Can you just...slow down?!

Posted on Fri Feb 23rd, 2024 @ 2:40pm by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nakata Akira & Ensign Will Raynada

1,886 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Shoreleave
Location: Risa

"...then there's the waterskiing, climbing and horseriding..." Akira was drying his black hair with the towel around his neck, walking at an unnatural pace on the warm sand under his feet. He hadn't stayed still for more than about...5 minutes since arriving. "...did you know there's a botanical garden with more species of roses from across the quadrant than any other? And the ancient history museum, and there's a cocktail making class..."

Struggling to keep up Will Raynada chased after Akira. Since they'd landed on Risa the man had dragged him across half the continent already. "You know we're here for a whole week right Nakata, we have a whole 'nother 5 days to do all that."

"Hm...?" it took Akira a moment to process what he'd said, or at least, the meaning behind it. "Oh, but that's all just scratching the surface. I bet there's more we've not even discovered yet. And those climate controls, I bet they'd be fascinating to get a look at..."

"If you can get past the security they have on them now." Will told him. "Can't we go to one of the bars or lounge around at one of the pools for a while? we do enough walking on the ship."

"Oh..." the fast-paced operations petty officer slowed down at the suggestion, looking across to him. "I...sure..." Akira considered it, and the way his eyes looked upward to the side indicated he was actually trying to think it through. "And...what would we do there?"

"Relax for a while, watch the girls, get some drinks. Go for a swim," Will said, his voice somewhat exasperated, "if you can swim."

"Oh I do, I can," Akira assured, the light coming back to his eyes a little with the suggestion. "I....okay, let's give it a try," the way he said it made it clear that it wasn't the kind of thing he would usually ever do, beach or no.

"You don't sound too enthusiastic there Nakata, come on lets head back to the hotel and find a spot at the pool." Will turned to head back that way, he hoped Nakata would follow but he didn't really mind if he didn't but it would be good to see him actually relax and not constantly buzz around like a worker bee.

Akira followed him with trust though, smiling gently as he watched the other man with open curiosity. "Is this the kind of thing you like to do on your holidays?"

"I'll still do things like you've already dragged me into doing." Will replied as they walked. "But it can be nice to just relax and do nothing for a while you know, no responsibilities, no work drama, just lay there and watch the world go by."

Akira nodded slowly, as if absorbing the information he might take in a new theory at work. "Soak up some beams?" he tried the phrase out, but he wasn't entirely sure he'd gotten it right. It didn't sound quite right, and it wasn't just the lilt of his Japanese accent.

"Catch some rays," Will corrected. "Soak our bodies in solar radiation till our bodies create melanin causing our skin colour to darken slightly.....if you want the detailed description."

"Hm...sounds like a risky experiment, we should do it," Akira teased him, but with a small smile as they headed for the bar by the pool. "We should get a drink with an umbrella and flowers in it..."

"That's the spirit." Will gave him a light slap across the back. When they reached the bar he caught one of the bartenders attention. "Hmmm, two mai-tai's please."

"Coming up." The barman; a native Risian replied, he turned away and began to mix up their drinks.

"Everyone who works here seems so....relaxed," Akira leant in close so he could keep his voice low, not wanting to offend anyone by talking about them. "They seem to enjoy it as much as the guests..."

"It's Risa, they're very relaxed and open about almost everything." Will told him. "See those little statues? Take one of them with you and keep it nearby and almost any Risian in....... the service will know you're up for some..... fun." Will used his fingers to mime quotation marks during the 'fun'

Akira watched him with surprise, his eyebrows lifting with a shock at the openness of it. He looked around, for evidence of what he was saying. And sure enough, dotted around were people sunbathing with those little statues. "That's scandalous..." he was laughing though.

"That's Risa." Will remarked laughing too. "People come here for 3 things and they all begin with S." The bartender returned with their cocktails and handed one to each of them. "Cheers." Will said and raised his glass.

Akira was grinning just at the sight of it. The colours and flair reminded him of the food and drink he used to have in Tokyo. He tapped his glass carefully to his before sipping it curiously. His eyes widened at how good it was and he took more. The burn and sweetness was perfectly balanced. "What a great choice.."

"Mmmhhhh." Will groaned as she swallowed a good measure from his glass. "Our replicators do a good non alcohol version but nothing beats the real thing."

"I have to agree," Akira smiled warmly, stretching out with a sigh. "Although I have to admit, I'm what I think is called a 'light weight'...? It doesn't take much real alcohol to get me drunk..."

"Getting absolutely steamed on alcohol has gone a little more out of fashion nowadays than in the past centuries." Will said after chuckling at Nakata's revelation. "Ensign Joran from security can certainly put down the brew. Out drank a Klingon on a dare back at the academy."

