A rough among the diamonds Pt.2

Posted on Tue Jun 2nd, 2020 @ 8:09pm by Lieutenant Commander S'hib & Ensign River Lokaa

Mission: Season 3: Episode 4: Cause and Effect
Location: Holodeck
Timeline: MD6
1497 words - 3 OF Standard Post Measure

Previously on 'A rough among the diamonds'...

"Greetings, I am the Sequellan cultural and planetary tour guide." Remarked a hologram as it fluttered into existence, spouting off his prescripted dialogue. "But you may call me, Tour." he nodded, his brown mane falling over of his face as he stepped in front of River. "However, please be aware my program is limited as I am still learning."

River had watched S'hib leave and chastised herself, she'd done it again upset someone because she couldn't keep her mouth shut. None the less she picked herself up and turned to Tour "Well that makes two of us, maybe we can teach each other some new things!" She said all too happily trying to make up for the sadness of S'hibs departure, she'd have to apologies to him later but for now, she had some exploring to do.

And now the continuation

"What should I expect when we finally get there?" Asked River as the two had been walking for some time now the city approaching though appearing closer than what it had looked on the beach. Before now her mind was mostly occupied by the thought of S'hib and how to reconcile with him.

"Well, it will be busy for starters... So if you aren't comfortable with crowds, especially being so..." Tour paused for a moment, glancing down at River. "Small... we could take a more scenic route into the city."

Thinking back to her previous encounter and how S'hib reacted she decided to take things a little slow and steadier approach to her exploring. "Let's take a scenic route, my normal direct approach hasn't exactly worked out thus far." River couldn't believe how beautiful Sequella was, everything seemed so much more colorful and vibrant even the heat though almost unbearable was oddly satisfying on her skin.

"I see, well please be direct with me... after all, I am here to answer your questions and I can't do that if you shy away." Tour replied before tying his stubby brown hoofed fingers around hers and gently pulled.

As they walked the trees around them seemed to grow smaller, their path slowly climbing up above the ground and onto a winding sky path that snaked throughout the city.

An engineering marvel that was more akin to a work of art with floating islands of fruiting trees, flower gardens and communal sleeping pits forked away into different paths that connected all around the vast coastal city.

"We all have places to be, some of us, however, like to take a little longer getting there." Tour sighed happily while glancing over the tall railing to his side, watching the sea of people below move around.

River had wanted to object the holding of hands, especially in her current unclothed situations however as they walked she found that she was easily distracted by the beautiful scenes in front, behind and all around her. "Is this the only city on the planet or do you have more?" She asked excitedly.

"This is Falduso and it's our Capital," Tour said waving his free hand around as he gently walked to stand in front of River. "It is not the only city on Sequella, however, but the majority of them are coastal like most of our settlements." He said with a pleasant smile as he turned his head to one side, the vast plains beyond the tropical forests barely visible on the horizon.

"For you see, Sequella has only one landmass, S'halgaea... a supercontinent." He said looking back, his eyes drawn to the crest atop her head as though his program had only just taken notice of it. "The vast endless red plains that make up the majority of this world are not very forgiving."

River continued to listen to Tour his words lighting her imagination as she pictured hundreds of cities and settlements like Falduso. "Are you the only sentient life forms on the planet? And when did you become... Sentient" She asked curiously ever further.

"We are the only sentient life, though as far are archaeological records show there may have been another more predatory race that went extinct," Tour replied with a broad smile. "As for when we became too be, hard to say with any amount of accuracy... but we think around two hundred to two hundred and fifty thousand years ago."

"Hmmm, I wonder what the difference is on Sequella to Earth or other planets that have Equidae like families" River wondered aloud. "And you're communities are they like one large extended community or smaller families like humanoids?" River paused for a moment at a bridge which was suspended of a large grassland highway like structure.

"As a whole, the entire population is like one big family, however, it does break down into smaller herds around the major population zones...cities and such."

"Makes sense, so what's considered a normal size herd so for example how many people does S'hib consider a family." This time she turned to face tour in all his majestic glory and wished it was S'hib here guiding her through his homeland and not some hologram, she'd have to speak with his girlfriend and tell her to buck her ideas up.

"For Sequus as a whole everyone is considered part of a global whole, a unified herd in symbolism and name only... for what is actually considered a family unit it can range from a few hundred to a few thousand, for Lieutenant S'hib, however, things work slightly differently as he was part of the first and only herd to leave Sequella..." Tour replied, listing off the information stored within his databanks.

"He and around one thousand other individuals from multiple smaller family units joined to create a new herd amongst the stars..."

River thought quickly to her next question and asked, "Do you think he regrets it? Leaving his home to come here among the stars? I miss my family, for him it must be so strange and... foreign" She couldn't even comprehend what it would be like to be S'hib at that moment felt sorry for him, she would have to see him again and apologies for her... behavior.

"I don't believe so... of all the interactions I have had with the Lieutenant since my creation he has seemed in good spirits, but then again I'm just a tour guide, not a psychiatrist." He smiled wildly, blissfully unaware of matters outside his programming.

"Thanks, Tour," She said thinking wistfully before adding sadly, "I think I have had enough excitement for one day and any longer I might never want to leave, you've been of great help" She paused for a moment, "One last question though how do you traditionally greet and say goodbye to one another?"

"Ah, that's actually quite simple, though there are some things to consider which I will explain," Tout said, seemingly delighted to be able to flex his vast knowledge on the Sequus

Moving to face River, Tour gently placed his hands on the very edge of her shoulders. "Place your hands like mine." He said, tapping one of his own shoulders with a friendly insistence.

Mirroring Tours movements and gestures she placed her hands on his shoulders which were much firmer than she imagined and full of muscle.

"Good, now we simply bow until our foreheads touch," Tour said as he leant his head down low and gently moved forward.

Bowing her head River touched his forehead with her his touch sending tickling shocks through where their heads touched. It was easy enough and she thought that next time she met with S'hib she would give it a go, maybe he'd welcome the familiar custom.

"This is, in essence, the most basic form of greeting for Sequus... it lets either party know that you have been invited into their personal space and that neither of you are a threat to one another," Tour said as he stood back up and placed his hands behind his back. "It is also a way of saying goodbye, and to let them know that they are still welcome... however there are some nuances." He said turning his head sideways for River to see.

"If we were close friends or romantically involved the touching of heads is then usually done on the side and the grip on the other is closer, similar to a hug you may be more familiar with." Tour explained, moving and gesturing without actually using River as an example.

She watched curiously and nodded, "Thanks again Tour. Goodbye," she said bowing her head again. "Computer end the program and save River Alpha-One and lock." The scene around her dissolved and the holodeck with its bright lights were all that was left. Still naked she quickly walked to her clothes which were neat in front of her and dressed before heading to the door.

Ens. River Lokaa
Security Officer
USS Elysium

Lieutenant S'hib
Security Officer
USS Elysium