Warm Sands Part 1

Posted on Wed Apr 15th, 2020 @ 2:07am by Lieutenant Commander S'hib & Lieutenant Commander Aurelia Taylor

Mission: Challenge Missions
Location: Holodeck 1
Timeline: Before departure
3508 words - 7 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Clearwater frothed over S'hibs hooves, the shallow tide withdrawing and leaving the bright orange sands a deep red. He needed to go home soon he thought, missing calm and warm waters as the holographic waves came in once more. "But this is still nice." He said to himself, staring off into the vast ocean beyond the plethora of tall islands, the tightly packed flora on their surfaces making them appear more tree than rock.

He was not alone on the beach, however, simply the only one stood alone as the holodeck program simulated the native Sequellians going about their lives, with small groups of individuals sunbathing or swimming, young colts and foals enjoying the freedom the vast lengths of the coastal beaches offered as they stretched their legs.

Lia would be along soon he thought, still staring off into the horizon. He was sure she would be able to recognise him amongst the sea of other Sequus, he was, after all, the only one wearing any clothing.

As she arrived outside of the holodeck, Lia adjusted her clothing. Which really only consisted of a blue Yukata and a pair of sandals, she was naked under the Yukata. "Computer, open holodeck 1". =^="Please enter when ready"=^=, the computer replied. The doors slid open on to a beach and Lia stepped through, she could see S'hib wearing something around his waist. Slowly she walked up to him, "Well this is different, Orange sand can't say I've seen that before". She could see that only he wore anything, "Is that because of me? Because if it is, then please remove it. This is your world and as such we will observe local dress codes". She waited to see if he would say or do anything, Lia would follow his lead on this.

S'hib paused for a moment before replying, slowly pulling himself out of a pleasant daydream. "My world has a high metal content compared to most, the minerals in the sand oxidise and well..." He replied, waving a hand around at the beach. "But I have to ask, are you sure?" he said, turning his eyes back to Lia. "I don't wish to impose anything on you."

Shaking her head, Lia answered. "If I thought you were imposing anything on me, I wouldn't be here at all". She took a very deep breath and removed her Yukata, folding it carefully she placed it over her arm. "I'll just keep it with me if you don't mind". A warmth spread over her body as the sun beamed down, she now removed her sandal's and held them under her Yukata. Standing naked alongside her Officer felt out of place, but this was his world and she needed to understand it so she really understood him.

"Very well." S'hib nodded, unshackling the belt that locked the two ends of his waist wrap above his hips, unfurling the fabric from his side and folding it neatly under one arm before turning to face her properly.

"Welcome to Sequella Lia," He snorted softly, crossing his hands behind his back and leaning forward, nudging his muzzle against her cheek softly.

"Let's show you around." He smiled, unphased by his commanding officer's naked form as he padded away from the wet sand, heading towards the paths that ran along the beach fronts.

S'hib's nuzzling caught Lia by surprise, "Ah, how am I suppose to react to that?" She followed S'hib as he wandered off, she felt embarrassed by her nakedness but there seemed to be no response from anybody around. Also S'hib himself, just walked ahead of her not looking or even seeming to care she was naked. Now back on the path she replaced her sandal's, the ground being slightly too hot for her feet. But as they wandered down a small path, her embarrassment abated and she relaxed to the point she was enjoying herself.

As they continued down the path S'hib turned to Lia, happy that she seemed to be embracing his culture. "Hard to be embarrassed when nobody else is wearing anything either." He chuckled softly, looking back ahead at the approaching city, the vast silver and white towers intermixed with a multitude of flora growing along their sides, allowing nature to blend seamlessly with the Sequellian architecture.

The approaching city made Lia suddenly remember she was naked, "Whoa there S'hib, just where are you taking me? That's a rather large city we're walking into, and I'm still getting used to being naked so to speak". She moved her arm to hide herself below the waist, "I'm not sure I could manage all the people in the city, being naked".

S'hib turned as he came to a stop, tilting his head to the side as he looked at her, he had been around other humanoids all his life but this concept still seemed to confuse him greatly.

