"An Elopement"

Posted on Mon Aug 12th, 2024 @ 3:34am by Captain Samuel Woolheater & Consul Andrinn Orin

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Eden's Reach
Timeline: Present
4299 words - 8.6 OF Standard Post Measure

[ON:]

TRANSPORTER ROOM SIX

It wasn’t like Andrinn to be late. Sam waited outside the transporter room in his MARPAT uniform and hiking boots and a backpack. Andrinn and Sam were going to beam down to the surface of Eden’s Reach and enjoy the mountains and the beaches today. At least that was the plan.

Sam’s COMM badge chirped at him. It was Andrinn. He wanted Sam to meet him at the shuttlebay. He had a surprise for him. Sam closed the channel and smiled. He made a fast route to the shuttlebay.


MAIN SHUTTLE BAY – TYPE 11 SHUTTLECRAFT CHARON

There Andrinn stood, so handsome and a grin on his face. Sam got closer, very much surprised, “How do you get us a shuttle?”

"I had to throw in a few favors to a few people to make sure that I could borrow it for a long bit of time. Not too long, but long enough for us to enjoy the planet and take in all of the various bits of it. Are you ready and packed for our shore leave?" Andrinn said, nodding back towards the shuttle as the back door was down, ready for the two of them to get onboard.

Sam just smiled, happy inside and out. Happy through and through, "I'm ready! Let's get going" he said as he climbed the ramp after Andy and the ramp door closed behind them.


CHARON HIGH ABOVE SOME RUGGED MOUNTAINS

"Not a bad bit of piloting Consul. Is it Andrinn who knows how to fly? Or one of your previous hosts?"

"I just took the basic piloting lessons that all diplomats within the Federation have to take. But, it was actually Ranul, my last host that had the piloting skills. He had to know how to pilot some of the very old, very outdated shuttles of the old guard on Trill. You should have seen how those things flew," Andrinn explained, as he tried to avoid some debris that was in orbit and he didn't quite see until they were almost on it. Andrinn looked over at Sam and replied, "Well, it has been a while though."

He gave Andy a look and tried to relax. Sam didn't even have basic piloting skills. He didn't need them; not in his toolbox. "No worries. I trust you. I'm looking forward to this trip" he said. Here he brought up some of the surface scans that Elysium had gathered regarding some of the mountain ranges. Sam brought the topographical map up and selected the coordinates and the image on the map. "What do you think of this here?"

https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/mt-assiniboine-provincial-park-at-sunrise-royalty-free-image-1623253564.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:*

"As long as we can park it somewhere where we can actually enjoy the scenery, I'm good with wherever you want us to park it," Andrinn said with a smile on his face as he tried to make sure that they didn't make a crash landing anywhere. He tried to focus on his memories of flying shuttles back in the 21st century on Trill, but that...that was so long ago. It was good to actually have some practice again.

"OK, park it here if you please?" Andy seemed focused on flying and so Sam didn't bother him. Instead, he sent the coordinates to the pilot's nav computer and tried to just enjoy the ride. He turned around to look back into the shuttle and it was a nice one.

Andrinn landed the shuttle within a few brief moments. The shuttle came down with a bit of a thud, but Andrinn looked over at Sam and said, "Sorry about that! My piloting skills are a little bit rusty."

"I think you did awesome!" he said and squeezed Andrinn's arm reassuringly. Then he added, "Hell, if I were flying we'd be dead by now." He ruffled Andrinn's thick brown head of hair playfully. This shuttle even has a sonic shower? Did you know that? I never seen a shuttle that had its own shower!" He said as he walked past it and put his backpack on and opened the ramp door. "Let's see what we got here ay?"

He turned and looked at Andrinn and extended his open hand to him, "Take my hand? It won't be the same if you're not by my side?"

Andrinn took Sam's hand and they walked out of the back of the shuttle to where Andrinn had landed the shuttle. He looked around to see where it was and it was absolutely beautiful. Andrinn couldn't help but smile and laugh a little bit. It was way more beautiful in person than from what the science teams had said.

