Cats will be cats

    Melodie cast a critical eye on Fria.  "You are getting so fat, you must be ready to have those kittens any day."  Stroking her hand down the purring calico's back, she frowned.  "I'd like to know who let you out at the last port of call."  Scooping the cat onto her lap, she murmured.  "It's not that I don't love kittens.  It's the time and place.  This is not a good place to have them."

    Fria purred nonchalantly, no worries in the world.  Her human was there, she was about to have kittens and she was well fed.  All was right in Fria's world. 

    Settling down in her bunk with Fria at her side, Melodie drifted quickly into sleep. 

    Sharp cries jerked Melodie out of a deep sleep.  Sitting upright, her heart pounded as her brain tried to make sense out of the sounds from the corner of the room.  The fog in her brain lifted with a rush as she realized that the cries were coming from the box in the corner she had made for Fria. 

    Leaping out of bed she raced over the box, slapping the light switch as she ran.  Fria was laying in the box crying with each labor pain, then panting in between.

    Melodie bent down and gently stroked Fria, murmuring reasurances.  "It's all right Fria, momma is here.  I guess I was right about it being any day."  She laughed shakily. 

    This was her, and Fria's first batch of kittens.  Neither one knew exactly what was going to happen, but Fria had the advantage of instinct that Melodie did not. 

    Melodie stood and hit the intercom button.  "Dr. Banda, I'm sorry to page you in the middle of the night, but Fria was started labor.  Nothing is happening yet, but could you come take a look at her for me?  I would really appreciate it."

    After getting assurances that he would be there shortly, Melodie stooped back down beside the box.  Nothing new had happened, Fria would give sharp little cries followed by panting.  The pattern set down by nature thousands of years ago.

    Dr. Banda's quick arrival belied his cheerful assurances that all was fine.  The Dr. was concerned about his patients no matter the race or species.  And this birth was of some concern.  The last port of call had been at a Uridium mine on Helix 4.  Several different kinds of low level and not so low level radiations flooded the area.  Miners were rotated off the planet every 3 months to decontaminate and then back they would go for another 3 months. 

    One strict rule for the mine, was no pregnant women allowed.  Or for that matter no pregnancies to be conceived on the planet.  The potential for birth defects and anomalies were too great.

    No one thought about the ship's cat getting loose, finding another cat and getting pregnant.  The thought had never entered their minds.  But now it was on everyones mind.  Fria was well loved on the ship.  Cats had quickly become a necessity, not a luxury for the crews mental health.  Traveling through space for months at a time, with little to no contact with home, the love of an animal eased stress.  Even the crew members who expressed indifference about cats in general were wearing worried looks lately.

    Dr. Banda's thoughts were interrupted at the sight of the first kitten arriving.  He crouched beside the box to give assistance if needed and encouragment that was always needed. 

    The birth of the first kitten who appeared at first glance to be healthy and normal, relieved some of the tension in the room.  Dr. Banda beamed up at Melodie as one after the other the kittens were born snow white with all the right number of eyes, ears, tails and limbs.  "Well it looks like we lucked out.  We will be able to tell more after I take some tests, but for now, they all look healthy.  I think it's safe to say they took after their father." He laughed and shook Melodies hand.  "Well congradulations on your new arrivals.  I am off to bed again. I will come back in the morning and take some blood samples and give them a good run down."

    As the door closed behind the Dr, Melodie crouched down beside the box and murmured to Fria for several minutes, listening to her deep purr of motherly contentment.  "Well I am glad that is over, looks like I worried for nothing."  She smiled, stroked the cat for several more minutes, then headed back to her own bed.

    Back in bed, she reached for the light switch to turn off the bedside lamp.  Instead of the dark she had been expecting, light flooded the corner of the room.  Leaping out of bed, she raced over to the box.  There in the box were 5 glowing white kittens.

    Rushing over to the intercom button, she stabbed it with a shaky finger.  "Dr. Banda?  I'm sorry to bother you again, but there is a problem.  Can you come back to my room.  You wouldn't believe me if I told you, you have to see this one for yourself."

    Several hours later, Dr. Banda called a conference in the dining room.  "Ok, by now you have all heard the news.  Fria gave us 5 beautiful white, glow in the dark kittens.  I have been running every available test on the ship for the last few hours and I am sure you all want to hear the news.  I am happy to say that the kittens appear to be fine.  Other than the fact that they glow in the dark."  He paused to let the chuckles of relief die down.  "I will want to run some more genetic tests when we hit the next port, but I really expect them to turn out fine.  So it looks like we are the proud owners of walking nightlights."