Cottles and Cuddles [Reyes]

[Klabax Cottle]

[spoiler]Because Reyes ordered me to[/spoiler]

[Cargo Bay Two]

Klabax was down in the sickbay, standing off to the side of the giant vat in the center. Inside the vat was his project: Ten. Thousand. Tribbles. All of them were courtesy of Chief Reyes, of course. Next to the vat was two smaller vats. It was his job to sort all of the tribbles, determine if they had been sterilized or not... and then sort them before any that were not sterilized started reproducing. Again.

Thankfully, however, he didn't need to start until the Chief joined him. He wasn't exactly looking forward to this assignment... but it could have been worse. They could have been Targs instead of tribbles. Wouldn't that be a story...

He leaned back and waited for the Chief to arrive.

[Kali Reyes]

[Cargo Bay Two]

Her combadge had been loose today. It slipped off the pin and fell into the giant cargo vat of purring, trilling tribbles. So while she waited for Doctor Cottle, Kali toed off her boots and literally dived into the pool of tribbles to find it.

It kind of reminded her of the ball pits when she was a babe, except furry and alive. Kali couldn't swim down far - it only got more suffocating the further she went.

She didn't mean to startle or not startle Cottle, but he had long since arrived, and she was running out of air. Kali popped out of the tribble surface as if she were a saucy maiden in a bachelor's cake... except tribbles.

"Doctor!" Kali yelled happily. "I've come with your patients! And they're the most adorable crewmen ever!"

[Klabax Cottle]

[Cargo Bay Two]

Her combadge had been loose today. It slipped off the pin and fell into the giant cargo vat of purring, trilling tribbles. So while she waited for Doctor Cottle, Kali toed off her boots and literally dived into the pool of tribbles to find it.

It kind of reminded her of the ball pits when she was a babe, except furry and alive. Kali couldn't swim down far - it only got more suffocating the further she went.

She didn't mean to startle or not startle Cottle, but he had long since arrived, and she was running out of air. Kali popped out of the tribble surface as if she were a saucy maiden in a bachelor's cake... except tribbles.

"Doctor!" Kali yelled happily. "I've come with your patients! And they're the most adorable crewmen ever!"

[Cargo Bay]

Klabax was prepared for a lot of things. He liked to think of himself as a relatively prepared person, but he didn't expect the good Chief to jump out of the vat.

Upon further inspection, he should have seen it coming, what with the boots that he had overlooked by the vat. It was mistakes like this that could have cost him his life during the Dominion war. He chastised himself as he walked over to the Chief. "Enjoying yourself?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

He took out his tricorder and began scanning the vat, trying to determine how many life signs were inside... which ended up being an impossible task. He picked up the one or two tribbles that had popped out with the Chief, and scanned them, verifying their sterile nature.

"Have you assigned them field commissions yet?" He asked, in response to her quip about the crewmen. "If so, then they are in need for their physicals."

[Kali Reyes]

[Cargo Bay]

"Have you assigned them field commissions yet?" He asked, in response to her quip about the crewmen. "If so, then they are in need for their physicals."

"Oh, most definitely," she agreed, and scooped up a random tribble. "Tom here is in Maintenance. He's very sensitive about his weight so go easy on him." Nevermind the fact that all tribbles were pretty much born pregnant. She was an equal opportunity namer, thanks.

Kali waded to the edge and pulled herself out before there actually were tribbles that learned to appreciate the taste of human flesh. "So... I got an extra vat over there for all the false positive tribbles. I figured hitting them with a few more sterilization rays would be easier. The sterile ones I'm gonna put in the nice cardboard boxes over there and stick them in the Mess."

Sure enough, written in marker in two large crates said, 'FREE TRIBBLES - PLZ GIVE HOME'. Some of the letters were backwards and it was drawn all over with flowers, crude spaceships, and even an angry, badly drawn Klingon with sharp teeth.