"It's absolutely beautiful, isn't it?" Andrinn had asked Sam as they held hands and looked around.

Sam took in a deep breath. The cool air was crisp and was scented with what reminded him of pine trees back on Earth. The ground was green with lush grass. Thick and soft, having never been trod before. The trees eyed the two new arrivals with silent observation. The sylvan glade that Andrinn landed them in was quiet and away and out of sight. There were large rock outcroppings here, some covered in moss. Sam closed his eyes and squeezed Andy's hand a bit and listened. The birdsongs were amazing. The Keeper of the Winds, Aeolius, moved through the upper branches of the trees and greeted them with a warm, breeze of welcome. The ground, the grass, the trees, the winds and rocks, seemed to say "Welcome, travelers, to this happy place, welcome.”

Off in the distance, a bird call broke the solitude. Then, Sam became aware of rushing water. Water, in great abundance, rushing along a river. He opened his eyes and looked at Andrinn.

"What an absolutely beautiful spot to have us land! I love the fact that it's so lush with the greenery that almost reminds me a bit of home! I'm glad that we were able to get away for a little bit and spend some time with one another," Andrinn said with a smile on his face before heading over and gently kissing Sam on his cheek. Andrinn headed back into the shuttle and grabbed something out from underneath one of the rear benches and said, "By the way, I managed to get us something before we headed down. I hope that you don't mind me bringing us something to eat that was a bit more homemade than most."

"Mmm? What did you bring? Food from Trill maybe?" Samuel started to set up the camp. Getting the equipment out and unfolding two chairs and a portable table, "Oh? I could eat! I can always eat" he said smiling back at Andrinn. "Do you need some help with that?" he asked.

Andrinn looked back at Sam as he got up and helped Sam put up some of the enclosure that was to become their little oasis away from the ship. He chuckled as he replied to Sam and said, "I was about to ask you the same thing, mister. Anything that I might be able to do to help you out?" Andrinn gently nudged Sam's stomach to try and tickle him a little bit.

He tried not to be ticklish and keep a straight face; but he couldn't help ity and he smiled broadly enough that his teeth were showing and the corner of his mouth were up. He laughed and moved a little. "Hey...I can't tie this off if you .." he finished. "There" he said and then launched a tickle attack on Andrinn just under his arms at the ribs. An especially tickle prone zone.

"You know, for a Marine, you're ultra ticklish! You just make it too dang easy for someone like me to come up and give you a tickle attack," Andrinn said as he finished tickling Sam for a moment to let him tie everything off that they needed. Andrinn looked over the place once more and asked, "Wouldn't it be nice to just run away to a place like this and never have to worry about all the stresses of the day?"

"Oh hell's yes it would. You'd have no complaints from me. I think I could set up a place to live here." He looked at Andrinn and smiled, "Grow old together" he said kind of wistfully. His one eye squiting in the light from the sun and his smile infectious. Someone would have to stay with you and defend you from the tickles!" Here, he launched forward - so damn fast - that he caught Andrinn up in an unexpected tickle attack. He used his feet to trip Andrinn up and caught him on the way down. All safely. All guided and he tickled him to the ground. "What's that mister? Oh? I'm too tickleish? I'm too tickelish ay?" Sam was laughing he made sure it was fun and not too much.

"If you....don't stoppppp...tickling me.....right now mister!" Andrinn made out as he was laughing so dang hard. He couldn't help but laugh so hard as Sam was tickling him that he was out of breath within a few moments. Once he could stop for a moment and start breathing again, Andrinn managed to push Sam off of him before kissing him slowly.

Andrinn looked up at Sam and said, "You, sir, are no fair at the tickle game. But, I freaking love it and I couldn't ask for more. I'd love to grow old with you on this planet and spend eternity out here in peace."

Sam kissed him back, on the lips and with affection. "Let's finish making camp? Then? You wanna fuck around? Do the nasty?" he said both playfully and sensually. His eyes undressing Andy as they were on the ground. "We can get...(kiss)...sticky? Then go skinny dipping? No park rangers. No cops to hassle us. No...(kiss)...responsibilities...(kiss)."

