Transition

© 2019 by Walter Reimer


Thumbnail art by  technicolorpie and  marmelmm


Mikhal Kwinton looked from one member of the crew to another as he finished speaking. “Well?” the skunk demanded. “What the fuck are you all staring for?”

The rest of the crew of the Kiss Me in the Dark looked at each other. They had all guessed that something was in the offing when Kwinton had ordered the entire group off the ship a few weeks after the rescue mission when they reached their next stop, Hoyle Station. They all met in a bar where, to deepening disquiet, the skunk had reserved a private room and bought drinks for everyone.

Then he’d made his announcement.

“Um, well Captain,” one of the day shift cargo handlers said, “I thought you were going to say that you had to retire because you had cancer or something.” Kwinton promptly facepalmed and the other crewmembers pelted the rat with balled-up napkins.

Once the laughter had died down, Kwinton growled, “Jax, you’re an idiot. You may be the only one aboard who hasn’t figured it out.” He glanced to his left and gave Karla Parker a warm smile. “I think – and Karla agrees – that it’s time I retired from this job. I’ve got a good pension – “

“Never mind about that,” Ginny said, the rabbit doe nearly bouncing up and down in her seat. “You and Karla are getting married! Tell us all about it! When’s the wedding?” Her husband Elroy rolled his eyes and put his paws on her shoulders to stop her from jumping up and down. All the other females in the room, Meredith included, started asking the same question.

Karla raised her paws and when the room quieted said, “The wedding’s going to be in a couple days – “

“Bachelorette party!” Christina George shouted, the bovine leading the chant of “Party! Party! Party!” before the feline could get herself heard again.

“ – But after we get married, I’m leaving the ship too,” Karla said, “which means that there’ll be some openings.”

“Don’t look at me,” Vinzen Garry growled. “I don’t want it. You know that, Karla.”

Parker nodded, and she turned to the palomino mare. “Meredith?”

Meredith could have sworn later that she felt the golden color drain out of her fur. “Well,” she said, “I kind of guessed that you two were going to get married – congratulations, by the way – and I’m flattered – “

“It ain’t flattery, d’Estcourt,” Mikhal said. “You have all the qualifications. So, do you want the job or not?”

She pondered the question for maybe five seconds before replying, “Yes.”

The skunk nodded once. “Okay, I’ll send the notifications in to Transcosm’s head office, and before the rest of you drain my bank account, let me say congratulations, Captain d’Estcourt.”

Everyone cheered, with a trio of night shift crewmembers singing something from an ancient operetta. Not bad singing voices, either, but they soon stopped singing as orders for dinner and more drinks were placed.

Fuji walked over to the table Meredith was sitting at and found her staring at her plate as she listlessly pushed a fork through the remnants of the salad. “Merry?”

The mare looked up and smiled at the Komodo monitor. “Hi Fuji.”

“Can I sit down?” At her enthusiastic nod, he smiled and took the chair opposite her. “Congratulations.”

“Yeah. Lot more responsibility, and the paperwork,” and Fuji smiled as she grimaced. “And working extra shifts before I can screen and accept new command crew.”

“You can do it,” and she smiled and took his paw as he added, “You trained for command in the Navy, right? And this isn’t a Navy crew, you know. We’re more like family.”

She looked across the table at him.

They met halfway, lips brushing against each other as they kissed. Thankfully no one seemed to notice. Sitting back, Meredith said, “Thanks, Fuji.” She started to say something else, but glanced up as a shadow fell across her. “Mikhal, Karla.”

The feline greeted her with a happy smile while her fiancé pointed at Fuji. “Scoot over, Castro, we need to talk to Meredith for a moment.” The bull obliged and the skunk sat down. Karla sat in his lap. “Your application’s been endorsed by me and Karla, and with your record the company will likely approve.” He smiled slightly. “Refusing a better offer from l’Raosch probably had something to do with it, too, but it’s in your favor.”

“Thanks, Mikhal,” Meredith said. “Do you two recommend any replacements at helm and Exec positions?” Karla’s whiskers twitched and she glanced at her lover, and Meredith asked, “What?”

“You know that dumb rat, Jax?” Kwinton asked. “It’ll be your final decision, but he’ll be your day shift helm and First Officer.”

“Him?”

Karla nodded. “He was a helm officer on a liner when they went out of business and he signed on here as cargo handler. I’ve been helping him get up to date on his qualifications and on all the stuff I had to do as Exec.”

“I’ll have to talk to him, first,” the mare said.

“Wouldn’t expect you to not talk to him.” The skunk put his arms around Karla’s waist and her tail draped over his shoulder. “When Karla and I made our decision, we went over the records, and Jax was the only likely helm candidate. I contacted the Transcosm office on Kuma, our next stop, and we’ll see what they have when we get there.” He added, “You’re still on mid-shift until we get there, of course, and Karla will be sending you copies of the crew records and shit like that.”

His feline fiancée kissed him on the top of his head between his ears and grinned at Meredith. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks, Karla. Both of you.”