Posted by Captain Rende Asam (Commanding Officer) in Side Sim - They Won’t Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Posted by Lieutenant Xam Ra’Ti (Tactical Officer) in Side Sim - They Won’t Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Posted by Captain Rende Asam (Commanding Officer) in Side Sim - They Won’t Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Posted by… suppressed (25) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
“While not as pleasant as watching you from behind, I guess I better since I am the one who knows where we are going.” Xam said with a grin, and he started off on one of the nature trails. Their hike took them around the lake and then he veered off the trial and they began walking through the forest proper. The ground became steep, and then they actually had to climb up a rock face that made up part of the cliff the falls flowed off of. After a couple of hours, with stops for water and talking, they came to a stream. “This is the border between my land and the resort’s property.” and he held out his hand and helped her across the wet rocks. Not that she needed the help, but he liked touching her. After another hour or so, they came to small rise in the middle of the forest… and their campsite.

Most of the way the trail was big enough to walk beside him, but when it wasn’t, Rende thoroughly enjoyed the view. Rende enjoyed the hike even as it became steeper and they had to really climb. The forest was pleasant and the company more so. Rende didn’t really need the help, but she willingly accepted it any time he offered. She even stole more than few kisses and caresses as they went along.

A large tent had been set up on the top of the hill. Outside the tent was a solar shower and down at the base of the hill was a portable outhouse. The tent itself was luxurious, but still practical. The walls were tied to tall poles, but Rende could see it would be easy to roll them up if so desired. A large flap was the door to the interior. The whole setup was reminiscent of the Bedouin people of Earth. Inside there were large rugs spread over the floor and a large bed had been set up at the back. In the middle of the ‘room’ was a firepit under an opening to allow for the smoke to escape while also not allowing for rain to come in. A spit was set over the fire, and two chairs sat next to the outside of the stone ring. As they approached, there were two bows and two quivers of arrows leaning against the wall of the tent. There was also an outside firepit with two chairs next to it. All of their provisions had been arraigned and organized next to a small area set up to prepare the food. Xam looked around and said “Gasbriel was always the kind to go a bit overboard.” and he chuckled. He then looked up and grinned. “But that looks like fun!” and he pointed.

Rende eyed the bows and arrows with amusement. “It’s a bit overboard for a temporary campsite, but for something more permanent, it’s just right. You should purchase it all this and keep it this way.” She turned and looked out at the view, “Why would you stay at the resort when you could stay here?” Rende’s gaze followed where he was pointing.

Above their heads, about ten meters off the ground, was strung a very large hammock under a kind of transparent tarp. It had a clear view of the sky past the trees, and a rope ladder hung down a tree from it to allow for access.

Xam, Tactical

“Oh. Oh we’re going to make great use of that.” She looked back at him. “Want to try it out now, or do you want to eat first?”

Cpt. Asam, CO

Xam gazed at her hungrily and then said “Depends what is on the menu…” and he grabbed her and pulled her into him and kissed her. He held the kiss for a long few moments, lingering on her lips, until he pulled back and said “But we should cook while we have light. I’ll prep. You get the fire started.” He swatted her rear playfully as he turned and moved to the crates with the food they had had sent.

Ra’Ti, Tactical

Rende grabbed a belt loop and pulled him back to her. “You mean to tell me that Gasbriel didn’t leave us any lanterns? Whatever will we do alone, in the dark, in the wilderness?” Shebkissed him again, lingering over it, indulging in it, leaving no doubt what she thought they should do. She stepped back and looked him in the eye for a held breath. Then she walked over to the fire pit, slung her pack to the ground. She knelt as she reached into the pack. A moment later there were quick scrapping sounds. She stayed until the fire caught and was hungrily eating at the tinder and picking over the larger cut branches. Then she moved into the trees. She returned a few minutes later, went into the tent and repeated the process.

Cpt. Asam, CO

Xam pulled a sheathe knife and began cubing meat. As he did, he kept glancing at Asam as she squatted by the fire. We don’t REALLY need food, do we? he thought and then shook his head. “Later.” he said to himself.

