The Final Frontier 8/Final Frontier 8 (Disk 2 of 4).adf/LCARS/TextFile/STAG/Feline_Encounter.pp/Feline_Encounter

Text File | 1994-09-04 | 34KB | 619 lines

TF01
3,Feline Encounter
4,by Simone Mason

                          Feline Encounter
                         ------------------
                           by Simone Mason
                          -----------------

"Feline Encounter" was first published  in  "Captain's Log 13", first
published in  1980.  The  story  was  subsequently  re-printed  in an
American zine, "Trek Continuum" later the same year.

                          - - - - - - - - -

  The planet was beautiful, so  beautiful  it had been named Nirvana.
Not a single town, not a single village marred the green countryside.
Forests and  rivers  alternated  with  large  meadows  and  luxurious
vegetation. The air was pure  and  bracing,  the climate mild. Fleecy
white clouds raced  across  the  sky  without  being  large enough to
distract from the deep blue of  its colour. Animals were numerous and
primitive tribes of no fixed  abode  roamed the planet. Although more
or less humanoid in shape and size,  the `natives' of the tribes were
very alien and they were still in  a  barbaric stage, so much so that
observers had been puzzled about them.

                                * * *

  The Captain and senior officers  of  the Enterprise had listened to
the First Officer relating what  was  known  about Nirvana, Spock now
turned to McCoy. "You are better qualified to continue, Doctor."
  "Thank you, Mr. Spock. This  planet  has  a  wealth of an extremely
rare plant called Lakla, which  is  unique  in its properties. It can
cure no less than five dangerous diseases  with a speed no other drug
can achieve. In the  case  of  two,  there's  no  other cure known to
date."
  "We're to beam down and see if  that plant can be harvested without
upsetting the ecology," continued the Captain. "Some sort of  contact
should be established with the primitives so that they don't fear us.
A minimum of interference should occur  if the plant can be processed
elsewhere."
  "No problem about that, Jim,"  assured  McCoy.  "The Lakla plant is
hardy and will keep it's properties  for  a  period of between one to
two months."
  "Good. Spock and I  will  tackle  the  primitives while you, Bones,
with a team of specialists, will see to the plant and all the studies
and test involved."

