Suddenly, Kittens

[thelongcon]

Life is going on as usual, when suddenly - kittens. They're everywhere.



Instructions:
1. Post with your character. Blank comments are fine.
2. Others respond

3. Hope this brightens up your day

For those who don't like cats, or have allergies...
Fun fact: baby rabbits and rats also can be called kittens.

Comments

spock | star trek (aos)

[ozhika]

[ ooc; also available in tos flavor if you wanna. ]

[phonetical]

[No one ask how she found it or where she found it or why she brought it with her on the ship. Uhura had reasons and that's all anybody needed to know.

So please, Spock, don't be surprised when she walks into your chambers with a black cat draped in her arms and she's petting and mumbling to it in a slightly higher than normal pitched voice.

(Okay, she's babytalking it. Say something about it. She dares you.)]

[ozhika]

[ Nyota's presence is usually a welcome and pleasant surprise on Spock's off time, enough that he's long since programmed his door to admit her without the need for knocking. He's actually finishing up a report when she walks in. If not for the... rather peculiar noises she's making, he might not have even looked up. For a moment he thinks she's making them at him.

There goes the brow. He's not going to say anything about it just yet... He's sort of under the impression that he's owed an explanation by dint of this being simply unprecedented. ]

Good evening...

[ And... to the cat: ]

...Hello.

[phonetical]

[She loves him, she honestly does, but these noises will never be directed at him because it'll be weird and he'll question her about the logic of speaking to him like an infant and that'll quickly kill any attempt at a mood between them

And no one is owed anything except the cat. The cat's owed some cuddles and some replicated kibble and maybe a few minutes with her other half to get acquainted with him. She'll stand next to Spock's for the moment, holding onto the cat as it purrs almost as loud as the Enterprise on idle.]

Hello to you too. [How come the cat gets a friendlier greeting?] I found her on the outpost and couldn't leave her behind.

[ozhika]

[ Spock is trying to learn not to question her more peculiar gestures when they're not doing him any harm, in spite of his curiosity... but he's not perfected it yet. He is happily mistaken about who she was addressing, but that doesn't mean it's not still a bit perplexing. The cat does not appear to be an infant either, even if it does seem to be still in adolescent stages. The advanced form of a kitten.

How is wishing you a good evening less friendly than a neutral greeting, Nyota that isn't logical... Well, alright, perhaps the cat is confusing him a lot less than you are at the moment.

The Vulcan's eyes track over the cat as Uhura offers some explanation. Compassion, then? The purring, while extra loud to his sensitive ears, is not irritating. ]

I see... And now what do you intend to do with her?

[phonetical]

[If the advanced form of a kitten means a post-weaning, eight month old or so cat, then Spock is correct in his split second judgement. Nyota's noticed that outside of this particular moment, the kitten still has its stereotypical energy--as proof of the ripped up bits of paper on her room floor says--so she estimates that it's not fully grown. McCoy's not a vet so she knows better than to take the cat to him for examination to be absolutely sure. Still, even if it was elderly, she'd be babytalking it anyway because she secretly likes cute things. Like tribbles. At least this is not a tribble. It's a very good thing that it's a cat and not a tribble.

Spock, you still miss out on the nuances of human speech patterns, we see.]

Keep her? [Nyota glances up at him, smirking.] That's what a person usually does with a cat they like.

[The sarcasm's probably lost on him. Fine. Enough words. She cups her hand around the kitten's belly, turning it so she can hold it out to him. The kitten, lacking proper ability to ask verbal questions, looks confused at the sudden change in position and hangs there, tiny furry toes splayed out.]

Hold her. She doesn't bite.

[ozhika]

[ Well, he is the science officer and a xenobiologist; with cats being more familiar creatures on Earth, they were commonly used in Academy anatomical instructions and commonplace sighting during walking commutes. Spock was mostly judging the size and the look of the coat, which still seemed in the process of thickening up. In short, she looks quite soft.

Which helps the next moment, wherein the cat is thrust out between them and he's commanded to take custody. Spock is still in the process of beginning to compose a list of all the logical reasons why keeping an animal on a Federation starship is not practical ( but not against regulation ), so it takes him a half second to switch gears. ]

...Why?

[ Even as he slowly swivels his desk chair. Following orders is habitual for him, maybe more so when they're from her. He may also have a certain soft spot for pretty things like Nyota does the cute, and he cannot deny that the feline is a rather beautiful creature. He's only a little wary about the claws and teeth and his hands... Which is why he's a little awkward about reaching out for her middle. ]

that gif is a thing of beauty

[slapdash]

[ Let it never be said Jim isn't lenient with his crew. Like when he discovered Chekov not only had a cat on the ship but that cat had had kittens. Three of them. Instead of reprimanding the young Ensign, though, he took the animals and put them in his quarters (which were larger and had better security settings).

