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Cat |
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| Pronouns: she/her |
| Aliases: Caterpillar, Caterpillar Novak, Cat Novak, Cat Nygaard-Novak, Honoria Novak |
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Episodes Appeared In: The Day That Yukon Died (Season 3) My Lower Back Seems to Disagree (Season 4) |
| Created By: Scott Paladin |
| Voiced By: Ella Watts |
| Relationships: Heck Novak-Nygaard (wife) No-Shit Novak (father) Charlotte Catsmother (mother) Zoya Charlotteschild (half-sibling) Dr. Septimus Novak (cousin) Lefty (friend) Avi Blake (friend) |
| Occupations: Chef, Navigator, CFO, and Co-Owner of the NS-84 Noodle Shop Around the Corner |
| Factions or Groups Belonged To: Greater Ganymede University Students (dropped out) |
¶ Cat
Overview
Cat is an ambitious young woman from Delaney Station who suddenly became the owner of its beloved noodle shop. She was first introduced in the Season 3 episode I See the Stars Are Here With Me, written by Scott Paladin. She is voiced by Ella Watts. Cat is a home-schooled kid with dreams of going to a big university and getting away from Delaney Station, but while trying to realize those dreams her mental health got the better of her and forced her to return to Delaney Station, having to grapple with her mind and confront the baggage and history between her and her best friend Heck. She eventually leaves Delaney Station with Heck, hoping to use the Noodle Shop Around the Corner as a way to see the System like she dreamed of.
Description
Cat is not given a physical description in the episodes, but the writer of the episode has described her height as “taller than average but much shorter than Heck, which annoys her”. Her personality can be acerbic and wary, especially during the flashbacks in I See the Stars Are Here With Me, and she has a hard time regulating her emotions, often sliding into anger. But underneath that she is warm, intelligent, quick-witted, and charismatic.
In Season 3's official Youtube episode art, Cat is depicted as a brunette with long hair. She wears a white t-shirt with an orange logo on the back and green pants.
Trivia
- Cat is short for Caterpillar, a nickname given to her by her father for her penchant for crawling all over as a toddler.
- Cat's birth name was suggested by Ash Seguinte, as the Latin name Honoria worked thematically with her cousin Septimus's name.
- One of the earliest versions of the script had Cat as a high-powered lawyer who had a fancy job on Terra, coming back to Delaney to deal with the Noodle Shop after her dad's death, and meeting Heck, the handy-woman who had been helping keep it running.
¶ Breathing Space Appearances (May Include Spoilers)
¶ Season 3
I See the Stars Are Here With Me
Cat grew up home-schooled on Delaney Station, working and living in the Noodle Shop on Delaney Station with her father No-Shit. She met Heck, her best friend, during tough times when Heck needed to stay or eat at the Noodle Shop. At some point as children, the two of them attempted to leave Delaney Station by stealing a tug ship but were caught by a Ranger on their way out.
In her teens, Cat knew Heck had developed a crush on her. As Cat won scholarships to attend Greater Ganymede University, she knew she wanted to take Heck with her. No-Shit warned her against it, as Heck “had a bright future ahead of her” as a shipbreaker. Cat left without saying anything to Heck. At Greater Ganymede University, Cat was in awe of the resources available to its students, marveling at the real books they had. Her anxiety, depression, and impostor syndrome slowly chipped away at her confidence, until eventually she skipped her classes and labs, dropping out and ending up back at Delaney Station.
When a defeated Cat returned from Greater Ganymede University, she and Heck did not speak to each other at all. It was only after the untimely death of Cat's ailing father, and the shop's reactor going down, that the two spoke to each other again. After making noodles for family friend, Lefty, the two became locked in the ship's liquor safe in a trap set by the late No-Shit to get them to talk out their feelings. After several drinks and a painful and humorous heart to heart, the two kissed and repaired their 20 year friendship, then immediately made plans to leave Delaney Station together.
The two retrofitted the Noodle Shop, got a quickie wedding from a traveling Caller, and set out to Luna, Terra, Venus, Mercury, the belt, Terminal Station, and Arcturus Station.
Five years later, the two returned to Delaney Station to meet with Avi Blake, a Hephaestan Furnace judge, to reaffirm the Noodle Shop Around the Corner's Furnace Award. Cat explained the menu overhaul, cutting away most of No-Shits 500+ recipes to the basics executed to a high degree. At Avi's suspicion that the Noodle Shop flew away to dodge enormous medical bills incurred by Heck's cybernetics, Cat told her about their history. After hearing this, Avi was apologetic and reaffirmed the shop's Furnace award. The two talked further after Avi shyly requested her favorite menu item, #316 Pumpkin Ramen.
The Day Yukon Died
The Noodle Shop Around the Corner end up docked and taking customers the day that Yukon died. Slick showed off his found kitten, Beans, to Heck. Heck's cat-owning aspirations were immediately shut down by Cat, citing health codes. Slick asked about the Look to the Stars and Find Hope decal in the shop's window, and Cat and Heck's explanation was cut off by static from the redline. Eventually, voices from the channel “Lo-Fi Beats to Redline and Chill To” read off a statement from Yukon Service Representatives, outlining the extent of disruptions from various Yukon services, then the representatives cut the signal with a “fuck this”. Cat was frustrated - she knew something was up when the last batch of shipments were missed. Slick worried about his navigation system, since it ran on Yukon software. Heck confirmed that it would be down, and volunteered to put the old system back in for him, leaving Beans to work her magic on Cat. Beans's cuteness proved to be too much for Cat to bear - perhaps the two of them would be getting a cat after all.
¶ Season 4
My Lower Back Seems to Disagree
As Cat warily discussed dwindling supplies caused by the death of Yukon with Anton Proctor - a man oddly plugged into Yukon goings-on, Heck came back from confirming the count of supplies. Anton exchanged names of people he knew in exchange for leads on places to work. Heck suggested Delaney Station to him.
They Will See Us for Miles
With Cat away, Heck took charge of the Noodle Shop Around the Corner. In the middle of extruding new noodles, a woman walked in. Heck recognized her as Charlotte, the mother of Zoya and a former exo-welder. Heck presented her with a “Heck Menu”, seemingly Yardie classic foods, and Charlotte ordered a grilled mac and cheese. The mac and cheese tasted just like mac and cheese Charlotte had had before, making her emotional and Heck panic a little. As Charlotte, overcome by emotion, attempted to pay and leave without finishing her food, Cat walked in. Cat's dour reaction accompanied the revelation that Charlotte was Cat's mother, once upon a time. Heck calmed Cat down and made Charlotte stay in the shop, suggesting they talk. Charlotte revealed her abduction by Tethys pirates, after her escape from Delaney Station and the mind-altering drugs she became addicted to shortly after Cat's birth. Charlotte spoke about being rescued and later adopted by the Peregrination. She had started a new family, which caused Cat to become upset. Charlotte stayed away, until Zoya talked about Heck and “her cool chef wife”, and she needed to confirm that Cat's life had indeed ended up a happy one. The two exchanged comdresses and Cat invited Charlotte over for dinner the next night.
A Day at the Fair
Not released yet. No spoilers for you.