                                * * *

  McCoy and his team encountered no  problems. Specimens of the Lakla
plant could be found in abundance.  The Captain and his First Officer
were not so lucky with  the  natives.  They were completely unable to
contact a single humanoid, no  matter  how many tracks they followed,
all of which had obviously  been  well  used. The tricorder showed no
humanoid nearby.
  "Intelligent life was detected here,  wasn't  it, Spock?" queried a
baffled Kirk.
  "Yes, Captain. Fear could have driven them away."
  "Let's see if Bones and his team met anyone."
  They found the group hard at work and no one had bothered them, but
they were uneasy.
  "We keep getting the impression  of  being watched, Jim," explained
McCoy, "Yet whenever we tried to see  who  or what it was, all we saw
was an animal running away,  a  small  furry  beast  no larger than a
cat."
  "There are larger species  of  animals,  Doctor,"  said  one of the
guards on watch, "I caught a glimpse of an orange tiger-like specimen
and of a bright yellow beast, similar to a lion."
  "The animals might  have  frightened  the  natives  away if they're
carnivorous," reflected Kirk aloud, "Or  they could have migrated for
some unknown reason."
  "Captain," called the guard, "We're  being  stalked by some sort of
tiger."
  "Phasers on stun," ordered Kirk, "And don't go too near. If they're
like tigers on Earth..."
  They could see the animal peering through a large bush. The nearest
scientist was directing his tricorder towards the beast. It must have
frightened it because the tiger-like  animal  sprang towards the man,
in a sudden attack made with  lightening speed, and the tricorder was
smashed.
  Absolute confusion seemed to reign.Someone  fired and missed, Spock
shouted: "No, don't!" and  threw  himself  in  front  of the beast as
someone else fired. The Vulcan  fell  and  the shock brought silence.
The tiger, instead of taking  the  opportunity  to  flee, sat down in
front of the First Officer and  stared  fixedly at the Humans through
cat-like eyes, beautifully slanted and  golden,  in an attitude which
indicated defiance.
  McCoy was trying to get  nearer  with  his  scanner  but a long paw
reached out and  knocked  it  out  of  his  hand,  making him retreat
hastily.
  "Why doesn't it go away,  Bones?"  asked  Kirk, baffled as everyone
was. "Did anyone get readings on that beast?"
  "There was no time, Captain,"  said one scientist, "Our instruments
were set for plants."
  "I did get a few," said  the  man whose tricorder had been smashed,
"Very odd they were too, changing all the time, most peculiar."
  "We must get to Spock, he's hurt," said Kirk worriedly.
  "Only stunned, Jim," corrected McCoy. "Why did he interfere?"
  "Only his tricorder could tell us,  Bones...  Oh no! We've got more
company!"
  Several other animals were  arriving.  Some  were  orange and tiger
like, others bright yellow, rather similar  to lions, to which number
were added several small specimens  like marmalade cats. Kirk ordered
not to fire, afraid the beasts might harm Spock if attacked. Besides,
the First Officer was too near.
  A particularly large tiger approached the fallen Vulcan and sniffed
at him gently. Then with startling rapidity, a sharp claw appeared at
the end of his paw and  it  drew  across Spock's arm, then licked the
green blood oozing out.
  Kirk and McCoy watched with  fear.  The  same  thought was in their
minds: the beast was carnivorous and getting ready to enjoy it's next
meal!
  The animals had sat down  in  front  of  Spock  and the row of eyes
literally glowing at them like  golden  flames had an hypnotic effect
which paralysed them. They could only stare into those dazzling eyes.
  "Spock will come to soon,  Jim,"  murmured  McCoy, "Then we can act
with his help."
  "Let's hope so, Bones, those beasts are weird!"
  The tiger had not  made  any  further  move  against the Vulcan, to
their relief. The First Officer moved, starting to come round.
  With incredible agility, several animals  threw themselves at Spock
and carried him off at a fantastic speed, followed by the rest.
  Able to act at last, Kirk contacted  the ship. "Beam us up, Scotty.
Have Spock located so that we can beam back to him immediately."
  Once aboard, the Captain called  the  bridge. "Have you located Mr.
Spock, Mr. Chekov?"
  "Sir," replied a strained  voice,  "There  are  no life readings on
that planet."
  Kirk felt himself pale and  swallowed  while McCoy shouted into the
intercom: "Learn your job! Spock is  down  there, so how can there be
no life readings? What about the natives?"
  "I'm sorry, Doctor, but sensors show a planet devoid of intelligent
life!"
  "Keep trying,  Mr.  Chekov,"  ordered  Kirk,  "Check  for  possible
malfunctions. Should you locate Spock, let us know."
  Scotty was clearly concerned  when  he  heard  the tale from McCoy.
"Have those beasties killed him?" he asked hesitantly.
  "We don't know, Scotty.  Get  a  tricorder,  you'll  beam down with