"The kids did that," she pointed out. At least the ship had use for all the Startfleet kiddies on board. Their parents were very enthusiastic to get them out of their hair during shift.

[Klabax Cottle]

"Oh, most definitely," she agreed, and scooped up a random tribble. "Tom here is in Maintenance. He's very sensitive about his weight so go easy on him." Nevermind the fact that all tribbles were pretty much born pregnant. She was an equal opportunity namer, thanks.

Kali waded to the edge and pulled herself out before there actually were tribbles that learned to appreciate the taste of human flesh. "So... I got an extra vat over there for all the false positive tribbles. I figured hitting them with a few more sterilization rays would be easier. The sterile ones I'm gonna put in the nice cardboard boxes over there and stick them in the Mess."

Sure enough, written in marker in two large crates said, 'FREE TRIBBLES - PLZ GIVE HOME'. Some of the letters were backwards and it was drawn all over with flowers, crude spaceships, and even an angry, badly drawn Klingon with sharp teeth.

"The kids did that," she pointed out. At least the ship had use for all the Startfleet kiddies on board. Their parents were very enthusiastic to get them out of their hair during shift.

Klabax rolled his eyes. He understood having feelings for the beasts... but to name and rank each of them would take approximately forever. "Indeed. We'll have to put him on a diet... no more than six grams of grain a day." he said, scanning the tribble. He found that it was fine, and set it gently in the  first big box. "Seems well enough... but will there be enough homes for the tribbles?" he asked, genuinely interested.

He looked at the boxes, thinking about them. "Are there enough boxes?" He asked. Even if there was only one reproducing tribble at the bottom of the vat, that could turn into a nightmare very quickly.

"Indeed did they." he said, already absorbed in scanning. It was slow but steady work.. it'd keep him busy.

[Kali Reyes]

Klabax rolled his eyes. He understood having feelings for the beasts... but to name and rank each of them would take approximately forever. "Indeed. We'll have to put him on a diet... no more than six grams of grain a day." he said, scanning the tribble.

The good doctor had a way of humor - like he couldn't care less to deal with someone's antics but did it anyways. She appreciated that.

He looked at the boxes, thinking about them. "Are there enough boxes?" He asked. Even if there was only one reproducing tribble at the bottom of the vat, that could turn into a nightmare very quickly.

Kali exhaled in deliberation and knelt down thoughtfully at the two boxes. He was right. "Wow, I didn't think this through at all." Well that and the kids got tired designing the second box. "Jenkins!" she yelled overhead. "Can you get more boxes for me?! Maybe like five of them?!"

She was joking of course. They needed at least six of them.

"I guess if every officer had maybe... two tribbles. We'll have to dump the rest on a planet or on a Klingon ship."

[Klabax Cottle]

The good doctor had a way of humor - like he couldn't care less to deal with someone's antics but did it anyways. She appreciated that.

Kali exhaled in deliberation and knelt down thoughtfully at the two boxes. He was right. "Wow, I didn't think this through at all." Well that and the kids got tired designing the second box. "Jenkins!" she yelled overhead. "Can you get more boxes for me?! Maybe like five of them?!"

She was joking of course. They needed at least six of them.

"I guess if every officer had maybe... two tribbles. We'll have to dump the rest on a planet or on a Klingon ship."

He finished one more tribble, frowning. "False positive number one." he said, and placed it in the respective box. He'd gotten through less than ten.... this could be problematic.

He picked up the next tribble. "We can always transfer tribbles to the boxes as the boxes empty... but we might not want to at the same time. Might convince some of the parents or the Admiral that the tribbles are breeding still."

He finished one. Thankfully not a false positive. "Do you have the sterilization equipment here or will we need to lug these tribbles to sickbay first?"

He paused, contemplating the ideas. "Do you think we should contact the other ships and see if any of the others based at Columbus could use some tribbles?"

