Cat-A-Tonic

Posted on Friday June 17th, 2022 @ 8:55pm by Lieutenant Commander Niali Deval Dr & Lieutenant Finchley Kerr

Mission: New Worlds
Location: Lt Cmdr Finchley Kerr’s Quarters
Timeline: Pre mission

Niali had finished packing her personal belongings, apart from few things most had gone to her office. She knew she would want to put her personal stamp on her new quarters but because she was moving into a place that was already occupied she did not want to push things so early. The most important part of her life was walking around on all fours looking into corners that used to contain his possessions. Brutus, Niali’s very large orange bewhiskered cat looked very unhappy. His vocalizations added to the supposed pathos that now echoed around the empty rooms. To add more confusion for him his feeding and watering station had disappeared as had his large cat tree that contained his sleeping areas. To anyone who did not know him it looked as if he was roaming around aimlessly with no idea of what to do next. However Niali knew that all the feline lacked now was a deerstalker and a pipe to complete his role as Sherlock Holmes the famous literary detective of Earth’s past. She smiled and laughed as she picked him up burying her face in his fur. Up until now she had had him all to herself now, hopefully she was going to share him. Niali sighed hoping that this transition went well.

A few minutes later they had arrived at Lieutenant Commander Finchley Kerr’s quarters. The XO of the Oberon had invited her to move in with him as their relationship deepened and she had been glad to assent. She had fallen in love with him soon after they had met, Finchley was often a difficult man to deal with and he had a temper and could be brutally honest but Niali knew him to be ultimately gentle and caring and , most important, in love with her.

Finchley was at his duty shift on the bridge so she figured a couple of hours acclimatization for Brutus would help them all. She placed him on the bed as she placed her belongings in the closet to unpack later. She placed a holo-image of her parents on the bedside table and turned to look at Brutus. Brutus had already taken his place at the windows on the new replicated cat tree that Niali had promised him. He looked around the room with seemingly slight distain as though to ask her what he had done for her to bring him so low. “Listen it’s got to be better than our old quarters it’s the XO’s place. You’ll like him, please be nice to him,” she pleaded. “I love him, so don’t pee in his boots or leave chocolates for him to find.” After feeding him and seeing him seemingly settling down to sleep she left for a home visit to Ensign Grant hoping to return before Finchley arrived back.

[2 hours later]

Finchley walked into his quarters, across the main living room, saw Brutus and said "Hi Brutus", and kept walking. Once inside his bedroom his brain began to chat to his subconscious.

Finchley's brain: (metaphorically tapping his subconscious on the shoulder) You did see the cat, right?
Finchley's subconscious: Yes, I saw the cat.

Finchley's brain: And you said Hi
Finchley's subconscious: Yes, why?

Finchley's brain: Where are you right now?
Finchley's subconscious: In my quart...

Finchley's brain: Here it comes.
Finchley's subconscious: ...ers. Hey, wait a minute, why's there a cat in my quarters?

Finchley poked his head back out of his bedroom and saw the large orange cat sitting on the floor looking at him.

"Brutus, why are you in my quarters?" he asked the feline, then realised he'd asked him a question that he simply couldn't answer.

Niali entered hoping to return before Finchley, saw the both of them at that instant and declared “he’s here”. Brutus and Finchley both looked at her at the same time. She went over to Finchley and kissed him then went to pick up Brutus. “Finchley Brutus, Brutus Finchley. Now, I realize you have met before but this is different, we are all going to live together in harmony and enrich each other’s lives. Aren’t we!” She exclaimed pointedly.

Finchley looked at Brutus "You do realise that's an order rather than a request, don't you..."

Brutus just licked his lips.

“Well it is supposed to be a request you two.” Niali looked at them both. “If he licks his lips it means he is thinking and he thinks a lot. Mostly about food, secondly about sleep. Now at night he usually sleeps with me but I have discussed this with him and he is happy to stay in his tree for a while before relations recommence.” She fed Brutus a snack which he took in an offhand way as if to say “oh okay if I must”. He began to purr. “Why don’t you stroke him Finchley, just under his chin like this?” She demonstrated.

"I don't have a great history with cats" Finchley replied "they have a tendency to stick their claws into me, something I've never fathomed out. In regards to where he sleeps Niali, Brutus coming into the bedroom to sleep at any point is a no. That's a space for you and I, and that's all, not cats, or any other kind of pet."

Niali knew she would have to work on that and just nodded. At least try to say hello to him, pet him,” she handed Finchley an snack. “This usually does the trick, just wave it around under his nose.”

Taking the snack, he gingerly (no pun intended) offered it to Brutus, but he was also ready to pull his hand back should the cat decide two 'play' with him.

"I mean what I say Niali, Brutus is not coming into the bedroom, nor is his litter tray, food dispenser, bag of treats, water dispenser or climbing tree...it's a cat free zone.

Brutus licked his lips and looked at Finchley with his golden eyes. Gently he took the proffered snack and placed a paw on Finchley’s hands as if to say you’re welcome. Niali walked over to Finchley and put her arms round him. “See that wasn’t so bad, he likes you and he comes with me and I like you, very much” she whispered in his ear. “Let’s go to bed I’m hungry.”

"No, it wasn't and I'm glad he does and also yes he does" Finchley admitted "and I'm happy to go to bed as I'm hungry...but Brutus stays out here."

As they headed to the bedroom Niali turned and winked at Brutus who winked back then lay down and slept.