JP ((BACKSIM)) Lieutenant Commander Toryn Raga & Lieutenant Ishkabela Journs - First date at 3,000 feet ((Part 2))

[Ishkabela Journs]

((Northern Mountain Range, Tibro, Val Teasai))

His brow raised at the connotation and any other time he’d smirk, but he didn’t need her climbing like this without being able to give her whole focus and if he was distracting her while trying to look after her safety then he had to shift it up. 

His cerulean eyes surveyed the rocks above and he found a few places he could reach that would let him keep climbing. He curled up like he was crouching and rocked up and down a few times before propelling himself up a good ten feet, surpassing her height and grabbing hold of a rock. He dug his foot into a crevice at the same time and halted his momentum, then glanced back down at her over his shoulder. 

Raga: Well then. You better keep up. 

Her eyes took on a fiery glow at the challenge and a hint of a smirk turned up the corners of her lips. Assessing the surrounding rocks both directly above her and a bit of a way up the rock face, she relaxed her legs for a moment before pushing off the foothold, propelling upward in a similar fashion, her hands clenching the handholds beside his head as she came up even with him. 

When she’d caught her breath and had secured both her feet and her hands, she turned to him with a grin. 

Journs: Ne bona ideo defii min. Iuj el miaj kolegoj sur la Braveheart eksciis tiun malfacilan vojon. (Not a good idea to challenge me. Some of my colleagues aboard the Braveheart found that out the hard way.)

Without waiting for his response, she looked for the next set of holds and continued her ascent.

There was a certain excitement that filled Toryn upon seeing her lift herself up to the next handhold in a similar fashion to what he had done. Climbing was one of his passions and that she could keep up with him was thrilling and another reason why he felt his attraction for her growing stronger. 

Raga: Tio nur signifas, ke ili ne estis sufiĉe bonaj por trakti vin. (That just means they weren’t good enough to handle you.) ::He grinned back at her and winked:: 

With her so close to him he let go of one of his handholds in order to put an arm behind her resting on her back gently as he leaned in the brief distance to kiss her. He knew what effect he had on her but he was also ready to support her in case her knees gave way. Anyone else would think the two of them were absolutely nuts, clinging to the side of a mountain over a thousand feet in the air and kissing. And Al-Leyans were galactically known for being of the overly cautious sort. 

Journs: ::smiles against his lips, then pulls back to meet his gaze:: Ĉu tio estas promeso? (Is that a promise?)

Raga: Kaj kio se ĝi estas? ::He paused to stare into her eyes:: Ĉu vi lasus min konservi ĝin? (And what if it is? Would you let me keep it?)

Journs: ::smirks:: Maybe. 

She grabbed another handhold just out of her reach and continued climbing. They weren’t far from the summit. At the rate they were going, they might just get there in time to enjoy the sunset and perhaps a little star gazing. She’d always loved looking at the stars. It made her feel so small in the grand scheme of things.

Well if that wasn’t enough to put his heart racing he wasn’t sure what would, a slight grin curled his lips as she continued to climb. He hung there, reasserting his handhold as she climbed. 

Raga: I’ll say one thing, this mountain has really great views. ::He muttered knowing full well her keen ears would hear him:: 

Testing his foothold to make sure it was still solid he climbed up after her, finding a few handholds close by. The next one was a lot further than the last one and he had to work up some momentum, rocking himself up and down before he could make the leap upwards. He snagged his hands in the crack that ran vertically up the next section, swinging slightly as he steadied himself. He was parallel to her once more and was focused on the climb now, as he had to shimmy himself upwards, using the crack that was barely wide enough for his fingers to fit through and bracing the edge of his shoes on the side of the rock. It was a difficult climb, but he made it and was glad he was going this route and not her. 

The crack ran up nearly to the peak, where it veered off to the left of him sharply then curved back down a few dozen feet farther along the mountain. Thankfully the crack was wider at the top and he was able to wedge his legs between the gap. Feet on the bottom and his knees pressed up against the top. It permitted him a moment to rest his arms, which he let hang behind himself while he looked back to see where she was. He grinned at her, when he realized he was right above her more or less and she was being favored with her own nice view. 

Journs: ::grins:: I’ll enjoy it more when I’m on solid ground. 

Toryn chuckled to himself and brought one arm up to knock his gloved knuckles on the stone beside him lightly.

Raga: Huh, seems solid enough. ::Winks:: Are you going to get up here or stare at my butt all day?

