Sanctioned

[Kansas 0]

01.19.08

ISS Agincourt ICC-81762

“Sanctioned: Old Cat, New Trick"

In the main cargo bay, it was business as usual.

 

The ISS Agincourt had subdued a smuggling faction on some backwater colony world. As a result of the encounter and aftermath, the booty acquired from the now defunct faction had been distributed among the senior officers and department heads of the ship. Kansas had not gotten weapons. She had not gotten valuable data that could be sold. And she had not gotten some sort of medicines that could be used to her advantage.

 

The feline had gotten chocolate. Life was good.

 

She had been introduced to Terran chocolate by her roommate at the academy, and developed quite a sweet tooth for it. The humans might have had a history replete with wars, famine, uprisings and constant strife, but the companies known as the Swiss European Protectorate and the Hershey Eastern Conglomerate knew their chocolate making process. The feline commander planned to keep some for own private stock of course, but she would also be able to make a mint selling the excess on the black market for the colony worlds where this sort of thing wasn’t considered to be a needed supply.

 

The golden furred Caitian was so excited that she had been acting like a complete idiot for the last ten minutes, and was on her third run on all four paws around the crate, smiling a big fanged smile as she did so. She did not care if any of the cargo staff noticed, but there was one technician who was fascinated by the big cats’ body language.

 

Junior Grade Lieutenant Kasmir Jovanovich kept to the shadows just out of the visual and scent range of the feline, watching with unabashed curiosity. The human cargo tech held a data padd in one hand with a current manifest of all the items seized for the day, but he held off on approaching her just yet, transfixed by her predatory movements.

 

She darted around the crate yet a fourth time, and Kasmir smiled slightly and finally moved toward the area. He was careful to alert her to his presence by stopping just outside her personal perimeter and clearing his throat.

 

JoNs had heard his approach, but had waited to turn toward him until after he had cleared his throat. He knew not to come up behind me quietly. Interesting. Now, she stood upright on her hind paws and regarded the man. “Yes? Can I help you with something Lieutenant?”

 

Jovanovich offered his padd to the senior officer. “Jovanovich sir. Commander JoNs, here is the supply manifest report for today. Would you be so kind as to sign off on the particular item that ad found its way to your possession.”

 

Dang. He’s all cultured and stuff. It was considered a rarity when the cargo jockeys could form a complete sentence, much less make sense.

 

JoNs signed off on the report electronically, using her thumbprint. “Tell me Lieutenant – you cleared your throat to announce your presence. Why?”

 

There was some hesitation on his part, but he did answer the question. “Felines, as a general rule, do not like to be surprised.”

 

“Well, as a member of the species, I can commiserate and confirm that.” She handed the padd back to him.

 

“Sir – why do you walk on all four paws?” His curiosity had gotten the better of him, and the question came blurting out.

 

Kansas regarded Jovanovich in surprise for a few seconds, just standing there and blinking. “Uh, what?” Real smooth there girl. Very eloquent.

“Excuse me sir. My apologies, I should be getting back to my shift work now.” The human lieutenant began to back away from the feline commander, unsure now and embarrassed.”

 

“… Caitians as a general rule walk upright on their hinds. Using my four paws for mobility is more of a personal habit of mine.”

 

Jovanovich stopped his backward retreat, venturing another question quickly. “Have you ever had a genetic workup?”

 

“Damn son, that’s a pretty personal question. Why don’t you just ask me about my bra size?” She reached a paw out and gently grabbed at the collar of his jumpsuit, “Walk with me Sunshine,” and with that, firmly led the cargo tech off to the side of the main cargo deck where they could speak with a bit of privacy.

 

“Okay, to answer your question, yes, I did have a genetic workup when I entered the academy. The results showed that while my genetic line of course evolved independently on Cait, I share some quality genetics, and therefore look very much like, your Earth extinct species formerly known as the lion. And of course, some lion personality and hunting traits are thrown in the mix as well. A smaller version of the gene line would be the common domesticated orange tomcat, I believe the little ankle biter is called? I met one once. The damn thing tried to attack me. Feline territory issues are usually not pretty.”

 

“Fascinating.”

 

“Right. Look, Lieutenant, what’s this all about?”

