Nat & Kohl (Truncated)

Posted on 24 Sep 2013 @ 11:56am by Commander Andreus Kohl & Ensign Natalie Chevalier
Edited on on 24 Sep 2013 @ 3:37pm

1,213 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 04 - Exodus
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 4, Arboretum
Timeline: MD 01 - 1512 hours

[ON]

Stepping into the arboretum on unsteady feet, Andreus Kohl noted the feeling of pavement beneath his feet, rather than metal deck plating. It wasn't his first visit to the arboretum, but it was the first time he noticed that detail. There was certainly an entire ecology of wonders he could have been paying notice, but Kohl's brain really couldn't manage more than one new detail at a time. He had left his thoughts behind in Sickbay. They were ticking along, beneath the surface, making plans for his patients and his staff. To the arboretum, he had only brought his own body and a small bag.

The holographic sky was cloudless, the holographic sun bright: Nat could not decide whether it was horribly unsuitable or a comforting change of pace. Either way, it was a sharp contrast to the sombre, clouded mood of the ship. The destruction of the Venture and discovery of her crew floating in escape pods had been traumatic and shocking, and Nat, having served briefly on the ship, had felt the loss acutely. Her stomach had twisted in a knot as she worked on the Bridge science station, and at the first opportunity she had made her excuses and come down to the arboretum.

She turned at the swish of the doors. She was standing beneath some Trill blossom trees, the soft lavender blooms bright and vibrant; another contrast. She recognised Kohl, who had fixed up her thumb and traded views on the benefits of holograms: she wondered now how he would feel about the sky. From his face, she guessed it was not one of his foremost preoccupations. She waved, but allowed him to choose whether to come over, or whether to seek out some space of his own; she would respect his decision.

Taking notice of Nat now, Kohl raised his free hand and gave a small wave. He did cast his hand an askew glance and stared at it for a heartbeat as if it wasn't his own. Kohl followed the path and then stepped across the grass to close the distance between him and Nat. He looked up at the Trill blossom trees, and for the first time in a long time, he felt a pang of longing. He wished he lived in a house on a planet with a Trill blossom tree in the front yard, rather than starship quarters. It only lasted a moment.

"Natalie," he said simply and he smiled in greeting. "I hope I'm not treading on any experiments," Kohl said. There was a hint of levity in his voice, but he wasn't entirely committed to the weak joke.

Nat pulled a face. "I always hated those 'Do Not Walk On The Grass' signs at Starfleet Academy. What's the point of building a nature area if people can't explore it?" She shook her head. "No, I want this to be a place where people can come and visit: and that's going to mean some treading, inevitably. Just steer clear of the Edosian orchids: they're a bit delicate."

Mussing her hair just barely into some semblance of order, she glanced at the bag in his hand, then back to his face: he was smiling, but there was a slightly wistful shape to his expression. "So, what brings you to my little green and pleasant corner of the ship, Lieutenant?"

Kohl replied with a single syllable, when he said, "Lunch," and raised his bag to emphasize the point. But he was never one to use one word when fifty would do. "Or some later variation thereof," he said. Once those introductions were made, Kohl knelt down and sat in the grass, beneath the blossom tree. "And it's Andreus," he added, "Not Lieutenant."

"Of course, lunch. I guess you must have been pretty busy today in Sickbay." Nat twisted a lock of hair around a finger, an awkward expression her face: the thought had tumbled out unbidden, but it was not only stating the obvious, it was bringing the trauma of the mission crashing into the peace of the arboretum. She hurriedly shook it off, and made to sit down beside him, Trill blossom petals scattered around her on the lush grass.

"We're still busy," Kohl said uneasily. Glibly, he added, "Present and future tense." He looked down to open his bag, and began retrieving his lunch. Kohl pulled out a grilled sandwich and a thermos of tea. As he did so, he explained, "I don't want my medical staff passing out on their feet, so I'm setting a good example. Forcing myself to rest, and then I can redouble my efforts."

"Very sensible," Nat agreed, before glancing at his sandwich and warning him: "Please try not to spill crumbs, though: the ducks from the pond will chase you."

As Kohl unwrapped his sandwich, he deadpanned, "The ducks can have me."

"It's not you I'm worried about: it's the ducks. Crumbs are bad for them," Nat fussed. But she wasn't exactly in a position to lecture people on cleanliness.

At that, Kohl unfolded a napkin in his lap and he held his sandwich close to his chest. He took a bite into the sandwhich and chewed very carefully.

"What do you think of the blossom?" She picked up a piece of the brightly coloured petal-fluff and let it drift back to the grass from her fingers. "It's just coming in: I thought it was a nice look, but I know not everyone likes the scent."

His eyes half-lidded, Kohl appeared far more entranced by the aroma, rather than the appearance, of the blossoms. "They grow these on the grounds of the Federation Embassy on Argelius Two. I love them, but I suppose it is an acquired taste. They smell like home to me."

"Smell like home. What a wonderful expression." Nat nodded approvingly. "It's the smell that always gets me. The slightest difference in soil composition and it's just so different. I can still smell the creek behind our hotel on New France: and on all the planets I've visited since, there's never been anything quite like it."

She smiled ruefully at the memory. "If the Arboretum can provide a little bit of home to crewmembers in need of comfort, then I think that's good. The Holodeck just doesn't cut it when it comes to the senses, even if it gets the look just right."

Kohl took a pause from tucking into his sandwich, and gulped down some tea before he spoke. He sucked in a quick breath and he asked, "You grew up on New France?"

"I did," Nat confirmed, explaining a little about the settlement where she'd lived, her eventual falling out with her parents, and her subsequent departure from the planet. And, though her voice was occasionally tinged with sadness at dwelling on what she had left behind, she found she was enjoying sitting in the idyllic setting sharing a simple meal with Andreus too much for it to mire her in misery. Their laughter filled the blossom-scented air and, for the first time since coming aboard Galileo, Nat felt at home.

[OFF]

Lt. Andreus Kohl
ACMO
USS Galileo

Ensign Natalie Chevalier
Ecologist
USS Galileo

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