Starbase Luxuries
Posted on 17 Nov 2014 @ 1:49pm by Lieutenant JG Kalos Jang Ph.D. & Lieutenant Benice Gyce Ph.D. & Lieutenant JG Cyrin Xanth
Edited on on 18 Nov 2014 @ 3:05pm
3,136 words; about a 16 minute read
Mission:
Episode 07 - Sojourn
Location: Starbase 84 - Rec Deck
Timeline: MD -15, 0700 hours
[ ON ]
As soon as he'd heard from Gyce that the station had a swimming pool, Cyrin had started going every morning, sometimes meeting with Gyce ahead of time and walking over with her and sometimes by himself. There was something so much better about real water against the skin than the holographic sort, and as the Galileo was far too small to hold such a luxury he knew he ought to enjoy it while he could. Soon enough, a holodeck was likely to be the only way he'd get a chance to exercise and swim the way he liked to.
That morning, as usual, there were a number of people there with the same thought, though the pool itself was huge and there was plenty of room for everyone. Half of it had been divided up into lanes, while the other half was the more public area. Cyrin walked in wearing his bathing suit and sandals, found a chair to leave his footwear and towel, and started a warm up of stretching and getting his heartrate up. He didn't look like the awkward scientist he really was, but rather more like an athlete or maybe a Security officer with his muscles and broad shoulders. Within a few minutes, he'd picked a lane and started his laps with long, smooth strokes that spoke of practice that had become second nature to him by this point.
For Gyce, people assumed that having a cane meant you did not have a lot of muscles. While not a true physical sort, she did however have a well-built set of muscles in the shoulders and arms. The legs, well.... Not as athletic as they could be.
Gyce was in a gold and black speeder suit and already in the pool. She had about a fourth of her lap quota when she felt someone in the lane beside of her. But she did not go any faster. Instead, she kept her pace just as even, pushing through the pain that generally followed from her right leg.
Kal had arrived late last night on the ship bearing him from Earth. The trip had been just under two weeks; the ship he was on had a schedule to meet and was leaving again today, leaving him to cool his heels until the Galileo arrived. Sleep hadn't come easily. He was finally out, where he could do something different, something special.
After about four hours of fitful sleep in comfortable but bare crew quarters, he found out about the pool and made his way down there. He took a lane next to a woman with red hair, took off his t-shirt and stowed his towel, then dove in. He made decent time, but slower than he would've preferred. After a while, back at the Academy, he'd let his exercise schedule fall off as he devoted more and more time to his projects, to earn his way into a position in the field. Now it was here, and he was finding out that all the lab time was taking a toll.
The Trill had been so focused on his own laps that he'd only been vaguely aware of the presence of others in the nearby lanes. He had an impression that he'd passed one of them a number of times maybe, but that was about it. Cyrin was enjoying himself thoroughly and pushed it. Warmed up, his strokes became more powerful and fluid, his body shot through the water back and forth. Eventually he had to slow down, his heart racing, muscles burning with pleasant fatigue. Cyrin clung to the side of the pool when he reached it at the end of his lane, then turned to observe the others while he breathed deeply and floated.
Gyce was struggling, as she usually did on her last ten or so laps. If her face was not already wet, one might see agonized tears. Pain that only someone that lived in a severe constant state of, learned to cope with.
When she touched the wall at the last lap, she hung there on the shallow end, panting hard. Fatigue usually gave her a bit of tunnel vision after intense workouts like this, and thus she did not notice the others around her. What she wanted, was to take one of her non-narcotic horse pills. But even those did havoc to the liver and kidney if taken too often.
So Gyce did what she always did when cooling down from a hard workout. She closed her eyes and began to take slow breaths.
Cyrin's face lit up as Gyce surfaced nearby, but then the smile melted away into a concerned expression. She didn't look so well. Mindful of her pride, Cyrin kept his voice low so he didn't draw too much attention to her, though one's voice had an odd way of bouncing off the water and carrying, "You doing okay, Gyce?"
"Fine," Gyce lied as she breathed hard. Then she pulled herself out of the pool by her strong arms, and turned around so that she dangled her legs in the water while she sat and continued to breath slowly.
Still in the water, Cyrin looked on a little worried, but he didn't push her. He'd been careful around Gyce ever since knocking her down, not because he was afraid he was going to injure her again, but because he had done everything he could to make up for a bad first impression.
"I'm glad I saw you," he said as if nothing was out of the ordinary, but the way Cyrin watched her breathing and face it was obvious he was keeping an eye on Gyce. "Did you hear? There's a Bajoran orchestra on the station? They're on tour, and I thought I'd see if you'd like to go." There was no guile there, no leering grins or tone suggesting anything more than a friendly offer, just straightforward honesty.
Without completely understanding the question, GYce shook her head in the affirmative. Then she shakily stood up and limped rather raggedly to her duffel bag by the pool and pulled out a jumja-flavored electrolyte-rich sport drink.
It was pink in hue and almost half-way gone by the time Gyce put the bottle down. At that time, the flush of her face had faded into a near-normal appearance.
