Under the Sea

Posted on Mon Nov 26, 2018 @ 9:56pm by Lieutenant Xylia Lischka & Lieutenant Commander Alex Rho

Mission: An Oceanic Shoreleave
Location: Pacifica
Timeline: MD 38 || 1000 Hours

Alex was surprised that they had been granted another shore leave so soon. But it was nice to have after that whole Romulan incident. His mission reports for Starfleet Intelligence and the Captain were hard enough. He was glad that he wasn't in Aravan's shoes and having to explain the whole thing. But now, it was time to enjoy some shore leave on a planet that he'd never been to before. Alex did a bit of research and found to different underwater hotels that he liked. One of the hotels was located off the coast of one of Pacifica's small islands. The other was much further off shore and situated on the ocean planet's floor. He tapped the PADD against his hand and walked onto the turbolift, heading away from Intel and to the living quarters.

After her workout, she felt she needed those now more than ever since her new career path was one that didn't keep her as active as Security once had, Xylia made her way down the corridor to her quarters. There was a shower in her future, then, she planned to settle down with a cup of tea and a book for a bit. As she made her way down the corridor, the German woman noticed that others were preparing for their upcoming shore leave, which brought a smile to her face. It was a bit odd that they were granted another so soon after their last, but that time had been more a necessity for ship repairs than anything else. This... this one, though, was going to be just what the doctor ordered for everyone. A chance to relax and let the stresses of space life wash away so the crew could come back refreshed and ready to go.

Alex looked up and saw Xylia approaching. He hadn't time during this mission to even say 'hello' to the woman. And now was just as good a time as any. "Xylia," he called.

When she heard her name being called, Xylia looked up and spotted someone very near and dear to her. A someone she hadn't had the chance to see much of during their last mission. She lit up, and unable to help herself, ran toward him. "Alex!" she called back, launching herself at him when she was close enough.

There was a slight 'oompf' that left Alex's mouth when she made contact with him. He hugged her and smiled. "Hey there. Glad to see you made it out of that mess okay." He had noticed how she brightened up when she saw him.

"I'm glad you're okay, too," she said, wrapping her arms around him and pressing a kiss to his cheek. It was so good to see him, and to know that he was okay. "I've missed you."

Alex returned the kiss and rubbed her back with his free hand. "I've missed you, as well." He stepped to the side slightly and continued, "What plans do you have for this shore leave?"

Xylia shook her head. "None, really," she replied, not ready to let him go. "Why? Have you come to whisk me off on a tropical getaway?"

He smiled at her still being close to him. "A woman like you with no plans," said Alex. "That's just sad." He added that last bit with a chuckle before continuing. "I can do that, whisk you off. As a matter fact, I was just trying to decide between a couple of different places." He held up the PADD. "What do you think?"

She looked between the two options and pointed at the second one. "I think that one looks pretty amazing, but which one do you like best?" Xylia found herself asking in return. "And you know there's no one else on this ship I'd want to make plans with other than you."

"I personally like the second one. You can get far away from everything and enjoy a view that one rarely gets," replied Alex. "Plus, you don't have to beam in. There's an option for arriving in a submersible with a force field reinforced bubble-like thing attached to one part." With that question answered, he turned to face her. "It does me good to hear to you say that," he said in a quiet tone. "I was just heading back to my quarters to pack. Now I can reserve a suite and schedule a ride on the submersible. If that sounds interesting to you."

"Absolutely, but I need to pack, too. Where should we meet?" Xylia asked, unable to contain her excitement. Yes, she was excited about shore leave, but more so that she'd get to spend some along time with Alex.

"Sounds like a plan, then. As far as where to meet, you can bring your things to my quarters," said Alex. "We'll leave from here and go to the transporter room, beam down to the surface where the submersible is, and go from there." He was looking forward to this.

"It won't take me long. I'll see you in just a little bit," she said, kissing him one more time before she reluctantly let him go, but it was for a good cause. Definitely a good cause. Xylia winked at him and made her way down the corridor toward her quarters where she punched in her access code, then slipped inside where she went straight to her bedroom to begin packing.

"Excellent. See you then." Alex returned the wink and added a half smile. He watched her all the way down the corridor until she went into her quarters. The life of an Intel officer rarely led to things like this. At least real ones. He finished his walk to his quarters and began to reserve a suite and schedule a ride on the submersible. Both of those took a little bit longer than he'd expected, which set him back on his packing. So with the reservations all set, he went into the bedroom and grabbed a small case to pack. The human-looking-Ullian kept his ears open for the door chime.

It didn't take long for her to get packed, and after double checking to make sure she had everything she could need, Xylia made her way back out of her quarters and secured the door. With that done, she moved down the corridor toward Alex's quarters and reached out to press the chime. She didn't know where things were going to go between her and Alex, but he definitely made her happy, and had a feeling she made him happy, too, otherwise he wouldn't be inviting her to spend shore leave with him.

