The Alfore Encounter

Article by StealthKitty

Chapter 6

When Shara returned to her quarters late that night, Dr. Gomez gladly escorted her. However, she didn't allow him entry.

He is beginning to become a pain in the neck, Shara thought as she got ready for bed.

You not like, Kiki mind-queried. Shara chose to ignore the question.

We meet, we like, we mate, have kits. Not do same, Kiki continued when she received no response.

Shara carefully considered that she was being asked this by a sentient and intelligent cat. How in heavens name was she going to explain the complexity of Human and Vulcan relationships to a feline?

"It is not merely liking or disliking.  Dr. Gomez is a superlative doctor and officer...," Shara hesitantly started.  Kiki gave her an expectant look as if to say "And...?"

"He does not meet my specifications...," Shara continued as diplomatically as possible.  Kiki tilted her head to the left and gazed at Shara sideways.  A whimsical Track Cat expression she'd learned meant: "Really?"

"What specification?  You female, he male.  What more need?" Kiki queried, as she righted her head and gazed directly into the Vulcan's eyes.  Shara felt as if Kiki was staring into her very soul.

In response she slammed down her menta shield, lay back and tossed the furs over herself.

Intriguing.  Not only am I being psychoanalyzed by Kiki but she has also elected to be my personal matchmaker, Shara thought, as she drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile, Kiki was totally un-phased by the abrupt end to their conversation. After making sure the kits were asleep, she jumped up in bed with the sleeping Vulcan, stretched out next to her, and purred herself to sleep.

* * * * *

The next day, as Shara and Dr. Gomez were returning from their midday meal, a ball of gray fur flashed by nearly toppling him. His immediate response was to give chase. Shara, who was equally curious, followed with Kiki and her kits.

The chase took them through five corridors to a little used maintenance area. Here the creature chose to curl into a ball and attempt to hide in a darkened corner. Dr. Gomez knelt as close as he could to the creature.

"Hello little one," he said soothingly. "Are you hungry? Look what I have. Would you like some," he continued as he withdrew a wrapped sandwich he had in his vest pocket.

The enticement of free food caused the creature to unfurl itself.  Shara noted it resembled a gray fox with black highlights.  Its little black nose twitched as it smelled the food the doctor offered.

"Here you go," he said, as he tore off and tossed a bit of meat to the creature. It crept forward, smelled, then wolfed down the meat. Bright expectant eyes gazed back at him.

"Want more? You can't have more unless you come out," Gomez coaxed.

"What is that," Shara asked Kiki as the drama played out before them.

"A yappy thing," Kiki responded with a hint of disdain.

A yappy thing… Shara thought, frowning.  What manner of species is a yappy thing, she wondered.

As if on cue, the creature chose to yap at the good doctor.  To Shara it sounded like one of  those annoying Chihuahuas her uncle used to raise.

Yes unfortunately, it does indeed yap, she thought as she sighed.

"Shhhhh," Dr. Gomez soothed. "I'm not your enemy and I won't hurt you. If you want more you have to come out and get it,"  he continued, as he pinched off a piece of meat and tossed it to the creature. The food landed far enough away that it had to come out and get it.

It stopped yapping long enough to creep forward, scarf the meat in one bite, and lick its chops. Then it stared back at Dr. Gomez expectantly.

"You want more," Gomez asked. "Here you go," he said as he tossed a bit more of the meat to the creature. It crept forward and likewise quickly devoured the meat. Again bright expectant eyes gazed back at Gomez.

"If you want more, you have to come to me." Dr. Gomez encouraged. The fox like creature obediently crept to him while keeping acutely alert to its surroundings, ready to dash off at the drop of a feather.

The creature hesitantly sniffed Gomez's fingertips, then licked them. Before long it allowed him to scratch its head. As promised he rewarded it with more meat from the sandwich.

It is Greya, Kiki told Shara mentally.

"Why have I not seen a Greya before," Shara asked. After all she and her crew had been on Alfore a good two months.

Extremely shy, but needed.

"Needed? Why?"

They eat scurries.

"What are scurries," Shara asked. Kiki transmitted the mental picture of a rodent like creature. Apparently even in this harsh environment pestilence flourished.

On Earth where I was raised, cats hunt and consume rodents, she thought, as she gazed at Kiki. The Track Cat had drawn herself up to her full height and had an expression of utter disgust on her face, so much so that Kiki resembled a child who had been given a dose of cod liver oil.

We not eat scurries! Too bitter! Greya like taste, we let Greya eat bitter things, Kiki thought back. Young kits chase, kill and eat. Find out scurries bitter, not eat again for rest of life."

Shara imagined that was a hard lesson for young Track Cats to learn. Akin to burning one's hand in a fire, that kind of lesson was never forgotten.

"Scurries aren't poisonous are they," Shara asked.

"No, just disgusting," Kiki huffed, as Dr. Gomez joined them with his new friend trotting at his heels. No doubt it was looking for more free tidbits.

Tell him not feed much, Greya get spoiled, lazy, not hunt scurries, Kiki told Shara mentally.
Yes, that is the last thing this compound needs, to be overrun with rodents which the local felines refuse to eat, Shara thought sarcastically.  Obviously she was going to spend the rest of the afternoon transcribing what she'd learned.

There seems to be some type of rivalry between the Track Cats and the Greya according to Kiki. I have yet to hear a Greya's opinion on the matter, Shara thought as she followed Dr. Gomez back to the main corridor. She noticed he had a new spring in his step as the Greya followed at his heels.Amazing, Earth canine puppies require weeks of training, yet this Greya has learned to heel and follow its human friend in a matter of minutes. Either it is far more intelligent than I originally thought, or it is merely an opportunistic creature seeking only food and shelter. Shara thought. Time will tell.

Is female, so give it female name, Kiki mind-mentioned.  Shara allowed herself a slight grin.

Perhaps Anthony's new canine friend will help keep him too distracted to recall his ridiculous fascination with me, she thought hopefully.

Two paws no learn,  Kiki thought. In her opinion the Vulcan commander and the Human doctor were a perfect match.

Much work to do I must…, Kiki thought.