REDEMPTION

— by Jeff Karamales

Chapter 5
Success and Tragedy
 

Marcelo Delgado, Director of the North American Branch of the Furmankind Institute looked out over the training field near the lake that sat on the grounds of his facility and smiled. He could find no problems with the Anthro Human Colonization Project’s choice of leader for the upcoming mission to Bastien as the vixen ran not only the Vulps that came with her from Stockholm, but his own Furs and those that had arriving from the other two Institutes in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Toyohashi located in the Aichi Prefecture of Japan, through a series of exercises. She was working hard making sure that the different groups were well mixed instead of congregating with friends and the individuals they knew. It was a wise move to get so many from different backgrounds to work towards a common goal.

Sofiya Talova herself had experience in working with those from different lands, not only from her time with the United Nations, but within her own Class of Vulps and the one preceding as they all claimed different countries of origin. With Marcelo’s permission, she even had a reward system for the teams that performed their tasks better than the others or had the better time for certain exercises. Normally it was something simple such as being taken off Institute grounds for lunch at one of the burger joints in the nearby town of Saranac Lake, things that would motivate the varied groups but wouldn’t foster sore feelings, anger or regret.

The Director smiled and wondered how much of what was being done to get the various Vulps working together via rewards was initiated by one of his own Furs. Richard Tavington had gone from being the liaison between the visiting anthrofoxes and the Director himself to becoming Sofiya’s right hand and the two could often be found together going over training procedures and performances.

Today was no different than many of the previous ones spent outside going over the equipment that they would be using. While all of them knew how to put up the geodesic domes that would serve as their shelters and storage for vital equipment or stores, it was very much a challenge to get them up with the frigid late October downpour that hissed through the evergreens around the facility. Even Marcelo, under the cover of his cart shivered in his coat as the blurred forms of the Vulps struggled against the rain and moderate wind as they erected frames and fastened panels. He smiled at Sofiya, who was also out in the weather with a mixed group of Buenos Aires, Stockholm and Toyohashi Furs, working on setting up what had always been called the Great Dome, a structure that was like the others, just far larger. She clung to the upper supports as panels were passed up to her. Running around and helping with the smaller domes was Richard.

Work on all the domes halted as a sports whistle blasted shrilly from a small group on the other side of the exercise. All of the Furs, even those at the Adirondack Institute that were in other Wings now carried the inexpensive whistles. Sofiya had gone to the Shoppette and ordered boxes full of the things, with a specific purpose and sound reasoning as far as the Director was concerned. Sometimes it would be necessary for the Furs to send an alarm that shouting might not suffice for, nor would putting the call out on their Personal Business Juxtapositioners as it might require precious seconds. Nothing that Marcelo had seen had worked as effectively as the whistles, and he wondered why no one had thought of it before. Not only could they serve to alert others of danger or call for help, but they might even serve to frighten away potential threats on an alien world.

Right now it was being used to call for help.

As Marcelo started to rise from the seat of the cart, he saw Sofiya spin on one of the frame supports like a gymnast. Not even letting her arms fully straighten before dropping to the sodden grass and mud. Sofiya hit the ground and took off like a shot to where the trouble was. It was only peripherally that he caught Richard leaping out of the dome he was working on, sailing through the framework to land on all fours hot on his leader’s trail. Only slightly slower was one of the medically trained Furs, Valerie Muir of Adirondack Class 18, the fennec vixen having been a pediatrician before joining the program.

Unable to get his cart to where the trouble was without the distinct possibility of it bogging down in the saturated turf, Marcelo had just started to slide out from the seat when Sofiya, Richard and Valerie made their way out of the grey, pouring rain, another Fur riding piggyback on the silver fox. The Vulps that was being carried was Mina Brinkley, another of the Adirondack Class 18 Vulps and the youngest Fur out of Marcelo’s two groups.

“What happened?” the man asked as he gestured for Richard to deposit the female in the back of the cart.

“Me being clumsy,” Mina replied, hissing slightly as she bumped her right ankle trying to shift the way she was sitting so her tail wasn’t pinched. “I was carrying too much and hit a patch of slick mud then fell on my keister and twisted my foot.”

