Gizmo Finds A Home

Posted on 28 Oct 2017 @ 12:33am by Lieutenant Commander Joey Geisler & Captain Harvey Geisler & Ensign Kelly Khan & Ensign Quinn Mackie

2,650 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Crossing Over
Location: Various
Timeline: November 15, 2388

Joey stretched out on the couch and sat up as carefully as she could underneath the pile of furballs that somehow managed to make their way on her while she slept. She gently moved Rico off of her as he was the heaviest, then sat up and looked over to Pequeno who was still curled up with the little red ball of fur.

As much as she really wanted to keep Gizmo, it would have been a very selfish move on her part. She already had two dogs, a husband and twins on the way, not to mention a very demanding career that kept her from home well beyond her normal duty hours. No... this little guy needed to be with someone that could devote the proper time to his needs.

"We'll see if we can find you a home," she said, giving the little guy a scratch under his chin. "I already have someone in mind that might work out."

Harvey entered the room, deciding to take a short break during lunch. It was perhaps the first time he'd taken such a break since he took command. He didn't mind lunching in the Captain's mess, especially since he was used to having lunch with several of his senior staff members on occasion. Meal times did, after all, make excellent meeting times. But, today he just wanted to have a break from practically everyone.

He didn't, however, expect to see Joey already at home, especially buried under two dogs and... was that what he thought it was?

Joey blinked when she saw Harvey walk into their quarters. It was unusual for him to be home this time of day. "Hey," she said, rising to her feet and moving over to press a kiss to his cheek. It didn't take long before she noticed what he was looking at, and felt the need to explain. "I found him roaming the promenade on DS15, and after asking around, I couldn't leave him there. I wanted to keep him, but that's not possible. I've got a new home in mind for him already."

She moved over to the couch to scoop the little kitten up and cradled him to her chest as she returned to Harvey. "He's cute, though, isn't he?"

To say he was surprised to see a kitten in their quarters was an understatement. Perhaps on a different day, when their quarters weren't about to be so crowded, he'd be more receptive to the feline. He could tell, however, that Joey's previously untouched motherly instincts had kicked in, so far be it for him to start any disputes. "He certainly is." Looking up at Joey and returning the kiss before moving over to the replicator, he asked, "What or who exactly did you have in mind?"

"I'm going to bring him to Kelly and Quinn's to see if they might be interested in giving him a home. If not, I know someone else will want to take him," she said, setting the furball down by the food and water she replicated for him. "I think Kelly will trip over herself to get to him, though."

Harvey laughed, replicating a salad. "Ensign Khan is many things. Clumsy doesn't suit her." When the salad finished materializing, Harvey took it to the table and began to eat.

"You might be right, but she's all squeals and squees when it comes to all things cute," Joey stated as she settled down at the table with him.

He kept his smile as company joined him. "I can see it now, you being so adorable with the kids when they arrive."

Joey smiled. "I can see the same thing with you. I've got a feeling that time is going to fly by and they'll be here before we know it. I'm getting really excited, too. Never in a million years did I ever think I'd be a mom, but now that it's happening, I can't wait. I'm ready to start getting their space set up, but we don't even know where that's going to be yet."

"And we still have time," Harvey said. "You're nearly ten weeks along, nearly a quarter of the way through this. Besides, we don't have to make the quarters' modifications on our own. Captain's privilege and all."

"I couldn't do them even if I wanted to. Somehow, I'd end up destroying something important, and I don't want to be the one responsible for that," she said, getting to her feet to move to the replicator. Once there, she ordered some loaded fries, dripping with chili, cheese, bacon bits, and green onions, then moved back to the table with a fork in hand.

He couldn't help but notice her choice of food. While he didn't care what she ate (he never had actually), Harvey couldn't help but realize that her cravings were now in full swing. With any luck, those fries would be followed by steak, cherry pie and even diet soda. And not all of it would be consumed. Thank the great bird for replicators.

