Relaxing, Caitian Style

Posted on Thu May 6th, 2010 @ 5:01am by Commander Dhindara Vrel

910 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: On Typhon Station
Location: Holodeck 23
Timeline: current

[Holodeck 23]

M'Eow hadn't had time to enjoy a good hunt in a while, and she was rather disappointed that the only game available was holographic in nature. She was now in a simulated tropical jungle. With her shorter than normal fur, designed so she could more easily fit into the standard uniform that was designed for humanoids rather than Caitians and was uncomfortable enough as it was, tropical temperatures were perfect for her.

On all fours she moved through the underbrush. There were but a few trees she could climb, given her size and weight. As a kitten she had loved to climb trees and jump from one to another, chasing squirrels (or at least that were similar to squirrels in size and agility).

The holodeck had come a long way since it was first introduced on Starfleet vessels. In the beginning holodecks hadn't been any fun at all, at least not for M'Eow. Programmers and engineers, predominantly Terran, had failed to see the need to make the holodeck experience enjoyable for other species by adding sensations Terrans were unable to perceive, both in light and sound as well as in smell and electric fields, but that were essential to give the full virtual reality experience to other species. For telepaths the holodeck still was a bit strange.

But now M'Eow was able to follow her holographic prey solely by smell. To members of most other species the smell was either irritating or it didn't register with them at all, on the Caitian it had a very different effect. She started to get hungry. The deer smelled delicious. Whoever had created this programme had even thought about the smell of fear, it grew stronger in the trail M'Eow was following. She had to speed up not to lose the animal.

Of course, the actual catch wasn't nearly as satisfying in the holodeck as it was in the real world, the taste was still no better than that of replicated food (which wasn't bad as such, just always the same for the same dish). M'Eow was hunting for fun and for the exercise, primarily.

She didn't get a lot of exercise outside the holodeck. She couldn't spar with the other Marines, not twenty of them could be able to stand up to a big cat without weapons.

Twelve years ago some had tried, they figured M'Eow was too arrogant and wanted to show her that her claim was only good because it had gone untested for so long, much like the reputation of the Zakdorn to be strategic geniuses.

A complicated setup had been necessary, two holodecks had been connected with each other, M'Eow had been fighting the holographic Terrans, who had somehow managed to rope two Vulcans into joining the group, and the group of Terrans and Vulcans had fought the holographic Caitian.

This way they had been able to make sure nobody got seriously hurt. The safeties had been kept on a moderately high setting and the computer had taken players with simulated fatalities out of the game. As some cuts and bruises could still occur at that setting, however, sickbay had filled up quickly that day. Even M'Eow had come to sickbay, if only to gloat.

Now M'Eow was sprinting at full speed, closing the distance between her and the simulated prey. ~The game is up~, she thought as her left front paw latched onto the hind leg of the animal, causing it to fall down. As it struggled to get back to its feet M'Eow came down on top of it.

Then came the moment of satisfaction for the Caitian woman, she sank her teeth into the animal's throat, tasting the fresh, warm blood. M'Eow loved the taste of blood just as Betazoids loved chocolate, and even though it was holographic it wasn't actually that bad.

Most hypothetical spectators would now turn away from the bloody scene, in fact even most fellow Marines found M'Eow's taste for blood somewhat disturbing, or at least disconcerting. Of course, M'Eow liked it that way. The intimidation factor had helped her a lot while on Cardassia, Cardassians typically responded to authority as long as it was strong and often harsh and uncompromising.

During her time as military governor, after the end of the Dominion war, M'Eow had been just that. But she had also been feared and despised, which had led to three separate attempts by Cardassian civilians to assassinate her.

This had been the main reason for Starfleet to eventually replace her with another officer, Terran and more politically expedient. Not that M'Eow had asked for a transfer off, she had caught the would-be assassins and their blades (as other weapons could have been detected by scanners) and had sunk her claws and teeth into them. M'Eow loved a challenge, after all, and didn't mind having an enemy to fight, at least it spiced up the otherwise boring garrison duty.

Still, M'Eow liked the taste of deer a lot better than the taste of Cardassian. Walking home after her meal she licked her paws (as the holodeck had been programmed to actually replicate a kill for her, causing the blood to not just disappear when leaving the holodeck).

A Captain of her detachment looked at her. "What did you do?" he wondered.

M'Eow smirked (as far as a cat could smirk) and replied, "The game lost to me."

=/\\= End of Transmission =/\\=

Lieutenant Colonel M'Eow Purr [NPC]
Marine Detachment Deputy Commander

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