Star Trek: Metamorphosis
Westfall/Star Trek TNG Crossover Fanfiction #2
Scene 7
Doctor Hayward’s eyes were wide behind his glasses. “You wish... to use my device,” his hands trembled as they clamped together, “to change an Aravasti into a Klingon?”
“I trust that is not above your capabilities,” Jean-Luc Picard was much more direct.
“Oh–no! No, it isn’t. I simply...” he huffed, “I hesitate to shift such an incredible species! Although,” his hands wrung tighter, “while I have access to her, I would so wish to retrieve a DNA sample for my records–it would be the only Aravasti sample in the universe!”
“You may discuss that with Ms. Inova herself,” the captain was growing impatient, “and I will ask again: can you indeed shift Lieutenant Inova into a Klingon?”
“Yes, Captain, I can.” Giorgio straightened his posture.
Doctor Crusher stepped in with a wave of her own hand. “Can you demonstrate your device for the captain?”
“Of course,” the visiting doctor turned to his attache case just as the door to sick bay slid open.
“Oh,” Data stopped short in the doorway. An orange tabby cat rested comfortably in his arms. “I was not aware Doctor Hayward’s demonstration would still be taking place. I will return later.”
Beverly reached toward him. “No need, Data; I can take care of Spot while you’ve got him here. Ms. Ogawa, could you come help me please?”
Jean-Luc looked on as Beverly and Data turned to a small table near the door. A dark-haired nurse joined them shortly after, removing the cat from Data’s arms and cradling it into her own.
Once Spot was being attended to, Data turned around to find the captain’s attention. “It is time for Spot’s annual feline checkup. I must ensure he is functioning as well as possible.”
“Feline!” Doctor Hayward practically dropped the small vial he was holding. “Oh–I have a much more perfect demonstration now!”
Data’s head tilted. “In what way?”
The gray-haired doctor shuffled up to him with his hands bowled in front of him. “May I borrow your cat?”
Beverly glanced over her shoulder as she finished drawing blood from the cat’s forearm. “Don’t tell me your machine can shape-shift cats,” she said, doubt and surprise coating her voice.
“It can! In fact, I’ve got the DNA of my beloved Guenevere. I can demonstrate a full-body transformation for Captain Picard–if I can just borrow your cat, good sir!”
Data’s brows furrowed as he processed the request. He turned to Spot, still sitting quietly within Ms. Ogawa’s hands as Beverly finished drawing blood from Spot’s hind leg. ”I will allow you to borrow him. Spot is already being handled–although I would prefer not to agitate him further.”
“I will not!” Doctor Hayward darted back to his case and picked out a vial with little hesitation. He popped it into his machine, slipped on gloves, and dashed back to retrieve Spot.
Jean-Luc crossed his arms and watched as the doctor excitedly scooped up the cat from between Doctor Crusher and Lieutenant Ogawa. The cat wiggled as he was positioned above the tub of water.
Giorgio was practically bursting. “Watch, as this orange tabby becomes a beautiful calico!”
He placed that cat underwater, holding its back with one hand as he activated his machine with the other.
Spot flailed and emerged from the water, shrieking and hissing as he landed on the floor. He then shook off, sat down, and began furiously licking the water from his legs.
All eyes were upon the calico cat sitting on the floor.
Data’s expression had fallen neutral. “Spot?”
Spot set down his paw and mewed in acknowledgement.
Jean-Luc glanced at the awestruck doctor, standing with his gloved hands wide above the tub. “Well done, Doctor.”
Data blinked as his head twitched in thought. “Curious; Spot is currently a genetic anomaly, as there would be a ninety-nine point nine percent chance he would be female with this coloration. In fact, for him to be male, he would need to be born with three–”
“Thank you, Data,” the captain stopped him before he could continue.
“That machine... imagine what could be done if we could change ourselves just like that,” Lieutenant Ogawa’s eyes were wide as she looked into the water of the tub.
“It is something I must still determine how to regulate,” Giorgio bobbed his head. “After all, the possibilities are endless if you’ve got the DNA!”
“For now, we simply need you to shift Lieutenant Inova for this mission, and to return her back once the mission is over.” Jean-Luc nodded.
“Understood. I will consider myself under contract.” He smiled. “I have a few female Klingon samples I can use for Ms. Inova. Still,” he idly looked into his box, “what a pleasure it would be for me to be able to study the nuances of Aravasti genetics if I could have her attention after this mission...”
“I will leave that between you and Ms. Inova,” the captain dismissed himself. “Doctor Crusher, please alert Mister Worf when you are ready for Gemini. We have a little over two days for her to become Klingon.”
“Yes, sir.” Doctor Crusher bowed.
“Can we return Spot to his normal coloration now? I am uncertain I could get used to it.” Data’s eyes were still glued to the cat.
“”Of course,” Giorgio flipped a switch on the machine and retrieved Spot from the floor. With one more dunk, the cat remerged as his proper, orange tabby self. “There we have it,” he said confidently as he removed the gloves from his hands.
Data glanced over as Lieutenant Ogawa presented him with a towel. “Ah, thank you,” he accepted it and bent down to wrap it around a still-damp, still-orange Spot. “Now you are back to your usual odds of eighty-one point three percent of being a male cat with an orange tabby coloration.”
Spot simply purred within his towel as he was carried from the room in peace.
Scene Notes
- So, since Spot is referred to as both a 'he' and a 'she' depending on the episode... I went with he for this alternate universe--because it is much more common for orange cats to be male.