Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Hannah Lori Asimina (Doctor) in side-sim Cure Cabin Fever

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Yuri Scholz (Executive Officer) in side-sim Cure Cabin Fever

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Hannah Lori Asimina (Doctor) in side-sim Cure Cabin Fever
(snip)
“Right…” he chalked too his hands “Lead the way, if you may! I’ll be right behind you to check everything.” His tutor instinct kicked in. Looking up for the upper edge the Commander moaned in excitement and under his breath he whispered “Let’s-a go!” Almost joking a bit the Captain.

Lieutenant Cdr. Yuri Scholz- Executive Officer

Hannah laughed. She began to climb to the spot she’d selected for the first anchor point. It was about 10 feet up. The highest she was comfortable falling without a safety net. Anchoring in with her feet and one hand she pulled a spike and wedged it in to a natural crack in the rock. She tapped it gently once to make sure the fissure wasn’t unstable. Seeing it hold she drove the spike in. She removed the first carabiners and clipped it to the spike and then pulled to make sure the rope and spike were secure. This being their first anchor point she wrapped the rope around her and held it in a lock off grip and then she let go of the rock wall, her feet anchored and leaned back to make sure it was secure. Satisfied, she grabbed the rock face again, chalked both hands and looked up. “Ready cmdr?” and she began to climb, stopping every 10 to 15 feet to add another spike.
Lt j.g. Asimina

“Ready!” As Asimina started climbing he joined her behind somewhat far to get everything in place and so he could check her moves. The anchoring seemed to be well placed although the rock was somewhat friable and easy to break “That is skill…” he muttered.
One Carabiner, then another.
One Check, another check, Climb and and again one carabiner and then another.
Following this cycle Yuri was starting to push his hard and as a rocket reach the outer space in no time, he reached Asimina in no time knowing for sure she was an excellent climber “Hey Lieutenant!” He called her from below putting a foot on a deep creek “Later this climb would you love some cold drinks? I have some good ones in my office.” He proposed her while advancing the other foot on a higher creek and securing both carabiners in place.

Lieutenant Cdr. Yuri Scholz - Executive Officer

Hannah knew the cmdr was checking behind her, and she found it amusing. She’d been climbing since she was 4. Not sheer rock faces of course, but climbing. In climbing her lack of hearing didn’t matter. You had to feel the rock face, look for your foot and hand holds, and be able to feel if the spike and rope would hold. Hannah felt most at peace climbing. She glanced down at the Cmdr. The height not bothering her. Some people got dizzy if they looked down. Not Hannah, she loved it. “Sounds like a good idea to me.” She noticed his pace had increased as they moved. “He’s got skill, and patience,” Hannah was impressed. She turned to look back up. There was a corner where part of the rock face jutted out. It would be easier, and let them move faster, but it was about 20 feet to the right. She looked up and it was only another 45 feet to the top. She checked the spike she had just placed and then began to climb again, her pace increasing, as she climbed she seemed to flow or glide up the rock face. Even though her pace increased, her time and care with placing each spike stayed slow and steady, ensuring there would be no accident.
Lt. j.g. Asimina, Doctor

“You know, I had plenty of experience since I was 8. I started earlier to learn using a sword but still it is a lot of experience. I’ve climbed lots of types of rocks: from pure marble in the most remote place of Earth and Alpha Centauri to pure plaster walls on some alien planet. I remember I have also climbed a wall filled with aquamarine crystals and quartz on Therzia Prime. It was a challenge but after I felt the rocks with my bare fingers for a couple of minutes I knew I could do it. But my favorite are the ice walls, they’re so challenging and slippery… They’re my favorite.” He kept climbing at a fast rate as he looked the woman from the bottom and then the edge of the tip “We’re not that far. I see you’re also a brave and excellent climber, how about you tell me your secrets?” His curiosity for people was something that he loved about his personality. Each one had a story to tell after all and as he started to uncover Asimina’s one, why stop digging there? She was someone who he liked really much and as they climbed he felt the same energy she may perhaps feeling: the rocks, the air, the nature… he stopped a second as he waited for a reply and looked over the panorama that on the other side could be seen How gorgeous and special is the nature… sehr gut.

Lieutenant Cdr. Yuri Scholz - Executive Officer

Hannah paused in her climb, wrapping the rope into a tie off hold. She’d never been able to engage in in-depth conversation while she climbed. She was too attuned to the feel of the rock. She looks down to face the Cmdr as she speaks. “I started climbing when I was 4. All over the colony. It’s a floating sky city. I got into a lot of places that I wasn’t supposed to,” she smiles at the memory. “Right after that my father built me a rock climbing wall, and I just never stopped. The ice walls on Catawba are strictly off limits. They are sources of evolutionary study and development on the planet. When I was at the Academy I went all over North America to climb. My favorite was the Grand Canyon. But I have never climbed an ice wall. I would love to do that.” She ponders his question. “Secrets? I guess it’s because I’m deaf. I feel the rock. I can feel the tremble of the cliff long before you can hear the crack as it begins to crumble. When I place a stake I can feel if the earth is weak or strong. I don’t get distracted by the sound of the wind, or the birds calling.” She turns back to the wall and begins to climb again. After several more minutes she reaches up for the top of the cliff and pulls herself up and then stakes a tie off. As the Cmdr reaches the top, she grabs the excess rope he hands her and adds it to the tie off. Then she sits looking out across the view. “And this,” she points at the view, “is the second reason I climb.”
Lt.j.g. Asimina

“Wow that’s a sweet backstory you have there,” the Commander grunted as he finally reached the last bit of wall “It is interesting climbing an ice wall, I’ll maybe take you to one of the most famous one day, and I will see how’ll you do it.” Then as he breathed slowly to gain back some strength he looked over the view: from mid of the wall it wasn’t too much of a deal. It was indeed beautiful but from the top it was the best of the views “Yeah that’s also a reason for why I climb die Berge (mountains). If I had a holographic imager I would do some picture ahaha! Well anyway, you should invite me more often to these activities.” He joked “We could drink more coffee this way!”

