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Redeployment
© 2021 by Walter Reimer
Thumbnail art by
rabbi-tom
The Terran smiled like a Kashlanin, and being a marsupial wolf the expression looked quite close to a kam’s grin. “There you are, Ma’am,” the mel said. “Forty-five hectoliters of Markellan whisky transferred. My cargo supervisor reports umbilical’s clear, and all the other supplies you requested have been transferred.” His grin widened. “You shlani have some powerful thirsts.”
Varan matched the smile. With nearly a thousand shlani aboard, it was necessary to keep the ship’s liquor supply at a certain level to maintain morale. Patrol duty could get tedious at times. “Thank you, Captain.” Her tail gestured at the Communications Officer, who relayed the ship’s exchange code to the Terran freighter. “Have you heard the news?”
The thylacine nodded. “We’ll be missing all of you lot. You’re great paying customers.” He sketched a salute with one paw. “Good flying, Captain,” and his image was replaced by the ship’s insignia, depicting a quite unclothed female vulpine with a disturbing grin and brandishing two comically large projectile weapons.
“Pilot, ease us away from the Terran’s path and resume course,” Varan said as the Bōank and the Terran armed freighter Violent Vixen moved away from each other. The Patjanjara Family owned the ship, and they and the rival Patagarang concern were assuring the Kashlani that they could maintain security around Point Mu Station. Varan found herself privately hoping that the two rival companies would work together. They always seemed about three finger’s width away from ignoring the Confederacy and turning their weapons on each other.
Aka, that was a matter for the Political Monitors attaché, and the Fleet liaison.
A glance at her repeater, and she stood up to meet with the heavy cruiser’s department heads. The Duty Officer took her seat as she left the command center.
Subcaptain th’Ner and the other officers sat up straight as Varan entered and sat down. “Narchak. We shall begin with the Surgeonmistress’ report.”
The vir glanced at her padd. “We have two minor cases of an upper respiratory infection, and one kam injured himself while exercising. He should be released to his quarters before midmeal today.”
“Excellent. I hope he’ll be more careful next time.” The others chuckled. “Operations?”
The commander combed his extended fingerclaws through the fur on his neck. “Crew readiness and training records have been reviewed, and deficiencies are being remedied. Replenishment has been done on schedule.”
“Weapons?”
“Routine maintenance cycle’s almost done, Captain, but all systems are ready.”
“Good. We are peace now, but we cannot afford to relax our guard just yet,” Varan remarked, and the others gestured agreement. “Engines?”
“Maintenance for the power distribution systems and artigrav is due the next time we reach a refit center,” the kam replied. “All propulsion systems and the hyperfield are within acceptable limits.”
“Very good,” Varan said after all the other department heads had reported. “Several days ago, I received news that the 119th Division and the Eleventh Fleet are to be demobilized.” Varan paused, and the officers glanced at each other. “Reserve ships will be returned to the Empire, and their crews will be released. The Bōank and other ships will be redeployed to balance the four active-duty fleets.”
She had their undivided attention as she added, “The other captains and I were given the opportunity to choose where we would prefer to be deployed.” She accessed the projector in the table, and a star map appeared. “Using the homes of all of the crew, including yourselves, I determined that the Bōank should be assigned to the Second Fleet, based around Station NZh-2233. I sent the request in the same day I received the message from Fleet Command.”
“Have you received a response, Captain?” Subcaptain th’Ner asked.
She gestured affirmatively. “Yes. We are being assigned to the Sixth Cruiser Division of the Second Fleet, based forward at Wangguan. Not ideal, but it was one of the secondary requests I made. The news will go out to the crew, but I wanted you to hear it first.”
Operations gazed up at the map, and the tip of the kam’s tail moved across the table and caused the projection to zoom in until the formerly Terran-held planet was at the center. “That puts us not very far away from Lalande and the new border with Terra.”
“In case hostilities resume,” Weapons added.
