Beach Buddies

Posted on Wed Sep 4th, 2024 @ 1:27pm by Lieutenant Commander Keishara Davaris & Lieutenant Evelyn Stewart

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Year One: Strange Bedfellows
Location: Deck 7, Holodeck 1
Timeline: MD 001 - 2015 hours

To say that Keishara needed to unwind was probably the understatement of the century. She had been working on loosening up a little recently but the bombing of Brighton and the announcement of working with Orion's had wound her up even more than previously.

She was used to working in these conditions, the wars she'd been a part of had taught her as much. The tail end of the Federation-Cardassian War, the Dominion War and all the personal ones in before. Kei was happy once and she was beginning to wonder if she ever would be again.

For now, she stared at the holodeck display and noted a program already running. As she stepped inside she was hit by a blast of hot air, the smell of salt from the sea and the sounds of waves lapping against the shore.

Stewart was already changed into a sarong and two piece emerald bathing suit and looked at Keishara with mild annoyance. "You are late. You know what I had to do to get this full two hours of holodeck time?" Stewart asked rhetorically as she looked over the tactical officer. "Didn't you get my message? I told you this was about relaxation. Go replicate a swimsuit so we can relax along the beach."

The pilot had chosen a recreation of Turks and Caicos in Earth's Caribbean region. Given the new that morning about their news assignment, she figured both women could use some time relaxing on the warm white sands and watching the turquoise blue water.

"I am relaxed..." Keishara mumbled as she replicated something a little less stuffy. It was a simple bikini top and bottoms. Nothing to rant and rave about but the colour complimented her skin and she let her black hair cascade down her back.

"This sand will get everywhere." she commented.

Stewart smiled as she brushed her own dark hair off her face while waiting for Keishara to change, watching the sun reflecting off the clear water. "It's one of the most relaxing and beautiful places on Earth," she commented, remembering fonder memories of visiting while at the Academy. "Besides, that's why you swim, to get the sand off."

Keishara pursed her lips, Evelyn was right of course. On her body there were some old bruising but most prominent was old scars. Her back littered with them in varying depths as well as the odd few on her thighs and stomach. She rarely wore such revealing outfits. Not because of the scars, she wasn't ashamed of them, but that just wasn't her style. "Earth did always seem so cheerful." she commented.

Stewart watched the waves coming along the shore, taking in the site of light tan disappearing underneath a white foam only to be chased by the clear turquoise water. "I came here on summer break my junior year with Remy. Not many places I've found in the quadrant as peaceful," She admitted before leading them to the lounge chairs along the shores for them to enjoy. "I figure we could use a break after the news we got this morning."

"Yeah..." Keishara agreed. The news had turned her stomach, but she was glad she wasn't the only one and frankly she didn't expect to be. There were a lot of people who had issue with the Syndicate for many reasons. "Hope I'm an upgrade from Remy." she joked.

Stewart just gave the El-Aurian an eyeroll at her comment about Remy before laying back on the chair and relaxing. "I saw you with into the Captain's ready room right after the briefing, chew him out over following orders?"

"I did." Keishara replied with a sigh. "Not that it did much good apart from make me feel a bit better." she shrugged. For a moment there was silence as the water lapped up on the shore. Water dissipated into the sand as if it was never there and Kei looked up to the clear blue sky and a small smirk formed before she looked back at Evelyn. "Almost makes you forget we're about to welcome smugglers, slavers and pirates on board... and they will come on board if nothing else to just poke at us."

Stewart just sighed herself at the thought before nodding. “And you are going to have to behave yourself,” She warned. “There’s a lot more riding on this than just dilthium crystals. Are you going to be able to handle it?” she asked her friend more delicately, seeing the marks and bruises.

"I always behave myself." Keishara arched an eyebrow. "Do you think I got to be this rank, in this position, for being such a loose cannon?" she asked rhetorically. "I'm a lot stronger than you think I am." it was half true. She'd began to falter of late and clearly she'd began to stop taking better care of herself.

Stewart didn't move from where she laid but did sigh softly in response to Davaris' words. "It's not that I don't think you are strong, Kei. It's that we are dealing with slaver and black market traders and thugs. And given your background..." Stewart trailed off as she struggled with how to word her concerns for the El-Aurian. It was obvious she was struggling but it wasn't her place to order the security chief to do anything.

Keishara nodded, she knew what Evelyn was trying to do. "You're right." she let that sit there for what seemed like a long time. She didn't often admit that other people were right but there it was.

"This will be difficult for me." Kei sighed. "It brings up a lot." she gulped loudly.

Evelyn glanced over at the El-Aurian. She didn't need to be empathic to sense her distress. "Have you thought about talking to someone, Koaruh for example?" She offered quietly.

"No." Keishara said simply. "No-one needs to know my shame. The guilt I feel over it all." she could do nothing but look down at the sand beneath her feet. She could feel the scars on her back burn as she spoke about it. If she closed her eyes she could hear the whips, the chains, the shouting of others and their captors. The shock collars were the worst... but now she was just getting lost in her own thoughts. "Let's not talk about depressing things. Look," she pointed, "holo sun is out."

Evelyn furrowed her brow in concern at Keishara's words and behavior. It was deeply troubling to hear her speak in such a way, but Stewart knew not to push the security chief, at least not yet. Instead, she couldn't help a soft chuckle at the woman's words and nodded. "Perhaps we should find some companions to join us." She offered to Davaris slyly of the holo beings roaming the beach.

"Could use a fu-- ehm boy toy I think you Humans call them." Keishara caught herself before she became rather vulgar. Spending time amongst Humans had done nothing for her vocabulary. "Sometimes men you can turn off at the end of the day are the best." she laughed a little. "Let's go."

 

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