Survival
hey, has everyone figured out yet that I can't spell? and I have bad programs that have poopy spellchecks but I used one anyway. I don't really like this story much, but oh well.
As the transporter effect faded around him, Julian Bashir saw the snow, the wet, freezing snow. He shivered involuntarily and looked over to his partner. The frozen snow clung to her red hair and her cheeks flushed bright red as her body tried to keep her warm. Julian shook her arm a bit to get her attention. She glanced over at him and saw him mouth the words find shelter. She nodded and they forged ahead through the snow and the sub-zero temperatures. After fifteen minutes of dragging themselves through the blistering cold, they found a secluded cave. The cave was only a bit warmer but with no wind gusts. Julian pulled the small fire starter out of his coat pocket and lit a little fire. Their Dominion captors were kind enough to leave them with a Starfleet issue coat for each of them, a fire starter kit, and a knife. They both knelt down by the fire in an attempt to warm their entirely too cold hands.
"I just love that Vorta," she said sarcastically.
Julian laughed a bit. "This is Weyoun's idea of amusement, Lena. He just wants to shake things up a bit, which he finds entertaining and he knows irritates the hell out of us."
Lena frowned. "Irritates is the biggest understatement I've ever heard." She blew on her hands desperately trying to warm them. "What are we suppose to do now?"
Julian unconsciously took her hands in his rubbing them. "The Defiant has probably been searching for us since we were captured. Since they know what planet we're on they'll be able to find us but..."
"But the ore in this mountain makes lifeform detection almost impossible. There's no way sensors will be able to find us," she supplied. Lena had been a new science officer on board Deep Space Nine. She was on her first mission a board the Defiant when Julian and her were captured.
"But," Julian continued, "I'm hoping that if we can make our way to the top of the mountain, the ore that masks us from the sensors won't be as concentrated and the Defiant will be able to detect us."
She looked down at their joined hands. "Climbing to the top of the mountain?" Her voice was quiet. "We don't even know how high this mountain is, or if the ore would be less concentrated."
Julian continued slowly rubbing warmth into her hands. "It might be our only chance of rescue. We have to get as close to the top as possible." Lena looked terrified by his words. "What's wrong?" he asked softly.
"I'm scared to death of falling," she whispered still staring at their hands.
Julian moved his hand and lifted her chin. "We'll stay here tonight and hopefully the storm will have died down by morning. But we have to get to the top of the mountain."
She nodded slowly. "All right. We're going to have to find something to eat first."
Julian looked to the entrance of the cave and shivered at the thought of going out in the freezing weather. "Should we even attempt to go out there?"
Lena smiled. "I may look frail and weak, but just you wait." Lena took the knife out of her coat and was off. Julian watched her slim figure disappear into the storm. He looked around the small cave and saw nothing but solid rock. He stood and crept towards the entrance of the cave. Desperately searching for Lena, his eyes scanned the area quickly but even his genetically enhanced eyes couldn't see through the thick snow. Needless to say he was worried about her. She was a beautiful slim woman...beautiful? he thought. Where had that come from? All right, so I do think she's attractive but I can't think about that now. He shook his head almost in hopes to shake out those thoughts. He shivered involuntarily; his body's sign to get warm. He walked back over to the fire, squatted down and extended his hands towards the fire. And waited, waited. Waited for half an hour before she came back dragging a fresh kill. The animal was about 10 kilos and looked almost like a bobcat.
Julian's eyebrows rose in surprise. Lena only smiled. "Surprised I could actually hunt? I had to go through the academy too, you know."
He shook his head. "It's not that. I was just surprised you found something living in this," he gestured to the storm.
She shrugged, "Luck." She moved to sit by him and the fire. "Since I caught it, you can skin it." She thrusted the knife towards him, handle first.
He took it and grabbed the animal by the hind legs. He remembered back to his
survival training at the academy and began cutting in the appropriate spots. For some reason, he couldn't get his mind off of Lena. She was an incredibly attractive woman with many skills. He forcefully pushed those thoughts behind. You are a professional, he told himself. This is a life or death situation and remember to keep that in mind.
