The First Blossom Of Spring

Posted on Mon Mar 31st, 2014 @ 4:58pm by Lieutenant Riley Sukotav & Lieutenant Commander Gilroy & Ensign Reva Madhava

Mission: Breaking New Ground
Location: Charu

* * * Charu * * *

“Acknowledged.” Riley closed the comm channel and took a look around. It was sunny and warm, the temperature perfect. It felt so good to be outside. He glanced at his tricorder. The coordinates from Nick were about a five minute walk, more or less. He closed the tricorder and slipped it back in his pocket. “Reva!”

Standing nearby on a large rock, Reva called back, "Right here!" She then realized there was a bush hiding her from him.

“Let’s go, we got a call from Leto. There’s some weird flower they want us to check, though why two telepaths need to look at a flower I don’t know. Maybe from a scientific point of view but...whatever.” He stepped out from behind the bush and spotted Reva. “It’s only about a five minute walk.”

"Oo! I like flowers!" She hopped down from the rock and bounced towards Riley. "C'mon, gentlemen!" She led the way, leaving Gilroy to give Riley a disgruntled glare. Reva could feel Gilroy's disapproval of her but, down here on a planet, under a real sun and with the occasional refreshing breeze, she wasn't going to let him spoil the fun of an away assignment.

“Well, you heard the lady.” Riley grinned at Gilroy and turned to catch up with Reva. They cross a grassy field and entered the treeline, following Nick’s directions.

Grunting, Gilroy followed the two. Lady wasn't a word he'd use for the Orion.

Up ahead, just a few minutes later, Reva crested a small hill and overlooked a meadow. "Pretty," she commented as Riley joined her.

“It is,” Riley agreed. “The initial surveys show this whole sector as the suggested best site for the colony, based on topography, water supplies, sub-tropical climate...you get the idea.” He shaded his eyes and studied the area of the forest that lay at their feet. The brightly colored flower was easy to spot. “There.”

"Wow!" Reva enthused. Her engineer's brain was running overtime, assessing space and grade and apparent soil stability. She pulled out a tricorder and started a scan of the area as she started towards the flower. "It would be good..., there's a network of caves over thatta way," she gestured, nearly hitting Gilroy, who'd caught up to them. "I'd love to go check those out."

"Not with me along," grumbled Gilroy.

“You don’t like caves, Gilroy?” Riley glanced over to the Klingon with curiosity.

"Caves, small closets, places where you might find Ignatius' non-sentient relations," Gilroy shuddered.

“They can hold some interesting things. But for now, flower. Let’s go see what’s up.” Riley trotted down the low hill, moving towards the tall flower.

Reva snickered at Gilroy then went after Riley. As they drew closer to the flower, she approached it first and it shrank away from her. "Hey," she said, surprised. "It moved!"

“I was guessing something strange was afoot.” Riley scanned the flower, which was obligingly still. “Nothing all that unusual, by this planet’s standards. At least from the reports I was given. I wonder why Nick --” He stopped as the flower leaned towards him slowly.

Reva frowned. "Seems to like you."

Gilroy again caught up with them and stood near Riley. The flower stretched closer still. He grunted, unsure whether to reach for a phaser or find garden shears.

As the flower turned its attention to Gilroy, Riley began to scan it once again. Suddenly, a fine power shot out of it and onto Gilroy’s shoulder. “What the hell?” He turned the tricorder on Gilroy, but the readings were normal, aside from slightly elevated endorphin levels. “Gilroy?”

Gil stumbled back and swiped a hand over his face. Some of the... pollen? had gotten on his skin. Reva held her breath, watching him, only half-hoping it wasn't poison. "Augh!" Gilroy exclaimed then suddenly laughed, a happy, boisterous sound. It was incongruous with his earlier sourpuss attitude.

Reva shot a glance at Riley. "Um. Gilroy? You OK?"

Gilroy was still laughing, but he managed to nod. "Really lovely."

“Lovely?” Riley blinked in surprise at hearing that come from Gilroy. He examined the tricorder and then showed it to Reva. Gil’s endorphins were a good twenty percent above normal but there were no other signs of ill effects. “What do you think of that?”

"It's... entertaining. Or, could be," she answered, mischievously.

“Just as long as he doesn’t start dancing or quoting poetry.” Riley grinned. “You picking up anything from it Reva?” He stepped back several paces as the flower turned in his direction.

"Hmm? Oh," she looked at her tricorder and shook her head but then, on looking back up at Riley, realized he didn't mean with that equipment. She concentrated on the flower a moment, frowned and started to reach for it. "Maybe if I touch it...," she reasoned. Yelping, she jumped back, shaking her hand. In her fingers, there were several large thorns embedded. "Oh! Ow!"

Gilroy, rather than take action as a security officer, giggled. It wasn't a good sound coming from the half-Klingon.

Riley frowned seeing the thorns. “Let’s get you two back to the ship so Dr. Mi can take a look, just to be on the safe side.” He motioned Gilroy and Reva to get moving, then regarded the flower. All he could sense was a sensuous happy vibe. He took a few steps back, then turned to follow his fellow officers.

******************
Lt. Riley Sukatov
Lt. Gilroy
Ensign Reva Madhava

Flower Targets