round 4 Cmdr. Tal Tel-ar returns from his vacation

[Tal Tel-ar]

((Camped near the great lake on Igguden III))

:: Tal woke, stretched and slowly sat up. His antenna scented the air, the clean fresh air mixed with the numerous different scents of plants, flowers, animals, birds, death, decay and rebirth. ::

:: The week had gone by so fast. The shuttle should be returning in a few hours to collect him and return him to the ship. Part of him was looking forward to it and part of him was dreading it. This life, this having to rely on his wits and strength alone had certain attractions that spoke to him on a depth that was almost unnerving. ::

:: Still he had his duty and he was not one to avoid it, no matter what the problem. After all there were plenty of planets like this where he could visit or maybe even retire to once he had finally left the fleet. It was a pleasant thought, one worth considering for his distant future. ::

:: With animal like grace Tal moved from a sitting position to a standing one. It was something that amazed a lot of people, especially due to his size and musculature. Few people expected such speed, such dexterity from one who looked more like a walking advertisement for a life of professional weight training. ::

:: As he stood a small object leapt from a nearby branch and landed on his shoulder. In many ways it seemed to resemble a miniature humanoid but one with a very long slender tail and long slim arms and legs that seemed to be a bit out of proportion to the size of the tiny body and small head. It curled its tail around his back and over one arm as it sat there calmly. ::

:: For the most part Tal ignored it, it had been his almost constant companion since his arrival on this world. Watching as he built his shelter in the upper reaches of its tree. It had soon realized that it had nothing to fear from him and had been following him since. ::

:: Tal stretched again, raising his arms straight up and the creature moved easily out of the way, then scampered up one of his arms to leap to a nearby branch. Tal continued to stretch, twist and move, slowly running through a routine designed to loosen and relax every single muscle group in his body. ::

:: Only when he was finished did he finally reach out for his clothes. He took his time dressing, enjoying the view, the sight of two of the large lake creatures fighting a few hundred yards off shore. The way the leaves danced in the cool summer breeze, the delicate flowers bending to the same breeze. ::

:: This was a very beautiful world, one well worth returning to, even if it was only for the occasional camping trip. At the thought a smile brightened his features and he decided to leave most of the supplies he had brought with him. There was a natural hollow in which he could secure them, that way they would be here the next time he came. They were all made of high tech composite materials so wind, rain and exposure to the elements would not damage them too much. ::

:: Tal packed the tools and equipment into the small hollow, then took down the heavy duty water resistant tarp that had served as a roof and after carefully folding it up packed it in on top of the gear. It took only a few more minutes to firmly secure the tarp in place. It would keep the rest of the gear safe and last a long time as well. ::

:: Finished Tal packed the last few items that he would be taking with him, ignoring the small creature who watched him the whole time. ::

((Short Time Jump))

:: Tal heard it long before he saw it, the shuttle slowing its descent as it got closer and closer. It was obviously time and as he gave his tree top shelter one last look his comms badge chirped. Tal automatically reached up and tapped it. ::

Tel-ar: =/\= Cmdr. Tel-ar here. =/\=

Pilot: =/\= You ready to go sir? =/\=

Tel-ar: =/\= Yes. =/\= :: Tal replied as he glanced around one last time as he reached out and grabbed his pack, swinging it easily up and onto one shoulder. =/\= Beam me aboard. =/\=

:: As Tal felt the all too familiar tingling sensation that meant he was being disassembled into his various subatomic parts for the transfer to the shuttle he distinctly felt the sudden and unexpected contact of a small object, obviously the creature as he could feel its tiny hands and tail through his shirt. ::

((Shuttle))

:: It was too late to shoo it off as the next moment he reappeared on the shuttle standing on the transporter pad in the back. He expected the creature to panic, to act irrationally but all it did was to tighten its grip on his shirt while looking around. ::

:: Tal turned his head to look at it, his steel gray eyes staring deep into its dark green eyes. It merely tilted its head then reached up with one tiny paw to touch one of his antenna. ::

Pilot: Sir what is that?

