Lt Cmdr Wil Ukinix - Novocaine for the Soul

[Wil Ukinix]

((Proposed Colony Site, Idrustix Surface – Morning))

The problem with sleeping outside in the replicated portable hammock frame was that there were high pitched buzzing flying bugs that liked to dive-bomb Wil’s face.  They weren’t like mosquitos; in fact, they didn’t bite.  But they’d linger long enough just enough to wake him up, and then fly away.  It was if they didn’t want other creatures sleeping.

The sun was rising over the horizon in the distance, and Wil was now sitting in a replicated picnic chair (the idea borrowed from a brilliant gesture from the excellent Ensign Iko) and drank his green tea, taking in the purple horizon.  He felt relaxed being back in nature.  Behind him was the Daintree, its open shuttle doors temporarily converting the area into a very advanced and upmarket glamping site.

Polgonz: Well. That’ll take your breath away.

Wil stood up out of his chair, finished the last of his drink, then discarded the remaining small bits of tea leaves onto the ground.

Ukinix: Beautiful huh.  And just think.  ::arms held out wide::  You’d just need to build only one Quark’s, and within weeks you’d have your own Freecloud.  I’d come for the parties.

Polgonz: ::Looking down at the discarded leaves:: Are you just going to leave those there?

The Daughter Ascendant had a point.  Any non-natural material, no matter how small or innocuous, could leave a lasting imprint on a foreign environment.  He stared down at the tea leaves for a moment, before eventually looking up at her with a smile and casually shrugging his shoulders.

Kivik: Alright, I’ve got the Atmospheric Scanner – mind the drones when they launch, by the way – and you’ve got the mobile solar array. That one has a dish so, you know, also watch out for that. ::Pointing over nir shoulder back into the shuttle:: The core scanner will process the samples I bring back from our expedition back aboard the shuttle so… ::wiping hands together:: that about does it. Shall we?

Wong: I think so. Watch your heads, guys. ::Backs up and presses a button on his tricorder::

Ukinix: Morning!  So, what’s our priorities, team?  How much sunlight will we have?

The engineer in Wil was in the background at that point, it was one of those scenarios where science would discover information, then Wil could interpret that and make designs and recommendations.  For now, he was just coordinating.

Polgonz: According to my father’s survey team, daylight hours during the present season ought to last for about sixteen standard hours. ::To Wong:: Though I’m sure our Medical Officer would prefer we don’t wait to stumble home in the dark.

Wong: That’s why I brought SIMS beacons. If we get stuck in the dark, we can at least find our way. ::A smile:: I like to think of it as being prepared.

Impressed at the precaution, Wil put out his bottom lip and nodded as he bent down and grabbed his backpack’s straps with one hand.

Kivik: ::Glancing at the atmospheric scanner:: We might see a little rain later – or at least cloud cover. Shouldn’t be anything to worry about. The water here is likely more pure than on any of our home worlds. ::Turning to the group:: So – where do we start?

Ukinix: ::putting on backpack:: How about those line of trees ::pointing:: over there?

Wil looked back to see Tri’lea consulting a datapad.

Polgonz: If we go that way, we’ll find ourselves passing through several belts of these trees before we encounter some rocky terrain. That could prove easygoing or horrendous depending on whether we can find a clear path. After that, if we make good time, we may even be able to catch a glimpse of the ocean – though I highly doubt we’d reach it in a day’s hike.

Wong: Then maybe we should stick with what we can find in the forest? I think it would also prove promising for finding fauna.

Kivik: Sounds as good a place to start as any. ::Patting nir own pack:: I’ve got to take some rock core samples anyways, so if that’s where the rocks are, that’s where I’d like to go.

Wil moved over to a box nearby that held a plethora of different Starfleet equipment.  He picked up a tricorder, then walked over to Tri’lea and gently placed it in her hand.

Ukinix: ::Smiling, wink:: See, told ya.

Polgonz:: Charming.

With a cheeky smile Wil playfully raised his eyebrows twice at Tri’lea.

He slowly turned around to look at the trees in the distance, as the system’s sun rose over the horizon.

Kivik: ::Proudly:: Nothing beats a Starfleet-issue tricorder, Daughter Ascendant! The basic design has barely needed tweaking since the 2260’s – and, in the right hands, there isn’t much they can’t do.

Wong: I try not to leave home without one. A tricorder is your versatile best friend. Treat it well and it’ll take you far!

Ukinix: ::Over his shoulder:: Kinda like the Wanderlust, Daughter Ascendant.

He turned back to look at the trees again with a slightly wicked smile at his own reference to Tri’lea’s fancy yacht, before taking the first steps towards the tree line.