Bones and I and two Security men to try and find Spock."
  "Jim, he may be..." whispered McCoy fearfully.
  "Dead? No, Bones, Spock was coming to and a Vulcan would be a match
for a bunch of animals, at least for quite a while. We'll find him if
we've to search every part of  that planet some misguided soul called
`Nirvana'!"
  After having ordered a full check  of all equipment aboard the ship
Kirk and his companions beamed  down.  They  found the field of Lakla
plants as they had  left  it  and  started  tracking the animals. The
trail went on for a while, then suddenly stopped.
  "They didn't have wings,  so  they  must  be somewhere! Scotty, any
readings?"
  "That tricorder is haywire, Captain, the readings keep changing!"
  It  was  becoming  obvious  that  something  was  interfering  with
sensors, or someone. If so, who?
  "Jim, the natives might help," offered McCoy. "They should know the
animal's lairs."
  "Providing we can meet any."
  "I'm picking up readings of  humanoid  life now, Captain," reported
Scotty.
  "Lead the way, Scotty, let's hurry."
  They followed the Chief Engineer,  the Security guards with phasers
in hand on Kirk's orders. They had  not gone far when creepers from a
large tree fell on them,  knocking  phasers  out of the guards hands.
The things fitted so tightly that  no  one  was able to move to reach
communicators or the Officers phasers.
  "A trap by the natives?" queried Scotty, trying vainly to reach his
tricorder.
  "Perhaps, but that tree  might  be  a  natural  death  trap and the
natives could appear to see what has been caught," said McCoy.
  "I hope so, about time we met those natives!" said Kirk.
  The Captain was not sure his wish  had been wise when the `natives'
appeared. They inspired no reassurance  whatsoever as they leapt from
trees and carried the prisoners  roughly,  taking  no notice of their
attempt at communicating. Long-haired apes  was as good a description
as any and their  strength  was  evident;  the  captives were carried
without effort.
  After a very rough but  fortunately  short journey, they arrived at
the humanoids camp, if it  could  be  called  that. Groups of natives
just squatted on the grass with  vacant  stares which came to life at
the sight  of  the  prisoners.  Kirk  and  McCoy  did  not  like  the
anticipation and excitement they sensed. Throwing them on the ground,
the primitives saw the blood where the creepers had buried themselves
into the flesh and licked it with relish.
  The prisoners fought desperately  against  their  bonds and gave up
when it made the creepers  tighter.  The  natives did not go further,
they left them to participate in a wild frenzy of knocking each other
down.
  "Are they supposed to  be  the  `intelligent' life, Captain?" asked
Scotty.
  "Not very hopeful!" agreed Kirk.
  "If my prognosis is correct, Jim,"  said  McCoy in a whisper not to
alarm the Security guards, "We'll finish up in a stewpot."
  "There are no fires or pots anywhere!"
  "True, but you know what I mean..."
  "It makes it worse,  don't  rub  it  in.  What  I can't understand,
Bones, is why this planet was  said  to have intelligent life. Where?
Those natives are animals!"
  "And the animals also like  blood,  as  we  saw  with Spock! What a
place! I do hope he's alright." sighed McCoy.
  Kirk nodded, his mind working overtime trying  to think of a way to
escape. He could  see  none,  the  creepers  were  so  tight that the
slightest movement hurt like hell. The Captain tried just the same to
loosen them. The thought of Spock  facing  a group of tigers, perhaps
hungry ones, made him clench his teeth  and bear the pain until McCoy
noticed.
  "Stop, Jim, all you're doing  is  embedding  the creepers into your
flesh!"
  "Spock needs us, Bones, we've got to escape."
  He stopped nevertheless and was not even able to relax. Those awful
creepers  were  like  rubber  and  pressed  them  tighter  with  each
movement. He turned his head  away  so  that  McCoy would not see him
bite his lips against the pain, and  met  the golden stare of a small
marmalade cat with a  start.  The  beast  disappeared immediately and
Kirk sighed. One way or  the  other,  they  would finish as food! Did
that mean that Spock had already...
  "No!" he  moaned  aloud,  unable  to  contain  his  anguish  at the
thought.
  "What's wrong, Jim?"
  "I don't know, but I saw  a  pussy  cat," replied Kirk with a small
attempt at levity.
  "If they fight the natives to steal us, we might get a chance..."
  "Sh... I have a feeling we're being watched."
  "Then it means the pussy cats  are  here.  That's how we felt while
studying the Lakla plant."
  He stopped talking when a weird cry sounded across the clearing. It
had a powerful effect on the natives. They stopped their fighting and
shouting as though  by  magic.  Rooted  to  the  spot,  they listened
intently and when the cry was repeated,  they took to their heels and
fled, not bothering about the prisoners.
  "I never heard a cat make a noise like that!" exclaimed Kirk.