:: Tal considered the question carefully. Not once during the time that he had spent on the planet had he seen any other members of this creature’s species. Obviously there had to be more on the planet but there had not been any, anywhere near to where he had met this one. ::

:: It was also obviously a social creature, one who must have normally belonged to a larger group. Otherwise it would never have spent so much time near him or overcome its natural fear of predators to get so close as to touch him. ::

:: For some unknown reason Tal suspected that the creature had been lonely. That, that was the reason it had spent so much time following and watching him and if that was true then its actions in leaping into the transporter beam and its seeming lack of fear was due to it not wanting to be left alone again. ::

Tel-ar: That Ensign is our passenger.

Pilot: Passenger?

Tel-ar: You heard me Ensign. :: Tal replied calmly as he took his backpack off his shoulder and tossed it onto one of the empty seats. As he did the tiny creature leapt off his shoulder onto the bag and sat, curling its tail around itself as it looked all around. ::

Pilot: But Cmdr. I don’t think I should be bringing that back to the ship.

Tel-ar: That’s perfectly all right Ensign. Consider it to be a direct order. That way your completely off the hook. Understood.

:: The young man just stared at him for a moment, then glanced at the tiny creature, then back at the Cmdr. Only then did he move turning and sliding back into the pilots seat even as he replied. ::

Pilot: Direct order it is Cmdr. :: He replied as he turned the shuttle and piloted it away from the planet’s surface. ::

:: Tal turned and sat down, relaxing into the seat, ready to enjoy the flight back to the USS Doyle-A. ::

((Shuttle inbound to the USS Doyle-A))

:: Tal sat in the back of the shuttle, dressed in stained, worn and distinctly smelly clothes. He sat up straight, his back barely touching the backrest with his eyes closed but he was not asleep. His mind was active even though he had not moved a single muscle in over 3 hours. ::

:: This ability to remain motionless for hours had been an essential survival trait for him while growing up. Without it he would have either starved or been killed by other savage predators or even more violent humanoids and while he often relaxed into what appeared to be complete rigidity he was actually very comfortable like this. ::

:: Not the same with most people around him. It freaked most of them out and further distanced him from them as both a person and an individual. Tal did not mind, he liked the solitude, hence his going camping by himself. Still there were times when it was nice to have someone around. ::

:: His mind drifted back to his last vacation as it had in-numerable times over the last week. He had spent almost every single waking moment and sleeping moment as well with Sherana, an exotic Orion woman trained to be a Klingon warrior by her adoptive father. She was a civilian aboard the USS Constitution-B, a botanist who was responsible for taking care of the ship’s arboretum. ::

:: Like him she felt out of place, alone. They had found each other and as unlikely a couple as they were, they had enjoyed each other’s company. It helped that their unusual backgrounds and childhood upbringing provided them with many of the same outlooks and personality quirks that made it difficult for them to make friends among the rest of the crew. ::

:: He hated to admit it but he missed her, not just her company which had been both a comfort and enjoyable but everything about her. The way the light caressed her green skin, the way she moved, her scent, so earthy yet intoxicating and almost indescribably sensual regardless of the medication that she took to curb and control her genetic quirk, to repress her pheromones. Most species and most people could not sense it but he could, even more so than most Andorians and he could understand how her kind had enslaved countless men. ::

:: Still it had been the quiet times he had enjoyed the most with her, when it was just the two of them, when they could relax and simply enjoy each other’s company. He still remembered the last night they had spent together, the passion, the closeness, the feeling of moving against each other, kissing, caressing. Him waking up in the morning with her warm, tender body molded to his side, her head on his shoulder, her warm breath wafting gently over his chest. ::

Pilot: Cmdr. We’re on final approach. Touch down should be in less than 5 minutes.

