CHAPTER 3: GESTATION
Day 4
"Alright. That's five Repulse Monkeys...I want to include the Heavenly Steed Soars Across the Sky...Now the White Crane Spreads Wings...Yes, I think you're right. Let's change that to Step Up to Seven Stars..."
"We're wearing that?"
"Malcolm! It beats a grass skirt, now doesn't it? Besides, the red will provide contrast against the dark background of the stage. Red does bring out you dark hair so beautifully. It's what all the cabana boys are wearing now... T'Pol, I hope you realize that SOME human men just can't take flattery."
"T'Pol, I hope you realize that some human women are very conniving in the way they like to embarrass their male counterparts."
"I heard that!"
"...Water, I need water! Oh, thanks, Malcolm. You're so sweet-in a masculine sort of cabana boy way... Am I going to get dragged into the ocean again?"
-----
"Alright, Malcolm, let's try to volley the ball to each other to show T'Pol what we mean...You need to quit using your knees. Hands are legal in this game you know."
"...Let me show you how to serve, Malcolm. Hm, you've got good hands. You're starting to look flushed. Are you hot? I think you're hot. I meant--MEN!"
"...T'Pol, you saw from the video how the play is set up. I'll just hit it straight up so that you can get under it. Then you just attack the ball and slam it into the opposing court. Don't hold anything back."
"Sub-commander, perhaps you should back up on the force so that we don't tear down the net every time you hit the ball...Hoshi, the Captain won't be pleased if we generate a casualty list."
"I've recruited three cabana boys to practice against...Don't worry about how I managed to do that, Malcolm. Just serve the ball!"
"Water! Now!... You really are a very attentive cabana boy, Malcolm."
-----
"All of these boards are light-weight and have the three fins that allow for maximum maneuverability. I'll take the longest one. And before you say it, Ensign, yes, I know size isn't everything, but in this case, it is important!"
"...Yes, Sub-commander, humans have been standing on boards riding the waves for centuries... Hoshi, I never thought I would see a Vulcan actually turn green."
"...It's really just a matter of physics, Sub-commander. The wave is constantly pulling your board up while you're constantly sliding down... Spend some time watching the waves so that you can predict where the break begins... Look for a hollow wave that peels. That means... Take the shoulder at an angle and you can get a nice long ride..."
"Now that we've reviewed the basics, let's hit the water... Hoshi, stay as close to T'Pol as you can. Make sure she stays on the small waves....Perhaps we should have her stay on mushy ones. She doesn't look very comfortable. I'll try to keep an eye on her as well."
"Well, it's good to know you can swim, Sub-commander. Now that you've experienced every way in which a person can wipe out, let's try to work on actually standing on the board..."
"Good work! You actually stayed up for a whole minute... Hoshi, you know the eating contest is starting to look a bit more attractive."
-----
Day 5 Evening
"Crickets bothering you again, Hoshi? I thought I'd find you out here. We've got a long day tomorrow, you should rest."
"I know! I tried, Malcolm, really I did, but with the full moons the light just kept streaming into my room. So I grabbed a blanket to come out here."
"Last night it was the crickets that kept you up. The night before that it was thinking about the choreography. I don't know how much more of your insomnia I can survive."
"You're just tired of waking up with your arm asleep. Thanks for staying with me, though. It seems to be the only way I can get any rest here."
"I am obliged to see to the welfare of my crew, even if it means the loss of feeling to my arm."
"You are such a dedicated cabana boy. Maybe T'Pol should be out here with us instead of meditating alone inside."
"You're worried about her, too, aren't you? I think she's spent most of the night meditating so that she'll be able to complete the events tomorrow."
"I know. I just never expected to see a Vulcan come so close to panicking. It's almost imperceptible, but if Vulcans showed emotion--she's genuinely distressed. Her approach is so reluctant, her posture's just a little too tight, she actually closed her eyes tightly the first time we got her on the board. T'Pol helped me so much when we were stuck on that Klingon ship, I wish I could do something for her now."
"You are, Hoshi. If anyone can get her through this, it's you."
"With a lot of help from you, Malcolm... I'm sorry I've been such a witch to you sometimes while we've been here. I feel so much pressure to make this mission succeed!"
"Hoshi, you've had to deal with my temper in the past, but you still stay friends with me. Now don't say another word about it. Your cabana boy is at your service."
"Well, then, I think I need a pillow. Assume the position, Cabana Boy. Hm. Now this is comfortable... Malcolm, I think I'm getting too used to this... Ahem, sooo, tell me about how you learned to surf."
"My father. It's one of the few things that we actually both enjoy doing. Every year he would take me to another part of the world just to surf. We'd catch transport off an RAF plane. I remember the first time..."
*****
Author Notes:
Liberties were taking in describing volleyball, Tai Chi and surfing. I blame Disney's Lilo and Stitch for inspiration.
No reviews are necessary. Thanks for reading.
