Meeting At Star Point - Part II

Posted on Tue Sep 26th, 2023 @ 9:56pm by Ensign Sar

3,620 words; about a 18 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: Campor III - Resupply
Location: Campor III - Star Point Settlement
Timeline: Following Part I

=/\= On =/\=

Most substances did not effect the resistant Vulcan system. Sar couldn't even catch a buzz from a cup of coffee. Something seemed to have caused a relaxing, soothing effect to wash over the Vulcan.

Sar approached the bank and took a long sip. As it hit his throat, he noticed a fog in his usual thoughts. Such deviations should be worrisome. Both Sar's mind and body began to feel more and more relaxed.

"Curious", Sar said. "I believe the fruit we ate is causing a mild stimulative effect." Not only did Sar feel at ease, his emerald blood pulsated to his extremities, tinting his golden cheeks with a verdant blush.

"The best way to study the underwater wildlife", Sar said as he pulled his uniform undershirt and top over his head. His bare chest was long and lean. strong arms muscled.. but not overly so. "...is to visit their habitat", he said. With one quick pull, Sar tugged his fastened pants from his thighs down his legs.

He stood in modest boxers, form illuminated under the champagne colored light of the nearest star. They were made from a heavy, breathable material which was matched the same color as his uniform's yellow collar.

He walked slowly into the water, stretching his arms out. "The temperature of the waterway is quite acceptable", Sar said as if beckoning Sarah to follow.

Sarah didn't know what was happening. In a flash, Sar was undressed, and she blushed, deep crimson in the top of her cheeks. She was much more modest, preferring to change behind the cover of a tree. She wished she had the foresight to wear her bathing suit under her clothes, but alas.

She tried not to stare, instead she focused on his words. "I see. That makes sense. If you'll give me a moment, I'll change into my swimming suit," she said. It was a modest, one piece, black suit that covered enough of the things she wanted covered. She ducked behind a large tree, and slipped into the suit before neatly folding her clothes. She returned to the creek side, and placed the clothes carefully on a rock before stepping into the water. "Are you ok, though, from the fruit? Do you need a medic?" She asked him. It had no effect on her. She carefully sipped the water from her cupped hand. It was good! Slightly sweet. "What kind of life can we expect?" While she was drinking and talking, she had moved closer to him, so they now stood just a few feet apart.

Sar swam in the water to take a peek underneath, surfacing just in time to hear Sarah speak. The water was only about four feet deep as far out as he was, with the banks much more shallow. "The effects of the fruit are mild, though somewhat unfamiliar to me. In some ways it is similar to a case of Raalan flu."

He swam against the mild current, keeping himself mostly in place. "I must admit, I also feel a touch more... relaxed... than normal."

Sarah shrugged, not having heard of Raalan flu. "I see."

Sar laid on his back and let the current slowly carry him down the river. The light shined off his chest as he spun to turn himself in the water, pushing off towards Sarah. "Experiencing the environment of Campor III has been a refreshing change of pace. I hope to increase the standard of living for the colonists during our visit."

Sar turned to watch her on the shore as he floated. The wind picked up, catching Sarah's hair. The Vulcan noticed how its colors changed when reflecting the light. His focus honed in on her bright blue eyes. He couldn't help but feel fascinated. The thought would have brought worry to Sar, yet he quickly reassured himself with logic. His senses were simply magnified due to the berry's effects.

He dove under the surface, searching for nearby fish.

Sarah waded in, acclimating her human body to the chill of the water. After a moment, she was able to dunk under. She found the fresh water refreshing to her senses-or maybe it was the coldness. Or the company...

"Me, too!! So many good ways we can help!!" She watched hm float. He was acting a little...not Vulcan-like. Oddly...relatable? Something. "Can you catch any fish?" She asked. "We don't have a pole...." another breeze came by, catching her hair and tossing her sideways a little bit. She laughed as she fell into the water. Luckily, it wasn't deep, and she could right herself quickly.

Sar popped up, turning towards her in the water. "It appears I cannot. They are quite nimble." He seemed curious about her fall, but noticed she seemed okay. Part of Sar did feel different. He almost felt as if he was.. enjoying.. the moment. This was especially apparent as the amber starlight reflected sharply off the water's surface.

Sar quickly focused on his meditation and returned to thoughts of science. The effect of the berries was curious. "I must admit.. My curiosity regarding these berries is steadily increasing. We must return a sample to the Columbia."

