Protocol Cy-Fox v2.0
27 November 2115
Keplerian Auxiliary Orbital Naval Yard, Space Station ARK
"Commanding Officer, KRSS Warspite arriving!" Lieutenant Commander MJ Thompson called out as a bosun's whistle trilled nearby. The grey furred Keplerian cat that was standing before the procession of crewmembers holding their ceremonial sabers in an arch formation started to step forward. Captain William Bolton was captain of the Warspite at the rank of commander since her first captain had risen to the rank of rear admiral a few months ago. But while Bolton had commanded the ship with the same professionalism that Rear Admiral Concha had, the KRSN brass had another in mind for permanent command partially out of the association between the newly appointed skipper and his actions at the Battle of the ARK, but also because of the wishes of King George VII who was technically Lord High Admiral of the KRSN. However, Bolton was not going to go away from this empty-handed after all, between his promotion to captain but also being made commanding officer of the next Dreadnought-class space battleship, KRSS Malaya.
The cat wasn't one for letting his ego get in the way things either. Such things happened in the navy after all, one couldn't spend their entire life on one ship, there was mobility in the service. Besides, his replacement was one that he could trust to take care of the Warspite as well as he and Concha did. He stepped up to the podium that the red carpet led to and looked back at the newcomer who wore the same ceremonial dress uniform that he did. The other was a two-tailed Keplerian fox with pale gold fur and he towered over most of the crew at 6'4". The honor guard raised their sabers higher up to adjust as the fox made his way through. Captain Sir Miles "Tails" Prower was previously the Warspite's Information Warfare Officer and a mere lieutenant before the Battle of the ARK. Presumed killed, he had been posthumously promoted to lieutenant commander but astoundingly returned to the ship, albeit in the form of an AI, having cast aside his ruined body for a cortical backup chip. The deployment of that chip in the Warspite's central computer allowed it to shake off an electronic attack by Dr. Ovi Robotnik which would have kept it from defending the ARK against his carrier.
Now Prower occupied a new, more familiar body which had been in reserve for him for the last four years. It looked almost exactly like his original apart for the height extension and the glowing cyan blue eyes which gave him away as a vulpinroid, a new term coined by his 'developer', Dr. Moddex Everest of Zenith Defense Industries. Prower locked eyes with Bolton and offered his hand to the cat, ears raising, flexing against the sides of his cap. Bolton took his hand and shook it, then stepped back, the two officers exchanging salutes. Bolton withdrew a folded sheet of paper from the left pocket of his trousers and unfolded it, flattening it against the podium.
"To Captain William Bolton, commanding officer KRSS Warspite. You are hereby relieved of your station as of 27 November 2115 to take command of your new posting KRSS Malaya. Your replacement shall be Captain Sir Miles Prower." Bolton said out loud into the microphone. He stepped back to allow Prower to take his place, who took out a similar sheet of paper from his own pocket.
"To Captain Sir Miles Prower, information warfare officer KRSS Warspite. You are hereby ordered to report to Captain William Bolton on 27 November 2115 to relieve him of his station and to take command of KRSS Warspite." The fox said into the microphone. The two faced each other and exchanged salutes again slowly.
"I hereby relieve you of your command." Prower said quietly.
"I stand relieved, you have the bridge." Bolton replied. Then Prower gestured towards the podium, allowing Bolton to step back up.
"Crew of the Warspite. I have been your executive officer and captain for the last three years. As the first battleship of the Keplerian Republic, she was built not as a sword but a shield, one meant to preserve the lasting peace that was established with the formation of our Republic, thirty years ago. We have enforced the laws of space and taken part in many operations to protect the weak, to free the enslaved and to bring those that prey upon them to justice. The Warspite's own motto of course is Bella Dura Despicio, 'I despise the hard knocks of war'. Ideally, we should despise war, but it was visited upon us on the 24th and 25th of May. But as her namesake did in two world wars, she and her crew finished the conflict. The architects of the cowardly attack upon our people are either dead or imprisoned and after months of repair and refit, Warspite stand ready to take up the shield again. While she will not be under my command after today, I will look upon her and you all fondly in my memory. I come away from this looking forward to my next command, but also happy in knowing that the Warspite will be in the capable hands of her next captain and executive officer. She will be in the hands of a man that I was allowed the privilege to mentor and observe, a man who has proven himself to be just as indefatigable and stalwart as the ship he will command." Bolton said, stepping back. "Sir Miles?"
