***Backdated Post*** "Torn"

Posted on Thu Mar 16th, 2023 @ 10:14am by Captain Samuel Woolheater & Consul Andrinn Orin & Avalon [ADMIN NPC]

Mission: Season 6: Episode 2: Survival
Location: DECK EIGHT - SHUTTLE OBSERVATION GANTRY
Timeline: MD04 - 1300 hours
2466 words - 4.9 OF Standard Post Measure

[ON:MD04 @ 1300 HOURS – “Torn”]


DECK EIGHT – SHUTTLE OBSERVATION GANTRY


Deck eight was a mess. There was so much damage that the main entrance to the shuttle bay could no longer be used. In places, the entire wall had been ripped away. In others, it was held together with forcefields. And in still others, like this one where Captain Woolheater waited, there were durasteel emergency braces that were holding the walls to the hull and the hull to the deck plates. It was in such an area as this that people could see each other and talk to each other. The launch bay had minimal life support. The energy loss of having to repressurize and heat the area was a drain on the emergency power systems. In this one area, there was just enough heat, just enough light and just enough air in just the right spot that people could see each other. Not through a forcefield, not through transparent aluminum. Even if it was durasteel braces; it was better than nothing.

Samuel kept his eye on that section of the wall. He was looking for Andrinn Orin. He was hoping for Andrinn, hoping that he would somehow be able to break away from what he was doing and let Sam see him. Sam was going down to the surface of the Class "P” planet. “P” for popsicle – because this rock was cold. The mission was to scout and secure a system of tunnels that had been seen on various sensor sweeps. Some were ice caves; some were frozen rock. They were to find out if they could be shelter or storage and maybe a little bit of both.

Still dressed in his combat armor. Only six hours of sleep and back in command of a platoon, he waited and worked. Looking for Andrinn, hoping that he would get to see him. Sam wanted to see him with his own eyes. Hear him with his own ears and touch him, just one more time before they left for the surface. Sam had no idea what Andrinn was being asked to do. Or why Andrinn had to stay on the ship. Sam did know that the caves were an unknown. And before they started sending people to the surface in droves they had better be sure nothing was in those caves that could hurt or hinder the crew.

Sam helped load the shuttle and he encouraged the marines that arrived and listened to them as they bitched to him about the hour, the lack of sleep and the usual gripes. He had them all too. Suddenly, there was someone at the wall. Sam stopped and looked. It was someone else. Come to talk with one of the pilots to see them off. He went back to work. It wasn’t Andrinn.

Andrinn was working with one of the medical technicians that was helping to load some medical supplies onto the medical transport that Andrinn agreed to help pilot with someone named Jason. Andrinn hadn't met all the crew, so he wasn't sure what Jason did, but he assumed it was something related to piloting shuttles or auxiliary craft for the Elysium.

Andrinn heard some people coming into the shuttlebay and looked around to see who it was. They were some of the marine attachment onboard and Andrinn couldn't help but notice that one of the men with them was Sam.

Since Andrinn was behind one of the various crates that the crew had brought in for medical supplies, he was able to sneak up behind Sam and put his hands over his eyes and gently hold him in place. Getting close to Sam's left ear, Andrinn whispered into it, "What's a strapping man like yourself doing with no dates down here?"

Getting "the drop" on a marine was a risky business and it usually never ended well. Visits to the infirmary usually followed and then there were the apologies and the sore feelings. Not to mention whatever limb or body part was wrenched or broken. In this case, Sam was distracted. He felt that the shuttle bay was secure. And that there wasn't anyone out to kill him; well here on board at least. And that he wasn't, "in the field" or on a mission where he needed to have all of his survival senses on. And Andrinn must have had prior experience doing this because Samuel didn't even hear him coming.

Andrinn was an inch taller that Sam. However, the body armor increased his height by an inch or two, which made it even easier for Andrinn to cover Sam's eyes quickly and securely. Even so, when Andrinn was close enough, Sam got a sense that his private space, his closeness was being encroached. Call it a sensory perception. Sam was just about to stand tall, he had both hands full with carry-on equipment. The muscles of his arms and hands instantly went taught and he tensed up, ready to strike.

But the exhaustion and the sense that everything was 'ok' dulled his reaction. Which he was very glad for. He could feel the warmth of the hands, the strong arms of Andrinn above his shoulders. The closeness of his body to his back. His voice, exciting him. Thrilling him. He was here! Sam just grinned and let out a happy sound. He stood there smiling, letting his muscles untense, and rachet down his reaction to being surprised. He couldn't think of what to do or what to say. He said, "Andy!" Andrinn's voice was on his left side. He inclined his head to that side just a bit. His hands we full and all he could think to say was, "I'm waiting for this handsome guy I know to show up." He had such a wide happy smile. His white teeth were showing.

"Does he kiss just as good as I do, my fair prince?" Andrinn asked, gently kissing Sam's ear and keeping his hands on Sam's eyes. He knew that Sam knew exactly who he was, but Andrinn was enjoying the slight bit of teasing of the man he cared a lot about.

Slowly taking his hands off of Sam's eyes, Andrinn wrapped his hands underneath Sam's arms and wrapped them around Sam's broad chest. Andrinn laid his head on the back of Sam's tac suit and just took in the smell of Sam. Even though neither had taken a shower in quite some time, Andrinn enjoyed taking everything in. "God, I've missed you, Mister. I'm glad that you're here and safe."

So touch starved was he, that Sam just basked in that moment wishing it would not end. He set the containers down and freed up his hands. He placed his hands on Andrinn's as they were wrapped around him. He said to Andy, "I missed you more....I...couldn't find you...." he said and just held him tighter. "I'm so glad you are alive and safe. When I heard your voice on the comm....I couldn't wait to see you and now here you are!"

