Day Four - Risa Trekkin'

Posted on Thu Mar 23rd, 2023 @ 12:46am by Lieutenant Luna Eclipse of the House of Martok & Captain Akeno Misaki & Commander Mashiro Munetani "Shiro" & Lieutenant Commander Raelyn Mckenzie & Lieutenant Commander Mark Johnson
Edited on on Fri Mar 24th, 2023 @ 6:42pm

Mission: When on Risa...

Now that Starfleet Security had arrived and the Wayfarer crew had handed over their findings, they could all get back to their holiday. After her encounter with the Counsellor at Breakfast, Akeno decided that she would go and enjoy one of the many trails and treks up into the mountains of the island.

Dressed in a beige buttoned up shirt thar she had tied up the bottom to reveal her navel, a light jacket, hiking hat and shorts she made her way to the lobby. A few of the Wayfarer crew were meant to be joining her and she was excited to explore some of the beautiful mountains on the island.

Dressed in black hiking trousers, a kaki unbuttoned shirt and proper leather hiking boots, Mark made his appearance at the agreed meeting spot to start the hike. A heavy red backpack of around 40L capacity laid on his back, in it a few hiking material as well as some climbing gear.

“morning captain” he said approaching her “a beautiful day for some exploring hike, ain’t it?” smiling.

Luna was beyond excited to be able to get back out into nature! After the craziness of the murder, Luna needed something to distract her from her still simmering emotions. Luna wore kaki zip-off pants, a well worn pair of hiking boots, and a kaki long-sleeve button down purple and blue plaid shirt.

"Morning all! And how are we this fine morning?" Luna asked as she skipped up to the Captain and Doc, dropping her climbing gear covered backpack at her feet.

Mark turned towards the new arrival "Hey, all ok. Didn't think I had to work even on holidays" he chuckled

Akeno waggled her finger at Mark. "No ranks remember! We're on holiday!" she told him with a grin. "Well we have a few minutes until we have to set off, lets check we have everything we need" she suggested as she pulled off her backpack.

“Dang” Mark said smiling “Habits are hard to suppress” he excused himself grinning while lowering his backpack and doing a quick inventory.
“Well, I brought the basics” he started “water, something to eat, a medical kit” showing a broad smile “waterproof jacket and some climbing equipment” he finished while unpacking a climbing harness, some carabiners, a few quickdraws, a grigri and a rope.

"I've got that sorta thing too...plus some cameras, a hammock, a couple of blankets, and music!" Luna held up an old fashioned CD player!

As the three of them became engaged in some lively banter, Akeno was just in time to spot a familiar brunette making her way towards the door, sporting a red, nylon t-shirt, Starfleet-issue windbreaker, black bermuda shorts, and a full-brim mesh cap.

"Shiro Chan!" Akeno called out. "Come and join us! We're going for a Trek!"

The brunette stopped at the door and let out an audible sigh. "Sure, it's not like I had plans today," she grumbled as she spun around and moved over to join Akeno's group. "And please stop calling me Shiro-Chan!"

"Nah... I like it. Plus it suits you..." she paused for a brief moment. "Although..." she seemed to study Shiro up and down a bit. "Your fashion sense could use some work, and you might need a bag with some supplies..."

"As if You're one to talk!" Mashiro scoffed. "You don't even look like you fit in those clothes!"

Akeno raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?" She asked curiously. "I'm going tor a modern spin on an exploring/mountain hiking look..."

"If that's supposed to be a "modern" look, then we're all going to be hiking naked by 2400!" Mashiro lamented.

A mischevious smirk spread across Akenos face. "Afraid of showing a little skin Shiro Chan? No wonder you're so pale! Cone on, get some of that Risian sun and soak up some vitamin D!" She said. "Look, it's this easy!"

Using both hands Akeno grabbed the bottom hem of Shiro shirt and tugged it up. Quickly she tied it up before Shiro could react. "See, easy. And now we match!" She laughed.

Mashiro simply stood there with her mouth agape, her brain unable to process this woman's gross lack of boundaries.

Luna howled with laughter at what Akeno had done with Mashiro's shirt. "I'm I'm sorry...th...that was just too good!" Luna gasped between sputters of laughter.