"Perhaps you can help me with my studies", Sar said. "I would feel most comfortable confiding in you, when interacting with this fruit."

Sarah nodded. "Sure, I can do that. What would you require?" She asked. She realized she could float, so she leaned back and let herself laze around. She paid no mind to where she was floating. "Why do you think it makes you feel...odd?" She asked. She didn't have much idea about Vulcan biology. She knew the basics-they were allergic to chocolate, the Pon Farr thing, and that they operated mostly on logic. But she didn't know the ins and outs, like a doctor or scientist might.

"Based on my reading, it appears the Romulans may have grown it for its sedative effects", Sar said as he tread water alongside Sarah. "Terpenes contained within the plant appear to impact those with copper rich blood." Green blooded species like Romulans and Vulcans seemed to be more affected by the fruit.

"The water is nice, isn't it?" She turned around suddenly, and dove into the water like a dolphin. She surfaced a few moments later, her hair soaked, and her cheeks red from the chill of the water meeting the air. She laughed. "Ooh, that's...brisk. I needed that-the ship gets a little claustrophobic sometimes." She said. It was nice to get away, and just talk to someone new.

"I have been experimenting with how social connectivity can improve efficiency", the Vulcan said as his broad shoulders paddled to stay afloat. Sar's pale khaki colored eyes looked into Sarah's inquisitively, his long black eyelashes blinking rapidly.

"Working alongside you has helped me reach several important conclusions, despite a fairly ill state." Sar spoke of his buzz so clinically. "A partnership would likely be productive in both social and professional aspects." After a short pause, he said, "I wish to pursue an increased state of social communication with you".

The general state of Vulcans had always made her a little uneasy. Sar was being particularly weird, though. She listened closely, though, understanding that he was saying something important to him. She was always naturally a listener, anyway-she really should've been a counselor.

"I would enjoy that," she replied. She understood the meaning behind his words, though she had no translation for them in Romanian. The hidden meaning in Standard was enough.

"Would some food help offset the malaise?" She asked. Sometimes, food helped her to think more clearly.

"That is an excellent idea", Sar said as bobbed against the current. "It would appear that my attempt to forage for sustenance has failed. I feel more hesitant to explore local vegetation."

"However, there is no need to feel concerned", Sar said blankly. "I have experienced far more impactful conditions." Although food may help, he didn't want to eat any of Sarah's rations.
.
Sarah smiled. "It's ok. I have rations, but I also packed something else, hold on!!" She climbed out of the water, and made her way to the rock where she'd stowed her things. She unearthed an apple, perfectly red from the replicator, and two containers of kippered fish, and a bag of crackers, all replicated right before they'd left. "Here!! Have you ever had pickled herring? It is a delicacy where I am from," she said, holding up the items to show him. "I brought the rations for an emergency, but this is good stuff!

Sar swam closer to the shore before standing and following Sarah. The water poured from both officers as they stood by their stashed items. A rumble emanated from deep within Sar's stomach. His eyebrow raised at the sound.

"The thought of fresh food is appetizing", Sar said. "However, it would be wrong of me to eat your food." His pale tan eyes looked from the food back into Sarah's own. "Perhaps we should share the meal."

As the water dripped off of their bodies, Sar added, "It will only take us a moment to dry off." His undergarments clung tight to his figure, drenched from the river. The everlasting red-gold sky hung above, still far from sunlight at 1930 hours.

Sarah chuckled. "It's ok! We can share, but there's plenty, and I'll never eat this much myself," she said. She held out the tinned fish. "It's an acquired taste," she said. "So if you don't like the flavor, it's ok. I won't feel badly," she said. She'd just eat it all herself. "I realized too late it was traditional for ME but most other Humans and the other races don't necessarily find it appetizing," she said. She was feeling a little vulnerable, standing there in just her swimsuit. It was modest but still. She hoped the filtered, late-afternoon sun was enough to dry them.

"Want to sit down?" She asked, moving her clothes into her knapsack and settling on the rock. "It's sturdy, and big enough for both of us," she said.

There were those funny feelings again-she must be really hungry. She never felt light-headed like this before...and really had to remind herself to stop staring. "Cracker?" She asked, holding it out to her new friend.

Sar sat alongside Sarah on the warm rock, his thigh pressing against hers as they sat. "Certainly", Sar said as he reached for the cracker. His hand rested against hers momentarily in the process. "This should help negate the effects of the fruit."

His head turned to meet her gaze, Sar realizing how close they were. The sounds of a distant chattering call echoed through the alien wilderness.

