By the light of the bluish planet

Posted on 22 Oct 2017 @ 4:52pm by Ensign Mimi & Petty Officer 3rd Class John Hollenday

2,244 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 15 - Emanation
Location: Ryn moon of Lock - Akkadidan system
Timeline: MD51: Time 1800

John checked the time again and also double checked the big pack he had. He was pretty satisfied that everything was settled. It would be several hours yet before this moon slipped into the shadow of the big gas giant that seemed like it was about to fall on top of them. It dominated the sky so much. He hiked out a bit from the camp and then waited for the pretty little ensign to show. She was that combination of shy but smart and with a heavy seasoning of exotic and interesting all rolled up.

Cresting the top of the hill Mimi came into view, she wore a light blue blouse with a jacket over the top and a matching pair of leggings, her furr was brushed and a small ribbon was tied around her tail, she'd gone to a bit of effort for this first date. "Hello John." she said with a smile.

John mentally kicked himself. Oh he had cleaned up and combed his hair and all but an engineers work was never done and the best he had was his overalls still. "Well aren't you just as pretty as magnolia blossom." He smiled and looked over her in approval. "I do apologize for my lack of decent clothing. Had to fix a blown generator just ten minutes ago and then just enough time to get a comb through my hair, cleaned up a bit and get our picnic together."

Mimi smiled again. "It is ok John, I only decided on this outfit about 10 minutes ago, I bought a few with me for the trip to Akkadia."

"Well I really feel like a country bumpkin but hopefully dinner will help make it up." He replied and then thought a moment and held his arm out. "Shall we darlin'" They were still just outside camp but there was no one in sight and he felt he would not be blowing their agreed to terms while around the others.

Mimi looked at Johns arm for a second before realising what she should do, stepping closer she put her arm around his.

He lead the way feeling as if the gravity of the moon had just decreased by two thirds as she walked beside him with her arm around his. He tried not to keep looking at her and talked a bit as they went but it was hard. The blouse and leggings of hers clung good enough to show off her sweet curves. "Did ya see the reports comin' in from the exploration parties? This little moon here has some pretty nasty critter's. That odd HG woman, did you meet her?, said there was some sort of titanic squid like thing that snatched creatures off the land." He was babbling on.

"Did you not see the picture of it we took?" Mimi asked, "It was huge and that was just what we could see above the surface."

"Yes indeed. I am starting to wonder if they are going forward with a base here. Anyway," he changed the subject pulling his eyes away from the distraction of her form. "Mimi," he used her actual name. "I will tell you that if there is anything good about this expedition, it was the chance to get to meet you."

Mimi blushed slightly. "Thank you."

"Well, here we are, let me get things set up, you just stand there and keep lookin' real pretty." John got a nice blanket laid down and then set out some dishes and flat ware from his pack. "Now you said you like mostly meat so I thought I would wrangle up something that your palette never has tried." He pulled out a set of warm dishes and set them. He then went over to help her get seated and leaned over to pull the top off. "Good ol' alligator tail meat. I think you will find it interesting."

"Allygator?" Mimi repeated the word after she sat down on the blanket. "That is an earth animal right? with a really big mouth and teeth."

"Al, I , gator," John winked and corrected. "Yes indeed, a big lizard like thing. Traditional southern cookin' tends to have bits of the animal meat. I also got deviled alligator eggs for you as well. Go on though try it, goin' be a bit more chewy but with a bit of fish flavour as well."

Taking a peice Mimi held it up infront of her and put her strong sense of smell to it, her ears twiched a couple of times during the process. It smelled fishy and a little salty but it didnt smell bad. A little gingerly she put it in her mouth and started to chew.

"Well what do you think? Try an egg as well, figured maybe you might like something with a bit of fish taste." John hoped he had figured it out correctly. A bad move like his original offering was going to put a fork into this right fast.

"Mhhh, it is quite nice but it takes a lot of chewing." Mimi eventually said.

"Gives your something to work your teeth into," John laughed lightly. "And they are beautiful teeth if I don't mind sayin'"

Mimi laughed "That is the first time someone has called my teeth beautiful."

"All the better to give little nips with." John winked. He then sat his plate down and said, "I am going to be dead honest with you, I like your eyes, ears, tail, everything. To me, you are just about the most exotic thing wrapped up in a pretty package that I could ever hope to meet. You can bust me down and have me scrubbing pots for a month for sayin' that."

"But I will not." Mimi said smiling. "Thank you for your saying that John." She hesitated a little. "I..... Like you too."

John smiled and said, "Tell me missy, did this old moon here just loose about another half of its gravity? I think I could just about fly, been that way since you said yes to the picnic. Tell me, do you imbibe at all, have a little nip, drink booze?"

"Until a month ago I had never drank alcohol." Mimi replied, "It did not go very well."

"Ah well, then I best forgo the moonshine then. Good thing I brought a bit of Georgia Peach sweet tea. You can handle sugar and a tiny bit of caffeine?"

Mimi nodded as she picked up several more peices of the alligator meat "Yes, I can handle them, I drink a lot of tea."

