Marlon & Lt. Samira Neathler - Hiking the Inca Trail

[Samira Neathler]

(( Inca Trail - South America ))

::The fire was crackling, spreading a welcome heat as Samira held her hands in front of it. Marlon hadn't been joking when he mentioned the hike would be basic, it was basic, very basic. And yet it was nothing compared to the life of the people here so many centuries ago. Nowadays they had a fire going in the blink of an eye. The coordinates on the tricorder made sure they wouldn't get lost. Fresh water and food was available at each campsite. All technology and things that weren't available for the indigenous people back in time. Nowadays the Inca Trail was a well preserved but still visited tourist attraction. And even if they did manage to get into trouble, a quick message could have them out in no time.::

::During daytime and while they were moving, things were fine, but once the sun disappeared it became cold. A cold she wasn't used to Samira had discovered previous night. It also made her realize how spoiled their life on a starship was. She had done a few similar hikes on the holodeck, years ago, but this had been nothing compared to the real thing. It wasn't like she could hold the program in between to continue another day.::

::And yet she was glad to be out here, the first day had been tiring, especially with a heavy head of too much drinking the day before, but it had been amazing. They had crossed a breathtaking canyon, careful not to step or fall in the big cactus dotted at the side of the trail, yet once out of said canyon the ruins of an ancient city at the hill side further away, was even more amazing and for a minute Samira had been tempted to go visit the place but she knew they'd encounter more of them and at the end of their hike they had the master piece in store for them.::

::She had squinted her eyes as she looked at the rectangular shapes of what once had been buildings, houses or storage facilities, she couldn’t make it out, build above field terraces. It made one wonder how they managed to build cities like that with only they means they had available back then.::

::That evening both Marlon and Samira had been too tired and hardly had shared a word to each other at the campfire, as both had been looking at the bright night sky above them. Both lost in their own thoughts and giving their body a welcome break from the exertion it had gone through that day.::

::The track of today had proven to be another challenge as they had to ascend to the highest point of the whole trail. They had taken it slow to adjust to the high altitude and when they reached the top of the Dead Woman's Pass, they took some time again to take a breather before descending a few meters and stop to get something to eat.::

::Yet the mist surrounding the mountain tops had been a spoil breaker as it obscured most of the view. For some odd reason Samira had also expected for the mountain hills to be greener yet their colours varied from light green to brown and most parts were just barren. The llamas, alpacas and sheep probably prevented the vegetation to grow on the slopes of the mountains. Or maybe it had something to do with the lack of rain, she had no idea.::

M. Neathler: Here ya go.

::Marlon's words stopped her thinking about what they had seen and achieved today, as he handed her the bottle of whiskey he had gathered from her backpack. She opened the bottle and took a swell before she handed it over to her brother as he sat down next to her on a stone slab.::

::In the distance a snap could be heard, in the otherwise rather silent setting. That had amazed her the most, how quiet it had been the previous night. To be fair, it hadn't been quiet, as the sound of animals and small critters had surrounded them, but she had missed the background hum of a starship ever since they started the hike. Even though she barely noticed it anymore on the Gorkon and yet now that it was absent, it felt kind of weird. As if something was missing.::

::Marlon observed Sami for a while, as she was staring in to the fire as he took a sip from the bottle. During the first days he was on board the Gorkon it had been her idea to go on a hiking tour together and yet somehow during those days after and when he finally agreed with the idea, it had been Sami who had been reluctant to do this.::

M. Neathler: By the way, Brent is sorry he wasn't here to join us.

::His words were received with a nod from his sister, while he held the bottle before taking another swig himself and planted the bottle between them. Yet somehow his comment didn't lure a word out of Samira. He inhaled slowly.::

M. Neathler: And you know who was even more surprised to hear that you've been promoted? ::He looked at Sami, who just shrugged.:: Sami, come on talk to me. Mother wasn't really thrilled that she had to hear it from me.

Neathler: Well she knows now. At least father can start gloating that even his youngest managed to get there.

::It was true, she had avoided contacting her mother since. She had planned to talk to her, the evening of the day of the ceremony, yet her encounter with Bear that same day, had upset her too much. Her mother would have known something was wrong just by looking at her youngest for just one second. And the last thing she wanted to do was discuss her feelings for a certain man with her mother.::

M. Neathler: Sami... Isn't it time, you and father sit down together and talk things out? Two grown up people, it can't be that hard can it?

::Samira briefly looked to the side, seeing the flames of the campfire casting strange figures on Marlon's features.::

Neathler: He didn't care when I graduated from the Academy, why should he care now? You don't know what it's like Marlon. Seeing the disappointment or more the disapproval in his eyes each time he looks at me. All because I didn't step in to his footsteps, that I didn't go into the Medical Field.

::She shook her head, reaching for the bottle as she looked in the fire again. She remembered it all too well, graduation day, over a year ago now. It should have been the most beautiful day in her life so far. She had expected them all to be there, mother, Marlon, Brent and her father. She had spotted both her brothers proud and beaming because she had succeeded.::

::Yet it had been the empty chair next to her mother's that had made a definite mark in her life that day. It was then Samira realized whatever she would do, it would never be good enough for her father. Oh yes, her mother had given her the excuse that he had a very important surgery that day he couldn't get out off. Very little did her mother know Samira had listened in on a conversation only an hour later, where her mother admitted to one of her besties, that her father had just used that surgery as an excuse for not having to be present, that he could easily have been there if he wanted to.::

::She took another swell from the bottle, eager to change the subject, as she gave him the bottle again.::

Neathler: So any idea yet where Starfleet will send you next?

