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Family Matters
© 2022 by M. Mitch Marmel
Thumbnail art by
blacklion68, color by 
Major Matt Mason
Part Thirty-three
Excerpt from the Court Circular:
His Majesty the King and Emperor will journey today from the Palace to the Headquarters of the Imperial and Royal Navy, in company with Their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince and Princess, and His Royal Highness the Marshal of Faerie. There they shall inspect the facility and meet with Commodore the Lord Aderyn. His Majesty and his party are expected to be there all day.
***
Anastasia:
“Nippy?”
My ermine maid finished setting out my luncheon before straightening up and replying, “Yes, Ma’am?” She stood there, paws clasped before her, her expression completely unreadable.
Compared to Nippy, [Little Toy] sometimes seems more animated.
“How are you getting on with the new chef?” I asked. “I mean, according to the Master he’s got a very fiery temper.”
“Indeed, Ma’am,” Nippy said, “but if I may be so forward, he had a reason for being intemperate.”
My ears swiveled. “Oh?”
“Please, Ma’am, I mustn’t speak out of turn. You should ask Chef Ernest.”
“But I’m asking you, Nippy.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” For an instant the façade cracked, and she looked momentarily downcast. “Chef Ernest was trained to be in Service, Ma’am, but with a lack of Quality in Eastness he was forced to seek employment with various restaurants. I believe that it made him unhappy.”
That caused me to reflect for a moment. I was perfectly miserable as the Sovereign Princess of Licksburg, and even when I was a fawn having to put up with my father and brother were more than a bit of a trial. That resulted in me being sullen, surly, and thoroughly unhappy. Here in Elfhame as [First-of-Eldest], however – well, Elves Don’t Lie, I was happy.
Westersloe would look upon it as the Lady’s Favor, and in unguarded moments I agree with him. For us, the Stars have aligned favorably.
“Thank you, Nippy,” I said, and she dipped a curtsy before going about her business.
Leaving me a few things to think about.
***
Roland:
Traffic between the Palace and the Imperial & Royal Naval Headquarters had been blocked by the Red Caps and troopers of the Household Cavalry, and furs had gathered to wave and cheer as the King and his family made their way through the city by the most direct route to their destination. There was no need whatever to cause any more disruption than necessary.
The King, assisted by the Crown Prince, alighted the coach to be greeted by Commodore the Lord Aderyn, and after exchanging a few remarks with the crowd, went inside.
The commons went about their business, and while my brother and niece had a chat with the flamingo, my nephew Gawain and I headed to the rear of the building to see how far the preparations had gone.
“There doesn’t seem to be anything here, Uncle,” Gawain said as we stepped out into the open space between the building and the diversion canal that would take I&RN vessels onto the river and then down to the sea. “No strange devices, and no Lowfolk,” and a tiny insinuating note crept into his voice as he added, “I guess we came here for nothing.”
“Mm, well now, I wouldn’t say that,” a voice drawled.
“Colonel Mason?” I asked.
“In the flesh.” A now-familiar bear stuck his head out of apparently empty space. “Good morning, Your Highnesses!” Colonel Mason called out, and he stepped fully into view and bowed correctly to me and Gawain. My nephew looked somewhat ‘gobsmacked,’ to use a term. “We got here about an hour ago, and we’re making sure that nothing goes wrong for the trip.”
“Satisfactory.” I gestured at the empty space. “Camouflage-magics?”
Mason’s ears flicked as he thought, and said, “Yes. Red?” he asked.
“Yes, Sir?” came a disembodied voice.
“Decloak her, please.”
The air wavered slightly, and I stepped back to take in what I was seeing.
The vessel (well, it looked slightly boatlike, if one looked at its underbelly) had a nose and windows at the front that made it appear like a caricature of a feline. The windows continued down the sides of the thing, ending in a large door that was lowered like a drawbridge at the rear, obviously where the Colonel had emerged. Two broad, drooping wings came from the top of it, and it had two long protrusions at its rear, over the door, that had fins on them.
I pointed. “That is not one of the machines seen offshore.”
Mason glanced back at it and said, “No, it’s not. What was seen by your people was a VF-1 Valkyrie, which has a crew of exactly one. This,” and he waved a paw at the vessel, “is an SC-97 Seagull. It can hold more people, with greater comfort. This particular ship is designed to carry important persons, like royalty.”
Gawain had already walked around the ‘Seagull’ twice. “I can see people moving around in it.”
“Yes, Sir. The Seagull has a crew of three.”
“I see four.”
“Ah. Anton! Come on out, please,” and a taller bear with a very muscular frame, wearing gray trousers, a white and blue-striped telnyashka and a gray overcoat stepped out and saluted. “May I present Lt. Josef Anton Bearovitch, my principal aide and a longtime companion. Josef, this is Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Gawain and Prince Roland.”
