Settlement Dealings

Posted on Sun Jan 25th, 2026 @ 3:44pm by Petty Officer 2nd Class Hunter Kawolski

1,466 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: What was Lost is Found
Location: Thibarl family farm, Settlement

"Weaver would love it," Kawolski whispered as he stared down at the little black face split with a triangular white spike. It was busy chewing on his gloved finger, clawed paws using what turned out to be incredible strength for something so little to pull the finger closer to him. Fluffy fur framed the golden eyed face and white whiskers. "It's incredibly cute. I didn't realize how much I missed kittens."

"You can't take it," Brooks whispered. "There are protocols in place regarding exobiologicals."

"But it's not exobiological," Kawolski said, looking from Brooks to Thibarl. "They're kittens, right? Baby cats? Cats aren't exobiological. They're from Earth." He looked down at the small creature cradled against his chest as it released it's death chomp but still held tightly to the finger. Its back legs bunny kicked against his palm. Then it stopped and reached up toward his face.

"But it's coming from a planet without a formal survey. We don't know what kind of germs and virus it might be bringing aboard. It'll have to be quarantined. And we're lower decks, we'll never get the authorization to bring it back."

"We've got plenty," Thibarl said. "It's mama had six and we've only promised out four of them. This little girl ain't promised to nobody yet." He stood by, his body quivering eagerly. "Normally we barter them toe each other. We could barter here. You could have the kitten for say...a couple rifles and pistols?"

Kawolski sighed. Thibarl said that once before and Kawolski already shut it down. So he thought. "I told you, we can't be giving away weapons, we don't have that authority. If the captain and heavy metal decide it's okay, they'll make arrangements to send down armaments."

Thibarl turned to glance at his cousin. "But you could be the ones distributing, right?"

"Maybe, can't be sure," Brooks answered, his eyes narrowing. Since they'd met the cousins he had a bad feeling regarding their motivations. They were much too interested in weaponry. It seemed a very Romulan trait for a pair whose ancestry was so mixed it would take deep medical scans to figure out what percentage human and what percentage Romulan they were.

Kawolski removed his hand and moved the kitten designed to hand her back, reluctantly. He planned to see if he could find some pretty flowers to take back to her on the ship - a wildflower bouquet from an alien planet. It seemed like a romantic gesture. But to bring back this pretty, fluffy tuxedo kitten seemed like a much better gift. A little something for her to love and care for and would last much longer than flowers would. Despite the variety of flowers he saw around the settlement. Much of them cultivated.

"You wouldn't even get it past the transporter scans," Brooks whispered.

"We're taking the shuttle back," Kawolski answered. "I could hide her in my ruck until we got aboard. Then after duty, take her over to Weaver. No one would have to know."

"That's very Marine thinking," Brooks said, turning to face Kawolski and putting his bladed back to the cousins. "You're security now, you could get into serious trouble breaking exobiological protocols. Dishonorable discharge type trouble. And if it brought back something infectious or dangerous, you could be placed into a rehabilitation center. And Weaver too."

Kawolski tried to keep the kitten contained, but it grabbed his broad shoulder with her front paws and was trying to pull herself up onto it. Finally Kawolski let her. "What's the noise she's making? Is she ill? Injured?"

"Purring," Thibarl said. "It's a sign of happiness or contentment."

Kawolski was about to ask something else when its piercing scream sounded directly in his ear. Thibarl laughed. "She likes you."

"Yeah," Kawolski said. "But I can't agree to your deal."

He had no issue trying to sneak her aboard the ship and present her as a pre-marriage gift to Weaver. That wasn't even a consideration. But everything about his past and training told him he couldn't agree to secure weapons for those that had no authorization or training to use them. Especially on a strange settlement where two enemies were combined. The threat of the monster creatures probably would tip factors into the settlement's favor and they would probably get a batch of weapons from the ship. Security would most likely be tasked to train settlers on their care and use. But Kawolski couldn't promise that these two would be among those that got the weapons. He figured that would be the job of the local government.

He had to pull the kitten away from his shoulder. It howled another piercing scream as it flailed it's tiny legs to get a grip on him. "Sorry," he said, but it was more for himself and Weaver. It was also the first time he admitted, no matter how grudgingly, that by giving the kitten to Weaver, it would be partially his as well - owning to their betrothal.

"Wait," Thibarl said, looking to his cousin. "Maybe there's something else."

Kawolski frowned, but pulled the kitten back into the cradle of his arms. "Go on."

"You said anybody could join Starfleet, right?"

"Yeah, pretty much anybody. But it's really hard to get into the Academy," Brooks answered.

"But you guys did," Sibarl said, stepping foward to be level with his cousin.

"No," Kawolski answered. "We didn't go to the Academy. I could never pass the entrance tests. Colony worlds usually aren't equipped with the ability to gain the knowledge required."

"You came from a colony world?" Sibarl asked him.

"Yeah, not so different from this place. Our colony was planned and we brought along the technology we would need, but over the centuries we've come to depend less on the technology and returned back to the land as the Lord planned for us."

"But, you're in Starfleet, aren't you?" Thibarl asked, desperate hope in his voice. "You're a soldier, right?"

"We're Security," Brooks said, knowing that in the end, the distinction was razor thin. "But we enlisted. We didn't have to go to the Academy because we're not officers."

"Is there a difference?"

Kawolski gave a joyful little snort. "Yeah, we do all the work and get none of the privileges," he said, once again staring at the goldne eyed two toned face of the kitten.

"So, you guys do like all the army stuff?" Sibarl asked.

Kawolski shrugged, feeling the kitten snuggling into the crook of his elbow. "Mostly, yeah. The lower deck security guys and the Marines. Yeah, we're the ones that do must of the close quarter fighting. But a lot of the fighting anymore is between startships. We don't see as much action as most people think."

Sibarl looked to his cousin for a moment. "Okay, how about this. We trade you the kitten for your help to enlist."

"I can't-"

"No, you don't have to get us in, we can speak for ourselves, but you talk us up and help us get joined up and...well...you can take the kitten."

Kawolski scowled. That didn't seem so bad. They were old enough and it didn't take much to enlist. But could they? With their Romulan heritage? It's not like they grew up being Romulan or anything.

"Let us talk to our Chief," Brooks said, "to make sure we can do that. And," he said, turning to Kawolski, "it'll give you a chance to see if you can get permission to bring a kitten aboard. This way," he modulated his voice to make sure his point was getting across, "we can make sure everything is legitimate from the getgo."

"Yeah, that'd be great!" Thibarl said. He accepted the kitten from the entirely too reluctant Kawolski. "And we'll make sure this little one is kept for you. She's promised to you as of now."

"Thanks," Kawolski said, releasing a deep sigh. He turned to Brooks. "Don't say anything about this to anyone else, okay? I don't want it to get to Weaver and get her hopes up." He glanced at the kitten already squirming in Thibarl's grasp. It was bad enough that he was already disappointed giving the small furry kitten back. But it seemed more plausible to project the heartbreak onto Weaver.

"Sure, thing," Brooks said, understanding more than Kawolski would have thought. "We gotta go. You guys were helpful in finding positions."

"Yeah?" Thibarl said. "Make sure to let your bosses know that. Especially if it'll help us to get enlisted."

"Sure, yeah," Kawolski said, turning toward the barn entrance. "We gotta get back to work now, I guess." But he took another glance at the black and white kitten. The resolve to finding Lieutenant Rogers as soon as he got back to the ship already formed.

 

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