With a smirk he glanced up and pulled a climbing axe that was hanging off his waist in hand and slammed it into the side of the rock above with more than enough force to create another handhold. Which he then used to give him the leverage to leap up the last few feet to the top. He stood up, wiggling his backside to her before straightening. 

Rolling her eyes and shaking her head with an affectionate smile, she looked around again and crouched against the rock face before propelling herself the rest of the way to the top. She rose to her full height and looked around at the landscape in front of them. It was a beautiful view, even if it wasn’t the primary focus of her attention.

Journs: ::slips her hand into his back pocket and leans against his shoulder:: That was quite a climb.

Feeling her lean against him he smiled and slipped his arm around her waist. A slight nod was given at her comment while he stared out at the mountain range around them. The sun was setting behind them, which cast a beautiful haze over the peaks, many of which blocked the sun from view. 

Raga: Yes it was. 

She turned in his arms, tilting her head up to meet his gaze and rose on tiptoe to capture his lips in a kiss that lasted longer than the teasing ones they’d exchanged earlier. Kissing him was strangely addictive and she just couldn’t get enough of the feel of his solid body against hers. She lowered her mental shields enough to allow their surface thoughts to reach one another freely and she sighed contentedly.

He felt her turn closer against him and then, like that he found his lips delightfully trapped against hers. He felt all the weight of the world fall of his shoulders and slipped his arms around her back, holding her gently. He reciprocated the kiss and when she lowered her mental shields he did the same. The contact of their kiss acting to heighten the psionic connection between them. 

Raga: ~Mi pensus, ke mi falos forte por vi, se vi ne sentus min kiel mi flugas.~ (I’d think I was falling hard for you if you didn’t make me feel like I was flying.)

She smiled, then rose to brush her lips against his.

Journs: ~ Flugu al mi mia amo, sur la flugiloj de esperoj kaj revoj, venu kaj estu mia pasio, simfonio de amanto ~ (Fly to me my love, on the wings of hopes and dreams, come and be my passion, a lover's symphony)

Raga: ~ Tio estis bela, ĉu mi pensas, ke ĝi estas? ~ (That was beautiful, is it what I think it is?)

Journs: ::smiles:: ~ It’s a Terran poem. Lovely, isn’t it? ~

Raga: ::He couldn’t help but smile with her:: ~ It is. Almost as beautiful as you. ~

She turned to look out as the last rays of sun disappeared below the horizon. Stars were already beginning to dot the dark sky overhead, casting an eerie glow on the landscape below. The moon would rise soon to join the starlight. Thankfully, the sensor readings she’d looked at showed no snow storms headed their way anytime soon so they would be able to enjoy the clear night sky. 

Releasing him, she pulled the blanket out of her light shoulder pack and laid it on the ground. Once all of the corners had been straightened out and the creases had been smoothed, she sat down with her thermos of tea and took a few sips. Catching his gaze, she smiled and patted the blanket beside her, inviting him to join her.

Toryn watched her smooth out the blanket and set a comfortable place to sit on the more or less flat portion of the peak of the mountain they both had scaled nearly three thousand feet to reach. When she invited him to join her he did so, taking a seat beside her and despite the resplendent evening view he couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. 

Journs: ::sips her tea:: I hope that wingsuit of yours can accommodate two or I’ll be asking Atlantis for a site to site. I’m not looking forward to the trip down.

A soft chuckle escaped him at the comment and he shook his head. What was it with people he climbed with wanting to beam off the mountain once they reached the top? Maybe he’d have to see if he could coax Dermy to making another climb, perhaps on a mountain that’s warmer. 

Raga: Sadly it doesn’t, easily. I could fly us both down but we’d have to be pressed up against each other the whole flight. ::He grinned slightly:: If you weren’t Al-Leyan I’d not even consider it because most wouldn’t have the strength to hang on at such speeds. ::He smiled and shrugged:: Besides, I replicated another wingsuit in your size. Have you ever used one before?

She shook her head. She’d been half joking about the climb down, having come up with him fully anticipating that she’d need to repel back down. She had to admit the thought of flying pressed tightly against him had it’s appeal. When he told her he had a wingsuit in her size, she arched an eyebrow. He must have been paying closer attention than she’d thought if he knew her size. 

Raga: Well, they’re not easy to use. I’d not want you to even try in real life until you’ve had at least a few lessons on the holodeck. 

Her brow furrowed. A few lessons? How did he expect her to get down, then?

