A Dip

Posted on Wed Feb 14th, 2024 @ 4:21am by Lieutenant JG Thivi & Lieutenant JG T'lenn

1,487 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: The Menagerie: side stories & mischief making
Location: Swimming Pool, Deck 11
Timeline: Just another day on Astrea

"When was the last time you swam?" Thivi asked her walking companion. Ever since she and T'Lenn had met over lunch one day they'd bonded somewhat - she found the Vulcan pleasant enough despite her stern-looking countenance and honestly, those who called Vulcans boring or dry because of their logical approach to everything were just shallow in her opinion. One chat had led to another, and here they were now walking to the swimming pool.

"For myself? Mmph, it's been a while. I honestly don't think about doing it most of the time..."

Still walking, T'lenn tilted her head slightly toward Thivi as responded. "A minimum of three times a week, I alternate a fourth day with other activities from workout regimen. There is a balance to maintain muscle memory for the exercise, while also stimulating muscle confusion for maximum benefit."

Thivi had to admit, she was amazed by the Vulcan's dedication. She considered herself fit, but that was on a level at least one or two up from hers. Wow. "And you're a scientist. Hats off to you, as our human colleagues say." They rounded the corner into the swimming pool and wow, was it crowded. Given the sheer number of people on board it shouldn't have been unexpected, really. "I'd like to go swimming on a real beach one of these days. Or at least somewhere where there's sun." Thivi quipped as she walked them into the changing rooms. "I need a better tan..."

"The holodeck provides a realistic simulation, and can be programmed to emit ultraviolet rays which would in some races cause increased pigmentation production effecting their complexion if you so desired," T'lenn responded as they found two open lanes together.

"Oh, absolutely, but I miss the real sun." Thivi sighed as she slipped into the water and cool liquid surrounded her up to her neck. The benefits of being tall, surely! "Maybe next time we should go to Risa on the holodeck. I hear Suraya Bay's beach is second to only that on Archer IV."

"Swimming in a simulated natural environment with a current is also an efficient way to exercise, and despite your desire to see ... 'a real sun,' there are still some health benefits to the simulated light," T'lenn responded. Her hair was now secured under a swimming cap. "Shall we begin?"

One of the benefits of having no head hair: not needing a swimming cap on your head to be more aquadynamic. Thivi had always found it quite funny. "We shall." She decided. Thivi took a deep breath and sliced smoothly into the water. One would think with those hoof feet she'd be less aquadynamic than she was, but appearances were, as always, deceiving.

T'lenn kicked off of the wall and executed a clinically precise freestyle stroke at a moderate pace. After 100 hundred meters she stopped at the pool wall. She calculated that it was an appropriate time to "check in" with her swimming companion.

Just as that thought crossed her mind, something bumped into the back of her leg.

"Ope, sorry!" The muffled voice was, surprisingly, coming from under the water. A sliding door had opened up in the far wall, and a young man with fish-like features had popped his head out to take a look.

T'lenn, normally not one to be startled was startled by the unexpected presence and reacted as such, pulling her legs to her chest rapidly and preparing to jump out of the water as flight mode kicked in. "There is something in the -- " she started to say when Thivi approached cutting her sentence off.

Thivi popped out of the water behind the pair. "Well, that was-" Then she had a better look at what was going on, and for the nth time in her career she was reminded that no matter how weird she thought she looked in comparison to her colleagues, there would always be someone to show her up in that department. Case in point: the Antedean male in front of her. "Oh! Hello." She quipped, wiping water from her face. "Who's this?" She indicated the fishlike man. "New friend of yours?"

“I hope so!” He grinned. Swimming out from under T’lenn, he surfaced to get a better look at who he was talking to. “Hi-Warrant Officer Qime Icxarii, at your service.” He tapped both ends of his collarbone with the knuckles on his right hand, clearly some kind of greeting.

T'lenn finished pulling herself out of the pool and sat on the ledge, her feet in the water. She was significantly shorter than Thivi, and the depth at this location in the pool was well over he head. Once she better situated to converse she raised an eyebrow. "We are only just now becoming acquainted. I am Lieutenant Junior Grade T'lenn, science officer."

For the second time in two minutes Thivi was reminded that no matter how strange she thought she looked, there were always going to be individuals stranger than her in the universe. "Lieutenant junior grade Thivi, head nurse. I didn't even notice that there were Antedeans on board - how are you adapting?"

“It’s not easy. My species has a… negative physical reaction to space travel. I’ve had to work hard to push past it, but I still need medication for it. I’m the only Antedian on board- and one of the only ones in Starfleet serving on a ship instead of a starbase.”

"Is this your first ship assignment?" T'lenn asked, noting to herself that the Astrea had not been in commission for long.

“My first assignment ever, ” He said.

"Curious, as to why you would elect an assignment that may prove to be physically taxing just by nature of your physiology when there are many other positions in Starfleet that do not require significant travel in space?" T'lenn responded bluntly.

"And I trust the stimulant that sickbay issues to you has not caused any issues?" Thivi added, neatly providing a solution to T'Lenn's question.

"Well, I'm in a bit of a unique position as an Antedian- not a lot of species can move between water and air as comfortably as we can. The Astrea has one of the larger aquatic ops contingents in the fleet, and that crew needs someone who can speak for them. When I joined Starfleet, I thought, ' Where can I do the most good? '; here I can help bridge the gap between two crews that can't really communicate. As for the issue of my neural blocker- as long as I take it on time, there's no difference between me and a crew member that requires antidepressants, or insulin, or any other medication."

"What occasion brings you to the natatorium?" T'lenn asked. "Did you come to swim with the non-aquatic races on board?"

"Just wanted somewhere nice and open to swim, is all." He had a large, toothy grin on his face.

"Does Cetacean Ops not have a larger facility?" T'lenn asked curiously.

"Not a recreational one, no- there's the Engineering section, but you wouldn't do your morning jog around the warp core, would you?"

"It would not be my preferred route, nor do I believe that the engineering department would approve of recreational runners passing through the facility," T'shir responded. "Perhaps I should take a proper tour of Cetacean Ops. I am only familiar by way of deck plans."

"I've never actually been there, though I've met a few officers who work there. The humans, not the dolphins, of course." Thivi quipped. "You'd be quite surprised what they gossip about. For instance, the cute Andorian chaan that the cetaceans like. Something about him smelling like friend?"

"Smelling like friend? The universal translator must've been struggling with a word that can't be directly translated- dolphins don't have a sense of smell, and beluga whales completely lack an olfactory system in their brains. I'll have to ask them what they meant by that later."

"Did you wish to join us while we swim? I had just completed a brief warm-up exercise," T'lenn explained.

"We don't mind company." Thivi quipped. Dolphins couldn't smell? Now that was interesting. And here she'd thought once upon a time that they hunted fish with it.

"Sure, I'd be happy to!" He dove back under the water, swimming in circles.

T'lenn tilted her head to the side and looked at Thivi. "I may have trouble keeping up with Mr. Icxarii's pace and energy level," she noted.

"I'm down for it. Don't worry, I'll fish you out if you get tired." Thivi smiled at her friend and dove back underwater with a powerful kick of her legs. It seemed that this outing wasn't going to be over all that soon.

Lt. JG Thivi
Head Nurse
USS Astrea

Lt. JG T'Lenn
Science Officer
USS Astrea

Warrant Officer Qime Icxarii
Cetacean Ops Liaison
USS Astrea

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