Mark quietly masked a laughter with a couple of coughs trying not to sound unprofessional.

"I'm going to kill you for this," Mashiro hissed at Akeno.

Just then, loud and fast footsteps, which sounded like they were stepping against tile, could be heard in the distance, closing in on the lobby.

Luna's head came up and her eye's narrowed. "What's that?" Luna asked, putting her hand on her Mek'leth.

The steps grew louder to the point that it sounded like they were right next to the group. However it just turned out to reveal Raelyn walking quickly out of a hallway, as she was running late to the group. Distracted, she tripped over a step that was going into the lobby, and face-planted square on the floor, her belongings going everywhere.

“Oh, watch out” Mark told Raelyn while kneeling down to help her up. “All ok?” he asked “I’m still on holidays and would like not to use my medical skills while here” he calmly said while showing off a board smile.

"Oh!" Akeno exclaimed as she rushed over to help Raelyn. "It's almost as if Shiro-Chans 'bad luck' is rubbing off on you..." she said.

"Shut up!" Mashiro grumbled. "I do not have bad luck!"

Luna did her best to hide her snicker. "Are you ok, Raelyn? [Those two...wonder if we can get her and Hiro transferred to the Wayfarer?]"Luna thought.

Raelyn picked herself up, trying to hide her own snicker at Akeno's comment. "I'm all good" she looked around. "At least none of my junior security was around. They'd never let me forget it" she chuckled.

Once everyone was ready, Akeno turned to the party. "Ok! Lets go!"

Mark nodded and, worn his backpack, followed Akeno and the rest of the group on the trail.

Luna swung her backpack onto her shoulder and skipped after the others, happy to be out in the REAL, fresh air!

[A little while later]

The group were high in the Risian mountains, the area around them was beautiful. A large waterfall cast mist in the air casting Rainbows in the fresh air. Plants of various colours and hues grew around them.

"This is a beautiful spot!" Akeno stated.

The doctor followed closely and breathed deeply some fresh non recycled air into his lungs.

"Oh it is indeed" he answered while closing in to the stream of water to get a taste of the temperature of the water with his hand.

"This place is magical," Luna looked around in complete awe.

"Perfect spot for a picnic too!" Akeno said. "How far do we want to go today?" She asked curiously.

"Oh, this?" Mashiro called out, evidently lagging behind the main group. "This is nothing; the trails up ahead are supposed to be professional hiking trai-!"

She didn't get the chance to finish before her foot slipped on a wet rock, sending her tumbling face-first into the brook.

"F***CK!!!!" she screamed angrily.

A not well defined figure popped up unexpectedly on Mark's left just as we has knelt over the little stream admiring the place. He instinctvely moved apart to then recognize Mashiro, face down, swearing. His smile broadened just a little trying not to sound a jerk laughing of her misfortune. The view was fun indeed, considering he didn't see her coming.

"You ok, Mashiro!?" Luna scampered over to Mashiro and offered a hand.

"It's fine; it's just my dignity is all..." Mashiro grumbled as Luna helped her to her feet.

Akeno was standing with the biggest smirk on her face known to man. It was obvious she was trying to hold back laughter.

Raelyn too was attempting to cover her smile with her hand. However she couldn't hold in her snickers.

"You're quite clumsy huh Shiro-Chan?" Akeno smirked. Her expression changed to something of a more serious look. "Please don't fall off any cliffs or anything. We don't want to end up in a Risian hospital."

"You say that like the Risians have terrible healthcare or something," Mashiro retorted, attempting to wring out her clothes.

Mark slowly raised his hands towards the sky. “No way I’m gonna work here as well. I’m on holidays” he pointed out hyphenating the last word’s letters with a smirk. “Risian healthcare is good enough if anyone will need it” he paused for a second “even tho…” he quickly claps and rubs his hands to dry them after getting a taste of the temperature of the stream of water passing by where he was knelt. “I remember a Vulcan guy from one of my previous postings. He was a good guy, for being a Vulcan…” he almost suffocated into a cough this last part of the sentence. “He once told me he was in Risa transiting when he experienced a premature pon farr and urgently needed se…” he tried to suppress a chuckle before he abruptly stopped to get a look at the hiking companions.

