Rock Climbing Ahoy!: Part 1

Posted on 12 Jul 2010 @ 11:10pm by

2,843 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: M6: Blood of the Innocent
Location: Holodeck 2
Timeline: Current Day, 18:00 hours

ON:

Anara and Edom were dressed in matching outfits. Both of them wore brown cargo shorts, hiking boots and a plain white t-shirt. Anara had her hair pulled back into a simple pony tail. Both of them also wore professional hiking gloves. They walked up to Holodeck 2, "Computer please start Program Kola-Alpha, code Exogeology Montane."

The computer made a low hum and then the doors open to Dahkur Province on Bajor. As they came in, they found themselves on top of Kola Mountain.

"Computer- start us at the bottom of the mountain. Add climbing equipment, " she said. The image changed to where Edom and herself started at the bottom of the mountain. Those that wished to actually climb could simply tell the computer to start them at the bottom and they would appear beside Anara and her son. Edom had the proper belts and ropes to fit his size perfectly.

Anara made sure all of the equipment was set. She tugged a little at the belts on her body, and she made sure that Edom was properly tethered to her. She looked around her, taking in the beautiful sight of the large green mountains. Every single one was massive in size. The sky was a medium blue with very few clouds in the sky. Bajor's five moons could barely be seen in the sky.

"Isn't it beautiful, darling? And think- this was the place where our people held a resistance against the Cardassians. Shakkar Edon- led the resistance. He is a hero among our people and the very reason why I named you after him. Let's wait for the others while we enjoy the gorgeous landscape of our homeland," she said with pride in her voice as she looked at the majestic mountains.

"Then we will trail Shakkar Edon's trail up to the top, mommy?" Edom asked, holding her hand.

She leaned down and kissed his forehead, "Exactly."

Wandella had managed to sneak up behind Anara without being noticed and whispered into her ear, "What will Wandella get if she calls you Mommy?"

Anara straightened out and gave a soft laugh to Wandella's whisper. She shrugged her shoulders, "I'd be willing to kiss your forehead, I guess. This is my son, Meru Edom." She placed Edom between them. He offered his hand to her , "Nice to meet you, ma'am."

~Damn! I thought she was just kidding about all the other people being here. Of all the times to meet an honest person it has to be when I'm trying to score!~ Wandella smiled and took his hand, "Is good to meet you, but, please, not with the ma'am stuff, huh? Makes Wandella feel so very old."

"Okay, Wandella- you can call me Edom. Have you rock climbed before?" he asked innocently.

"Oh, yes." Wandella smiled, "I used to climb all over Romania where I am from. Mountains, hills, even the side of Dracula's castle. Wandella is climbing legend. What about you, Edom?"

"Mommy says that I climbed before I could walk. When I turned four, she let me come along rock climbing with her. She keeps the safety proto calls on, " he responded easily.

Anara moved toward Wandella's belt loops, so they can all be tethered together, "Jessica may be joining us later. Jessica has a injury, so she can't climb, but she will meet us on top of the mountain with a delicious dinner."

"Are you ready to go?" she held the hooks in her hand, ready to set them into the side of the mountain. She had planned to lead them up, but she wouldn't argue if Wandella wanted to lead. She usually rock climbed alone or with Edom, so having someone go first would be a welcome relief.

Wandella looked the two of them over, it wouldn't do for Anara to try to lead them up the mountain and have to try to take care of Edom at the same time, "Yes, am ready." She nodded, then added, "Why doesn't Wandella lead?"

Jess walked in the door slowly holding the picnic basket and grinned at Anara before kneeling down to say hi to Edom "Hi sweetie ... you all ready to climb?"

"We were just about to. This is my son- Edom. Edom- this is my friend Jessica."

Edom turned toward the red haired woman and offered his hand, "Are you the one having the party?" He offered her a sweet smile.

"I am sweetie ..." She held out her hand to shake his.

Edom shook her hand, "Congrat lations," he said brightly. "I want to go to the party, but mommy said it was just for adults."

Jess smiled at him "Maybe your mummy will let you come for the presents at the beginning?"

Anara smiled and then shook her head, "This party will be far too...adult for him. That includes the presents" She hoped that Jessica would her emphasis.

"Are you going to climb with us?" he asked excitedly.

Jess shook her head, "I will meet you guys at the top."

"Why can't Jess climb with us?" Edom asked.

Jess nodded "I had a little oops and had to see the doctor sweetheart ... and the doctor don't want me doing much for two weeks ... there was a little bit of a complication."

Anara turned toward Wandella, "Alright- go ahead and start us off." She gestured for Wandella to begin putting in the hooks into the side of the mountain. She'll follow after Wandella, then Edom.