[Kali Reyes]

"One, ehhh. Two, I got this puppy on clearance back on Starbase 26." Kali hefted up an impressive sterilization emitter over her should the size of a bazooka.

"Three, you think there are more ships around on the way? I think we should be coasting by the Athena soon, but we can always drop them off at the Starbase as an Xmas gift." Her gaze followed along the giant vat of tribbles. "Wow, really have our work cut out for us, huh?"

[Klabax Cottle]

"One, ehhh. Two, I got this puppy on clearance back on Starbase 26." Kali hefted up an impressive sterilization emitter over her should the size of a bazooka.

"Three, you think there are more ships around on the way? I think we should be coasting by the Athena soon, but we can always drop them off at the Starbase as an Xmas gift." Her gaze followed along the giant vat of tribbles. "Wow, really have our work cut out for us, huh?"

He regarded the equipment she hefted with a raised eyebrow. "Are you sure you can operate that thing so it only sterlizes the tribble and not half a deck?" he asked, only half joking. "Some people could use it but still, would the Admiral approve?"

He nodded, thinking. "That could work. Do we know anyone on that ship?" He scanned the next tribble. "Another false positive. Whoever did this should lose their medical license. Care to show me how that thing works?" he asked, walking over to her with the tribble in his hand.

[Kali Reyes]

He regarded the equipment she hefted with a raised eyebrow. "Are you sure you can operate that thing so it only sterlizes the tribble and not half a deck?" he asked, only half joking. "Some people could use it but still, would the Admiral approve?"

"The Ferengi that sold this to me said it only works on pets and small humanoids, so I think most of us over the five foot bracket will be okay." Maybe she was joking. Maybe she wasn't. She wisely neglected to ignore her lack of approval from the Admiral.

He nodded, thinking. "That could work. Do we know anyone on that ship?" He scanned the next tribble. "Another false positive. Whoever did this should lose their medical license. Care to show me how that thing works?" he asked, walking over to her with the tribble in his hand.

"I've got Lieutenant Rodriguez's personal comm still. She was transferred over to the Athena months ago." She paused, almost awkwardly. "Err... you may have to call her though. I think she's still mad at me for breaking her Dorothy pumps."

Kali excitedly gestured for the good doctor to put the tribble down on the floor. "Right! So we put this poor sucker on the floor like that. Now, you might want to step back a couple feet or so. This was designed to hit a bunch of them at once." The bazooka whirred dangerously to life. She set the targeting and urged to Cottle to watch as holographic lights zeroed in on the tribble until turned into a bulls-eye over it. With a high pitched shriek, Kali pulled the trigger and a cascade of blue radiation pulsed out in waves over the tribble. After a couple seconds, the ammunition dialed down and coughed for a recharge.

"See? Easy peasy!" 

[Klabax Cottle]

"The Ferengi that sold this to me said it only works on pets and small humanoids, so I think most of us over the five foot bracket will be okay." Maybe she was joking. Maybe she wasn't. She wisely neglected to ignore her lack of approval from the Admiral.

"I've got Lieutenant Rodriguez's personal comm still. She was transferred over to the Athena months ago." She paused, almost awkwardly. "Err... you may have to call her though. I think she's still mad at me for breaking her Dorothy pumps."

Kali excitedly gestured for the good doctor to put the tribble down on the floor. "Right! So we put this poor sucker on the floor like that. Now, you might want to step back a couple feet or so. This was designed to hit a bunch of them at once." The bazooka whirred dangerously to life. She set the targeting and urged to Cottle to watch as holographic lights zeroed in on the tribble until turned into a bulls-eye over it. With a high pitched shriek, Kali pulled the trigger and a cascade of blue radiation pulsed out in waves over the tribble. After a couple seconds, the ammunition dialed down and coughed for a recharge.

"See? Easy peasy!"