Jim wouldn't consider himself a huge animal lover. Not really. But after the kittens are in his room long enough, he finds himself playing with them. Even declining his routine meeting with Spock to play chess today, claiming he had a lot of reports to go over.

No one else on the ship knows about the kittens or their mother. And Jim hopes to keep it that way until they reach Earth (which would lead to them being taken off the ship and left planetside, Kirk has already made Chekov promise). Especially since he's already started naming the kittens. Domino has the black spot over one eye, Ripley wants to get into everything, and Damian, that little shit, bites him when he tries to pet or play with him. ]

yesss

[ozhika]

[ Let it be known that Spock is absolutely fine missing another day of beating the Captain at chess if the Captain needs to catch up on doing his reports... except there's something about the excuse that doesn't sound quite right. As in, Spock suspects his Captain might be a terrible liar. Which of course brings up the question... what is he hiding?

And Spock has a gap in the evening where chess should have been. He plans at first to leave Jim to attend to whatever was important enough to lie to him for; then he remembers it's his responsibility to make certain the man doesn't get himself into too much trouble and he doesn't have complete faith that isn't what's going on here. He's also incredibly curious.

So Jim's door is going to be getting a buzz. Spock could walk in, he's got that sort of prerogative, but if this has anything to do with Carolyn Marcus... One has to pick their level of interruption wisely. ]

maybe Jim can have enough control not to comment on how they look related

[slapdash]

[ For the record: Jim never makes those victories easy for Spock. He throws plenty of difficult moves his way and even got close to winning a few times. So there.

He's also not doing anything with Carol. Not after Bones made it very clear he had an interest in her, tyvm. But his "affair" with the kittens, though, may be exposed by this surprise visit. When he finds out it's Spock - 'Captain, kittens on the ship are illogical' Spock - he curses under his breath and quickly grabs up the kittens, ignoring their mews of protest, and puts them back in their little makeshift container-bed.

Their mother isn't as easy to grab up and he just kinda tosses her into the bathroom with the kittens before closing that door (he'd apologize to her later). He kicks the little toys under his desk before running to the door. Opening it, he's a little out of breath. ]

Hey, Spock. What's up?

o u jim

[ozhika]

[ Spock doesn't have to press his Vulcan ears to the door to hear the swift shuffle inside and the slide of a door. There's something else, too... Mewing, but Spock doesn't readily recognize it more than a soft little sound. Hm.

Finally, Jim opens the door, and really, Captain, you could not be more obvious. The man smells like sweat and looks flushed, two out of three on the list of a thing Spock did not want to chance walking in on.

His expression is even, though the slight cant of his head will suggest well enough that Jim has given himself away. ]

Captain. I thought perhaps you may be open to discussing the recent reports, particularly the resource requests from engineering...

May I come in?

[ He's not a sadist, but, well, it'd be lying to say he wasn't trying to make the man squirm a little. His eyes move through Jim, and Spock is more disciplined than to crane his head, but it's quite clear he's scanning what he can of the room behind the other man. ]

u.u he can't help it

[slapdash]

[ Hey, he's trying here. Back in Iowa, he had never had to hide his pets. Plus, these cats weren't even his. Not technically. But he wouldn't be telling anyone who they really belonged to. Chekov already had enough stress without Spock or Bones giving him lectures on not bringing animals on board (lectures Jim had already heard when he tried to keep the Tribble that had kinda saved his life).

He spots where Spock's eyes are going and he makes to lean casually against the doorframe as a means to block his view. ]

I don't think there's anything to discuss. I mean, the requests aren't much.

[ozhika]

I must disagree; what we choose to honor will impact our heading, and I wished to know what courses you might be considering so I might better alert the remainder of our departments.

[ There may have been a slight tick of a brow as he speaks and as Jim leans in the way of his view. He in turn meets the other man's eyes... which may or may not be an even more terrifying experience when one considers just how dissecting a Vulcan's stare can be. He knows you're up to something, Jim. Do you know he knows? He wants you to know. ]

I would ask if you were busy with a personal engagement, but you informed me earlier that you would be dedicating this time to reviewing the reports. Curious, though; you seem to be exhibiting signs that align more with physical exertion.

