Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Ari Kux Salemberger (Chief Science Officer) in A day high in the valleys (or almost), holodeck - Side Sim Open to all

Posted by Lieutenant Kate O’Neill (Chief of Security) in A day high in the valleys (or almost), holodeck - Side Sim Open to all

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Ari Kux Salemberger (Chief Science Officer) in A day high in the valleys (or almost), holodeck - Side Sim Open to all
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Kate heard the rush of water and looked around cautiously. “Yay waterfall,” she did a weak fist pump in even a weaker tone of voice. Dropping the pack she stretched trying to not look apprehensive as she edged toward Kai. The vista was beautiful but of all things there had to be a waterfall. “So um…how…uh high is ....it,” she spoke in a staccatoed tone. Kate could feel her legs starting to get wobbly and her palms beginning to sweat.

Kate O’Neill COS

“I guess 10, 15 meters.. I don’t like imprecise measurements. It will be an exception. Computer? How high is this waterfall?” Ari asked staring the water “17.4 meters from the higher rock.” Replied the computer “is not that high, are you afraid? I see you’re nervous…” he chuckled.

*Seventeen meters is about fifty-five feet,” Kate did the fast calculations in her head. “Fifty-five feet is not high? You know hitting the water at that height is like hitting concrete right?” Kate raised an eyebrow scrutinizing Kai. “Please tell me there is more to the activity agenda than throwing ourselves off like lemmings from a cliff,” she joked.

“Let me check.” He pulled out his tongue, made a funny face and checked an imaginary book “yeah we have!” He giggled

“let’s set the camp, then we’ll think about getting a shower ahaha!” He smiled at her as he took pales and tent.

“Alright, ma’am!” He made a military salute afterwards.

Lieutenant Jr. grade Ari Kux Salemberger - CSO

“Wow, you brought a tent,” Kate put her hands on her hips. She let out a long laugh. “My family is insanely outdoorsy. No rain no tent…period,” she took one edge of the fabric material and began to shake it out. “Shaun is more of a gentleman camper. Okay, he is like a woman,” she smiled, “but it is not his fault. He has five sisters. They did not go anywhere without power. Me…I cam from a family of five older brothers. We came with sticks and a ball and the ball was only to peg you when my mom and dad weren’t looking. When the Greckens and O’Neills began to merge into one tribe, camping changed drastically.”

“So practically stuff mixed in an interesting way. I came from an Italian-american family. My grandpa was the pioneer of the Salemberger while my grandma was italian and loved my grandpa. When my family and I went to camp, both of my granny loved to come and join us. Actually I remember that it was my nanny to give me lesson for survival situations! Indeed, before I ever stepped Starfleet Survival Course lab, I knew I was already promoted.” Ari smiled as he took a pole and putting the fabric around it.

Sticking a pole into one part of the fabric, Kate propped up her end waiting for Kai to do his end. “If you ask Shaun about the family situation he will call it a conquest instead of a merging because five out of six Gerckens are becoming O’Neills and only one O’Neill is rumored to be switching teams.” Kate’s could not stop laughing about the family joke. To most, it would seem like a true hill billy act with the families all intermarrying but what people didn’t get was just how compatible each O’Neill seemed to be with their Grecken counterpart.

Kate O’Neill

“You’re going to marry him?”

The innocent question froze Kate momentarily. “I was. I mean no…yes,” she stumbled between words. The question clearly fumbled her. Pushing a lock of hair behind her ear, Kate tried again to produce a coherent reply. “Yes I am going to marry him but I think this time he is going to make it a shotgun wedding instead of a lavish affair.”

He stopped a second resting the pole on his legs “if it is like that I would like to assist to the marriage!” Kux laughed “I am thinking to ask Luna to marry me, sometimes soon…” he talked as he started again assembling the tent. Luna and Ari were like soulmates, and the opportunity of both being aboard was a miracle and a gift from god in person. While Luna was working as nurse and was unaware of Ari’s feeling, he already bought the engagement ring from Vulcan made of rare colorful stones and some light but precious metals “Here,” the Lieutenant lent the ring to “what do you think about it?” He finally put vertically the pole and started hammering the cords to the ground.

Lieutenant Jr. grade Ari Kux Salemberger - CSO

Kate took the ring in her hand and stared at the stone. It was a breathtaking setting. The light of the sun created a prismatic effect amplifying the sparkle to a flash of blinding brilliance. “Luna is going to blind everyone with this,” she smiled handing it back to Kai. “She is going to be over the moon when you give it to her. When is the happy day,” Kate asked moving from putting up the tent to starting a fire.

“You think so? Also wait let me check if there’s some wood.” He started searching for some wood logs.

In real life Kate and Kai would have spent half an hour gathering wood but that was the one beautiful thing about a holodeck. They let you skip to the fun part. =/\=Computer give me a woodpile and kindling for a campfire,=/\= she requested. As if by magic they appeared. Arranging the sticks she pulled out a packet of non-dairy creamer and poured it into a pile. Striking a match she tossed it into the creamer instantly setting the small kindling ablaze.

“Interesting.” Ari looked the magic appearing logs “Well, I agree that taking some wood is sometimes boring.” He chuckled “it can work.” He smiled as he sat near the fire as the sun set slowly.

“So how soon are we talking,” Kate asked poking the now crackling fire to let air at it expanding it so they could cook something to eat over it.

Lt. Kate O’Neill. COS

“Oh right!” The Lieutenant blushed “I think sometimes between 2-3 months by now. I am still preparing some journeys we’ll make. I want to propose once I get a license and use it to go on Risa and the on the sweet lands of Alpha Centauri III. I already booked a real tent so we can camp on the edge of the largest Canyon of Sector 01. There, I’ll propose her the engagement…” he put some fish meat to cook on the metallic grid he took with him. Now the sun was already gone, and the Moon brighten the land nearby the campfire. At that moment Luna looked straight to it and said “Her name, resembles one of the most beautiful satellites ever existed.”

“So,” he stared Kate once again “Now I’ve said my situation. So when do you think our Shaun is going to propose you?” He turned the fish on the other side as the meat creaked as it cooked slowly.

Lieutenant Jr. grade Ari Kux Salemberger - CSO

“Now that,” Kate tossed a log into the fire with a half chuckle, “is the story of the evening.” Sitting down on the ground, Kate held out her hands warming them. It was not cold but out of habit. Camping was as common in her life as eating was to most people. The warmth on her hands from the flames flooded her mind with happy memories. “I left Shaun at the alter on the day we were supposed to be married. I took off across the galaxy and spent two years on the USS Viking as we worked it out. I decided to transfer closer and ended up on the USS Odin by chance,” she air quoted the words with a grin. “When you Dad is an Ex-CO and your brother is an XO things can happen. Not like I get any favors,” she looked at Ari making sure he didn’t start to think the wrong thing. “Dave is married to Shaun’s sister and me walking out on him put the whole family into this weird limbo thing so I am pretty sure Dave pulled some strings. It was a surprise that we were on the same ship but we worked it out rather quickly. We are looking into setting a date but with as large as our family is, it is not as simple as what are you doing a week from Saturday,” Kate held up her hands to warm them again.

“I will say however your plan of something small and intimate is exactly what I dream of. A wedding is between two people and the moment not if you like lilies over peonies or endless debates on beef or chicken. Luna is going to be so lucky to be with you. Want a beer,” Kate asked rolling over to her side and to the cooler that suddenly appeared.

Kate O’Neill COS