Elysuim equestrian team

Posted on Sat May 16th, 2020 @ 8:04pm by Ensign River Lokaa & Lieutenant Commander S'hib

Mission: Season 3: Episode 4: Cause and Effect
Location: Deck 10, Eylsuim Antiquates
Timeline: MD: 4
2953 words - 5.9 OF Standard Post Measure

River dressed ready for work had decided to take the short time before her real assignment and first duty commenced navigating the ship's promenade and buying some new artwork for her room. Though she was an avid painter sometimes it was nicer to appreciate other people's work. She had found a nice antique shop called Elysuims Antiquates owned by an old Human male called Reginold who had invited the young Elasian in to take a look around after having spotted her window shopping.

Already in her travels previous to the store she had brought a pretty moonlight lily and a vase for it to go in as well as some art supplies which had been delicately placed in a bag she now carried, also brought from another store with pretty pictures of flowers. River hadn't even noticed the shop's entrance doorbell chime indicating the arrival of a potential new customer, to busy studying an old Earth polaroid camera, and was considering buying it.

S'hib ducked heavily under the antiquated doorframe as he stepped inside, his hooves clicking loudly on the wooden floorboards. "You're a hard one to find Ensign." He snorted loudly, his deep voice rumbling inside the tiny shop.

Recoiling with the old camera in hand at the sudden rumbling voice River turned to face the direction it had come from. The young Elasian had thought she prepared well for this encounter however nothing was like the real thing and seeing the Lieutenant looming in front of her was something her family would never believe her. River was considered tall for a woman but the person in front of her was tall-tall and her head barely leveled with his chest. "Lieutenant" She managed to say craning her neck to look it his face, she had a million questions. On Elas they had horses or at least horse-like animals they rode across the plains. "I didn't realise anyone was trying to find me sir."

“I wanted to make sure you where ok prior to your first shift, but...” He said trying to look around without knocking anything over. “You seem to be doing just fine, shopping for antiques?” He asked, nodding towards the camera in her hands.

River looked down at the Camera and turned it around in her hands before looking back to the Sequus. "This is me trying to cope before my first shift, nothing a bit of shopping cant remedy and my room needed some character." Shifting the camera to her left hand she held out the other "Ensign River Lokaa, it is a pleasure to meet you." Having originally be caught off guard Rivers composure had returned now she just needed to take on the advice from both Commander Holms and Taylor and attempt to make a good first impression.

“Lieutenant S’hib,” He replied with a wide smile, taking the young woman's hand with his strange four fingered hoof. “But please just call me S’hib...” He added while bowing his head, allowing his long mane to flop over his shoulders.

Taking in every moment of the encounter River focused on the feel of his hooved hand on hers, it was four-fingered and in every way different to her own hands but just feeling how his muscles tensed as they shook knew his were just as capable as her five-fingered hand, if not more. Letting go finally she watched S'hib's main fall over his shoulder every characteristic of her own horse back home. It was uncanny how equestrian like he was but yet to Elasian. "Let me just pay for this and then I can meet you outside?" She asked noting that he was having to duck in the small antique store.

"Thank you," S'hib laughed, as he turned around, catching a tall lamp as his tail brushed into it. "Probably for the best." He added before opening the door and doing what could only be described as climbing out of the shop as though it was a child's playhouse.

"Oh that's better..." He huffed while stretching.

Excited River quickly picked up her bag and carried the camera to till where Reginald stood bemused. "You don't see many of his species around Starfleet." River made light conversation with the old man and promised to return again soon before leaving with her new-old polaroid camera.

"Sorry!" She said taking up her position alongside S'hib, "Where were we?"

"So what made you buy the camera?" S'hib asked curiously, wanting to get to know the person he would soon be working alongside, hopeful they would not be another Moxton.

"I like painting, but I didn't have much time at the Academy to paint so I took up photography. It was my escape, I found it hard to socialise and so it was my way of expressing myself. Since then I've had a fascination with cameras, we don't have anything like it on Elas so to me it's still a mystery how you can take a picture and it appears on a screen. I still paint now though." She said patting her bag which held her new art supplies. "Are you the first Sequus in Starfleet?" She asked returning a question of her own, her Elasian abruptness peaking slightly. "I hope I said it right"

"One of the first," He nodded, twitching his upper lip as he did so. "They had the fortune of being ever so slightly older than I..." He replied before falling silent, musing for a moment as he looked down at the young Ensign. "If you have trouble socialising here, do let me know... It's not great when you have nobody to talk too."