 

At this, the man looked truly uncomfortable. “It’s nothing ma’am. Just a personal… hobby of mine.”

 

“Bull. I can tell from your body language and your tone you’re lying.”

 

Kasmir sighed. “In my former profession, I minored in the study of zoology.”

 

Kansas flipped an ear back as she pulled her own personal padd from where she had placed it securely in her waist sash. The feline quickly inputted a series of commands with a claw. “Serial number, now.”

 

“One, Fourteen, Seven, Twelve, sir.”

 

She quickly read over and scrolled his service record and biography when the information appeared on the small screen of the data device. The last notation prior to Jovanovich’s assignment to the ‘Court caused both of her ears to flip back in surprise. “It says here that you were busted from full Lieutenant, and then rotated out of your sciences department into the operations department, and that the rotation was at your request. This true?” Keen feline eyes latched onto him, expecting an answer.

 

“…..no sir. I was demoted due to having words with the second officer over the handling of a rare specimen that the sciences team had located on a colony world that we were investigating, but the rotation was not my idea.”

 

“I see. Why didn’t you attempt to countermand the departmental change when you requested transfer here to the Agincourt?”

 

Kasmir hesitated, wondering how truthful he should really be with the ships second officer and security chief. “Why cause trouble? It is a good way to get yourself killed.”

 

“This is true. Well, I know the reason behind your reduction in rank and the rotation, but that still doesn’t tell me why you are so interested in me.”

 

“… you are a Caitian.”

 

“Okay…and? Work with me here Lieutenant.” Her tail lashed once.

 

“Felines, and other species that are not Human or Vulcan, are never studied in great detail. And I have always found the feline interesting.”

 

“Whoa, wait a minute there kid – you may be human, but that is a real good way to get a knife in the back. Humans and Vulcans are the dominant quadrant species around here, so be careful what you say or imply about them. Anyone else is considered a sub-species, and therefore not very interesting.”

 

The sharp tone of the Cait had the desired effect on the officer. “Apologies sir. I won’t trouble you any….”

 

JoNs interrupted. “…I can help you out.”

 

“…what? Ma’am?”

 

“…I can see about getting you transferred back to sciences on this ship. I can’t guarantee the rank, as you did screw up, but I can see what I can do about righting the whole transfer debacle.”

 

“Thank you sir…I…thank you!”

 

She held a paw up to stop him. “My services aren’t free Lieutenant. If the transfer is successful, you become my eyes and ears in the Sci-Ops department, savvy?” It’s all about consolidating the power.

 

Kasmir slowly nodded, as if he was thinking about being beholden to the feline versus getting back into the profession and department he loved. In fact, this was very much on his mind, and after a moment of deliberation, he decided to take the risk. “Aye sir.”

 

The Cait held a paw out for the two to shake. “Then we have a deal, Mister Jovanovich.”

 

**********

Conrad Zimm looked up from where he resided the sitting area of the quarters, over to where Kansas sat at the desk. The Caitian was intent on studying the desktop viewer and the information it displayed there. He placed the data padd containing the novel he was reading down on the low coffee table. “Are you still working on those status reports?”

 

“I finished them up about twenty minutes ago. I’m working on an internal transfer request right now.”

 

Zimm went very still. “Is it legal?”

 

Kansas gave him a long, cool look at that point.

 

“… sorry. Forget I asked.”

 

The feline turned back to her work, entered her signature, and sent the final draft of the internal transfer request off. “One transfer form, nicely worded, sent to our dear Colonels regarding one Lieutenant Kasmir Jovanovich possibly transferring from maintenance and cargo ops to the Sci-Ops department with their approval. It seems he was involved in a snafu on his last assignment with regard to departments.”

 

Conrad suddenly bolted up from the couch he had been sitting on and ran over to the observation window, dramatically placing both hands on the glass. Kansas looked at her lover as if he had gone nuts.

 

The former marine turned security officer spoke as if speaking out to the depths of space. “Lieutenant Commander Kansas JoNs used the proper legal and sanctioned transfer channels! Oh look! A pig with wings just flew by the view port!”

 

He ducked a thrown padd on an intercept course for his head shortly thereafter.

Edited January 21, 2008 by Kansas