Back to the Gym Part II
Posted on Fri Feb 28th, 2025 @ 6:57pm by Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius Tremble & Lieutenant Mira Jayna
Edited on on Sat Mar 1st, 2025 @ 8:20am
2,178 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
Episode 16 - Silent Cries
Location: Holodeck 1 - Deck 5 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD007 1800 hrs
Shaking his head, Mik threw up his hands exclaiming, why bother, then bustled off toward where Baby was working the heavy bag, which now had a stick figure of some sort scrawled on it in white tape and black marker. Other holo-boxers filtered through the gym, working at different machines and stations. One very well-muscled, deeply tanned young man with short black hair was doing a single handstand on a round dumbbell, which rolled slightly on the floor as he worked to keep his balance. Rock was stripping off his sweat darkened sweatshirt, which he tossed in a dirty towel bin. "Calendar's in the office if your curious. Then you can pick. Bikes, road work, or you can climb the Rock." He flexed then, sweaty muscles glistening in the gym's lighting.
Then he laughed, "Just kidding. Kinda. But there is a climbing wall Mik put in off toward the back."
She laughed off his aside. "The climbing wall sounds like fun, but first, let's see that calendar."
Neil looked up, face bathed in dull neon blue as various holo-screens tumbled information in front and to the side of him. He stood in his office, hands behind him at parade rest as the scroll filtered. Ship-wise everything was up to the standards he and Tyler expected. Coming off shore leave and jumping right into a new mission, some lagging was to be expected.
They were also ushering in a new Chief Engineer, who looked like she was about twelve. To his right, Pioneer’s manifest scrolled, with crew updates, letting him get a glance at who was up to snuff. Who was lagging behind and who might need a kick in the ass.
There weren’t many of the former but he frowned when the Cure’s manifest scrolled. One name was picked out in red and it reminded him of other things.
But first, he needed more information. Well. He had the information. He probably needed some clarity. Reaching out, he waived away the ops plan and the Red Team dossier that had been taking his primary attention and pulled over the manifest. He stopped the scroll with a finger jab and scrolled it back up, tapping on Jayna’s name.
She was at Mik's. A holo-window opened and he saw her entering Mik’s office and his grin widened as she confronted the calendar.
He’d kinda forgotten about that. Almost. Chuckling, he waived away the rest of the displays, rolled his shoulders and headed for the gym, the lights in his office ebbing as he crossed the threshold, the automatics kicking in as programmed.
Neil didn’t bother to slow his pace as he neared the holo-decks hatch, which cycled at his presence. The smells and sound of the gym welcomed him and he took a minute to let it relax him. The gym was almost better than a parade ground. And Pioneer definitely didn’t have one of those.
That made other things ping in his brain, but he pushed them aside. He wasn’t done for the day by a long shot, so he’d get things wrapped up. Walking toward the office, he waived absently at Mik, who gave him a long suffering look, and Baby, who hammered at the heavy bag, before pausing to look him over. Then she winked and bit her bottom lip before going back to her normal loop. Working the speed and heavy bags.
Neil saw Rock leaning on the wall a short ways off. Gave the boxer a nod, then stepped into the office’s doorway and leaned against the jam.
“I ever tell you that you look good sweaty?” he remarked to Jayna, who was studying the Calendar.
She smiled at the sound of Neil's voice and the warm shiver that ran down her spine. "Yes, but I'm usually naked at the time." She went over to him and gave him a kiss. "What brings you here?"
Kissing her back, he smiled and "Well. You obviously. I wanted to ask about Merrick and why his brain seems firmly zipped into his pants lately, but...if you're suggesting we get naked and take a steam..."
She gave him a saucy grin. "Mmm... I'm always up for getting naked and sweaty with you." She wasn't sure if it was just her that brought him here, or if he knew she saw the calendar. Or if he just wanted to ask her about Edmund. Whichever it was--or if it was all of the above--she was always happy to see him. "I can also tell you what I know about Edmund. We talked a bit while we were throwing knives and axes."
Neil swept Jayna up, over one shoulder and turned to head toward the steam room. "Ok, we multi-task," he suggested. "It can include nakedness and steam."
"Just remember to lock the door."
"This whole holodeck is on lockdown," he intoned and the walls all flashed red. "Jon does add some sensible things to his programs. Like Sampson options. Then he bit her on the posterior playfully ( cause it was right there) as he took them into the gym's sauna.
The sauna rooms were actually bigger than a simple gym might let on. Including a tepidarium, calidarium and frigidarium. As well as offering massages. But that was the beauty of the holodeck. Neil half floated on his back, up to his armpits in the warm water, one arm around Jayna's shoulder and he grinned. "Well. We didn't drown.."
"Good, because I'd hate for my sister to be told that I drowned on the holodeck while having sex with the XO." She nipped his chest playfully. "So, now that the important business is dealt with satisfactorily, you have a question? Because if not, I might have to go for seconds..."
"Well," Neil said, pulling her deeper into the pool. "There's always later," then he dunked them both.