Oh, yes.  He was enjoying himself.

After hearing the doors to the Daintree close, he briefly turned over his shoulder to see the remainder of the team catching up with him, walking up the hill towards the treeline.  Wil could sense Kivik’s contentment, assumedly at the trip they were taking.  Wong also seemed to be exuding a feeling of satisfaction.

While the natural surrounds weren’t like Wil’s own home, the warmth was, albeit more humid than he was used to.  He had forgotten to ask Kivik what the peak temperature was expected to be, but he assumed they weren’t going to be fried like eggs, so it didn’t matter.  He was going to enjoy hiking in warm weather.  In that regard, it *was* like being home again.

As they walked as a group, and Wil looked down at his tricorder on occasion, random memories came flooding back.  The thrill of playing club footy in his mid to late teens, being surprisingly kissed by the antagonistic Andorian Cadet Thukaa during Starfleet Academy survival training in Alice Springs, “stealing” (or liberating from his point of view) a Quokka from an exotic animals collector on Donova IV and remembering the subsequent hurt he’d caused his crewmates, being scared when his ex-Klingon girlfriend broke down the door to the Veritas engineering lab after he and his best mate Geoffrey Teller stole the Klingon officer’s prosthetic arm to drunkenly upgrade it while she was sleeping (yes you read that right), receiving a promotion from Captain Rahman after chastising her because he thought the woman was in fact an entertainer impersonating Captain Rahman…

Polgonz: ::Interrupting Kivik’s thoughts:: Lieutenant, is your tricorder detecting any lifeforms nearby?

Wil’s thoughts were also interrupted.  He’d realised they were now hundreds of metres further along than when they’d first started.  It was as if he’d lost time.  In fact, he couldn’t really remember how he’d got to where they were.

Kivik: Hmm? Oh – ::glancing down:: – I assume you mean other than the myriad bacterial spectrum, fungal spores, plant life, and so on?

And all that while during reminiscing of times gone by, his empathic senses had been temporarily “switched off”.  It was a feeling he could sometimes achieve *if* he spent lots of time meditating like Vulcans did, as he had been taught by T’Rav in his youth.  But it was rare for him to achieve that “sensation” (or lack thereof) without it.

His empathic senses did return however, and he could feel a mix between curiosity and concern from Tri’lea.  He turned to look at the others.

Kivik: Not in our immediate vicinity. Of course, there could be creatures undetectable to our scanners. More likely whatever larger fauna exists here is simply avoiding us the conventional way for the time being.

Wil looked at Tri’lea and spoke to her in a serious tone.  He felt different.  It was as if he was partially in the same emotional space as her.  As if their common Betazoid heritage was somehow connecting to each other.

Ukinix: Something doesn’t seem right to Lea.

Ikaia tilted his head, inquisitive at Tri’lea’s momentary confusion.

Wong: Is everything okay, Miss Polgonz?

Polgonz: Oh, it’s just that I… Hmm… I’m not quite sure. I thought I felt something. Just for a moment. But my tricorder wasn’t picking up anything either. I just… wanted to be certain.

For a split second, Wil’s gut screamed at him that Tri’lea was not okay, and he should say something.  But that faded away quickly as his mind promptly disagreed with his gut’s assessment.

Wong: We are on a world that’s both familiar yet very different from what we might be used to. It might be a feeling of familiarity. But all the same, if you aren’t feeling well - please tell me about it.

Still, his gut was making “noises” to him, albeit quieter than before.  With genuine concern, Wil grabbed one of the straps of his backpack as he walked back towards the Betazoid.  He looked her in her solid black eyes.

Ukinix: ::Looking Tri’lea in the eyes:: You sure you’re OK?

Kivik: ::To Ukinix:: Commander, did you notice anything?

Wil went to answer Kivik, stopped as he looked down and considered his words, before looking back at nem.

Ukinix: My empathic senses turned off.  And I was daydreaming, I surprised myself at how far we’ve walked.  ::To Ikaia and Kivik:: Did you experience anything like that?

Wong: I haven’t noticed anything personally. However, I’m getting plenty of small lifesigns on my tricorder.

Wil’s empathic abilities were limited to “people” as far as he knew.  Animals, insects, and other creatures didn’t register with him at all.

He watched as Ikaia followed his tricorder to a nearby spot, where there were life signs.  The rust-red tree bark had insects moving up and down, and were almost ant-like.

Ukinix: What are they?

Kivik/Polgonz: Response.

Wong: Insects mostly. These look a lot like ants from Earth. Most unusually is the bold yellow stripe pattern on their bellies. I think the bright colouration might be a warning to predators to avoid eating them.