Wandella didn't waste any time finding where to put her hooks, nailing them into prime locations quickly and beginning her ascent, "Well, coming?" She asked the others.

Anara followed Wandella up, using her hooks to move her up the great mountain. Edom moved behind her, showing that he was stronger than he looked. There were multiple crevasses and little insteps for small feet and large feet.

"Have you ever climbed the Kola mountains of Bajor, Wandella? The rock striations are quite lovely..." she mentioned as she moved up the mountain. The rock striations were indeed beautiful, they moved from a dark blue to a light blue in some areas and then a dark green to a light green in others. There were even some red, orange and yellow coloring as well.

Anara glanced behind her to see that Edom was following her safety rules, keeping his hand on the rope and waiting until he found a strong footing to climb up.

"No, never got there unfortunately." Wandella answered, "When I was in Bajor sector and around Badlands and DMZ I spent most of life in shuttle and didn't get to climb the way I wanted. But, if this is any accuracy, it is indeed beautiful there. Might be on list to see soon."

"Wow...I've never actually been to Bajor since my mother managed to stow away on a ship to leave Cardassian rule. All that I know is simply what I've researched. I actually created this program from the images that were taken in the planetary files. I want Edom to know where he came from, " she mentioned.

"So then take Edom to Bajor." Wandella suggested, it seemed simple enough, ~Scientists, if it not come in a beaker or on sample tray they have no clue what to do!~

"I have a responsibility to Star Fleet. I am sure we will get there....some day..." she said somewhat hesitantly. The truth was...she was somewhat afraid of going back. She remembered hearing stories of the labor and the pain that her people endured under Cardassian rule. It was true that they had won their independence, but going back also meant possibly facing relatives she never knew. Relatives that she could become attached to and then helplessly watch die. She didn't want to put Edom through that. She didn't want to go through that.

"When, mommy?" Edom asked, coming up behind her.

She turned toward him, "Some day." Although she was unsure if they would ever get there.

She turned back to Wandella to continue their climb, "We're actually following a path that my people followed during the resistance. Shakkar Edom led the resistance up to the mountain. The Bajorans knew their territory better, and so they used that against the Cardassians. When they arrived at the top, they were ready to ambush the Cardassians and that was one of the first on a long strand of many wins for Bajorans."

"We have similar mountain in Romania where my many times Great-Grandfather ambushed the Nazis during the Second World War." Wandella remembered, "And he thought of it because his many times great grandfather ambushed Vlad the Impaler there. Mountains are good land, especially in fight."

Anara smiled as she listened to Wandella speak of her ancestor. "I have heard some people compare the Cardassian occupation to the Nazis. There are some similarities...but I understand it wasn't as brutal as the Holocaust. Cardassians were more focused on having Bajorans look up to them as superior, rather than to simply rid them from the earth."

"Well, thankfully Cardassians were short sighted and left Bajora to fly back at their throats." Wandella nodded, ~Since they would have died if they had waited on Federation to help.~

Anara nodded, thinking thoughtfully about the fight that her people had to find the energy to continue. A part of her wished that she had been there, but another part knew that at her age- there was very little she could do.

"Those were tragic times, but things are better now. Romania has her independence, Bajor has it's independence and we are free to let our culture thrive," she spoke positively.

She bent her knee to move herself up an instep. She noticed a large cave on the side of the mountain. "Hey- how about we stop at the cave for a little bit? We can do some spelunking."

"Yeah, sounds like fun." Wandella laughed, "Besides, is not good to get too tired or hot."

Anara moved into the cave and settled Edom inside as well, she gestured for them to join her, "I am just fascinated by these formations. Feel the rock, Edom. This is called a solution cave. The rock is dissolved by natural acid in groundwater that seeps through bedding-planes, faults and joints. Over geological epochs cracks expand to become caves."

As Edom moved his small hands over the inside wall of the cave, Anara turned towards Wandella, "I hate to miss out on a learning opportunity. We still have quite a bit to go though." She began stretching out her legs. "Having fun?"

"It's probably been a couple of weeks for me since I last rock climbed. I try to do it at least once a week, but I have been slipping a bit," she responded She stretched out her hamstrings and calves.

"Lots of fun, almost like being home again." Wandella smiled, turning to Edom, "You know, Edom, my Grandfather Nicolae told me how caves happened when I was little girl. He said dragons dig them out of mountains with their claws." She turned to the lovely scientist and smiled, "What? We tell better stories in Romania, not my fault!"

Anara scrunched her nose up in confusion and then she let off a soft laugh, "That is one of the most interesting stories I have heard- that's for sure."

Edom just blinked, "Dragons don't exist. Dinosaurs did exist, some might get dinosaurs confused with dragons..." He moved deeper into the cave. There was a stream of light coming in from the top and drops of water falling through.