Raga: ::Again he chuckled:: Besides, I thought we were staying the night up here? ::He hadn’t been joking when he said he had a sleeping bag. It was part of his standard climbing gear:: 

She grinned and rose, then situating herself between his legs, leaning back against him. Her hands found his and she wrapped them around her midsection. With night approaching, the temperature was dropping and they’d need to add extra layers soon to keep warm. The thought of sharing a single sleeping bag with him, his strong body pressed against hers made her shiver a bit. Oh, it was going to be very difficult to keep her hands to herself and not let this go past the invisible line she’d drawn.

When she rose and repositioned herself in front of him, sitting between his legs he smiled and sat up straight. There was no resistance when she took his arms and wrapped them around herself. Toryn definitely didn’t need an excuse to want to hold her. These past few weeks were some of the best sleep of his life. Even if he still awoke some nights, in a cold sweat from the nightmares. They’d been with him since he left the Haemachuo Center and he doubted they’d ever go away entirely. He never remembered what they were about, just that they caused him to cry out when they woke him and he was always trembling. He hated her seeing him like that, thankfully it had only happened once. 

He admired the view of the sky and the mountain range around them as the sun set. It was a beautiful sight. As the day gave way to night he could see it all more clearly. Being nocturnal creatures Al-Leyans were best in the dark on a world where seeing the sun was a rarity worthy of poems and songs. Though those were far fewer than the poems and songs one could find about the moon and stars and the night. 

Raga: It’s peaceful up here. ::He sighed and squeezed her gently:: You could almost forget that the Expanse is so dangerous. 

She sighed, allowing her eyes to slip closed. This was the most at peace she’d been since learning of her uncle’s passing. It had been so long since she’d stopped and let herself just be still. She could stay here like this forever. Winds, but she wanted to give in to this situation growing between them. 

Reason told her they were still in what Humans called the honeymoon phase of their relationship, with no real conflicts to stir up strife or test the strength of their affections for one another. This part was supposed to feel good. The restlessness just wouldn’t allow her to let go completely. Peace wasn’t exactly a running theme in her life and the little that she did get was like the calm before the storm. Something was bound to blow up and when it did, it would be a hell of an explosion.

It was a serene moment, one that Toryn had few and far between since leaving Leya-I. Sitting there on the thick blanket, atop a mountain. He felt the warmth of her body against his. Could hear the slow, measured breathing as easily as he could see her breath with every exhale. The rhythmic tempo of her heartbeat. It was something he had wanted for so long. Even as deeply as he’d loved Lael, he’d never really had a chance to share moments like these with her. In the flesh and not a shared telepathic dreamscape. 

Toryn exhaled contentedly and nestled his chin on her shoulder. He leaned in and pressed a kiss against her neck. He started to withdraw when a grin curled his lips and he nibbled on the nape of her neck, but for a moment. Listening to see just how much her heartbeat changed. He felt mischievous and wondered if this exhilarating rush was what a certain prankster felt whenever he pulled one over on someone new on the ship. 

She felt lips and the barest hint of teeth as Toryn nibbled at her neck. Sucking in a surprised breath, her hands tightened around his and she exhaled a shaky gasp. A shiver raced up her spine as she arched back slightly into the teasing caress of his lips. The intimate gesture had been unexpected, though not unwelcome. Winds, did he scatter her senses. A simple caress of his lips had her melting into a puddle, pliable in his arms.

Journs: ::breathily:: Kapti. Ne justa. (Tease. Not fair.)  

Raga: Ĝi nur ŝercas, se vi intencas ĉesi. (It’s only teasing if you intend to stop.) ::He chuckled and kissed her cheek softly:: 

Toryn was showing remarkable restraint, given how much he was attracted to her. Their present, remote locale and the romantic setting. And that he was holding her in his arms already. But he had agreed to go slow with her, and despite the fact that it would be so easy to just give in he didn’t want to ruin what they had together before it really truly started. 

Journs: ::smiles and murmurs:: Mi pensis ke ni diris ke ni atendos. (I thought we said we were going to wait.) 

She ever so gently caressed the backs of his hands with her thumbs, moving in slow, teasing circles. Sitting up slightly, she used the leverage to press back deeper into him. 

Raga: Which is the only reason I’m not going to sate my curiosity about which is louder. ::He tilted his lips near her ear:: You or the winds. ::He chuckled and hugged her tenderly:: 

Journs: ::smiles:: Mmm. A science experiment. You know I find it hard to resist one of those. 