He cubed the meat, a kind of venison from one of the other moons, and then cut vegetables. He then mixed citrus juices, herbs, spices, and a rich acidic / sweet sauce together. He put the meat in a bowl, poured the sauce over it and mixed it all around. He opened another container, rummaged around, and found metal skewers. He deftly slid the food onto them, alternating each kind of vegetable with a cube of rhe meat. When he was done, he had ten colorful and aromatic shish-kabobs ready for the fire. He put them on a platter and then walked them into the tent. “Ok, all that’s left is to cook ‘em, and then we can eat.”

Ra’Ti, Tactical

Rende had been equally busy. She had rummaged for drinks and glasses and finding plates and utensils. She had also found a grill stand to go over the fire for the skewers. She took the plater and knelt beside the fire, “The sauce smells great.” She placed each of the skewers along the grill, the few drops of sauce making the fire sizzle. “Your friend went all out for comfort in here. It’s more comfortable than the resort.”

Cpt. Asam, CO

Xam watched her and his blood began to burn. “Rende… I want to ask you something. I know that we discussed this whole thing before we… well… broke the headboard in the room. And I know we established the ground rules and both agreed that neither of us is looking for anything serious… and I am still completely good with that. But I was wondering… when this whole R&R is done and we are back on board the ship… are we still going to be able to do that thing we did last night that made you laugh and me almost pull my groin?” and he grinned at her.

Ra’Ti, Tactical

Rende looked up at him. “We also agreed we could continue this arrangement however long we wished, or reinstate it if we desired.” She grinned, “However we will be doing that again, because if I allow you to continue to try and do a spinning heel kick like that, you won’t have to worry about a pulled groin, you’ll break your neck. Then I would be out the best d@mn Tactical Officer in the fleet.”

Cpt. Asam, CO

Xam.put on an overly-dramatic thoughtful expression and said “Well… that may be true… and I am the absolute best there is at what I do…” and then he leered at her, “… but if you don’t do something to occupy me right now, I may just have to try it again.”

Ra’Ti, Tactical

Rende’s brows went up. She stood in a smooth motion. “You really are new to this whole camping thing.” She slowly began making her way around the fire. “The kabobs need to be watched,” she began to unbutton her shirt, “sand and water collected for fire safety,” she tossed her shirt aside, “and water added to the solar shower.” She reached up and released her hair, “There is always something to keep you occupied at a camp.” She stopped in front of him, “We could always check each other for mites and other annoyances.”

Cpt. Asam, CO

“Well…” Xam said as he slowly stood up and set his hands on the top of her pants, slowly unfastening them, “… having lived most of my life in star ships, I understand the importance of hygiene.”

They watched the kabobs… and they only burned slightly.

Ra’Ti, Tactical

Rende sat on the plush rugs, leaned back against a small chest, one leg propped and one stretched out. She set the plate with the last skewer down and picked up the water. “We didn’t bring enough water,” she laughed, “but this was excellent, Xam.” She glanced up at him. She laughed softly, enticingly as he looked back at her. “Oh no, Xam. I’m old. I need at least a 3 minute break, wild man.” She stared at him for another long minute. “Vshka min” she shook her head, but was grinning.

Cpt. Asam, CO

Xam grinned. “Water? My dear Rende… we have a veritable cellar’s worth of the finest spirits, wines, and cordials I could get my hands on at the store. I also thought that we would need to keep our strength up, so there are juices and various other things. So what would you like?” he asked as he stood up and began walking to the tent flap… without a stitch of clothes anywhere on his body.

Ra’Ti Tactical

Rende tossed one of the many throw pillows at him. “Water. I’m dehydrated because of you,” her laughter followed him. “Juice will work, and then choose something less tame for us.” Rende enjoyed watching him walk for a moment. Then she grabbed the dinner paraphernalia and scrapped the grill. She was fastidious about keeping a camp clean. She walked out, in the same state of undress, and scrapped the dishes clean. Then she dunked and washed them in soapy water, and then in a pot of boiling water. She set them aside on the prep station to dry.

She made her way back to the tent, stopping at the edge of the trees, she knelt down and gathered a handful of Ufyanor. She walked back into the tent and sprinkled it into the fire. The scent was subtle at first, but as you breathed it in, it became more noticable. It was a relaxing and very pleasurable scent.

