Commander Dukes

***

-==- EGCSS Vehement

-==- 14 Days Until Mission Complete

-==- Crew confirmed in cold storage. . .thaw commence.

-==- Additional living being located in cold storage. . .feline. . .thaw commence.

-==- Commander Dukes healthy and stable

***

Hello, I’m Commander Dukes and I’m a fluffy little nightmare. The rest of the people that walk around this place love to trip up whenever I’m around, probably because they don’t know how to step around me. But that’s not my fault, right? We just woke up from a big sleep so it’s been a while since I’ve been able to run amok in this place, but I’m here now and the other people are here too. Time to get down to business and find some vermin!

But, ugghh, it’s always hard to get your feet under you around here. The ground’s too smooth and my little furry feets just… can’t… get… traction. When one of the people — usually Dorsel, kicks at me for being under his feet, I’m like WHOOA BUDDY! Why’s my feet doing nothing??

My nose is outta practice but I think I’m catching the scent of something. A little musk of an itty bitty morsel maybe?

But before I can focus and get to work… I see Dorsel at the far end of this weird tube room. Dorsal doesn’t like me and I don’t like him. In fairness, I did give him a good scratch last time we met.

Is that an excuse for the attitude, though?

He’s standing at the far end of the weird tube room and I give him a glare that signals better not. But he just turns and disappears behind a big wall. It sounds like there’s a commotion coming from over there, what’s the deal?

—

“…and who gets the cat?”

There’s a big party going on in the room where they all munch on stuff. I see Dorsel (glare), Gordan (big boy in charge), Erikel (pretty cool), and Kolvin (who?). They’re all sitting around a big flat shiny table babbling over each other about… me???

I silently jump up to a cabinet in the corner and sidle to the edge, lowering myself to a sit. What’s going on here?

Gordan’s shoveling something into his face while talking about me.

“…two weeks till we land and we gotta talk about the cat,” he lets out a big cough and a little bit of something flies out, covering his hands. Big boy is a hand talker.

Which reminds me, time to start grooming my paws.

Dorsel leans back in his chair thing and it makes a terrible creaky sound. He’s making some kind of eyes towards Gordan and says, “I’ll take Dukes. We’ve always had a good bond.”

Dorsel??? What?

From the opposite side of the table, Erikel erupts, “NOPE,” (no need to be so loud) “Dukes should come home with me.”

Erikel isn’t so bad… they always drop little bits of dinner for me and I’m pretty sure I saw them kick Dorsel one time so… A+ friend, actually.

Gordan, big boy, chimes up again, “This is gonna get contentious,” he’s wiping his hands on his pants now and continues, “Kolvin? You got an opinion?”

I literally have never met this person.

“I’ll take the cat or not take the cat. No matter.”

“Great. I’ll put you in the ‘yes’ column. To make matters worse, I also want to bring little Dukes home with me. The kids would love him.”

Wait, KIDS? I’ve ceased paw licking at this revelation! I haven’t seen a kiddo in years. Why’s this gotta be so hard?

Gordan does a big sigh and starts pushing his big ole’ body away from the table.
“Oooookay, I say we just draw a name then. It’s only fa — ”

“GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE! GREETINGS, GORDAN!”

PANIC.

I’m leaping off the cabinet! All the boxes that were neatly stacked up topple all around me! I’m on the floor but my feet won’t move! The floor! Why’s it like this!?

“Captain Gordan! I would welcome your presence back in my lab! There’s something simply astonishing I wish to show you!”

I’ve only managed to get myself halfway out of the room. Dr. Thombey, where did you come from?!

Gordan is still talking but I only catch a bit before I’ve fled.

“…Thombey, sure, let’s go take a look…”

And I’m gone!

***

-==- 12 Days Until Mission Complete

***

Big yawn, big stretch, big nap. Yo, I’m ready to explore today. Gotta find those vermin. Where they at, tho? There were sooo many before the big sleep and now they’re gone!

There’s a little vent over by the noisy section of this place, and it has my name all over it.

So I move. I got a saunter. I’m the big boy on this thing now. Confidence, huge after everyone talked about wanting me when this is all over. Yeeeah buddy, I got the pick of the litter. My tail’s up, and I’m walking with purpose!

Dorsel can’t even break these vibes.

But why’d he lie about us, though? I should go check him out for a minute, but I gotta see if I can find some of them vermin first.

But my little brain wanders!