Wow. River thought internally, "Thankyou its a generous offer, shall we walk and talk?" She asked pointing out the way ahead of them along the busy promenade. "This ship is massive its like a warp-capable starbase." And just like that for the second time since coming aboard the ship, she felt comfortable in the presence of another. She found S'hib easier than Commander Taylor, she thought perhaps it was because of the rank difference or maybe because just like her he was on of a kind.

“The Elysium is a big girl, but I don’t mind... plenty of room to stretch my legs.” He smiled as he started walking, taking slow meandering steps so River could keep pace with his hooves.

River didn't find it overall difficult to keep pace and could tell he was withholding his true striding ability. She actually wondered just how quickly he could run at full pace. "How long have you been apart of the crew?" Rivers genuine curiosity exposing itself. Upon discovering his name and species within the ships manifest River had researched his species but Starfleet logs only went so far.

"You know, I don't actually know... it's been a while that's for sure." He said with his brow scrunching up. "Days tend to blur into one another when you sleep as I do."

Hiding her disappointment from his unsure answer she pressed, "And how do you sleep?" The questions River had been itching to find the answers to since learning about him surfacing. "Sorry, I don't mean to be rude, well I do but... I'm just curious." She stammered uncharacteristically, ever since being on the ship she found that happened a lot and she knew it was her way of trying to better herself before she would have never apologised and had a notepad out taking notes. "Feel free to ask me questions too!" She added.

"Well..." He started, smiling at the stammer as she fumbled her words. "Its to do with my species evolving from prey animals, it's risky falling asleep for lengthy periods of time like you mammals do, so instead, we sleep little and often." He said as he crossed his hands behind his back and leaned somewhat down, curving his head round on his long neck to look at River as they walked. "You keep apologising," He said before facing where he was walking. "may I ask why?"

River groaned inwardly, she overdid the pleasantries and would now have to wait to ask another question. She thought back to the XOs words about remaining true to herself and decided to let herself become more her. "I often find that I upset people with my abruptness and aggressive nature, I've found apologising is the easiest way to curve their reactions. Its something I'm still trying to figure out, people get offended too easily and their first impressions dictate the remainder of the encounter."

"Well, so far all you've done is apologise for nothing... perhaps you simply need to talk slower with others, ease them into the abrupt questions over time rather than straight out the gate," S'hib said before straightening his back, suddenly looming over her once more. "However, with me... stop apologising." He snorted loudly before shaking his head violently, his mane flapping wildly as he did so.

River jumped at the sudden noise before his mane tickled her face though she didn't mind, she thought he was utterly fascinating and amazing. Not in a rude way she thought, but in a way you'd find meeting your childhood idle kind of way. River had made sure to make a mental note to ask if he would consider being painted, her portrait skills weren't the greatest but she needed a new challenge. "Ok, ill try to stop apologising."

"Good," S'hib said sternly while coming to a stop beside another shop, the old guitar catching his eye as he browsed the front window. "I've been meaning to ask, that symbol... on your head, does it mean anything?" He asked without taking his eyes off the guitar, however, one ear was still firmly planted in her direction, listening intently.

Her hand instinctively went to her head where the gold band sat with its decorative pendant centered in the middle. Dropping the same hand she spoke. "The two thorns entwined with metal represent my family's coat of arms and the teardrop crystal represents my ability to produce Elasian Tears." River explained watching S'hib studying the store in front of them, she knew that he was still listening because one of his ears was pointed directly at her.

"Is the ability to cry significant to your culture?" S'hib asked curiously, somewhat perplexed by the notion of tears being important.

"No, most species cry." River explained, enjoying the to and throw questioning. "Elasian women produce a special biochemical compound within their tears which Starfleet dubbed 'Elasian Tears' that are transmittable to males. Upon contact, the affected man becomes romantically infatuated and somewhat enthralled to the woman who infected them, Elasian men are most susceptible but the effects on Human males wear off over a long duration. There is an antidote but its effects too can vary and sometimes the side effects of that are worst than roughing the ride, do you not cry?"

"I do, they are however a little mundane comparatively," S'hib smirked, noting that the tears must work in a similar way to Orion pheromones. "Which is fine, I'd rather not be a biological security hazard." He grinned with his large flat tongue between his teeth.

"You and me both, I've used them twice once during my trials of combat and once accidentally at the academy and both I didn't enjoy. Some of our women live to infect the men of our world and control a large portion of the planet's political power. It's odd because as children were nothing but as a young woman we're all they think about, what is your planet like?" River asked taking in his large mouth, pearly whites, and thick pink fleshy tongue.