Lena watched Julian skillfully skin the animal. She tried to look away but his movements were hypnotic. Every move planned and carried out with great precision. Part of her wondered what else those hands could do. She sighed and gazed back into the fire. Now isn't the time...she thought...but maybe latter. Lena put her hands near the fire. She watched the flames lazily licking the cold air. Unbidden thoughts of licking and Julian ran through her head. A small laugh escaped her lips drawing Julian's attention.
"What?" he asked while smiling.
A small blush formed on her already red cold cheeks. "Uh, just imagining what it would be like to see that Vorta out in the cold."
He chuckled and went back to skinning. She continued watching him work. "Julian, have you skinned an animal before?" she asked suddenly. She had thought the question but didn't mean to ask it.
He glanced at her. "No, why do you ask?"
She turned back to the fire. "No reason. It just seems like you've done it before. You're very skillful with a blade."
"Well, I am a doctor, you know. I've performed many surgeries," he supplied. He finished cutting the meat. "We're going to have to cook this somehow."
"I'll go find us some branches," Lena volunteered. She traipsed off again and came back with a handful of twigs. "Let's set it up."
Julian gratefully ate his last piece of meat. They had more meat of course, but had decided to dry it out for later food. Julian glanced at Lena who was licking the sweet juice of meat off her fingers. For a moment, Julian couldn't take his eyes off the sight. The delicate trails her tongue was tracing on her fingers. Julian's head snapped towards the fire. Why are you doing this? he asked himself. You are a man and a StarFleet officer, not some untrained teenager.
Lena sighed contentedly. "That was pretty good." Julian only nodded. Lena frowned. "Is something wrong?"
He shook his head slowly. "Nothing."
"Well, I don't know about you but I could use some sleep." She laid down near the fire with her arm under her head for support. After a few moments, Julian stole a glance at her almost still figure. She was shivering.
"Lena, are you cold?" he asked softly.
Her eyes opened, smiling sheepishly she said, "Just a bit." She shivered more violently. "All right, I'm freezing."
Julian smiled. "Instead of shivering and not getting any sleep, why don't we connect our coats and sleep together?" Julian silently wondered if that would be the best idea given his attraction to her. But it would keep them alive.
She nodded eagerly. "Sounds good." Lena crawled towards him and took off her coat as did he. She handed it over to him so he could connect them. He connected one side, then gestured her to fallow him over to the edge of the cave closest to the fire.
"We can lean against the side of the cave." They both slipped into the coat and Julian secured the other side. He tried to stay as far away from her as possible, but she continued to shiver. You're going to have to... He slipped his arm around her waist pulling her closer. She leaned against him. "Better?"
She grinned, "Much." They both starred at the fire and tried desperately not to think of the other. After a few short minutes, Lena's heavy eyelids fell, and she was asleep. Julian gently pushed some lose hair off of her face. He could see her lips turn up in the smallest smile.
"Lena?" he whispered. "Are you asleep?" He just had to check. Her only response was a soft moan. He smiled. "Do you mind if we stay like this for a while?" Julian knew she had no idea what he was asking, he just wanted to humor himself. She moaned again as her arms slithered around his waist. "I guess that's a yes." Julian sat there listening to Lena's steady breathing. Julian thought about the woman next to him. Every time he looked at her, he got that nervous feeling in his stomach just like when he was a teenager and was around a girl he liked. He was surprised that he hadn't started stuttering and stammering like he use to. That was the thing about him, his emotions were always accessible, always on the surface. He sighed. Maybe that's why it never worked out with anyone, they knew what he was thinking almost before he did.
Lena's breathing kept it's strong pace and Julian just listened. Maybe I'm just getting tired, he thought as a yawn overtook him. But ever so slowly, sleep washed over him and they slept there soundly with Lena's arms around him, and his arms around her.
hey, has everyone figured out yet that I can't spell? and I have bad programs that have poopy spellchecks but I used one anyway. I don't really like this story much, but oh well.