“Well, this is probably a story for another time but yes, Risian healthcare is more than good enough for a couple of bruises and scratches” he told the rest of the colleagues to reassure them “…I wouldn’t ask for...” hesitating for a fraction of a second trying to come out with the best description “…more complex health services” he concluded with a smile.

Luna snickered softly as she listened to Mark whilst rummaging around in her pack. "Here, I made this a few years back. It'll dry you off in ten seconds flat!" Luna pulled out a small device and offered it to Mashiro.

Mashiro looked at the small device perplexedly. "What does it do?" she asked.

"It makes a 'wind ball' around you that pulls the water off. It's a little intense, but it's better than walking around wet," Luna's head dropped a little, a bit embarrassed about her tinkering being displayed like this.

Curiously analyzing the device, Mashiro pressed a button she presumed to be the "on" switch, and- just as Luna had claimed- a small, but powerful burst of hot air burst from the device, drying Mashiro in seconds.

"Huh," Mashiro remarked, evidently impressed as she handed the device back to Luna. "You wouldn't happen to have a replicator patent for this device, would you, Lieutenant? I could see this possibly being useful for away missions."

Luna's jaw dropped in surprise. "Yyou think there that good? Nno, I don't. [That's not a bad idea though!]" Luna thought with a small smile.

Akeno stood there with the biggest smirk on her face. She was actually starting to understand Mashiro rather well. She held a hand up to shield her eyes from the sun as she gazed off into the distant hills. "The trail heads right upto the summit. I looked up the details before we left, apparently if we reach the summit on foot there is a little train that can take us down the otherside," she explained to them all.

“Sounds good” the doctor acknowledged as he gathered a bottle of water from his backpack. He then inspected the trail and the distance from the top while sipping from the bottle.

"Not that I mind the convenience of having a train to take us back down the mountain," Mashiro remarked. "But you mean to tell me that they have a train heading down from the summit, but not back up?"

Akeno nodded. "Yep. The train does go up and down. But what's the point of taking the easy option; mountains are meant to be climbed, that's the right option! Do you quit that easily Shiro-Chan?"

"Of course not," Mashiro retorted with an indignant huff. "If I were a quitter, do you think I'd survive one of the bloodiest conflicts in galactic history and still manage to hold the position of XO?"

Akeno blinked a few times at the mention of the war. Like most officers it was still very fresh in her memory. "Yeah..." she hesitated for a moment as she looked away. "Of course..." She started to lead the group off again, without saying another word.

Mashiro hesitated for a second or two, but ultimately decided to let bygones be bygones. With everything they'd been through these past couple of years, it wouldn't do them any good to be reopening old wounds.

Mark silently fixed his backpack and waited for the last one of the group so as to close the line and be the last one.

Raelyn had served in Starfleet since before the war. There was so many people she knew that lost their lives and many others that she knew that lost people. Naturally, for her and many others including everyone in the group, it was a sore subject. She sighed and began to move after the rest of the group.

Luna felt her chest tighten at the mention of the war. She'd been fortunate to not have been affected, but she'd heard enough stories to get the shivers whenever it was mentioned.

The mood seemed to change as Akeno spun around to face the group. "Come on then! Let's get up this hill! Aim for the top, we're Starfleet! We're not going to let an exotic mountain defeat is are we?!" She asked out loud raising a clenched fist into the air. "Let's show it who's boss!"

Luna whooped excitedly, also raising her fist. [She sure knows how to bring everyone's spirits back up!] Luna thought.

Mark smiled at the excitement of the team. “Well, this could be a nice way to assess the physical condition of the senior officers without having them come to the sickbay” he thought, chuckling while hiking, headed towards the summit.

Akeno led the way, leading the group up towards the summit. She couldn't help but smile as she felt the burn in her lungs. It was nice to be amongst nature and in the fresh air, it made a change to constantly being on a Starship.

Posting by

Captain Akeno Misaki
Commanding Officer

Commander Mashiro Munetani
Executive Officer

Lieutenant Mark Johnson
Chief Medical Officer

Lieutenant Raelyn Mckenzie
Chief Security/Tactical Officer

Lieutenant Luna Eclipse of the House of Martok
Chief Flight Control Officer