The bear snapped to attention and saluted, and then bowed deeply from the waist. “I am pleased to meet you, Sirs.” He had an oddly thick accent.
Colonel Mason turned to me. “As agreed, Lt. Bearovitch will stay here to act as liaison. If anything should happen that requires either His Majesty’s presence or yours, Anton will be in constant contact with the Musashi. We can get you back here as quickly as possible.”
I nodded. It had been part of the plan.
Gawain addressed the Lieutenant. “What are you using to talk with your ship?”
The bear smiled and opened his overcoat, revealing two devices. “This one, Your Highness,” and he pointed to the left, “is standard communicator. It takes maybe few seconds to send a message either direction. This, however,” and he held open the right side of his coat, “is ansible. Communications are instant.”
“So why have both?” my nephew asked.
“In case one fails, Highness.”
Mason asked his aide, “Are they about done in there?”
“Da.” The Colonel whistled, and a trio wearing the same color trousers and telnyashkas as Lt. Bearovitch stepped out, lined up, and stood at attention. Two mels, a cervine and a skeletally thin fox, and a feline femme.
“Your flight crew for today’s trip, Sirs,” Mason said. “Gertrude, Heathcliff, and Richard – although everyone calls him ‘Red.’ No one knows why.” He grinned at the gaunt fox as the three ratings suppressed smiles. “So, shall we be off?”
“I will go and see if His Majesty is ready,” and Gawain walked off.
Mason and I watch him go, and I said, “My nephew still has grave reservations about this.”
The bear nodded. “I can’t blame him. That’s part of what this trip is – to help engender some trust. Attention on deck!” he suddenly said, and he saluted as the King came out, Gawain pushing his wheeled chair and followed by Princess Persephone and Commodore Aderyn. “Your Majesty, everything is ready for your trip.”
My brother raised a paw, lowered it, and said, “Thank you, Colonel.” Gawain wheeled his father up the ramp and into the vessel, and we followed.
Mason gestured at a chair. “Your Majesty, for safety’s sake I must ask that you sit here – “
“Why?” Gawain asked. “I thought you insisted that this was safe.”
“I did, Your Highness, but mistakes can always happen.”
Gawain couldn’t really argue about that, so he helped his father into a rather comfortable seat. I looked around, and gave the bear a suspicious look when I saw that there was a chair far broader than the others in the chamber.
Mason smiled. “I took the liberty of having one modified for you, Sir.”
“Pfui.” I settled into it, and it was surprisingly comfortable. My brother and I were seated on one side, with Gawain and Persephone on the other. The windows were broad and flat, but angled out slightly at the top. The three crew members went into a small room at the front.
“Commodore,” Colonel Mason said, “we’ll be back.”
“Er, yes – carry on, Colonel,” and the flamingo stepped back as the ramp lifted and closed, and the bear gave us what he called a “safety lecture” before he took a seat. The lecture was, essentially, a reminder that while the craft we were now in was designed to be safe, accidents could still occur. In the event of a problem, restraints – wide belts that crisscrossed the chest and waist and buckled at the center – would immediately take hold of us. Persephone gasped and giggled as Colonel Mason demonstrated on himself. He also demonstrated how to unbuckle the restraints.
There was a hum, and a pleasant vibration ran through the fabric of the craft. I swiveled my ears and heard the three up front – forward, I believe, in Naval parlance – talking to each other.
“Engines running.”
“Cloak active.”
“Very well. Artigrav?”
“Active.”
“Zed-axis positive, transition to two-five-zero meters H-A-G.”
“Lifting off.”
The craft rocked slightly, and I heard Adler say, “Eala.”
He was looking out the window. I followed suit, and almost said the same thing.
The ground was falling away from us as the craft rose.
“Oh, look, my love! There’s the Palace!” I heard Persephone say. She had reached out and was holding Gawain’s paw.
My nephew was looking, but with a certain fixity of expression.
<NEXT>
<PREVIOUS>
<FIRST>
© 2022 by M. Mitch Marmel
Thumbnail art by
blacklion68, color by 
Major Matt MasonPart Thirty-three
Excerpt from the Court Circular:
His Majesty the King and Emperor will journey today from the Palace to the Headquarters of the Imperial and Royal Navy, in company with Their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince and Princess, and His Royal Highness the Marshal of Faerie. There they shall inspect the facility and meet with Commodore the Lord Aderyn. His Majesty and his party are expected to be there all day.
***
Anastasia:
“Nippy?”
My ermine maid finished setting out my luncheon before straightening up and replying, “Yes, Ma’am?” She stood there, paws clasped before her, her expression completely unreadable.
Compared to Nippy, [Little Toy] sometimes seems more animated.
