Close Encounters (Part One)

Posted on 24 Jan 2014 @ 8:23am by Senior Chief Petty Officer Keval zh'Erinov & Ensign K'os Beaumont
Edited on on 24 Jan 2014 @ 9:06am

1,573 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 05 - Solstice
Location: Emaracdero / Holodeck
Timeline: MD 17 1900

Keval was dressed in charcoal colored slacks and a teal colored long-sleeved rugby shirt. He was freshly showered and is hair was slightly damp. This wasn't a date per se. Just two new friends getting together.

What needed, what he wanted was to have a boyfriend, but he didn't see K'os that way at the moment. Not that he would have minded. K'os was certainly very attractive and of the little he had seen of him, he had a great personality and like himself, not one who just jumped in bed with another guy.

Elllsworth was of course out of the picture entirely and good riddance, but there was always potential with Ashai, at least he felt there was. What he wanted from or what he needed from k'os

He was waiting by the the entrance, not sure if the half Vulcan would even show up. He had told him to dress warmly and he hoped he had complied.

After a few moments, K'os appeared. He absently picked lint off his red flannel jacket as he walked towards Keval. He had no idea what he was about to do, as Keval had kept it vague. At least the holosuite was immensely safer than free climbing. He waved, giving him a goofy smile.

"Hello shipmate," Keval greeted warmly. "Glad you could make it..

So let me give you the details. I can always make changes and what level for the safety protocols. I generally suggest 70%. Enough to keep things interesting but not hurt yourself too much.

We are going to crash land on this planet and being fighting elements and an unknown enemy. We don't know if they are : Cardassian, Romulans or Klingons." He pulled out a data disk . "They are after this. and we have get it from out starting point in the mountain in the dead of winter to our target in the desert.

Sounds good?"

"That sounds pretty xenophobic." The scowl on his forehead deepened making the feint outline of his vulcan-like browridge cast a shadow. He then promptly burst into a sort of giggle that he stifled quickly into a snort. He stamped his foot in frustration, even though he was stifling his laugh. "Why can't I ever keep a straight face!" he pouted. He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. This is serious business." He said with a smile.

Keval had started to turn a deeper shade of blue at K'os's 'accusation', whether from anger or embarrassment, it was tough to say. But when he realized that the other man was jerking his antenna, his coloring returned to normal and he had to laugh.

"I hope you're good at your day job, because you suck at being a comedian.

So are you okay with 70% safety levels or should I adjust one way or the other?"

"If you think that best." He deferred the decision to him. He wondered briefly if he knew of Vulcan hybrid's strength, but deciding that he wasn't going to be getting too physical in there anyway he didn't feel a need to bring it up. He resisted the urge to make another joke, perhaps he was more nervous than he thought.

"Let's just stick with 70% then."

The archway doors opened with a hiss and they stepped into the empty holosuite. It was a newer model, and K'os found himself eyeing the design of the emitters with interest. "I'm ready when you are." He said turning towards his blue colleague. He smiled affectionately, Keval had the look of someone who really enjoyed doing this sort of activity.

"I'm ready now. We'll have about two minutes to strap ourselves in after I activate things, the ride is going to be bumpy so make sure you strap in tight. By the way, can I ask you a personal question?"

K'os was a horrible actor, and he was starting to fidget with nervousness. He didn't want to ruin Keval's fun, so he forced his best smile. Distracted, he remembered after a moment he'd been asked a question. "You can ask." He agreed, leaving it open for K'os to choose not to answer if he wished.

"I'm just curious. I noticed you're not fully Vulcan, by both your demeanor and your features. Is you other half human, or some other species?"

"My father is Human." He answered easily. He was expecting a different question, but he'd only just met Keval. K'os of course always made friends this easily. His jovial and sensitive nature made people trust him, but also opened K'os up for people to take advantage of him. That occurred more often than he liked.

"I was adopted by Humans. They can be, well complicated. If you're ready..."

^=^ Computer, begin program.^=^ he intoned.

There was an ever so brief pause before the grid was replaced with the inside of rather bruised and battered looking shuttlecraft. Several consoles looked chard and damaged.

"Quick, now's the time." Keval told his new friend

K'os was initially surprised by the sudden realness of the shuttle he was now standing in. The usual surrealness that his hybrid mind always created when he was in a simulated environment made him slightly disoriented even if he was used to it. He once asked Dr. Kovak about it and she speculated that with his unique perception of time combined with the abnormalities the Vulcan-like structures of his brain had that perhaps him knowing it wasn't real produced depersonalization effects.

Keval glanced over at his fellow officer and quirked one antenna, the man seemed to be lost in himself for a moment.


He put a hand on Keval's shoulder and squeezed, indicating he was ok to continue. "You'll have to fly, Chief, I haven't a clue how." He slipped into one of the seats and had a look at the console. Satisfied that at least he was familiar enough with the controls that he could help navigate.

"No problem,'" Keval said, "I think I can figure it out, though it would take an emergency like the one we're simulating for me to actually try it."

He looked down at the numbers across the screen and smiled as his fingers pressed into the group of photons the holodeck used to resemble a console. The effect the force fields had at reproducing real resistance made him restrain a giggle. This was fun. "We're holding atmospheric re-entry altitude of 132 Kilometers, Chief." Why did his voice always sound lower when he was play acting?

"Aye, Mr. K'os," he replied now totally in character. As if on cue, the ship began to shiver and shake violently. Keval fought it as best he could. Al fo his focus on keeping the craft steady during entry into the atmosphere of the planet.

He knew this was just a game, knew the program would ensure the ship landed safely more or less, but his muscles and instincts were responding as though this was all real.

"Hang on!" he shouted after a particularly steep drop.

The shuttle lurched from under him, and K'os found himself gripping the console. He laughed briefly as if he was on a roller coaster that dropped suddenly, but resisted the urge to stretch his hands above his head.

Keval was no telepath but he could read body language and while the Vulcan might not have been totally in character he was having fun and that is what mattered.

The shuttle broke through cloud cover and he could see the ground approaching quickly. His palms were sweaty with anticipation as he looked to Keval for guidance as to what to do, but the Chief was concentration on trying to land the shuttle. He returned his attention to the altitude and licked his lips nervously.

Keval did not notice the subtle or perhaps not so subtle shift in K'os. He was far too busy as now, on top of everything else, he found himself flying through a blizzard of snow and ice.

The young hybrid's hand dashed out and changed the display to a topographical overlay. The sudden blizzard distracted him enough that feelings of panic were allowed to slip through. "There's flat elevation to the west. Bearing --" Hail started pelting the shuttle with loud thunks. "Just...keep doing what you're doing." He said waving his hands helplessly at the controls. He'd only experienced an atmosphere re-entry during boot camp. A controlled descent. He decided he didn't want to ever be involved in an actual shuttle crash. He was suddenly jostled violently to the left and he called out in fear, then laughed loudly at himself for being foolish as the safety protocols ensured he stayed in his seat.

Still too busy fighting the controls to notice what was happening with his new friend and the effect it was having on him, he struggled to get the craft under control. Muscles straining, sweat beading on his forehead, he finally got control.

He had just breathed out a sigh of relief, when suddenly he caught a glimpse of the side of the mountain suddenly appearing. He set the craft into a steep bank, but it was not quite enough. He missed crashing straight on into the side of the cliff, but he heard and felt the sound of metal tearing on rock and the shuttlecraft came to a sudden violent stop.

[TO BE CONTINUED]


Chief Petty Officer Keval Grayon
Operations
USS Galileo
&

PO3 K'os Beaumont
Matter/Energy Systems Specialist
USS Galileo

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