His heart was racing. There was a new feeling. Sar realized his curiosity about Sarah had been growing. A curiosity unrelated to any mission or study. His eyebrow raised curiously as he meditated internally to stay calm.

Sarah, too, was realizing how close proximity they were to each other. She decided to ignore it as her "dumb girl stuff" and focus, instead, on not spilling her food on herself.

"I hope it DOES help," she said. "Otherwise, I might have to insist that you visit Medical," she said. She blushed a little when their hands swept each other's, but regained her composure quickly.

"Have you ever had herring before?" She asked.

Sar thought of her words, first as she mentioned Medical. It would be wise to check in with Sickbay. He felt little concern for acting too out of sorts, though he realized his behavior had been affected.

"I have only eaten fish on several specific occasions", he said. "Though I find the taste quite palatable." He turned from watching a squeaking, winged reptile fly past back to Sarah.

"Perhaps I shall sample a bite". Sar glanced down towards the food as Sarah prepared it.

Sarah nodded, opening the tin, and sniffing it. "Mmm," she said. "Smells fresh and so good. Now, Herring is slightly different than fresh fish. You might say it's a bit stronger tasting," she said. "And salty. That's how it's preserved-in a salt brine." She stood up and crossed to the river. She used a cup from her bag to retrieve some water, and returned. "I'll rinse them," she said, showing him the steps as she poured the oil out of the container into the bag she had-she didn't want to leave any signs behind, out of respect- and then rinsed the fish by swirling it in some water, and dumping that out, too. "There!" She extended the tin. "I use my fingers normally, but if you have a fork or something, that's fine, too." She said.

He watched her prepared the food with interest. His strong nose quickly picked up on the scent, taking in several aspects even an astute human might miss. "A very interesting method of preparation indeed", Sar said as he looked back up at Sarah. "It reminds me of a dish on Vulcan... Stewed Morka. We also use a brine to preserve the meat, though the salts are derived from a desert mountain."

"I look forward to sampling this fish." As his pale tan eyes looked inquisitively into hers, Sar said, "I do not have a fork. Though I would feel rude simply reaching into your container."

She held up a finger, and fished around in the bag of foodstuffs she'd brought. She was always prepared-she unearthed a fork, and speared a small piece. She extended it towards Sar. "Here!" She said. She smiled. "The salt in these is from Alméria, in Spain," she said. "They are the only salt flats in Europe. They've been around for about two millennia and will be until Sol explodes," she said. "Most of the Salt Flats on Earth are in North America," she said. "You will have to introduce me to Morka! I've never had it," she said.

Sar leaned forward to bite the small fish off her fork as she held it. Orange light glowed off his glowing back as he did so. He chewed while settling back against the rock. "The brine created with these unique salts adds a natural touch to the flavor", he said after chewing. "The region of Spain possesses an interesting history. Tasting some of the food from Alméria has enlightened me on human cuisine."

"Morka are raised for food in some areas of Vulcan. The animal can be used for a variety of dishes, normally depending on the cut of meat and preparation techniques. Many Vulcans in Raal raise Morka for their foodstuffs."

Sarah giggled a bit when Sar ate the fish off of the fork. "Indeed, it's a good combination, but rinsing it is key-you don't want it too salty. It will ruin the flavor," she said.

"I see. Are they rodents, then?" She asked. "At the Academy, I learnt that some of the Americans eat rodents, such as Nutria! They look like Guinea Pigs," she made a face of disgust. "My faith practices forbid eating pigs and horses, but cows and such are ok," she explained. "I know you can't have chocolate, but do you like cookies? I brought two peanut butter cookies and two chocolate chip," she said.

"I would normally avoid such foods", Sar said. "However, they may help absorb the active ingredients within the local fruit." He looked over the cookies. "Peanut butter should make for an interesting experiment in taste."

He had started to dry, though bits of moisture still clung to his body. "Faith can be quite important to a people. Even we Vulcans hold many rituals near and dear to our being. I am curious. How do you believe your faith enlightens you or adds to the meaning of your existence?"

The question was fairly deep and potentially thought provoking. It reflected the Vulcan's interest in Sarah.