Andrinn just laughed and kissed Sam with every word that came out of Sam's lips. "As long as the ship doesn't try to scan us to see where the shuttle went, I think we'd do amazingly well! Just don't want a peep show, you know. But, you're right. We should get all of our encampment done before anything else, especially nightfall."

He spent the next five minutes kissing him before coming up for air, "Right. Setup camp. How about something to eat? I'll check out the water source OK?"

As the two men got up to do everything, Andrinn ran over to Sam and twirled him around for one more kiss before whispering, "More of that later, when we have a bit of alone time." Andrinn gave Sam a small wink before going back to set up the encampment.

"That's a promise!" he said as he held Andrinn as lonmg as he could before they parted. While Andrinn setup the finishing touches, Sam went to look at the river and the lake. He was gone for twenty-minutes and the tricorder contained all of his scanning data. He announced, "The water is pure and clean and clear. It's minerals content checks out according to this. And it tastes very nice. I got a canteen full for you. For us." Sam looked at the camp that they had setup. The shuttle was closeby so they had plenty of creature comforts. "You built us a fire. Look at you you all studly and outdoorsy! How'd you do that?"

Andrinn gently slapped Sam's stomach and replied, "Well, you should see me when I wear what the people on your world call plad. Or is it tarten? I can never really remember those things. But, do you think it would make me look any more outdoorsy or manly?" Andrinn couldn't help but stifle a few bits of laughter when he asked that.

Sam laughed too and pulled Andrinn into a hug, "If you wore plaid or a tarten kilt, the question on everybody's mind would be...what's under the kilt?" Sam's hands found their way to Andrinn's ass cheeks and and he gave them a squeeze saying seductively, "I already know what's under the kilt!" With the camp fire going, the tent setup, the food warming up and cooking Sam inclined his head to the tent. Raised his eyebrows suggestively, using his eyes to indicate towards the tent he said, "Maybe we should test out the bed?"

"Are you asking me to bed, Mister Woolheater?" Andrinn asked, biting his lip slightly and kissing Sam gently before wrapping his arms around Sam's shoulders.

He smiled and guffawed a little. Moving his fingers to touch Andrinn's face a dn lightly touch the bridge of his nose in a gentle caress. He said softly, "You make me horny. All the time. And we're alone. And not freezing. And we could be loud if we want...." his voice trailed off as his blue eyes met Andrinn's.

Andrinn smiled and kissed Sam once more before saying, "Be careful what you wish for. I might just take you to bed later on. But, after we get a bite to eat. Why don't you go and see if any of the fish are edible and go for a bit of fishing me as I gather some berries later on. Okay?"

"Mmmm..." he said and kissed him back. "When you put it like that how can I resist?" And eventually, after some more necking and kissyface, he went for the shuttle and replicated some fishing gear. Grabbing a tricorder, stealing another kiss, he made for the shore of the lake to see if there were any fishies that they could eat.

Andrinn couldn't help but chuckle as he watched Sam go back onto the shuttle and replicate everything that they would need for their fishing excursion, as well as the tricorder. It didn't immediately click in Andrinn's mind why Sam had the tricorder, so he asked, "What's with the tricorder? I think it'd take part of the fun out of fishing."

He grinned and laughed and said, "You're thinking of an explosive? Like thermite? No. That would not be fishing. The tricorder is to get some scans of the fishies to see if they are edible? And to make sure they are not sentient. Because wouldn't that be bad. Here's your pole and tackle. And let's see what we can catch for supper?"

"Yeah, that would be bad if we caught something like the Xindi Aquatics or something from the planet Pacifica. That would make for a bad little diplomatic voyage for me and my team, wouldn't it?" Andrinn said with a chuckle as he took the pole and tackle box, making sure that everything was in there for him to go fishing with.

"Pacifica's my home. So, yeah. I know a little bit about how to recognize a Selkan" he said as they set off towards the shoreline.


