Fictional Life

REDEMPTION

— by Jeff Karamales

Chapter 24
Crime and Punishment

The Pacific Northwest weather reasserted itself, bringing heavy clouds and rain on the second day since the return to the training center’s main facility. Despite being forced inside due to the weather, there were more than enough distractions for the Furs to occupy themselves while they waited for the day that they would be ferried to the launch facilities at Vandenberg. As she had when meeting with the rest of the Vulps under her command for the first time, Sofiya Talova interviewed each of the foxes that had accompanied her former Wing Physician.

Kurt Reichmann was an older Fur that had been the groundskeeper for a wealthy family before his employers had passed on due to advanced age. The children of the family he’d worked for had dismissed him prior to selling of the familial property in a grab for money. At forty-one years of age, he was hard pressed to find work in the German Forestry Department and had opted to join the Anthro Human Colonization Program and utilize his skills on some remote world. The red fox was a quiet individual, used to hard work, though blending in with the background and Sofiya, after discussing his experience leading hunting parties for the famed boars of the Black Forest felt he would do well on one of the survey teams.

Enola Bellingham had entertained dreams of going into space as a little girl, but a childhood illness had thwarted any chance of joining an official space program. Not only did the AHCP offer her a chance of leaving Earth, the McEwen Process had reversed the effects of her infirmity and given her a new body that functioned flawlessly. An interest in the burgeoning study of exobiology meant that the vixen would most likely be working with the different doctors of the group and Daniel Holt to study and document the different life forms of Bastien, expanding the base knowledge the original colonists had compiled.

Sofiya’s friend, Elena, had discovered a passion for athletics, and prior to joining the AHCP had started engaging in long backpacking forays in Europe, Africa and Asia. The platinum fox vixen would have enjoyed being part of an exploration group, though she assured Sofiya she would be happy in nearly any capacity. While having studied at the University in Kiev would help, there really wasn’t much call for a jewelry designer in a colony setting.

By far, out of the four newcomers, the one that was the most difficult to consider placement for was Amanda Sterling. Despite her absolute joy of working with the livestock and horses, once the colony was established, the animals wouldn’t require the amount of care that would initially be required in the set-up phase, and the red fox was at ends on where to put the young vixen. Never mind that Amanda was an absolute dear, Sofiya finding her guileless and open, her unbridled joy and affection refreshing. Many of the tasks that the colonists would need to engage in on a daily basis were boring, very trying, or things that could have a potentially detrimental effect to the young Fur’s fragile psyche. That and because of Dimitri Kavalos’ support and affection of the female, Sofiya felt much the same.

Dimitri had never found the time to establish a family, and he had taken the paternal affection that should have gone to his own children and directed it to his furmankind charges, becoming so much more than just the physician that eased them through the transformation process. Sofiya was, of course, horrified by the situation that had brought the young woman to the AHCP. It seemed as if Amanda’s need for redemption was as great as the red fox Fur’s own.

Because of the tragic events in Amanda’s past, there was a sense of almost kinship, with the Abeona colony leader rapidly developing strong bonds of friendship to the young Fur, and with that came a desire to try and keep the innocent and almost delicate seeming fennec as safe as possible.

During a late supper with both Richard and Doctor Kavalos, Sofiya voiced her doubts and concerns to the two most influential males in her life. While Dimitri was sympathetic to the red fox’s quandary, it was Richard that came up with the most practical solution.

“So…make her your personal assistant,” the silver fox told his mate with a grin. “I know I’d be worried sick if she did any long distance explorative forays, and there’s only so much that she can be asked to do around the colony site, even though that alone will be a substantial amount of work when it comes to the day-to-day routine, but you’re going to have your hands,” he paused and chuckled warmly, “er…paws full, so let her help you with certain things by being your assistant.”

Dimitri began to grin widely. “That is a spectacular idea! And it’s not as if Amanda is useless. She’s quite the hard worker, but she would do well in helping out. She has very well developed organizational skills that you could use.”

“I think that one of the reasons that Sofiya and myself are so worried is that she’s small, even for a fennec Fur, but that she also seems so…young.” Richard shrugged. “She’s like that girl that all of us knew as kids that was just too nice, too happy and everyone’s friend.”

Sofiya nodded emphatically. “I always wanted a little sister, and Amanda is being like this of sorts.” The red fox slipped her PBJ out and sent a quick message to the Vulps in question before returning to her supper of roast and baked potato.

***
“Your assistant?” the fennec asked, looking almost toy-like as she sat in the suite’s recliner with a cup of hot cocoa, her bright red colored furman shorts and vest top only adding to that particular quality. The young Fur’s muzzle split into a grin. “I’d love to!”

