Cat Karina by Michael Coney Page A

genuinely shocked him. “Did you say piss on the custom, Karina?”
    Raoul gave a shout of laughter. Torch glanced at him, hardly seeing him.
    “That’s what I said,” said Karina. “Those were my exact words.”
    “Would you care to explain them further?” Torch took refuge in his dignity.
    Karina opened her mouth, Raoul regarding her with respect and delight, and was about to expound her views on customs in general and Torch’s sexual desires in particular when there was an unwelcome interruption.
    “Just what in hell are these felinos doing on my deck, Raoul?” said Captain Tonio grimly, emerging from below.
    “Come on out of here,” snapped Torch, dragging Karina to her feet.
    Furious, she aimed a swift kick at his crotch. Torch saw it coming, sidestepped, grabbed her foot and heaved. Karina turned a rapid midair somersault and landed lightly on all fours. Snarling with rage, she hurled herself at Torch’s throat. He seized the ratlines above his head and met Karina’s leap with the full force of both feet.
    “Animals …!” Tonio was shouting. “Where in hell are my crew?”
    Karina rolled end over end and fetched up against the deck railing with a crash. Torch dropped into a crouch and awaited her next attack.
    Raoul kicked Torch violently in the buttocks.
    Now Torch, caught completely by surprise, pitched forward onto the deck. Karina pounced on him, threw an arm around his neck and began to drag his head back. He uttered one strangled grunt, then began to fight grimly for his life. Unable to shake Karina off, he rose unsteadily to his feet, lurched across the deck popeyed and throttled, and began to climb the ratlines with Karina affixed to his back like some infant primate. When he judged he had enough height he let go.
    They hit the deck with a crash, Karina underneath.
    The crew, appearing belatedly, saw their chance and moved in. The contestants were pried apart and pinioned. Karina was gulping for air, hardly able to stand. Reaction hit her and she urinated uncontrollably, wetness streaming hotly down her legs.
    “Get her off my deck!” shouted Captain Tonio, outraged. “There are passengers below!”
    Torch was in little better shape, but he was able to shake himself free from his captors. He took Karina by the elbow. “Come on,” he said. Leading her to the rail, he bent down, seized her thigh, and pitched her unceremoniously over the edge. Then he turned to face the True Humans and, summoning the tattered remains of his dignity, said, “I must apologize for her behavior, Captain Tonio. It will not happen again, I can assure you. You must understand, there is no mother to teach discretion to her grupo. All this will change when I am ordained as their squire.…”
    He was already bigger than any of the True Human crew despite his youth, and the figure he cut hovered uncertainly between strength and pathos.
    “That’s all right,” said Tonio unhappily. “Forget it, forget it.”
    “All the same,” said Torch slowly as though the words were forced out of him by the pressure of his own pride, “If I hear you refer to me as an animal again, Captain Tonio, I will kill you.”
    With a final venomous glance at Raoul he vaulted over the rail and was gone.
     

Astrud.
     
     
    “He’s such a big boy,” said Astrud. “It’s difficult to discipline him. This felina — how friendly was she? What was she like?”
    “Like any other felina,” said Tonio. “Pretty and aggressive, and she fought like a tiger. Red-haired, though. That’s unusual. Her father’s El Tigre.”
    “ The El Tigre?” Astrud regarded her husband in some alarm. “He’s the revolutionary, isn’t he?”
    “He’d like to be a revolutionary, but there simply isn’t going to be a revolution.” Tonio felt the need to explain. “Right now, True Humans and felinos are dependent on each other — we have this mutual interest, the sailways. From Portina right down the coast to Rio de la Plata we and the felinos