Of course, aside from spending the occasional night together, this would be the first time they'd be a constant fixture in one another's lives even if it was only for a few weeks. They'd get to know even more about the other during that time, though. Little habits, quirks and everything in between. And to be perfectly honest, she was looking forward to every single second of it.

Alex heard the chime sound off and tossed a pair of blue swim trunks into the case. He went to the door and opened it. "Hey there. Come on in," he said stepping out of the way. "You can put your things on the couch. It took a little longer getting things reserved that I'd planned. Hopefully we won't have to wait when we get down there. With that said, I'm finishing my packing. Then I'll change out of this uniform and we can be on our way. You can wait or follow or whatever. Just so lang as you relax doing it." He smiled and kissed her on the cheek. It would be good, getting to know Xylia a little more. And what better way than shore leave. No ship. No duties. No responsibilities. Just them.

As instructed, Xylia placed her bag on the couch, then followed behind him to see if she could help out with anything. She'd already changed into a blue maxi dress and a pair of sandals with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. "I'm completely relaxed. The nightmare mission is over and now there's nothing but fun, relaxation and an incredibly sexy Intel Chief on the horizon."

Alex chuckled and turned to look back. "You're one to talk about sexy, hot stuff." He gave her a wink and went into the bedroom. After pulling several more pairs of shorts from the drawer, he tossed them into the bag. "I can't wait to see what kind of fun is offered down there." He closed that drawer and opened one with sleeveless shirts and tee-shirts. Alex took a couple of each out and tossed them in the bag. He turned to Xylia and smiled before removing his uniform coat and shirt. He stretched, happy to be rid of the uniform, and grabbed a red tee-shirt to pull on.

"I've only been to Pacifica once, but I didn't get to spend much time on the planet itself. I was one of the lucky ones that pulled the short straw to stay on duty," she said, settling down on the edge of the bed. "Have you been before?"

"I haven't," said Alex. He pulled a pair of white shorts from the bag and changed out of his uniform pants. "So I'm looking forward to the whole thing. I might even try some new food while we're down there. Do you have any idea what kind of local cuisine we might expect?" He sat down next to the German woman. "Or drinks? I honestly don't expect anything too exotic. We're still in the Federation. Albeit, the ass-end of the Federation."

The German woman shook her head. "I didn't get to spend a lot of time on the planet the last time I was there, so I'm not sure what to expect. Because it's mainly water, I'd imagine most of it will be seafood of some sort."

"Then we'll figure it all out together," replied Alex. He patted her on the knee, "Ready to go?" In his mind, Alex was planning out some new things to do now that he had a companion on this shore leave. Well, not just any companion, but Xylia Lischka. "Oh, I think the suite I reserved has a pretty big closet," he added with a smile.

Julia couldn't help but laugh at the closet comment. After all, that was basically where their relationship had started, and she wasn't even a little sorry about that. "I'm ready, and we might just have to look into that closet you spoke of. See if it compares to the last one."

Alex nodded. "Compare it, make notes, indeed." He stood up and fastened his bag before throwing it over his shoulder. "Come then. Lets get down to this little bit of paradise." He went back to where Xylia had put her things on the couch. "I would also be interested in finding out what kind of non-synthetic drinks they have down there." His mind briefly traveled back to the mission where he owned a bar on another world. It was there that he'd gotten attached to whiskey and bourbon.

Xylia grabbed her bag and shouldered it, then made her way to the door. "I think they'll have a pretty wide variety down there. Here's hoping they have tequila," she said with a grin. He had yet to see her when she was drinking the potent beverage, but that would change soon. Of course, she was also a fan of others, too.

"Tequila," he said. "Hmm, let's see. Are you a sipping kind of girl with the Alquimia Reserva de Don Adolfo Extra Añejo or a top-of-the-line, luxurious Don Julio?" Alex returned her grin with a wink.

"Well," she began looking thoughtful. "I can appreciate them both, really, but I'm more of a Don Julio kind of woman you could say. Are you a tequila drinker?"

"I've had some," he said, heading to the door. "But I once knew a man back on Earth who owned a bar. He gave me several lessons. As a matter of fact, that's where I took on a taste for bourbon whiskey." He paused a moment and turned Xylia. "Dona Xylia, a luxurious tequila. It fits."

A smile formed as they moved down the corridor to the turbolift. They were minutes away from paradisr, and she couldn't wait. "You've had an exciting life, haven't you?"

"I'm not so sure I'd call it exciting. At least, not all of it," he replied. "I grew up on the Ullilan homeworld. I moved to Earth and left home, family, and people behind. I joined Starfleet and I really haven't been to a lot different planets. As far as professional, a lot of people romanticize Intelligence. And that's just not the case. We just get cool toys."

