The Sea Vixen
by John R. Plunkett


Two completely unrelated vectors combined to create this story. The first was myself watching "The Perfect Storm" on DVD. This would be the second time I'd seen it, counting my first experience in the theater. A few days later Terry sent me some pictures he'd taken while on assignment in England. One showed a deHaviland Sea Vixen carrier-based fighter jet, photographed at Tangmere Air Museum, Hampshire. In my response to that I flippantly commented that the name "sea vixen" made me think of a mer-fox or some such thing. A few days later Terry sends me yet another picture... of a mer-fox. He'd named her Marina, after a character from "Stingray."

As soon as that image hit my brain my neurons started firing. It touched off a chain reaction, exploding the ordered pathways of my thoughts. When the dust cleared the shape of a story lay before me. The basic premise came from another mermaid story I'd considered but never actually written. Elements brought to my mind by "The Perfect Storm" blended perfectly with it. Terry lives in New Zealand and I'd done a lot of research on that nation for my work on Super Collie Adventures. Marina seemed like too obvious a name for a mer-vixen (or, as Terry called her, a furmaid) so I suggested Misu (ripples in the water) instead. Believe it or not coming up with a title proved the most difficult aspect until I realized the that perfect one was sitting right under my nose. The last element snapped into place and I started writing. In only three days- probably the second shortest period I ever spent on a story and the only time I ever wrote one from beginning to end without ever leaving it for another project. I never even had time to post the story in my "Workbench" area.

I hope that reading it is as exciting for you as writing it was for me.

Cover Illustration

Misu the Sea Vixen

Credits

Story and characters:  ©2001 John R. Plunkett
Illustrations:  ©2001 Terry Knight

Ratings

Sex:  Nudity, depictions / discussions of coitus
Violence:  Moderate injuries, some fighting
Language:  Mild swearing


The Beginning

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