Of Cats and Tribbles

by Starsinger

Requested by Shadow Silver Spark, this is what its name sounds like, involving cats and tribbles. This is inspired by a recent kitten video involving a kitten and two lizards. She's curious about one and the other sneaks up on her and scares the hell out of her. It's hysterical. This is in the same universe as Admirals, only Kirk isn't appearing as a corpse here. Someone gives Admiral Pike a kitten, and two tribbles. Don't own any of it.

"Awwww, she's so cute," Uhura cooed at the tiny creature.

"I hate tribbles," Pike grumbled.

"I was talking about the kitten," Uhura said as she plucked the tiny calico creature out of Pike's hands and held her to her face. The kitten placed a curious paw on the woman's face. She and Spock were at Pike's quarters having dinner, or being interrogated about Jim's current condition, depending on who you asked. "Admiral, it's been six weeks since Khan, why don't you just go see him?" Uhura asked as she sat down in a chair and deposited the kitten in her lap. The infant curled up in her lap and purred herself to sleep.

Pike sighed, just having gotten out of the hospital a couple of weeks ago himself, "I don't like seeing Jim so…frail, and so dependent."

"He's feeding himself and sitting up by himself now, Chris," Spock responded. "Physical Therapy starts next week. Komack's picking him up for Sam's graduation next week."

Pride swelled in Pike's chest at the thought that another Kirk had turned his life around. The only one left was Winona, and he feared she was a lost cause. "I'll see him then," Chris said, nodding to himself. Uhura looked down at the floor and noticed the two tribbles making their way toward the humans. Uhura reluctantly put the warm fuzzball on the floor as Pike served dinner. Chicken for the humans, a broccoli casserole and fresh fruit salad for everyone. Spock nodded appreciatively.

Uhura watched as the inquisitive kitten stalked the round, furry things with no visible appendages, or eyes. She watched as the kitten batted at one taking no notice of the other. The first moved away and the kitten slowly started to stalk after it when the other tribble suddenly snuck up on the kitten causing her to jump three feet in the air and turn around and face the tribble. It cooed at her. She let out let out a lout "Mrrroooooowwwww!" before turning around and scampering off, not before sliding on the slick wooden floor. Cats don't come with brakes.

Uhura and Pike started laughing and Spock's mouth twitched with amusement at the baby cat's antics. Even he found it amusing. "Well, I'm never bored around here!" Pike said with a smile.

As they continued to eat they watched the kitten silently walk her way around the back of the sofa and back into sight of the offending furballs. The tribbles had both apparently forgotten her as she snuck up behind one of them and batted a paw at it, watching it skid across the floor. She'd found a new game with new toys. Uhura shook her head in wonder as the kitten continued to bat the tribble around like it was a ball.

"I've got it! Her name is Trouble for Tribbles!"