Day 4
"Alright. That's five Repulse Monkeys...I want to include the Heavenly Steed Soars Across the Sky...Now the White Crane Spreads Wings...Yes, I think you're right. Let's change that to Step Up to Seven Stars..."
"We're wearing that?"
"Malcolm! It beats a grass skirt, now doesn't it? Besides, the red will provide contrast against the dark background of the stage. Red does bring out you dark hair so beautifully. It's what all the cabana boys are wearing now... T'Pol, I hope you realize that SOME human men just can't take flattery."
"T'Pol, I hope you realize that some human women are very conniving in the way they like to embarrass their male counterparts."
"I heard that!"
"...Water, I need water! Oh, thanks, Malcolm. You're so sweet-in a masculine sort of cabana boy way... Am I going to get dragged into the ocean again?"
-----
"Alright, Malcolm, let's try to volley the ball to each other to show T'Pol what we mean...You need to quit using your knees. Hands are legal in this game you know."
"...Let me show you how to serve, Malcolm. Hm, you've got good hands. You're starting to look flushed. Are you hot? I think you're hot. I meant--MEN!"
"...T'Pol, you saw from the video how the play is set up. I'll just hit it straight up so that you can get under it. Then you just attack the ball and slam it into the opposing court. Don't hold anything back."
"Sub-commander, perhaps you should back up on the force so that we don't tear down the net every time you hit the ball...Hoshi, the Captain won't be pleased if we generate a casualty list."
"I've recruited three cabana boys to practice against...Don't worry about how I managed to do that, Malcolm. Just serve the ball!"
"Water! Now!... You really are a very attentive cabana boy, Malcolm."
-----
"All of these boards are light-weight and have the three fins that allow for maximum maneuverability. I'll take the longest one. And before you say it, Ensign, yes, I know size isn't everything, but in this case, it is important!"
"...Yes, Sub-commander, humans have been standing on boards riding the waves for centuries... Hoshi, I never thought I would see a Vulcan actually turn green."
"...It's really just a matter of physics, Sub-commander. The wave is constantly pulling your board up while you're constantly sliding down... Spend some time watching the waves so that you can predict where the break begins... Look for a hollow wave that peels. That means... Take the shoulder at an angle and you can get a nice long ride..."
"Now that we've reviewed the basics, let's hit the water... Hoshi, stay as close to T'Pol as you can. Make sure she stays on the small waves....Perhaps we should have her stay on mushy ones. She doesn't look very comfortable. I'll try to keep an eye on her as well."
"Well, it's good to know you can swim, Sub-commander. Now that you've experienced every way in which a person can wipe out, let's try to work on actually standing on the board..."
"Good work! You actually stayed up for a whole minute... Hoshi, you know the eating contest is starting to look a bit more attractive."
-----
Day 5 Evening
"Crickets bothering you again, Hoshi? I thought I'd find you out here. We've got a long day tomorrow, you should rest."
"I know! I tried, Malcolm, really I did, but with the full moons the light just kept streaming into my room. So I grabbed a blanket to come out here."
"Last night it was the crickets that kept you up. The night before that it was thinking about the choreography. I don't know how much more of your insomnia I can survive."
"You're just tired of waking up with your arm asleep. Thanks for staying with me, though. It seems to be the only way I can get any rest here."
"I am obliged to see to the welfare of my crew, even if it means the loss of feeling to my arm."
"You are such a dedicated cabana boy. Maybe T'Pol should be out here with us instead of meditating alone inside."
"You're worried about her, too, aren't you? I think she's spent most of the night meditating so that she'll be able to complete the events tomorrow."
"I know. I just never expected to see a Vulcan come so close to panicking. It's almost imperceptible, but if Vulcans showed emotion--she's genuinely distressed. Her approach is so reluctant, her posture's just a little too tight, she actually closed her eyes tightly the first time we got her on the board. T'Pol helped me so much when we were stuck on that Klingon ship, I wish I could do something for her now."
"You are, Hoshi. If anyone can get her through this, it's you."
"With a lot of help from you, Malcolm... I'm sorry I've been such a witch to you sometimes while we've been here. I feel so much pressure to make this mission succeed!"
"Hoshi, you've had to deal with my temper in the past, but you still stay friends with me. Now don't say another word about it. Your cabana boy is at your service."
"Well, then, I think I need a pillow. Assume the position, Cabana Boy. Hm. Now this is comfortable... Malcolm, I think I'm getting too used to this... Ahem, sooo, tell me about how you learned to surf."
"My father. It's one of the few things that we actually both enjoy doing. Every year he would take me to another part of the world just to surf. We'd catch transport off an RAF plane. I remember the first time..."
*****
Author Notes:
Liberties were taking in describing volleyball, Tai Chi and surfing. I blame Disney's Lilo and Stitch for inspiration.
No reviews are necessary. Thanks for reading.