Ukinix: Or it means they’re good eating.  If we get stuck out here, we might have to find some bush tucker.  They could be first on the list.

His wicked streak returned for a moment, as he suppressed a smirk while discreetly looking at Tri’lea out of the corner of his eye for a reaction.  Somewhere deep down though he knew it was to also reassure her.  If Wil was being a smart arse, everything was normal.

Kivik/Polgonz: Response.

Ikaia looked up from his tricorder.

Wong: However, I doubt it’s my ants you’re feeling weird about. Unless you don’t like insects, Miss Polgonz.

Polgonz: Response.

Ukinix: I felt a serenity before that I rarely experience.  Is it the fresh air?  :To Kivik::  Something *in* the fresh air?

Kivik: Response

Wong: What does it feel like to you?

Polgonz: Response.

Ukinix: Me? Ummm… ::looking down, squinting eyes while thinking, before looking back at Tri’lea:: Nostalgia?  That’s the only way I can describe it.

Kivik: Response

Ukinix: ::To Ikaia:: Lieutenant, I think a quick wave of your medical tricorder over Tri’lea is in order.

Wong/Kivik/Polgonz: Response

Ukinix: ::Gentle, concerned tone, to Lea:: Yeah, well, you’re in my away team and I’m responsible for you.  A checkup is in all of our interests, especially yours.

Wong/Kivik/Polgonz: Response

Ukinix: ::Smile:: Alright. If you’re both sure, then let’s keep moving.  We’ve got evidence of CMEs to look for.

Wong/Kivik/Polgonz: Response


((3 hours later, somewhere in the Forest))

(OOC:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2yy141q8HQ&t=12s)

Sweat had formed on just about every part on Wil.  The conditions were warm without being stifling, his tricorder told him it was 31 degrees, and that the humidity was at sub-tropical levels.  He couldn’t work out why he was sweating so much, but put it down to not being used to humid conditions.

Ukinix: Let’s have a ::deep breath:: break and some water.  ::To Kivik: How’s science looking, Kivi?  ::A few quick pants::

Kivik: Response

Still panting, Wil slung off his backpack then crouched down to reach into it while talking to Wong.

Ukinix: How about you, Ikaia, ::exhale:: what’s happening with your readings? ::deep breath::

He pulled out a bottle of water and drank large mouthfuls from it as he listened to Ikaia.

Wong: Response

Polgonz: Response

The XO sat on a nearby fallen log, then took in some deep breaths.

Ukinix: ::Panting:: To be honest, ::deep breath, maniacal chuckling:: I’m knackered! Ha, Fancy that!  ::Concerned tone, furrowed eyebrow:: I run just about ::panting:: every day, I’m much fitter than- ::leaning forward on his knees:: - than this.  Is it ::panting:: the gravity?

Kivik/Wong/Polgonz: Responses

Ukinix: Well it has to be. ::Suddenly angry:: How very dare you, all of you. ::panting, flaring nostrils:: I can sense what you’re all feeling, you don’t believe me. ::Deep breaths:: I can’t- ::holding back tears, overcome by sadness:: I can’t believe you’d think that.  ::deep breath:: Look at me!  ::Crying:: Why do I have to be part Betazoid? ::Panting, crying:: Why?!

His breathing increased rapidly, as fear washed over him.

Ukinix: Wait.  ::Deep breath, anxious tone:: What if you’re right?  What if I’m ::panting:: just as unfit as say someone that ::panting:: doesn’t exercise and eats at Edna’s everyday?  ::Faster, anxious breathing:: Oh no.  ::Hands covering eyes:: Oh no, oh no, oh no! ::Leaning back on log, looking exhausted, suddenly feeling amorous, slight smile:: Has anyone ever ::panting:: told you you’re ::panting:: very attractive, Lea? ::Highly Embarrassed:: Oh no, I can’t believe I just ::panting, shaking head, looking down:: No, no, no, no, no, I’m regretting that. ::Slowly shaking head:: So so much.

Tears began to well in Wil’s eyes.  One stray tear ran down his cheek as he lay back on the log and rested his hands on his chest, his panting increasing.

Kivik/Wong/Polgonz: Responses

A line from one of the first ever songs in Wil’s music collection involuntarily entered his delirious mind, which he immediately vocalised.

Ukinix: ::Singing wearily:: No-vo-caaa-iiine… for-the-soul… be-fore I spu-tter out…

Kivik/Wong/Polgonz: Responses


Tags/TBC

 

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Lieutenant Commander Wil Ukinix

Starfleet attaché and First Officer

Amity Outpost
V239511WU0