Time Alone Part 1

Posted on Thu May 25th, 2023 @ 11:08am by Captain Bethsabée Leroux & Ensign Michael Sloan

Mission: Sojurn
Location: Relea
Timeline: Day 335
1441 words - 2.9 OF Standard Post Measure

Beth’s first view off the ship of the planet was a landscape of white, with snow and ice covering every surface even as they moved out of the middle of the engineering dock that was supplying the ship with electricity and allowing people to get rest and relaxation including the Captain and Chief Engineer.

The sky was a pale blue-grey, and the sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the icy terrain. She did not even glance at her companion as she noticed that the trees and plants on Relea were unlike anything she had ever seen. They were tall and spindly, with delicate branches that were covered in a thin layer of frost. The leaves were a deep shade of blue, and seemed to shimmer in the sunlight. Small, crystalline flowers peek out from between the branches, each one reflecting the light in a dazzling display of colour. Despite the frigid temperatures, it was a world that was alive and thriving, with its own unique cosmopolitan. “I can see what Gerhard and Diaz were talking about.” She murmured, glancing finally to Michael as she pulled her hood up to cover her head so they could venture out of the cover of the engineering dock. “This place is alive and bustling.”

"I've never seen anything like it," Michael replied. He was amazed that such beauty and such an advanced culture could spring out of place like this. "We're going to have to redefine what kind of planets support this kind of life. An ocean world that becomes a frozen paradise," he added, knowing that it almost sounded like a contradiction. A particularly odd feathered animal scurried around near the tree. It reminded Michael of a penguin, but it also looked more like a small sea lion.

“Once every ten cycles of the sun from what I have been told.” Beth replied just taking some deep breaths of fresh air. It had been so long since the planet with the living being underneath that they had named the Babel planet. “You cannot take it home.” Beth said jovially as she held out a hand to him.

"Don't worry, no pets allowed," Michael shook his head. "Unless your last name is Archer," he sort of chuckled.

Beth just smiled. “Are you okay in the cold? Lieutenant Darru informed me that Vulcanoids struggle in the cold.” Beth could believe it when Vulcan was so dry and desert-like.

It was something that he had not thought about until Beth had mentioned it. Pulling up the zipper of his winter coat, Michael replied, "Romulus is more like Earth than Vulcan, but either way it is cooler than both it and Johannesburg." Shrugging a little, he added with a reassuring smile, "The cold air feels fresher. I'll survive.

Beth nodded. “One day you are going to have to try and draw a picture of Romulus so I can have a better mental picture.” Beth said quickly grinning at the fresh air. “Just feels so much better to be walking around even if it is fresher.” It was strange feeling the snowing crunching under her feet. “What shall we do then?”

"I heard some of the enlisted mention ice skating," Michael shrugged. "I've never been, and there is supposed to be a nice food court adjacent to it," he added. Being in an actual city and outside put him in a different mindset. Staring at the same corridors, the same walls, and breathing the same recycled air made this place feel like he was being almost rejuvenated. The smells, the sounds, everything made his senses feel something again.

Beth was surprised by the suggestion but relieved that he was deciding something. She was out of making choices at the moment. Ice skating sounded dangerous to the woman who grew up on a Mediterranean island but fun as well. “Me either. Not exactly something you do in the Mediterranean.” She agreed that she had never done it either but it did really sound fun.

“Nor Johannesburg,” Michael replied with a short laugh. He just hoped that he was not about to make himself look ridiculous. But, it would be fun and offer the chance at some memories that would help him the next time he found himself neck-deep in engine troubles. Extending a hand toward the skate rental booth in a mock chivalric bow, he said, “Ladies first.”

Beth grinned and sorted out the skates with only minimal fuss in Realian as she could not remember her shoe size for a moment but it gave her something different to work on other than ship issues and get back to her roots as Communication Officer. "Human mouths are not designed for speaking Realian." She decided holding out the boots to him as she made faces to get her mouth back to normal.

"I don't think I could have even ordered skates at all, and we don't need an incident with me accidentally saying something inappropriate about the workers' mother," Michael laughed as he laced up his skates.

Beth leant over and weaved her fingers threw his and smiled as she stood up wobbling towards the ice as they were both ready. The floor was hard enough that they could stand easily. “You can only laugh for the first ten minutes when I hit the floor though Michael.” She warned.

“Only ten minutes?” Michael playfully asked. “If I stay up in those ten minutes, you have a deal.”

Beth lent up and grinned at the playfulness and gave him a quick kiss before she moved to the ice and took a slow step onto it clinging to the side. "Definitely going to need to rest after using all these muscles not used to." She was not exactly unfit but she was fully aware that she had several muscles that would be protesting.

Stepping onto the ice, Michael felt the skate slide a little as his ankle bent a bit to help dig the blade into the ice. "Oh definitely not like walking," he shook his head and wondered what he had gotten himself into this time. "If I break my arm, please tell the doctor a good story," he mused.

"She is unlikely to judge and she will think it brave as ice was involved." Beth encouraged as she slide along the barrier for a moment before getting her balance and skating back a little more elegantly to the man. "You good?" She checked as several Realians passed around them.

Pushing a little with his skate, Michael skated a little until reaching the nearby wall and turning to face Beth. "Only a little different than roller skates. I... or one of me would skate as a kid," he pointed out. Offering his hand, he said, "I can do better than hug the wall, but I'm not going to be a threat for gold at the Olympics."

"Not sure I would like you as much with a gold medal," Beth said taking the hand tugging him a little from the edge. "You do not seem the smug olympian medal winners I have met over the years." The European Olympic team had used Corscia as a base once when she had been young and she had met some of the volleyball team at the beach, they had been smug and self-assured of themselves. It had been quite off-putting.

"One good thing about all that has happened is that we are here," Michael replied. As they made the circuit around the ice rink and got used to skating, the true beauty of the planet they were on was on full display. The smells from the food in the distance, the hum of the small shuttles making their way in and out of the starport, the people, and the way the ice and buildings played with the light. The city was truly a wonder.

Beth did not answer other than a nod. She was in a reflective mood as she took in the view of the ocean in the distance that the rink was looking over. She let go of Michaels's hand to stop and stare for a moment and just soak up the view. If she died there and then she would not regret a second of everything she had seen.

Pulling up beside her, Michael gave her a small kiss on the top of her head as he took in the view. Sometimes, words would just take more away than they would add. So he just joined Beth in looking out over the alien world. As hard as the last year had been, he was at peace with everything.