Picnic in the Holodeck

Posted on Fri Oct 13th, 2023 @ 10:27pm by Commander Gabriel Stewart & Captain Dr. Nairut Noxi

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: https://www.uss-deliverance.starfleetuk.org/index.php/sim/missions/id/1
Location: Holosuite 1
Tags: nairut noxi, gabriel steward, holodeck, picnic

Noxi met Gabriel at the holodeck exactly a half-hour later. She had changed from her fancier dress into her swimsuit, and over that, jeans and a button down shirt. On her feet were sandals. She carried a towel, as well, and her PADD, just in case. She had to admit, this was the best first date she'd been on-it was creative, at least, and here in the holosuite, they could be more comfortable.

She smiled at him, and gave a little wave. "Hi! I hope you haven't been waiting long," she said. "Are you ready?" She asked. On her wrist was a band, which she used to secure her curled hair back.

"You know, this is the first time someone's invited me swimming on the first date," she said. "You get points for that," she said.

Gabriel had reviewed his wardrobe. It definitely was in need of some casual attire. However, the replicator was quick to provide him with a nice, snug fitting bathing suit. It had a beach-type pattern, with a draw-string. His bronze skin seemed to be a good contrast to the suit.

Gabriel nodded to Noxi, carefully looked her over, responding with a slight nod and even slighter grin, then looked curiously at the PADD. "Are you expecting anything?" He then continued. "Nice sandals." Almost without pausing for responses to any of his comments, he said, "swimming is an option. I would consider a walk first, while we take in the environment."

"After our walk along the beach, we might take that swim before we have our picnic. I like to set a course, then follow the flow of the stream." That sounded kind of corny, he thought. "Oh, would that be the proverbial brownie points?"

Noxi laughed. "Something like that," she said. "Start the simulation, I guess," she said. "Not exactly. I am the chief medical officer-I just like to be available, in case of an emergency," she said, putting the PADD on a small bench. She looked down at her feet. "Oh, thank you." She waited for the simulation to begin, wondering which one he'd choose. There were a few common ones-pool, beach, and lakeside. She had no preference-she was a water baby in all ways, and could adapt to whatever. She loved the water.

"Computer, run program Noxi217," He said. "Running program Noxi217," came the reply. The program shimmered into existence, revealing a picturesque scene:

Nestled within a lush landscape, was a picturesque romantic getaway. A stunning waterfall cascaded gracefully down a rocky cliff, its waters shimmering with the colors of a distant rainbow that formed in the mist below.

A sandy beach stretched along the base of the waterfall, with its soft, golden grains contrasting beautifully against the vibrant emerald vegetation that surrounded it. Two moons, Derna and Jeraddo, loomed in the indigo sky, casting a gentle, ethereal light over the scene.

As the sun began its descent, the horizon was bathed in a warm, golden glow, casting long, romantic shadows across the beach. A weathered pier extended into the azure waters of a cozy cove, providing a perfect vantage point to watch the breathtaking sunset.

One couple strolled hand in hand along the shoreline, their footsteps leaving faint imprints in the sand. The rhythmic sound of the waves crashing against the beach combined with the soft rush of the waterfall, creating a soothing melody that fills the air.

This idyllic setting offered the perfect backdrop for a romantic interlude, where lovers could share quiet moments, embrace under the vivid rainbow mist, and bask in the serenity of a truly otherworldly experience.

Gabriel stared at the scene for a moment, inhaling deeply, then exhaling slowly. "Nothing like the scent of a fresh waterfall." Setting the picnic basket on the beach, he turned to Noxi and asked, "Does this look ok to you?"

Noxi smiled. "Yeah, this is great," she said. "Bajor," she said. This was perfect. She had to be careful, because if Gabriel was too nice to her, she might not be able to control herself.

Gabriel turned and slowly walked toward the water's edge, where the waves were gently lapping on the shoreline. He took a few steps into the water, stopped and turned toward Noxi, and said, "The water is nice." He tilted his head to indicate that he wanted her to join him in the water, smiling slightly. He held his hand out, waiting for her to join him.

She smiled, but tugged off her shirt. Under it, she wore her Fleet-issued swimsuit. It was a bit more modest than her bikini, but she would save that for later if things went well. She walked forward, wading into the water. "It is nice," she said. She was definitely a water baby; she loved it. "Thank you...it's nice to see Bajor, even in a hologram."

He looked at her blue, well, technically, teal-colored swimsuit, nodded, and, trying not to sound chauvinistic, said, "Very complimentary." Gabriel then turned and started slowly swimming parallel to the beach, alternating between various swim styles. After a short distance, he stood up and looked around to see Noxi swimming beside him. "I had programmed this for natural currents, and wanted to make sure there were no rip currents along this part of the shoreline." He stopped for a moment, face turning slightly red, and continued, "Not that you would not have done the same ..." He stopped, thinking that he was messing things up. "I apologize, it's been too long since I've dated ... interacted with ..." He sat down in the water, the waves gently lapping over his legs. "Honestly, I'm what they used to refer as a geek. When it comes to the ship, I know how to handle her ... it ..." He finally stopped talking and just looked at her. "What would you like to do?"

