Idea based loosely on Seaquest DSV to the effect that there is a young genius serving in an unlikely role. Just going on a whim here. Reviews appreciated.


"Kittens serving in the military." Ann Gora purred seriously, speaking into the camera. "Abuse? Or giving an edge to kittens whose intellect surpass their age? I was taken aback when I discovered that there is a thirteen year old not only serving under Commander Ulysses Feral of our own Enforcers, but that he is in a combat position and has been placed into this position with his own father's consent. The father, whom we must keep anonymous at this time, refused to comment."


Jake Clawson stared at the television. He shook himself out of his shock when the phone started to ring. Scrambling to his feet, he found it on the table. "Hello," he snipped.

"Jake!" It was Chance. "Are you watching this?"

"Yeah." Jake's voice shook a little. "How'd this make the news?"

"I dunno, kit. But I bet it's got Steele's name all over it." Chance snarled.

Jake's ears flattened against his head. "What the hell is his..." He paused as his phone beeped in his ear. "Let me call you back. That's probably my dad calling now to chew my tail out for something I didn't do."

"Call me back and let me know what happens." Chance practically ordered him before hanging up. The large tabby shook his head and turned off the television. This seemed like the kind of shit that punk Steele would pull just to get ahead of them. He loathed the fact that a kitten outranked him, out shot him... hell, Jake could even out-fly him and he wasn't that great of a pilot. What's worse is that Steele had no idea what kind of a jackass Dr. Clawson was to his son. It was no stroke of luck that the Enforcers were willing to allow a minor into their program. No. There was a huge donation in it for them. Once they saw the dollar signs and then saw Jake's list of achievements, they didn't hesitate to take him on as a prodigy weapons designer and gunner. And if Jake made any mistakes, they were reported right back to the good doctor himself.

Chance was convinced that some form of kitten abuse was going on. Jake often showed signs. He'd flinch when one wouldn't normally flinch. He was extremely self-deprecating. And he'd work himself right into sick leave just to keep from having a bad progress report sent to his father.

Chance shook his head and looked at the time. How long was it going to take Jake to get yelled at over the phone? He paced for a moment before finally deciding just to go downstairs to Jake's dorm and see what was going on. He grabbed his keys and decided to take the stairs. When Chance got to Jake's door, he found it locked. So he sifted through his small collection of keys and found the spare Jake had given him. He frowned when he found the place empty. "Son of a bitch," he muttered. "Come on kit, you're my partner. I'm supposed to have your back." Chance hung his head, disappointed and more than a little concerned. "If he shows up limping tomorrow, there'll be hell to pay."


Jake wore his ball cap low over his eyes to hide his lack of sleep. He peeked around the corner of the locker room to see if anyone was there. Letting out a quiet sigh of relief, he hurried to his locker to get changed into his flight gear. He was running more than a little late but it was worth it to avoid the inevitable questions about the previous night's news report. He'd just started stripping off his civies when a large paw slammed against the locker beside him. Jake let out a startled, slightly feminine sounding squawk before stumbling over his pants and falling on his rear. "Chance! What the hell is your problem!"

Chance glared at Jake for a moment before offering a paw to help him up. "You were supposed to call me last night. Not disappear. What happened?"

"What do you mean 'what happened'?" Jake made quick work of changing, moving swiftly with the practiced ease of hiding any injuries and thankful for his dark fur. It concealed bruises like a charm.

"Where'd you go?" Chance wasn't letting Jake go without answers if he could help it.

Jake stared at Chance defiantly. "Nothing happened. My dad wanted to have dinner so I could explain to him what the heck was going on."

Chance saw his partner and young friend's eyes flicker momentarily into another direction. "You're lying."

"I'm not..."
"ATTENTION ALL ENFORCERS. REPORT TO YOUR DUTY STATIONS. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. REPORT TO YOUR DUTY STATIONS IMMEDIATELY."

Both kats looked up at the speaker on the wall before darting out of the lockers. "So much for drill." Jake ground out as he ran.

"You mean so much for drilling you." Chance huffed as they reached the tarmac. "I'm not finished with you."

Jake froze, nearly stumbling, just a few feet from their assigned jet. "Wha... what?"

Chance threw his arms up. "I'm not finished bugging you about last night!" He barked. "Now get in!"