As the transporter effect faded around him, Julian Bashir saw the snow, the wet, freezing snow. He shivered involuntarily and looked over to his partner. The frozen snow clung to her red hair and her cheeks flushed bright red as her body tried to keep her warm. Julian shook her arm a bit to get her attention. She glanced over at him and saw him mouth the words find shelter. She nodded and they forged ahead through the snow and the sub-zero temperatures. After fifteen minutes of dragging themselves through the blistering cold, they found a secluded cave. The cave was only a bit warmer but with no wind gusts. Julian pulled the small fire starter out of his coat pocket and lit a little fire. Their Dominion captors were kind enough to leave them with a Starfleet issue coat for each of them, a fire starter kit, and a knife. They both knelt down by the fire in an attempt to warm their entirely too cold hands.
"I just love that Vorta," she said sarcastically.
Julian laughed a bit. "This is Weyoun's idea of amusement, Lena. He just wants to shake things up a bit, which he finds entertaining and he knows irritates the hell out of us."
Lena frowned. "Irritates is the biggest understatement I've ever heard." She blew on her hands desperately trying to warm them. "What are we suppose to do now?"
Julian unconsciously took her hands in his rubbing them. "The Defiant has probably been searching for us since we were captured. Since they know what planet we're on they'll be able to find us but..."
"But the ore in this mountain makes lifeform detection almost impossible. There's no way sensors will be able to find us," she supplied. Lena had been a new science officer on board Deep Space Nine. She was on her first mission a board the Defiant when Julian and her were captured.
"But," Julian continued, "I'm hoping that if we can make our way to the top of the mountain, the ore that masks us from the sensors won't be as concentrated and the Defiant will be able to detect us."
She looked down at their joined hands. "Climbing to the top of the mountain?" Her voice was quiet. "We don't even know how high this mountain is, or if the ore would be less concentrated."
Julian continued slowly rubbing warmth into her hands. "It might be our only chance of rescue. We have to get as close to the top as possible." Lena looked terrified by his words. "What's wrong?" he asked softly.
"I'm scared to death of falling," she whispered still staring at their hands.
Julian moved his hand and lifted her chin. "We'll stay here tonight and hopefully the storm will have died down by morning. But we have to get to the top of the mountain."
She nodded slowly. "All right. We're going to have to find something to eat first."
Julian looked to the entrance of the cave and shivered at the thought of going out in the freezing weather. "Should we even attempt to go out there?"
Lena smiled. "I may look frail and weak, but just you wait." Lena took the knife out of her coat and was off. Julian watched her slim figure disappear into the storm. He looked around the small cave and saw nothing but solid rock. He stood and crept towards the entrance of the cave. Desperately searching for Lena, his eyes scanned the area quickly but even his genetically enhanced eyes couldn't see through the thick snow. Needless to say he was worried about her. She was a beautiful slim woman...beautiful? he thought. Where had that come from? All right, so I do think she's attractive but I can't think about that now. He shook his head almost in hopes to shake out those thoughts. He shivered involuntarily; his body's sign to get warm. He walked back over to the fire, squatted down and extended his hands towards the fire. And waited, waited. Waited for half an hour before she came back dragging a fresh kill. The animal was about 10 kilos and looked almost like a bobcat.
Julian's eyebrows rose in surprise. Lena only smiled. "Surprised I could actually hunt? I had to go through the academy too, you know."
He shook his head. "It's not that. I was just surprised you found something living in this," he gestured to the storm.
She shrugged, "Luck." She moved to sit by him and the fire. "Since I caught it, you can skin it." She thrusted the knife towards him, handle first.
He took it and grabbed the animal by the hind legs. He remembered back to his
survival training at the academy and began cutting in the appropriate spots. For some reason, he couldn't get his mind off of Lena. She was an incredibly attractive woman with many skills. He forcefully pushed those thoughts behind. You are a professional, he told himself. This is a life or death situation and remember to keep that in mind.