She listened as he spoke, finally offering a nod when he was finished. "I can't sat I romanticize it, but I do find it to be a bit intriguing. Although, it comes with its fair share of dangers depending on the assignment. I'm just very glad that you are as careful as you can be. "

"I try," he said. She spoke of the dangers as if she'd had some inkling of what went on. As they rounded the corner and entered the transporter room, he looked over to the operator. "Two to beam down." Turning back to Xylia, he said, "And so it begins. Fun and relaxation." He led her up to the platform, grinning.

"And I'm looking forward to every second of it," she said with a smile, stepping into place next to him. Xylia was ready for a little R&R, and she knew the rest of the crew was, too. They deserved it. "Next stop... paradise."

He looked over at her and grinned. Then, speaking to her mind so the transporter operator could not hear, he said, Paradise is right. Me, you, Don Julio, a night or two on the beach under the moon.... You're about to have the time of your life, hot stuff. "Energize." A whirl of blue and silver whisked them away from the ship and deposited them in a transportation hub on one of the small islands.

The second they were in the surface, Xylia closed her eyes and turned her face toward the sun. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt a real sun on her skin. After a moment, she opened her eyes and looked toward him with a bright smile. "And I'm looking forward to all of it," she said, leaning in to kiss him.

Alex returned the kiss. "Then let's catch a ride to the docks. We have a submersible waiting for us that will take us to a really nice underwater hotel. We can get settled in and then explore the area. What do you think?"

"I think that sounds absolutely amazing," Xylia answered with a smile. "I'm looking forward to spending this time with you."

The walk to the docks was incredible. There were plenty of sights to see along the route, including the beautiful ocean view. Of course, almost anywhere you went on land, you had an ocean view. There were a few vendors along the way and some interesting looking places to grab a quick bite. When the two finally arrived at the submersible, it was loading. "Come on, it looks like we're just in time."

"If the view above the surface looks like this, I can't wait to see what's in store beneath it," she said in awe as they ! far their way toward the submersible.

"I know," he said. "This is going to be amazing." The approached and boarded with everyone else. It was a fine little vessel and seemed fit enough for what it was designed to do. And had probably been doing it for decades. As the vessel descended into the ocean planet and down the continental shelf, Alex could see sunlight shimmering though the water and on the surface below. As they continued their descent to the hotel on the ocean floor, they passed through an underwater canyon with thousands of small fish. He was amazed at the clearness of the water and the amount of light that continued to make it to the floor. "This is...I haven't seen a world like this."

"It's... it's beautiful," she said in total awe, looking from the scenery to smile over at him. " Thank you for this, Alex. It means a lot to me. "

"You're quiet welcome, Xylia." Alex continued to enjoy the underwater scenery as the submersible continued the trip. A few minutes later, it began it's docking procedure at the underwater hotel. As the people were exiting, he turned to Xylia, "We won't have to do that every time. There are transporters down here from what I've read. What do you say to getting settled in and seeing what the hotel has to offer before we head back up?"

She wanted her head, feeling more than a little excited about their vacation. Xylia had never stayed in an underwater hotel before, and now she really wanted to see what they had to offer. "That sounds like a very good idea to me," she agreed with a smile.

"Excellent," he answered. "If you noticed on the way in, the docking area exits straight into the central complex. We can glance around and see what we'd like to explore in depth later. The rooms extend from the opposite side." He found a break in the line of people exiting and stepped out, leaving a spot for Xylia.

Xylia continued to take in the sights as they made their way along. "I wonder what the shopping is like?"

"To be honest, that's not something I looked up while I was making these plans," Alex said with a laugh. "But it's something that we can most certainly explore. I'd say you could find some interesting things here."

"I just want to pick up a few mementos to remember this trip. Who knows how long it will be before we get the chance to make it back here?" she asked, though, it really didn't require an answer. "I'm willing I bet we will find quite a bit down here, too."

"You can pick up all the mementos you like," he said. Alex wasn't the kind of guy to collect small mementos and the like. His quarters were as spartan as his personal life.

"Maybe we can find one for you, too?" she asked.

He smiled. "That's always a possibility. Most of my mementos are up here, though." Alex tapped the side of his head.

"Well, I think now is as good a time as any to pick up a little trinket to commemorate out time together here," Xylia stated, leaning over to press a kiss to go cheek.

Alex grinned at the hot woman by his side. "Then let's pick one up real quick and go inspect the room. I have a feeling that the bed is a lot bigger than the closet," he added with a wink.

Xylia returned the grin. It seemed their vacation was going to start off on the right foot. "I like the way you think, though, when you say things like that, it makes me want to look for moments after we inspect out room."

Alex paused and turned to face her. "We can inspect the room, get some momentos, check on activities, have dinner, and then test what we have previously inspected. Besides, anticipation."

"I really like the way you think, Mister Rho," she said with a smile. It was definitely going to be an amazing vacation.