  "Just as well, it was awful,"  said  McCoy. "It looks as though the
pussy cats aren't nice to  meet  around  here,  which isn't lucky for
us."
  "Will you stop talking about  pussy  cats?" snapped Scotty. "What I
saw through those leaves was a great  big  lion. I bet he has friends
anxious to pick up the easy meal we'll provide, nicely trussed."
  His companions did not reply, not  finding the prospect pleasant to
discuss.
  The big cats soon appeared,  escorted  by several others of various
sizes, as  well  as  Spock.  The  sight  of  the  Vulcan  cheered the
prisoners and Kirk and McCoy  did  not  hide  their relief and joy at
seeing him unharmed.
  The First Officer  stopped  in  front  of  them,  behind  a  row of
animals. Ignoring McCoy's impatient  request  to  cut the creepers he
picked up a communicator and called  the  ship, asking for Scotty and
the guards to be beamed up, and for a medical kit to be beamed down.
  "I won't go without the Captain!" protested the Chief Engineer, but
he complied when Kirk ordered him  to  obey. At Spock's sign the cats
had carried the Captain and the Doctor some distance away.
  The First Officer now came to  them  and cut the creepers. "Are you
alright, Captain?" he asked with a  trace  of concern in his voice as
he gently removed the creepers from his wounds.
  "Yes, what was all that about? Are we free from those cats?"
  "Doctor McCoy's services are required." replied Spock.
  "Not now," protested Kirk, "Let's get away before those beasts..."
  "I didn't mean that the  Doctor's  services  were required for you,
Captain," interrupted the  First  Officer,  helping  them  to get up.
"Please follow me and hurry, we may be too late."
  "We seem to have no choice," grumbled McCoy, eyeing the surrounding
cats with concern, they kept too close for his comfort!
  "Do as he says,  Bones,"  said  Kirk,  following  his First Officer
without arguing or asking questions.
  The Doctor nearly asked  who  was  the  Captain,  then shrugged and
followed. He trusted Spock too, so what was he worried about?
  Both officers were wondering who or what was hurt - a humanoid?
  The Vulcan led them to  the  edge  of  the  forest and bent down to
stroke the head of a  marmalade  cat-like  animal whose side had been
deeply lacerated by a long thorn  still  embedded into it's side. The
body of a humanoid was also lying nearby.
  "I did not remove the thorn, Doctor, it could have provoked a heavy
loss of blood."
  "What about the native?" asked Kirk.
  "What native? Oh, the savage.  I  put  him  out of action before he
could kill the cat..."
  "You killed him!" exclaimed McCoy.
  "Therefore ignore it and help the cat. Please, Doctor, hurry."
  "I'm not a vet!" protested  McCoy, half-heartedly, kneeling down by
the beast.
  "I'm sure you can help," said Kirk.  "Those cats put the natives to
flight, so we owe them something."
  McCoy had to admit the truth of that and concentrated on his job.
  "I'm not sure how to deal  with  an alien life form without tests,"
muttered the Doctor, half to himself.
  Spock was kneeling by the  cat  and  was stroking it's head gently,
with a concentration which indicated  a  possible mental contact. The
rest of the animals made  a  ring  around  the scene and their golden
eyes stared  fixedly  at  the  group.  Their  nearness  and  apparent
determination  made  Kirk  and  McCoy  uneasy.  Somehow  they  sensed
hostility, yet they were trying  to  help.  The Captain was coming to
the obvious conclusion, and heard Spock say it.
  "You are dealing with a  specimen  of intelligent life, Doctor. The
`cats' are the  inhabitants  of  this  planet.  Their  minds are well
developed and powerful, if used in  a  common act, which explains how
they can affect sensors."
  "Then the  animals  are  intelligent  and  the  humanoids animals,"
concluded Kirk.
  "Yes, Captain, a reverse of the norm. How are you doing, Doctor?"
  "Not very well I'm afraid. That thorn was poisonous, so its removal
is not enough. I've tried an antidote, nothing else I can do, for the
moment. Maybe the other cats could do something."
  To his surprise, the  Doctor  saw  no  cats  at  all,  they had all
vanished in complete silence. Kirk  looked  around  and none could be
seen hiding anywhere. The First Officer forstalled questions.
  "As you have done what you  could,  Doctor,  may I suggest that you
beam back aboard, and you too Captain."
  "What about you?"
  "I shall take the  cat  back  to  it's  people,  then will join you
later."
  Kirk was not buying it. "The truth,  Spock. There's more to it than
that."
  "Captain, I wish you  did  not  have  that  faculty you call `Human
Intuition'."
  "Intuition has nothing to do with it.  We know each other too well,
Spock."
  "It would serve no purpose if you knew more, Captain."
  "Let me be the judge  of  that."  The  Vulcan remained silent. Kirk
muttered something about "stubborn Vulcan" between his teeth and said
aloud: "I'll make it an order if you don't tell me, Spock."
