A Tropical Paradise

Posted on Mon Oct 22, 2018 @ 9:10pm by Lieutenant JG Jacob Hartley & Ensign Willow Riordan

Mission: An Oceanic Shoreleave
Location: Pacifica
Timeline: MD 38 || 0900 Hours

After beaming down to a resort island and carrying only one small bag, Willow brushed her long red hair back and put a pair of sunglasses on. She wore a white sarong around her slim body and a pair of flip flops and took a moment to inhale the fresh slightly salty breeze coming from all around them.

"It may not be a cabin, Jacob," she said as she looked over at her companion. "But it's paradise. I hope you can swim."

Jacob looked at her, frowning. "Didn't I take you on a date in the holodeck to a water park?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. He couldn't stop looking at Willow, however. Her outfit, hell, she was amazing. And he had to admit, after learning about his parents, a little shore leave was definitely needed.

She blushed. "That is right," she said. "The last mission scrambled my brains. I was worried the entire time we were going into a trap. Thank you for helping me take my mind off of it."

"I should be the one thanking you." Jacob said. "You helped me get out of my head." He said, looking at her. "Just being here is making me feel a little better. Mostly the company."

Willow smiled. "I'm just glad that you didn't push me away," she said. "Shall we get checked in and then begin our exploration of a world? I've never been here before and the guide said there's a million things to do."

"Might be a slight overestimation, but I'm sure we'll find plenty to do. Is there anything you'd like to try first?" Jacob asked, as they walked towards the check in area for the resort.

She laughed and looked at him. "Everything!" she said. "Literally everything. I want to swim with the Selkies. I want to experience underwater free fall. I want to fly through the sky on the ultralights. I want to live!"

"To live would be an awfully big adventure." Jacob quoted, with a smile, loving her enthusiasm. "I'll follow your lead."

"Then let's get checked in, get out of our clothes and into something more suited to an ocean paradise and go explore Pacifica," Willow said as if it were the most obvious answer.

"Yes ma'am." Jacob agreed, with a smile. He looked at her. "You really are beautiful." He told her.

"It's because I'm a redhead, isn't it?" Willow asked as she let the way into the resort which claimed to have underwater bedrooms and went to the checkout. "Reservation for Riordan and Hartley, please," she told the Andorian who stood at the desk. A few minutes and a thumbprint later and they had their room key.

"No, that's just a bonus." Jacob said, smiling. "I had to admit, I've never been here either." He told her.

"Then we can explore it together," she said. "As for me being a redhead, it just means I have to steal your soul." She gave him a wink and headed to the turbolift and down two floors. When the doors opened again, it revealed a corridor which was underwater and shielded on all sides against the aquatic sea life that was in abundance and filled it with a gentle blue light.

Jacob smirked. "I had heard that all redheads were succubi. Never knew if it was true or not." He told her, looking at the corridor. "This is...like nothing I've ever seen."

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Willow asked as she went to one of the transparent windows and gazed out at the bounty of underwater life that came to greet them curiously.

"I could say what I did at the cabin, but I'd hate to be a one liner kind of guy." Jacob said, smiling as he looked at the underwater life. "It's amazing. I never thought I'd see anything like this."

"We're going to have so much fun," she said as she went down the corridor until the transparent walls gained transparency and put her thumb to a pad in a wall. A door swished open to reveal a room with transparent walls, comfortable furniture, a holo vision set, a large bed in another room, a cooking area, and more.

"Well, this is definitely a fancy room." Jacob said. "I can cook dinner for you as well. Maybe I'll be able to find some strawberries or something."

"There should be a replicator in the kitchen according to the guide," Willow said as she went to go check out the other rooms.

"Yeah, but not the same as fresh fruit." Jacob said, looking at the kitchen. "Still, this is a nice place. Part of me thinks we don't need anywhere else, but hey, that's the point of a place like this."

"Paradise has everything," she said as she came out of another room with a big smile on her face. "There's a hot tub big enough for two in there!"

Jacob went into another room, grinning. "You might wanna check the sauna and steam room we have here." He said. "And I think there's a pool as well. Seriously, how the hell do people even leave their damned rooms. And how did we get this awesome a room?"

"Federation members get special perks," Willow replied as she set her bag down and flopped down on the couch. "I think the benefits of being outdoors may outweigh the benefits of being indoors."

"Well, if this is the room, I can't imagine what the rest of the place is going to be like." He said, seeing a fridge and opening it. "Looks like some real alcohol." He said, smiling.

"Make us some drinks while I get changed," she said as she grabbed her bag and headed back into the bedroom.

Jacob chuckled. "You're asking the one person who has never drunk alcohol, or even synthehol, to make you a drink?" He asked, using the computer to call up a few recipes. "Any preference?" He asked.

"Umm...Then again, maybe I better make one when I get changed," Willow's voice came from the bedroom.

Jacob chuckled. "Good call." He said. He looked at the kitchen once more. "By the way, there's something in the bedroom for you, on the bed. At least, there should be. Nothing too exciting." He said.

Willow looked to the bed and saw a gift basket and went to open it. She saw chocolates, fruit, crackers, cookies, cheese, small jars of exotic dipping sauce, nuts and meats. "Nothing exciting?" she exclaimed. "This is amazing! Are you trying to fatten me up?"

Jacob chuckled as he grinned. "I figure we're on holiday, so why not enjoy everything this place has to offer. We'll be able to work off anything extra we put on." He said. "You do like it though, right?"

She came out with a huge strawberry in one hand and a cookie in the other. "There's enjoying it and then there's overdoing it. You just want to make me work twice as hard in the holodeck next time." She held her hands out for him to decide which one he wanted.

Knowing her love for strawberries, he took the cookie. He smiled at her. "If I do, then I'm definitely a...mas...whatever it was you called someone who likes pain, because I'm going to have to work twice as hard, and it's hard enough as it is." He said. "I'd rather you kiss me than work hard though." He admitted, with a sly grin.

"Masochist," Willow supplied as she looked at the giant strawberry in her hand. "I need cheesecake and chocolate to go with this." She leaned in to give him a kiss. "There. Now you can work."

Jacob smiled at her as the kiss ended. "I've never made one before, but I can look it up and whip up a cheesecake." He offered.

"Just scoop out the insides and fill it with cheesecake, then seal it back up and dip it in chocolate," she said. "Easy and delicious."

Jacob nodded. "Alright, I'll give it a shot." He said, taking the strawberry, and going to the replicator. He worked quickly, looking at what was needed to make the cheesecake. It wasn't difficult, and when he was done, he handed it back to her. "Hope this is okay." He said.

Willow smiled and accepted it. "Now to get two spoons and we can share it," she said.

"I have to admit, I've never seen a strawberry this big before. What do farmers do to make them grow like that?" He asked, as he walked to the replicator and ordered two spoons. He took them back and handed one to Willow. "I might have to message the guy looking after my place on Earth, see if he can make them bigger."

"Tell him to look at the Japanese strawberries," she suggested. "They make the largest hybrids on Earth. Now let's eat and enjoy, then go hit the ocean. I, for one, am looking forward to wearing less clothes without being on special assignment for once."

Jacob smiled. "Sounds like a good plan." He said. He waited for her to start on the strawberry. "Ladies first." He said. He was looking forward to this vacation, since it was the first he had ever taken with someone. But then, it was the first time he had ever felt this way about someone, and he was looking forward to seeing where this went.

For now, though, he was content to enjoy the cheesecake inside the massive strawberry. There was plenty of time to enjoy exploring Pacifica. It wasn't called a Tropical Paradise for nothing.

And right now, in that moment, Jacob knew being on the planet with Willow...it was paradise.