Valerie got in the cart as well, pushing her medical pouch out of the way. “I think it’s just a bad sprain, Marcelo, but I’d like to have Doctor Ramirez take a look at it as well. Maria’s been working with me on Vulps anatomy, and this would be a good chance to learn more.”

Marcelo smiled at the initiative shown. “Send Maria a message asking her to meet us at the Hospital Wing.” He turned to look at Sofiya. “Aren’t you coming?”

The soaked vixen smiled and squinted as a rivulet of water ran into her eye. “I trust Valerie to see to Mina’s wellbeing. I have others that must be reassured. Even a small injury can demoralize. If I act in a way that is relaxed, the others will know that this is a minor thing, not to belittle Mina’s pain, and they will then continue with what they need to do which is best for all.”

Marcelo couldn’t find fault with her reasoning and nodded. “When do you plan on bringing them all in? You’re Furs, not fish.”

“When all the domes are complete we will call an end to the day,” Sofiya informed the man.

Marcelo raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that a little harsh?”

“Bastien will be forgiving?” the blond haired vixen countered with a shrewd look.

“Are you sure you weren’t a Marine instructor before coming here?” the man half joked.

“I am just a little red-tail,” the Ukrainian Fur said with a grin before turning back to the group to get them on with the exercise. Richard fell in step next to her.

“I don’t know about you, but I’ll be glad when we’re finished,” the silver fox commented. “As it is I think we might run out of hot water fairly shortly with all of the showers that the others will be taking. I must weigh an extra hundred pounds from the mud alone!”

Sofiya nodded in agreement. “I feel the same, but we must train in the worst of conditions so that if they do happen, we will be ready.”

Richard chuckled. “I had a friend that was in the Army. His favorite saying was ‘If it ain’t raining, we ain’t training!’ I think I finally understand what he meant.”

Sofiya halted before they drew within earshot of the others. “And I would like to thank you for acting as fast as you did. Fortunately it was not a serious injury. After we are clean, I would ask that you come to my room to share a drink.”

The offer caught the American Fur off guard. He’d been spending quite a bit of time around the vixen already but hadn’t let his attraction show, especially as she had started to depend on him to help in the working relationships she was trying to foster among the different groups. He tried not to let his hopes get to high and assumed a neutral expression while consciously fighting the automatic reaction that tried to set his tail to wagging furiously.

***

Mina Brinkley’s injury was simply a sprain and Maria Ramirez, the Vulps Wing physician recommended that the fennec take it easy for the next few days. Sofiya was in full agreement, and decided to extend that to all of the Vulps after the completion of the exercise near the lake, informing the others of her decision when they all gathered in the completed Great Dome.

“The rest of the week is to be used in relaxation and rest,” the red fox told the Furs standing around in the completed shelter, many huddling close together for warmth. “You have all done very well. I will talk to Director Delgado about a possible trip into town for all to enjoy a few hours in the shopping plaza there this Saturday coming.”

This announcement was immensely popular with the would-be colonists and Sofiya dipped her head in slight embarrassment at the clapping and whooping that came from many of the others before they dispersed to their rooms to clean up. Saranac Lake was not a large town, but it offered far more than the Institute by itself did.

“Not bad, Sofiya,” Richard said with a grin. “You really are a natural at this.”

The vixen sighed and leaned against part of the frame where a door could be attached and looked out at the rain lashed lake surface. “Then why am I so afraid of what I must do?”

“What do you mean?”

“I am very much afraid of failure. To not do the best I can may cause the death of any one of them,” the female said and gestured to the last of the retreating Vulps. When we get to Bastien, it is I that they will look to for answers. It is I that they will depend on to keep all safe. What if I make a mistake?”

Richard fought against the urge to take her dainty paw-like hand to comfort her. “That’s why we train, ulyublenyy. So we will know what to do.”

Sofiya jerked as if she’d been burned and regarded the silver fox with her eyes so wide that the whites showed. “What? Why did you call me that?” she asked with absolute shock.

“What? I…I’ve been trying to learn Ukrainian,” he admitted quietly. “I thought it might make…well, that it’d be nice for you to be able to talk to someone in your own language.”