"I was lucky. I was actually on my way into the Diplomatic Offices on Deck Two right before the whole incident happened. I still don't know everything that happened, but I will say that I'm glad that you're safe and sound. Know where you're going yet mister?" Andrinn said, gently kissing Sam's ear before turning Sam around to take everything in about him. Andrinn wanted to make sure that Sam was equally safe and sound before he let him go off on some random mission into the dark.

The warmth of Andrinn's hands in his was comforting and reassuring. And in a moment, he turned to look at Andrinn. His handsome face was smudged with dirt and grime from crawling and hiking through the ship. His clothing was ripped in a few spots there were a couple of cuts on his arms, though nothing serious. But he looked so good. Sam pulled him into a huge warm hug. There was a tremendous sigh of relief from Sam as he held him in a hug. Not everyone was this lucky today. And Sam knew it. He held him a moment longer and then released him. "I have missed you...so much." Sam moved a few strands of Andy's straight brown hair back behind his ear. "Everywhere I looked, you weren't. I was so worried about you. I have a hundred questions...let's start with are you okay? You don't seem hurt?"

"I'm glad....that you're safe and sound too. I just don't want to say that before I know this mission is over with because I've said that about a lot of people and they got blown up in shuttle missions....I guess I'm just worried about you going down in anything besides the transporter. I just....love you....." Andrinn said gently before kissing Sam gently.

The warmth of that kiss was like the morning sun. Warm and bright after a cold night. It lit him up from the inside out. It held promise in it and potential. It energized him and warmed him. A smile grew on his face that he could not help. Nor could he stop it. He grinned with a happiness that he thought he would never have again.

"Hey? It's sweet that you're worried. But you have nothing to worry about. Really. I don't want you to worry. Universe hasn't killed me yet." He kissed Andrinn's hand and grinned, "...'sides....universe needs big, dumb assholes like me. We even out all the rest of you lot."

Sam interlocked his fingers with Andy's and with his other arm, brought him closer for another kiss. Sam brought both of his hands to cradle Andy's handsome face and he kissed him on the lips. It didn't matter that the bay was full of people. An arc welder flashing in in the background as a breach was reinforced. Nothing was more important than this. Kissing him on the lips and then gently letting go. Sam's blue eyes met Andrinn's and in them there was love. Smiling back at him, taking in every detail, he rested his forehead against Andy's and his fingers interlocked with Andrinn's again.

Sam took a deep breath, closed his eyes and just cherished the moment. He said, "We're heading to the surface. Securing a possible location for the crew to shelter. Making sure its safe. Making sure you're safe. I don't know much more than that right now. Where...when are you coming down? You're coming down right?" Sam lifted his head to look at him.

"I'm going down on a medical transport with someone named Jason. I just wanted to make sure that the ship had enough medical supplies and a warm place for our dear doctor, who isn't so cold blooded as the universe wants to think he is," Andrinn said with a smile growing all over his face. His smile matched that of the one that was coming across Sam's and it was beyond beautiful. All Andrinn could do was gently begin to stroke Sam's face and watch him as the world around them slowed down, if even just for a few moments.

"If I could hold onto this moment...it would be enough for me. I never want to let you go. I want us to make memories together. So that when we're apart, I have something to keep me company. I realized in the...the event...that just happened to us these past few days? I don't have much. And I want to know all about you. Can we do that Andy?" Sam said as he brought his hand to Andrinn's ear, traced his ear and cheek holding onto the moment as long as he could.

"Maybe, once this is all done and over with, we can take some shore leave together? Take a nice trip to somewhere that isn't Risa. It's not all what it's cracked up to be, in all honesty. Maybe, we can go on a nice Runabout trip around the rings of Neptune or something? What do you think Sammy? Just...you and me...." Andrinn said, a slight smile coming across his face as he gently laid his head on the crest of Sam's shoulder, not caring whether or not Sam was wearing his gear or not.

Sam hugged him and closed his eyes as he rested his head against Andrinn. He softly said so that only Andrinn could hear him, "...I.......I love you.........". And he did love Andrinn. There was a lot going on and there was much misery to be had at a time like this. But this was real. This was happening.

Andrinn was just sitting there, letting the sounds of the ship and the space around it wash over him when he heard Sam finally speak again. He loves...me? Little ol' me? That's all Andrinn could think for a minute as he sniffled and whispered back, "I....love you too....Sammy."

Andrinn didn't know much else to say back. All he wanted was for this to be over and for the two of them to be on some trip away from all the stresses of what was going on and average life for the two of them. He just wanted this moment to stop and the future to begin.

Someone whistled loudly and called for everyone to get on board. Sam looked at Andrinn and said, "I'll be waiting for you. Don't make me wait too long OK?" He smiled and kissed him and held his hand as long as he could before moving towards the open shuttle door.

All Andrinn could do was smile as Sam got onto the Shuttlecraft. As the door to the shuttle closed and began the leave towards the planet nearby, Andrinn's face slowly fell from that of a smile to a frown because he already missed Sam. He wasn't lying when he said that after all of this was done, he wanted to take Sam somewhere nice, away from the chaos of the Federation.

However, he didn't have much time himself to get back to the Medical shuttle that he was helping to pilot and get various supplies and people down to planet. He ran back and quickly made it into the meeting to get everything down.

Sam felt torn from Andrinn as he boarded the shuttle and looked out the window. He put his hand to the window. The shuttle lifted off the deckplate and slid out of the shuttlebay and out. The glaciated planet was far below them. Sam stayed watching the Elysium grow smaller and smaller before returning his attention to the mission.

[OFF:]

Consul Andrinn Orin
(signed off by Woolheater)

&

Captain Samuel Woolheater