  "I must return to  the  cats  as  hostage,  Captain  -  in case the
patient dies," said Spock with obvious reluctance.
  "If he dies you'll be killed, is that it?"
  "I gave my word, Captain, I must go back."
  "Of all the stupid...!" exclaimed  McCoy.  "Why  did  you do such a
crazy thing?"
  "To free us," said Kirk, "Isn't  that  so, Spock? Your life for our
freedom?"
  "My life was  already  forfeited,  Captain,  I  was their prisoner.
Therefore to buy your lives with mine was logical."
  The Vulcan went to the wounded cat and picked him up gently.
  "Jim, you're not letting him  go  through  with it, are you?" asked
McCoy in a whisper, "We can all beam up now."
  "No we can't,  unless  we  want  to  give  up  all possibilities of
getting the Lakla plant."
  "That's not worth Spock's life!"
  "You, a Doctor, should know that plant can save many lives."
  Spock came back to them carrying  the  cat with great care. "Do not
try to locate me, Captain, sensors are inoperative as you know."
  "I'll know where you are, I'll be with you. You beam up, Bones."
  "Captain, there's no need for you to stay," protested Spock.
  "I'm supposed to contact the natives about the plant. No arguments,
Spock."
  "You're both wrong," said  McCoy,  "That  cat  is  my patient and a
Doctor stays with a patient. I'm  also  the  one who knows more about
the Lakla plant. You go back to the  ship, both of you, let me handle
this."
  "All right, Bones, you come with us," agreed Kirk. "Spock, hand the
cat over."
  "No, Captain, I must go."
  "I'm giving you an order, Mr. Spock."
  "I must disobey, Sir," replied Spock formally. "If I don't go back,
I will die of poisoning. When  one  of  the  cats scratched me, I was
affected by the liquid his claw injects and need assistance. The cats
can provide it."
  McCoy had not remained  inactive.  Ripping  Spock's  sleeve off, he
stared at the nasty wound and reached for his kit.
  "No, Doctor. An exchange was made,  the  cat drank some of my blood
and I received the liquid from  his claw. It makes telepathic contact
between me and the cats easy without strain."
  "Keep and eye on him  Bones,  and  let's  go," said Kirk. "Lead the
way,  Spock."  They  followed  the   First  Officer  and  Kirk  asked
worriedly: "You spoke of strain, Spock. Are the cats higher telepaths
than Vulcans?"
  "Yes and no, Captain. They are  of a similar strength individually,
but they have the ability  to  connect  their  minds  in order to act
together as one, when threatened for instance."
  "In that case why did you have to kill the savage?" asked McCoy.
  "To establish such a linkage takes  time, no matter how short. This
cat had no time."
  Spock went on to explain what had happened to him after his capture
by the cats. He had come  to,  in  an underground cave, the ledges of
which were filled with cats of  all shapes and sizes. The predominant
colour was variations of orange to yellow to brown.
  "My mind was probed. The cats  feared  us, we resembled the savages
which are killers. Satisfactory contact was difficult, the many minds
overpowering for mine and creating a haze."
  "Why not have only one cat contact you?" asked Kirk.
  "It is not the norm  for  one  to  expose himself alone to possible
danger. Through the link with  the  cat  who  scratched me, there was
some contact however, which is how  I learnt of your predicament. The
cats were curious  and  wanted  to  observe  your  behaviour with the
savages. I was allowed  to  accompany  them.  About half-way there, I
sensed the small cat's danger before  they did, because my telepathic
ability is more  efficient  on  an  individual  basis.  I  killed the
savage, but the cat was  hurt.  I  told  them  of McCoy, how he could
help. They did not  trust  me,  and  had  no intention of interfering
between you and the savages.  I  begged  them to, offering a possible
cure for the cat in exchange, and making my promise to return to them
as hostage to prove our good faith. My life was in their hands in any
case."
  "It looks as though the cats disappeared  to see if you'd keep your
promise," remarked Kirk thoughtfully.
  "A possibility, Captain. It is not far now."
  McCoy had a look at the  cat,  who  looked  much better and gave it
another injection, after which they  followed  Spock down a slope and
through an entrance cleverly  hidden  by  large  bushes. At the First
Officer's request, they left  communicators  and phasers outside. The
Doctor was not happy about  Spock,  the  Vulcan looked very tired and
ill. Kirk had noticed it too and  kept  a  sharp eye on him, ready to
help.
  They arrive at the underground  cave without incident. The visitors
stood in the centre  and  felt  rather  uncomfortable under the fixed
stares of so many yellow  eye  glowing  at  them. Spock deposited the
small cat on a large rock where it sat up and gave a yell which meant
it was hungry. From the  way  it  tucked  into food it was recovering
fast! The visitors watched, fascinated.  Standing  on it's hind legs,