She surfaced, smiling. "It's ok, it's been a bit of time for me, too. My divorce was pretty contentious, and I didn't date for awhile after. I am just now feeling comfortable getting back out there, as they say." She chuckled a little bit. "Being geeky is good. We need them. We can't fly without you," she pointed out. "Let's swim a while, then maybe just sit on the sand and chat." She said.

Frowning slightly, Gabriel replied, "I'm sorry you went through that experience." Smiling slightly, he continued, "And the same goes for me. I am just now willing to try getting back in the waters." He looked down at the water, grinned slightly, then continued, "Swimming sounds good." He took a small mock-dive into the water, then started swimming back in the the direction they came from, continuing to swim in various styles.

"Thank you. And yes, it's a bit tough to start over," she said. She had the extra baggage of a child, too. "It is!!" She dove in, gliding under the surface water like a dolphin might. She was a strong swimmer, and made it across the room in no time. "I do my Physical Training as swimming. I hate running," she said. "Did you do a lot of water sports as a child?" What had possessed him to invent a beach scenario?

They arrived back near the picnic setting, and Gabriel stood and walked toward that blanket. "No, I did not do a lot of water sports as a child. I just like the sound of the ocean, the feel of the sand, and the the sunsets that occur around an ocean scene. I also like how I feel supported by the water." He was walking slowly, with Noxi on his left, and they set down on the blanket. He opened the basket and took out the fixings and lay them in the middle of the blanket. He then took out a couple of stemmed glasses, opened a bottle of Jalanda Midnight ale, poured a couple of drinks, handed one to Noxi, then raised his glass to offer a toast.

She followed him towards the picnic blanket. "What do we have tonight?" She asked. She settled down, and smiled again. "A toast. What are we toasting? A fun date!" She said. Smooth, Noxi. Get it together. "I have had a good time."

"We are having eclectic snack of Milaberry biscuits, Moba jam, Kurna fruit and." moving his glass towards Noxi's, continued, "Jalanda Midnight ale. I know it is a unique blend of foods representing different aspects of the Bajoran life, but, to me, it represents a unique blend of different cultures and lives." Rummaging through the basket, Gabriel produced two more items. "Oh, yes, hotdogs. Both Earth style, with a meat center, and Bajoran style, with a veggie center."

Noxi had to laugh. "That's fantastic," she said. "Hotdogs! I haven't had one of those in...ten years. What a surprise!" She said. "All of that sounds lovely." She sipped the ale, and smiled. It tasted like home. "My mom's family used to own a vineyard, where we grew the grapes for Springwine," she said. "Before the Occupation. We'd visit every summer, for a month. My mother would get SO mad at me-I only had one other female cousin, and she was pretty quiet. I'd run wild through the grapes, and the farm, getting twigs in my hair, and I was always barefoot-she couldn't keep shoes on me. I'd end up at the end of the night with insect bites and blisters on my feet, and torn clothes. She'd always just cluck at me, telling me to be a lady." She said.

Gabriel sat there, listening intently to Noxi tell about her childhood adventure in the vineyard, and smiled softly. "Sounds like you had quite the time at your mother's vineyard." I could listen to her talk all day, he thought. And such interesting stories. His own childhood consisted of burying himself in books, tinkering with anything he could get ahold of, and basically reprogramming and rewiring everything he touched. It could always be improved, or modified, or something. It didn't bother him at all ... well, not much, that others thought he was aloof, or strange, or whatever. This was his passion.

"What about you? What was your childhood like? Are you from Sol?" She asked.

Looking at her for a moment, he finally replied, "Yes, I'm from Sol." Funny, he thought, he always referred to his place of origin as being Earth, but never Sol. Sol was a unique identifier, whereas Earth could refer to the original Earth, New Earth (though being from the Delta quadrant would be far-fetched), or the bedraggled Terra Nova, though it was unlikely that virtually anyone would think otherwise.

Taking a deep breath, then slowly exhaling, He continued, "I grew up introverted, bookish, and kind of isolated from normal childhood. The proverbial geek." Gabriel stopped for a moment, looked at his drink, then at hers, and filled them back up.

Noxi smiled. "Most people assume I did, too, being that I am a doctor. I am because...well. The Occupation, really. I needed to help people, and this was the best way," she said. "It's helped me to heal by healing others, if that makes sense." She said. She sipped the refilled drink. "Thanks," she said. "Anyway. Were you married? You know by now that I am divorced...it's always weird to say that. It seems so long ago, even though I talked to Ben the other day about our son," she said. "We still have to, I think, until Jr. is done with his Academy studies. And then again when he gets married and has a family, if he chooses to." She sighed. She couldn't think of anything to talk about besides work.