“That’s my assessment as well,” Varan said. She’d spent a few fractions in her quarters after getting the reply in containing her disappointment. Wangguan, though, was near This Far. She could get a ship to take her there on leave, and the knowledge helped her accept the basing assignment. “The announcement will go out to the crew after this meeting. Does anyone have anything to add?”
“I do,” the Command-Second said. Th’Ner smiled and said, “After we get to our new base, I will be retiring. It’s time.”
“You’ll be missed,” Varan said, and the others echoed her feelings as they came forward to congratulate him.
The remainder of the day went by quietly, apart from several shlani in the crew approaching Varan to thank her for her consideration in trying to find a place that was close to where their homes were located. She entered her quarters after her shift was over and had dinner before opening her padd to check her correspondence. A letter from Meredith headed the list, and she immediately opened it.
The vir grinned like a jorhim as the mare told her about the offer that Transcosm had made. While Downtime was farther away from Wangguan than This Far, it still wouldn’t be much of a journey to go and visit her and Fuji while on leave. The news that Meredith hadn’t had time to play the latest game module didn’t surprise her, of course. Merchanters have jobs and priorities, too, after all.
So, she and Fuji were planning on getting married? That was also welcome news, and hardly unexpected. Varan made a mental note to research Terran wedding customs before thinking about her reply.
***
TRANSLATION (93% certainty)
Imperial Civil Communications Network
Classification: Y
FROM: Varan g’Raf
TO: Meredith d’Estcourt
My love, I am happy to hear from you! I am quite safe, now that the war has come to an end, and my ship will soon be based at Wangguan. If your new post at NZh-2233 suits you, I will come and visit you and your mate.
You and Fuji getting married is also welcome news. I had hoped that your relationship with him would grow. Even if I am unable to attend, I wish you both a happy life together.
Being closer together, the game should go somewhat faster now that neither of us will be too busy.
I love you,
Varan
© 2021 by Walter Reimer
Thumbnail art by
rabbi-tomThe Terran smiled like a Kashlanin, and being a marsupial wolf the expression looked quite close to a kam’s grin. “There you are, Ma’am,” the mel said. “Forty-five hectoliters of Markellan whisky transferred. My cargo supervisor reports umbilical’s clear, and all the other supplies you requested have been transferred.” His grin widened. “You shlani have some powerful thirsts.”
Varan matched the smile. With nearly a thousand shlani aboard, it was necessary to keep the ship’s liquor supply at a certain level to maintain morale. Patrol duty could get tedious at times. “Thank you, Captain.” Her tail gestured at the Communications Officer, who relayed the ship’s exchange code to the Terran freighter. “Have you heard the news?”
The thylacine nodded. “We’ll be missing all of you lot. You’re great paying customers.” He sketched a salute with one paw. “Good flying, Captain,” and his image was replaced by the ship’s insignia, depicting a quite unclothed female vulpine with a disturbing grin and brandishing two comically large projectile weapons.
“Pilot, ease us away from the Terran’s path and resume course,” Varan said as the Bōank and the Terran armed freighter Violent Vixen moved away from each other. The Patjanjara Family owned the ship, and they and the rival Patagarang concern were assuring the Kashlani that they could maintain security around Point Mu Station. Varan found herself privately hoping that the two rival companies would work together. They always seemed about three finger’s width away from ignoring the Confederacy and turning their weapons on each other.
Aka, that was a matter for the Political Monitors attaché, and the Fleet liaison.
A glance at her repeater, and she stood up to meet with the heavy cruiser’s department heads. The Duty Officer took her seat as she left the command center.
Subcaptain th’Ner and the other officers sat up straight as Varan entered and sat down. “Narchak. We shall begin with the Surgeonmistress’ report.”
The vir glanced at her padd. “We have two minor cases of an upper respiratory infection, and one kam injured himself while exercising. He should be released to his quarters before midmeal today.”
