has known there is something out there greater than all of us and that this unknown has been manipulating all our lives. There is no point in fighting that but living the best we can and doing what feels right for us. The fact it seems to fit in with some grand plan is really of no consequence to us poor beings who are living it. We just go on with our lives and try not to think about it."
"Okay, that's just creepy and you're right I don't want to think about it," Feral said with a shudder.
"I agree. So now that your city's major problems are on the way to being solved, how about you clear your backlog of work, hmmm?"
"yeah, well, with some of the omegas out of our fur, I have more time to get the paperwork side of my job done though it is the most boring part of the job to be sure. I guess I should start with those damnable personnel reports I hate so much."
"You too, huh? I'm glad I don't have quite as many as you have to do," Kam smirked. "Anyway, I do have other work of my own to get done back on the ship, so I'll head out and be back later this evening. Perhaps we can watch one of those interesting movies I've seen in your personal library and have some of that delectable pizza," he said smacking his lips in anticipation.
Feral chuckled, reaching for his mate to give him a hard hug and murmuring into the wolf's ear a heated suggestion, "hmmm, I don't see why not and a little body gymnastics as well, heh?"
Kam gave his mate a dark, passionate look that made the tom's legs melt under him. The wolf laid a heated kiss on the stern face which morphed into a heated thing that had Feral's body writhing with need. Kam released him suddenly, gave him a wicked wink then turned and left the office.
Cursing his mate for leaving so hot and needy, Feral blew out a breath and shakily returned to his desk, trying to slow his galloping heart so he could concentrate on his paperwork and not how hot that wolf's behind look as it glided out of his office.
Over at city hall, Callie sighed and shoved her purse in the lower drawer of her desk. Her heart felt lighter now with that urgent matter had been taken care of. She refused to worry about the second concern that dealt with her being able to use magic. Let that come when it was ready, she had far too much work to do but first...she reached for her phone and called Abi.
"Hi Callie, what's up?"
"Hi Abi, I've just spoken with Commander Feral and he's agreed to go along with using your archivist. For security purposes, he needs your archivist's personal info and he will assign an officer to escort him everywhere and into anything he needs to take care of this loophole. If you'd get back with Feral really soon, I'd appreciate it."
"Oh certainly! Congrats on making him see reason. I'll get back to him the moment I hang up with you and look up Albert's personal file. How did you manage to get the Commander to listen when he, no doubt, got territorial on you?"
"His mate! Kam listened to us argue a bit then intervened. His argument was far too compelling for Feral to ignore and he folded. He actually paled as he realized the enormity of the danger not only to us but to the galactic community. Just Kam mentioning how dangerous Mad Kat's box could be off planet made him back off quickly. I think that got him truly scared and me too come to that. I knew it was an open problem but even I didn't realize how far reaching it could be," Callie sighed, a hint of just how upset she was about it in her voice.
"Don't worry Callie. I'll have Albert on the job immediately and hopefully before a few weeks pass, all those problems will have been dealt with," Abi said with more confidence than she felt at the moment.
"That's what I'm looking forward to. Anyway, I've gotta go, I have other calls to make. Thanks Abi, see you later?"
"Of course, if you'd like me to. Hopefully, a city emergency doesn't squash those plans," Abi said archly.
"Don't even say that, you'll jinx us! Call me at end of work day to firm it up. Later!" Callie said, laughing lightly.
"Wouldn't want to do that!" Abi laughed in return. "Bye for now!"
Hanging up, Callie pulled her purse out and fished around in it until she found her special communicator. Getting up from her chair, she headed to the stairs at the end of the hall that led up to the clock tower. This conversation she didn't want anyone to overhear.
Standing in the doorway that led out onto the chopper pad behind the tower, Callie pressed the button on her communicator.
Across the city an alarm sounded off in the bowels of a secret hangar beneath the city's salvage yard. Cursing as the strident sound startled him, making him drop his crescent wrench, Jake hurried across the floor to respond to the call. Chance was off making a tow pickup so Jake hoped the call wasn't for an emergency that required both of them.
"Razor, here! What's up Ms. Briggs?" He said gruffly into the speaker.
"Easy Razor, no emergency! I just need to bring you up to date on what's been going on lately. You free at the moment?"
"Sure, what's up?"
Callie swiftly told the smallest SWAT Kat about the possible threats that hadn't been followed up on, what was being done to take care of it, and what part they might have in taking care of one of them.
"Crud! I hadn't realized so many things hadn't been followed up on and it always made me nervous about that damn box. I'd be happier to sink it deep in the ocean immediately rather then muck around any longer with it. As for anything else...I think you and Dr. Sinian managed to cover nearly everything except for a couple more you need to add to the list," Razor told her grimly. "The first is finding Dark Kat's hidden home and disposing of any creeplings still alive and whatever it was he used to create them and, second, complete eradication of those mutated scorpions caused by Tiger Conklin's disposal of toxic chemicals into the Megakat Mines. The chemical spill should have been cleaned up but if those scorpions are still down there the problem still exists," he warned her.
"Oh damn! Good thing I thought to ask you. I truly hope there's no more hidden problems laying around," Callie said becoming a little angry at the number of new problems cropping up.
"If that archivist is as good as he's supposed to be, he should find everything we've fought over the past five years since all this weirdness began. There will always be new stuff, but personally I have a strong feeling there will be no more threats of that magnitude left by the time the Wotan leaves. Don't ask me how I know...I've no clue...I just have this strong feeling it's true," Razor said seriously.
"Actually, that's not so weird, Razor. I couldn't tell you why either, but I have a feeling our world is heading into a golden age. Call me optimistic but it just feels right for some reason," Callie said a little embarrassed to admit to something so nebulous.
"Then I don't feel so alone on believing the same, Ms. Briggs," Razor chuckled warmly. "Anyway, we'll be ready to do whatever you need us to do to finish tying up the criminal loose ends as it were. If you'd like, we could use our patrols to hunt for Dark Kat's hideout...possibly the Wotan's sensors could find it faster, if Captain Ing will allow it. I'll ask Genus about that. As for the scorpions, we need something more potent to kill them. They are not that easy to dispose of and, again, Genus might be able to help me come up with something to do the job. I know they aren't allowed to help us directly but apparently it's okay for Genus to brainstorm with me as long as it's us that ends up solving the problem. You want me to do this?" He asked carefully, not wanting to step on her authority in this matter.
"All those were great ideas and, yes, go ahead and see what you can do about it. Keep me informed so I can tell the Commander about these other problems. He won't be happy that those two areas had not been addressed either but he's on board with getting it taken care of quickly without argument."
"Well isn't that a kick! Who would have thought Feral would finally start to listen and let other people help him get the job done without getting too territorial about it!" Razor snorted in amusement.
"That might have been true about him before, Razor, but ever since he became mated to Lt. Kam, he's mellowed out and listens more," Callie smirked, mildly amused by the thought of a hen-pecked Feral.
"Heheheh! Oh yeah, getting mated was just what the doctor ordered for taming Feral."
Callie laughed, "Razor that's not nice, even if it seems to be true."
"Couldn't have happened to a more deserving tom. Anyway, I'll brief T-Bone on what we talked about and we'll get started today. I'll get back to you by the end of the week with the results. Have a good day!" Razor said by way of farewell.
"Thanks, Razor. Take care!" She said then cut the connection. Sighing happily, she went back inside and returned to her office. Now perhaps she could get to her paperwork for the day. Putting the communicator away, she dug into the first of many reports on her desk.