“It isn’t as simple as it sounds,” Richard warned lightly. “Despite the previous colony’s observations, we’ll be gathering a lot of new data and information that you’ll have to help sort through and prioritize before it’s sent back to here to Earth.”

Amanda nodded emphatically. “I can do this!” she replied before turning her eyes on Sofiya. “You’ll have more than enough to do monitoring the colony. The help will be very important to you!” Despite the way that she was sitting in the chair, it was easy to see that her tail was trying to wag enthusiastically.

“And when duties are allowing, Emanuella has already said that you are most welcome to assist her with the horses and livestock. That might also be a chore as we may need to gather in the animals that the previous settlement was having,” the red fox added.

Dimitri had remained silent during the impromptu interview and smiled, not simply at the other two Vulps going extra lengths to ensure that the fennec would have a position where she could be useful, but also at the manner in which they went about it, making the offer seem far more important than just make-work for the diminutive desert fox. He had been thrilled to learn that it had been Sofiya that had been selected as the colony leader for the Bastien reseed mission, and after seeing her interact with her people and the reports that Ásmundr had shared with him, including glowing praise from Marcelo Delgado of the American Furmankind Institute, the Greek was more positive than ever of the colony’s chance for success.

His ruminations had distracted him, and it was with some surprise that he found the fennec Fur before him. Much as he had in Stockholm, the man automatically opened his arms to accept the young fox’s hug, much like a parent would their child, before she went and did the same to Sofiya. Though, when it came time for her to say goodnight to Richard, there was a noticeable change in her demeanor and she only shrugged and smiled at the silver fox before departing, her head lowered coyly.

“She is having a crush on you,” the red fox told her mate with a wry expression once the door was shut and the trio was again alone.

Richard blinked his bronze colored eyes as he regarded his partner. “What?”

“It is true,” the red fox persisted, her expression amused.

Dimitri nodded as he sipped at a cup of Earl Grey tea, something that Ásmundr Gustavsson had caused him to grow extremely fond of. “She is a healthy young lady of twenty-three, Richard. That means there is a certain predisposition to seeking a mate, more so now that she is a Fur…almost a drive.” He grinned, causing his mustache to reverse its normal direction. “As such, the part of her that belongs to the fox will be attracted to the most viable specimen of male fox, and you are a rather spectacular specimen. But, yes, Sofiya is correct in that she has a crush on you.”

The silver fox swallowed and shook his head vigorously. “Oh, no! I’m very happy with Sofiya, thank you!”

Laughing at her mate’s nervousness, the blond vixen got up and moved behind Richard’s chair. “You are being very sweet and chivalrous, of which I am very appreciative,” Sofiya said softly with a nuzzle to the side of the silver fox’s head. “But a few of the others and I have been talking…a little girl-talk if you will, and we know that if we are to begin having families that some of us may have to be sharing certain affections of our males. There are too many of us vixens and not enough of males for traditional relations.”

“Wha…but, well, Amanda’s just a kid!” Richard sputtered.

“In point of fact, she isn’t,” Dimitri replied. “Sofiya does have a valid argument, though. Perhaps in a generation or two the ratios of males and females will balance out in your colony, but for the time being, some of you may be required to step outside of norms of conventional thinking in regards to relationships.”

Richard turned to look up at the red fox. “And you’re okay with this?” he asked, his tone indicating shock and a little nervousness. He was used to American women that liked to occasionally play games to test the loyalty of their significant others, and was wondering if this was the opening ploy in just such an exercise.

“There are a few of the others I would be agreeable in sharing you with,” she said with a slight giggle. “Amanda is one. Elena is another. I am knowing that they could be accepting of this.” Sofiya giggled again. “That and I am liking them both as friends.”

“You’ll forgive me if I take a little while to get used to this idea of yours,” Richard told her sullenly, crossing his arms over his chest with a sour expression. “I chose to be a fox furman, not a lion, and you’re offering me a pride.”

Dimitri began laughing so hard that he had to set his cup down before he sloshed the hot contents on his lap. “You have definitely changed, my friend! Here you are, all but given permission to follow most men’s ultimate fantasy of carte blanche, and you are irritated by it!”

“Yeah, but it makes me feel like a stud being bid on for mares,” Richard groused.

Dimitri finished his tea and gathered his PBJ with its metallic red clamshell that had a small translucent sticker of the Greek flag on the casing. “Well, a good laugh before bed is almost a guarantee of pleasant dreams, and after that, I think I will call it a night. Though, I am sorry that the laugh is at your expense, Richard.”