Now Cyrin was definitely worried. A few moments after Gyce had moved off, he climbed out of the pool himself. Dripping water, he padded carefully over to the Bajoran, his honest face showing the extent of his concern. How to proceed though? Gyce obviously prefered to do things herself and not receive much in the way of special attention, but that look on her own face...
"Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked softly though his voice broke halfway through. Seeing Gyce in pain had obviously upset him.
Kal finished his laps and grabbed the edge of the pool, gasping for air. When his heart rate came down a bit, he heaved himself out of the water, feeling a little unsteady as he always did getting out of the water. Why did you always feel like you weigh a ton when you first climb out of the pool.
As he walked towards where he'd stowed his shirt and towel, he saw two people near there. A Trill man, judging by all the dots that ran down his body, and a Bajoran woman in what looked to be a serious conversation. "Excuse me," Kal said, stepping around them to grab his towel and shirt. "Sorry to interrupt."
Gyce was thankful for the interruption, and began to towel-dry herself off. "You're not intruding."
Cyrin really did not understand why Gyce pushed herself so much in her physical sessions. Explaining it to him was also very personal and she honestly was not sure if she was ready to explain the whole epic story of how she became bound to a cane.
When she nodded to Cyrin, Gyce added, "Kid gets a bit worried sometimes." The Bajoran paused then as she opened her bag and pulled out her pill box. For only a moment, it looked like she might take one. But instead shoved it back in her bag like she might deflect a Klingon's fist.
Cyrin flushed at Gyce's statement, but didn't try to deny it. He really did overthink things and worry too much. He knew how to take a hint though and didn't push his concern any further. Cyrin had known Gyce all of a week or so, and she certainly knew herself well enough to know when she might need help.
"Nervous habit," he explained to the man with a shrug. "But, uh, anyways, I'm Ensign Xanth." Cyrin extended a hand towards Kal, assuming him to be human and expecting of such rituals.
"Kalos Jang," Kal replied, amused by the young man's introducing himself formally with his rank. He took his hand and shook. Back on Earth they did this all the time, he'd learned. "Lieutenant JG. But you can call me Kal."
"I'm Benice Gyce," the Bajoran spoke with a forced smile while she started to put on her black and gold wind suit.
The Trill shifted on the balls of his feet for a moment, then spoke up in a rush, "Gyce and I were just talking about checking out the Bajoran orchestra that's on the station. Do you think you'd like to go with us maybe? I mean, uh, if you're not busy and all, sir." And just like that, he'd gone and committed a superior office to his eager plans of trying to make friends. The smile he turned on Gyce though was likely charming in it's youthful - and clueless - exuberance.
It was a rollercoaster with this one, Kal realized. Bajoran orchestra wasn't his thing, so much. He liked his music a little grimier, a little harder, but he figured there wasn't any harm in expanding his tastes. "I'd have to change first," he said, looking down at himself, shirtless and in swimming trunks. "Unless they've relaxed the dress code for that kind of thing. But, sure, I'm game. Where are the two of you serving?"
"Duty uniform would suffice," Gyce spoke before she put her shoes on. Then drank more of her sports drink. "I am to be assigned to the Galileo."
In his enthusiasm, Cyrin hadn't really given a thought to clothing. He looked down at himself and realized he was no better off than Kal was. His face turned scarlet, a color that travelled down his neck and even onto his chest. "Uh, r-right, Galileo," Cyrin managed before hurrying over to retrieve his belongings, glad to duck away for a moment. He was back within seconds, wrapped in his towel and looking more composed for it.
Kal finished drying off and said, "That makes three of us, I guess." He put on his t-shirt. "Where are you two stationed?"
"Science department," Cyrin replied with a grin. "My first posting as an official scientist actually, very exciting! I have a speciality in astronomy and physics. What about you?"
"Science, too," Kal said. "I'm a nanoengineer. I've been attached to the nanoengineering R&D department on Starfleet Academy the last few years. I've been trying to get a field job forever."
"I'm with the security department," Gyce offered, and pulled her cane from the hook on the wall behind her and used to stand up.
The Trill beamed at them both, eager to share the music apparently, or just glad for the company, "This is going to be fun! The three of us, going to see the Bajorans, and serving on the same ship together. I uh, I can go change in the locker room and meet you guys somewhere? The first concert was scheduled for 0930 I think."
"I need to change, too," Kal said, smiling at Cyrin's youthful enthusiasm. "0930's fine by me." He looked at Benice. She didn't strike him as a security officer, at first, but then he supposed he could see it. She was watchful, which seemed like a good quality in security. "0930 okay with you?"
"I am a Bajoran," Gyce huffed a laugh to the eager scientist. "And yes. It should not take me too long to get ready."
Cyrin flushed at Gyce's comment, "I kn-know, I j-j-just m-meant..." He couldn't continue at first, feeling put on the spot even though he knew Gyce was kidding with him, until he remembered the advice she had given him the day they met. Breathe, Gyce had said to him. It didn't always work, but he was surprised that such a simple thing did have an effect quite often. He closed his eyes and took two deep breaths, and had some better control, "Who better to go to the concert with, than someone who h-has some insight that we don't?" Cyrin gestured slightly at Kalos and himself.