It didn't go unnoticed that he noticed what she had in front of her. Joey gave a sheepish grin. "They don't make me nauseous like some other things do. I learned that yesterday when I had lunch with Camila. I'm fond of onion rings and double bacon cheeseburgers, too, with grilled onions and mushrooms. What can I say? Our children are seeking to torture me early on. Not that I mind one bit."

"It isn't torture if its something you love," Harvey pointed out, now halfway through his salad. He looked down to see that the kitten had abandoned her food and was now sitting on his foot. "Well," he told the little one. "You might like it, but you're going to have too much competition in here."

"You're right, but I'm not used to eating things like this all the time. However, if this is what the little ones want, then this is what they'll get. I can always work out once they're born and I recover," Joey said, glancing down at the kitten with a smile. "I think he likes you, but it's pretty hard not to. Animals are drawn to good people."

The kitten seemed to make himself right at home on Harvey's foot, until he pushed himself back so he was sitting upright. He gave a squeaky sounding mew and waved a single paw as if trying to get the attention of the human man he was currently using as kitty furniture.

Harvey could only smile and shake his head at the small creature. "I don't think you'll like salad," he said, plucking a leaf of spinach off of his plate and held it below for the little one.

Gizmo sniffed at the spinach for a few seconds before he turned his nose away from it entirely. It didn't have a scent that enticed him to eat it, but there was something else on his mind. Carefully, the little guy climbed up Harvey's leg until she was on his lap, then walked around in a circle a time or two before curling up in a ball and closing his eyes.

"You were right, he didn't like the salad," Joey agreed. "But, I'm pretty sure he likes you. Maybe now is the time to take him to Kelly and Quinn's."

"Before he totally bonds with us, I agree," Harvey said, finishing his salad. He could definitely admit, the little one was cute, but they definitely had too much going on in their lives at the moment.

"Maybe one day," she said, rising to her feet and leaving her food abandoned. Joey scooped the protesting kitten from Harvey's lap and rubbed the top of his head. "If they decide not to keep him, I have a couple others in mind." She leaned down to press a kiss to his forehead. "I'll see you a little later."

Harvey had been chewing his last bite of salad when she kissed him. Therefore, all he could do was nod. He swallowed and added, "See you tonight."

Joey smiled. "Love you," she said before she and the kitten made their way out the door. Thankfully, the journey to Kelly and Quinn's place wasn't a long one, and Joey found herself pressing the chime. If she could get away with hiding the little guy, she probably would, but even that wouldn't last forever. This was for the best, and there was no doubt he'd be well taken care of.

"Come on in!" a female voice called out from the other side.

When granted entry, Joey and Gizmo moved inside only to stop short when she saw the position Kelly was in.

Kelly was wearing a one piece electric yellow spandex-like outfit, on all fours with her left leg stretched out straight behind her and her right arm held out from her body to the side. She looked up as Joey came in and held her position. "Hey, Lieutenant," she said with a smile. "Hope you don't mind me like this for a second. Actually, thirty more before I can release."

"Er... sure. No problem," the taller brunette said, giving Squirt her time to finish what she was doing. Joey took the chance to look around.

The small quarters were packed with various knick knacks, bric-a-brac and odds and ends. A small desk with a terminal hunkered in one corner while the bed dominated the middle of the room and a door leading to the head held the line in another corner. Two chairs and a small table occupied the last corner and a path seemed to meander through everything.

Finally, the young cadet lowered her arm and leg and came to her feet. "What can I do for you, Lieutenant?" she asked before she saw a puff of reddish fur nestled in the woman's arm. "Is that...is that a Tribble?" she asked and looked as if she were going to growl and prepare to enter combat.

"Sure, it can be a Tribble if you want it to be, Squirt," Joey said, shifting the kitten around a bit so it could be seen a bit better. "If you want to overlook the fact that it has legs, purrs, meows, and will knock your things over... all in the name of being a cat."

"batlh Hutlh yIHme," Kelly growled in Klingon, the universal translator interpreting it as 'Tribbles have no honor' before she stopped. "A cat. A kitten! It's an itty bitty kitty! The universal assho...adorkable ninjas that try to kill you while you're walking!"