::This time it was Marlon who did the shrugging as he put the bottle between them without drinking. Ever since his talk with the First Officer and Sami’s reaction at the admiral’s reception only the day before, it had been on his mind. Although he knew it was basically out of his hands, depending what was asked of him.::

M. Neathler: I don't know Sami, hopefully a place where I can stay in touch with people. Keep an eye on you.

::He leaned sideways his shoulder giving her shoulder a gentle, teasing push.::

Neathler: I managed quite alright I think.

M. Neathler: ::Smirking.:: I know, I know.

::He had his own ways of knowing how she was doing and deep down, he wondered for a very brief moment how Sami would react if she ever found out what he had done, to keep an eye on her. Not that it had helped much, he knew she got injured on the way to the New Horizon conference even if she hadn’t told him about that.::

::His mind wandered off to her question, thinking how long it would take before boredom got the better of him if he just took a job on a ship. How long would he be able to subdue the need for some action and intrigue.::


(( Inca Trail - The next day ))

::Just like the previous days, both Neathlers continued their trek. Marlon taking the lead, although the bare, grey, hand carved stones showed them which way to go and there were barely any sidetracks one could deviate from. Samira, carrying a backpack filled with food and lots of water to prevent dehydration during their hike, followed suit, while her brother was carrying the spare clothes..::

::At first the mountains and their path had been covered by a layer of mist but that soon dissipated once the sun rose and gained enough strength to get rid of the grey layer that gave the whole area a rather mysterious and breathtaking setting. Canyons with silver or blue grey lines, indicating the rivers far down below.::

::Every now and then they stopped to admire the smaller ruins they passed and on an occasion even walked through them as Marlon gave her a little history tour of what the function of the now deserted buildings originally was. Some of them being checkpoints, others being ancient resting places. Every now and then their thoughts were accompanied by several lonely birds shrieking as the feathered beings soared through the now cloudless sky.::

::Marlon hadn’t been kidding at the admiral’s reception that it involved mountains, yet at the time she had thought she’d see mountains covered in green, yet over here they were mostly barren slopes, now and then covered with small plants, some blooming in yellow or orange.::

::Mostly quietly they ascended or descended the trial until they reached yet another ruin. Yet somehow Samira had seen enough of them. She had no idea what was causing it but somehow she had gotten tired of it all. In her eyes most ruins looked verry similar, maybe they had a different purpose and maybe this one was a bit taller than the previous one but she no longer saw the beauty of it. She was about to suggest to Marlon to return to the ship when she saw the look in his eyes as he handed her over some food and water. She could see he was really loving this and she didn’t have it in her heart to ask him to return.::

::Quietly, welcoming the break, she sat down, munching on some bread and sipping some of the water as Marlon looked around, telling her about the effort the original occupants of these buildings and all the other ruins had done to get here, having to manually carry tons of material and food over the same roads they had walked on, roads in an even more primitive state than they are now.::

::Not frequently walking away from a challenge, she kept quiet and mustered all her energy to continue the rest of their hike. Now she was not only competing with her brother but also those inhabitants from the past. She could see her brother was enjoying this, or maybe it had something to do with the fact he had been trapped inside an asteroid for the past months.::

::The rest of their journey they walked next to trees and greenery. Small, different critters, basking in the sun on the grey stones, quickly sneaked away, making room for the siblings to pass, as the animals exchanged sounds of distress or as a warning, that those two-legged beings had no business here.::

::Even though the day had started sunny at a moment they passed a piece of forest where the clouds surrounded the top of the trees. Exhausted and tired, they reached their next base camp late in the evening.::

::Their next and last day started early, it was freezing cold outside and they wore headlamps to light the trail, wanting to be in time at the Sun Gate before sunrise. Yet before they reached their first destination there was still one difficult climb to do: a fifty steps vertical climb of half meter blocks of stone. Which resulted in a breathtaking view of their final destination.::

::Sitting next to each other, waiting for the sunrise to set, they gazed at the dark ruins further ahead, laying in the shadows of the mountains. Once the sun came up, the whole area became more visible and the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu showed themselves basking in the sun.::

M. Neathler: This is it Sami, ain’t it beautiful. Knowing that those ruins down there once hold a whole civilization?

::She briefly looked at her brother and again she saw the enthusiasm in his eyes, in his whole being and for the first time in weeks she realized she had been dealing with her own issues the wrong way.::

::Instead of pondering about what ifs, she should do like Marlon, forget about her worries, and seize the day. Regain joy in the activities she did. Like he had done, whether it had been this four day hike, or if it had been the time he had spend with her the last weeks. Despite everything he had gone through on Nassau, he hadn’t given up. Instead he was now living every minute of his time enjoying it.::

::Samira leaned over, resting her head on Marlon’s shoulder as they both observed the remainders of the ancient city as it was gradually touched by the golden sunrays.::

Lieutenant Samira Neathler

Assistant Chief Security/Tactical

USS Gorkon

G239508SN0