Fictional Life

A TALE OF BROTHERS

— by Jeff Karamales

Chapter 6

Alistair tossed his bag onto the left hand rack of the cabin while Elias did the same to the right side bunk and both headed back to the cockpit of the Bonnie Eve as Aiden finished stowing some of the provisions in the yacht for the run back to Joplin to deliver his son and friend for their first assignment.

“I think tha’ Annie’s a bit saddened by yer departure, Toddy-boy,” the human said as he began a series of checks on the yacht’s internal systems, both he and the fox having completed their walk around inspection of the small ship.

“Yeah,” Elias answered softly. “She’s not the only one.” The fox heaved a sigh and went over the instrument panel of his console. “We both know it wouldn’t work, though. I’ll be gone for long periods of time. Not to mention she’s a human and I’m a fox. We’re friends, but it…I think this is for the best.”

“Ye say so,” Alistair replied with a shake of his head, wondering who his friend was trying to convince.

Elias ran through the warm-up procedure for the triple engines and spoke without looking at his companion. “And what about you?”

“Whaddya mean?”

The fox smiled while still focused on the instrument panel. “How did Belinda take your leaving?”

“I don’ know wha’ yer talkin’ ‘bout,” Alistair replied with feigned haughtiness.

“Right,” Elias said sarcastically. “You know these ears are pretty sensitive. Never mind that I can smell her perfume on you a mile away…”

Alistair chuckled. “Well, if’n ye put it tha’ way, a little more composed than her sister, but then she also knows tha’ I cannae stay.” The human tested the pressure seals to the hatch before setting their departure course into the navigation computer. When he looked at his friend he could tell the fox was also a little saddened by their leaving. “Don’ fret none, Elias. Annie an’ ye are a lot alike. Ye both have big hearts, an’ the things ye shared twixt ye were bein’ special. Treasure it for wha’ it was. ‘Sides, knowin’ ye, one day ye’ll be findin’ some lass that’ll be th’ sun o’ yer own private paradise!”

The fox paused and turned his head to regard the human next to him. “And you accuse me of being too romantic?”

“I have an excuse! I’m a Scot through-an’-through, an’ we ha’ a long tradition o’ being a right passionate people wi’ fancy notions. True warrior-poets!”

“You’re a lecherous nut case,” Elias said with a laugh. “But, you’re also the best friend I’ve ever had. Thanks for a memorable leave, Alistair,” the fox said as he extended his paw.

“Yer bein’ very welcome, Elias,” the man said as he took the paw in his hand and shook it, a wide smile on his face.

***

The SPF Vanguard was a frigate of Tanthean manufacture, its lines sleek, clean and aggressive looking. Four engine nacelles extended from the aft third of the hull like a modified ‘H’ placed on its side. The fore hull was a gently tapering flattened cone with a curious, streamlined, fin-like protrusion dropping from the prow and running along the underbelly in a gentle taper that housed several packages of sensitive sensors and communications gear. The aft taper contained the advanced LC drive for Faster-Than-Light travel and the primary launch bays for the six auxiliary craft onboard. The appearance, when coupled with the surface blisters on the hull that contained a surprising array of weapons, gave the entire ship a lean, agile appearance.

“Now that’s some ship,” Elias said with a grin as he and Alistair looked at their new posting from the observation deck of the orbital docking facilities the Vanguard was berthed at.

The human nodded appreciatively. “Tha’ she is,” Alistair almost whispered, a grin on his face that bespoke volumes of his desire to put the vessel through its paces.

A voice behind the pair caused the two friends to turn around before snapping to attention as a tigress with commander’s rank insignia on her collar tabs stood straight, arms behind her back. The senior officer had clear, pale amber eyes, almost like the color of flame, and her black stripes contrasted starkly with her fiery orange and white fur.

“You must be my two new pilots. I’m Commander Valencia Palmers, the Captain of the Vanguard. May I have your orders please?” the tigress asked in a deep contralto, but still imminently feminine voice. She waited for both human and fox to pull their papers from their tunic pockets and looked them over briefly before slipping them into her own tunic.