Looking out toward the shoreline, Gabriel took a slow breath, paused for a moment, then turned back to Noxi. "Yes, I was married. Her name was Gabriella. She died in a freak accident on Rana IV." He took a sip of his drink. "We had two ... I have two children, a son, Gabriel Stewart, Jr., a Freshman at the Academy, and a daughter: Amanda Stewart. She is doing intern work as a..." Shaking his head slightly, and taking a slow breath, said, "Xenobotanist." Smiling slightly, he continued, "Yes, I know that you are divorced. And I understand about watching over them."

Glancing down at the picnic spread, he noticed that, during their conversation, they had eaten most of the meal. Turning to Noxi, he said "How about viewing the stars for a while?"

She nodded. "I see. Sorry for your loss...I understand that. Probably better than most," she said. "Yes, we do. Maybe your son knows mine; he's a sophomore but pretty popular, at least according to his girlfriend," she said. "His name is Ben Johnson, Jr," she said. What was it with the humans and naming their children after themselves?! Noxi had wanted to name him "Neekeni"-a strong Bajoran name that meant "majestic", but Ben had insisted. She really should've made more of an issue.

"That would be great!! Is it still Bajor? Jerrado glows orange," she said.

Gabriel took his PADD out of the picnic basket, tapped on it a few times, and the scene changed from dusk to near midnight, with the surroundings remaining the same. He took a long pillow out of the bag, lay it at one end of the blanket, and motioned for Noxi to lay down at one end of it. After she rested her head on the pillow, Gabriel leaned back and rested his head on the pillow. The scene above them mimicked the starry night at Bajor, with the waterfall still gently flowing in the background.

She lay back as Gabriel adjusted the lights and scene. It really WAS Bajor at night. She missed it a lot. "This is beautiful," she said. "I miss it a lot," she said. She felt him lay back next to her, and gently reached out for his hand. She was happy, and the familiarity of the fake Bajoran skyline emboldened her a little. "Thank you for a fun date," she said. "I have enjoyed myself."

He felt the touch of her hand, and it warmed his heart. It had been a while since he had invited anyone into his life, other than work, and it felt good to share his life with someone. "I'm glad you have enjoyed yourself. I have enjoyed our time together." He turned to face her, and even though she was looking at the sky, they were almost cheek to cheek. Looking at her this close brought a smile to his face, and he said softly, "You are very welcome."

"We should do it again sometime," she said. She was thinking of something, and before she could change her mind, she turned her head to the side and kissed his cheek softly.

"I would enjoy that very much. Please let me know when you have the time." Gabriel did not want to seem too forward in his approaching Noxi, and was hoping that she would feel like she had as much to say about their hopefully growing relationship as he did. After all, this was really new to him, and he didn't want to feel any more awkward than he did.

He started to turn away, then decided that he would return her kiss in kind. He turned his head slightly to the side and kissed her on the cheek, well, more like between her cheek and her neck. He lingered slightly, then pulled back and gazed into her eyes and smiled.

She smiled back at him. "I hope that was ok. I am not normally this forward..." she said. She suddenly felt a little flustered. She turned her head back to the "sky". "The asteroid show is lovely," she said. "Nice touch." She said.

He smiled broadly, more than he was accustomed to, and it felt a little unusual. "That was definitely ok." He too turned back to look at the sky. "Can I engineer, or what", he said, chuckling a little.

"Yes, you can," she said. She watched the sky quietly for awhile. It was nice. She just hoped she wouldn't fall asleep-it wasn't regularly that the CMO got to spend a few hours in a dark room with nothing else to do.

Gabriel noticed that Noxi seemed to be very relaxed, and thought that this would be a good time to suggest a second date. "What would you say to a second excursion the next time our schedules permit?" Gee, did that ever sound technical. Well, he had not enjoyed quiet, relaxing time like this, and still had some anxiety about this dating thing. "I mean, this has been wonderful, and very relaxing, and I would like to see you again."

Noxi smiled. She smoothed the skirt she wore. "That would be nice. I would enjoy seeing you again, as well. Maybe this time, a movie or something?" She suggested. She liked to suggest things, though clearly Gabriel was good at thinking up ideas on his own. "Or you could come to mine or vice-versa for a meal," she said. "I know I keep saying it, but I DID have a nice time tonight, and it's been awhile since a first date has been this...nice." She really needed to come up with a new word.

Nodding and smiling, Gabriel replied. "I would enjoy having a meal at your place." Standing, he spoke, "Computer, end program."

As the program ended, and the holodeck grid appeared, he took her hand and they walked out, and went their separate ways.

 

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