"Well then, your in for a treat," John said and poured a couple of glasses. He handed a chilled glass over and said, "That should help with that 'gator meat."

Taking the glass Mimi held it up. "I think the right word here is... Cheers?"

"Well for some, here is lookin' at you kiddo and I mean I could look at you all day and night long." He clinked the glass and took a good swig of the tea.

"So tell me if I have this right, you do not know where your kind are from?" John was trying to remember what she had told him briefly on the Danbue.

Mimi nodded. "I do not know where the homeworld is. I was born after we left for the colony I grew upon."

"And that's when you all got attacked and your family scattered if I recall correctly."

"We all ran." Mimi said. "There was fire and death everywhere, we were trying to get as many as we could to the hangar where we had two small ships. I got knocked out when a blast landed next to me. When I woke up the hangar was destroyed."

John nodded and thought a moment. "Well, here now.....have a bit more tea."

He sat back and said, "Let me tell you a bit of joke that you might not get but if you know a bit of Earth history from the Academy you might know. Anyway it goes like this:
'An Alabama farmer was driving across a bridge when he noticed a man on the railing ready to jump. The farmer stopped his pickup, ran up to the man, and said, “Hey fellow, stop! Why are you doing this?” The man replied, “I have no reason to live.” The farmer said, “Think of your wife and children!” “I have no wife or children.” “Well, then, think of your parents!” “They died years ago.” “Well, then, think of General Robert E. Lee!” “Who?” The farmer gave up. “Jump, you damned Yankee!”

The joke went straight over Mimi's head, she cocked her head to the side a little as she tried to figure it out. "I am afraid I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Ah well, you have to be Southern' to really understand. Maybe someday I can take you around my old grounds. Alright that did not work, here try this one darlin':
A couple of hunters are out in the woods in the deep south when one of them falls to the ground. He doesn't seem to be breathing, and his eyes are rolled back in his head.
The other guy whips out his cell phone and calls 911. He gasps to the operator, "My friend is dead! What can I do?"
The operator, in a calm and soothing voice, says, "Alright, take it easy. I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead."
There is silence, and then a gun shot is heard.
The hunter comes back on the line. "OK. Now what??"

"He shot him to make sure he was dead" Mimi said. "Why did he not check him properly?"

"Ah darlin' that is the joke. We Southerners sometimes pretend to be real dumb. Ah well, Nekomi do not make jokes?"

Mimi thought for a few seconds "We do, but not ones that make fun of people like that."

"Well that is part of bein' Southern, we know how to not take ourselves too seriously. Life can be hard enough and was in my neck of the woods for quite awhile so instead of gettin' all angry and all, we learned to just laugh at life, makes it easier. Well now let me see if this might lighten things better than my bad jokes."

John reached in and pulled out a couple of small round boxes that were sweating a little. "Now I do not know about Nekomi but that Caitan girl seemed to like this well enough. It is sea salt caramel ice cream."

"Sea salt caramel? I have not tried that one before." Mimi said, she had a feeling it would taste just as bland as most sweet things did to her different pallete but it was worth a try.

John pried the lid off and put a spoon in and took a little bit and then held out. "Give it a quick lick and tell me what you think?"

Mimi took the spoon and tasted the ice cream, it took a couple of seconds but then her eyes lit up. "mmhh that is very nice."

"Well then, guess I guessed alright. She said that she tended to like things a bit salty than sweet. Nice girl, but she was nothing compared to you darlin'"
John took the other container and dug in.

A few minutes later a bit of breeze came by and John got up. "Thought it might get a bit cool," he said rummaging in his backpack. "Here we go," he pulled a heavy knitted sweater wrap out. He came over knelt down and put it around her shoulders.
"There you go darlin'"

"Thank you." Mimi said, she took one of his hands in hers "John, I am new to romance." Her ears twitched as she thought for the best words. "And I am not certain about what I am feeling. You are kind and you seem to care a lot about me, I like that. But."

John put a finger of his free hand to her lips and said, "Now bless your heart, and just do not worry. But..." He leaned in close and then kissed her on the cheek. "How about we just take it nice a slow and easy and just enjoy being together for a bit longer."

Mimi gasped a little when John kissed her, it was only a quick peck but it made all of her furr stand on end as a jolt of electricity coursed through her. "I think that is the best idea."

John disengaged his had and winked. "Now then," he sat down besides her and then gently put an arm around her and pulled her closer. "Mimi," he said quietly, "let's just watch that big ol' blue planet up above and enjoy just being together a bit."

Leaning in against John a little Mimi sat there watching the gas giant Ryn orbited slowly coming between Ryn and the sun. The only sounds were the chirps of some nearby critters and after not very long gentle purring from Mimi.

John quirked a smile as he felt and heard the slight rumble. He gently squeezed her and then kissed the top of her head. "You know Mimi, sweetness, this is the best time I think I ever had. Beautiful place, with a beautiful woman, it just does not get any better."

OFF:

Ensign Mimi
Operations
Ryn Expedition

PO3 John Hollenday
Engineering
Ryn Expedition

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