“Do you know what the meaning of that word is?”

Richard scratched his head in confusion. “Um…I thought it meant ‘good friend’.” He saw the look she gave him as she shook her head.

“It means lover. As in one you are intimate with and is word of extreme affection.”

The silver fox swore under his breath. “I’m sorry! I…I didn’t mean…I mean, I…”

The tension was broken by Sofiya letting loose a laugh of relief, though she admitted silently to herself that it had been rather nice hearing Richard call her such. “I think you were looking for the word ‘tovarysh’.” She smiled while shaking her head. “If you wish to learn Ukrainian, I will teach. And you can help me with my English. This way we do not make mistakes. Yes?”

The silver fox relaxed a little. “Sure.” He looked outside the dome. “I think the rain’s letting up. Think we should make a break for it?”

“Very much so. I do not think that I can get any more soaked than I already am, and very much wish to take a hot shower.” She paused with a tentative hand on the other Fur’s arm. “Just do not forget that I owe you a drink. I will be very sad if you do not come by to share one with me.”

Again fighting his body’s reaction to set his tail wagging, Richard smiled back. “As soon as I’m clean, dry and dressed.”

Sofiya’s look became mischievous. “Race?”

“Huh?” Richard intoned, but before the sound could leave his muzzle, the red fox Fur had already dropped to all fours and was on her way to the Educational Wing, her long strides kicking up mud, water and bits of grass.

While there were times that it was easier to go on all fours, Richard still found the notion a little odd sometimes. As he struggled to catch up, he noted how the Stockholm Fur used her entire body to run, just as a real fox would. Her front hand paws would touch the ground first with her body stretched out to its full length, then bunch as her foot pads came down just behind. Sofiya would then dig her toes and retractable claws into the turf a split second before using her powerful leg muscles to launch into the next stride.

It was extremely difficult for him to focus on this exercise in physical mechanics as he kept getting distracted by the way her rump looked, her tail straight out behind her.

While he’d adjusted fairly well to the physical and psychological changes of becoming Furmankind, there were aspects and observations that often caught him off guard or he simply found astonishing. When he had been fully human, a woman with curves and toned form had been the height of beauty to him. Now he looked at the vixen in front of him and found that there were things that the fox aspect within him found remarkably enticing.

The first thing that his hybrid psyche noticed was that the vixen’s coat was very vibrant and full, an indication that she was free from disease and illness. The colors were sharp without any dullness that would have indicated a dietary deficiency. Next was her fullness in body that told the new part of his brain that she was well fed, and that indicated she was a proficient hunter and could carry her own weight in bringing down prey. They hadn’t had to hunt for their food, but the vulpine aspect didn’t differentiate between the cafeteria and bringing down game, only that she ate adequately.

Her eyes were bright and clear, another indication that she didn’t suffer any of the aforementioned maladies and were also fetchingly expressive.

Finally, she was very…symmetrical. While a true fox wouldn’t be able to comprehend the concept of genetics and the fact that good symmetry indicated good genes, this was incredibly intriguing to the vulpine part of his perspective and told him that Sofiya was a very desirable mate and would make a fitting partner.

Of course the intellectual aspect of his brain still found her to simply be smoking hot. She still had the curves of a woman in all the right places with the ability to move the way a human woman would with everything in motion and oh, so very graceful.

Unfortunately these observations caused a very specific response that was quite natural, though rapidly became painful with the binding and chafing of his wet clothing. Richard was extremely happy when they reached the door to the Educational Wing. Sofiya had won the impromptu race by several lengths and was grinning in triumph when Richard stopped at the door.

“Back at the Stockholm Institute I often challenged the males there to little contests like racing. If they lost they would have to do my laundry or other chores,” she told him with a laugh.

“What happened if you lost?” the silver fox inquired with a sideways look.

“Then I would let them have a kiss. But then, I never lost.”

“Is that a challenge?”

“Maybe. But then you are my tovarysh, and friends do not do that to each other.”

Richard, still on all fours until he could get himself under better control, looked up at the vixen who stood over him. “I don’t know,” he drawled. “The rewards certainly outweigh the risks.”

