"Paw Ball"

[Kansas_Jones 0]

02.24.07

UES Challenger NX-05

“Paw Ball”

 

Ensign Shaow JoNs padded through the almost empty second shift corridors of the Challenger. Judging by the workout attire she was sporting, one would think she was getting some jogging time in. In reality, she had other workout plans in mind.

 

The sensor-activated doors swooshed open at her arrival and she entered the cargo bay. Her gaze took in the lack of personnel and this hour, the open area and the various containers and barrels containing supplies. In short, the perfect location for what she was about to undertake.

 

She gazed at the round object held in one brown paw. It was a simple rubber bouncy-type ball, the lurid shading of hot pink and orange contrasting sharply with the sleek, monotone interior bulkheads and decking of the Challenger.

 

With a fanged smile, she gave the little ball a heave. It bounced once, and then she was after it like a shot.

 

She was on the ball in one pounce, her powerful hind legs vaulting her through the air. A paw connected solidly with the bouncing target, sending it careening over to the other side of the storage bay. Shaow shifted position in mid air with a back twisting move, connecting with and then vaulting off the bulkhead in pursuit of the ball. She landed and then dove over a low stack of packing crates.

 

She needed this workout, and the confines of the main gym left too many opportunities for her too either slam into someone or damage equipment. Here, she was free to do as she pleased and let off some steam.

 

No traveling through an unknown section of space. Leap.

 

No Earth Command protocol. Pounce.

 

No hide bound rules and regulations. Slam.

 

No Human customs. Twist and leap.

 

No Vulcan customs. Smack.

 

No duty rosters. Pounce.

 

No senior officers. Leap.

 

No one telling her what to do. Pounce.

 

Just her and the bouncing target. Vaulting through the air was downright liberating and…Oh frag!

 

The young Cait misjudged the distance between the ball and a stacked section of cargo, slamming into a bright blue storage barrel. Her momentum carried her over the falling barrel and she landed hard and skidded across the decking, coming to rest with a slight thud against one of the bulkheads. The ball bounced past her a second later, finally coming to rest about halfway across the bay.

 

Shaow got into a sitting position, leaning her back against the wall. She was panting,

sweaty and thoroughly exhilarated. Playing Paw Ball as a child had always been one of her favorite pastimes. However - she threw a good humored glance at the downed cargo barrel – she probably would have avoided that crash say fifteen years ago.

 

Bouncing up lightly onto her hind paws, she stalked over to the fallen cargo container and righted it, glancing at the etched manifest stamped on the front in Vulcan and Human standard languages. It read “manifold interface repair parts” and a sly smile quirked at a corner of her muzzle. Well, she had figured it wasn’t something flammable since she was not a crispy critter from the impact.

 

After retrieving the pink and orange ball, Shaow JoNs exited the cargo bay, feeling a bit better then when she had entered.