Experiences, Familiar and New

Posted on Fri Oct 24th, 2025 @ 7:58pm by Teevs Dosivi & Captain Addison 'Rico' Leyton

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Holodeck One
Timeline: Between Missions
2783 words - 5.6 OF Standard Post Measure

Addison looked at the two chestnut colored Quarter Horses saddled up and ready to be ridden. The smell of alphalpha hay and leather drifted the barn lined with horse stalls. It was a smell she missed from home as she was dressed in jeans, riding boots and long sleeve riding shirt with the top portion unbuttoned with a grey tank top underneath. She had invited Teevs for a horse ride. It was a chance for her to show Teevs some of Earth. He had shown her his home and she had figured it was time for her to show him where she was from on Earth.

After a long consultation with the ship's computer over what was appropriate attire for horse riding, Teevs was ready. The computer had picked out some type of blue denim for the pants that felt rough on the skin, boots with an elevated heel, and a long sleeve button down shirt with a pattern of squares and rectangles in varying shades of brown. The computer also suggested a sort of wide-brimmed hat made of animal hide, but Teevs turned it down because he already felt like this outfit was a prank of some sort. There was no way anybody wore this on purpose.

He also had to clarify with the computer what the hell a horse was.

The first thing he saw when he entered the holodeck was a wooden structure with a rounded roof, and when he looked inside he saw Addison. His greeting fizzled out before it reached his throat when he saw the huge creatures behind her. His eyes widened with uncertainty. "By Thilia..." he breathed, cautiously approaching. Creatures this size were usually... well, respected from a distance.

Addison smiled at seeing Teeves approach her. He looked rather handome in his outfitas she took it in. "Hi Teevs," she greeted. Nice outfit," she complimented. "Come on over. Don't worry, they're programmed to be calm."

Programmed to be calm?? By that logic, it was reasonable for an alien brain to assume that these creatures were usually aggressive. “Th… thanks…” Teevs replied to the compliment, though he was clearly distracted by these creatures. His senses tingled each time a horse moved its tail. The whisper of each hair moving through the air created a rippling effect that reminded him of the sensation of impending rainfall. One of them snorted, and he nearly jumped as the resulting pressure front hit his forehead ridge in a way a sudden alarm assaults one's ears. As he came to a stop by Addison, he could feel the heat come off this creature's massive body. It was like these massive beings created their own localised atmosphere.

This ship's atmospheric generators were truly incredible if they could recreate such minute sensations.

The scent came next, practically slapping him across the face. It was more apparent now that he was fully inside the barn, but it was something he had never… experienced before. Teevs’ nose twitched as he sniffed the air. Dry grasses were everywhere, contributing a sweet, earthy tone. A musky scent that carried a different kind of sweetness to it was the other dominating smell, likely the materials used to create the saddle. There was something else present, a different musk with an organic richness to it, and it was stronger as he got near the horses. That must be their natural odour. Teevs stammered for a couple seconds before eventually saying, “... I have so many questions. Do… do they always disturb the air so… so… so forcefully, or does the holodeck esaggerate it?”

"Disturb the air?" she repeated the question, confused, glancing at the horses. Was Teevs more sensitive to animals? If so, it was something she hadn't considered.

That pulled Teevs' attention away from the horses in momentary confusion. Of course. Humans didn't have that ability. "My species can sense atmospheric changes," he explained, gesturing to his forehead ridge. "When our forehead ridge develops at maturity, the body produces these... erm... receptors that are sensitive to things like air pressure." He glanced back at the horses, unsure what to make of them; his mind was somewhere between eager fascination and logical hesitation. "These creatures are large enough that I can sense what they do to the air. The people on this ship sometimes do it, but it’s usually when they are in groups or if someone moves quickly. I believe it's a tactile sensation for Humans, but Humans don't seem to be very sensitive to it.” Another swish of the tail tickled his senses, and he pointed at it to use as an example. “That movement, it's… it’s like…" 

He furrowed his brow to try and find something comparable. How could he explain one of his senses, something that he never had to think about? If Humans experienced barosense as tactile stimulus... Looking down, he lifted her hand, and with his other hand, he lightly drummed his fingers against her skin. In a way, it resembled the sensation of rainfall. “Their body heat also pressurises the air around them... the closest comparison I can think of to describe what it's like is the gentle weight of a blanket on your body. It’s there, but it’s not uncomfortable or intrusive at all. I’ve never encountered a creature that does this so effortlessly, and it’s truly fascinating.”