the cat ate  with  the  help  of  protracted  claws,  using them like
fingers. In spite of it's hunger,  the small `animal' did not gobble,
but ate delicately and properly, although quite quickly. It had table
manners.
  Kirk smiled at McCoy's sigh  of  relief.  "You're  a good vet, too,
Bones!"
  "I can hear the comments aboard," moaned the Doctor.
  The Captain grinned and turned to Spock. The Vulcan was swaying and
he made him sit on a stone. "How do I talk to those cats?" he asked.
  "Through me would be  best,  Captain,  but  I  cannot assist at the
moment."
  McCoy was not one to let  Spock  suffer.  He opened his medical kit
but had no time to act. His  ex-patient,  the small cat, ran to Spock
and started licking his paw, then the  Vulcan's arm in turn. Not very
happy at the sight  of  such  unorthodox medicine, McCoy nevertheless
refrained from interfering at  Spock's  request.  The process went on
for a few minutes, after which the Doctor saw that the wound appeared
to be much better. There were no objections when he put a dressing on
it.
  The Vulcan no longer  looked  ill  and  told  Kirk  he could act as
intermediary between the cats and him.
  "Through a meld?" asked Kirk.
  "No, Captain. You and the Doctor  will simply heat the cats' voices
in your mind. My own mind will act  as  a channel so that you are not
hurt."
  "Go ahead, Spock, but stop if it becomes a strain on you."
  Although expecting it, Kirk and McCoy  were startled by the clarity
of the voices in their minds.
  "Who are you and what do you want?"
  A very large lion-like beast was standing in front of them with the
usual fixed stare. Kirk replied aloud,  it  was  easier for him to do
so. He introduced his companions  by  name and added: "We're visitors
to your world and we come in peace. My first concern at the moment is
my First Officer, Commander  Spock.  May  I  have your assurance that
he's in no danger and will recover."
  "Spock? Is he the one with the beautiful ears?"
  "That's right," agreed Kirk,  nearly  laughing at McCoy's disgusted
thought that even cats like pointed ears!
  "He's in no danger and we never  meant  to harm him. The effect the
liquid from our claw had was  not  meant, such a thing never happened
before."
  "I'm relieved to hear it. We mean you no harm either. All my people
want is the Lakla plant if you will allow us to gather it and take it
away for medicinal purposes."
  "To cure the sick?"
  "Yes, that's correct."
  "We would not dream of refusing  help  for  the sick. We owe you an
apology, Captain Kirk. Your resemblance  to  the savages made us fear
you as enemies. We had  to  find  out  if  you  were, which is why we
captured Commander Spock. We regret the involuntary hurt we caused."
  "All this is all very well but  you  had him as hostage, to kill if
the hurt cat had died."
  "Kill? None of us can kill, Captain. Not even a savage."
  "Why not? You're strong and your mind power is remarkable."
  "Yet we're weak too. The deathcry of  any creature is so painful to
us that damage to our  mind  is  possible  as  a  result if one of us
kills."
  "The savages are afraid of you!"
  "Yes, because a large group of  us  can project such fear that they
run away. The savages usually hunt in  large  packs, and one or a few
of us are no match  for  them,  we  die.  Because the savages have no
predators, they're becoming numerous and  we've  to live in caves and
go out in larger and larger groups for safety."
  "Why was the cat alone when Spock killed the savage?"
  "Carelessness. He had strayed from the  group. The savage smelt him
and came running, not attracting  attention  from the others in order
to have the prey to itself."
  "Captain," said Spock,  "I  have  formulated  the  theory  that the
savages did not  originate  on  this  planet.  They  could  have been
brought here by accident, or as a pest to get rid of."
  "And whoever brought them was  unaware  the world was inhabited, or
simply did not care." finished Kirk. "If that's the case, we might be
able to transport them to a  planet  devoid of intelligent life where
they would do no harm."
  "It'd be a very expensive  operation  for Starfleet, Jim," remarked
McCoy.
  "True, in which case I advise the cats to ask for it as a condition
of letting us have the Lakla plant."
  "If Starfleet hears of what you  have  just said, Jim, you'll be in
trouble!" warned McCoy.
  "Who would tell them?" laughed Kirk.
  The cats had been having  a  quick consultation, the visitors heard
nothing of. Kirk's advice was accepted  as sound, and the possibility
that they might be free of the savages made the cats so grateful that
the Captain nearly disappeared under a mass of yellow fur.
  "Spock, Bones, take them off me!" he begged.
  "They like you, Jim," beamed McCoy.
  "Furry beings have an indisputable  liking for the Captain," agreed
Spock.
  Kirk glared at his two friends who  took pity on his predicament at
last and extricated him from the cat's gratitude.