“How are you getting on with the new chef?” I asked. “I mean, according to the Master he’s got a very fiery temper.”
“Indeed, Ma’am,” Nippy said, “but if I may be so forward, he had a reason for being intemperate.”
My ears swiveled. “Oh?”
“Please, Ma’am, I mustn’t speak out of turn. You should ask Chef Ernest.”
“But I’m asking you, Nippy.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” For an instant the façade cracked, and she looked momentarily downcast. “Chef Ernest was trained to be in Service, Ma’am, but with a lack of Quality in Eastness he was forced to seek employment with various restaurants. I believe that it made him unhappy.”
That caused me to reflect for a moment. I was perfectly miserable as the Sovereign Princess of Licksburg, and even when I was a fawn having to put up with my father and brother were more than a bit of a trial. That resulted in me being sullen, surly, and thoroughly unhappy. Here in Elfhame as [First-of-Eldest], however – well, Elves Don’t Lie, I was happy.
Westersloe would look upon it as the Lady’s Favor, and in unguarded moments I agree with him. For us, the Stars have aligned favorably.
“Thank you, Nippy,” I said, and she dipped a curtsy before going about her business.
Leaving me a few things to think about.
***
Roland:
Traffic between the Palace and the Imperial & Royal Naval Headquarters had been blocked by the Red Caps and troopers of the Household Cavalry, and furs had gathered to wave and cheer as the King and his family made their way through the city by the most direct route to their destination. There was no need whatever to cause any more disruption than necessary.
The King, assisted by the Crown Prince, alighted the coach to be greeted by Commodore the Lord Aderyn, and after exchanging a few remarks with the crowd, went inside.
The commons went about their business, and while my brother and niece had a chat with the flamingo, my nephew Gawain and I headed to the rear of the building to see how far the preparations had gone.
“There doesn’t seem to be anything here, Uncle,” Gawain said as we stepped out into the open space between the building and the diversion canal that would take I&RN vessels onto the river and then down to the sea. “No strange devices, and no Lowfolk,” and a tiny insinuating note crept into his voice as he added, “I guess we came here for nothing.”
“Mm, well now, I wouldn’t say that,” a voice drawled.
“Colonel Mason?” I asked.
“In the flesh.” A now-familiar bear stuck his head out of apparently empty space. “Good morning, Your Highnesses!” Colonel Mason called out, and he stepped fully into view and bowed correctly to me and Gawain. My nephew looked somewhat ‘gobsmacked,’ to use a term. “We got here about an hour ago, and we’re making sure that nothing goes wrong for the trip.”
“Satisfactory.” I gestured at the empty space. “Camouflage-magics?”
Mason’s ears flicked as he thought, and said, “Yes. Red?” he asked.
“Yes, Sir?” came a disembodied voice.
“Decloak her, please.”
The air wavered slightly, and I stepped back to take in what I was seeing.
The vessel (well, it looked slightly boatlike, if one looked at its underbelly) had a nose and windows at the front that made it appear like a caricature of a feline. The windows continued down the sides of the thing, ending in a large door that was lowered like a drawbridge at the rear, obviously where the Colonel had emerged. Two broad, drooping wings came from the top of it, and it had two long protrusions at its rear, over the door, that had fins on them.
I pointed. “That is not one of the machines seen offshore.”
Mason glanced back at it and said, “No, it’s not. What was seen by your people was a VF-1 Valkyrie, which has a crew of exactly one. This,” and he waved a paw at the vessel, “is an SC-97 Seagull. It can hold more people, with greater comfort. This particular ship is designed to carry important persons, like royalty.”
Gawain had already walked around the ‘Seagull’ twice. “I can see people moving around in it.”
“Yes, Sir. The Seagull has a crew of three.”
“I see four.”
“Ah. Anton! Come on out, please,” and a taller bear with a very muscular frame, wearing gray trousers, a white and blue-striped telnyashka and a gray overcoat stepped out and saluted. “May I present Lt. Josef Anton Bearovitch, my principal aide and a longtime companion. Josef, this is Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Gawain and Prince Roland.”
The bear snapped to attention and saluted, and then bowed deeply from the waist. “I am pleased to meet you, Sirs.” He had an oddly thick accent.
Colonel Mason turned to me. “As agreed, Lt. Bearovitch will stay here to act as liaison. If anything should happen that requires either His Majesty’s presence or yours, Anton will be in constant contact with the Musashi. We can get you back here as quickly as possible.”
I nodded. It had been part of the plan.
Gawain addressed the Lieutenant. “What are you using to talk with your ship?”
The bear smiled and opened his overcoat, revealing two devices. “This one, Your Highness,” and he pointed to the left, “is standard communicator. It takes maybe few seconds to send a message either direction. This, however,” and he held open the right side of his coat, “is ansible. Communications are instant.”
