New Horizons

Posted on Fri Feb 23rd, 2024 @ 6:07am by Caeda & Lieutenant Dr. Daniel Brasken

Mission: S1 Episode 7: Prime Factors
Location: Sikaris
Timeline: Date 2371-09-15 at 2045
3188 words - 6.4 OF Standard Post Measure

The city of L’hur - no, truthfully the entire world - seemed to be abuzz with energy at the arrival of the Terran fleet. While alien visitors were no strange occurrence on Sikaris, these people were different. They were - supposedly - from the other side of the galaxy and therefore unlike any other species they had met… though they bore striking resemblance to the Sikarians themselves, at least on the outside. It was however their reputation for violence that both thrilled and terrified all of Sikaris; the curious, story loving people simply couldn’t help themselves. Butcher of the Ocampa, Scourge of the Numiri… What other wicked tales did these people have to offer? It had become almost a point of pride in the city to interact with the Terrans. People would boast about their encounters with their visitors and try to one up each other constantly.

If she had to hear another retelling of an encounter, she was quite sure she would lose her mind.

Prynn Tira was standing in front of a small console inputting another order for the kitchen to take up. The restaurant wasn’t very busy at this hour of the day and she found herself grateful for that for once. While she didn’t really hold the Terrans themselves responsible for her state of annoyance, she couldn’t deny they were the source of that particular feeling.

“Prynn, you have another table.” Her coworker spoke as he walked past carrying a tray.

“Thanks.” She replied and finished what she was doing to head back out to the dining area and made a line toward her new charge.

Daniel's new leaf of trying to get to know the crew had been taxing to his patience and overall energy. He was seated at the table with a hand to his face, rubbing his eyes with thumb and forefinger as he awaited the server. The planet was fascinating from a sociological point of view. They had progressed as a species to the very idea that new brought pleasure, which was interesting enough for those that found non-physical pursuits interesting. The doctor really wanted to get one of them onto a bio bed to get some detailed scans to see if there was a more physiological component to their reactions.

Still though, just walking around this planet and dealing with his crew mates soaking up the adoration and fending off the natives was enough and all Daniel wanted was a quiet meal. He didn't even look up as he heard Prynn approach and spoke up. "Something simple, please. Bore your chef to tears if it is necessary in the preparation and no, I do not want to pay for it with a story."

“Well that’s good, because stories don’t actually pay for the roof over my head.” Prynn replied, her tone friendly and amused despite her wording. She had figured out her customer was one of the Terrans when she had been about halfway to him and had been apprehensive, but truthfully seeing him look… strained… almost relaxed her in a strange way. She stood by the side of the table, a pleasant smile on her face. Prynn wasn’t stunningly beautiful, but she was pretty enough with vibrant blue-purple eyes and short golden hair that framed her face.

“Would you like something to drink?”

The words didn't process quite as cleanly in his brain in comparison to his expectations, so Daniel lifted his eyes to the woman and tilted his head slightly. "Something tropical, if you have an option like that. Otherwise I'll just go with some water." His eyes danced over her face in minute adjustments as he took notice of the non-terran hued eyes and overall tone of her demeanor. Exotic from his point of view with just a touch of realism compared to the rest of her people that intrigued him.

He leaned back in his chair and even relaxed a bit but did not engage any more directly for the moment.

“Sure, I can do that. If you need anything else just call. My name is Prynn.” With that, she turned and headed back from the way she had come.

Daniel was forcibly shocked out of his exhaustion and somewhat sour mood. This person clearly was different from the other people of this world as well as many of his more outgoing shipmates. The analytical side of his brain kicked in as he started to review the past few days and what led him here.

The losses taken recently were a catalyst for Daniel to want to branch out and get to know more people on the crew. There were more than enough that he wouldn't care to know better regardless of the situation, but if he wanted to return to the alpha quadrant, he was likely stuck...no, that wasn't the way to think of it. He would be traveling with this group for what was likely to be decades. He could keep to himself and only engage in physical encounters with the rare tolerable shipmate, but even he had to admit that would make for a long trip.

Sure, this would keep his history quiet the best and keep him alive and were they still at home it would be the practical thing to do as he could still engage with his family or others outside the fleet. Here though, the options were pretty much to only open up to random people on new ships and planets that they came upon who would then be left behind - or he would need to take some measured risks and get to know the crew on a less clinical level.

The carousing on this particular planet had felt like the worst of both options, but perhaps he could start smaller.

Prynn had made a brief return with a yellow and pink drink which she set down next to Daniel with a courteous wish for him to enjoy and assurance that his order had been put in, then she had left him alone for the next twenty minutes (though had kept an eye on his drink as she went about serving her other tables.) Finally, she returned carrying a tray with a bowl as well as a covered dish on top. First, she picked up the bowl and set it down in front of Daniel. Presented within it was a pale beige pile that looked very reminiscent of oatmeal, but somehow even less pleasant.