"What?!" Akira tried to imagine it, but ended up shaking his head at a loss. "I think that would kill me," he laughed good naturedly...even as he sipped his drink with a sigh. "Were you the same at the Academy?"

Will shook his head. "I couldn't drink anything like him but pretty much everyone in academy did their share of drinking and sleeping around. Except for maybe the Vulcans."

"Hm...what if it is one big hoax?" Akira mused, the alcohol creating a pleasant warmth in him, his shoulders slowly starting to relax down. "Maybe Vulcans are only like that in front of us...maybe when it's just them they're wild and raucous..."

"The rumour is they're absolutely feisty when their mating season is on." Will said before something caught his eye. "I bet she is too." He remarked as a very leggy Orion woman walked past in the most revealing bikini you could think of, it left absolutely nothing to the imagination.

Akira laughed softly, shaking his head at the observation, busying himself with a long drink from his cocktail. Many people had dressed like that here. He wondered if they also had little statues, or if it was part of the 'relaxing'. Either way, Akira hadn't gotten the memo, dressed in looser, patterned shorts that went down close to his knees and a light blue t-shirt. "I've never dated an Orion."

"Me neither." Will said after taking a long sip of his mai-tai. "It's on the list though, if you ever watch or read old earth science fiction. Fucking the 'hot green alien chick' comes up a lot, and here we have our real life hot green alien chick walking around."

"That sounds about right for the old days," Akira shook his head with a slight roll of the eyes. "Are you going to see if she has a statue, or just...try your luck?" he asked, watching him with open curiosity.

"I might try my luck." Will replied not taking his eyes off the Orion woman until she disappeared out of view. "You never know what can happen on Risa."

Akira grinned at the way he had put it, even laughing softly before drinking more. He was already feeling a touch woozy from the alcohol...but...he liked it. It had relaxed his often tight shoulders and brightened his eyes. It wasn't the same as synthahol, not at all. "Are you looking for love? Or...just a holiday romance?"

Will sipped his drink, swirling the liquid around as he pondered the question. "I think a holiday fling more than anything, there are over 300 people on the Wollf, I'm sure i can find someone there for something more long term."

"Is there anyone in particular you have your eye on...?" Akira asked innocently as he wondered if the alcohol would let him pry any gossip out of him. Because he'd never admit it, but on the quiet, he loved a good bit of gossip.

"Not right now." Will replied. "Few friends of mine onboard are dating, no wedding bells yet but they definitely hit it off a couple years back."

“No one at all caught your eye?” He asked with a grin, clearly not quite believing it with the way he raised an eyebrow at him.

"Maybe Melissa." Will said with a slight hint of sheepishness. "You know her? The computer tech from gamma shift? Red head, little over 5ft tall."

Akira's grin widened at that, trying to match up the description. "Ah yes...I only know her to say hello to. But she seems nice, and she's very cute. Would you ever consider a work affair?"

Will pondered Nakata's question for a few moments. "I think if it were someone on the ship I'd want more than just a fling, if I'm going to be working with them for a long while."

Akira nodded slowly, as if considering his response. "Makes sense," he agreed gently. "I...feel like you need those attachments out there in the void, you know?" he looked to him before chuckling, shaking his head with a tut. "Sorry...that's really gone to my head."

"And that's only your first drink." Will chuckled. "Plenty more where they came from."

"That's what I'm worried about!" Akira laughed, even as he waved the bartender over for another round. "So where's home for you, Will? Is it anything like this paradise?"

"I wish," Will replied. "Maybe if we had all of this planets weather control systems you could turn England into a paradise, otherwise it's wet and windy for three quarters of the yeah. Ever hear the term 'English Summer'?

Akira shook his head, but he was smiling with sheer curiosity and amusement now. It didn't sound good, whatever it was. "I've never been," he admitted with an awkward shrug. Because with transporters and shuttles, it wouldn't have taken long to, back when he was on Earth.

"Summer in most countries, get your T-shirts, shorts and sandals out." Will sipped his drink, there wasn't much left and he glances back towards the bar. "English summer, you're going to need your raincoat."

Akira grimaced at that, because despite his initial protestations, he was taking to Risa's warmth and easygoing atmosphere more than he had expected to. "Nah...give me sun, sand and luxuries any day of the week. Come on...another drink! And then we need to find you one of those idols..."

OFF

Ensign Will Raynada
Operations Officer
[Pnpc Taliserra]

PO3 Nakata Akira
Operations Officer
[PNPC Ash Rowe]

 

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