Sarah nodded, and handed him the cookie. After a thoughtful moment, she responded. "Well. Firstly, it is tradition. That is important for cultural identity, I think-it helps me to define where I fit into my world. As for the actual practices-part of Judaism is a drive to internal reflection of the self. We are told that we have free will-if I am having a bad day, it is up to me to reflect on myself, my mood, my actions that may have contributed. Of course, sometimes it is other people, but we usually do always play a small part in conflicts," she said. "Then there's the cool hats the menfolk wear," she said, with a smile. "That's a joke! I'll show you the traditional wear sometimes. They have meaning to us. My family are Reform-we are not super strict, but we keep some of the ancient tenements and discard the others that don't fit our lives anymore-like, of course, the parts where women can't be educated, things like that." She said.

Sar ate quietly as he listened. He could sense parallels between Vulcan meditation and the internal reflections Sarah linked with Judaism. His eyebrow raised as she mentioned the hats.

"It would be enlightening to witness the traditions of your people, as well as their cultural attire."

"Tailoring religious doctrine to match your own ethical standards and viewpoints would appear to be a logical method of implementing religion into one's life."

"One important Vulcan practice is that of a mind meld. The process results in a close expression of shared thoughts and understanding", Sar said, turning to look from her towards the orange-red sun. The star hung like a bright ball in the golden sky.

Sar had mostly dried off as he leaned against the cool rock. "And what does your religion say about marriage and procreation?" Sar appeared to carry a look of curiosity.

Sarah, too, had nearly dried off. "Maybe I can show you on the holodeck sometime," she said. "I would like to experience Vulcan traditions," she said. She ate a little, then went on. "I am not certain what you mean, but I am allowed to marry who I wish. My parents would probably prefer that I marry someone in our religion, but I believe that if it made me happy, they wouldn't care. As for procreation, our religion doesn't speak about it per se. Some of the more Orthodox sects follow some of the other writings, and they are much more...puritanical. Why do you ask?" She said.

"Perhaps there will be a time when we can even share a mind meld. It would mark my first attempt at melding with a non-Vulcan."

Sarah blinked. She realized the seriousness of his statement. "I would enjoy that," she said, quietly. Things had taken an interesting turn.

"Some might consider Vulcan views on the topic to also be pietistic." Once again Sar looked into her eyes. "However Vulcans are simply selective when choosing a partner. Unfortunately, the constant suppression of one's desires can become.. Uncomfortable."

Sarah just nodded. "I would imagine," she said. What else could she say?

Sar blinked as he turned to watch the colorful flora dance within a passing breeze. Although his expression was blank and his words were emotionless, the Vulcan's interest was palpable.

"Vulcans often form social bonds in an effort to better the lives of both individuals." After pausing for a moment to watch the golden-amber grasses, Sar once again turned towards Sarah.

"I have developed an interest in building such ties with you", Sar said rather suddenly. The coolness in his manner of speaking could easily be mistaken for confidence.

She smiled. "If by that you mean that you find me attractive, then I share the same sentiment," she said, feeling a bit confident herself. Or maybe it was the lateness of the hour, or the yellow sun slowly drifting overhead, causing a drowsiness. She didn't know.

"Do you want another cracker?" It was all she could think of. She didn't want to say-or do-something untoward.

Sar turned his body towards Sarah, a look of determination in his appearance. "Perhaps", he said as his hand slowly reached towards Sarah's in an attempt to hold it. "In time", he said as he slowly leaned towards her, lips pursing for a kiss.

OH GOD. The young woman momentarily panicked. She wasn't used to things like this. She took his hand when he held it out, and tugged him a little closer. In a moment of rare boldness-maybe the fruit was affecting her too?-she leaned forward, and planted a small, closed mouth kiss on his lips. She shut her eyes as she leaned back. "I am sorry." She said.

Sar also closed his eyes, after seeing her do so. His eyes only opened after she apologized. "There is no need for apologies", he said as they held hands. "Pursuing a romantic connection will be a new experience for me. Vulcans can often become quite loyal and attached to their partners", he admitted. "We can take our time and ease into the experience."

He looked to her, gauging her response.

Sarah smiled. "I'd like that," she said. She bit into a cracker quietly. After a moment, she nodded. "Yes, that would be nice. It will be new for me, as well," she said. "I didn't date much in school," she said. Only casual first dates. Nothing permanent. She didn't know why, really. She TRIED.

"We can both learn together", he said, a different quality to his voice. "

The pair continued to speak, drying off by the creek. They would finish eating, get dressed and head back to camp. The ensigns held hands and talked as they walked back to camp.

Ensign Sar
Propulsion Specialist
USS Columbia

Ensign Sar bet Ira
Operations Officer
USS Columbia

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