The silver fox shook his head, the ghost of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “No big, Dimitri. You aren’t the first, and I seriously doubt you’ll be the last.”

The Doctor let himself out and once the door was shut Sofiya slipped around the chair to sit on the silver fox’s lap, her arms sliding around his neck. “You are angry with me, yes?” she asked with an almost demure tilt to her head.

“No. I’m not angry,” Richard admitted. “It’s just…we haven’t really discussed this, and I’m not sure how comfortable I am being passed around.” Despite his reassurances, his expression said it all. “I don’t know if I can do something like this.”

Sofiya nodded. “You are a rare person, indeed, miy liubov. Many men would love to be with a woman that gives permission for him to seek other company. As it is being, there is the need of others to think of. I have seen this during the simulation, and it is best that…arrangements are being made now before we are so far from Earth. Even Maria is realizing that Daniel will also not be exclusively hers.”

“I didn’t see anything like that, but then I wasn’t really looking.” The silver fox sighed. “And you’re really okay with this?”

“I am,” the red fox replied with a nod. “In a perfect world, we would not need to, there would be equal numbers of all, and everyone would be as happy as you make me. But it is not perfect, and because of what and who we are, others that are left without a partner such as mine will also need comfort and affection.” Sofiya snorted. “Actually this is something that I have been considering for a much longer time.”

“How long?”

“When we were still being in the Adirondack Institute. It was Victoria Skarbek that was pointing out the disproportionate numbers. And now with the additional Vulps that have come with Dimitri, the numbers are still leaning towards more ladies than gentlemen.” The vixen snuggled closer and slipped her head under the other Fur’s chin. “If it were my choice, there would be you and I, and we would be happy. I cannot have this, but I can be working with you to help both of us understand the ones that would be best for both of us if I am to share you. Try to see it as being a very unique family.”

As she spoke, Richard’s arms tightened about the vixen and she felt as well as heard the sigh that he let out. “I don’t want anyone else. I want you. I love you.”

“And I love you, my beloved Richard.” Sofiya sighed as well. “This is where it all becomes difficult to me and causes hurt because I also love the others, but I must be thinking about the success of the colony as well. To deny some the same things I need and also enjoy will be leaving hurt and anger for those that are alone with no one. At least in discussing this with you, I can tell you who I would trust to share with, who I am knowing will not use you to hurt the two of us. And that is Elena and Amanda.” She pulled back and smiled. “Elena is like my sister in spirit and she is one that I trust almost as much as I do you, my love. And I trust Amanda for the very reason that she is the kind of person that will never hurt anyone simply because her heart is being too big.” Sofiya caressed the fur of the other fox’s face. “And most of all, I am trusting you.

“There were so many times before…before you went home with me to say goodbye to Poppa, that you could have had your way with me. So many times that I wish you would have. But you refrained from doing so. You were tender and gentle. In fact, often I am finding it very difficult to be believing you were a soldier.”

“Marine,” Richard corrected automatically with a warm smile. “There is a difference.”

Sofiya chortled. “Yes, a Marine. But it is nonetheless true. You were very gentle and never pushed, never forced or tried to take advantage of me like other men would have. And I know that even if I must be letting others share your affection, you will always have my heart, and I yours.”

Richard looked at her for a moment before nuzzling her face and neck then pulled her into a tighter hug. “So, how do we go about letting the others know, and warn them that it might take me a little while for me to get used to this idea. You’ll know that I need time to myself if you find me hiding under the bed.”

The visual that brought to mind caused Sofiya to let out a snort of laughter. “I will talk to Elena. As for Amanda, she is already very fond of you. Simply spend time around her and don’t do anything to be frightening her. While I think that she is far stronger than many are giving her credit for, she is still a delicate girl. Remember this and I am thinking that it will all be for the best.” Her paw like hand moved up from where it rested on his neck to pet and gently scratch the velvety triangles of his ears, something she found he liked and soothed him. “Just be gentle and tender with Amanda as you were me.”

“And what do I do about you?” Richard asked with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

“I think you are knowing the answer to that!” the vixen replied as her vulpine lips met his.

***
Sofiya’s advice of simply getting to know Amanda as a friend first seemed to be working. Two days after their discussion, the silver fox found the other Fur in the stables helping the training facility staff tend to the permanent livestock that were kept for subsequent simulation exercises. The young vixen was shy at first, but when Richard started to help curry one of the more enthusiastic horses, talking to it in a soothing voice to calm it, Amanda had warmed up to him immediately. Before long they were joking as the pair moved to the next stall and began to muck it out in preparation for fresh straw.

