Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!

Posted on Mon Apr 11th, 2022 @ 10:06am by Lieutenant F'Arra MD & Lieutenant JG Faith Vianelli & Briella Vianelli
Edited on on Tue Apr 12th, 2022 @ 10:58pm

Mission: Lower Decks

The curious little human had been wandering around, thoroughly lost. She had been with Nani, but Nani stopped to talk to another lady, a lady that wasn't familiar. She didn't have a nice voice and ignored the bored toddler who soon wandered away while Nani wasn't paying enough attention.

She wanted to find the lounge. There was a lady there that was nice. They had ice cream that did NOT come from the replicator with the broccolis. It was good ice cream and she wanted ice cream. Nani had promised her ice cream.

Fingers trailed along the wall as she moved through the corridor, singing Itsy Bitsy Spider, her most favouritest song in the world, and thinking about a big bowl of stawby ice cream with whipped cream and rainbow unicorn sprinkles, just the way the nice lady in the lounge made it special for her.

That was when it happened.

The Felinoid turned a corner and came into sight.

The small human's eyes widened significantly, a high pitched squeal of delight escaping her parted lips as she ran forward, her body almost reverberating with excitement.

"Kitty!" Briella shrieked again. "Kitty! Here kitty, kitty kitty! I pat the kitty!"

F'Arra didn't hear the initial outburst, so engrossed was she in the PADD in her hands. She did, however, hear the repeated shriek of glee.

Looking around, the Caitain saw the small human child barreling towards her. Before she could even consider a response, the child was on her, and F'Arra fall sideways under the added weight now clamped around her leg.

Completely unperturbed by the fact that they were both now on the deck, Briella's tiny body quivered with excitement as she crawled up next to F'Arra, tiny fingers roughly patting the medical officer on the head. "Soft kitty," she giggled as the Caitian's whiskers tickled her bare arm. "Pretty kitty!" She patted again with all the clumsy affection that comes with toddlerhood. "I like kitty."

F'Arra was trying to make sense of what had just happened when the child began petting her. It wasn't altogether unpleasant, but neither was it careful. She started to let out a feline mewling noise. Not wanting to scare the child off, or make her upset. F'Arra managed to get herself onto all fours, crouched down low to keep herself level with the child. Hoping, praying that a miracle might save her from this situation.

Briella shifted as F'Arra moved, changing her own position so she could sit in front of the Caitian, cross legged, head tilted curiously at the sounds the extra large kitty made. "Kitty no pats?" she asked, confused. Her confusion was broken by a giggle, fingers reaching toward F'Arra's face, fingertips tapping on her nose. "Boop!" she exclaimed with another giggle.

F'Arra's nose twitched, and her whiskers danced. She slowly leaned back, resting on her knees and calf's. "You hungry, kid?" She asked, trying hard to soften the natural growl in her voice.

The toddlers eyes widened again as she nodded vigorously, dark curls bouncing around her face. Maybe Kitty could help her find the lady with the ice cream. "Scream!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Stawby scream!"

F'Arra slowly and cautiously moved to the side, and nodded her head in the direction of the lounge. "Let's go find it!" She said, rising to her feet.

Briella started jumping and clapping, clearly excited. Reaching up, she patted F'Arra's hand. "Pretty Kitty like scream?" she asked sweetly as they started walking. It became clear very quickly that this would not be a quick walk as every few steps the toddler paused to look adoringly up at F'Arra.

"Course." F'Arra replied. She thought she was translating that right, and while ice cream could be absolutely murder to get out of fur, especially when all she had was a sonic shower, she would go along, to keep the child happy. Hopefully, while enjoying some food, she might be able to find out who the kid 's parents were.

It was an agonising walk to the lounge, but finally, the pair entered. F'Arra looking around for anyone who might recognise the small toddler.

Faith raced into the lounge, arriving less than ten minutes after F'Arra and Briella. She found her daughter sitting at a table, a bowl of ice cream in front of her, alternating between clumsy spoons of the sweet treat being shoveled into her mouth and pats on F'Arra's furred hand. The Caitian almost looked visibly pained at the events.

"Briella Rose Vianelli!" Faith exclaimed as she approached the table. "You are in so much trouble!" She winced at the realisation that F'Arra's hand was essentially covered in a sticky mess. "I'm sorry Lieutenant, I'm so sorry!"

"Momma!" Briella looked between Faith and F'Arra, her eyes widening, unsure of why her Momma was cross. Maybe Momma needed a nap? She climbed up onto the chair she was sitting on, standing so she could reach F'Arra's head, patting her again with sticky, ice cream covered hands. "Look Momma! Pretty Kitty!"

Reaching out, Faith grabbed her daughter, the toddler's hand dragging across the top of F'Arra's head and one ear, leaving a sticky trail of fur. "No," the counselor admonished. "This is Lieutenant F'Arra, not a pretty kitty." She shook her head and sighed softly. "I'm sorry Lieutenant, I really am. She's not seen a Caitian before."

Briella's expression became thoroughly confused, her little brow furrowing. "Noooo...." she shook her head vehemently. "Not Tenna Fawwa. Pretty Kitty!" Her voice was resolute in the way that only a toddler can be. "My Pretty Kitty!" she reached toward F'Arra again.

"Kids will be kids." F'Arra replied to Faith, trying not to look too annoyed. "I should be apologizing for getting your child ice cream. It seemed like the best idea to keep her calm."

"She was with her Nanny, but apparently she wandered off when Claire was momentarily distracted." Faith looked at Briella again. "Nani has been worried sick about you! You scared her!" She offered F'Arra a smile. "Thank you, I appreciate you keeping her safe." She frowned, realising how much icecream Briella had gotten on the Caitian medical officer. "I'm sorry, I should let you go so you can shower, no doubt that's going to take some time to clean up. Briella, say sorry to Lieutenant F'Arra. It's time to go home. You my girl need a bath."

Briella's brow furrowed again with the name. "Not Tenna Fawwa," Briella repeated. "I take Pretty Kitty home Momma?"

Faith shook her head. "No, Lieutenant F'Arra has her own quarters to go to, and because of your sticky hands, Lieutenant F'Arra needs a long shower."

Briella pouted. clearly upset with this turn of events. "No." she said firmly, wriggling and trying to get out of Faith's grasp.

Tightening her hold on the squirming child, Faith offered another smile to F'Arra. "Again, Lieutenant, thank you, and I'm sorry."

F'Arra watched the pair leave with a smile, which dropped to a death scowl when they were out of sight. She was getting a few odd looks, due to the amount of ice cream that was now matted into her fur. "F'Arra to Sickbay. I had a... Minor ice cream emergency." She couldn't help a chuckle. "I need a shower."

With that, the Caitain left the lounge for the Holodeck, the only place to get a water-based shower, and work the goop out before it started to dry. She only hoped there wasn't any medical emergencies in the next hour. This was gonna be a bitch.