=== LATER ===

It was early evening when they returned. They had caught four fishies. Sam would take care of gutting and dressing the fish. The fire provided both ambience and a way to cook their food. Truly camping. Using a replicated cast iron skillet on the hot coals, Sam cooked the fish with just a little lemon juice, salt and pepper. There were green beans and a few frosty cold ones made their way around the fire. It was a perfect evening.

"God, am I glad that you asked me to come down here to this planet! It's absolutely perfect and I'm glad that we're here, even if it wasn't the best way of getting here," Andrinn said as he threw another one back really quick. Once he was done with it, he put it into the pile to be recycled after they got back to the ship.

Sam looked over at Andy, "It's fine. The shuttle is great. We have everything we need or could want for" he said as he finished cooking and then plating the fish. He added a scoop of green beans and a squirt of lemon juice and offered a plate to Andrinn. Then, he sat down beside him and asked, "I hope its good?"

Andrinn took the plate, as well as the utensils that Sam offered up. He took a big whiff of the food that Sam had made up and took out the fork before taking it to cut a piece of the fish. Taking a bite of the fish, it was salty, but it was delicious. It melted in Andrinn's mouth and he said, "This is absolutely amazing!"

The fish did taste good. It was a little bit more salty. Probabky did not need to be salted at all or cooked in butter. "I'm glad you like it" he said as they ate. He asked, "So? Tomorrow? Do you want to go canoeing on the lake? Maybe even look around at the rapids? Or, do you feel like hiking up the mountain?" he asked as he listened to Andrinn.

"Lets do the canoeing because we went hiking all those years ago back on Earth. I'd like to see a bit of the various rivers that this beautiful world has to offer. I think there's some parts that can take us to the rapids that you were talking about and we can have fun with it," Andrinn replied as he continued to eat and think about the options that Sam had given him.

He nodded, "I was hoping that you would say that. I've already got out kayak's ready." There was a sound that started. Deep in the woods and all around them. It was, at first just a rustling. Then it grew and became a kind of howl. It was a thrilling sound. Not at all spooky or creepy. More majestic, deeper. As old as the world itself. From some large creature that was just waking up. Perhaps, here on Eden's Reach there would be dinosaurs?

Andrinn just looked back at the creature and tilted his head. He wasn't sure exactly what to make of it or the sound that the creature made either. It wasn't like it was going to harm him or Sam, but it wasn't something that one would hear everyday. Andrinn looked back at Sam and asked, "What is that thing?"

He shook his head, "I don't know" as he took a few tricorder scans, "Herbivore. Maybe we're just in it's neighborhood yeah? We're the out of towners in its 'hood?" he said as he winked and laughed. He set the tricorder down next to his empty plate and put an arm around Andrinn.

They just watched as the animal came over and ate whatever was on the plate that Sam had left out. Andrinn laid his head on Sam's and whispered, "We could totally get lost in exploring this planet, couldn't we? Just take a shuttle and see what's truly out there with the various animals like this one."

"Mmmm..." Sam said. His voice a deep buzz in his chest. For a long moment, it was just the sound of the river cascading over the rocks and the stones and into the lake. For a time, the only sounds were the sounds of the night and wind in the trees. With his arm around Andrinn, his baritone was like warm cocoa on a cold night. It wrapped around Andrinn too and hugged him.

"My love dwelt in another land. A dim tower, a lonely sentinel in a forest green was his. And far away the sand, and gray wash of the waves were seen. The woven forest boughs between.

And by and by his side I sat and held him through the northern summer night, the sunset slowly died away. And herds of strange deer, silver white, came gleaming through the forest gray.

And fled like ghosts before the day.

And oh, would time stand still, the moment holding fast, that month, we watch'd the moons. Up above brother Sun they wax great and white o'er wood and lawn, and wane, then wanting 'til the dawn."

He kissed Andrinn's head and just enjoyed this moment. "I'm going to marry you mister. Marry the hell out of you." Sam reached for Andrinn's hand and took it in his.

"Someone sure is the poet today. Is someone thinking about the future and what it holds for the both of us?" Andrinn asked as he leaned over and kissed Sam's cheek gently.