Erikel, they’re not so bad.

Gordan’s got those kiddos!

Kolvin? Better than Dorsel, gotta be.

Oh… Thombey? I’m afraid of him.

I’m passing the noisy part of this place and I see two people chilling. Erikel? Kolvin? What’s going on here?

Can’t help but steal a listen. Erikel is already deep into their little spiel.

“…simple, when the name is drawn, if either of us get picked, we both get Dukes.”

“I guess…”

“What do you mean, ‘I guess’?”

“Why do you even want that thing?”

Hey…

“Because Dukes is cute and I want him.”

Heck yeah! Firmly on team Erikel.

“Babe… ugh, okay. Whatever you want. You just gotta try to be more discreet. Captain’s not big on fraternization.”

I don’t know about Kolvin and her weird words.

“It’ll be fine, but that’s not all. You gotta help remove Dorsel from the equation.”

Uhhhh?

“You want me to…” she pulls her hand across her neck.

“No…”

“Cuz I will.”

“Okay, no. Not over the cat, at least.”

Suddenly I get another scent and it pulls my little body away from this secret meeting. It’s a small hint of something on the air and it’s coming from… the vent!

I shimmy myself away from the door and make a beeline.

—

Dusty little vent, filled with mystery! Wiggling my tail all around, following the faint scent of a vermin, I’m sure of it.

I reach an intersection and sniff the air vigorously. To my left is the front of this place where Gordan likes to hang out. But to the right is where Thombey does his weird stuff and sure enough, the scent is coming from there.

Let’s see what Thombey is up to!

—

This place is huge! There’s just so many things stacked up for me to climb all over. I see Thombey toiling away below. He’s bent over his desk and I can’t quite see what he’s doing. There’s some kind of… cage? What’s the deal? The scent is so strong though. I’m sure I’ll find a vermin here.

So I’m a little stalker right now, stiff tail, limber legs, silently moving around the rafters. Gotta get a better look. Gotta find my prey.

Mayhaps I just jump on him? Cause a big tussle and sow chaos? That’s the ticket. And it should bring my quarry out in the open too. Perfect plan!

But then a sound!

Guh! What’s that?

“Oh! Greetings, Gordan!”

Large boy in charge! Barging into the place for a visit? Mr. Thombey is getting up from his desk and I catch a peak at the cage and…uhhhhhhhhh there’s actually like a bunch of little cages?

They’re all filled with… vermin? The rats! He’s been hoarding all the rats but… they look weird! What’s he been doing in here?! I DON’T LIKE THE LOOK OF THEM.

“…and as you can see, Gordan, according to the tests I’ve been doing…”

The things in these little cages are giving me the shivers. I feel like I need to get outta here. But Gordan is huffing and puffing and moving all around the place and I’m scared to move.

“…you never went into cold storage with the rest of us?”

Ahhh he sounds angry.

“…could I sleep when there’s valuable research to be done? I’ve seen what’s on the other side of the paradigm shift, Gordan. And I want to be there.”

This is the wrong kinda chaos and I’m not all about it. Thombey is going back and forth and Gordan waggling his arms and yelling. The weird rat in the cage is doing something and I just gotta get as far away as possible! I haven’t seen vermin in awhile but I’m pretty sure that thing is messed up.

“….valuable research, Gordan!”

“…can’t you just be normal? Shut this down right this instant!”

Everything is loud :(

But then! The door slams tight and I see Thombey is alone and he’s……. Staring at me? Gah! I try to turn and skidaddle but he’s already grabbing me under my arms. He’s picking me up against my will!

“What’re you doing here you little rascal? Here to witness a genius make history, yes?”

Ahh! He’s lifting me and I hate it!

“Little Commander Dukes, you’re clearly a much more enlightened individual. But now’s not the time for the big reveal. Go on, get outta here little guy.”

He’s lowering me but then…OUCH he yanks a bit of fur off my back.

PUT ME DOWN.

He finally does and I’m gone! I’m leaping everywhere to get to the vent!

And I get there! I squeeeeeze back into the vent and escape to freedom.

***

-==- 7 Days Until Mission Complete

***

Everyone is arguing about me so I just stay out of their way. The other day I caught Kolvin and Dorsel in the room where they keep all our food stuffs and it freaked me out.