Commander Ulysses Feral replayed the conversation he'd had with his colleague and the Enforcer's biggest benefactor just hours ago. "I want him off the squad and out of the limelight. Anyway you can do it, I will not have him disgracing me like this." Dr. Clawson had demanded. Feral sighed. Furlong and Clawson were his best. Even at only 13, barely a teenager, Feral had never seen anyone hit their mark with such accuracy. And it wasn't just his skills in a jet. That kit was a genius. His smarts were such that he made his own father look something like a grade school kitten making 'inventions' out of clay. He'd hate to see them both go, but it was the only way he could do it successfully. "The Enforcers need the money," Feral reminded himself again before demanding that his two best Enforcers back off and let him take their shot.


Jake could feel his pulse race and his chest tighten. One would think he was running laps. Instead, he was seated, perfectly still, in front of Commander Feral and his very own father. Chance had already received his formal reprimand. It was Jake's turn and then they would both learn their fates. The slender teen swallowed the tight feeling in his throat and did his best to push the anxiety that was threatening to burst free back down to the pit of his twisted and knotted stomach.

"Disregarding a direct order is a serious offense." Commander Feral spoke with a quiet fire to the young tom and he could tell it was unsettling. "You are aware of this, aren't you?"

"Yes sir." Jake replied quickly, quietly.

"You are also aware that any punishment for disregarding orders goes double for you as your reasons for being here are a little more extenuating than most?" Feral asked, condescendingly.

"Y-yes sir." Jake clenched his jaw shut and willed himself not to stutter anymore.

"Dr. Clawson and I have come to a conclusion. As he asked the Enforcers to take you on, citing behavioral problems and a lack of discipline, he feels that he can't control you the way a parent should. As your commanding officer, it's not my responsibility to coddle you."

Jake winced.

"There seems, however, to be at least one kat whose orders you do follow, as so clearly reflected in your actions today." Feral drummed his claws on his desk for a moment before reaching for the phone. He dialed his secretary. "Could you send Furlong back in here, Diane?"

Jake was still unmoving when the office door opened and his tabby partner came in.

"There. Now that I have both of you, I won't have to go over this twice." Feral smirked. "Furlong, you quite vocally exclaimed your desires to be off the force just a few moments ago when you were seated here. As you recall, I told you that it wasn't a decision you could make. I have come to my decision." The large Commander stood up. "Since, it seems, that young Mr. Clawson here follows your orders before anyone else's, I'm removing him from Enforcer custody and placing him in yours."

"You can't..." Chance started to argue.

"I can." Feral replied. "Dr. Clawson signed over full custody to the Enforcers when we accepted his son into the program. We have complete say over what we do with whomever we control. Now, not only will you both be stripped of your ranks, you will be required to pay off the damage done to the new Enforcer Headquarters, and you will do so by working and living in the Enforcer owned Salvage Yard." Feral sat back down in his large leather swivel chair. He fixed Jake with a cryptic look. "Jacob," he spoke as if he were speaking to a kitten instead of an accomplished scientist and Enforcer. With Dr. Clawson watching his son, it allowed for the stoic commander to offer a sympathetic expression to the young tom. "As you are only 13, I will not let this incident tarnish your record and prevent you from pursuing other avenues in your future... on one condition."

Jake waited expectantly, silently wondering if they could hear his heart beating as loudly as he could hear it between his ears.

"Since you went to an alternative school, you will be required to attend four years of high school and obtain an actual diploma." Feral knew that his colleague wouldn't approve.

"Commander..." Dr. Clawson started to protest.

"I understand your feelings on the matter, Doc, but my paws are somewhat tied. For me to release custody over to Chance, I have to cooperate with kitten services and this is their stipulation. Not mine." Feral explained.

Dr. Clawson scowled at his son but resumed his silence.

"That is all. You have 48 hours to vacate your dorms and turn in any Enforcer property." Feral said with finality. "Dismissed."

Dr. Clawson followed his son out the door. "When you get your things packed, I want a word with you." That was all he said, as the tabby was glaring protectively from a mere two feet away.

Jake shot Chance an apologetic look. "Look, Chance... about all this, I'm..."

"You don't have to say anything, kit." Chance watched Dr. Clawson's retreating back with a menacing sneer. "And you aren't going to see him alone."

"Chance..." Jake started to protest.

"No. You're my responsibility. And I'm not letting you walk into whatever he has waiting for you by yourself. It's bullshit the way he kicks you around and now I'm in a position to stop it." Chance pointed at Jake, his anger abating when he noticed how shaky and jittery he seemed. "Whens the last time you ate anything?"

Jake snorted. "Let's just go get some boxes so we can start packing our stuff up." He shoved his paws into his pockets to disguise the trembling. He felt like he'd just been knocked completely off his axis.


End of first chapter. Love? Hate? Review.

NK