"Yes, that's what it is," the taller woman agreed. "I don't suppose you and Quinn want to give him a home, do you?"

"A home?" the short brunette cocked her head, then looked around frantically before she leapt over a box and pounced on her combadge that was near the bed. =^=Khan to Mackie. Canwehaveakittenthatneedsahome?=^= she asked before she looked at the combadge as if it were at fault for Quinn not replying just as fast.

Quinn, who was lying prone in a Jefferies Tube performing maintenance on an ODN junction when the call came in. The loud shrill was not only unexpected, the fact that it quickly reverberated in the small access area made it almost unbearable to hear. He was forced to close his eyes and cover his ears until he could regain control after the sensory overload. Quinn took a moment to breathe before tapping his badge. "Mackie here. What's that, Kel?"

Kelly took a breath while looking at the little ball of fur in Joey's arms. =^=Lieutenant Corwin brought a homeless kitten here and wants to know if we want it,=^= she responded but kept the words spaced apart this time.

Quinn had braced himself for another shrill round, and thankfully it wasn't nearly as bad as the first. He knew little of kittens, but he was not opposed to sharing their modest quarters with a smaller lifeform. "I guess so," Quinn replied.

The Ensign's face lit up and she squealed before she tapped the combadge again =^=Thank you, Tiger. I'll see you tonight. Love you!=^=

She looked at Joey "He said yes! He said yes!" before her eyes focused on something else by the side of the bed and she scooped up a small flat box and opened it to reveal colorful chocolates. "Want one?" she asked as she held the box out.

Joey shook her head as tears began to form in her eyes. She snuggled Gizmo to her and pressed a kiss to the top of his little head. "I've been calling him Gizmo, but since he's yours now, you and Quinn can name him anything you want to," she said, mentally cursing her hormones when she started to choke up a bit. "I know he'll be in good hands with you both, which is why you're the first ones that I thought of." Despite the kitten having a home now, she didn't seem to want to give him up just yet.

"Are you sure?" Kelly asked as she set the box down and saw Joey's face and heard her voice. "Hey," she said softly. "He'll still be on the ship and you can come see him whenever you want as long as I'm not sleeping or on duty. I like the name, too. It fits that me and Quinn have Engineering backgrounds and I want you to know that my door is always open to a fellow pet lover."

"Maybe, I'll take one with me," the taller woman said softly.

The energetic Flight officer smiled and offered her the box again. "These things are amazing," she said with awe in her voice. "It's the nectar of the cacao bean rendered into a delicious treat guaranteed to illuminate the way you think about chocolate."

Joey's enthusiasm was seriously lacking as she choose one of the chocolates and passed the kitten over with the other hand. Maybe she should have had Harvey do it, then she wouldn't feel like she did. "Yeah, thanks," she said with a half-hearted attempt at a smile. On that note, she turned and made her way to the door for fear that she would break down and cry.

Kelly took the kitten and held it to her chest before she saw the other woman turning away. "Hey," she said to her. "Seriously. You can come by and see him at any time. Besides, you were nice to me after I ran into you and everything else. I need a role model and Gizmo needs all the friends he can get. You wouldn't want him to think you were abandoning him, would you?"

"He needs time to bond with you and Quinn. I'll come by soon," she said, turning back to look at the two of them. "I know you'll take good care of him, Squirt." With that, Joey walked out of Kelly's quarters, and the normal pep she had in her step was lacking. It was time to get back to Intel, and the chocolate-y goodness she held in her hand was going to be given to one Tellarite Intel Analyst since she just wasn't feeling it.

After Joey left, Kelly looked at the kitten. "We need to get you a food and water bowl," she said as she headed to the replicator and set the kitten on her bed. She replicated both items and filled it with food and a kitten formula mix of soft food before she set it down. "Gizmo," she said as she tried the name on the furry little kitten. "We're going to have some fun adventures together. Wait until your Daddy gets home and sees you. He's going to love you, too!"

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