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Family Matters
© 2022 by Mitch Marmel
Thumbnail art by
tegerio, color by 
Major Matt Mason
Background by NASA
Part Thirty-seven
Stormy:
“Excuse me, Nippy?”
Nippy turned to look at me, and there was something about her eyes. I didn’t know what it was.
“Yes, Miss?”
“Are you all right?”
“I am fine, thank you, Miss. Is there anything you need?”
“Well, I’m not sure, but those two acolytes – you know, from the Temple?” She nodded, and I said, “I’ve heard them talking. About the egg.”
“The egg, Miss?”
I nodded. “The ice-wyrm egg in the hall. I think that they might be up to something.” Nippy waited. “They were talking to Chef Ernest about it, and they were discussing Ingredients.”
Nippy stood very still. I think she was thinking, and after a few moments she said, “I am out of my depth regarding this, Miss, so I would respectfully suggest that you speak with your father.”
Nippy’s a very good friend, and she’s never given me bad advice. I thanked her, and went off to find Father.
I found Father a little while later, at the place where he’s having the New Annexe built for Sixth, Tessie and Una. He was talking to one of the older bucks, and turned when I reached out and touched his arm. “Oh, hello, Stormy. How are you doing today?”
“I’m fine, Father. May – may I speak to you about something?”
He talked a little more with the older buck, who turned and walked off. Father crouched down until he and I could see each other eye-to-eye. “What is it, little one?”
So I told him what I had seen, and what I had heard, and Father started to look very cross at the idea that someone might think about eating the ice-wyrm egg. He gave me a hug and a nuzzle before saying, “You did the right thing, little one, coming to me with this. I’ll take care of it.”
“Thank you, Father,” and I went back to the Lodge.
***
Low:
I deliberately left the intercom open, so that the Royal party could hear what was going on.
“All stations, rig for space.”
“All airtight doors closed.”
There was a soft sensation on our ears, with quite a bit of glancing around by our guests. “Internal pressure steady.”
“Artigrav at one point zero, drives spooling up, continua device powered up.”
The captain’s voice cut through the gabble. “Commodore, the ship is rigged for space.”
I nodded toward the King and said, “Up ship.”
“Up ship, aye. Z-axis positive.”
And the Musashi, as big as she is, shivered.
The reaction from the Elves was completely predictable. Tails bottled out, and the Crown Prince and Princess had their tails hike up instinctively as the ship rocked slightly and they could see the water’s surface starting to fall away. Fortunately, they were good little mephits and didn’t stink up the place.
I look like a mephitess right now, but this is due to the Transmogrifier process I underwent prior to this mission. I confess that I had a small . . . accident while adjusting to this form, when an orderly startled me by dropping a tray.
Embarrassing.
Persephone grabbed at her husband, who put his arms around her as she gasped, “Eala! This ship . . . it’s so big – and it’s flying?!” Prince Gawain held her close, and two pairs of wide eyes turned toward me.
I held up a paw. “Please relax. You can expect a bump or two as we pull free of the water.” I glanced out the window, eyed the surface and the horizon, and said, “We’re roughly half a league above the water now.”
“So fast?” Marshal Roland asked.
“At first,” I replied. “Right now, the ship’s pushing against the air. But the higher we go, the thinner the air becomes, and we’ll rise faster.” Roland and the King exchanged long looks before returning to looking out the window as the blue sky began to darken.
Things went misty for a moment and the King asked, “What was that?”
“We just flew through a cloud, Your Majesty,” Matt replied. The elderly skunk nodded.
The sky grew darker, and the brighter stars began to be seen as the Elves stood or sat, transfixed by the view of their world’s curvature. I leaned toward the intercom. “Bridge, Commodore.”
“Bridge, aye.”
“Set altitude at two hundred kilometers, synchronous orbit.”
“Two hundred, synchronous, aye.”
Prince Roland glanced at me and I said, “I am having the ship maneuver to a point where you can see the entire Empire of Faerie. To ensure the best view, we will pitch forward,” and I pantomimed the move with a paw, “so don’t be worried.”
We reached the altitude I ordered, and there were still a few gasps as Musashi pitched nose-down.
The King gazed down at his realm in silence while his daughter-in-law pointed out a few features that had hitherto only been seen on maps, and her husband also looked down with interest. Slowly, the elderly skunk raised his right paw, made a fist, and rubbed his knuckles against his skull between his ears.
His brother, son, and daughter-in-law followed suit, and the King asked, “It’s very like the globe in your office, Roland.”