                                * * *

  It did not take long for  the  science department to verify Spock's
theory. The savages could not have  originated  on this world. Rid of
them, the planet would be worthy of it's name `Nirvana', and it might
also become a worthy addition to the Federation, should the cats wish
it.
  From then on, cats and humans  became  inseparable. The cats had to
be studied and they  collaborated  with  enthusiasm, while the humans
had the feeling they were also studied! Scientists on the planet were
always observed or followed by cats,  their  golden eyes fixed in the
usual stare. It took Vulcan  stamina  to  remain unaffected, but Kirk
surprised his First Officer stroking  cats  when  no one was looking!
Besides, Spock went about with the cat  he had saved curled up on his
shoulders as  though  he  owned  them.  Scientists  worked  under the
scrutiny of cats' eyes glowing  at  them.  Their curiosity amazed the
humans.

                                * * *

  Although the cat population was  composed of different races, among
them the lion and tiger-like ones  as  well as the marmalade cats and
many others, all vegetarians,  their  society  was well organised and
very peaceful, with each race well  integrated  as part of the whole.
That was  why,  when  scientists  discovered  how  much  space  and a
Starship fascinated the cats, Kirk gave permission for groups of them
to come aboard. The  crew  was  delighted  by  the newcomers, but the
Captain came to wonder if he had  done the right thing. Cats followed
him everywhere, slept on his bed,  shared  his  food and last but not
least sat in his command  chair  and  surveyed  the bridge as if they
owned it. One small marmalade  cat  had  selected  the back of Kirk's
chair as his place  and  stretched  there  in comfort, looking around
with great curiosity and  interest  and condescendingly accepting the
stroking from passers-by, as though it  was his due. If things became
too dull, the small cat would pat Kirk's head and play with his hair.
Worse, he took to pulling his ears, in order to make them pointed and
beautiful - like Spock's. The Captain's protests that he did not want
pointed ears were ignored, that humans had  no taste! It did not help
when the crew started  looking  at  Kirk's  ears  to  see if they had
grown.
  One thing  about  the  cats  required  some  getting  used  to: the
purring. It was not so bad  when  one or several small marmalade cats
purred in contentment, but it  was  another matter when several tiger
or lion-like aliens did the same at  once. The first time it happened
in engineering, Scotty thought his engines had gone haywire and raced
around frantically to find the fault.
  All the various incidents reminded Kirk  of the Tribbles and he was
grateful the cats did not  multiply  aboard,  at  least not at first.
After a while, when  complete  trust  had  been  established with the
humans, McCoy had to get used to finding beds in his sickbay taken up
with a mother  cat  having  cubs  or  kittens.  It  was the perfectly
logical place to have them, Spock  pointed  out, and proved the cats'
intelligence. McCoy, although taking great  care of his patients, and
secretly enjoying the whole thing, grumbled  that he might as well be
known  as  Starfleet's  Chief  Vet.  Kirk  however  did  not  want  a
repetition of  the  Tribbles  multiplication  problems,  so  a strict
rotation ensured that the same number of  cats was beamed down and up
at regular intervals.