Cpt. Asam, CO

Xam went to the crates and pulled out two insulated tumblers and filled them with ice-cold water. He then filled two smaller ones with deep, dark red jasckinat berry juice. The juice was tangy and mildly tart, but a dash of honey sweetened it just enough. He then opened the ‘adult beverage’ crates and looked around, finally smiling and pulling out a clear bottle that flared out at the bottom. All of this he put on a tray and carried back into the tent.

As he entered, he looked at his camping partner lounging back on the pillows. He grinned at her and set the tray on the floor and handed her a water and a juice. “I got this place because I love the view… gotta say this view is better!” and grinned wickedly as he drank some water.

Ra’Ti, Tactical

She leaned forward to take the water, altering the view some. “I do what I can to enhance the experience.” Rende took the water and drank a good portion of it, but her eyes didn’t leave him. “The view from where I’m sitting is,” her eyes roved over him, “decadent.” She lifted the water to her lips again to drink and then leaned back. “So what do you want to do?” she waved out the tent, “To your land I mean,” she winked at him.

Cpt. Asam, CO

Xam grinned at the innuendo, but said “Well, there is a nice place about an hour’s walk from here where I want to build a house… a subterranean one. I can show you the spot tomorrow, if you like. I’ll also have some permanent camping spots set up… like this one.” He leaned back and stretched out, gazing at Rende. “I want to keep it as natural as possible.”

Ra’Ti, Tactical

“Subterranean? I’d like to see that. There is such beauty in nature. People are so busy trying to create their own interpretation of beauty and comfort, they miss what is already around them. Natural is exquisite and exciting,” she raised the chilled juice to her lips, obviously talking about him.

Cpt. Asam, CO

“Don’t look at me like that of you don’t want your three minutes cut short.” he said with a wink. His eyes moved up and down her body, but not in a crass manner. His expression seemed to more closely resemble someone looking at a piece of art that moved them with a great amount of intensity. He smiled and stood up and moved near her. He held out his hand and said “Get your drink and come on.”

Ra’Ti, Tactical

She laughed, “If you insist, I will restrain myself.” She took his hand and rolled to her feet, standing in a smooth motion. She bent down, grabbed her cup and waved toward the flap. “Lead on, Xam.”

Cpt. Asam, CO

Xam led her outside and to the ladder that led up to the hammock in the trees. The sun was low on the horizon, and he smiled at her. “After you. And of course I’m gonna look.” and he took her drink from her.

Ra’Ti, Tactical

Rende looked over her shoulder at him. “Oh, I would be disappointed if you didn’t.” She grabbed a rung just above her head and then started climbing. It was obvious she was in good shape, but now it was exquisitely apparent as muscles, sinews, and tissue flexed and stretched as she effortlessly flowed up the ladder, and then lifted herself into the precarious embrace of the hammock.

Cpt. Asam, CO

“Comin’ up. Catch!” Xam said as he twisted the lids of the tumblers closed and tossed them in a gentle arc up to Rende. As he did, he grinned as he looked through the fine mesh of the hammock at her. “Gotta say, the view from down here is pretty damn good, though.” As the last drink sailed through the air to Rende, Xam grabbed the rung of the ladder. He wasn’t broad shoukderdd and muscular, at lesst not at first glance. But his body was lean and his wiry frame disguised a core of remarkable stremfth. He pulled himself onto the ladder and, crossing his legs at the ankles and using only his arms, rapidly went up the ladder in a series of one-armed pull-ups. It wasn’t him showing off, however. From the time that beings first ascending heights using ladders, those who did so regularly learned that it was faster to only use your arms- if you possessed the strength to do so- to haul your body up rather than the more stable but slower way of hand and foot. So it was that Xam had learned the trick at an early age; and being able to traverse the ladders in the maintenance areas of a star ship quickly was a talent that had served him well in his prior employment.

Rende caught the tumblers easily and stored them in a convenient built in side pocket of the hammock. She leaned over and watched him ascend the ladder, “The view is great from up here too.” He moved with ease and a comfort that spoke volumes and she simply enjoyed getting to watch.

He crawled into the hammock, which was remarkably stable, and laid down next to Rende, his body aligned and touching hers. He looked up through the transparent cover at the stars. “Now this I could get used to.”