"Good morning everyone." The fox said, gripping the sides of the podium. "I have to admit that one of my weak suits is public speaking." His muzzle flushed as he looked over at Bolton. "But everyone can probably tell you I can write a pretty lengthy e-mail, especially when yearly information assurance training comes up." He peered around the room as the audience chuckled. "I know that this change in command was a surprise, it certainly was for me. I didn't expect to be anywhere near the command track, but circumstances decided otherwise, they threw a challenge in front of me. I'm not one to back down from a challenge, but I do understand that I'm not infallible. That's why I will look to my officers to advise me of their opinions and form the best possible plan. But you, the ratings are the backbone of the ship. Without you, the ship does not run. It is my intention to command this ship to where you have the sharpest skills but also the opportunities to use them. I want this ship to stand as the one that is everyone's top assignment request. And even if, which I do not for a moment believe, we end up at war again in my lifetime, we will represent the very best of the service. Now, just one last thing before we open the ship and begin our weekend liberty. Commander Rotarl, would you step up please?"
A female mouse with brown and white fur as well as blonde hair atop of her head stood up and approached the podium, standing to the vulpinroid's right side.
"This is Commander Janus Rotarl, the Warspite's new first lieutenant. She will be my direct line to the crew and will command in my absence. It was a bit of a surprise to her when I put the assignment to her, but one thing that the Battle of the ARK has proven to me is that she has the tenacity of a bulldog, unwavering courage and an intelligent mind. While she was content with remaining as assistant weapons officer, the needs of the service demanded that I give her the opportunities to prove herself as first lieutenant." Miles said. "Now then, with that done we may begin. Thank you, Commander. As you were, everyone."
The fox, mouse and cat stepped down from the platform as the crew broke ranks to make their way towards the tables of food and drink. Prower noticed a blonde-haired woman wearing a long white labcoat over blue medical scrubs standing beside a man in his own labjacket, grey turtleneck and black slacks, with a pale complex, large grey mustache the only form of hair on his head. He walked up to the two humans, who took notice of his presence. The woman reached out and took his left hand, moving to his side. Their eyes met and the vulpinroid relaxed visibly, squeezing the woman's hand.
"Well now, the man of the hour. One day a lieutenant commander, the next a captain and a knight commander of the United Kingdom." Professor Geralt Robotnik said, beaming. "C.S. Forester could have written it."
"These are different times though, I daresay Admiral Hornblower would have given up his flag if he had a chance to command the Warspite." Miles said. "Though with all due respect to Lord Horatio, he'd have it over my twice-dead body."
"But you have to hand it to them, they had very fashionable uniforms in the 19th century," Dr. Maria Robotnik countered. "That lovely blue coat with those large buttons and gold epaulets. You'd look absolutely dashing in that, Captain Prower." That statement made the fox's muzzle flush as he looked down at Maria.
"Speaking of uniforms, I must thank you for getting mine ready for today. I have to ask though Maria, where did you get the captain's shoulderboards on such short notice?" The fox asked.
"Admiral Concha had fetched his own and given them to me after yesterday's ceremony. All he asked was that you pass them down to the next captain of the Warspite on the day that you get promoted to rear admiral." Maria said.
"Commodore is next in the ranks though. Not that such a promotion will come soon. I'm at the bottom of the seniority list as captain. I won't complain though, I would have been perfectly all right with remaining information warfare officer. Though as usual, the Navy had other plans." The fox pursed his lips. "All right, perhaps I might have liked becoming first lieutenant."
"You always understate your worth." Geralt said, taking a sip of champagne. "But I think you can let your ego rise for just one day. Now go on and enjoy yourself, Sir Miles."