While she was cleaning the feed and water bins, Amanda began to grin before giving the other fox a quick blast from the hose she was using. When Richard looked up, the fennec acted as if nothing had happened and was preoccupied in making sure the water trough was free of algae. So intent was Amanda on trying to act innocent that she didn’t see the silver fox sneaking up behind her and didn’t realize what was happening until his fingers dug into her sides to tickle her.

With a shriek of surprise that gave way to laughing, Amanda dropped the hose as she attempted to protect herself and the onslaught, squirming as best she could, though all of it was to no avail as Richard seemed to be able to hit her sensitive sides no matter what she did. After a few minutes of intense play, she was completely out of breath and might have fallen over had the larger Fur not caught her in his arms. When she looked up into his black furred face, the fennec found a new reason for her breathless state as her heart pounded furiously in her chest.

There was no denying that Amanda had found the American Fur to be extremely attractive, and often watched him from a distance, finding all sorts of excuses to be in the same vicinity as the other fox. He was with their colony leader, though, and the fennec knew that no matter how much she wished otherwise fantasies were all she had. So it was with some surprise when she found her mouth pressed to Richard’s in a languorous kiss. Then there was the realization that the handsome silver fox was kissing her right back.

It was the fennec that pulled back, a horrified look in her dark, brown eyes, her head shaking as she trembled with what she had just done. “No!” Amanda whispered. “I…I can’t do this! I w-w-want to! But I c-can’t! You belong to Sofiya!” Despite the requested memory wipe, Amanda recalled her first boyfriend when she lived in Inverness, Scotland, and how she felt at finding him in the arms of another girl under the bleachers during an interschool rugby match and now she was doing the same thing! Tears began to flow from her eyes at the realization that she was acting the strumpet and was disgusted.

Amanda tried to pull away, but found that Richard’s arms held her tight, preventing her from fleeing. He loosened his hold and took her paw-like hands in his and nodded slowly. “Which means that right now is the perfect time to talk about something that Sofiya and I have already discussed.” The silver fox smiled warmly, the expression enough to make the vixen’s legs go weak and let herself be led to a work table next to the tack room and a simple wooden stool. “Now, the question is, where to begin?”

As the two talked softly, both were unaware of a pair of vulpine eyes that regarded them both with searing anger, fox-like lips lifted in a silent snarl that revealed sharp teeth. Neither Richard or Amanda saw the flash of a white furred tail as the spy left the stables in a fit of almost incontrollable rage.

***
It took most of the afternoon for Richard and Sofiya to explain to the fennec that they were more than happy to make Amanda part of their little family and why, much to the amazement of the younger Fur. They even invited her to have supper with them that evening, and that if she wanted to the sandy colored vixen was more than welcome to move her things into the suite the couple already shared. For her part, Amanda alternately laughed, cried, smiled and trembled. Before joining the AHCP, the fennec’s family life as a human had been best described as lacking. She spent alternating weeks with divorced parents feeling that neither her mother nor father really wanted her and that she was a bit of a strain on both. It was a wonder that her mother bringing home a slew of dates that never lasted past the third time out or her father’s excessive drinking hadn’t warped her into a person that was far less caring and gentle than she was, or perhaps she was the soul she was now because of it. Either way, she had a chance now at something she’d always dreamed of and hadn’t dared hope for.

Wanting to shower and change clothes after working in the stables before joining the other two foxes, the fennec was in her own little world of wonder and joy as she made her way to the next floor up where her suite was located. Amanda was humming to herself, a tune that she couldn’t remember where she’d heard it before, completely lost in the emotions that bubbled up inside her that she didn’t realize that she was being followed until she was shoved roughly from behind.

Amanda hardly had time to yelp in surprise before she was snagged by the hair and forced into a janitor’s closet, the carpeting of the hallway giving way to the cold linoleum tile of the little room. Before she could say anything the fennec was spun around and caught a balled up fist to her lower stomach, the blow bending her over with a grunt of pain, then her vision exploded with stars as an open hand cuffed the side of her head.

Fighting to regain her breath, Amanda was unable to struggle as her wrists were quickly wrapped with engineer’s tape, her ankles quickly following. It was only after her muzzle was also wrapped in the adhesive that the fennec was able to look up at her attacker. She hadn’t had a chance to meet the white furred Arctic fox yet, but she’d seen the other vixen around the facility.

“I don’t know who you think you are,” the white fox began with a snarl, “but you leave Richard alone! I saw what you were doing in the stables.”

More accusations were leveled at her, and Amanda did the only thing she could think of, trying to tell the other Fur that she hadn’t seduced the silver fox or any of the other things that she was being accused of, her protestations coming out as weak whimpers as tears streamed down the fur under her eyes as she shook her head vehemently. Her protestations only earned Amanda another slap across her muzzle.

