[Stylist] anthropomorphic Space story 1000 words

[Shelley Alongi]

Cute. Very creative. Tight not a lot of extra words which is good whether you are under a word count or not. Sometimes word counts are good.

Shelley, Queen of Bells Out!
President, NFB Writers’ Division 
Editor Slate and Style 
See my self published books at Apple Books, Amazon and Barns and Noble 


> On Sep 23, 2021, at 6:52 PM, Ann Chiappetta via Stylist <stylist at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> Anthropomorphic Space Story
>  
> By Ann Chiappetta
> Drop me a comment: Anniecms64 at gmail.com
> The Nine Lives slipped past the Hound, engaging the warp drive and entering hyperspace. 
> Blood and bones,” snarled the Hound’s commander Akita, “Ensign, track that ship,”
> “Arf, Captain,” she   barked, toenails tapping.
> “Captain, the ship is headed for the Feline Space cluster,” reported the Ensign.
> The Captain licked his canines  
> “All paws on deck, “Captain Akita howled.
> He turned to his second, Commander Rottweiler,
> “this could be a trick, be ready for anything,” he growled, shaking out his annoyance.
>                “Arf, Captain,” he barked, “Red alert!” he snarled, a thick black toenail tapping the communication array.
>  
> The sleek battle cruiser slowed as it entered the feline cluster, the fur on the bridge relaxing after the harrowing chase.
> “Don’t congratulate yourselves yet, pretties, that ship has our scent. Tux, employ the scent cloaking device. Tabby, set course for the cat tree sector, full speed ahead,” growled Captain Blackie, hissing his disappointment through needle sharp teeth.
> “aye, Captain,” Tux and Tabby purred.
>  
> “Report” snapped Captain Akita.
> The ensign lowered her head and a low whine escaped her lips.
> “Ensign, do I need to trot over to your station and read the report for you?”
> “N-no, Captain,”
> “Well?”
> “We’ve lost them in the cluster,” she stammered, her delicate, Whippet tail tucked between her legs.
> The bridge quieted, only the sound of Akita’s ear scratching was heard. He stared out the bridge window and tried to console himself with knowing he’d be done with this assignment soon.  He didn’t have a choice, it was part of the consequences.  He slid a look around the bridge and lowered his hackles, reminding himself the pack was also in the same situation. It was either this or the collar and kennel.
>  
> He was about to admit to the pack it was time to turn around and go back tails tucked in abjection when Commander Rottweiler spoke.
>  
> Captain Blackie tracked the ship’s progress, claws kneading the seat.  He had to reach the check point, the pride depending upon their success. Just a few more clicks and this would all be over. His mouth watered in anticipation. He could practically taste the reward of a fine, roasted breast of fowl. He scanned the bridge reports and hissed. The   cloaking pheromone gas wouldn’t last much longer. He made the calculations in his head, it would be close, too close.  He yawned and flicked his tail. The captain of the Hound was dogged but not flexible.; they would be able to slip by unnoticed and once in Cat Nip’s orbit all would be well. He was counting on nothing else delaying them.
>  
> “Speak,” said Captain Akita.
> Commander Rottweiler shook his head, dislodging spittle. It landed on Lieutenant Sparky.
> “Sir, consider this: Captain Blackie is most likely counting on us to break off the pursuit once we reach Cat Nip,”
> “Yes, I’d read all the reports. What’s your point??”
> “Well, Sir, it seems to me that we should think like a cat,”
> The Captain swiveled his ears forward and as if on cue, the pack tilted their heads at an odd angle.
> “Go on,”
> Commander Rottweiler explained the plan.
> “It’s the best plan we’ve got, it’s either this or going back with our tails tucked,” said the Captain.  The pack yipped in agreement and scrambled to their posts. If it worked, thought Akita, he’d be able to retire and keep his promise.
>  
> “Approaching the planet Cat Nip in one minute,” reported the ensign.
> Sixty seconds later the star lines melted away and the Hound appeared above the planet.
> “Mr. Doxy, take us to the lee side of the planet with sub-light thrusters, power down, then remain there until we detect the other ship,”
> Quick paws piloted the ship and soon the deepness of space enveloped them.
> “Steady, Mr. Doxy. Ensign, begin countdown the moment that ship drops from hyperspace,”
> He swept the bridge with his best alpha expression,
> “We’re on the prowl, Commander Rottweiler, is the tracking beam ready?”
> “Arfirmative,”
> “Let the hunt begin,”
>  
>  
> The Nine Lives shed the hyperspace star lines above the planet Cat Nip, and Captain Blackie retracted his claws. He gave the command to the pilot to begin entering the atmosphere.  The Russian blue hissed a warning,
> “Captain, there is an anomaly   orbiting the lee side of the planet,”
> : Identify it,” Blackie said, flattening his ears.
> “I am trying, Captain but the planet’s atmosphere is interfering,”
> “We’ll be within scanner distance in 30 seconds,” Blue said, then counted down.
> The Cat Nip nosed into the planet’s shadow and found nothing.
> “Scan for the anomaly,” hissed Blackie, a bad feeling in his bones.
> Then all hell broke loose. Every alarm went off, proximity alarms, tracking alarms, weapons arrays, and then the ion cannon blaster them into submission.
> Too late, Captain Blackie realized the Hound was behind them, using the blackness to first drop below them, then attack from behind, just like he’d done. It was a pirating maneuver he didn’t believe a canine would or could employ. Being chased wasn’t usually so demeaning to Captain Blackie, he’d been caught before but this time it was infuriating—those space dogs used his own strategies against him. He vowed at once that if any of the Hound’s captain and pack ever trotted into his territory, he’s scratch out their eyes.
>  
> Akita sat in the command seat on the bridge, thinking. The rest of the pack had disembarked hours ago. He completed the reports but wasn’t ready to go, not yet. There was one last thing to do.  Exiting the bridge, he trotted off to find the new captain of the ship.  Commander Rottweiler stood at the observation deck, lost in the business of the spaceport. He turned when he smelled Akita’s scent.
> “Captain,” he said Akita nodded and sat beside him, taking in the activities below. 
> “You did well today, Commander, I am proud to have served with you,”
> “Served, Sir?”
> Akita met his eyes, then dropped his gaze and settled down, forepaws outstretched, belly on the floor.
> “I’m retiring. You now have command, Captain,”
> Rottweiler stood and shook, stretched and smiled, his tongue spilling out a gap between his teeth.
> “It was an honor, Captain,”
> Akita stood,
> “Now that this is settled, let’s go eat until we puke,”
> The two dogs turned, playfully walking beside one another from the ship.
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> Ann Chiappetta, Author
> Anniecms64 at gmail.com
> ` Making meaningful connections with others through writing `
>  
> 914.393.6605
> www.annchiappetta.com Facebook Annie Chiappetta
> “We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.”
>  Joseph Campbell
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