She allowed her hands to leave his and moved them to the tops of his thighs, caressing lightly at first before slowly applying more pressure.

Journs: ::whispers:: Tell me. Do you have a hypothesis, Commander?

Raga: ::A lascivious smirk curled one side of his mouth:: I do, Doctor. I hypothesize that you could quite handily best the winds for overall decibels and consistent sound. 

She shifted her position, turning so that she was now situated in his lap face to face, her arms wrapped around his neck. With a mischievous grin, she leaned forward and sucked his lower lip between hers.

Journs: ::murmurs:: And if your hypothesis proves correct?

Oh now that caused his breath to catch in his throat when she did that and Toryn’s grin only widened. His hands settled on her thighs, caressing them with a modicum of pressure as the two of them faced off seeing who could tease the other more. 

Raga: You mean aside from it making me the luckiest man on this mountain? ::He chuckled and leaned in close, brushing his lips against hers softly:: Then it would warrant further. ::He kissed her:: And consistent. ::And again:: Repetition. ::And he kissed her once more, passionately before pulling back and brushing his tongue across her lips:: To ensure the data is as accurate as possible, of course. 

She made a soft noise against his mouth and pulled back slightly, leaning her forehead against his to catch her breath. After a long moment, she met his gaze, her heart thudding loudly in her chest and he breathing deep and fast.

Journs: ::breathily:: Did you mean what you said earlier? ::grasps the zipper on his jacket:: Your promise?

It almost felt like they were back hanging from the side of the mountain, the invitation lingering between them. Looking into his deep sapphire eyes made her feel like she was drowning, but winds help her she had no desire to escape. If this was to be her last moments, she’d die content in the arms of a man who had bared his very soul to her in so many ways.

There was something deeply captivating by the way she looked into his eyes just then, the way her hand lingered on the zipper of his jacket. He stared into the beautiful emerald of her eyes and nodded. 

Raga: Every word. ::He said softly and leaned in again, this time his lips locked with hers and they didn’t part:: 

Her eyes fluttered shut, her hands sliding into the hair at the nape of his neck, giving a gentle tug as she let herself be carried away by the moment. She sighed, her tongue peeking out to run along the seam of his lips. When his mouth opened, she felt whatever air that was left in her lungs leave in a whoosh and she suddenly became lightheaded, forcing herself to draw in deep breaths even as she pressed closer, laying a trail of tender kisses across his strong jaw and down his neck.

His skin bristled in numerous goose bumps at the tender kisses she placed along his neck, where the chill of the air had failed to elicit such a response in him. He let his hands travel up from her thighs, across the front of her jacket, exploring every curve they found before one cupped her cheek in his gloved palm. The other slipped behind her as she drew closer, offering a gentle caress of her shoulders and back, finally settling on her hips. Toryn nibbled at the tip of her Vulcan-like ear. 

This was rapidly going beyond teasing. She’d thought she had it under control, but there was something about the tender way he touched and kissed her that made her crazy. The familiar flutter started in her chest. She teetered on the precipice of giving in to the attraction, tense with the need to connect with him more completely. The last time, she’d been such a mess afterward, afraid of what it might mean. 

Journs: oO Oh, to hell with it. Oo 

She surged forward, capturing his lips with hers, not holding back. Her hands scrambled for purchase in his thick hair, tugging at the strands as her defenses dropped.

And just like that the resolve of the two officers crumbled, as she drew his lips into that passionate kiss he let his own defenses fall and melted into the moment with this incredibly remarkable and gorgeous woman. A grunt of admitted defeat sounded in his throat as well and he curled his fingers at her back. The hand on her cheek fell in between them until it made contact with her jacket zipper. As she held onto his, he held onto hers and slowly pulled it down. 

Toryn lost himself in Ishka’s lips. His tongue danced across them before seeking entry beyond the portal of her lips. 

Raga: ~ Amataj. ~ (Beloved)

The two Al-Leyan’s snuggled up against one another as the winds howled across the peak of the small, but not so insignificant mountain they’d chosen to scale as night descended. Locked in an embrace that may, or may not melt ice by morning. 

 

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Lieutenant Commander Toryn Raga 

Mission Specialist/Second Officer

USS Atlantis NCC-74682

PodCast Team Member

Training Team Member

Atlantis Staff Member

Writer ID: A239410TR0

https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=Toryn_Raga

&

Lieutenant Ishkabela Journs

Medical Officer, USS Atlantis NCC-74682

I238110RH0