“Those are my friends and I’m not going to let some little floozy wreck what they have!” The white fox stood up and glared at the smaller anthrofox for another moment before turning for the door. Then pausing, her paw-like hand on the lever, Tipper spun and brought her padded foot down on the end of the fennec’s tail, the resultant stomp accentuated by a pop of breaking bone and a muffled screech of pain.

As Amanda whimpered in pain, the damage to her tail sending electric jolts up her spine, the other vixen left, closing the door behind her.

***
It was only through long years of practice that Dimitri Kavalos didn’t over trim his mustache at the sudden and insistent pounding on his door. Setting the scissors down on the edge of the sink, the man tightened the belt of the lounging robe he wore and exited his suite’s bathroom, unable to make it to the door that led out in the corridor before someone beat on it again, the whole of the panel rattling in the frame.

“Patience!” he called out with a little frown beetling his brows. “I can only move so fast!” When he opened it up the Greek was surprised to see the South American grey fox that had been appointed the first officer for the Abeona colony. “Hector? What on Earth is wrong?” the human asked, noting immediately the agitated state of the Buenos Aires Fur.

Hector’s hackles were raised while his thick brush of a tail looked as if it had a bad case of static electricity, every single strand of hair standing on end. When the furman spoke, there was even an underlying growl to his words. “We need you to come to Sofiya and Richard’s suite. There’s been an incident.”

“What? What kind of incident?” the man asked in alarm. “Surely not something between those two!”

The grey fox shook his head. “No. It’s Amanda,” was all Hector was able to say intelligibly around the snarling growl that rumbled from his throat. “You may want to bring your medical bag.”

Worry filling him, Dimitri grabbed the aluminum case that contained some of the items of his trade as a physician that went everywhere with him and headed for the rooms the two foxes shared so fast that Hector was hard pressed to keep up despite the man’s protestations before he answered his door. As soon as he got to the room the pair shared, Dimitri found himself looking at the snarling expressions of Richard and Sofiya, the much smaller form of Amanda between them where they sat on the bed, the fennec still crying softly. Both of the older Furs calmed when they realized who it was that came through their door, turning back to the vixen between them and soothing her as best they could.

“My, God,” Kavalos whispered as he knelt down and opened his case. “What has happened?”

“One of the other Furs thought that Amanda was trying to come between us,” Richard said. “She’s been roughed up a little and the end of her tail’s been broken.”

Dimitri examined the vixen quickly, years of experience in working with Furs, primarily Vulps, enabling the man to deduce her physical state quickly. “There’ll be some bruising under the fur for a few days,” the Greek commented softly as he used a small penlight to look into the fennec’s eyes. “No concussion.” He then moved to her tail, gently feeling along the last third of its length. “Ah. Not broken. Just dislocated,” Dimitri said. He looked at the fennec vixen, knowing that he had to hurt her to fix the literal kink in her tail. “Do you want me to give you something for the pain?”

Amanda shook her head as the Doctor brushed away a fresh tear. “I have to learn to be strong like Sofiya and Richard,” she almost whispered.

“That is not meaning you have to do without medication now,” the red fox vixen chided gently, “and getting something for pain does not make you weak.” Sofiya stroked the other female’s large ears as she spoke, a gesture that was both affectionate and soothing at the same time.

Dimitri smiled as Amanda turned from the other Fur and looked at him with a nod, closing her eyes as the man pulled a small pressure dispenser and ampoule of analgesic solution. There was no need to sterilize the injection site as there wasn’t a needle involved, and the Greek expertly parted the fur on the fennec’s thigh, the nozzle of the unit following. A small hiss and a slight tingle was all Amanda felt, though the fast acting drug no sooner entered her body than a slight warming sensation followed as the medication began to work.

“This will make you a little drowsy,” Dimitri told his former client, maintaining the soft, calm tones that he often used when dealing with his Furs. “We’ll give it a moment to work, then I’ll fix your tail, alright?” He smiled when the desert fox nodded and closed her eyes, somehow snuggling against both of the other foxes at the same time. Looking at his watch, Dimitri made sure that ample time had passed and taking Amanda’s tail into is hands, he deftly popped the two dislocated sections back into place. “There we go. You won’t even have a kink in it. There will be a little swelling, and it’s going to be sore, but it shouldn’t be too bad, little one.”

