<snip>

Kate heard the rush of water and looked around cautiously. “Yay waterfall,” she did a weak fist pump in even a weaker tone of voice. Dropping the pack she stretched trying to not look apprehensive as she edged toward Kai. The vista was beautiful but of all things there had to be a waterfall. “So um…how…uh high is ....it,” she spoke in a staccatoed tone. Kate could feel her legs starting to get wobbly and her palms beginning to sweat.

Kate O’Neill COS

“I guess 10, 15 meters.. I don’t like imprecise measurements. It will be an exception. Computer? How high is this waterfall?” Ari asked staring the water “17.4 meters from the higher rock.” Replied the computer “is not that high, are you afraid? I see you’re nervous…” he chuckled.

*Seventeen meters is about fifty-five feet,” Kate did the fast calculations in her head. “Fifty-five feet is not high? You know hitting the water at that height is like hitting concrete right?” Kate raised an eyebrow scrutinizing Kai. “Please tell me there is more to the activity agenda than throwing ourselves off like lemmings from a cliff,” she joked.

“Let me check.” He pulled out his tongue, made a funny face and checked an imaginary book “yeah we have!” He giggled

“let’s set the camp, then we’ll think about getting a shower ahaha!” He smiled at her as he took pales and tent.

“Alright, ma’am!” He made a military salute afterwards.

Lieutenant Jr. grade Ari Kux Salemberger - CSO

“Wow, you brought a tent,” Kate put her hands on her hips. She let out a long laugh. “My family is insanely outdoorsy. No rain no tent…period,” she took one edge of the fabric material and began to shake it out. “Shaun is more of a gentleman camper. Okay, he is like a woman,” she smiled, “but it is not his fault. He has five sisters. They did not go anywhere without power. Me…I cam from a family of five older brothers. We came with sticks and a ball and the ball was only to peg you when my mom and dad weren’t looking. When the Greckens and O’Neills began to merge into one tribe, camping changed drastically.”

“So practically stuff mixed in an interesting way. I came from an Italian-american family. My grandpa was the pioneer of the Salemberger while my grandma was italian and loved my grandpa. When my family and I went to camp, both of my granny loved to come and join us. Actually I remember that it was my nanny to give me lesson for survival situations! Indeed, before I ever stepped Starfleet Survival Course lab, I knew I was already promoted.” Ari smiled as he took a pole and putting the fabric around it.

Sticking a pole into one part of the fabric, Kate propped up her end waiting for Kai to do his end. “If you ask Shaun about the family situation he will call it a conquest instead of a merging because five out of six Gerckens are becoming O’Neills and only one O’Neill is rumored to be switching teams.” Kate’s could not stop laughing about the family joke. To most, it would seem like a true hill billy act with the families all intermarrying but what people didn’t get was just how compatible each O’Neill seemed to be with their Grecken counterpart.

Kate O’Neill

“You’re going to marry him?” He stopped a second resting the pole on his legs “if it is like that I would like to assist to the marriage!” Kux laughed “I am thinking to ask Luna to marry me, sometimes soon…” he talked as he started again assembling the tent. Luna and Ari were like soulmates, and the opportunity of both being aboard was a miracle and a gift from god in person. While Luna was working as nurse and was unaware of Ari’s feeling, he already bought the engagement ring from Vulcan made of rare colorful stones and some light but precious metals “Here,” the Lieutenant lent the ring to “what do you think about it?” He finally put vertically the pole and started hammering the cords to the ground.

Lieutenant Jr. grade Ari Kux Salemberger - CSO

Bump