Kadance

19

"Gentlemen, I welcome you and I apologize as well. The vampire parasite hit me pretty hard and I'm still recovering so I hope you'll excuse me for not standing to greet you. I'd appreciate it if you would one-by-one come and talk to me. I might ask some of you to speak further. But that is for after. Now I ask you all to come so I could offer employment as Dunworthy Holdings security force. As such you'd be by and large a semi military force. You are to protect Dunworthy Holdings assets including the people.

"First, you'd be protecting all Dunworthy Holdings assets on a monotonous day to day routine, policing as it were. Secondly, you'd be the first line defense in case of shifter attacks, allowing the populace a chance to evac to places of safety. You'll be defending the holdings until a company can come and take over. To do so I'd expect you to have the best of equipment available. Unfortunately I couldn't get battle helmets okayed by HQ, but everything else is top quality and top of the line.

"My team has already made an assessment and ordered your new toys and added what was already sent ahead. Each man will be issued a body armor uniform, laser pistols and a new com unit. You will be allowed to bring your own toys as well." As she speaks vids of the items she's talking about show up on the screen. "I expect you to train and drill as if you were still active duty. Evac plans, defense, rescue plans are set up but as you are more familiar with the area and people the plans may be modified to better perform for you here. They are for all civilians but most especially for the employees and their families of the Holdings. Scanners, bio scanners are already partially installed I'm told, and others are on their way. These scanners are to be set to detect any DNA differentials that aren't human or plants and animals not native to Planex, that includes shifter and that damn parasite. All exotics will sound an alarm. Once located either the foreign DNA will be entered or kill the shifters. Simple.

"Now, I'd like to meet with each of you. If you are interested in joining my company talk to Borden over there. Afterwards enjoy yourselves. Thank you so much for coming." Kadance says ending the vid cast. House lights come up. The men all line up respectfully to be personally presented to Kadance. Two hundred fifty men, it takes awhile but she goes through them all. No suiciders among them. By the time she's done she's exhausted.

Tommy and Jayse both escort her back to the penthouse. Candlen is manning the com, the rest are downstairs mingling with the potential security members. "I'm going to lie down now. I'll eat when I get up. Let me know then how many sign up. I hope the uniforms will fit." Kadance rambles as she lays down. Tommy looks at her in concern.

"She's still losing weight, she should be gaining by now," Tommy voices his concern.

Jayse responds but the tic is showing by his mouth again. "Too much strain. But at least the worst for her is over. The next planet is Camp and her nephews graduation. No suiciders or even redliners there. She'll be able to relax and heal. After that Celeste. Dall should should have things under control there. So she'll be able to relax further. It's the swinging wide she wants to do before returning to Gaia that has me worried. But after that she'll finish out her pregnancy on Gaia."

"Not soon enough for me," Tommy replies.

"Nor me, I would've grounded her long ago had I the authority," Kelan retorts. "But I don't, I'll take care of her." She tries to shoo them out, but Tommy just lies down next to Kadance and holds her in his arms. Jayse leaves quickly.

"Oh my, this is delicious." Kadance doesn't say another word until she's done eating. "That was the best meal I've ever eaten," She says sitting back. Tommy is happy to see she'd actually eaten almost all her dinner.

Jayse replies happily, "Glad you like it. This is Maren; she's the extremely talented chef that created your meal. She's also our newest team member." Maren extends her hand and Kadance automatically shakes it.

Kadance looks at her in surprise, "I thought the security team was filled."

Jayse looks at her soberly, "It is and yet it wasn't enough. She's the best food creator in the galaxy. You need more foods that will strengthen you. She'll make sure you get it and actually eat it. And if necessary she can help babysit you as you phrase it. And last, but not least, she can help Kelan with the sexual tensions. When the men get uptight it makes it harder on Tommy and me to control ourselves. Kelan has too much to do caring for you to spend helping them and we need her."

Maren pipes up, "I enjoy it. Kelan says that they are all quite accomplished so it'll be a pleasure to accept those duties."

"As long as I don't have to listen about it and you keep the wonderful food coming. I just don't want the testosterone flaring. If you can help prevent that you're more than welcome. Is there any dessert?" Kadance asks at which quip Tommy smiles for the first time in weeks. Kadance hasn't eaten well for some time and never asked for more.

"Maren, Kelan come keep me company for lunch. Tommy has too much to do and is irritable if I interrupt him." Tommy snorts but stays focused on his work. Kadance smile, "See what I mean?"

At that Tommy stops and looks up, "I'm irritable for other reasons love. Don't push it. Eat your lunch." Then he gets back to work.

"We'd love to join you Kadance." Kelan says as Maren gives Tommy a worried look. She's still not sure about him, he kind of scares her.

Kelan continues, "There are things men are just to inept, shall we say, to handle." Kelan says intentionally baits Tommy.

Maren smiles nervously and says, "I'm sure there are things you'd rather like to talk to us about rather than those great big overgrown babies."

Again Tommy snorts, this time in derision. He picks up his stuff and saunters over to Kadance and whispers something in her ear. When he's done she's red faced and he says, "I'll take myself right over there, out of earshot." He says indicating the window seat. "Holler if you need me." He smiles smugly and struts to the other side of the room. Then he quickly ignores them and returns to his work.

Kadance follows his every move. "Oh, forget him. Let's eat, I'm starving." Maren says pulling Kadance's attention back to them. Maren fills her plate with food and the other two quickly do the same.

"I can't eat another bite." Kadance says as she takes the last bite of food from her plate. "How do you do it Maren?" Kadance pats her slightly rounded stomach.

Maren just shrugs, "I just use a little of this, a little of that, some of this and some of that and throw it all together and somehow it all comes out good."

"Well whatever you do, never stop." Kelan says in perfect agreement with Kadance. "This is wonderful. It's a good thing I always have good workouts or I'd gain a ton of weight. And Jayse and Tommy are finally happy with your eating habits Kadance."

"Ugh, don't remind me. Over protective mother hens the both of them." Kadance says then blushes remembering what Tommy whispered to her earlier. "Well maybe not always, but they've been impossible since I've gotten sick."

"They're just worried about your health. It would be nice to have a man so worried about my welfare," Maren says sadly.

"I thought the team...," Kadance starts then trails off at Maren's head shake.

"That's just for fun. Stress relief and whatever. But it's different once you're bonded. Not all of us do you know. So many of the males die in the war. Their seed is kept on file, but it's not the same."

"On file? I don't understand," Kadance says more than a little confused.