Addison was fascinated with Teeves' explanation as he still held her hand which she was enjoying the touch. It was comforting. . She hadn't expected him to be sensitive to the horses. "If it's too much for you, we can just go to a hike instead," she offered.

"Oh, not at all!" Teevs gave her an assuring smile. He was having a great time with the new experience, and to be able to share it with Addison made it memorable. "My second question was how you ride these horses. I assume you sit in the contraption attached to them, but how do you navigate?"

Addison smiled brightly at Teevs' questions. The contraption that you sit in is called a saddle. Navigating is easy. " She grabbed the leather straps leading from a metal bit in the horse's mouth to the saddle. "These straps that are attached to the metal piece in the horse's mouth is called the reins. If you want to go left, gently pull to the left. If you want to go right, gently pull to the right. If you want to slow down or stop, pull them gently towards you. If you want to go faster, you use the stirrups, where your feet rest when in the saddle and give a gentle nudge against their sides. "Ready to go?"

Teevs nodded as she explained. It seemed simple enough, but this wasn’t like controlling a ship, this was a sentient being. Even a programmed horse probably retained some of the decision-making capabilities of the real thing, however Teevs wasn’t worried. The confidence as Addison explained it, the way her dark eyes sparkled as she shared her knowledge, told him that everything would be fine. Hell, she could talk about horses to him all day and he wouldn’t mind. When the anticipation of his answer resulted in their eyes meeting, Teevs’ heart did that little acrobatic performance again before he remembered that he was staring. Despite the assurances that eye contact wasn’t a disrespectful action on the Elysium, his habits usually defaulted to the culture he was brought up in. The embarrassed fluster of being caught staring quickly caught up to him.

“Yes, I think so,” he answered, reluctantly but intentionally directing his gaze to the horses. Especially after the shuttle ride, he realised that Addison wasn’t just a comforting person to be around. He felt better, more alive. He knew what this feeling was, but every time he considered speaking its name, the memory of home reminded him of his temporary presence. He pushed aside his turmoil by focusing on the immediate problem: this creature was much taller than him. “These are such massive creatures, how do you get into the saddle?”

"Approach from the left side. Put your left foot i to the stirrup." she commented, as she demonstrated the move. "Grab a hold of the horn of the saddle-- this knob fixture at the front of the saddle. Then push off and swing your right leg over the saddle and into the other stirrup. She sat in the saddle looking at Teevs.

Teevs watched her demonstrate, watching the technique closely before nodding and turning to the second horse. A couple seconds passed where he visually inspected the saddle, then he lifted his foot to get it through the stirrup. It took a little effort, but he got it in place, and he looked up at the saddle to what she called the horn. His knee was practically in his chest, and his other foot was basically teetering for balance on the ground. Sucking in a breath, Teevs jumped a little, his fingers brushing the horn instead of grabbing it, and he gripped the edge of the saddle to keep himself from falling over.

As programmed, the horse seemed to be entirely unbothered by the disturbance. Teevs looked at the horse again to be sure before he looked up, and he jumped again with more force. This time, he was able to grab the horn, but the problem now was that his free foot was dangling off the ground with nothing to push off of. He used the foot that was caught in the stirrup to try and get some leverage, and slowly he was able to work himself up to a position where he could swing his other foot over. He wasn't nearly as graceful as Addison, but he still successfully did it.

"Good job!" she complimented with a smile. "Now just a gentle tap with the stirrups against the sides of the horse to get moving. She did the movement for Teevs as her horsebmoved off at a gentle walk out of the barn and into the mountain range of the Great Smoky Mountains of her home on Earth just outside of Charlottesville Virginia. Mist lingered at the peaks of the mountain range.

Huh, it really was that simple. Teevs mimicked what she did, then swayed a little when the horse started moving. It followed Addison's horse out of the barn, leaving the scent of dry grass behind. The pressure also let up, likely amplified because of the close quarters in the barn. The mountains were magnificent, almost resembling massive rolling hills. "Wow..."

Addison smiled as she looked back at Teevs as they headed for a trail through the forest on the outskirts on her parent's ranch. A large white two story house with black trim and a wrap around porch sat several yards north of the barn as they moved away from it. "Glad you like it. We're headed for a spot that should offer a good view of the mountain range. Are you doing ok?"