The fennec hiccupped quietly and let out a sigh, once the two sections were back into joint most of the discomfort receded, relief evident as her facial features relaxed. Sofiya and Richard helped her sit up, the red fox vixen resting her head alongside the other female’s while the silver fox gave her a little kiss on the side of her head. “Come now. Hector will stay with you while we are having a talk with the one that has done this,” Sofiya said, helping the other Fur lay back down on the pillows while smoothing her sandy colored hair back. “Are you being fine until we return?”

“I’ll be alright,” the fennec replied with a smile and small nod. She closed her eyes as Richard brushed the back of his fingers over her cheek and moved away so Dimitri could tend to the places where the tape that had been used to bind her limbs and muzzle had pulled out some of the fur.

With a look to each other and a nod from Hector, Sofiya and Richard headed for Tipper’s room.

Neither spoke until they were out in the hallway.

“I am not believing that Tipper was responsible for this!” the red fox vixen hissed, her words colored by an uncharacteristic growl of anger.

Richard only shook his head. “This is somewhat uncharacteristic of her,” the silver fox told his mate. “Regardless, I want some answers. An attack on a fellow Fur is a serious offense, no matter what the motivations.”

The quarters for the training facility were laid out in a large ‘V’ shaped building with the main deck that had become so popular for the Furs to lounge on between the two wings of the multistoried structure with wide corridors that met in the center allowing access to a glass enclosed elevator and two sets of stairs. The walls were comprised of glass that collected some of the solar radiation and converted it into power to reduce the building’s reliance on an outside power source. Instead of waiting on the elevator, both foxes took to the stairs in an effort to work off excess the energy of their agitated states.

The suite that Tipper Harper had been assigned was on the opposite wing of Sofiya and Richard’s and one floor up. As they strode down the central corridor, both anthrofoxes glanced at the closet that Lu Chin Yao had found the fennec vixen. If it hadn’t been for Amanda’s PBJ chiming from messages that both Furs had sent there was no telling how long the desert fox would have been hidden in the closet.

When they reached the Arctic fox’s door, it was Richard that knocked, his fingers curled so tight that his claw tips dug deep into the fleshy pad that comprised his palm, his knuckles striking the wood panel with so much force that each of the three raps were almost as loud as a firecracker.

Ruiz Vallejo answered the door, the smile on the bat eared fox’s muzzle vanishing as his ears laid back against his skull as he saw the expressions of their colony leader and safety officer while the scent of the two foxes anger hit his sensitive nose. “Sofiya? Richard? Is something wrong?” the Buenos Aires Fur asked as his tail unconsciously pressed against the backs of his legs and his head lowered.

The two Furs in the corridor looked past him and saw Tipper sitting at the window table with Mina Brinkley, the smug expressions on both faces of the two vixens falling when they saw who was at the door.

“Ruiz, we are needing to talk to Tipper,” Sofiya said, her tone low and more than sufficiently flavored with anger to cause the Arctic fox vixen to shrink in her chair.

“Whatever is the matter, senora?” the smaller South American Fur asked. “Has something happened?” Before either the red fox or Richard could answer he stepped back holding the door open.

“Da,” Sofiya replied tersely. “We are going to ascertain why Tipper saw fit to be attacking Amanda Sterling before we must be disciplining her in front of the rest of the colonists,” the red fox told Ruiz in a chill tone, her eyes never leaving the white vixen.

***
It was only a matter of minutes with the two other foxes glaring at her before Tipper broke down, spilling out how she’d seen the new Fur acting around Richard, and then seeing the two flirting while working in the facility stables. When she saw Richard and Amanda kissing, she became angry that one of the recently arrived Vulps thought she could interfere with the pairing between Sofiya and Richard. Then when she saw Amanda heading to her room to shower, Tipper was so angry that she claimed she couldn’t help what she did.

At the end of the telling, the silver fox looked to Mina, the swift fox Fur also sinking into her seat. “Did you know about this?” Richard asked, already knowing the answer.

“Yes,” the vixen replied, unable to meet the silver fox’s burning eyes or furious expression.

“And you didn’t see fit to tell Sofiya or Hector?”

Mina silently shook her head.

“Another Fur was being attacked, and you were keeping silent?” Sofiya asked, her look incredulous.

It was then that Ruiz stepped up, almost as angry as the other two Furs. “Why? How? To do this thing is…it is beyond me to even think about!”

“I’m sorry!” Tipper wailed, tears streaming from her eyes.

“Sorry is not good enough,” the bat eared fox whispered before looking at Mina. “And you…you are just as guilty for knowing and not saying anything!” Without waiting for a response, the South American Fur gathered his guitar and a few other items before pausing at the door. “This is too much to stomach right now, but I think that I will be sleeping alone for some time, and that the two of you have a great deal to do to make this right.”