“Yes, it is, my royal brother,” the Marshal said quietly.
We hung there, nose-down, in orbit over the Shining Land, for a while as Faerie’s Royal Family took in the view.
I cleared my throat and asked, “Is there anything you wish to see, Your Majesty, while we’re up here?”
The old skunk looked a little surprised by my question, and after stroking his chin while thinking said, “I should like to see Fuma’s Musk, Commodore.”
I frowned and looked at Matt. My mate smiled and crossed the room to the intercom beside me. “Captain, pitch x-axis negative, roll and yaw as required to acquire a large nebula visible to the unaided eye,” and after a pause he added, “polarize observation lounge windows to screen out the sun glare.”
“Aye, Sir,” and the view began to change as the Musashi moved.
Our four guests all looked at each other, and I gathered that they were conversing with each other mind-to-mind until the Captain reported, “Maneuver complete.”
All of them gasped, and they all did the knuckles to the back of the head gesture that I had been briefed was a religious genuflection. Truthfully, the huge sweep of stars and gases was spectacular.
[Note appended to manuscript: “Getting poetic, huh Low?”]
[Note appended to manuscript: “Everyone needs a hobby, pretty kitty.”]
“I am,” the King said very softly, “very thankful to the Lady for your presence here, Commodore, because it’s enabled me to see such wonders. But,” and he looked at his family, “I think we should all like to feel the surface of the Shining Land under our feet again.” He smiled as Princess Persephone nodded a little too quickly.
“Of course, Your Majesty.” I touched the intercom. “Bridge, Commodore.”
“Bridge, aye.”
“Return us to origin site in the sea, please.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” and ‘Fuma’s Musk’ was soon out of view.
We were descending when the King, who had appeared to lapse into a doze, roused himself and said, “Doctor Delgado?”
The painted wolf perked his ears. “Majesty?”
“I should like you to examine me – “
“Wha-a-a-at?!” Prince Gawain blurted.
“ – And tell me in what state you find me,” and father looked at son, while another mental conversation ensued.
Delgado cleared his throat, and both skunks turned to look at him. “Your Majesty, I would be happy to, but the Crown Prince here is your next of kin, and appears to object.”
“Strenuously,” Gawain muttered.
“Gawain.”
“Father?”
“I have been poked and prodded by many herbalists. What’s one more?” To Delgado he asked, “Will anything cause me any pain?”
“Not at all, Your Majesty. A cursory examination doesn’t involve anything but a scan.”
“A ‘scan?’” Prince Gawain said. “One of your machines?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
I made a mental note to file a commendation for Delgado. He was being extraordinarily patient. “You’re welcome to accompany him, Sir, and see that I’m telling the truth.”
The Crown Prince gave him a sullen look. “Very well.”
Prince Roland and Princess Persephone stayed in the observation area while the ship landed and the crew opened back up. Granted, Musashi has a state of the art life-support system, but it’s nice to breathe fresh, unfiltered air at times. Refreshments were served as we waited.
The Princess suddenly asked, “How many people do you have here, Commodore? I mean, if I’m not prying.”
“It’s not a secret, Your Highness. We have a little over two thousand aboard.” Marshal Roland was sampling the array of bite-sized quiches on offer, and I added, “That includes the cooks, of course.” The young woman chuckled. “We learned a long time ago to make sure that the crew is comfortable. Things like food can go a long way to maintaining discipline.”
The Marshal, chewing a salmon quiche, nodded.
The door opened, and Delgado wheeled the King back in, with Prince Gawain following them. The Prince didn’t look happy, which I think is his default expression. In response to my look, Delgado said, “His Majesty has invoked privacy on his medical records, Commodore.”
“Then I will not inquire,” I said. I glanced at the ship’s chronometer. “Was there anything else you wished to see, Your Majesty?”
The King shook his head, and I glanced at Matt. “Colonel, make preparations to conduct the Royal party back to the capital.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
<NEXT>
<PREVIOUS>
<FIRST>
© 2022 by Mitch Marmel
Thumbnail art by
tegerio, color by 
Major Matt MasonBackground by NASA
Part Thirty-seven
Stormy:
“Excuse me, Nippy?”
Nippy turned to look at me, and there was something about her eyes. I didn’t know what it was.
“Yes, Miss?”
“Are you all right?”
“I am fine, thank you, Miss. Is there anything you need?”
“Well, I’m not sure, but those two acolytes – you know, from the Temple?” She nodded, and I said, “I’ve heard them talking. About the egg.”