"And how do you know we no have dragons in Romania?" Wandella playfully engaged him, "Have you ever been to Romania? Climbed our mountains? Gone into the caves in the very high peaks?"

"No..." he responded easily.

Wandella leaned over and got face to face with Edom, laughing, "Me either, there's dragons there!"

"Then how do YOU know there are dragons there?" he asked, looking at her seriously.

"I don't." Wandella grinned, "But I'm not taking any chances."

Edom let out a giggle, "I'm sure there aren't any dragons in here." He moved his fingers into the stream of water, he moved it over the rough rock.

Anara was surprised at how well Wandella was getting along with her son. She had been certain the woman wasn't a "kid" person.

"Yeah, I bet there's no fish either." Wandella said sadly, fishing in mountain streams was something else she'd enjoyed growing up, "But, this is fun for not the real thing."

Edom gave Wandella a smile, "Maybe we can go fishing next time?" He looked at Anara.

"Perhaps. I think we've given John enough of a break. We still have a lot of climbing to do," Anara spoke up.

"Yes, let's get moving," Wandella agreed, reaching into her bag and fishing out a small wrapped treat for Edom, "Romanian chocolate, for when we get to top."

Edom glanced at his mother for permission, when she nodded he took the offered candy, unwrapped it in shoved into his mouth. He chewed on it happily.

Anara ran her hand over his back, "What do you say?"

"Thank you," came his muffled reply as he chewed the sweet treat.

Anara led the way out of the cave and then waited patiently for Wandella to start up the mountain. It was turning out to be a fun climb indeed. Her muscles were aching to continue.

Wandella laughed a little as Edom wolfed down the treat, which she'd originally brought as a carnal bribe for Anara, before starting back up the mountain, "Come on, let's go!" ~Sweet kid. Not like I want a kid or anything, but still, he's sweet.~

Anara followed easily behind Wandella, bending her knees and moving along the rock with her gloved hands and hiking boots. She would stop for a while to allow Edom to catch up.

Just as they were coming close to the top, Edom slips and he screams out.

"Hold onto the rope, sweety! You're not going to fall. Take a deep breath, and you'll be okay," she called out to him. She couldn't see him from where she was, but she wanted him to see that he was stronger than he thought.

Wandella had to fight the urge to let go and fast rope down after him, ~Remember, is just holodeck, Wandella, not real mountain.~ Still, it nagged at her, "I can go down for him if you'd like, Anara." She offered.

"Thank you for the offer, but he can do this," she said seriously to Wandella. She listened for a response.

After an agonizing minute and a half, Edom was able to swing himself back to the rock and move his feet onto the instep, crawling up over a boulder that blocked Anara's view. His face was covered in soot, but he was obviously proud of himself for making the climb.

Anara urged him to continue climbing, "You did a wonderful job, Edom. We're almost there." She wanted to hug him, but she would loose her footing if she did so. She gave Wandella a nod to continue moving to the peak where Jessica had dinner waiting for them.

Reassured that Edom was in fact okay, Wandella continued leading the group up the side of the mountain, ~Hopefully there won't be anymore surprises.~

Edom seemed to be following along well enough as they finally reached the top.

"You climb good for little man." Wandella smiled, playfully messing with Edom's hair, "Congratulations."

Edom hugged Wandella's leg, "That was the first time I tripped, but I wasn't hurt." He smiled brightly at Anara. "Not comes the best part, dinner! I'm hungry."

Anara laughed, taking notice to how her son was getting along with Wandella, "And I think she might have your favorites too..." She led the way onto the top of the mountain where Jessica had set up dinner for them.

Jess looked at the intrepid explorers with a smile "How was the climb guys?"

"It was wonderful! Edom had a little slip, but he was able to work his way up. Do you happen to have a napkin?" Anara spoke up. She moved to sit on the blanket. She wanted to clean up Edom's face before he ate.

"Really is something we must do more often." Wandella laughed, doing a quick set of one armed pushups, "Especially with Edom around to keep dragons away."

Jess handed over a bottle of water and a couple of serviettes with a smile "My little brother is like you Edom ... can get dirty in a snow storm."

Anara poured the bottle of water onto the napkins and began wiping his face. Edom turned his face a little. He obviously didn't like having his face cleaned, but he allowed her to finish.

Edom and Anara took off their gloves and boots and settled with their legs crossed on the blanket, looking to Jessica expectantly to show what food she had arranged for them.

OFF:

Lt. Meru Anara
CSO

&

Lt. Jessica Cole
CEO

&

Lt. (jg) Wandella Kristere
CFO

 

RSS Feed