"One set of eyes or a hundred, it should make no difference if none of them staring at you in the way you fear they are." He said softly, throwing his wrap to the side of the path and opening his arms to his side. "I see you no different Lia," He said, motioning his hand in front of himself, pointing from her head to her sandals with his open hand "Uniform or not... you are still you."

His response confused her, but she pointed to the city. "So your basically saying, if I go there nobody is even going to notice me? A naked female human, and that's just normal is it?" She moved her hands to the side, fully exposing herself. "It still feels weird, but lead on S'hib I'll give it a go".

"They'll notice you because you don't have hooves." S'hib smiled, turning slowly to continue down the path as two more of his kind walked past, enthralled in their own conversation and only giving Lia a slightly bemused glance.

"But if you really want to know what everyone will be staring at, it's your mane, or hair as you call it." He said with conviction, continuing down the path, his telltale hoof clicks mixing with the hundreds off in the distance.

"My hair? Why would they staring at my hair?" She absentmindedly ran her hand through her hair, just to make sure it was fully free and flowing. Keeping S'hib in sight started to get difficult, so she now moved alongside him as more and more of his kind now appeared around them. Lia's eye's wandered over the building and their strange mixture of urban and nature, but the noise of hooves became louder and that fact shocked her.

“My people hold a lot of significants with one's mane, It’s not just how we identify each other but also displays our social standing... We use our bodies to express our personalities with jewellery, makeup or piercings.” He said slowing down and offering his hand for her to hold. “And as you can see, a humans hair is very different.”

Taking S'hibs hand like a small child, Lia followed on. "So what would my hair say about my social standing? And I hate to think what my body say's about my personality". She looked up at this being in a new light, if this was his home she now knew why he missed it so much.

“Not much I'm afraid,” S’hib said, gently squeezing her hand comfortingly. “You are... a canvas yet to be painted.” He said softly, leading her through the crowd toward a smaller building, the exterior seats and tables indicating its purpose. “But I mean that in an endearing sense, after all, you have been raised to hide beneath fabric.” He said in jest, about to lean his snout against the side of her head before deciding it might be best to break her in slower to his cultural practices.

Ahead of them, a waitress waited by the entrance, a small green apron covering her brown and white furred waist and legs being the only real indicator that she was working. “Welcome.” She said politely moving her dainty hooves forward as she and S’hib clasped one another on the shoulder, leaning their heads together until their foreheads touched.

“Just the two of you?” She snorted softly, moving over to Lia to greet her as well.

The answers she got did nothing to make her feel any better, "Not much eh? I suppose that's only to be expected". As Shib explained his comment, Lia nodded. "Well I'm willing to learn, but this is more than I expected". She watched the two Sequellians greet each other, then looked to Shib to either confirm or deny what she was supposed to do.

“Go ahead.” S’hib motioned for Lia to greet the waitress. “She's new to all this.” He smiled, nodding to the waitress in hopes she would understand.

“How are you finding Sequella?” She neighed excitedly, gently moving her hoofed digits to Lias bare shoulders and leaning her head forward.

With difficulty, Lia placed her hand on the female's shoulder. Slowly she bowed her head forward, and waited.

"Come, let's find you both a table." The female Sequus said, raising her head and smiling softly before walking into the restaurant, her small hooves clicking away on the tile floor.

"The touching of heads symbolises that you are not a threat to each other," S'hib said softly, taking Lia's hand once more to lead her inside. "It is also a more formal greeting, for someone you have just met." He smiled, as they followed the waitress.

She could still feel the warmth from the female's head on her own forehead, but dutifully she followed S'hib. "Did I do it correctly? I don't want her to feel insulted, but she's slightly bigger than me". Lia sat down at the table and looked about, the busy street reminded her of earth.

"No real wrong way to touch heads," S'hib replied, sitting across from Lia as smiling in amusement at the human before him, only just now realising everything around her was ever so slightly bigger than it would have been on earth. "I imagine you find this all a bit odd," He remarked, following where her eyes had ended up. "That we so casually go about our lives much in the same way you do, just without any clothing."