He smiled when he was kissed and shrugged his shoulders slightly, "I have my moments...I guess?" he said.

Then, after a moment, he said, "Andy? Do you want to just...what if...let's just get married now? Forget all the...the...the...planning and all the ceremony and all the bullshit. This moment...right now...isn't it good enough? Look around us? This cathedral that Nature has built for herself. Is it ever going to be better than it is right now? The moment I mean?" His eyes searched Andy's face. "I don't care about the ceremony, or where it is, or how its done or who performs it. I only care that it happens. And that...I don't know...that its real. While we have time. While we have each other. I don't want to lose you. Like a ghost...then fled away."

"We'll never lose one another and I promise that I'll keep you in my heart forever...or my gut slug. Either one! But, lets do it! How should we do something like this? How should we get married?" Andrinn asked, curious to see what Sam had in mind cause he could tell that Sam was thinking in that beautiful mind of his.

"Well, I've never met the Commodore. Starfleet allows master of the ship to marry individuals under regs. And I've only informed the Marine XO. The Colonel...I haven't had a chance to tell yet. Adelaide can help us with all the SFMC paperwork." He looked at Andrinn, "I could do it Andy. It's crazy fast, I know. But look at where we are. How are we gonna top this?"

Sam looked around them a moment and then he said in that sexy voice of his, "The rocks and stones, the trees and hills they will bear witness. And the stars above. Nature here has done wonders and her strength here is manifest."

With the back of his hand he gently and lovingly caressed Andrinn's face a moment, "We're just two people, Andy. We're here now and what is our whole life? So short hardly enough time to know if we got it right? Just barely enough time to make other people happy. We're not even a hill of beans for anyone to care about."

Sam was quiet a moment, contemplative. He looked around at the camp and beyond, "I guess...you know by now...I'm not good; not comfortable with...feelings. There isn't a place for them when I'm...y'know. Working. Focused on the mission. And, until I met you, I thought that's how life is. Or was. Life was flat. I could see all the way to the horizon and it was all flat.
But, being with you I can see the up and the down. You're the color. So, until we can get married up all proper like gentlemen, I'm making this promise to you. And I hope you'll accept it."

He took Andrinns hand in his. He spoke warmly and soothingly and said,

"The Selkans say it better, but my Selkan is...bad? So, I'll say this in standard.
But, the language of the heart needs no translation.

Io! Io! Glory will be sung to you from the rocks and the hills and the deep places in the sea with tongues of fire and shadow; of goings out and with comings in.

Io! Io! With the voice of the sea and all that therein is. I promise my life, my whole life, my whole unbounded life to you. As a drop in the ocean and the ocean in a drop we will be one.

Io! Io! No eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard such joy as we will make. If you are with me. Each day in our risings and our laying down again, I will treasure you. You are more precious to me than the great pearls of the sea.

Io! Io! This and all that I am or hope to be I promise to you and shout my Io!, Io! For ever in sweet rejoicing."

Andrinn just listened and let Sam do his thing and talk all joyfully about marriage and the future. Once he was done, Andrinn couldn't hold back and just hugged Sam tightly. Andrinn wasn't sure what to say or do in that moment, but he managed to whisper, "I do, Sam Woolheater. I do. Whatever is in our future, I do!"

He smiled back, "Happy Elopement then?"

"Oh, there's one thing you're forgetting, Mr. Woolheater. You're forgetting to kiss your new husband!" Orin said with a small chuckle before leaning over and kissing Sam softly. It was a moment of pure bliss.

Sam held Andrinn close, feeling the warmth and the softness of his embrace. The two stood together, wrapped in each other's arms, the world around them fading into a gentle whisper of the wind and the rustling leaves. Sam leaned in, his lips meeting Andrinn's in a tender, lingering kiss, sealing their promise with a touch that spoke more than words ever could.

When they finally pulled away, Sam took a deep breath and said, "Now, let's make our life an adventure worth remembering."


[OFF:]

 

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