Her reaction was simply to laugh as she opened the door and held it for the other Fur. “Then we will have to figure out a proper challenge! Now, don’t be late for that drink!”

She stepped into the elevator and smiled as the doors closed, leaving Richard to either wait for it to return from the fourth floor or to take the stairs. With no one around, and finally able to tug his shorts loose with a sigh of relief, he opted for the stairs. Whenever he’d gotten worked up in the past, some form of exercise always helped, and right now he truly needed the distraction.

He made it to his room without encountering any of the other Vulps and was pleased to note that once at his door he could stand without embarrassing himself. The silver fox was also pleased to find that there was still plenty of hot water after hanging his furman vest and shorts up to dry before they went into his hamper. He’d learned long ago that once something was mildewed there was no getting the rank smell out short of burning the fabric with an entire jug of bleach.

By the time he stepped from the full length dryer unit, he was feeling a little tired, but it was the fatigue that comes with knowing that he worked hard and bestowed a certain feeling of satisfaction. Richard put on a pair of clean shorts in dark blue and matching vest that he left open and that still smelled slightly of the detergent that he used, preferring to do his own laundry instead of dropping them into the laundry chute for the staffers to handle. Thus clean and dressed, he stepped from his room and walked silently on bare feet down the hall to Sofiya’s room.

The red fox vixen opened the door after he knocked softly, concealing herself behind it until he stepped into the room. He’d expected to find her in furman clothing as well, a pair of shorts at the very least. What the Ukrainian Fur was wearing was completely unexpected.

Instead of the normal shorts and one of the different style tops, Sofiya wore a lavender robe of what was undoubtedly silk, though that wasn’t what gave the silver fox pause. What caused Richard to stare was the hem barely covered her thighs, and was lifted high enough by her thick tail to be considered quite a bit more than risqué. Apparently his expression was one of shock because the vixen did a slow pirouette with her arms out.

“Do you not like this?”

There was no possible way to keep his tail from wagging this time and he felt his chest tighten more than a little. “I like it a lot,” he mumbled, unable to keep his eyes off her.

“It was one of my favorite robes before becoming a Fur and I did not want to leave it behind,” Sofiya told him as she stepped to the small kitchen efficiency. “Go sit and I will bring you the drink I promised.”

The only piece of furniture, apart from her bed, that the vixen had in the room was a short sofa that was set to face the triangular shelves in the corner where a flat screen television rested. Next to that was her photo album that she treasured more than anything else. Trying to get comfortable, Richard looked up with surprise when a glass tumbler with ice cubes, straw and a clear liquid appeared before him, the drink so close to his nose that he went a little cross-eyed trying to focus on it which elicited a chuckle from Sofiya.

“Sip, do not gulp,” she warned.

 Sofiya took the other end of the short couch, curling her legs underneath her and draping her tail over her thighs, sparing the male from seeing anything that might cause him further distraction, of which he was thankful for, yet also disappointed by. He felt a little guilty, though. She’d made it clear on a number of occasions that they were friends, close friends, but no more than that. He silently berated himself for trying to read more into the invitation and her mode of dress than said friendship.

“So,” Richard asked and focused on the drink in hand, “what shall we drink to?”

“To us.”

“Wh-what?”

“We drink to us. The newest colony.”

The silver fox regained his equilibrium. “Right!” he said a little too loudly. “To the newest citizens of Bastien.” He took a sip from the glass after touching it to hers.

And immediately began coughing as his breath was stolen from him.

“Oh…dear…Lord!” he spluttered. “What is this?”

“Vodka,” the vixen said sipping casually from her own glass. “Real vodka. Not the weak tsiyaty kin’ that is sold here in the United States!”

“Holy smokes,” Richard wheezed, tears coming to his eyes. “There’s no way this is vodka! You’ve slipped me jet fuel!”

Sofiya laughed musically, her contralto voice rich with the characteristic thrum all Furs developed. “Like I said, you are too accustomed to tsyaty kin’. You do not know good vodka!”

“What does that mean? Tse…tsee-yahty kin? What is that?” he asked with a small smile, though it still felt as if his lungs and throat were on fire.