Prynn didn't retreat and instead looked down at Daniel, her brows raised and a half smirk tugging at the corners of her pretty lips. "That's the most simple and boring thing we have to offer, I even asked him to leave off the seasonings. Now... is that what you really want or do you actually want something good?"

She placed her hand on top of the cover on the second dish.

Daniel smirked at her playfulness and snark, the quiet time and enjoyable drink doing much to relieve his tension and darker mood. He picked up the spoon for the bowl and tested the dish by lifting some on the spoon and then watching it drip back into the whole. She had indeed taken him at his word as this made him think of a wet paste one might use in arts and crafts.

Setting the spoon down in the bowl he put his hands out to the side in mock surrender. "Well played. Please, option two."

"Good choice." With a chuckle, Prynn slid the bowl away from Daniel and removed the cover from the second dish on her tray. She put the plate down in front of him and this time it looked far more appealing. Before him was a sliced portion of off white meat covered in a darker brown sauce that had flecks of spices and seasonings in it paired with what was likely an assortment of native roasted vegetables that glistened just slightly with whatever they had been covered in to roast and color properly.

"Still simple, but actually good. I can bore you with the details if you want or just let you eat."

"You know, I think I would like to be bored now. Will help offset this more elaborate meal than I was expecting." Daniel motioned to the seat across from him and picked up a utensil. He assumed she would deny the offer if it would be detrimental in some way to her work, but also didn't feel like making the denial so plain. She was intelligent and amusing, he was happy to have her company for a bit.

She flashed a pretty smile, did one quick look around the area at her other tables, and then shifted to sit down in the chair the Terran had indicated to her. She crossed her legs and placed her folded hands on the table while simply looking at him. “So that is sautéed mirash with an herb and spice infused wine and stock reduction; the vegetables are roasted nalotes, brels, and pofirs in a combination of mirash fat and butter. Like I said, simple. Really something like this is a staple meal in day to day life here on Sikaris since it is so simple to learn to make and can feed a single person or a crowd with ease.”

Prynn’s head shifted, her golden hair hitting and tickling along her neck and jaw. She winked at him playfully. “Sufficiently bored then? Or how else might I bore you tonight, sir?”

He ate each item as she described it to attach the flavors to the words. Small bites to be able to shift quickly from one item to another before she finished. "You know, I think once I've eaten I might be sufficiently bored enough to have some minor excitement. Is there somewhere on the planet you think is worth visiting? Our transporters can take us anywhere in moments and nice scenery to match the view would be acceptable."

The technology was generally a big hit with the races of the Delta Quadrant and so he figured he might play on that draw to see if he might tempt her into some less wholesome fun.

"Oh yes, we have many things like that... though you'd do well with a guide." She smiled in a flirtatious way and used her fingers to flip her hair back away from her face. "My shift ends in just under an hour if you're interested."

Daniel nodded as he set some currency on the table that should cover both meals he was served even if it wasn't eaten. "That sounds perfect. I'll go for a quick walk and be back at that time."

As promised, after her shift Prynn had joined Daniel once more. She had changed into a simple dress that flattered her modest but pleasing figure. The pair then spent the better part of two hours exploring some of Prynn’s go-to places. She did her best to make it interesting - her favorite outdoor park, taking in the view from one of the highest buildings in the capital, a quick stop to a food stall in the main bazaar to get a sweet treat, and on learning he was a doctor, she had even taken him to an apothecary shop so he could see what they had to offer in the way of holistic options. The conversation had been light and lively, she had kept him engaged but wasn’t overbearing nor did she pester him with a thousand questions about himself or his home. There had of course been copious amounts of flirting on both sides and it was clear that their time spent together was heading toward a less than chaste culmination.

She walked arm in arm with him, following a path that was decorated with meticulously manicured trees and plants. “I have one more place to take you, my favorite getaway.”

The path flared out into a circle then resumed across from them, but in the middle of the circle was a raised platform which Prynn guided Daniel toward. She slid her arm from his and held his hand instead. “Now, stand close to me.” Once he was settled firmly next to her, she spoke again. “Alastria.”

There was a chirp of acknowledgement and the two of them disappeared in a haze of white light. When it cleared, they were standing in the middle of an area full of greenery - mostly ferns around them, but the large number of trees nearby signaled they were in some sort of forest.

“Here we are, one of the forests of Alastria.”