Jayna could definitely get used to this, but she should get around to answering Neil's question. She dressed, in case Neil wanted to open the gym again and sat down. "So, you want to talk about Edmund first or that calendar?" She raised an eyebrow and smiled. At least the calendar was tasteful. She had to admit, the photos were flattering and didn't reveal too much.
Chuckling as he climbed into gym rig, Neil stretched as he began to lace up his shoes, one leg tucked up as he sat on a stone bench in the bath's robing chamber. "Calendar is easy, I think. Apparently Riza does keep tabs on remote campers and Jon hacked their system, pulled stills and put the calendar together via that. I purposedly wasn't wearing my contact on that trip, but he's a sneaky bastard. Said every. gym from this particular era needed a sexy calendar."
"As to Ed, yes. I think I know most of it, but I'd like that beautiful mind of yours to tell me your take. Plus, I know you've been talking to Vura, so you might have a smidgeon of an idea where her brain is at." Then he smirked, "Not to mention the rest of Ed's so called Harem."
She watched him finish dressing, appreciating the way he moved. "That explains it." It did make sense that there were hidden cameras in the rare chance they were needed. "Is it terrible that part of me wants a copy of that calendar to remember our trip to Risa? Another part of me wants a calendar of Jon to go on the other wall. I'm sure he's been on a beach somewhere on Risa." Baby would appreciate it.
Then she switched to his question. "Edmund's in a...tricky position. He likes Rowena and has gone out with her a time or two. Vura knows this. But I think she also wants something more than a friendship from him. But I don't think she's aware of it, or that it's making him uncomfortable."
Jayna sighed. "From what I've observed, I think Vura is lonely. I can't imagine going through life not being able to touch another person. I know it's her choice, but it's still a tough one. Also, her insatiable need to try new things and have new experiences can be exhausting. Vura and I decided to do something together on the holodeck, but we don't have much in common. We ended up making flutes and talking."
"Basically, I think Edmund needs to fall in love again, Vura needs a friend she can be close to, and Rowena needs someone she can trust on a personal level. But they're still reacting subconsciously. Although Edmund might be starting to get it, based on how he was behaving when he left the blade range."
Sighing, Neil stood. "Yeah. Our councilor needs, as my father would say, se faire baiser. I'd probably just say, Get her ashes hauled. But I think it helps for her to dislike me, so I'm good for that at least. Ed on the other hand needs to get his poop in a group before all this get someone killed."
Rubbing the back of his neck and stretching slowly, he said. "So, think me continuing to irritate the councilor and yelling at Merrick will get the response I need?"
Jayna stood as well. "I don't know. She really dislikes you. I don't understand why." She shook her head. "She doesn't seem to remember that I was beside you on two of the occasions she took umbrage. If she keeps doing it, I might be the one to tick her off."
"Our counselor has selective selectivity," Neil said as he began walking out toward the gym area. "If you don't agree with her, she hates you right out of the gate. So someday she and I'll go head to head. She'll try to use medical reasons to put me in hack, which will dig her a hole so deep even her vaulted sense of self-importance won't float her out of. But that's ok. Right now, she needs someone to hate. And I'm not messing up a good afterglow by thinking about Ed and his harem any further. You wanna run. Climb. Or just play hooky?"
Then he grinned even more as they transitioned back into the gym. "Oh. I should tell you. That calendar, or rather your images...well. To holograms and my contact...the clothing disappears or light reveals all."
"Well... I have no problem with you seeing that." She grinned back. "I kinda like the idea. I wouldn't want you to forget me." She chuckled softly. "Speaking of the calendar, Rock wants me to sign it."
As they shifted into the gym, Neil stepped over to the office and collected the calendar and a stylus labeled Sharpie, then turned and held them out to Jayna as he stood in the doorway, the sound of the gym coming up and various holograms populating the floor. "Well, I'm glad you approve." Then he saw Mik and Rock approaching and his eyes widened, a laugh escaping him.
Rock was pushing a handcart piled high with boxes and he called out. "Yo. Jayna, while you're at it. Got a couple more calendars. Demand is pretty good, yanno."
Mik gave a chortle and wiggled his eyebrows at Jayna, " Makes me want to go back to being a plumber. Laid a lot of pipe back in Wabasha."
"Is that what they called it?" she teased Mik. She knew they were both holograms, but she found them charming.
Then she turned to Rock. "You'll have to ask Neil as he's my manager." She gave Neil a wicked grin before turning to sign the calendar With love, Neil's Girl. Then she added a heart.
Laughing, Neil said. "Yeah. Definitely mine. That's going in my office, you joes will have to get your own at the gift shop." Winking at Jayna he said, "Guess we're playing hooky. There's batting cages if you're interested and want to take a thwack at things."
"Anything you want, as long as we hit the baths again after," Jayna replied.
Mik gestured at Rock and the two stepped over to a nearby set of double doors. Elaborately unlocking the doors and closures, lighting began cycling on, revealing a warehouse filled with boxes.
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant Mira Jayna
Intelligence Officer, The Cure
USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius Tremble
Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Battalion Commander, The Cure
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