Stowaway: Part 2/2

Posted on Wed Mar 11th, 2026 @ 2:10pm by Petty Officer 1st Class Gabriel Stark & Commander Cornelius 'Kit' Hanlon & Lieutenant JG Aria Rice

1,186 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Prologue: To Boldly Go
Location: Brig
Timeline: MD 14, post-launch

CONTINUED:

As they entered the brig, Gabriel moved for the replicator, getting some water, food and a cushion so the cat would be comfy at least. "The more hairs it leaves on you, the more it loves you, that's the rules."

Aria frowned as she looked at the cat and tried to get it off her shoulder without hurting it, or getting hurt. "It's a demon, it's a little demon and it it hates me..." she gasped as she got headbutted in the cheek by the cat and stayed still. "Gabriel...help..."

"It loves you! That was a kiss, you old meanie..." Gabriel was openly teasing her though, chuckling as he moved forward to carefully take a hold of the cat to rescue her. "Come on, little one," he settled her onto the cushion, but she sprang off it immediately to investigate the food. He stepped out and brought the forcefield up before moving to the replicator. "Better get a litter tray in there before the First Officer demands to know what happened to his carpets..."

Aria grumbled to herself as she went to the replicator, to get the litter tray. And stuff for inside of it. Sand? It looked like sand. "You get Commander Hanlon here," she told Gabriel, deciding to delegate. Delegation was a thing Assistant Chiefs did anyway. She carried the litter tray inside and put it down, watching the cat.

"You just want to play with the cat..." Gabriel chuckled softly, watching her with a teasing smile before moving away to the security console. Which was showing some very odd readings considering the feline occupant that was getting comfortable in the cell. "Stark to Commander Hanlon, we have a situation in the brig that you might...er...want to come and take a look at."

"Coming," Hanlon's voice was firm, a bit distracted. Clearly trying to hide the fact he was worried about being called down to the brig.

Aria moved away from the cat and brought the forcefield up, watching the feline eat. Her eyes narrowed. "It better not be Lily trying to get a pet. Oh...we're going to have to keep this away from her, or else Blake will truly never forgive me. Lily's been begging for a pet for ages. Tribble...puppy...unicorn..." she glanced at Gabriel and smiled. "The latter I promised that if I saw one, she could have it. Now I am just hoping we never go to a planet with anything unicorn shaped..."

"You'll have a lot of explaining to do to the Captain if we do," Gabriel pointed out to her with an arched eyebrow and barely concealed amusement playing on his lips. He straightened up as the First Officer moved in, automatically assuming a more respectful appearance. There would have been a time he wouldn't have bothered, but his advanced hazard training had drummed a bit more discipline into him than he liked or had intended.

"Stark. Rice," Hanlon looked at them both with confusion, glancing towards the force field...at the height he'd look for a person. "What's going on here?" he asked, his voice firm...friendly, but firm.

"Err...cat..." Aria said and pointed at the brig. At the cat in the brig. The freaking pussycat happily eating.

Hanlon looked at her, then at Stark, then at the cat. "Oh. Ooh..." he exhaled and put his hands on his hips...and then started laughing. Not gentle laughs either, but proper laughing as he shook his head.

Stark let out a soft breath of relief as he looked to Aria with a clear expression; 'well, we still have jobs'. "We think it's a stowaway, Commander," he admitted as he relaxed, leaning against the edge of the panel. "It's not a registered pet at least."

"Aw, he's a cute one," Hanlon walked over to the forcefield and disabled it, stepping in. "Come here you..." he smiled as he reached to stroke the cat. Friendly. A bit aloof but friendly. "Must have come on here from the shipyards. I heard there were some animals there, I suspect this young one got bored and came on here..." he stood and looked at him. "If it is someone's missing pet, we can't exactly turn around to take it home."

"Lieutenant Rice really loves it, Commander," Gabriel replied with a suitable expression of wide eyed innocence, unable to help but stir the pot. It was just too funny. "She was saying just how gosh darn cute it was..."

Aria shot Gabriel a look that could have made a Gorn reconsider its life choices. And then her eyes softened into an eyeroll. "I might be allergic." She wasn't. "Or it doesn't like me." It appeared to like her.

Hanlon sighed as he picked the cat up, holding it up and inspecting it. "You know on Earth...it was a good omen if a cat chose your ship on its maiden voyage," he said thoughtfully before holding the cat a little closer. It scrabbled up his shoulder to perch there. He was clearly thinking, a small smile coming to him. He'd sell it like that to Captain Blake. "And a good ship needs a Ship's Cat. Stark, Rice...you'll make sure that this one is comfortable here for today. Get someone from medical to scan it, I want to make sure its healthy...and I think it's a girl, but best to double check that." He looked over at Gabriel for a moment and raised an eyebrow. "I have a vague memory that you sail, so perhaps have a think about suitable names for the cat."

Gabriel blinked, surprised that the First Officer would remember anything about him, let alone such an unimportant fact as that. "I'm sure I can come up with something..."

"Good," Hanlon said and put the cat down, sighing as he brushed cat hair from his shoulder. "The brig is no place for a cat though, but will do for now until medical have had a look, and I've seen if someone's missing their little pet." He turned to look at both of them. "Please make the necessary arrangements. Lieutenant Rice...Mr Stark," he gave them both a nod, but there was an easy smile there.

"Sure thing, Commander," Gabriel watched the First Officer leave with an arched eyebrow before looking to Aria with dark eyes that sparkled with amusement. "Did we just get demoted to animal sitters?"

Aria groaned as she sank down, to sit on the floor, her hands going into her hair. "This is because I am Assistant Chief. This is why it happens...nothing good has ever happened to me the moment Chief gets introduced..." she said it in a whiny voice on purpose. But a laugh, a real one, was building inside of her. At how mundane and perfect and wonderful it was. No big battle, no tension...just her, Gabriel and a cat.

OFF:


Lt. JG Aria Rice
Assistant Chief Security
USS Fenrir
(PNPC Hanlon)

PO1 Gabriel Stark
Security
USS Fenrir
(PNPC Blake)

Commander Cornelius 'Kit' Hanlon
First Officer
USS Fenrir

Mystery Cat
Stowaway
USS Fenrir

 

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