Cat Trek -- Episode 2 - Academy Days

While on route to Tecarta Prime, we came across another starship. Until they passed out of range, we were forced to hide in a nearby nebula, where many of the crew were able to relax and catch some shut-eye -- including me. While in my quarters, I replicated a package of beef jerky - an ancient earth delicasee. I loved the taste of teriyaki jerky before bed.

When I walked into my room, and curled on my bed, I gazed across the room at a medel I had won when I first became a cadet at the Academy. They say you dream of what your thinking of. So that night, I dreamt of the academy.

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I was walking down the way, near the garden where old Boothby would sit in the sun. It was then that I heard a scream. I ran towards the sound, soon coming upon a building engulfed in flames. As I got closer, I was stopped by a firecat. Suddenly, I heard a mother cat begging the fighters to get her kitten - he was still inside!

Im not sure what came over me in that moment... whether it was just something triggered in my mind, or instinct, I'll never know. I ducked under the baracade, and ran into that building at warp 4! (maybe not quite that fast, but close!) The mews were faint, but distinct through the roaring of the flames, and I followed them, until I came to a small, soot-covered kitten. He looked up at me with pitiful kitten eyes, as I picked him up and began the journey to the exit.

My dream began to fill with the same song that went through my head at that moment. It was an old country song, from the mid to late-1900's.

I ran through the flames, eyes burning as the smoke grew stronger and thicker. Well I won't back down, no I won't back down. You can stand me up at the gates of hell, but I won't back down. The kitten got as close to me as he could, poor little guy. I dodged a few flames, and saw the light from the outdoors. I began a mad dash, trying to keep the kitten as much out of harms way as possible, when a door frame in front of us collapsed, bursting into flames. Gonna stand my ground, won't be turned around and I'll keep this world from draggin' me down, gonna stand my ground and I won't back down. Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out. Hey I will stand my ground and I won't back down. I leapt over the flames, landing just outside the door, and darted into the yard just as the house fell. Panting, I set the little kitten down in the cool grass as his mother, the emergency squad and other civilians - including reporters - came running over. My fur was singed, and my lungs were full of smoke that ached all throughout my wind pipe and chest. My eyes were bloodshot. I was sore and my paws were burned, but the fact that I knew I saved the little fellas life was good enough for me. There were a small grouping of other cadets from the academy there too.

The mother cat approached me, snuggling her kitten close. "Thank you so much," she said. "How can I ever repay you?" "No payment nessecary," I replied. "Just doing my job!" I stood straight, making sure my communicator stood out bright in the sun, and smiled at the mother cat and the kitten. Then came those danged reporters... "What made you want to do this?" "Why did you go in there?" "You risked your life for this family, why?" For a few seconds, I thought up how to end it. I decided on the last bit of the song. "Well I know what's right, I got just one life. In a world that keeps on pushin' me around but I stand my ground and I won't back down." With that, I walked off. My paws sore, and my fur all ash-y. If you would've looked at before/after pics, the after would've looked pitiful! I was certainly in need of a good grooming!

On my way home, the group of cadets stopped me. "That was a purrty nice thing ya did for them out there, ya know!" one said. "You should hang out with us sometime!" I agreed to meet with them at the academy restraunt. For now, however, it was time to head home.

The next day, I met up with them. There was four total. One, a handsome young siamese cadet, Simba, another, a black tabby Kling-cat, named Alexander. The third was a little white cat named River. She had bright blue eyes. Last but not least was a patched tabby named Sarabi. We joked about having five starships, all named after feet! Mine was the Enterclaws! (I called it) River's was the Heeler, Alex had the Ankle, Sarabis was the Ring, and Simbas was the Pinky Toe! We had a great time, and met there every day for the next year, when we graduated. For awhile, we kept in touch, until the Wolf 359 incident, then we all lost contact.

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I awoke suddenly, to the shake of the ship. "Captain? We need you here!!" ChevIs called over the comunicator frequency. I crawled out of bed, and hurried to the bridge, as the red alert alarm resounded through the ship.