"Very warm... with very little clothing," S'hib said as he crouched down to better view a painting in the window, the glacial formations reminding him of Andoria or some backwater ice moon that nobody paid any attention towards. "My world..." He said glancing up at River. "Tends to make others uncomfortable." He said with a slight frown before looking back at the painting, worlds apart from the deep red sands of Sequella.

"Elas is warm, and females tend to not wear as much clothing either as our male counterparts. Maybe I'd like to visit Sequella one day." River looked at the painting, "I might get this it will look nice next to my moonlight Lily, what do you think?" She asked looking at how neat the brushes were and wondered if it had been replicated or made by hand.

"When I said very little I meant... none." S'hib laughed, though it was more blowing air out of his nose than anything true he still found it amusing that people assumed Sequus at least wore something. "As for the painting, bit cold for my taste... very pretty though."

River examined the painting further and decided that indeed it was too cold to go with her lily and would bring down the warm homely feeling down. "I'll pass I think I need something with some color anyway." She leaned back up growing tall again but not nearly as tall as her companion. "Well I still think I'd like to visit, I'm not body shy." River was now looking up the promenade, "Do you miss it? The freedom of nudity"

"Oh immensely... but not in the way you might think," S'hib said as he slowly stood up. "For me and others of my kind its more to do with the fact that we view clothes how others view a lack of clothes if that makes sense.

Looking as if though in deep thought River finally nodded "I can understand, if I was walking down here naked everyone would be in shock and maybe even some disgust. It's just unnatural now to be seen in anything but clothes. I imagine if I turned up to your planet clothed I would then be the odd one out, though they may be used to outsiders so let us change me for you. If you turned up clothed as you are now they would be in shock and horror" River looked to S'hib for confirmation before adding, "Why do you wear clothes? Surely if it was normal for your species not to then they couldn't force you to wear something?"

"You're right... I don't particularly enjoy wearing this uniform, but everyone on this ship came from societies where they view their bodies as extremely private... It's simply easier to blend in than have to constantly explain myself." S'hib smiled, folding his arms behind his back. "But more importantly, I have to wear a uniform, because everyone in Starfleet does."

"You could just wear a comm badge" She joked with a genuine giggle, very much unlike herself. "Do you want to grab a quick snack I'm going to have to go soon and report for duty but all this walking and talking has worked up my appetite." River also was feeling the weight of her bag on her shoulder and needed an excuse to put it down.

"I did that once by mistake, had to run back to my quarters before anyone noticed." He said with a sheepish smile. "Let's get you some food."

"Oh, I'm sure nobody would have noticed you." She laughed as they walked past several places to eat, finally, she stopped at a Japanese store. "Oh, Sushi... I think I fancy some of this. how about you?" River wouldn't usually ask but she was trying particularly hard to make a good impression on the Lieutenant.

"As long as you don't mind me not using chopsticks," S'hib replied while holding up his four fingered hands. "I just end up snapping them..."

"That seems acceptable." River walked to the counter with S'hib. Behind was a Romulan man and a Human woman who were both serving behind a clear glass hot plate, at the end was the till and another Human male this time took payment. River ordered herself a simple Katsu Chicken on boiled rice with some salmon parcels, she was hungry but not starving. Looking to S'hib she asked: "What would it be?"

"I think I'll just have a cup of Miso soup." S'hib smiled, only just now remembering how much he had missed the taste from his dates on earth with Car'tar.

Having picked out their meals River paid and tipped the counter clerk before taking up a spot outside the store. Their walk and talk had taken up much of her free time so it was going to be one of those mobile lunches as she made her way back to her quarters to drop the things she had brought off. "Are you going to walk with me back to my quarters or have you got something else to do?" She asked trying not to sound rude but the words came out so anyway, quickly catching herself she added. "I'd like the company."

"Well, I got to make sure you don't get lost I suppose." He added while gently blowing on his soup, steam blowing heavily out of the rim of the tall black cup.

River smiled, "Thank you." The young Elasian said simply as she took one of her salmon parcels and delicately using her chops sticks placed it in her mouth. Swallowing she went onto speak. "Well homes this way, maybe ill have time to show you my room," She said stepping of slowly to allow S'hib to follow her, she appreciated his ability to put up with her the good and the bad. The Commander was right S'hib was just a nice person, the two set off towards he quarters.

OFF:

Lieutenant S'hib
Security Officer
USS Elysium

Ensign River Lokaa
Security Officer
USS Elysium