
Advice and Consent
© 2018 by Walter Reimer
Thumbnail art by
rabbi-tom
“Gash norin.” Captain k’Jen glanced up as Varan entered his office and returned her salute. The door closed and his tail gestured at the chair on the other side of his desk. “You wished to speak with me, Lieutenant g’Raf?”
“Thank you for seeing me, Captain.” Varan sat, her tail quivering slightly before coiling around one chair leg. “I wish to request leave.”
The kam’s tailspur rose and scratched him behind his left ear. “I have noted that you have been under some stress over the past several days. Tell me, is there bad news from home?”
“Ulant, tī. Things are well with my family.” Her fingerclaws flexed in their sheathes, an obvious sign of nervousness. “I am concerned for my friend, Lieutenant d’Estcourt.”
“Aka.” He leaned slightly forward in his chair. “What is the problem, that you are so agitated?” His eyes narrowed and feline pupils dilated as she related what Meredith had told her. When the vir concluded by telling him that the palomino mare had resigned her commission, Gartabin k’Jen sat back, looking troubled. “I wasn’t aware that Terrans were like that. Certainly, they are a young and sometimes puzzling race.” He extended his claws and clicked them together in a gesture that the entire crew knew.
He was thinking.
K’Jen finally sheathed his fingerclaws and asked, “You are asking for leave to cross the border?”
“Ulnt, gartabin. Meredith said that she would be back on her home planet in one of their groups of days, about two or three favi.”
“Zvodoskā. I understand your desire to be with your friend.” He paused.
She waited.
“You are aware that we have eleven favi remaining in our current patrol assignment.”
“Ulnt, tī.”
The kam’s ears flicked forward. “We will have some maintenance time scheduled when we arrive at Dah-wun-tīm station,” and he managed to get the pronunciation of the Terran word right, “and the Klarchagth will replace us. Until we arrive there, I have an assignment for you.” He met her gaze. “Using current data on cross-border merchant vessels, I would like you to calculate the most economical route for a single shlan to and from the Terran planet This Far. The ships selected must have compatible arrangements for Kashlani, and I will expect a full report from you upon your return.” The kam smiled as the vir grinned broadly. “I will expect to review your itinerary before we reach Station NZh-2233. Have you anything else, gorwan?”
“No, sir. Thank you.” Varan stood and left the room.
When the door closed, k’Jen accessed the ship’s communications network and sent three identical messages. One went to Imperial Intelligence, which was aware of Varan and Meredith’s relationship, and the second went to the shlan in charge of the officer exchange program.
The third went to Imperial Security.
© 2018 by Walter Reimer
Thumbnail art by

“Gash norin.” Captain k’Jen glanced up as Varan entered his office and returned her salute. The door closed and his tail gestured at the chair on the other side of his desk. “You wished to speak with me, Lieutenant g’Raf?”
“Thank you for seeing me, Captain.” Varan sat, her tail quivering slightly before coiling around one chair leg. “I wish to request leave.”
The kam’s tailspur rose and scratched him behind his left ear. “I have noted that you have been under some stress over the past several days. Tell me, is there bad news from home?”
“Ulant, tī. Things are well with my family.” Her fingerclaws flexed in their sheathes, an obvious sign of nervousness. “I am concerned for my friend, Lieutenant d’Estcourt.”
“Aka.” He leaned slightly forward in his chair. “What is the problem, that you are so agitated?” His eyes narrowed and feline pupils dilated as she related what Meredith had told her. When the vir concluded by telling him that the palomino mare had resigned her commission, Gartabin k’Jen sat back, looking troubled. “I wasn’t aware that Terrans were like that. Certainly, they are a young and sometimes puzzling race.” He extended his claws and clicked them together in a gesture that the entire crew knew.
He was thinking.
K’Jen finally sheathed his fingerclaws and asked, “You are asking for leave to cross the border?”
“Ulnt, gartabin. Meredith said that she would be back on her home planet in one of their groups of days, about two or three favi.”
“Zvodoskā. I understand your desire to be with your friend.” He paused.
She waited.
“You are aware that we have eleven favi remaining in our current patrol assignment.”
“Ulnt, tī.”
The kam’s ears flicked forward. “We will have some maintenance time scheduled when we arrive at Dah-wun-tīm station,” and he managed to get the pronunciation of the Terran word right, “and the Klarchagth will replace us. Until we arrive there, I have an assignment for you.” He met her gaze. “Using current data on cross-border merchant vessels, I would like you to calculate the most economical route for a single shlan to and from the Terran planet This Far. The ships selected must have compatible arrangements for Kashlani, and I will expect a full report from you upon your return.” The kam smiled as the vir grinned broadly. “I will expect to review your itinerary before we reach Station NZh-2233. Have you anything else, gorwan?”
“No, sir. Thank you.” Varan stood and left the room.
When the door closed, k’Jen accessed the ship’s communications network and sent three identical messages. One went to Imperial Intelligence, which was aware of Varan and Meredith’s relationship, and the second went to the shlan in charge of the officer exchange program.
The third went to Imperial Security.
Category Story / General Furry Art
Species Alien (Other)
Size 71 x 120px
File Size 37.9 kB
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