                                * * *

  While the crew tended to treat the  cats as pets at first, the cats
soon  showed  themselves  as   highly   intelligent  and  interesting
companions. They learnt at a fantastic  speed  and never needed to be
shown something twice.
  "I can  see  the  day  when  we'll  have  Pussy  Cat  crew members,
Captain," smiled Scotty, quite enthusiastic. "Those beasties... I beg
their pardon, those aliens are smart and no mistake!"
  "They're fascinated by  his  engines,  that's  why  he likes them,"
replied  McCoy.  The  Doctor  himself  was  impressed  by  the  cats'
abilities to learn and adapt, although  they  had needed his help and
Spock's to  be  able  to  contact  and  talk  to  human  minds  on an
individual basis without hurt or injury to the humans.
  It was now common place to  see  humans  talking to cats, listen to
the answers in their  minds,  then  speak  aloud  as  though it was a
perfectly normal way of communicating.
  The cats were friendly, but they  had a streak of independence. The
dignity and elegant grace of their movements, to say nothing of their
high level of intelligence,  inspired  respect  and esteem. They were
now  treated  as  equals,  in   a   avery  normal  manner  free  from
condescension.

                                * * *

  Much as humans and cats  enjoyed  each other's company, the studies
and tests were now  finished  and  time  to  leave arrived. Spock and
Scotty had devised an alarm system for the caves and a detector to be
worn around a cat's neck  to  warn  of  the approach of savages. This
should ensure safety until the removal operation took place. Kirk was
pleased to receive Starfleet's agreement to  this. The removal of the
savages would take place as soon  as possible, under the direction of
the Enterprise, if no urgent  mission required her presence elsewhere
at the time. Although the separation  might be short, humans and cats
were sad at parting company. As  for a certain Vulcan, Kirk surprised
him in the briefing room having his cheek licked by a rough tongue.
  "Time to go," he said, not unkindly.  "We might be back in the near
future."
  Spock put the cat down and gave  it a last stroke before letting it
go. Kirk saw the sadness in the golden eyes as the alien left.
  "He was the one  you  saved,  wasn't  he,  Spock?" he asked gently,
putting a light but comforting hand on the Vulcan's shoulder.
  "Yes, Captain, a lonely one because his family had been killed."
  "I see. May I hope that  his departure, however regretted, will not
mean loneliness for my First Officer?"
  Spock's eyes smiled at him. "That would be illogical, Captain."
  "Glad to hear it," grinned  Kirk.  "Come,  let's  have a chess game
without cats' eye  on  us  and  without  eager  paws  trying  to move
pieces."

                                * * *

  As the Enterprise left  orbit,  the  Captain  seemed hardly able to
contain laughter.
  "What's the joke?" asked McCoy.
  Kirk was laughing so much by then that he could not reply, so Spock
did.
  "The cats have expressed the wish to join the Federation, Doctor."
  "What's so funny about that, Jim?" queried the Doctor, puzzled.
  "I'm looking forward to my next message to Starfleet, asking for an
Ambassador to discuss membership with Pussy Cats."