"A Ferengi." he said, unconvinced. "And you trust this ferengi?" he asked. Although he was over the five foot mark she indicated, he wasn't sure if this would end up good, or incredibly, incredibly bad. He noted the lack of discussion about the Admiral, but followed her lead and ignored it.

"Excellent. If they want a box or six of tribbles, I'm sure it can be arranged." he said, nodding approval. It wasn't every day that they had this many tribbles. "You're on your own for that one. I'll let you make that particular call." he said, working on another tribble.

He watched as the machine did it's work... and he still didn't like it. "And likely the poor crewman working below us are also sterile now." he said. He  shook his head. "You're very proud of yourself, aren't you?" he asked. She was having way too much fun with the device.

[Kali Reyes]

"A Ferengi." he said, unconvinced. "And you trust this ferengi?" he asked. Although he was over the five foot mark she indicated, he wasn't sure if this would end up good, or incredibly, incredibly bad. He noted the lack of discussion about the Admiral, but followed her lead and ignored it.

"Excellent. If they want a box or six of tribbles, I'm sure it can be arranged." he said, nodding approval. It wasn't every day that they had this many tribbles. "You're on your own for that one. I'll let you make that particular call." he said, working on another tribble.

He watched as the machine did it's work... and he still didn't like it. "And likely the poor crewman working below us are also sterile now." he said. He  shook his head. "You're very proud of yourself, aren't you?" he asked. She was having way too much fun with the device.

"I don't trust any Ferengi," she said honestly. "That's why I took it apart and reassembled it." Save for a few questionable design flaws, she got what she ordered, but better safe than sorry.

She ticked off their own design flaws with her free hand. "Sooo... gonna call some ships, line a bunch of papaya-tribble fruit baskets and start beaming them aboard with in impulse distance. Sounds solid!" Then she eagerly bounced on her heels. "Let's shoot some more cute things!"

[Klabax Cottle]

"I don't trust any Ferengi," she said honestly. "That's why I took it apart and reassembled it." Save for a few questionable design flaws, she got what she ordered, but better safe than sorry.

She ticked off their own design flaws with her free hand. "Sooo... gonna call some ships, line a bunch of papaya-tribble fruit baskets and start beaming them aboard with in impulse distance. Sounds solid!" Then she eagerly bounced on her heels. "Let's shoot some more cute things!"

"Well that's smart." he said, and watched her expression as it went from "tribble-happy shooting to flat out insane. The medic inside of him wanted to force her into a battery of psych evals, but this was not the day for that.

He scanned more tribbles, finding about one in ten to be not ready. Unfortunately, after quite a while, it appeared that there were enough tribbles that the ones they were finding to keep up with their progress. Thankfully for him, he didn't have to sleep. Her on the other hand, that would be bad. She needed sleep. "We can see... though at this rate, we still need more help with the sorting."

[Kinley Garrison]

(I hope you didn't mind that I joined) 

[Cargo bay]

Kinley burst into the cargo bay where all the Tribbles were kept. She had finally finished up her shift on the scanners and now was eager to check up on those fuzzies. She had a hypothesis with those things that she wanted to try out. "Hiya Kali, Doc Cottle.  I'm back, and I just got a great idea to... what are you guys doing?"

[Kali Reyes]

(I hope you didn't mind that I joined) 

[Cargo bay]

Kinley burst into the cargo bay where all the Tribbles were kept. She had finally finished up her shift on the scanners and now was eager to check up on those fuzzies. She had a hypothesis with those things that she wanted to try out. Á,"œHiya Kali, Doc Cottle.  I'm back, and I just got a great idea toÁ,"¦ what are you guys doing?Á,"

It must have looked really strange for the new girl. A hardy Denobulan doctor sorting out a pile of cuddly throw pillows and a quarter-Vulcan maniac with a sterilization ray gun that Marvin the Martian would be proud of.

Kali felt like they had been caught. Were they caught? "Uh... expediting your tribbles?" Maybe the ray gun didn't help the explanation. It was even smoking from the end.