Lena watched Julian skillfully skin the animal. She tried to look away but his movements were hypnotic. Every move planned and carried out with great precision. Part of her wondered what else those hands could do. She sighed and gazed back into the fire. Now isn't the time...she thought...but maybe latter. Lena put her hands near the fire. She watched the flames lazily licking the cold air. Unbidden thoughts of licking and Julian ran through her head. A small laugh escaped her lips drawing Julian's attention.
"What?" he asked while smiling.
A small blush formed on her already red cold cheeks. "Uh, just imagining what it would be like to see that Vorta out in the cold."
He chuckled and went back to skinning. She continued watching him work. "Julian, have you skinned an animal before?" she asked suddenly. She had thought the question but didn't mean to ask it.
He glanced at her. "No, why do you ask?"
She turned back to the fire. "No reason. It just seems like you've done it before. You're very skillful with a blade."
"Well, I am a doctor, you know. I've performed many surgeries," he supplied. He finished cutting the meat. "We're going to have to cook this somehow."
"I'll go find us some branches," Lena volunteered. She traipsed off again and came back with a handful of twigs. "Let's set it up."
Julian gratefully ate his last piece of meat. They had more meat of course, but had decided to dry it out for later food. Julian glanced at Lena who was licking the sweet juice of meat off her fingers. For a moment, Julian couldn't take his eyes off the sight. The delicate trails her tongue was tracing on her fingers. Julian's head snapped towards the fire. Why are you doing this? he asked himself. You are a man and a StarFleet officer, not some untrained teenager.
Lena sighed contentedly. "That was pretty good." Julian only nodded. Lena frowned. "Is something wrong?"
He shook his head slowly. "Nothing."
"Well, I don't know about you but I could use some sleep." She laid down near the fire with her arm under her head for support. After a few moments, Julian stole a glance at her almost still figure. She was shivering.
"Lena, are you cold?" he asked softly.
Her eyes opened, smiling sheepishly she said, "Just a bit." She shivered more violently. "All right, I'm freezing."
Julian smiled. "Instead of shivering and not getting any sleep, why don't we connect our coats and sleep together?" Julian silently wondered if that would be the best idea given his attraction to her. But it would keep them alive.
She nodded eagerly. "Sounds good." Lena crawled towards him and took off her coat as did he. She handed it over to him so he could connect them. He connected one side, then gestured her to fallow him over to the edge of the cave closest to the fire.
"We can lean against the side of the cave." They both slipped into the coat and Julian secured the other side. He tried to stay as far away from her as possible, but she continued to shiver. You're going to have to... He slipped his arm around her waist pulling her closer. She leaned against him. "Better?"
She grinned, "Much." They both starred at the fire and tried desperately not to think of the other. After a few short minutes, Lena's heavy eyelids fell, and she was asleep. Julian gently pushed some lose hair off of her face. He could see her lips turn up in the smallest smile.
"Lena?" he whispered. "Are you asleep?" He just had to check. Her only response was a soft moan. He smiled. "Do you mind if we stay like this for a while?" Julian knew she had no idea what he was asking, he just wanted to humor himself. She moaned again as her arms slithered around his waist. "I guess that's a yes." Julian sat there listening to Lena's steady breathing. Julian thought about the woman next to him. Every time he looked at her, he got that nervous feeling in his stomach just like when he was a teenager and was around a girl he liked. He was surprised that he hadn't started stuttering and stammering like he use to. That was the thing about him, his emotions were always accessible, always on the surface. He sighed. Maybe that's why it never worked out with anyone, they knew what he was thinking almost before he did.
Lena's breathing kept it's strong pace and Julian just listened. Maybe I'm just getting tired, he thought as a yawn overtook him. But ever so slowly, sleep washed over him and they slept there soundly with Lena's arms around him, and his arms around her.