Hi! I was browsing through your media tag and saw the "where's the babies" video and was wondering if you'd be willing to write a Sara/Jaal prompt based on it (b/c Sid got the cat DNA). I just want Sara cooing about the babies (kittens) and Jaal perking up and being fascinated/charmed (can include other Angara and people too!)
WHOOPS ITS BEEN 2 YEARS.
Sid was officially now Sara’s favorite person. Okay, secondto Jaal, but still. Definitely one of her favorite people ever.
It had taken a while for the cat DNA to actually goanywhere, the need for food trumping the need for comfort animals. But oncethere was a break in need-to-be-done stuff, the lab technicians on the Nexusgot to work.
It had taken months by the start for them to make and grow abunch of cats and then start breeding them.
Once one of the founder generation was able to successfullybring a litter to term, that was when Sara got the email.
And Sara squealed when she received word about a mother witha litter of three-week-old kittens in the lab.
“Pathfinder privilege,” the email said, would allow her tosee them before anyone else.
Now, she was a consummate professional and found the leastflimsy excuse available to head to the Nexus.
The lab tech, Reynolds, gave her a wry smile when she strodein.
“You ready, Pathfinder?”
She nodded.
Reynolds gestured at the door.
“The mom’s called Bravo, but the kittens don’t have namesyet. They’re in here.”
Sara followed his direction into a sterile-looking room andmade sure the door closed securely behind her.
There was a wall of cages, the ground decorated with littletoys and those carpet-textured jungle gym things.
Tucked against one wall was a cat-bed and a writhing andsqueaking mass of fur.
Sara grinned as she stepped closer and sat down so she wasjust arms’ length away from the bed.
The cream-colored mother-cat was curled up, 5 kittensclimbing over her and whining for her attention.
One kitten, covered with black and white fur, seemed to bethe most courageous of the bunch and wandered out to meet her.
“Oh, look at you! You’re so cute!” Sara cooed, holding outher hand to let him sniff.
He sniffed at her fingertips, then headbutted them.
She scooped him up; he was small enough that she could holdhim in one hand.
His sister—black and white as well—took the hint, tiny sharpnails biting into her pant leg as she climbed into her lap.
They were soft and small and reminded her of Earth. Earthwasn’t technically home anymore. It was now a small spaceship and her crew andher angara boyfriend.
But there was something about it that also felt like home.
Odds were she couldn’t adopt one and keep it on the Tempest. Besides, she already had herhamster, which was enough of a hassle on its own.
Also, she didn’t want the chance of coming back to herquarters with a furry, bloody mess all over her nice clean floors.
Bravo didn’t move much from where she was curled in the bed.She was probably grateful that Sara had shown up and given her relief from herchildren.
The other three waddled over to her, two of them cream coloredand the other spotted with grey.
Distantly, she heard the door open and close, but sheassumed it was one of the scientists until a familiar voice spoke up.
“What are they?”
She glanced behind her to see Jaal, watching her and the kittenswith confusion and curiosity.
“They’re cats. Animals from Earth. Sit down and play withthem!”
She patted the ground next to her with her free hand.
“I’m afraid I’ll crush them,” Jaal muttered, slowing sittingdown, legs crisscrossed.
He eyed the kittens on her lap, hands twitching in his lap.
“They look very soft.”
Bravo finally stood up and stretched, back curving. She mewedbefore padding over Jaal.
“Look. The mom wants you to pet her,” Sara said.
“Oh,” Jaal murmured, reaching out towards the approachingcat.
His hand barely touched the mom’s fur. There was thefaintest crackle and the cat’s fur stood on end until she looked more like apuffball.
Sara laughed as the mother-cat trilled in surprise, loudenough to startle one of the kittens dozing in her lap.
“What did I do?” Jaal asked, genuine worry in his voice.
She reached out and patted the raised fur, trying to pressit down flat.
“Static electricity, from your bioelectrics. Gods, that isthe funniest thing I’ve seen in a while.”
Bravo shook herself before hopping into Jaal’s lap, kneedingher paws into his legs.
“Sharp,” Jaal said, wincing.
“Revenge,” Sara quipped back.
She picked up each kitten and set them on Jaal’s legs,completing the picture.
“You know, I love you.”
“Are you talking to the cats or to me?” Jaal asked.
“Both, but mostly you.”
She crawled forward to press a kiss to his mouth.
“Can we keep them?” Jaal asked.
Sara giggled. “Maybe. We’ll have to relocate the hamster.”
