Wolf Boy, Chapter 10, Part II

Allec snarled, “You can’t stop yourself from attacking those who don’t agree with you, can you, Todd?”

Todd hollered, “Do you even care what your ward was doing?”

A man and a woman stood behind Todd. Rhys recognized them as guests at the recent station symposium—the type that attended lectures on “The Distinctive Religious Purpose of Interspecies Interactionals Against Hegemonic Outcomes.” They nodded at Todd’s declamations and looked truculent.

Kylie, Nathan’s partner, a visible Cubus, stood in the space between the parties, her back to the window. She looked irritated, her mouth a tight line.

“What did Panfilo and Kaiden actually do?” she said as Nathan, Rhys, and Lider entered. “I want behaviors, Todd, not a bunch of exhortations.”

Todd always looked offended. If possible, he looked more offended at having his philosophical outrage reduced to proselytizing.

The woman behind Todd began, “When a human pretends to be an Anthros, that sends a demeaning message—”

Todd said quickly—he’d learned on prior voyages to answer the actual questions posed to him by officers—“Panfilo’s fundamentalist goon was wearing a jackal head.”

Rhys noted that a wooden head of Anubis—dark and sleek with gold-tipped ears—sat under Kaiden’s chair.

“He was chasing a child in a leopard costume. A human child.”

“Miles was having fun,” Panfilo said mildly.

“That isn’t the point. Animal against animal is offensive—as if Anthros are savages.”

Rhys joined Kyrie and Nathan while Lider lingered beside Allec. Rhys could see Panfilo now—the violet eyes, half shut; the tail wrapped over his and Kaiden’s shoulders. Panfilo could look blank yet alert.

He said, still in that mild tone, “Kaiden scared off the leopard, then protected me.”

The man behind Todd scoffed, and Todd said, “You’re reveling in your status on this ship, aren’t you, Panfilo? As if you’re the offended party.”

“He is,” Quin said in his deep voice.

Allec snapped, “Posing as an arbiter of righteousness, Todd, doesn’t give you good taste.”

“Good taste? You know what was happening here? Appropriation. Not to mention, Panfilo re-enacting the encounter on the station, his adopted role as a—ah—ah—”

Todd couldn’t bring himself to say “assassination target,” to admit that Panfilo had been aggressed against.

He was forestalled in any case. Jack, a canid-like Anthros on the HG Wells crew, entered the mess hall trailed by curious co-workers. Nathan opened his mouth—perhaps to order the onlookers out—then shrugged. A few headed to the counter to help Digory. Jack strode to join the group followed by another crewmember, Leo.

“Oh, Todd,” Leo said. “What’s pissing you off now?”

“A disgusting performance of animals attacking animals. I’m sure Jack resents such tackiness.” Todd smirked at Allec.

Lider muttered something in Allec’s ear. Allec grimaced but kept silent.

“Animals in the wild kill animals,” Jack said. “Are you denying animal nature, Todd? Anthros nature? Or conflating non-sentience with sentience?”

The man behind Todd reddened. The woman looked mulish.

Todd bristled. “When Anthros practice these rituals, such behavior is acceptable. When humans take on personas outside their culture—”

“Yeah, what were you guys doing?” Leo said to Kaiden and Panfilo.

Kaiden said, “We were re-enacting Anubis defending Osiris against Set who took the form of a leopard. My religious beliefs, which Todd is mocking.”

Todd stuttered. The woman looked uneasy.

Kaiden continued blithely, “Todd tried to stop us by catching hold of Panfilo’s tail.”

Jack growled. Leo shook his head. Panfilo continued to look blank. Todd blustered until Nathan held up a hand.

He said, “Enough. You’ve been warned, Todd, that violence against sentient beings is not allowed on this ship, however offended you feel about something. You are, once again, confined to your cabin.”

So Rhys didn’t need to be there. He spoke to various people anyway. He provided context for Nathan’s decision to Todd’s supporters, Sidney and Brook. They were entirely undesirous of following Todd’s example and muttered apologies.

Rhys then diverted crewmembers’ attention to Digory’s meal (Allec had gone into the galley to help, still hyped but grinning). He conferred with Nathan about adding his witness statement to Nathan’s report while Lider spoke to Kylie.

“The HG Wells is going to ban Todd from further travel,” Lider told Rhys in the corridor. “The Lovecraft will likely follow suit. Which means Mars won’t have to put up with him again. Or the Mars Space Station.”

“What did you say to Allec?”

“Told him to let Todd contradict himself. He always does.”

“Yeah.”

“Leo says you look sexy in your unofficial clothes.”

Rhys laughed. He and Lider’s hands brushed. Rhys felt the sensation, could almost repeat it, almost clasp Lider’s hand.

He said nothing though he saw Lider flushed, despite the overhead lights. Lider also said nothing.

He said instead, “I think Todd was harassing Panfilo before the incident today—you know the way he corners people with his need to express himself.”

“Another pastor searching for a Congregation.”

“Without the hard work and sacrifice.”

“I never felt particularly beleaguered by my choice.”

“But you worked for it. And were acknowledged. And agreed to go to Mars,” Lider said. “Besides, you don’t hide your intent.”

“No.” Rhys considered, aware of Lider’s hand, that near-touch.

He said instead, “Kaiden and Panfilo planned what happened here.”

“Oh, yeah,” Lider said. “They did.”