[captainpike]

[can mun request instead of kittens....tribbles?? :)]

[ozhika]

[ ooc; absolutely! do you want aos or tos? ]

[captainpike]

[either is fine, I like both Spocks.]

Pike isn't usually this surprised. But when he responded to a strange summons to the bridge, instead of walking out of the lift, he just stands in the doorway, gaping at the scene before him.

It was one large sea of purring trilling fluff.

There's a moment before Pike finds words again.

"What...what is this?"

[qomi]

"According to the readings and our records, Captain," A vaguely blue cut of shoulders arises from the science officer's seat, spilling tribbles off of the sides and onto the floor. Spock pauses momentarily to pick out a clean spot to stand, and rises a moment later, chart in hand, "They are tribbles, origins: Iota Geminorum IV."

[captainpike]

Pike looks as if he might either start barking orders....or go back into the turbo lift and leave for the day.

But nothing for it, he plows into the room, scooping up an armful of the fluffy things, trying to ignore their cooing and shifting around as he tries to find his crew and captain's chair.

"Mr. Spock, is that you?" he deadpans as he works his way to the middle of the bridge. "Tell me this is someone's idea of an april fools joke."

[qomi]

"It is indeed Spock, Captain," As if that particular even tone could belong to anyone else. Once the Vulcan stands, too, he's difficult to miss; he's tall, for one.

Having already picked out his path of least resistance, he smoothly makes his way across to meet the captain at his chair.

"As for the intention of their arrival, that is as of yet unknown. I was not aware there was seasonal significance to your species' humor."

He is not particularly amused. He isn't annoyed either, though. Suddenly: tribbles. His only concern lies in the productivity of the bridge at the moment.

laaaate omg sry

[medicalblue]

[Medbay has a few fuzzy visitors. They're sitting in a box and mewling rather cutely loudly as they bustle about within, occasionally scritching at the cardboard walls and trying to get the attention of anyone who wanders by.

And Bones has no idea why they're there, nor does he have any idea what in the hell to do with them.

So he's going to stand there and stare at them for a moment, arms crossed, absolutely baffled expression on his face.]

never will be later than me

[ozhika]

[ Spock had heard about the additional lifeforms on the ship. While he still did not know their source ( apparently they had just been found in the hall - a rather interesting thing to have reported through security ), he did agree with Jim that the best place to put them was under Doctor McCoy's care before Uhura could get a look at them.

Now, of course, he's just following up before the alpha shift is technically over to do a few readings with his tricorder, make sure they are what they seem. Just going to sidle up across the box from the other man, barely having to crane his head to peer in at the box of fur. The way gossip spreads on this ship, it won't be terribly long before others are clustered down here to look or claim. ]

Doctor?

never too late for kittenssss

[medicalblue]

[See, that agreement was followed by the Captain coming down here, box in hand, setting it down and then leaving with a wave over his shoulder and a "don't worry about it!" before he could even ask after the contents. Then they started meowing and it's been... baffling ever since.

He is going to have Words with anyone who wants to keep them. Likely the Words will be ignored. But he's going to try nonetheless.

He nods to Spock in greeting, arms still crossed, not even glancing up at the Vulcan yet.]

Just when you think you've seen just about everything...

[ozhika]

You have never seen kittens before, Doctor McCoy?

[ What a ridiculous thing to suggest. Even if feral cat populations were significantly decreased from early Terran historical record, they were hardly an uncommon sight in the city. They could still be used in some anatomy labs.

Mewls arose from the confines of the box, and one ambitious, fuzzy head arises over the edge, tiny claws digging in and attempting to clamber out. Spock stands as a mere observer for the moment; an escaping kitten doesn't have long to fall onto the table. Bones might think differently about a kitten free in his sickbay. ]

[medicalblue]

What?

[... You pedantic-]

Of course I've seen kittens before. Just not here. And unannounced.

[And he sees that brave little fuzzball, makes a sort of warning cry at it as he steps forward to try and carefully nudge it back inside the box. You're damn right, there will be no kittens roaming free in medbay! (So long as he has his way.)

He sighs, looks up at Spock.]

Do you know how they got here?

[ozhika]

[ Well you see, Doctor, in most species a mature male and female...

He doesn't know why he's like that, or what about the man tempts him to do it. Most of the time it isn't intentional. ]

They were found in the hall of deck nine. Judging by their size they may or may not be in the weaning phase of their life cycle. Logically, where there are kittens, Doctor, there is usually a mother.

[ More than likely it seems someone is keeping an unregistered cat, perhaps several. ]

Regardless of their origin, they will be under the care of your department until it is determined what to do with them.