Maia/Aldana hike on the holodeck

Posted on 11 Aug 2019 @ 1:07am by Captain Maia Sterling
Edited on on 23 Aug 2019 @ 4:24pm

1,934 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: General Sim Postings
Location: USS Tomcat Holodeck
Timeline: Two days before the family of slaves mission starts
Tags: Luuna, 7F03YTY836M, Sombra, 3CW4YMF696F

[ON]

Maia had invited Lt. Aldana to hike a national park on hir home planet, Maia was interested in getting to know hir better. She even asked her to bring hir thylacinids with her. Maia didn’t have too much experience with transgender species especially one as alien as Amiri Aldana. It was an excellent chance to get to know hir. Maia did some research on Amiri’s nutritional choices and packed a backpack full of food water and supplies. They met at around 10:00hrs in holodeck one.

“Amira tell me about your homeworld and what are your dog’s names?” Maia asked.

Amiri snickered, s/he had no compunction against correcting a superior officer. “Sir, it’s Amiri with a double-’EE’ ‘Y’- sound at the end. S/he smiled apologetically. Two non-Terran thylacinids trailed behind hir, s/he gestured to one and she approached. “This is the female; her name is Luuna.”

The female canid had green eyes and salt & pepper silver look to her coat. She approached the female human boldly, wagging her tail confidently behind her. She began to sniff about investigating this one with her olfactories.

Next Amiri looked to the male and reached out to him, he nuzzled his ‘Alpha’s’ hand gently. “This is Sombra. He is Luuna’s brother.” He had complete Heterochromia iridium which gave him two different coloured eyes. His left eye was an ice-blue while his right was gold in colour. His coat could almost be considered a calico colouration. He wore a vest that mimicked the style and colouring of a medical officer’s uniform. Several patches indicated him to be a service dog. He stayed dutifully at Doctor Aldana’s side.

“I grew up on my father’s home planet of Kazar. It a technologically advanced planet, but they primarily focus on animal husbandry, herding, and agriculture. I’m not sure what to say really.” S/he smiled sheepishly at hir XO.

“My apologies Amiri, I meant no disrespect or offence. Luuna and Sombra are very interesting animals. I’ve never been to Kazar. Would you consider this holodeck recreation a suitable representation of Kazar?” Maia asked.

Maia looked around it was very pleasant late spring morning. the sun was shining, and it was a very clear morning.

“Show me around?” Maia asked.

“It’s alright, it is an easy mistake to make. Luuna and Sombra are very special to me. We have a very unique relationship. Sombra especially is a big help to me, and I look forward to the day when Luuna can prove herself to the ship with her search and rescue skills. She also is of great use after my shift when we are in our quarters alone. She keeps me out of the pit of despair and loneliness; keeping me company in bed.” S/he smiled weakly down at them. “I love them both very much.”

Aldana surveyed the land. S/he was mostly unfamiliar with this place. “I can try. I don’t think I’ve ever been here before; though I’ve seen pictures and read about it.” They stood on a promontory, overlooking a wide glacial valley with a crystal-clear lake at the bottom. All around mountains towered above, and faraway peaks could be seen stretching into the distance. Trees blanketed the landscape, climbing the rocky slopes with determination, only to stop abruptly at the timberline. From there the bare, rocky faces of the mountains towered further upward, decorated with patches of snow even in the simulated midsummer. Surrounding the lake, some of the trees formed a natural grove of fruit trees with pale-pink blossoms. A fresh cool breeze carried the scent of wildflowers, and tiny hummingbirds and insectoids buzzed happily in the meadows, gathering and pollinating. The sun was still low in the sky, a simulated mid-morning granting the hikers plenty of time to explore before choosing a spot for their lunch. Just behind where they stood the trail flowed off in both directions, leading back to the guest accommodations, and deeper into the park. “What was the title of the program you picked? This is either the International Glacier Reserve or The Rodden-berry National Arboretum and Park.”

Luuna gazed out into the land, and even though she could sense something just wasn’t quite right she had no fear and scampered off to explore.

Sombra meanwhile stayed behind. He checked in on ‘Alpha,’ to be sure s/he was okay.

“We can always adjust the Holodeck to a place you are more familiar with.” Maia implied.

Maia was enjoying herself with Aldana, and she had to admit that her home planet was lovely. “This is the Rodden-berry arboretum and park or at least a holo-representation of it. It has several well-defined trails which is why I selected it. Some were more intense than others.” The safety parameters were on though, so they were in no real danger. Maia took a deep breath there was a scent in the air that she couldn’t quite place. Possibly a plant or flower she wasn’t familiar with. At the very least it would be a nice walk in the park.

“It’s ok, I’ve always wanted to visit this place. I’ve read and seen everything I can get my hands on.” Aldana took a deep breath too. “Do you smell that? Those are the blossoms of a type of fruit native to Kazar, we call them roden berries.” S/he pointed down into the valley “there see, aren’t they beautiful? I’ve only seen them in pictures before. Some humans have told me they remind them of cherry blossoms from somewhere called Washington D.C., while others say Japan.”