Lieutenant Cdr. Yuri Scholz - Executive Officer

“I will have to start practicing ice walls then. I’m sure the holodeck can provide me with easier challenges. I would like to try to climb one one day.” Hannah listens as the Cmdr talks. “die Berge” Hannah repeated the word, the translator picking it up ‘mountains.’ She shrugged at his comment about a holo imager. “This isn’t real. It’s an illusion. Save the imager for the real thing,” Hannah said. Of course she wasn’t one to talk. She and her parents always forgot to take pictures. They were always too busy actually doing things. Hannah considered his suggestion. Hmmm....the lines were getting flexed maybe too much, but it was never safe to climb alone. “I certainly could use a climbing partner. I wonder if there is enough interest to make a 5 man team? Try some of the more intense climbs that require more people?” If not that was okay too, Hannah would still climb. “Have you ever had coffee over a camp fire, Cmdr? We could bring the coffee and heat it that way here on the holodeck afterwards.” As they talked she had been pulling the rope up and coiling it. She untied it from the last stake and began to re-thread it, preparing it for a repel down the rock face. She turned taking her last stake and passed it to Scholz so he could stake off if he wanted to repel down as well.
Lt. j.g. Asimina, Doctor

“I guess that a 5-man team could be done aboard this ship and no, I have never had coffee over a campfire. Because we knew more stuff would have just weighted our climb/hike, we would often take with us the solely necessary items. Well I want to try it, to be honest.” The Commander smirked as he took the stake “Reppelling?” He looked down the tip “Oh lord this will so fun. I remember when I reppelled off the ice wall. I almost fell to the ground as it was that slippery! Ah! A stupid move bit it was really challenging. For when you’ll get climbing the ice wall, I can teach you. It is fairly easy when you get the hand of it, and Of course the sensation of the pickaxe and your shoes.” He finally tied the rope to the stake he securely staked in the ground “You’re ready? I’m ready. If you get first I’ll make you choose the drink, otherwise I’ll make the drink. Do you accept, Lieutenant?” He challenged the good doctor.

Lieutenant Cdr. Yuri Scholz - Executive Officer

Hannah stood up, the rope already secured off on her harness. “Next time, we’ll make coffee.” She tossed her rope down making sure it didn’t cross or tangle with Scholz’s rope. She backed up, holding the rope tightly and leaned over the edge. “I accept. 1…2…3.” Hannah walked back down the cliff face 10 steps to clear the edge and then released the lock hold. She flew down the rock face pushing off with her feet, having no fear of the drop or her speed. At 10 feet from the bottom she slowed and took the last distance with control so she didn’t hurt herself on the stop. With her feet on the ground she looked at Scholz to see who won. She unwound the rope from harness and began to cool it. She then removed the helmet and harness, and excess equipment and put it back on the ledge. “Thank you, Cmdr. for climbing with me. You are an excellent climber.”
Lt. j.g. Asimina, Doctor

The Commander instead was too confident that after he unlocked the lock he made a face down repelling, almost like running on the wall, instead of the standard one. But then he felt like he needed to make a gentleman move and for last he dropped his speed before Asimina, to get a slower descent earlier.
As he put a foot on the ground, the Commander made a little jump with the other so both of his feet were on the land “Aww, you’re really fast, Asimina.” He acted like disappointed “Well I guess you get the win, Lieutenant. And no need to get me some blandishments, you’re far better than me.” He patted her shoulder. Taking off first his helmet and then the Harness, the Commander took the equipment and carefully managed them into a sack he left earlier on a rock. Pickaxe, rope and stakes were instead put outside and fixed into some tied ropes to hold everything in place “So what will be the drink for your victory, Miss Asimina?” He asked grabbing his bag and leaning his hand to shake hers.

Lieutenant Cdr. Yuri Scholz - Executive Officer

Hannah had watched the Cmdr’s descent and though face first it was extremely controlled and she noticed he slowed at the last minute. She figured it was from his time as an Academy tutor. Really he should have won. Hannah walked over to the door and then stepped out into the corridor with the Cmdr. “Mango dragon fruit lemonade.” Hannah headed towards the lounge not knowing where else to get a drink that was close to the holodeck. Once there she went up to the bar and took a seat. She ordered two of the afformentioned drink. The bartender brought back two tall glasses, filled with a drink that was equally pink and purple with what looked like small black seeds in it, and LOTS of ice. It was sour/sweet from the lemonade and richness of the mango. But the dragon fruit was like a mix of strawberry, grape, and apple, giving the drink a light and refreshing flavor.

Lt.j.g. Asimina

“Mango dragon fruit lemonade?” He followed the Doctor in the lounge as they seated and received the drinks “It doesn’t seem bad at all? That’s good I guess ahaha! What’s in this, Miss Asimina?” He took the glass and started sipping it. The mixture of flavor immediately excited the commander that hasn’t ever tasted it. He took a sip, then two, and wondered if he could guess the ingredients of the drink “It is nice, refreshing. I feel lots of kind of different tastes…” Yuri gave another sip “Lots of fruit like tastes. The first one is the mango and the lemon taste, am I right?” He looked straight into Asimina’s eyes delighted.

Lieutenant Cdr. Yuri Scholz - Executive Officer