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A Capital Ship story
© 2019 by Walter Reimer
“Excuse me, Captain?” Ears perked or swiveled and the officers turned to look at Prince Jahan. The tiger looked nervous and shuffled his feet diffidently. “May I ask a question?”
The bulldog sat back in his chair. “Of course, Your Highness.” He waited, ears cocked expectantly.
“Will it be a long trip? To Kaapstad, I mean.”
“About seven days,” de Ville replied. “You’re our guest – “
“I understand.” If the Captain had been irritated by the interruption, he didn’t show it. The young tiger tore his gaze away from the bulldog to look at the other officers. “I would very much like something to do.”
De Ville slowly raised one eyebrow. “Go on, Your Highness.”
“Um,” and the tiger’s tail started switching back and forth nervously, “Bosun Ntsay’s been showing me your ship, and it’s truly,” and he groped for a word, “astounding. I want to learn more about it – if you agree,” he concluded quickly.
The bulldog’s other eyebrow rose and he looked at Francois. The red-ruffed lemur was standing by the cabin door, his mouth hanging open in surprise. De Ville returned his gaze to the tiger. “Are you willing to work, with your paws? To see them get dirty, and your claws cracked and stained? To be up at strange hours of the day or night?”
The Prince’s throat bobbed as he swallowed. “Yes.”
No denying he’s got guts, Francois thought.
De Ville nodded. “Very well, Your Highness. Of course, I must show proper respect to your rank. If you were a commoner, I’d enlist you as a deckpaw and give you to the tender mercies of Bosun Ntsay.” Jahan glanced behind him and the lemur managed to school his expression just in time. “I shall add you to the ship’s rolls as a Midshipman. How old are you?”
“Fifteen, sir.”
“You’ll be berthed with Mr. Villiers, then. Mr. Villiers?”
“Sir?”
“You’ll show Midshipman . . . Jahan, everything you’ve been taught so far so that he can catch up to you. Bosun Ntsay?”
“Soor?”
“Pass the word to the crew. Dismissed.”
Francois saluted and let himself out. Pausing in the passageway, he crossed himself and breathed a quiet prayer to Saint Joan.
His request was a simple one, asking the Defender of France to make sure that the Captain wouldn’t come to regret his decision.
<NEXT>
<PREVIOUS>
<FIRST>
A Capital Ship story
© 2019 by Walter Reimer
“Excuse me, Captain?” Ears perked or swiveled and the officers turned to look at Prince Jahan. The tiger looked nervous and shuffled his feet diffidently. “May I ask a question?”
The bulldog sat back in his chair. “Of course, Your Highness.” He waited, ears cocked expectantly.
“Will it be a long trip? To Kaapstad, I mean.”
“About seven days,” de Ville replied. “You’re our guest – “
“I understand.” If the Captain had been irritated by the interruption, he didn’t show it. The young tiger tore his gaze away from the bulldog to look at the other officers. “I would very much like something to do.”
De Ville slowly raised one eyebrow. “Go on, Your Highness.”
“Um,” and the tiger’s tail started switching back and forth nervously, “Bosun Ntsay’s been showing me your ship, and it’s truly,” and he groped for a word, “astounding. I want to learn more about it – if you agree,” he concluded quickly.
The bulldog’s other eyebrow rose and he looked at Francois. The red-ruffed lemur was standing by the cabin door, his mouth hanging open in surprise. De Ville returned his gaze to the tiger. “Are you willing to work, with your paws? To see them get dirty, and your claws cracked and stained? To be up at strange hours of the day or night?”
The Prince’s throat bobbed as he swallowed. “Yes.”
No denying he’s got guts, Francois thought.
De Ville nodded. “Very well, Your Highness. Of course, I must show proper respect to your rank. If you were a commoner, I’d enlist you as a deckpaw and give you to the tender mercies of Bosun Ntsay.” Jahan glanced behind him and the lemur managed to school his expression just in time. “I shall add you to the ship’s rolls as a Midshipman. How old are you?”
“Fifteen, sir.”
“You’ll be berthed with Mr. Villiers, then. Mr. Villiers?”
“Sir?”
“You’ll show Midshipman . . . Jahan, everything you’ve been taught so far so that he can catch up to you. Bosun Ntsay?”
“Soor?”
“Pass the word to the crew. Dismissed.”
Francois saluted and let himself out. Pausing in the passageway, he crossed himself and breathed a quiet prayer to Saint Joan.
His request was a simple one, asking the Defender of France to make sure that the Captain wouldn’t come to regret his decision.
<NEXT>
<PREVIOUS>
<FIRST>
Category Story / General Furry Art
Species Lemur
Size 120 x 87px
File Size 35.1 kB
Listed in Folders
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