Ra’Ti, Tactical

Rende laid back, one arm folded back under her head, and stared up through the transparent cover at the art that was the evening sky at sunset. “I always thought if I ever lived on my own, anywhere I wanted, I’d build a giant tree house. Something that blended in, was natural, and couldn’t be picked out unless you knew it was there. Where I could see views like this every day.”

Cpt. Asam, CO

“A tree house…” Xam said thoughtfully. “I hadn’t thought of that. Might be a good idea for a playhouse. Keep the harem in there.” he said with a grin. He lay there in silence for a moment and then, out of nowhere, he said “I can’t imagine living so long. For me, life has always been so… fleeting. I’m actually surprised I’ve made it so long as to be laying here with you right now.” There was a harsh but honest truth to his words. “But a big part of me still thinks I don’t have long… be that by circumstance or my penchant for making truly remarkably rash and terrible decisions.” and he laughed a loud and sincere laugh. His eyes sparkled as he stared at the stars. It seemed that he accepted his fate… embraced it, even… even though there was a resilience in him that said that even Fate would have a hard time getting him to go quietly.

Ra’Ti, Tactical

Rende sighed, “Living this long is not all it’s cracked up to be. One day, I’ll come back here, your land will be developed, or grown over, not even ruins left, your body long turned to dust. It’s a bitter cycle. Oh yes, we are a whole species, and perhaps they are not so affected by it. They aren’t exiled.” She watched the stars for a long moment. “We all have burdens of fate, as it were. I imagine having a shorter life makes things more precious. Of course losing them over and over again can do that as well.”

Cpt. Asam, CO

Xam turned his head and looked at her. “If you are coming back here, then I want you to scatter my ashes here. Deal? Wait… half of my ashes. The other half I’ll tell you where to take in my will.” and he laughed. He looked up at the stars again. “So how does one get exiled from your people? I know what II did to get banned from my home world. I imagine for your people it would have to be a much bigger f^<k up than mine.”

Ra’Ti, Tactical

Rende laughed, “We didn’t listen. There was political upheaval on our world. We left, tired of the situation. We were all young and opinionated. A lot of us left. El and I went off on our own. That’s how the Star Siren Raiders began. We thought we knew better, had more wisdom, more insight.” She shrugged, “We did well, very well. But Hubris is the downfall of the conceited. We made a fatal error and cost thousands of people their lives. We gave it up. We went home, but when it was discovered why we had returned, we were exiled for interfering in the lives and development of other species. They didn’t think it was their place to imprison us, but their conscious would not let us stay.” The memory made an ache in her voice. Not the exile, that she could live with, but the guilt. It had been a necessary lesson, but a horrible price to learn it.

Cpt. Asam, CO

Xam nodded. “Still… thats a pretty $#itty way to treat someone who lives as long as your people do. And besides… it’s their loss. All the knowledge and experience you have of other species? Civilizations? Customs and such? That’s just cutting off their nose to spite their face.” and he shrugged. “If I were you, I’d call ‘em and ask for a reprieve. You got too much knowledge to just throw away like that.” He then turned and looked at her. “So at risk of ruining all possible hopes of having my way with you again, what happened between you and him? One day he was there and then ‘poof’… gone. It was weird. And not to be creepy or anything; but I saw how sad it made you. So I knew it wasn’t a Star Fleet thing.”

Ra’Ti

“El? He’s on the Monroe. He didn’t come with me.” She stared up at the stars, absently cleaning her already immaculate nails. “Since we joined Star Fleet the first time, we have mostly rotated who served. Brass doesn’t agree with families serving together, but sometimes they will let a civilian spouse aboard. He decided to stay on the Monroe as a warp specialist. He doesn’t agree with me taking a command position.”

Cpt. Asam, CO

“Why not? You are a hell of a Captain!” Xam said, almost defensively. “I mean, a Captain is only as good as their crew. And you do have the best tactical officer in the fleet to make you look good, but still…” and he grinned at her. “Not that you need any help in that particular arena.” he leaned in and then said “And I do so like you in a ‘command position’. ” and his eyes twinkled wickedly.

Ra’Ti, Tactical