“The egg, Miss?”
I nodded. “The ice-wyrm egg in the hall. I think that they might be up to something.” Nippy waited. “They were talking to Chef Ernest about it, and they were discussing Ingredients.”
Nippy stood very still. I think she was thinking, and after a few moments she said, “I am out of my depth regarding this, Miss, so I would respectfully suggest that you speak with your father.”
Nippy’s a very good friend, and she’s never given me bad advice. I thanked her, and went off to find Father.
I found Father a little while later, at the place where he’s having the New Annexe built for Sixth, Tessie and Una. He was talking to one of the older bucks, and turned when I reached out and touched his arm. “Oh, hello, Stormy. How are you doing today?”
“I’m fine, Father. May – may I speak to you about something?”
He talked a little more with the older buck, who turned and walked off. Father crouched down until he and I could see each other eye-to-eye. “What is it, little one?”
So I told him what I had seen, and what I had heard, and Father started to look very cross at the idea that someone might think about eating the ice-wyrm egg. He gave me a hug and a nuzzle before saying, “You did the right thing, little one, coming to me with this. I’ll take care of it.”
“Thank you, Father,” and I went back to the Lodge.
***
Low:
I deliberately left the intercom open, so that the Royal party could hear what was going on.
“All stations, rig for space.”
“All airtight doors closed.”
There was a soft sensation on our ears, with quite a bit of glancing around by our guests. “Internal pressure steady.”
“Artigrav at one point zero, drives spooling up, continua device powered up.”
The captain’s voice cut through the gabble. “Commodore, the ship is rigged for space.”
I nodded toward the King and said, “Up ship.”
“Up ship, aye. Z-axis positive.”
And the Musashi, as big as she is, shivered.
The reaction from the Elves was completely predictable. Tails bottled out, and the Crown Prince and Princess had their tails hike up instinctively as the ship rocked slightly and they could see the water’s surface starting to fall away. Fortunately, they were good little mephits and didn’t stink up the place.
I look like a mephitess right now, but this is due to the Transmogrifier process I underwent prior to this mission. I confess that I had a small . . . accident while adjusting to this form, when an orderly startled me by dropping a tray.
Embarrassing.
Persephone grabbed at her husband, who put his arms around her as she gasped, “Eala! This ship . . . it’s so big – and it’s flying?!” Prince Gawain held her close, and two pairs of wide eyes turned toward me.
I held up a paw. “Please relax. You can expect a bump or two as we pull free of the water.” I glanced out the window, eyed the surface and the horizon, and said, “We’re roughly half a league above the water now.”
“So fast?” Marshal Roland asked.
“At first,” I replied. “Right now, the ship’s pushing against the air. But the higher we go, the thinner the air becomes, and we’ll rise faster.” Roland and the King exchanged long looks before returning to looking out the window as the blue sky began to darken.
Things went misty for a moment and the King asked, “What was that?”
“We just flew through a cloud, Your Majesty,” Matt replied. The elderly skunk nodded.
The sky grew darker, and the brighter stars began to be seen as the Elves stood or sat, transfixed by the view of their world’s curvature. I leaned toward the intercom. “Bridge, Commodore.”
“Bridge, aye.”
“Set altitude at two hundred kilometers, synchronous orbit.”
“Two hundred, synchronous, aye.”
Prince Roland glanced at me and I said, “I am having the ship maneuver to a point where you can see the entire Empire of Faerie. To ensure the best view, we will pitch forward,” and I pantomimed the move with a paw, “so don’t be worried.”
We reached the altitude I ordered, and there were still a few gasps as Musashi pitched nose-down.
The King gazed down at his realm in silence while his daughter-in-law pointed out a few features that had hitherto only been seen on maps, and her husband also looked down with interest. Slowly, the elderly skunk raised his right paw, made a fist, and rubbed his knuckles against his skull between his ears.
His brother, son, and daughter-in-law followed suit, and the King asked, “It’s very like the globe in your office, Roland.”
“Yes, it is, my royal brother,” the Marshal said quietly.
We hung there, nose-down, in orbit over the Shining Land, for a while as Faerie’s Royal Family took in the view.
I cleared my throat and asked, “Is there anything you wish to see, Your Majesty, while we’re up here?”
The old skunk looked a little surprised by my question, and after stroking his chin while thinking said, “I should like to see Fuma’s Musk, Commodore.”
I frowned and looked at Matt. My mate smiled and crossed the room to the intercom beside me. “Captain, pitch x-axis negative, roll and yaw as required to acquire a large nebula visible to the unaided eye,” and after a pause he added, “polarize observation lounge windows to screen out the sun glare.”