"Alastria?" His eyes were not quite ready for the effect of their transporter technology and the brightness it involved. Blinking a few times to clear his vision as he also looked around, noticing the temperature and humidity had changed quite a bit. He reached up to undo his vest and let some air in between the layers he was wearing as he stepped off the platform. "Is this one of your equatorial continents then?"

“Ours? No.” Prynn replied with a chuckle but didn’t elaborate more and instead began to walk forward, knowing Daniel would follow.

Daniel held up a hand as he suddenly realized his eyes weren't troubled by the transport device and the heat had nothing to do with where they were on the planet. The sky above was visible through an opening in the canopy and he could clearly see a second sun.

Turning to look at his host, his brow furrowed slightly. "Prynn, isn't your world in orbit of a single sun?"

Prynn stopped walking and looked back at Daniel. Her eyebrows lifted and her head tilted just slightly, causing her hair to shift around her neck and shoulders. “Yes, why?”

"So we have traveled to another planet? How far are we?" Admittedly Daniel didn't know the star charts of the area and so had no idea where a binary system was in relation to the Sikaris home world. He did know that they were rare enough, though.

“Does it matter?” Prynn asked with a wistful sigh, looking away and closing her eyes. “I wanted to bring you here to experience the zephyr. It is quite intoxicating when it happens and seemed like an experience you might enjoy… one that we could enjoy together.”

"Matter? Yes. But it can wait I suppose." Daniel stepped up next to her and looked out at the view, his mind only half paying attention to it as he considered teleportation between solar systems and how that could benefit troop deployments and other such things at a minimum. Something about Prynn's tone about experiencing this phenomenon together was enough to keep him here in the moment.

The woman didn’t acknowledge what Daniel said and instead remained just how she was with her eyes closed and her body language expectant. The shifting of the leaves in the trees was the herald, and soon enough the cool breeze wound its way through the forest and caressed the pair. The effect was immediate, feelings of euphoria and arousal stirring in response to the zephyr.

Prynn made a quiet, pleased sound and let her eyes open halfway. “What do you think?”

Daniel's eyes half closed as the sensation rolled through him, causing a slow but long intake of breath. As it settled into his system he decided he was done with the back and forth they had been doing most of the night and stepped up to Pynn with one hand on her neck and the other going around to the small of her back as he kissed her with a low growl in his throat.

Prynn returned his kiss and as they broke it, she pulled back slightly with a breathless chuckle. "Yeah, I like the way you think."

Her hands found his side and she stepped close to him to press her petite body against his. Her lips found his again as the breeze rushed by once more.

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The suns were significantly higher in the sky when Daniel's eyes opened slowly, starting to stretch and realizing that one of his arms was immobilized. He turned his head to look at Prynn as his other hand reached out for his shirt that was nearby on a small pile of rocks. "Well..that was intense."

A slight sound emanated from her throat in response to his movement, but Prynn opened her eyes and sat up near immediately afterward. She stretched as well, lifting her arms up in the air and lacing her fingers together to extend her spine. It gave a few satisfying pops. “The zephyr does that, yes.”

She shifted around and began to pull on her own clothes. “That was great.”

"Without doubt. I would like to study these winds in more detail. Where is this planet?" Daniel stood and went about pulling on his clothing, almost feigning disinterest in the subject while being curious at both the planet and the technology that brought them here. Again he thought of how the technology could assist with troop deployment and recovery as well as possibly replicating the effects of the wind for fraternization times.

“Do you have to ask all these questions right after?” Prynn pouted while she finished pulling on her clothes. Finally, with a sigh and small shrug, she looked at Daniel. “Alastria is about two and a half billion times the distance between Sikaris and its sun.”

The words were spoken matter-of-factly. She wandered over to him, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his shoulder. “Mmm… why don’t we stay a little while longer and just enjoy the breeze?”

Daniel put an arm around Prynn while he considered the information she had given him. He did not know the exact distance of her home planet, but knew enough about spatial theory to know there was a minimum depending on the star being orbited. Based on that minimum he calculated quickly into the thousands of light years, even tens of them. This was much more important than he had originally given it credit for.

Still, he did not feel like it was necessary to leave this moment to inform his captain. What was a little bit longer if the advantage this could give them was what he had calculated. Instead of heading directly back for the platform he instead closed his eyes and let the breeze wash over him and let his less intellectual side take over for his hands to move over the woman's less so but still exposed skin of her arms and neck.

“Maybe we got dressed too fast.” Prynn giggled giddily as if she were some level of intoxicated, likely because of the wind and afterglow of sex. “Any more silly questions, Daniel?”

"None at all." His hand moved up from her neck and gripped her hair to pull her head back to kiss her roughly. Might as well enjoy himself while they had damn near a whole planet to themselves before getting back to business.

END