Teevs nodded in response, still just taking in everything around him. Being on top of another creature was an experience by itself, but the scenery was stunning. "Yeah, this is... incredible. This is on Earth?"

"Yep. It's in the old state of Virginia, just a little southwest of Charlottesville. It's very peaceful. I love nothing better than flying but sometimes taking it slower is what I enjoy. You're welcome to this program anytime you'd like." She smiled at him again. She enjoyed being near him and spending her spare time with him.

Those were simply words to him, but Teevs could tell that this place meant something to her. He gave her a smile in return as they continued the ride.

After an hour of riding, the two came to an overlook spot that gave a full view of the valley below hidden by trees and offering an unobstructed view of the mountain range. "Well, here we are," she said, looking across at him. The feelings she felt when she looked at him bothered her. She was wanting more, yet the betrayal from her ex husband still lingered.

Teevs was captivated by the view. "Absolutely stunning..." he commented. The geologist in him admired the mountains, almost resembling rolling hills. These features had to be ancient, and he'd love to study the rocks there.

But it would mean leaving home.

That thought made his expression shift slightly. It became more thoughtful. It had taken some time for Teevs to recognise that he had feelings for Addison. At first, he thought it was the novelty of interacting with a new alien species, but that had worn off after a couple of months on the Elysium. This was different, and it didn't fade. If anything, it became more obvious, like he was anticipating their next interaction. But, he had his sights on home. That future loomed above everything they did together. It left competing emotions in him that he didn't know what to do with.

He looked toward Addison. She looked relaxed, but microexpressions hinted at something else. "You're thinking about something," he said, his expression shifting to curiosity.

She raised her eyebrows and grinned. "Am I that obvious? It's...well, it's a few things, to be honest.," she began. "I discovered that the man I had been married to was cheating on me when I returned from a Neutral Zone patrol assignment. I had wanted to surprise him
...and yet I was the one surprised as I walked in on him with another woman. From that day...I said I wouldn't get involved with anyone again." She paused for a moment to catch her breath as she fought back tears. The pain of that betrayal still stung. "And then I met you and Kerilia...and now? Now...I would like to see where this goes."

Teevs briefly smiled at her initial reaction, then turned to attentive listening as she explained. A drive to protect her formed in his chest, especially once he saw how this affected her. He felt angry that someone would disrespect such a kind person, and he hated seeing her so hurt. "What a terrible thing to do to someone..." he quietly commented.

Her final words hit in multiple ways. On the positive, it was a relief. It made him happy because it comfirmed that the feeling was mutual. On the other hand, it only complicated his already messy feelings. "I feel similar," he finally said, intentionally giving himself time to think. "Doing these activities with you... simply being with you... it's comfortable, and familiar. I feel like myself again, something I haven't felt in years. I want to understand these feelings I have for you." He hesitated, looking at the reins he had started fidgeting with. He wrapped the material around his finger a couple times before releasing the tension, watching the reins untwist.

"But I'm afraid." Teevs took in a slow breath, trying to calm his racing heart. "I lost my wife to the Nelorin, a species that serves the Thaih'ea. She meant everything to me, and I'm scared to feel that kind of loss again. I'm afraid of not being able to give Kerilia the safety and security she needs to grow up. And with the Elysium's mission to get home..." Running a hand through his hair, Teevs let out a short, nervous laugh, the kind that comes when life gets too complicated. "... I just don't know what to do."

Addison looked over at Teevs for a moment, not sure of what to say. She looked away towards the mountains and let out a long exhale. She finally looked at him and spoke. "I can't say I know the future...but perhaps we should give it a try. Kerilia is as safe as anywhere here aboard the Elysium. But the choice of course is yours. "

Teevs did not want the decision to be solely his. After all, a relationship meant that one of them had to lose their home. "I think if any decision is made, it should be between the three of us," he said slowly. "I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I kept Kerilia away from our home and family, and I could never ask you to leave this behind." He thought for a couple seconds. "How about we talk about it during dinner? I'm not sure if you've properly met Kerilia, but she loves to cook."

She smiled him. "I'd love to," she replied as she moved her horse closer to Teevs. She could only hope that Kerilia would like her.