"Right." Miles started to move towards a nearby table to pluck a flute of champagne for himself when Maria linked her left arm into his right. He faced the Warspite's entry-tube and began to walk alongside the human, disappearing into the battleship's interior. Against a bulkhead was the ship's two crests, one featuring a woodpecker on a light blue background, another with a gold cannon against a green background. Painting were secured to the bulkhead, showing the nine ships that carried the name. Four were wooden tallships, one of them the galleon and the other three third-rate ships of the line. Then there was an armoured cruiser, followed by arguably the most famous of the name, the Queen Elizabeth-class superdreadnought that saw service in World War I and World War II. Finally, there was the Valiant and Dreadnought class nuclear submarines, along with KRSS Warspite. Miles and Maria eyed the portraits in silence, the hands of their linked arms clasping together.
"This is my second command. My first ended in disaster and arguably is the seed to what we have endured for the last few months." The fox broke the silence. "This is a battleship, Maria. It's an enormous responsibility and I'll be out at hotspots all over known space. I know you say that you approve, but I have to consider your feelings as well." He turned his head to look her in the eye. "Are you sure that you're going to be all right while I'm away?"
"We've been together for the last four years now. I've managed between my residency and what time I've gotten to spend with you before. But you're right, this is going to be different in many ways. Which is why I've taken measures to ensure that I get to stay as close as possible to you." Maria said. She gently tugged at his hand. "Come with me, I have something to show you."
"What?" The fox couldn't help but to allow her to take the lead as he followed her in step. She led him down a ladder, more accurately a stairway, into the deck below and brought them into what Miles recognized to be the sickbay. Maria stepped into the sickbay and he was about to follow when she stopped him with her free hand. Pursing her lips, she pressed her index finger to them and moved in. He stood there, ears rising in confusion, tracking her movements with his ears. He heard a locker opening, then the rustling of fabric for about a minute. Then he heard the locker closing and the crinkling of paper before Maria's footsteps suggested she was coming back to him.
"Why in blazes are you in uniform?" Miles asked as she came back into view, wearing a No. 4 blue jacket that was tucked into matching trousers. The rank boards of a surgeon lieutenant were on her epaulets. Maria had one hand resting on her stethoscope, the other holding a folded sheet of paper that she held out to him. He unfolded the paper and read the following:
From: Medical Director-General
To: Surg. Lt. Maria Robotnik, KRSNR
Via: (1) First Space Lord
(2) Detailer, Central Orbital Naval Yard
Subject: Space duty – report to new station
Reference: (a) Admiralty Instructions, (b) Commissioning orders for 890619-150712
Surg. Lt. Maria Robotnik (Service No. 890619-150712) is to report at the earliest convenience on receipt of this order to Capt. Miles Prower (Commander, KRSS Warspite (01)) for space duty.
Signed,
VAdm. Crow Seetan
First Space Lord/Chief of Space Naval Staff
"You're the chief medical officer aboard the ship?" Miles blinked and reread her orders. "How did you manage that? I mean Vice Admiral Seetan would have had to run that through Captain Concha or Captain Bolton."
"He certainly did once I completed my training at BRNC," Maria said with a slight teasing tone. "I didn't have to go for as long as you did as a medical officer in comparison to you. I just had to be trained in damage control, casualty control, tradition and the like. Direct commission as a lieutenant and considered activated from the Reserves. I can get a good deal done while you're off and away. I had my orders formally updated last night while fetching your new epaulets."
"So now you'll be close at hand, but still working in traumatology as you wanted. Then that just leaves two more things." Miles said, raising his flute and taking a drink. "I've been wanting to buy a house in Dartmouth, that should be a done deal. But now well, ah-" His muzzle flushed as he took another nervous drink, even though the alcohol wasn't going to do anything to him. "That just leaves getting married. I mean, oh for Nelson's sake I didn't even prepare a ring."
"You know the answer to that is yes. Even though you're all metal in there, you're still that cute, awkward boy I fell in love with." Maria wrapped her arms around his middle and leaned in as he instinctively followed suit, resting his chin upon the top of her head.