Lia looked back at S'hib, "I feel like a kid, my feet don't touch the floor. Everyone is bigger than me, and I'm sat in a café naked talking to a horse. Do you know how that sounds and feel's?" She placed her clothes on an empty chair next to her, "I don't find it odd, I find it all too familiar. Everything we do on Earth, your people do as well. But yeah, the naked bit is what I'm finding the most difficult". She picked up the menu, and placed it back down. "This is as hard as trying to learn Japanese, I don't have a clue what any of this means". She pointed at the menu, "Do you have such a thing as coffee?"

Trying his best not to laugh S'hib picked up his menu, allowing a broad smile to form once behind the thin card. "Computer, please update the menus to federation standard." He said, lowering the menu to look back at Lia. "We do have coffee, but it's rather strong." He snorted, as he slid his legs across the floor until he felt her feet, placing the equivalent of his shins under her toes so they were no longer dangling from her seat.

"Are you laughing at me?" Lia started to giggle, "Your hair is tickling my feet, just let 'em dangle". She picked up the menu and again placed it back down, "Ok explain to me just what's what on here". Lia thought about what she might want to drink, "Do you have any fruit juices? A nice cold Apple juice will be fine, and I don't have money so how do we pay?"

"I wouldn't dream of laughing at you," S'hib replied with a stupid grin on his face the entire time he spoke, leaving his legs stubbornly where they were. "As for paying, you are a guest to Sequella... we don't make guests pay for food or drink here," He said, reaching over the table with his long arm to point at Lia's menu. "As for fruit juices, closest we have to apple would be a Rammango..." He said, sliding his finger further down. "But if you want something sweeter then I'd go for an Atapll juice which is more like a pear."

As her feet continued to be tickled, Lia just giggled more. "S'hib, please let my feet dangle. Or I might embarrass myself, and a lady doesn't wish to embarrass herself in that way". She listened to his suggestion and then nodded, "I'll try that, what is it, Atapll juice". She pushed herself further back in the seat, "If you don't object, I'd like to come again sometime. I feel there's a lot more to see".

Readjusting his hooves with two audible clicks S'hib nodded in agreement. "There is plenty for you to see, and I'd be delighted to show you." He said politely as the waitress stopped by there table.

"Ready to order?" She snorted, shaking her head slightly to adjust her long brown mane.

"Just drinks for the moment, two Atapll juices please." he nodded, admiring the markings over her body as she wandered off towards the bar. "Hopefully I'll be able to show more of the crew my home," He smiled, looking back at Lia. "But I know not everyone will be as understanding as you have been..." He frowned.

She watched S'hib look at the waitress, "Don't forget S'hib, you have a girlfriend, or am I wrong? Plus just what were you judging?" Lia now glanced down at the ground, "You give me to much credit, I'm sure others would understand also. They might NOT be naked, but they would understand". She now began to look around again and take in everything unusual, "You know, I almost forgot that I'm naked. But I'm thinking that I might have attracted some attention". She pointed to a small group of Sequus, "I'm not sure just what they're commenting on, but that fawny coloured one seems very interested in it".

"I simply miss the aesthetics of my species, trust me I have no intention on throwing away what I have with Naxea, she means far too much to me," He replied, shifting his weight in his seat to look over his shoulder, catching sight of the group in question.

"As for the attention... our manes are not similar, and we are sitting across from one another they feel that you would be better suited with them than me," S'hib said softly, turning back to face Lia. "Since I've not integrated you into my harem, the Alpha mare will seek to poach you from me." He said calmly, showing no visible concern as the waitress stopped with their drinks, placing the small tray down to pass over each tall glass.

"Alpha mare?? Not part of your harem?? Do you want to explain that to me, like right now." Lia started to feel like some kind of exotic delicacy, "I'm sure Naxea knows that, as do most of the ship". She picked up her drink attempting to act normal, but until she fully understood just what was going on she felt uneasy. "And just how would she poach me? Considering I'm Human, I wouldn't know how to act".

