Prime Waterfall Tour, Part 3

Posted on Thu Oct 24th, 2024 @ 5:18am by Lieutenant JG T'lenn & Ensign Charlotte Dawes & Major Clay McEntyre III & Lieutenant Phaedrae Cyn & Lieutenant JG Xalanth & Lieutenant JG Jezra Siv MD & Lieutenant JG Fulvia & Lieutenant JG Jason Williams III
Edited on on Sat Oct 26th, 2024 @ 3:39am

1,429 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Shore Leave & Ship Repairs
Location: Barisa Prime
Timeline: MD 2, After Part 2

Jezra was perfectly content staying away from the ledge that people were migrating toward. The idea of standing at the cliff's edge, staring into the cold and suffocating water below... nope, they were staying on solid ground. Turning to Jex, they asked, "Is there a trail to go see the stream's source?"

"It's not as well-worn as this path, but it is marked well enough for someone with moderate hiking experience," Jex explained jovially. "There are actually two sources leading to this particular point, a small spring, but also a lot of what we get this time of year is from the snow caps melting. The falls slow significantly in the winter when that area is frozen over again. Is it something you'd like to see?"

With a nod and a smile, Jezra responded, "Absolutely, if we have the time."

"Oh, I'd be happy to lead a group up on a further trail even if not everyone wants to go," Jex responded with his particularly bubbly personality. "It seems as though you have some energetic colleagues who might be up for the trip."

Charlotte was on her fourth jump off of the cliff. She did a front flip the first time because she could, but her second and third jumps were just launching herself off of the cliff and laughing her way into the water. Doing stuff like this made her feel like a kid again, and she didn't think it would ever get old.

Xalanth smiled as he looked up at the cliff and then to Vennaa. "Up for a swim?" his smile turned to a grin as the Orion nodded and began disrobing revealing the light green sparkling swimsuit she was wearing underneath. The lizard disrobed himself showing the standard fleet swim shorts he had on underneath before he placed their gear in his bag and started the climb up the cliff face. Standing on top of the falls he turned and smiled at her again. "Don't say I don't take you to memorable places."

"You always do my lord and husband." Fulvia replied dropping the Orion act for a second before with a wink and a grin leapt gracefully off the falls and plummeted towards the pool below. Xalanth grinned before following as gracefully as he could.

Phae stood in the shallows of the stream that ran away from the falls, watching. Before her mother's untimely death, she had extensive lifeguard training. Twenty-plus years later, that training held her responsible for the others playing in the water without it being her job.

In particular, she watched the woman that was unnaturally attached to Xalanth's side throughout the excursion. Phae linked her hands behind her back, strolling through the water to where the woman in question currently stood by herself. "I don't think I know you," she said by way of introduction.

Fulvia wiped the water from her face as she folded her currently black hair back as she looked at her lizard lover who was enjoying the water. Turning upon hearing a voice she gave the woman a polite smile. "No, I don't think we've met. I'm Vennaa."

"And you're married to Xalanth?" Phae checked.

"No." replied the Orion letting out a slight giggle as she did so. "He helped break up a fight at the club I work at and got a Tzenkethi off of me. So, I'm letting him hold my contract for a while."

“You might want to ask him how relationships work in Dragonian society,” Phaedrae suggested. “I believe he’s polygamous,” this comment held the hint of a question at the end of it, but then she changed the subject, “Do you like birds?”

"Really I had no idea." The disguised intel operative lied. She should know - she'd taken part in one of the wedding ceremonies. "I don't know much about birds, but their patterns and colours are always delightful."

"The binoculars you were using before, I thought maybe you were looking at the wildlife?" Phaedrae questioned.

"Oh, I was just looking at the scenery," came Fulvia's reply. "I don't think i got your name?" she added.

"It's Phaedrae," Phae replied with a smile. Then she pointed to where Xalanth stood, watching them. "I think your contract holder is waiting for you. You should get back to the fun. Your diving form is spectacular."

"Thanks, I've worked hard on it." she replied with a smile before turning and heading over to Xalanth. Internally she was cursing to herself for making such a rookie mistake.

Phae waded out of the water and reminded herself that she was on shore leave. Watching over Orions using synthetic hormones was not a vacation-activity she should be engaged in. But... she couldn't help herself.

"You alright?" Charlotte asked Cyn, walking past Phaedrae as she swam up to the shallow part of the water before standing up to walk toward the shore. "You seem distracted."

"Oh, yes, everything is fine," Phae answered. "Some habits die hard though. In my youth, I was a lifeguard," she added as an explanation. When I see a lot of people in the water, my instinct is to watch over them rather than joining in. I'm afraid it's a habit I cannot break." She flashed a smile for Charlotte while taking a moment to follow Vennaa's movements across the way.

"Okay," Charlotte replied not really getting it, nor was she entirely convinced. "Well, try to relax and have some fun. We all should have had basic rescue training. We keep an eye on each other," she commented light-heartedly.

"In theory, I can agree with that." Phae left her actual thoughts unspoken.

Their Denobulan tour guide, Jex cheerfully called out to the group, blissfully unaware that there were two intelligence officers on the hiking tour, each now distracted by different agendas. "We had a request to take a hike toward the water source. It will be another three hours or so, but we can call for a transport back, if there are any takers?"

He looked around the group, his large smile pronounced by his Denobulan features.

"Sure we'd be up for it." Xalanth replied to the Denobulan as he handed his mate a towel.

Silently, Phae pulled her shoes on once more. On the first leg of the journey, she stayed near the front of the group. Now, she was interested in the tail.

T'lenn noticed that the group seemed to be leaning toward the longer hike. She turned to Jason, "Do you have a preference?" She asked.

Jason considered it briefly. There was a part of him that wanted to stay right here and enjoy the water with T'lenn. However, they had plenty of time to be alone, so, he replied with a slight grin. "I'm game. How about you?"

"It does seem like a good idea to take advantage of the time and see as much of the planet as possible," T'lenn agreed. She walked over to her bag to finish getting dressed.

Jason climbed out of the water and moved over to his bag. After pulling out a towel, he quickly dried himself off, drying his soaked shorts as much as he could, before putting the rest of his clothes back on. Once he and T'lenn were ready, he offered his left hand to her as he started to move with the group.

Charlotte was partially dressed, having put her pants and boots back on after swimming. She ringing her hair out trying to get rid of the excess water before putting her shirt on. "What about you, Major? Do you want to come on the rest of the hike with us, or are we too slow for you?"

"Too slow? Is that a challenge, Ms. Dawes?" Clay smirked as he climbed out of the water, softly shaking out his fur before walking over to his backpack, and putting it on once more.

Charlotte laughed. "Challenge you? Hell no. I know when I'm beat," she said holding her hands up in surrender.

Clay chuckles a moment before he moved off at a trot.

"If anyone else wants to join me in some more P.T, follow the leader" Clay called to the others before turning back and starting off on another run.



~Off~

Lt. J.G. Jason Williams III
Starfighter Squadron Leader
USS Astrea
(NPC - Spello)

&

Major Clay McEntyre III
MARDET Commander
USS Astrea

&

Lieutenant J.G. T'lenn, & Ensign Dawes, & Tour Guides
NPS & NRCs of Remy
USS Astrea

&

Lieutenant Phaedrae Cyn
Off duty-really!
USS Astrea

&

Lieutenant J.G. Jezra Siv, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer
USS Astrea

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