“So why have both?” my nephew asked.
“In case one fails, Highness.”
Mason asked his aide, “Are they about done in there?”
“Da.” The Colonel whistled, and a trio wearing the same color trousers and telnyashkas as Lt. Bearovitch stepped out, lined up, and stood at attention. Two mels, a cervine and a skeletally thin fox, and a feline femme.
“Your flight crew for today’s trip, Sirs,” Mason said. “Gertrude, Heathcliff, and Richard – although everyone calls him ‘Red.’ No one knows why.” He grinned at the gaunt fox as the three ratings suppressed smiles. “So, shall we be off?”
“I will go and see if His Majesty is ready,” and Gawain walked off.
Mason and I watch him go, and I said, “My nephew still has grave reservations about this.”
The bear nodded. “I can’t blame him. That’s part of what this trip is – to help engender some trust. Attention on deck!” he suddenly said, and he saluted as the King came out, Gawain pushing his wheeled chair and followed by Princess Persephone and Commodore Aderyn. “Your Majesty, everything is ready for your trip.”
My brother raised a paw, lowered it, and said, “Thank you, Colonel.” Gawain wheeled his father up the ramp and into the vessel, and we followed.
Mason gestured at a chair. “Your Majesty, for safety’s sake I must ask that you sit here – “
“Why?” Gawain asked. “I thought you insisted that this was safe.”
“I did, Your Highness, but mistakes can always happen.”
Gawain couldn’t really argue about that, so he helped his father into a rather comfortable seat. I looked around, and gave the bear a suspicious look when I saw that there was a chair far broader than the others in the chamber.
Mason smiled. “I took the liberty of having one modified for you, Sir.”
“Pfui.” I settled into it, and it was surprisingly comfortable. My brother and I were seated on one side, with Gawain and Persephone on the other. The windows were broad and flat, but angled out slightly at the top. The three crew members went into a small room at the front.
“Commodore,” Colonel Mason said, “we’ll be back.”
“Er, yes – carry on, Colonel,” and the flamingo stepped back as the ramp lifted and closed, and the bear gave us what he called a “safety lecture” before he took a seat. The lecture was, essentially, a reminder that while the craft we were now in was designed to be safe, accidents could still occur. In the event of a problem, restraints – wide belts that crisscrossed the chest and waist and buckled at the center – would immediately take hold of us. Persephone gasped and giggled as Colonel Mason demonstrated on himself. He also demonstrated how to unbuckle the restraints.
There was a hum, and a pleasant vibration ran through the fabric of the craft. I swiveled my ears and heard the three up front – forward, I believe, in Naval parlance – talking to each other.
“Engines running.”
“Cloak active.”
“Very well. Artigrav?”
“Active.”
“Zed-axis positive, transition to two-five-zero meters H-A-G.”
“Lifting off.”
The craft rocked slightly, and I heard Adler say, “Eala.”
He was looking out the window. I followed suit, and almost said the same thing.
The ground was falling away from us as the craft rose.
“Oh, look, my love! There’s the Palace!” I heard Persephone say. She had reached out and was holding Gawain’s paw.
My nephew was looking, but with a certain fixity of expression.
<NEXT>
<PREVIOUS>
<FIRST>
Category Story / General Furry Art
Species Skunk
Size 987 x 1280px
File Size 798.1 kB
Listed in Folders
Josef to his date:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4E6KtQg_z0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4E6KtQg_z0
“Mm, well now, I wouldn’t say
“No! No! You wouldn’t say tha~a~t!”
One of my favorites! ^^
“May I present Lt. Josef Anton Bearovitch (...)”
"I'm in, you Son of a Bear!"
IRL I do know a Bjornsson (amusingly abbreviated B:son), which means the exact same thing in Swedish
I swiveled my ears and heard (those) up front – forward, I believe, in Naval parlance – talking to each other.
Whether you're familiar with the source material or not, I highly recommend the first minute of this...
https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR00996
... wherein that part of that remix is overlaid with a Preflight Checklist (or vice versa), and whoever put it together just had to love what they were doing in one of those infectiously geeky ways.
“No! No! You wouldn’t say tha~a~t!”
One of my favorites! ^^
“May I present Lt. Josef Anton Bearovitch (...)”
"I'm in, you Son of a Bear!"
IRL I do know a Bjornsson (amusingly abbreviated B:son), which means the exact same thing in Swedish
I swiveled my ears and heard (those) up front – forward, I believe, in Naval parlance – talking to each other.
Whether you're familiar with the source material or not, I highly recommend the first minute of this...
https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR00996
... wherein that part of that remix is overlaid with a Preflight Checklist (or vice versa), and whoever put it together just had to love what they were doing in one of those infectiously geeky ways.
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