Aldana looked down at Sombra ~I’m okay, go play. ~ S/he shielded hir eyes as s/he scanned hir gaze across the valley. S/he was looking for a landmark which s/he found and pointed to, “down over there is supposed to be a good place to see wildlife if we’re quiet,” s/he looked at the XO and smiled warmly at her, “or we can take a walk under the canopy we could talk or whatever. It would be peaceful.” S/he wasn’t sure what was on Maia’s mind, or her opinion of hir, so s/he cut off hir thoughts there for now.

Sombra took off. He began to track after his sister.

Luuna on the other paw had more-or-less intentionally been hiding. She had found an interesting bush to investigate and had ducked inside to smell it further.

“How smart are the girls Aldana can they communicate with you?” Maia asked.

“(Sombra is male.)” Amiri corrected hir commander gently. “Well that is hard to say; even now in your 24th century finding ways to quantify that in non-humanoids is difficult. Of course, as a guardian I am biased, but they are very smart; very intuitive.” Aldana hesitated, s/he wasn’t sure how to continue, but s/he was open to and hoped for more questions. S/he decided to start down the path that lay before them maybe s/he’d just follow whatever whim suited hir as they approached a fork when the time came, but for now the path was straight and it was headed in the general direction the canids were headed in. Hir hands draped lazily and loose at hir sides.

Sombra came to the bush where Luuna’s scent had led him. He began sniffing about trying to detect what – if anything – his sister had followed in there.

Suddenly Luuna sprang from the bush, she pounced her brother with a playful yip. The two tasselled and tussled a little bit down the hill before Luuna took advantage and pinned her brother panting and silently doggie-laughing, but quickly letting Sombra up and licking at his mouth asking for forgiveness.

“They certainly enjoy frolicking, don’t they? Have you had any problems acclimating them to shipboard life? Maia asked.

Aldana nodded, “Yes, I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed, but animals tend to be more intuitive than many humanoids. Somehow, they can tell the difference between a holodeck and the real thing like in an arboretum. At first, it was a little hard to acclimatize them to eliminate with holo-trees and grass.” The doctor smirked a little sheepishly.

“Fascinating, I had no idea they are so well attuned, perhaps we should go to the arboretum, I meant for this to be a getting-to-know-you scenario in your homeland. I was trying to make you feel more comfortable. The ships arboretum is very large. We could go there if you like.” Maia replied.

Aldana smiled, “They are fine now, I explained things to them, and they don’t mind pretending. Sombra says it’s a bit like using a fire hydrant or a telephone pole instead of a tree or bush.” S/he cocked hir head, “I didn’t know we were big enough to have an arboretum?”

“This ship is huge, and we boast an excellent arboretum. I even have my own green bean coffee plant that I make my real coffee from. Starship life would be too confining if we didn’t have someplace to commune with nature. Holodecks are nice but real plants and gardens create their air when properly tended.” Maia replied.

“That’s strange,” Aldana recalled, “when I first came aboard over a year ago [Verification Needed], I asked the computer, and I was informed we didn’t have one.” S/he chuckled at some of the canids’ antics, “I wonder why.”

Luuna returned to the pair of bipeds with her brother quickly tailing behind. Both of them panting heavily from all the exercise they were getting. Luuna had a stick and eagerly presented it to Commander Sterling.

Sombra caught up with his sister and gazed up at the female Commander trying to gauge whether she’d accept the gift and throw it again. He wanted a chance to try and beat Luuna to the catch.

“I didn’t know coffee had different colour beans, is that a bit like the difference between black tea and green tea?”

“I have found coffee to be as varied as teas. I’ve been to hundreds of worlds. Most have a different varietal of teas and coffees. The beans are all different too, colours shapes and sizes can be different as well. For example, on Pollux III coffee beans are gold with specks of blue on them but are just as flavorful and satisfying as any dark roast I’ve ever tasted” Maia said.

Aldana admired Luuna; how she seemed to be coming through her ordeal much better than her brother. Personally, s/he couldn’t’ve thought it possible but decided the canid-turned-thylacinid was much more attractive with her new rump stripes and pouch. Sombra too.

The hybrid doctor shook hir head, lurching hirself back to reality and the conversation s/he was in. “Wow, Commander, I didn’t know you were such a connoisseur of caffeinated beverages.” S/he smiled, “perhaps you’ll have to introduce me to some of your favourites.” S/he casually bent to pick up a fallen fruit blossom and offered it to hir XO. Gazing at her bashfully, s/he wondered what she was thinking.

"Very well I will. We should probably call it a day I need to report for duty in 30 minutes." Maia said.

[OFF]

Commander Maia Sterling
First Officer/Chief Science Officer

Lt. Jg Amiri Aldana 365 D.V.M., M.D
Assistant Chief Medical Officer/Counsellor

 

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