As it was, both vixens winced as the door closed behind Ruiz, leaving them alone with Sofiya and Richard. When they looked up the silver fox was still glaring at both of them.

“I trusted the two of you,” he began softly. “After everything that we’ve been through together, to think that you would do something this…this cowardly!” He snorted loudly in contempt. “Has it occurred to either of you that there is a serious lack of balance in the colony? That you two aren’t the only ones that have had to make accommodations? That even though she hasn’t been with us for more than a couple of days that Amanda isn’t deserving of someone to care for her as well? Did you stop to think that maybe you should have asked Sofiya or I about what was going on before taking it upon yourselves to act so stupidly?”

“Wha…what’s going to happen n-now?” Tipper asked tremulously.

Sofiya crossed her arms over her chest and leveled a flat look at both of the other vixens. “Your actions have succeeded in putting another of the Abeona colony Furs in danger. As such, and according to the laws regarding members of a colony endeavor, you are both sentenced to administrative discipline. Any subsequent actions that adversely affect assigned colony members will mean a second sentence of administrative discipline and following infractions will be meaning the forfeiture of all prize monies, deferred posting for future endeavors will not happen, and punishment up to and including exile once we reach Bastien.”

Sofiya saw both jerk upright with wide eyes at the last and nodded slowly.

“Yes, what you have done is being very, very serious. If there are any more problems, I am authorized to expel you from the colony to attempt survival on your own without the help of the rest of us.”

“Please!” Tipper wailed. “Please don’t! I’m sorry! I can’t t-t-tell you how sorry! Don’t exile us! At least Mina! She didn’t do it! I did!”

The Arctic fox had slipped from her chair and landed on her knees, looking up at the other Vulps that had, until recently, been her friends.

“There is no exile,” the red fox said. “Not yet. We will attempt administrative punishment first, and this should be enough. But the both of you are being warned. I will not allow anyone to do anything that puts another of us at risk. Am I being very clear?” Both of the other two vixens nodded emphatically. “Richard. You will be staying in here until I have the rest of the group in the conference room. I will message your PBJ when we are being ready.”

The silver fox nodded and turned back to scowling at the two vixens while his mate left to assemble the others, his paw-like hands still clenched tightly. Several minutes crawled by while the two females wondered what their punishment would entail, neither one able to look their former housemate in the eyes.

“Do you know what really gets me?” Richard asked them softly, doing an exemplary job of keeping a growl out of his voice. “I’ll tell you. It’s that Amanda has done nothing but try and be nice to everyone. You don’t realize just what she had to go through to get here. You think any of us have had it tough? Amanda had to have a memory wipe before she went through the McEwen Process. She was falsely accused of something that caused the deaths of almost a dozen children, took the rap for someone else’s screw up, and it almost killed her.

“Then, when she finds a way where she could leave that behind, get a fresh start, deserving it more than anybody in this whole damn group, you have to do this. That’s what gets me the most, Tipper. I didn’t think that you were capable of something like this. Just be very, very glad that it wasn’t worse.”

The Arctic fox vixen’s jaw was trembling as tears began to fall anew. “I’m sorry, Richard,” she whispered, her eyes pleading for forgiveness.

The silver fox just shook his head, his Personal Business Juxtapositioner chiming before he could say anything in response. He read the message and closed the clamshell case before dropping it into his pocket. “Let’s go,” he ordered, hooking his thumb in the direction of the door.

***
Dimitri Kavalos elected to stay with Amanda while Sofiya, Hector and Richard took care of the discipline proceedings. Security members from the facility staff kept Tipper and Mina in a secluded alcove until they were called for while the red fox vixen addressed the rest of the colony group.

“Something has transpired that I was thinking would never happen,” the vixen told the others, standing next to the podium for the large assembly room and foregoing the use of the microphone. “Earlier today one of the latest Furs from Stockholm was assaulted by another of our number. While her injuries are being slight, this is not something that I was thinking anyone here was capable of doing.

“I did not anticipate ever having to actually give out a punishment to any Fur of this group. I especially did not see having to it before we are leaving the Earth. To say that I am disappointed is hardly the truth of what I am feeling. If I am to being completely honest, this is making me sick in my heart only slightly more than it is making me angry.” Sofiya paused for a moment to take a deep, calming breath, realizing that possibly vomiting in front of the other Furs wouldn’t help her in the slightest. “Unfortunately there is more than one that is guilty in this case as the actions of the attacker was being known and it was not reported.

“In accordance with the laws established by Stockholm and the directing board of the Anthro Human Colonization Project, I am having to enforce administrative discipline. Unlike when we were all being at our different Institutes, it is required by the rules that govern all colony groups that you must be in attendance to witness the punishments. While I am sorry that all of us are having to see this, it is my hope that it will be enough to prevent future incidents of this nature.