:: The pilot’s voice snapped him out of the day dream, his eyes opened and the intense memory drifted back into his past as he replied. ::

Tel-ar: Thank you Ensign. :: Tal glanced over to where his bag was, his tiny friend stirred, lifted his head and stared back at Tal with his tiny, large eyes. Then it stretched, arms and legs both straightened for a moment then it sat up looking around. ::

((Small time jump – Shuttle Bay, USS Doyle-A))

:: As the sound of the engine stopped, Tal stood up, reaching out and grabbing his bag as he did so, his friend leapt onto his arm and ran up it like it was a branch on a tree. Tal ignored this as he moved to the hatch and activated the controls to cause it to open. Then he waited patiently as the door unlocked and opened. ::

:: Tal walked off, his long legs quickly taking him across the large room, past other vessels, mechanics hard at work, pilots inspecting their ships and various other crewmembers busy with their various duties. ::

:: Out in the corridor he immediately headed towards the closest lift, climbed on and continued his journer to his quarters. ::

((Short time jump - Cmdr. Tal Tel-ar’s quarters))

:: Tal walked in, crossed his large empty room and tossed his bag onto his bed. Then he started to get undressed. As he did his tiny friend leapt off on his shoulder, bounced off of the bed and landed on the floor. Once there he scampered around the room. ::

:: Tal tossed his dirty clothes into the chute that would take them away to be cleaned and walked into his bathroom and into his shower. ::

((Short time jump - Bathroom))

:: Tal turned off his shower feeling refreshed and noticeably cleaner. As he opened the door he spotted his tiny friend standing on the counter beside his sink, looking at himself in the mirror. For a moment he paused, simply watching him, his actions and reactions. Again Tal wondered why he had not beamed the small creature back down to Igguden III. It was his home, there he was free to live, to wander amid the tops and branches of the dense equatorial jungle. ::

:: Tal gave a small shake of his head as he left his bathroom, content to drip dry. Out in the large empty space that was his quarters he started to walk towards his closet but stopped, turned and walked instead over to where a wall screen could be seen. It stood out against the uneven, tan surface of simulated stone that covered his walls, floor and ceiling. ::

:: Once he reached it he taped in his code and checked to see why the light was flashing. He had a message. He was slightly surprised to see who had sent it, surprised and pleased. It had been a while since they had talked, duty and other factors making the time seem to fly between then and now. Without thinking he selected it and activated it. ::

:: An image of Sherana appeared on the screen. Her hand was partially blocking the image, as if she was reaching out towards him. Then she lowered her hand and started to speak. Her voice captivated him, thrilled him after not being able to hear it for so long. His antenna twitched and leaned forward so as to drink in every single subtle sound. ::

Sherana: =/\= Would you believe if I told you that we were in 1914 and are just back? Of course you would, I wouldn't lie to you. I have not seen any of it, you know the rules for civilian personnel, but I hear it was interesting. :: She paused. :: I have gotten into a fight last night. Because of that ride through some rift, we didn't have much energy and life support was pulled down. My plants were freezing and I went to demand power. The woman I spoke with did not like that and we got into a brawl. Now I have to apologize to her. =/\=

:: A this last part a ghost of a smile drifted across Tal’s features. She had growled the last words, her feeling plain in regards to what had happened. ::

Sherana: =/\= She will have to as well, but that does not change my dislike. :: She exhaled. :: She was no substitute for you anyway. Even our training was more challenging than this. I ... :: Tal felt a sudden wave of concern as Sherana’s voice broke. He found himself worrying about her, concerned about her even as she inhaled deeply before she continued to speak. :: You know that I am not good when it comes to talking about emotions. :: There was another slight pause as she raised her eyes to look directly into the camera lens. :: tIqwIj Sa'angnIS.* I miss you, Tal. =/\=

*((OOC Translation: I must show you my heart))

:: That was the end of the transmission. ::

:: Tal stood there for a moment, then reached up and hit replay, watching the short video two or three more times, memorizing again every single subtle aspect of her features, movements and mannerisms. Only then did he activate the record button himself. ::

Tel-ar: =/\= Hello Sherana. It is nice to hear from you. =/\= :: Even as he said it he winced inside. He could just hear his best friend Jason chuckle and shake his head before saying, “How many times do I have to tell you Tal, the best way to win a woman’s heart is to let her know yours.” He reached up and stopped the recording, erased it and started over. ::