"My people are not monogamous, so relationships are not required for intimacy between one another... basically, because there is no intimacy between us, even on a very casual level like sitting close to one another... they feel you are wasted on me, that I am not deserving of your company." He said picking up his glass. "They don't understand that other species hold personal space in such high regard, as such, they think I'm the one being rude to you." Sipping his drink slowly S'hib found he felt just as much a fish out of water as Lia most likely did; an Alien even amongst his own people.

Lia now got down from the chair, and walked around the table. Taking a deep breath she now placed herself on S'hib's lap, "One word to the XO, and we're both be cleaning the bussard collectors for the rest of our careers". She placed her head on his shoulder, and took his hand and placed it on her breast. "I just hope this works, because I'm feeling very very stupid".

"As much as I would enjoy this level of affection with you," S'hib replied softly, gently moving his hand away from her breast and up along the side of her face. "There are much simpler ways of showing we are together that aren't what you would consider sexual." He hummed softly, running both hands into her hair and beginning to groom her, gently combing out knots and dead hairs. "Just try not to wiggle your bum please."

"My bum will be wiggle free S'hib, I fully understand that comment". She found she was enjoying the massaging actions on her head, and began to relax. Despite the fact she was sat naked on her subordinates lap while he stroked her head, Lia allowed herself to relax. "I think it's time we left, I know we both have partners who will want to know where we are and what we're doing".

"Least try your Atapll before we go," S'hib said, a slight whine to his voice. "The ships replicator hasn't done too bad a job with its flavour." He said while absentmindedly twirling her hair into braids out of habit.

Reaching over she picked up her drink, and taking a deep drink found she had found an unusual flavour she liked. Lia rocked back and looked at S'hib, then realised what she had done as she felt him respond. "Oh S'hib I'm sorry, I didn't think. I'd better get up before I embarrass both of us".

"You are as clumsy as a filly trying to walk on ice," S'hib said affectionately, laughing as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back against his chest, shifting his legs slightly underneath her. "Enjoy your drink and then we shall go." He snorted, leaning forward to pick up his glass with an audible sigh. "Just sit still." He laughed.

Lia could still feel S'hib responding to her movements, and realised just what she had done. But a certain part of his anatomy was now pressing against a certain part of her anatomy, the result was Lia had to move or an unintentional entry could happen. "I'll just cross my legs ok, that will help I hope". This she did and things seemed to relax, "I'm very sorry S'hib, I should have been more careful". She finished her drink and slid gently to the floor, the near miss had had unintentional results. Lia would need to visit Gary once she returned to her cabin, as strangely she felt aroused. Looking around she made sure that no outward signs were noticeable, and picked up her clothing. Thank you for letting me visit, and I will come back for another visit if you'll let me".

"Do us both a favour and bring a cushion next time." S'hib said with a shake of his head, choosing to remain seated so as to not offend Lia's eyes with his compromised state. "But yes, I think I know where I'll take you next time..." He snorted, deciding it best to move the menu onto his lap.

She couldn't help but notice his discomfort, "I feel so bad right now, but as we both have partners there's nothing we can do to relieve our distress". Lia replaced her Yukata and fixed the Obi so nothing would show, "Computer arch". The arch appeared and she headed for it, she stopped and took one last look around. "It's a beautiful place, now I know why you miss it. If I see Naxea, I'll point her in this direction". Exiting the holodeck she made her way back to her cabin.

S'hib looked back at the drinks that sat on the table, the ice already melting quickly in the hot and humid Sequellian climate. "I don't think she'd understand my world... or me." He sighed to himself, picking up his glass and wondering what to do; his culture clashing with so much that resided outside the holodeck, Naxea included.

"Bloody hell, she felt naked wearing a dress at that wedding..." He groaned, thinking out loud as he placed the glass down and buried his head into his hands. "How on Sequus am I going to bring her here." mumbled as the menu fell off his lap and onto the floor, summing up his mood entirely.

OFF:

Commander Lia Holmes
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Elysium

Lieutenant S'hib
Security Officer
USS Elysium