Blink Dreams

Posted on Wed May 13th, 2020 @ 8:32pm by Warrant Officer Koh Ottasu & Lieutenant JG Shaille Levine

Mission: Around The World in 8 Days
Location: Earth - Hawaii

Standing in the foyer, waiting to access the transporter, Shaille turned to Koh, sliding her hand into his. "So... this is going to be our last adventure," she said softly. "The transport is going to play out a little different though, I just need to warn you of that. Our luggage is going to be transported directly to the hotel, I've already arranged for them to take care of it, we'll be going somewhere else. Trust me?" she asked softly, squeezing his hand gently.

Koh gave a smile and a nod, gently squeezing her hand in return, "Always." he responded. "I must say, Earth is nothing like I initially expected. It's wondrous, a cradle of an entire civilization. Seeing where humanity started." he remarked. "Amazing."

"This place is..." She paused and bit her bottom lip. "This place is different again... but, again, I want to surprise you." She glanced away as they were motioned up to the transporter. "Right, we're up. Ready?"

He gave a nod, "Never did like these." he commented, but he didn't hesitate. "Okay, I'm ready."

Their luggage went first, as expected, then still firmly holding his hand, Shaille stepped up to the transporter. "Close your eyes," she ordered gently.

Moments later they materialized at the new destination. Almost immediately she could feel the cool breeze on her exposed skin, the smell of salt water in the air. Even the sound of waves could be heard gently washing against the shore. She turned in to face him, her arms moving to his waist. "Before you open your eyes, I want you to guess where we might be," she asked teasingly.

His eyes were sealed before the transporter even started, and then the pair materialized in their mystery destination. His eyes remained closed, and his ears twitched as he listened to the world around him. "The breeze. We're outside." he commented. "I hear ... waves. Another beach?" he guessed, "I can't scrunch my toes in the boots, but..." he shifted his feet. "Another beach-side bar?" he guessed again.

She rose up on her toes, brushing a soft kiss against the side of his mouth. "Open your eyes Koh," she ordered softly.

He opened his eyes, then blinked. Then blinked again. "T... this is..." he then looked around. Looked down. Looked left. Looked right.

"It's the beach. It's THE beach!" he was in wonderment. "My blink dream... it w... was it showing me this?" he asked. "Okay, okay this is weird. So weird but... who am I to argue what I saw." he smiled over to her, a genuine smile reserved only for her. "This... this is where my life wanted me to be. This is where I'm supposed to be. Here. Right here. With you."

Shaille smiled, a smile that made her eyes light up with sheer happiness. "The moment you told me I knew I had to bring you here," she said softly. Her arms went around him, her head resting against his shoulder. "We have two days here, is that okay?"

Koh gave a wide smile. It almost looked weird, seeing a Ts'usugi actually display their emotions so fully, so expressively. He wrapped his arms around her, and held her close. "Thank you. Literally, for making a dream come true." his smile held as he held his cheek against her. "That's more than okay."

"I couldn't think of a better way to spend our last days of shore leave," she said with a soft smile. Before she could speak again, a small basket materialized next to them. "And that would be our lunch. I decided to have something delivered, I hope you don't mind? I like the idea of us time."

"Quite the contrary. I love the idea of 'us' time." Koh commented, holding her close before reluctantly releasing her to look at the basket, and then look around again at the world around him. "So, this is a real place? This place really exists. We're not on a hollow room?" a pause, "System, cease environment. No wait, that's our command. Computer, halt program." and then nothing happened. "Th.. this is real." and then Koh, with the glance of a curious child, turned to Shaille. "Tell me everything."

"We are on a small beach in Hawaii... Punaluu beach to be exact. Renowned for it's black beach. There is no where else on Earth quite like it." She opened the basket and pulled out a blanket, unfolding it on the ground in front of them. "It is very much a real place."

With a nod, he helped her set up the blanket before sitting down on it to secure it. "I've never seen a black sand beach. Not in any of the planets I've ever seen." he was still in awe over the sight. He'd help her set up whatever she handed him from the basket, all with that same smile on his face as he did so. "A picnic on a beach. Together." he brushed his hand against her cheek, quiet for the moment. The awe of the moment, the beauty of the location, and the woman he shared both with, took his words away.

Sitting on the blanket next to him, she smiled and rested her face against his hand momentarily. "I honestly couldn't think of a better place to spend our last days on Earth." A picnic on the beach, it seemed simple enough, but she knew the true meaning behind this beach, or at least, behind the sand. "So, I arranged accommodation for us for the next two nights here, we're staying in a little cabin on the beach just around the cove, we can walk there after lunch if you like? We have our own private beach and we won't be interrupted by anyone. We can swim in the water if we want, it is safe." She smiled as she set out the last of the food before handing him a bottle to open and picking up two glasses to be filled.

A duty he accepted with dignity: Bottle opener. Fortunately, she loosened it for him. That would be his answer, should an inquisition board and the Emperor herself ask. He gently poured, and then sealed the bottle back before taking a glass. "To black sands, and the stars that guide them. To life, to liberty, and to love." he held up a glass. "Mostly, to us." a smirk.

"I'd love to spend the next two days with you. Here. Doing anything, or doing nothing. The next two days, the next two months, the next two years..." he paused a moment, "From here, all my thoughts of where I will be include you."

Shaille smiled and shifted so she was sitting next to him, leaning in and resting her head on his shoulder as she took a sip of her drink. "If only we could spend the rest of our time on shore leave... no mind probing aliens, no Romulans, no orders, just us." She sighed and smiled. "But... to us, and where ever our next adventure may take us."