Posted by Chief Petty Officer Sam Nazarian (Host of Florence’s) in Gamma Tiltium IV- Tropical Chemistry

Posted by Lieutenant Navale Huzzen (Engineer) in Gamma Tiltium IV- Tropical Chemistry

Posted by Chief Petty Officer Sam Nazarian (Host of Florence’s) in Gamma Tiltium IV- Tropical Chemistry
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Navale was enjoying the evening. She had been excited at the prospect of spending some time with Sam during her shore leave, but she’d had no expectations other than to see what happened. She looked at hers and shook her head. “No, I think I’ll take it with me and squirl it away until you make me more.” Navale was eager to have a reason for Sam to make more of these, but even if it didn’t work out, she’d still be in the lounge asking, cajoling, begging, demanding them. She could make quite a scene if needs be.

She looked out over the water, past the lanterns and the boat. The only sounds the water lapping, the breeze brushing past and rustling the trees, and the odd call of animals in the preserve. “It’s hard to imagine there is a huge resort just a short ride away.”

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

He nodded. “Every place we go, there is a part of it that is away from everything, even if it’s not what we’re expecting. Even starships have this, but we of the engineering-ilk, know the best ones, naturally,” Sam said.

Navale laughed, a happy knowing sound. “Oh we do indeed.” She watched as he began to pack things up. He was quick and efficient, and there wasn’t really anything for her to help with.

Putting a lid on the squares, he tucked it in the cooler and put away the other items, including the orchid. He folded down the table and slipped it back into the bag. reaching for a lantern, he lifted a hidden handle, slipped his feet back into his shoes and then rose to his feet and held out a hand.

Navale slipped her hand into his and stood. She slipped back into her sandals and reached down for the blanket and paused when he spoke.

“Come, time for something even more special.”

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

Ah, so they weren’t done! She was glad for that. “Hmmm. More special than this? Do lead on Sam. I can’t wait.”

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

He gave her an almost giddy smile. “Leave the blanket there. We’ll grab everything when we come back. It’ll be safe.” Sam stepped backwards across the sand before turning and walking alongside her.

He led her across the beach and then along a space between large rocks that wound its way around the edge of the water. In fact, the boulders were so large they actually lost sight of the water here and there. It made it so it was hard to see where there destination might be.

The walk was lovely, and it was quiet. She wasn’t a naturally contemplatively quiet person, but she liked the easy silence between them. Not every moment had to be filled with chatter and goals and activity. Sometimes it could just be.

They reached the end of the impromptu path, but the rocks ahead were staggered in such a way that they formed easy to navigate steps. Sam went first and stopped every two or three steps to make sure she didn’t need any help and didn’t trip. They would hear surf in the distnace. “When you get to the top with me, I want you to take my hand, close your eyes and trust me, okay?” he said seriously. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

There were a few places Navale did indeed need help. Her sandals were not meant for traction on natural stone steps. Navale was fit and had good spacial awareness, but a skirt and slick sandals were not conductive to hiking. She gladly took Sam’s help when she needed it. She looked up at him, “Hmmm… well I suppose if you were going to do something to me, you could have just poisoned the food.” She grinned, “I’m not worried.” She climbed the last few steps, and when she did she placed her hand in his. “Is this going to be like one of those blindfold trust walk things from the Academy?” She closed her eyes, “I loved those things.”

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

He chuckled. “Somehow, that does not surprise me. You are an adventurous person, Navale Huzzen,” Sam said as he gripped her hand firmly and pulled her to him. He planted a brief and cheeky kiss on her lips and whispered. “That’s just because.”

When he kissed her so quickly and pulled away, it was quite difficult to keep her eyes closed and not open them and pull him back to her. She settled for a disgruntled pout instead.

Taking her hand and guiding it to his arm, she let her use him to hold her steady as he started to move forward. He moved slower, making sure each of her steps were sure before he continued. They didn’t go all that far, about one hundred metres, before Sam stopped. “Okay, stop here.”

Navale’s steps were sure and steady, but she was cautious. Rocky terrain could become suddenly uneven, so she was sure of her step before she shifted her weight. The experience was thrilling, taking everything in with her other senses. The sound of the surf getting louder, the smell of the salt air, Sam’s cologne, the warmth of his presence beside her, the slow rhythm of his steps as he guided her, and the chill of the breeze that nipped along her skin.

He moved behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders. “Open your eyes.”

Navale waited just a heart beat, taking all the other sensations in before she opened her eyes. Her glance darted around taking in the sight before her.

The waves they had heard had been the surf between the bay they had eaten in and another little bay right next to it. This second bay was also calm. What made it vastly different was that here in the nighttime, with the mostly clear sky and visible stars, the bay was lit up with bulbs of green and tiny specks of red.

The lights in the water drew her attention immediately. It was ethereal, magically stunning. Her breath paused in her throat as if afraid the slightest movement might ruin the vision.

“Bioluminescent jelly fish,” Sam said. “They come here in the evenings where one of their favourite crustaceans like to hang out. But they too are bioluminescent. Sometimes we marvel at the universe’s magic and then it just can’t but up itself,” he said softly, his head close to hers.

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

His voice teased her ear and sent a little shiver over her skin. There were no words. It was beautiful and unexpected and just beyond description. There was nothing she could say. There was nothing she wanted to say to try and turn it from amazing to mundane. She leaned back just a little against him and just watched.

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer

Somehow, her silence was the perfect response. He wrapped his arms around her, letting their body heat stave off the slight chill from the wind out this way. Sam rested the side of his head atop her and simple watched the dance of the light in the water.

For several minutes he said nothing, until he finally broke the silence. “We can stay here as as long as you like. The boat isn’t going anywhere without us.”

~Sam, Host of Florence’s

Navale’s arms were testing over the top of his. She liked the way he was holding her. It was like they weren’t sharing the experience side by side but as one single person.

When he spoke, her lips pulled up in a grin and she patted his hand playfully. “Shhh,” she whispered, “we’re having a perfect moment.”

Lt. Huzzen, Engineer