“Excellent. I hope he’ll be more careful next time.” The others chuckled. “Operations?”
The commander combed his extended fingerclaws through the fur on his neck. “Crew readiness and training records have been reviewed, and deficiencies are being remedied. Replenishment has been done on schedule.”
“Weapons?”
“Routine maintenance cycle’s almost done, Captain, but all systems are ready.”
“Good. We are peace now, but we cannot afford to relax our guard just yet,” Varan remarked, and the others gestured agreement. “Engines?”
“Maintenance for the power distribution systems and artigrav is due the next time we reach a refit center,” the kam replied. “All propulsion systems and the hyperfield are within acceptable limits.”
“Very good,” Varan said after all the other department heads had reported. “Several days ago, I received news that the 119th Division and the Eleventh Fleet are to be demobilized.” Varan paused, and the officers glanced at each other. “Reserve ships will be returned to the Empire, and their crews will be released. The Bōank and other ships will be redeployed to balance the four active-duty fleets.”
She had their undivided attention as she added, “The other captains and I were given the opportunity to choose where we would prefer to be deployed.” She accessed the projector in the table, and a star map appeared. “Using the homes of all of the crew, including yourselves, I determined that the Bōank should be assigned to the Second Fleet, based around Station NZh-2233. I sent the request in the same day I received the message from Fleet Command.”
“Have you received a response, Captain?” Subcaptain th’Ner asked.
She gestured affirmatively. “Yes. We are being assigned to the Sixth Cruiser Division of the Second Fleet, based forward at Wangguan. Not ideal, but it was one of the secondary requests I made. The news will go out to the crew, but I wanted you to hear it first.”
Operations gazed up at the map, and the tip of the kam’s tail moved across the table and caused the projection to zoom in until the formerly Terran-held planet was at the center. “That puts us not very far away from Lalande and the new border with Terra.”
“In case hostilities resume,” Weapons added.
“That’s my assessment as well,” Varan said. She’d spent a few fractions in her quarters after getting the reply in containing her disappointment. Wangguan, though, was near This Far. She could get a ship to take her there on leave, and the knowledge helped her accept the basing assignment. “The announcement will go out to the crew after this meeting. Does anyone have anything to add?”
“I do,” the Command-Second said. Th’Ner smiled and said, “After we get to our new base, I will be retiring. It’s time.”
“You’ll be missed,” Varan said, and the others echoed her feelings as they came forward to congratulate him.
The remainder of the day went by quietly, apart from several shlani in the crew approaching Varan to thank her for her consideration in trying to find a place that was close to where their homes were located. She entered her quarters after her shift was over and had dinner before opening her padd to check her correspondence. A letter from Meredith headed the list, and she immediately opened it.
The vir grinned like a jorhim as the mare told her about the offer that Transcosm had made. While Downtime was farther away from Wangguan than This Far, it still wouldn’t be much of a journey to go and visit her and Fuji while on leave. The news that Meredith hadn’t had time to play the latest game module didn’t surprise her, of course. Merchanters have jobs and priorities, too, after all.
So, she and Fuji were planning on getting married? That was also welcome news, and hardly unexpected. Varan made a mental note to research Terran wedding customs before thinking about her reply.
***
TRANSLATION (93% certainty)
Imperial Civil Communications Network
Classification: Y
FROM: Varan g’Raf
TO: Meredith d’Estcourt
My love, I am happy to hear from you! I am quite safe, now that the war has come to an end, and my ship will soon be based at Wangguan. If your new post at NZh-2233 suits you, I will come and visit you and your mate.
You and Fuji getting married is also welcome news. I had hoped that your relationship with him would grow. Even if I am unable to attend, I wish you both a happy life together.
Being closer together, the game should go somewhat faster now that neither of us will be too busy.
I love you,
Varan
Category Story / General Furry Art
Species Alien (Other)
Size 71 x 120px
File Size 52.5 kB
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