Tel-ar: =/\= Hello Sherana. I miss you as well. =/\= :: This time there was no inner chuckle and he continued. :: =/\= In fact I was reminded of you on my last mission. We ran into a Klingon Bird of Prey with a renegade crew. They destroyed a Federation colony and then the planet as well. =/\=

:: Just then a loud metallic clangor made him turn and look towards where his bed was. He could see that his Bat’leth had been knocked off of the wall and it was pretty obvious who had done it. The sight of it laying there caused him to close his eyes for a moment. When he opened them he looked back and erased the recording. What was he thinking, telling her that running into some renegade Klingons had made him think of her. ::

:: Tal paused, taking a few long deep breaths before he restarted the recording again. ::

Tel-ar: =/\= Hello Sherana. I miss you as well. I just came back from a week off. I visited a nearby planet Igguden III. It is mostly deserted but pleasant, tropical with a large fresh water lake buried within dense jungle. It reminded me of that time we spent together on my shore leave, us walking along the beach, enjoying the warm waters, our hotel room with the amazing view. :: Tal paused for a moment before continuing. :: It was just me roughing it…. Camping out in the upper branches of one of the bigger trees…. Still I wish you could have been there with me… in my arms… waking beside me…. I miss you… I need you… =/\=

:: Suddenly Tal reached out and turned off the recording even as he blinked his eyes rapidly a number of times. What was wrong with him? Tal closed his eyes and took a few deep breathes. When he was done he restarted the recording. ::

Tel-ar: =/\= I do not know how to explain just what you mean to me…. Other than you are important… that I think of you often… that you haunt my memories… pleasant memories… some of the best I have… that I do miss you… :: Tal paused, and for a moment a brief smile softened his otherwise stern features, his steel gray eyes seemed to mellow and his voice softened, grew a bit more husky with hidden emotion as he finished speaking. :: I miss holding you… being with you…. I miss it all…. :: Again Tal paused as he stared deep into the screen. :: Bye my heart, until we meet again. =/\=

:: Then Tal stopped the recording and programmed the computer to send the message to her on the USS Constitution-B. ::

:: When he was finished he turned and walked over to where the Bat’leth lay, picked it up and returned it to its spot on the wall before he turned and looked at where his small friend crouched atop the rounded head of a bronze mace. ::

Tel-ar: I guess I am going to have to provide you with some form of amusement, otherwise you are likely to either kill yourself, chop your tail off or even worse damage one of my toys with your activities.

:: The small creature grinned, then leapt the 14 feet easily to land on his bare shoulder, tail and hands ensuring that he did not fall off as Tal turned to walk back over to the monitor. This time when he activated it, it was for internal communication. ::

Tel-ar: =/\= Cmdr. Tal Tel-ar to Engineering. =/\=

Engineer: =/\= Yes Cmdr. How can I help you. =/\=

Tel-ar: =/\= I will be submitting a work request for my quarters. I need the alterations to be completed before the end of the alpha shift. =/\=

Engineer: =/\= I cannot guarantee that Cmdr. It will depend a lot on the nature of the work you need done. =/\=

Tel-ar: =/\= I see. :: Tal paused for a moment then he continued to speak. :: You should be able to see the creature on my shoulder Ensign. =/\=

Engineer: =/\= Yes Cmdr. I can. =/\=

Tel-ar: =/\= Good the alterations are to provide him with a living space and recreational facilities with in my quarters. I doubt that it will be a very difficult or time consuming job. =/\=

Engineer: =/\= No, I doubt it will be. I will get started on it as soon as I receive the details of your request Cmdr. =/\=

Tel-ar: =/\= Thank you. I will send them within the hour. Tel-ar out. =/\= :: Tal closed the channel and turned to walk over to the closet. He still needed to get dressed. ::

************************************

Cmdr. Tal Tel-ar

Chief Tactical Officer

USS Doyle-A, NCC-80221-A

darylpea[...]@hotmail.com

Daryl.Pea[...]@ontario.ca

Tal Tel-ar’s Writer’s ID: T237708TT0

With help from Cmdr. Jalana Rajel, the writer for PNPC Sherana from the

USS Constitution-B

Jalana Rajel