parents on Lazzaroni Station, sir.”
“Yes, you are that Mister Stone,” the lieutenant smiled. “That must be why your name sounded familiar to me. They did mention you had done them a favor. It seems you single-handedly backed off a gaggle of marine officers?”
“Not really backed them off, sir.” Stone smiled back at the man. “I just gave them an amusing moment and they decided not to pound me to a puddle. Sir, I am sorry for not dropping by sooner, but-.”
Aldamani waived a dismissive hand. “Pish! I’ve been busy myself. Think nothing of it. Even in the best of positions this ship takes some getting used to. And if I had to work third watch again, I would be grumpy as an old bear.”
“ Yes sir, a ship this size does take some getting used to. But, the position is fine and the hours aren’t as bad as they sound.”
“Ah, youth! Mister Stone , I am glad you are taking it well. I hear you have Second Lieutenant Vaarhoo as your supervisor. I know he can come across as a bit of a hard nose, but I hear good things about you from him. You’re doing a good job; keep at it.”
The lieutenant’s beast was held loosely by a cord tied around the neck. It stretched the length of the cord and sniffed at Stone’s crotch. It pulled at the cord and jumped up at Stone. The lieutenant held the creature back not more than a hair’s breadth from Stone.
The woman with the lieutenant stifled a laugh, covering her mouth. She leaned down and patted the creature sitting at her feet. The woman’s creature was sitting as if nothing was going on, but Aldamani’s creature kept straining to get at Stone.
Stone wanted to back up , but he had already backed against the bulkhead. He was not sure he could even win a fight with this creature. It seemed to be all teeth, claws and hair.
“I can see the Admiral likes you,” Aldamani grinned.
Stone looked confused. “Sir? I didn’t even know the admiral knew I was on board.”
The woman laughed. She did not even try to cover her amusement.
“Not that admiral, Mister Stone. This one,” Aldamani said with a grin. He pointed at the creature still straining to get at Stone. “He seems to like you.”
“Sir, I don’t know how he could ,” Stone said, shaking his head. “He still looks like he is trying to get his first bite to taste.”
Aldamani ’s grin widened. “Well, he has been known to bite. All dogs do, no matter what their owners say.” He glanced at the woman. “Isn’t that right, Sheila?”
“I don’t know whatever you mean, Lieutenant. Dorothy hasn’t ever bitten any one.” Sheila patted the creature at her feet.
Aldamani amended, “Yet.” He yanked the creature’s cord gently and called to the creature. “Admiral.” The creature immediately stopped pawing in Stone’s direction, sat on it’s hind quarters, raised up it’s front legs and waved one paw in the direction of it’s fangs in a bizarre attempt at a salute. It dropped back to all fours and looked up at the lieutenant. “Good boy. Midshipman Stone, may I introduce you to Admiral Fatbelly Stinkybottom?”
At the word admiral, the creature again rose up and presented his imitation salute.
Stone did not know what else to do, so he returned the salute with his best parade ground manners. “Good to meet you, sir.” He looked at the lieutenant, “Sir, may I ask a question?”
“Of course, Midshipman, that is the only way we learn.”
“What is it?” He pointed at Admiral Fatbelly Stinkybottom.
“First, Mister Stone, ‘it’ is a ‘he’ ,” the lieutenant had not lost his grin. “Old Fatty here is a beagle. That is one of the last pure Earth breed dogs known.”
“Thank you , sir. So, it is some kind of dog. That is good to know,” Stone replied with a nod.
“Of course it is a dog, Mister Stone ,” Sheila snorted. “What did you think he was, a Sarcasian Canruth? How do they let some of these people into midshipman’s school?”
Aldamani waved her down,
“Yes, you are that Mister Stone,” the lieutenant smiled. “That must be why your name sounded familiar to me. They did mention you had done them a favor. It seems you single-handedly backed off a gaggle of marine officers?”
“Not really backed them off, sir.” Stone smiled back at the man. “I just gave them an amusing moment and they decided not to pound me to a puddle. Sir, I am sorry for not dropping by sooner, but-.”
Aldamani waived a dismissive hand. “Pish! I’ve been busy myself. Think nothing of it. Even in the best of positions this ship takes some getting used to. And if I had to work third watch again, I would be grumpy as an old bear.”
“ Yes sir, a ship this size does take some getting used to. But, the position is fine and the hours aren’t as bad as they sound.”
“Ah, youth! Mister Stone , I am glad you are taking it well. I hear you have Second Lieutenant Vaarhoo as your supervisor. I know he can come across as a bit of a hard nose, but I hear good things about you from him. You’re doing a good job; keep at it.”
The lieutenant’s beast was held loosely by a cord tied around the neck. It stretched the length of the cord and sniffed at Stone’s crotch. It pulled at the cord and jumped up at Stone. The lieutenant held the creature back not more than a hair’s breadth from Stone.
The woman with the lieutenant stifled a laugh, covering her mouth. She leaned down and patted the creature sitting at her feet. The woman’s creature was sitting as if nothing was going on, but Aldamani’s creature kept straining to get at Stone.
Stone wanted to back up , but he had already backed against the bulkhead. He was not sure he could even win a fight with this creature. It seemed to be all teeth, claws and hair.
“I can see the Admiral likes you,” Aldamani grinned.
Stone looked confused. “Sir? I didn’t even know the admiral knew I was on board.”
The woman laughed. She did not even try to cover her amusement.
“Not that admiral, Mister Stone. This one,” Aldamani said with a grin. He pointed at the creature still straining to get at Stone. “He seems to like you.”
“Sir, I don’t know how he could ,” Stone said, shaking his head. “He still looks like he is trying to get his first bite to taste.”
Aldamani ’s grin widened. “Well, he has been known to bite. All dogs do, no matter what their owners say.” He glanced at the woman. “Isn’t that right, Sheila?”
“I don’t know whatever you mean, Lieutenant. Dorothy hasn’t ever bitten any one.” Sheila patted the creature at her feet.
Aldamani amended, “Yet.” He yanked the creature’s cord gently and called to the creature. “Admiral.” The creature immediately stopped pawing in Stone’s direction, sat on it’s hind quarters, raised up it’s front legs and waved one paw in the direction of it’s fangs in a bizarre attempt at a salute. It dropped back to all fours and looked up at the lieutenant. “Good boy. Midshipman Stone, may I introduce you to Admiral Fatbelly Stinkybottom?”
At the word admiral, the creature again rose up and presented his imitation salute.
Stone did not know what else to do, so he returned the salute with his best parade ground manners. “Good to meet you, sir.” He looked at the lieutenant, “Sir, may I ask a question?”
“Of course, Midshipman, that is the only way we learn.”
“What is it?” He pointed at Admiral Fatbelly Stinkybottom.
“First, Mister Stone, ‘it’ is a ‘he’ ,” the lieutenant had not lost his grin. “Old Fatty here is a beagle. That is one of the last pure Earth breed dogs known.”
“Thank you , sir. So, it is some kind of dog. That is good to know,” Stone replied with a nod.
“Of course it is a dog, Mister Stone ,” Sheila snorted. “What did you think he was, a Sarcasian Canruth? How do they let some of these people into midshipman’s school?”
Aldamani waved her down,
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