"Fine," Gyce shook her head with a humored grin. What had she just gotten herself into?
"Come on," Kal said, taking pity on Cyrin. He'd seen the occasional scientist like him before, and knew the best thing to do would be to get him out of the spotlight a bit. "Let's go get changed." He looked at Gyce and said, "We'll catch you at the concert."
The nervous young man gave Kalos a grateful look for his understanding and rescue before he opened his mouth and started fumbling around for his words again. It had been hard enough to propose the idea in the first place, despite the enthusiasm Cyrin had for it. Cyrin nodded and offered Gyce a smile and silent wave before he hurried off for the locker room.
As they walked, Kal asked Cyrin, "Been out of the Academy for very long?" The younger science officer seemed almost like he was fresh out. Not that Kal had been away from the Academy for very long himself.
Not having to deal with eagerness to impress Gyce had certainly calmed him, but Cyrin still seemed just a touch nervous. She'd given him more help than she knew with her simple advice and patience when they'd met and the time they'd been around each other since then, and he hoped the concert was going to make her happy. "I graduated just over two years ago now," he replied to Kal's question. "What about yourself?"
Cyrin seemed to calm down a bit without Gyce around. Kal wondered if the younger man had a bit of a crush on her. Would that make him the third wheel on their concert trip? "I've been out for about five years, but I've spent all that time still at the academy, working in the Nanoengineering R&D department. Stuck on Earth for five years. I was begging to get out in the field, and now here I am."
"Oh! Nanoengineering?! That's some fascinating stuff, do you think you could tell me about..." The Trill's excited voice became distant then silent to those out around the pool as they entered the locker rooms to change.
Sometime later, Gyce stood, leaning on her cane outside the concert hall. Her gold religious earring had been shinned especially for this occasion. Seeing people of her own kind coming and going. Honestly, while it felt good to be out and about, Gyce would of rather been in her quarters, searching old records with some of her cold cases.
Still. She sucked up her feelings on the matter and brushed down her green spaghetti-strap, Bajoran-styled dress while she waited patiently for the young men to arrive.
Cyrin appeared, looking as eager as ever, around a corner and wearing his uniform, and still chatting away about technical details listening eagerly to the responses. Nanotech might be far from his own specialty, but that hadn't stopped him from picking Kalos' brain almost the entire way there.
Cyrin had only stopped talking long enough for them to get changed. Kal was wearing a dark sweater and pants. He didn't often wear his uniform if he wasn't on duty. "Well, really, it depends on what kind of programming you imprint on the machines. They're like anything else, really, they'll act according to programming."
As they approached, he saw Gyce standing there in a nice dress, cane in hand. "Haven't been waiting long, I hope?" He asked her.
"I haven't," Gyce replied simply. She was a bit nervous, being around her own kind again. "It's been a long time since I've really been around a lot of my people. And, well... Not too many non-Bajorans take interest into our culture. So I do want to thank the both of you for at least trying out our music."
"I like music," Kal said. "Never really heard Bajoran orchestra music before, so what the hell. I like Bajoran food, though. I lived on hasperats from a little Bajoran place in San Francisco when I was working at the academy." His eyes got a bit wider. "I don't suppose they're serving hasperats anywhere here are they?"
"Maybe on the promenade," Gyce guessed.
"Hasperats?" Cyrin mouthed almost silently, trying out the word, finding it a bit alien. He knew absolutely nothing about Bajoran culture or food, or their music, and only the bit of their history that everyone seemed to. He eyed the people that were entering the auditorium ahead of them warily, and kept the higher-ranked officers between him and the crowd, "I hope we'll get good seats. Is Bajoran music more rhythmic or monodic?"
Gyce gawked at Cyrin. That was really a question she did not like. Comparing apples and oranges.
"Bajoran music is about celebration and relaxation. So depending on the pieces they play, you could probably dance to a few. While at the same time, meditate to other pieces," Gyce answered as honestly as she could.
More interested in the mathematics behind the music, than meditating or celebrating something, Cyrin blinked and looked confused for a moment at the answer. He could enjoy music quite a lot that had unique mathematical constructs, and suppose it could be relaxing. Then he grinned, figuring he'd find out soon enough anyways, "Sounds good! Are we ready then?"
Kal wasn't sure if the way Gyce had explained Bajoran music sounded all that appealing, but what the hell. He was in space, and it was time to try something new and different. "I'm all set." Besides, at least he still had a bag of candy on him, in case he got hungry.
"As am I," Gyce answered and began to lead the way inside the complex.
[ OFF ]
Lieutenant Junior Grade Benice Gyce
Security Investigations Officer
USS Galileo
&
Ensign Cyrin Xanth
Astrophysicist
USS Galileo
&
Lieutenant JG Kalos Jang
Nanoengineer
USS Galileo
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