“I will not be tolerating any action that may bring harm to anyone in this room. Not now, and most certainly not when we are being on Bastien. As colony leader I am entrusted with the success of our colony, but that also means that I must look to the safety and wellbeing of all of you, something that is most important to me. Should any of you ever have a question or a problem, it is the reason that Hector and I are here, so that you may be coming to us to help.

“And that is why we are here now, because another decided to handle matters instead of talking about it to the ones that were affected by the situation that was witnessed. As such, it was a matter that I and Richard were involved in and no one else, but instead of asking for clarification, inappropriate actions were taken that led to an attack on another. While we are appreciative of the concern, at the same time it was very much a personal situation and not the affair of others.”

Sighing in disgust, Sofiya turned to the alcove and motioned for Tipper and Mina to be brought out. Once both vixens were standing before the rest of the group, the red fox nodded solemnly.

“The following administrative procedure has been determined to be the best course of action. As such, this will be a two-part punishment. Tiffany Harper, you will confess to the others the reason for your being here. Once you are done, Mina Brinkley, you will confess as to why you are also being here. Once you are finished telling the rest the reasons you are being punished, your tails are to be shaved in accordance with AHCP doctrine. Are either of you having any questions?”

Both Furs shook their heads before Tipper lifted her eyes to look at the others in the room. She swallowed hard after a couple of false starts and related seeing Richard and one of the new Furs, Amanda Sterling, and their antics in the stables. She thought that the other vixen was coming between her two friends and later, when she encountered the other Vulps in the corridor, let her anger get the best of her. She gave a detailed accounting of what happened and when she was done dropped her head in shame.

Mina wasn’t able to look at any of her fellow colonists and told of being made aware of what happened, and instead of reporting what she’d been told, had actually congratulated her friend. “It…it was wrong. Tipper for what she did, and me for not telling someone what I knew. Amanda could have been hurt bad, but we didn’t think of that.” The swift fox finally looked up, the fur under her eyes completely soaked. “We were wrong, and we’re sorry.”

Tipper nodded in agreement. “We…we also kn-now that it’s going to take a lot for any of you to trust us again.” She snorted in self derision. “And I don’t blame any of you if you hate us for what happened…for what I did…for attacking and threatening Amanda, or Mina for not turning me in. I…I have no excuse and I deserve to be punished.”

Sofiya nodded, satisfied at the confessions. “As the appointed leader for the Bastien colony mission and the authority that I am having according to the AHCP, I am going to suspend further punishments at this time.” The red fox saw both of the other vixens jerk in surprise, their looks of disbelief almost comical, though Sofiya found nothing about the situation in the slightest bit amusing. “This is the only time that I will be suspending a sentence and I am hoping that I will never have to be doing this ever again. Either with the two of you,” she turned and looked at the rest of the assembly, “or anyone else. There are being enough dangers and hardships that we will all be facing very soon, and I am depending on every one of you to help me in my goal of keeping all of us safe.”

Sighing again, Sofiya waved her paw-like hand in the air.

“All are dismissed,” she said in a lackluster tone.

The rest of the colonists filed out, stunned by not only what happened, but the clear warning that they’d been given. Tipper and Mina looked as if they wanted to talk to the red fox, though the vixen shook her head and closed her eyes as she pointed to the exit. She didn’t know how long she stood there before she caught Richard’s familiar scent and felt his arms slip about her body as he pulled her into a much needed embrace.

“Did I do the right thing?” the vixen asked tiredly

“I think so,” the silver fox said softly, stroking her long hair while his other arm pulled her tight against his warm, solid chest. “You made them tell everyone what happened, and they will have to earn the trust of the others back, and lenient by not dragging it out longer by shaving their tails, which might have made things a little awkward longer than necessary. This also goes in their permanent records with the company. All in all, I’d say you handled it very well.”

The blond Fur luxuriated in her mate’s embrace for several minutes before pulling back and looking up in his eyes. “So you and Amanda were kissing? And how does she kiss? Did you find you liked it?”

“It wasn’t too bad,” Richard admitted. “She’s young and has a lot to learn, but I still like your kisses.”

“Prove it,” Sofiya said impishly, smiling when the silver fox Fur kissed her deeply. When they parted she drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Let us be calling this a night and go to our suite. I’m tired, I wish for my supper, and Amanda is needing both of us.”

“You know, that’s the best suggestion I’ve heard all day,” Richard told her with a smile.

— NEXT CHAPTER —