“The pee of horse. Same as all drinks you have here in America.” She stuck out her tongue in emphasis and made a face that there was no mistaking for anything but revulsion, though on the vixen it was rather comical. As she took the straw between her vulpine lips for another sip, Sofiya covertly watched her friend.

“Now that the inside of my mouth…and everything else, has been burned clean, this really isn’t so bad. That or my senses of smell and taste are forever wrecked.”

Both Furs sat and sipped silently for a while, though it really didn’t take much before Richard began to feel the effects. It might have been his new chemistry, or simply the fact that he hadn’t had anything stronger than the occasional cup of coffee for almost two years, but the glass was just nearing the half empty point and he was feeling a little too relaxed and he could swear the that his triangular, black nose was going numb.

“Richard I…I would like to thank you for being a good friend,” Sofiya said and reached out to touch his arm, not really paying attention as she ran the pads of her fingers over the soft fur, or the effect it had on the silver fox. “I was very worried when I was made colony leader, and even more so when we came here to America. You have helped to make things much better than I could have hoped and I owe you a great amount. I…I do not think that I could do this were it not for your help.”

Before he could stop himself, Richard leaned forward, encouraged by the contact Sofiya had initiated. As his face neared hers he watched as her mouth opened slightly, her eyes seeming warm and expectant. He drew close enough so that he could feel the warmth of her breath on his nose and shivered with the way it caused the long whiskers he now bore to quiver. No sooner had they closed the distance enough to actually feel the heat radiating from the other than an insistent knock sounded on her door causing the red fox to pull back suddenly, a guilty look on her face.

“Layno!” she whispered vehemently before turning to face the door, withdrawing the contact of her fingers with the other Fur’s arm. “Come in!”

Not sure who could be knocking on the vixen’s door this late in the day, both were surprised to watch Marcelo walk in with a woman that Richard knew to be the Institute psychologist, Angelina Flynn. The Director took in the scene with a quick glance and blushed slightly. “I truly hope we aren’t interrupting, but something’s come up and we need to speak to you,” the man told Sofiya.

“Is there a problem with the colony?” the Fur asked with sudden alarm.

Marcelo didn’t immediately respond. He looked at the silver fox. “Richard, could you excuse us for a while?”

“I do not wish for him to go unless it is absolutely necessary,” Sofiya said, suddenly nervous at the behavior of the Adirondack Director and the strange woman. “If it is same to both of you, I would wish for him to stay. Please.”

Marcelo and Angelina looked at each other for a moment before the woman nodded slightly, causing the Director to sigh in surrender.

“It’s fine by me.” He looked around but didn’t see any other place to sit and spent a moment trying to decide if he wanted to clasp his hands behind his back or put them in his pockets, though Marcelo eventually settled on the former. “I hate to be the one that brings bad news, but your father is in the hospital, and his prognosis isn’t good. I’ve been instructed to get you on the Osprey tonight to catch an AHCP plane that is heading to Europe from JFK airport. It’ll make a diversion to Kiev where a car will be waiting for you before continuing on to Stockholm.”

Sofiya blinked, her tail sliding off her legs as if its weight had suddenly increased and her ears fell. “Poppa? My Poppa? What is wrong?” she asked, her tone growing frantic.

Angelina stepped forward and took the Fur’s paw-like hands in hers. “Sofiya, your father is very sick. He has been for quite a long time. The doctors are trying very hard to help him, but the best they can do at this point is to make him comfortable.”

Sofiya looked at the two humans and Richard. “But…a flight? How…”

“It was ordered by Asmundr Gustavsson himself,” Marcelo informed the two Furs. “I already have the pilots doing their checks on the Osprey to take you to LaGuardia airport.” He gave her a look filled with compassion. “You can take someone with you if you’d like.”

“I’ll go with you if you want,” the silver fox said as Sofiya’s head whipped around to regard him intensely. “Give me a moment to pack a small bag.”

The vixen looked at the other Vulps with gratitude. “Thank you, Richard. I…I do not know if…I…I need a friend to be with me.”

“That’s what I’m here for.”

— NEXT CHAPTER —

Unless otherwise noted, all material © Ted R. Blasingame. All rights reserved.