Alistair and Elias both maintained rigid attention as their new Captain scrutinized them carefully, each one trying not to squirm after several long minutes. Eventually Captain Palmers satisfied herself for whatever it was she was looking for and actually relaxed without moving a millimeter.

“Stand easy,” the tigress instructed, her precise and urbane accent identifying her as being from Kantus. “There are a few things I expect while you serve under me, and while you will be with the rest of the crew when I give my standard pre-cruise speech, I make it a habit of meeting with everyone in my command, I also make it a point of talking to every individual that comes aboard personally.

“While both of you have high marks from your flight instructors, you are here to be more than just the guiding paws, or hands, of my ship. You are SPF officers, and as such I expect you to conduct yourselves as such both on and off duty. I do not tolerate the use of alcohol, intoxicants or other such debilitating substances on my vessel at any time. Failure to follow this rule will get you slapped into the brig at best, or I will shoot you in accordance with maritime regulations if the infraction costs a single person on this ship his or her life, health or wellbeing.

“As SPF officers, you are expected to perform more than just your jobs as pilots. This vessel has seen everything from rescue operations to combat with pirates. If you are needed for any job that you may be of assistance, you will do it. I expect my orders to be followed to the letter. At the same time I expect you to question any orders you are given if you truly feel it puts this ship, her crew, or members of the Planetary Alignment in danger or at risk, or flies in the face of PA laws. We are here to protect all members of the Alignment, not just the ones we like, but the ones that we don’t like as well.

“Case in point was one such incident that involved the return of…’property’ to an individual on the world of Quet. As you well know, slavery is still legal on that world, no matter how much you, or I, may despise the practice. I had to, by law, return the property to said owner, despite my personal feelings, and I would expect the same of you. We are not here to dispute the PA law, but to uphold it and respect the sovereignty of each and every world. Even the aspects of sovereignty we may find repugnant.

“I know that there is a chance that the two of you may be approached for varying degrees of, ahem, companionship while onboard. This is a personal matter, and one that I and the other command officers will not interfere with, so long as you neither take this to the extreme and harass another crewmember, or unless it interferes with the function of my vessel. We are all adults, and we all know that on any extended run that it will happen. Do not let it affect your jobs or the jobs of the others and we should all be fine. I cannot deny anyone under my command certain levels of comfort. All I ask is that you respect potential companions, their privacy and grant them the same decency that you should expect in reciprocity.

“Finally, I have a tradition that I learned from my own first posting, and that is prior to every mission launch, I gather the crew together for one last meal in port. I find that it’s a good informal setting to get to know one another,” the Captain looked at her watch, a rather expensive chronometer in reddish gold that had been hidden by her tunic sleeve. “Supper begins in two hours, fifteen minutes ship’s time. I trust that is enough advance notice for the two of you to get your personal gear stowed and return to the station’s starboard promenade?”

“Yes, Captain,” both fox and human said in unison.

“Good. I for one don’t like to be kept waiting for my supper,” the tigress said with a relaxed and friendly smile. “Dismissed, gentles,” Captain Palmer said with a nod, slipping to attention and returning the salutes that Elias and Alistair gave.

Shouldering their bags, both presented their Identicards to the Spatial Police Officer at the hatch, the puma wearing combat armor with an autorifle on a tactical sling. The SPO nodded his helmeted and visored head at the portable terminal that was also present, nodding again when the reader cleared both with a green LED indicator and three tone chime. “Welcome aboard the SPF Vanguard, Sirs,” the cat said before resuming a ready stance.

Alistair was fairly quiet as they found the cabins that they’d been assigned to, each cubicle barely large enough to contain a bunk, bulkhead mounted desk and chair that had magnetic feet that held it to the thin, no-skid plastic sheathed deck. Elias set about putting his uniforms away in the small wardrobe his cabin came with before logging in on the terminal at his desk. He tapped in his information and pass code so that he could receive any electronic mail and messages, his left ear twitching when the terminal chimed with an awaiting packet. Alistair had done the same, and while the fox’s terminal indicated that there was only one waiting missive, Alistair’s went on for several moments.

