For Want of A Woozle

Posted on Fri Jul 18th, 2025 @ 12:53am by Lieutenant JG Ruby Rojas & Petty Officer 1st Class Luna Barto

1,257 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: On the Trail
Location: Empok Nor

Ruby wanted a pet. She'd wanted one for a while, but it just didn't seem to be the right time. Not when she was in Starfleet and managed to get transferred every year or two. But after the purple glitter goo, she was determined to have something to cuddle when she went back to her quarters at night.

Fortunately, there was a shop on Empok Nor that sold unique pets. Whether they had a pet she could actually have on a ship was debatable, but she was going to check.

An hour later, she was the proud parent of a purple woozle named Jelly Bean. She even bought a glittery collar with a picture of a purple jelly bean on it.

Holding tightly to the cage, she carefully navigated the promenade as she headed back to the Valiant.

Luna had stepped out of the Valiant just to take a gander around once more. She loved this ship already. She noticed someone heading towards the entrance of the Valiant, carrying something. "Hello there, what do you have there?" was this person allowed to come upon the Valiant? Luna pulled out her PADD to check the manifest.

"It's a woozle and I'm taking her back to my quarters," Ruby said, not slowing as she approached the umbilical.

"Your quarters? What is your name so that I can verify that you belong here. Sorry with what has happened on the station I am making certain that everyone has the clearance to come onboard." Luna stepping in the way.

Ruby blinked. She hadn't been asked before. "Oh! Sorry. I'm Ruby Rojas, assistant chief operations officer. Hi."

A quick scan on the manifest, Luna found Ruby upon it giving a slight grunt of approval as to finding her listed. "Sorry, I just wanted to keep those on the ship safe." her demeanor changing from being official to a bit more warm and friendly. "Hi Ruby, I'm Luna. So, a Woozle? I've not seen one before." stepping to one side to let Ruby pass by, then fell in step with her.

"Neither had I, until today. They're kind of a cross between a weasel and a Maine coon cat. Only this one is purple, so I called her Jelly Bean. They told me she would be fine living in my quarters and that she's highly intelligent."

"That is pretty awesome, how is she where strangers are concerned? Would she be friendly?" Luna was interested in finding out more about Jelly Bean.

"Well, I just met her and she's been great so far."

To emphasize the point, the woozle stuck her nose out of the cage.

"She is adorable." Luna giving a smile. "Can I come with you when you let her get familiar with your quarters Or would you rather spend time alone with Jelly Bean." Luna didn't want to trespass on that bonding time between Ruby and Jelly Bean.

"I'm going to take her to my quarters and watch her sniff around while I put out her things. It'll probably be boring, but you can come with me if you want."

"I would be delighted. And I don't mind, gives me a chance to get to know another member of the crew." Luna following Ruby.

"Me, too. I've met the chief engineer and my department head." Ruby grinned and led the way to her quarters.

She didn't have much unpacked yet. Some civilian clothes, a clean uniform, and a cloak hung in her open closet. The bed was made, but everything else was still in boxes. Ruby set the carry case on the floor and opened the door. "Okay, Jelly Bean. Welcome to your new home."

Luna sat upon a nearby chair, and watched, waiting to see Jelly Bean make her appearance. "I've only met Mishka, my department head. I will meet the rest of the crew as time goes on, not a big ship so easy enough to bump into each other."

"That's true." Ruby put the cat bed in a corner, then set a bowl with dry food next to it. Then she opened the container and stepped back. "Welcome to your new home, Jelly Bean."

For a full minute, nothing happened. Then the woozle stuck her nose out and sniffed. Then, slowly and carefully, she took one step out of her carrier. Then another. When she was all the way out, she began to sniff around the room.

Luna was quietly watching with great interest, and delight. "Jelly Bean is so beautiful" she breathed out softly, barely able to tear her eyes away from Jelly Bean to look at Ruby. "Back at home I used to spend hours, watching the animals that came out to play in the small forest near my home."

"Have you considered getting one of your own? They have these adorable rabbits that use a litter box like a cat." Ruby smiled as she remembered the pen of rabbits.

Luna mused on that, "Perhaps I shall but, I wonder if it would be too small of a place for a rabbit to hop around and have the time of their life. But would it be allowed to have a bunny go in a holosuite and stretch their legs? You've given me food for thought.” rubbing her chin. "Perhaps I could have two guinea pigs and them being fixed to where they won't have kids. And have a tunnel system fitted in the room where they could have something to travel through."

"I saw that once," Ruby said, nodding. "It went along the top of the walls. In each corner was a box they could sleep in or play in with two levels. Oh, and there was a tube that went down to a cage where they had their food and water. It was also where the owner could take them out to play once in a while. But she had almost nothing in her room because it was too easy for them to hide." She paused, thinking about their current status. "We'll be here while the ship gets a bit of an upgrade, right? that gives you plenty of time to figure out what you want. The pet store owner will take them back within the first week if they don't suit you."

" I will certainly give it quite a bit of thought and thank you, for your suggestions." She watched as Jelly Bean nosed around a bit more, with a soft smile. "I will take my leave, as much as I would love to watch her a bit more but I think it is time for me to go" looking back to Ruby "I need to get my own quarters set up. I just tossed my duffle bag on my bed and called it done." giving a laugh.

"Oh, you definitely need to do more than that. If you don't want a pet, at least get a plant. They almost count as pets." Ruby smiled. She really shouldn't tell Luna what to do. "It was nice meeting you. I look forward to working with you at some point. I mean, if you work with operations. But then, ops generally works with everyone, so we probably will work together, eventually, so I'll be sure to say hi when I'm working in or with security."

She waved as Luna walked out, then turned back to watch Jelly Bean explore.


A post by

Lieutenant JG Ruby Rojas
Assistant Chief Operations Officer
USS Valiant

Petty Officer 1st Class Luna Barto
Security Officer
USS Valiant

 

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