“Aye, Sir,” and the view began to change as the Musashi moved.
Our four guests all looked at each other, and I gathered that they were conversing with each other mind-to-mind until the Captain reported, “Maneuver complete.”
All of them gasped, and they all did the knuckles to the back of the head gesture that I had been briefed was a religious genuflection. Truthfully, the huge sweep of stars and gases was spectacular.
[Note appended to manuscript: “Getting poetic, huh Low?”]
[Note appended to manuscript: “Everyone needs a hobby, pretty kitty.”]
“I am,” the King said very softly, “very thankful to the Lady for your presence here, Commodore, because it’s enabled me to see such wonders. But,” and he looked at his family, “I think we should all like to feel the surface of the Shining Land under our feet again.” He smiled as Princess Persephone nodded a little too quickly.
“Of course, Your Majesty.” I touched the intercom. “Bridge, Commodore.”
“Bridge, aye.”
“Return us to origin site in the sea, please.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” and ‘Fuma’s Musk’ was soon out of view.
We were descending when the King, who had appeared to lapse into a doze, roused himself and said, “Doctor Delgado?”
The painted wolf perked his ears. “Majesty?”
“I should like you to examine me – “
“Wha-a-a-at?!” Prince Gawain blurted.
“ – And tell me in what state you find me,” and father looked at son, while another mental conversation ensued.
Delgado cleared his throat, and both skunks turned to look at him. “Your Majesty, I would be happy to, but the Crown Prince here is your next of kin, and appears to object.”
“Strenuously,” Gawain muttered.
“Gawain.”
“Father?”
“I have been poked and prodded by many herbalists. What’s one more?” To Delgado he asked, “Will anything cause me any pain?”
“Not at all, Your Majesty. A cursory examination doesn’t involve anything but a scan.”
“A ‘scan?’” Prince Gawain said. “One of your machines?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
I made a mental note to file a commendation for Delgado. He was being extraordinarily patient. “You’re welcome to accompany him, Sir, and see that I’m telling the truth.”
The Crown Prince gave him a sullen look. “Very well.”
Prince Roland and Princess Persephone stayed in the observation area while the ship landed and the crew opened back up. Granted, Musashi has a state of the art life-support system, but it’s nice to breathe fresh, unfiltered air at times. Refreshments were served as we waited.
The Princess suddenly asked, “How many people do you have here, Commodore? I mean, if I’m not prying.”
“It’s not a secret, Your Highness. We have a little over two thousand aboard.” Marshal Roland was sampling the array of bite-sized quiches on offer, and I added, “That includes the cooks, of course.” The young woman chuckled. “We learned a long time ago to make sure that the crew is comfortable. Things like food can go a long way to maintaining discipline.”
The Marshal, chewing a salmon quiche, nodded.
The door opened, and Delgado wheeled the King back in, with Prince Gawain following them. The Prince didn’t look happy, which I think is his default expression. In response to my look, Delgado said, “His Majesty has invoked privacy on his medical records, Commodore.”
“Then I will not inquire,” I said. I glanced at the ship’s chronometer. “Was there anything else you wished to see, Your Majesty?”
The King shook his head, and I glanced at Matt. “Colonel, make preparations to conduct the Royal party back to the capital.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
<NEXT>
<PREVIOUS>
<FIRST>
Category Story / General Furry Art
Species Arctic Fox
Size 2272 x 1280px
File Size 3.77 MB
Listed in Folders
The reaction from the Elves was completely predictable. Tails bottled out, and the Crown Prince and Princess had their tails hike up instinctively as the ship rocked slightly and they could see the water’s surface starting to fall away. Fortunately, they were good little mephits and didn’t stink up the place.
I look like a mephitess right now, but this is due to the Transmogrifier process I underwent prior to this mission. I confess that I had a small . . . accident while adjusting to this form, when an orderly startled me by dropping a tray.
So Low had a Code Lime, eh?
I look like a mephitess right now, but this is due to the Transmogrifier process I underwent prior to this mission. I confess that I had a small . . . accident while adjusting to this form, when an orderly startled me by dropping a tray.
So Low had a Code Lime, eh?
Emerald, eh? Meh, I think Code Lime is better color-wise. And I agree, it is a great area-denial weapon. Once a skunk sprayed our dogs on our front porch and then the back, and I couldn't sleep in my bedroom for at least the next few days! The price of not properly locking the window...
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