Sitting in the chair, Elias turned to the computer, not bothering to shut the hatch to his cabin and brought up the waiting message, surprised to find a letter and attached image file addressed to him. He brought up the message first, surprised that it was from Annie.

:My Dear Elias,

By now you should be back at Joplin and I just want you to know that I’m having a hard time getting you out of my thoughts. We didn’t have a lot of time together, but what we did have and what we shared is something that I will treasure and carry with me for the rest of my life.

I never imagined that I would meet someone like you. Even now I think of feeling your soft fur brushing against every inch of my skin and can’t help but smile. I think of having your arms around me, the warmth of your breath on my neck as you hold me tight, of lying in the grass with the sun falling on us by the loch, of making love…

I don’t think that I will ever meet another that can make me feel as you have, Elias. Perhaps if you were human or I a vixen, then the things that I really want to say could be shared, that what I really want could be spoken , but it isn’t meant to be…or cannot be. I’m not the one that is meant for you. Whoever the lucky woman is, be she fox, human, or other, is out there waiting for you. And I think that I’m already jealous of her. Silly of me, isn’t it?

I had to send these words to you, though, to tell you what was in my heart, to tell you that there is one person that will always be thinking of you, no matter what happens. I want you to know that even in your darkest moments, when you face down the danger that is part f the life you have chosen, there is one out there on a little world around a distant star that loves you, and part of me always will.

Please, my beautiful fox, be safe. Do what you must, but please stay safe. I don’t know if I’d be able to handle the news that something has happened to you. And even though we’ll most likely never see each other again, know that what you gave me, the moments we shared, all of the wonderful memories will be treasured until the day I die, that you will ever be in my thoughts, my heart, and my prayers.

With all of my love and affection,

Your Annie:

The picture that was included was a picture of the young human taken in the spot by the loch where the two had shared their picnic and so much more, the sun lighting the girl’s hair with hints of fire in her auburn cascade. The only clothing she had on being frilly bits of pastel silk lingerie that barely concealed her womanly attributes and a white silk shirt that fell half way down her arms and back as she looked at the camera coyly, a smile on her lips that held unbridled happiness and a touch of regret and longing as well.

The fox was still staring at the image when Alistair came in to the cabin.

“What does she mean that she’ll never see me again?” Elias asked. “Earth isn’t that far away. It’s one of the higher traffic worlds with plenty of transports headed to it, and-”

Alistair put his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “She’ll nae be there, Toddy-boy,” the man said softly with a shake of his head. “I jus’ got a message from Belinda and me Ma. Annie’s forwarded her application tae the Alignment colonial scout service tae be a surveyor.” He looked at the fox who blinked silently. “She’s already left Earth.”

“Oh.”

“Ye made a serious impression on th’ lass, though. Nae a single boy e’er got Annie’s attention th’ way ye did, Toddy-boy.”

“I…I didn’t mean to hurt her,” the fox said as his ears folded back in chagrin.

“Ye didnae hurt her, Elias! Ye touched her heart in a way nae other person ever has, an’ it was special to Annie. Don’t be sad ‘bout tha’. She’ll be findin’ another to love someday, but like all th’ rest o’ us, she’ll nae be fergettin’ the first that captured her heart. Jus’ like ye won’t.” Alistair simply nodded when the fox looked up. “Tha’s righ’. Jus’ like ye’ll always be rememberin’ Ilsa, Annie’ll be rememberin’ ye. It ain’ bad. It’s…well, it’s part o’ growin’, ye know?”

Elias continued to look at the screen, his thoughts flitting back and forth between memories of the human, the delicate sadness that pulled at his emotions, and the words of his friend. Eventually he pushed all of that aside as he and Alistair made their way to the station’s promenade deck to meet the rest of the crew they’d be serving with.

— NEXT CHAPTER —