Kolvin was telling Dorsel that he didn’t actually want to have me (which is true) because I’m actually a terrible companion (WHICH IS ALSO NOT TRUE). She was making all kinds of lies about how much I shed, and smell, and scratch. I mean, I did scratch Dorsel that one time but he earned it.

Dorsel was just standing there nodding along like it made sense that I’m a huge meanie.

But I’m not. I’m cute.

Then Kolvin said the thing, she said, “So, when they pull the name out of the hat… if you happen to get picked, you should just give it to me. I want Duke,” and it hit me! Kolvin and Erikel are in cahoots!

All this scheming is making me feel bad. Everyone’s looking behind their shoulders at each other, and someone forgot to feed me the other day.

Thombey’s been locked up in his lab since I escaped it, he even closed off the vents too! I wanted to see what happened with his little weird rat.

Needless to say, I’m not feeling it around these parts anymore.

***

-==- 4 Days Until Mission Complete

***

“You’re just a little garbage boy, aren’t you?”

I’m minding my own business, strutting my stuff outside where all the people sleep, when I see Erikel poking their finger at Dorsel’s chest. They’ve gone and charged into his cabin.

“…excuse me?” Dorsel’s all dumbfounded.

This is all throwing me into a tizzy. Everyone’s yelling at each other about things! I hear a big thwap and I see Erikel slam their hand onto the side of Dorsel’s cabin wall.

“You’ve been conspiring with Cap and the doctor to steal Dukes! I’ve seen you whispering with them! What’s your problem?”

M-me? Steal me?

I can’t even handle listening anymore. I’m all tingly down my back. Off I go! Maybe my favorite big boy can calm me down.

—

He’s in a bad moon!

I sneak into the front of this place where he hangs out and jump up into his lap as he sits in his big chair. I nuzzle up to him but he’s just straight up ignoring me. He’s all ‘pressing buttons’ and ‘flipping switches’ like that matters more than me.

Maybe…if…I…nuzzle…harder…

Nope. Nothing.

Instead, he pushes! Me! Away! And grabs a hold of a big shiny screen and starts staring at it. What’s so important? HUH?

“….Thombey…”

Thombey? Why’s he more important than me?

I’m too small and I don’t understand what’s going on here, but Gordan seems angry. With a big huff he storms out of the room leaving me all lonesome.

***

-==- 2 Days Until Mission Complete

-==- The Draw

***

They’re all gathered around the big flat table again, except Thombey. I think this is it! I’m gonna find out who’s getting me!

“…you better not treat him badly if you get it, Dorsel!”

Erikel is fuming!

“…you don’t even care about cats!”

They continue.

Dorsel gestures a finger at Erikel and this drives them up a wall.

“…can we just do the vote already?”

Kolvin doesn’t want to waste any time. Is she that eager to be my parent? :3

“Alright, everyone calm the hell down.”

Gordan stands up and puts his hands on the table.

“…so I’m gonna draw the name and whoever’s name gets pulled gets Dukes. That clear? No arguments. Nothing.”

Nobody wants to challenge the big man in charge.

They’re all just nodding along.

I’m cozy in a lil nook in a corner. Nobody can see meeeee. Whoever gets picked… I’m gonna… I’m gonna just leap right into their arms, I tell ya. Even if it’s Dorsel! We’ll be best friends!

Oh boy, OH BOY.

Gordan is grabbing a little pouch and the names must be in there. They must be!

He’s….reaching in!

Grabbing!

Pulling it out!

Ah! A sudden noise! Again with this!

Gordan and everyone else looks to the big entrance door and there’s Mr. Thombey! He’s pushing a big cart covered in a tarp into the room. What the?

“…captain? What’s…”

“Who got picked?”

“…let’s get this over with, ugh”

There’s commotion everywhere! Everyone’s confused! I’m confused! I furrow my little brow and ruffle my fur. My nose twinges. Something smells weird.

Mr. Thombey’s cart is rolling up to the table and it….bangs! Into the table. No care at all this guy has! A bunch of little sounds start coming out from under the mystery tarp, what’s happening?!

Thombey is grabbing a hold of the tarp and he just yanks it fully off with such flare! But oh my god what?

Under there are… little fluffy nightmares. They’re so poofy and whiny and I don’t like what I’m seeing. They’re crawling all around their little cages….I feel weird.

I feel weird! I feel weird! I feel weird!

Thombey is standing there like he owns the place and my little body is trembling :(

“…they’re clones, Gordan! A Dukes for everyone!