Storms and Mountains and Pirates, Oh My, Part 1

Posted on Sat 26th Dec, 2020 @ 3:35pm by Lieutenant Elliot Jericho & Lieutenant Commander Kiara Lena

1,424 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Denouement
Location: Uncharted Planet in the Thetacron Sector
Timeline: MD: 2, 0550 hours

Elliot and Kiara quickly found a cave that suited their need for a safe place to rest. It wasn't very deep nor did it harbor any lifeforms. Elliot quickly made a fire from dry wood that he found to warm them and keep away any unwanted pests. "Are you hungry? Come sit by the fire so you can warm up. I don't want you to get sick from wearing those damp clothes."

"Thanks." Kiara was feeling chilly and the fire would help a lot. "I have some food in my pack. We'll have to see what we have for tonight and tomorrow morning." She'd planned for one night's stay, but they'd lost a lot of time with that creature and she wasn't sure if they'd get to the beacon point and back to their cave before dark tomorrow.

"I'm starving, but perhaps we should ration the food until we get back to camp. I'll take only half a portion." Elliot said. He wanted to make sure that they had enough food until they returned back to their cave.

She shook her head. "There's a good chance we can find something to eat along the way. After the day we've had, I think we need food. We can eat half now and half for breakfast, then head out and search for food along the way. We can always find some small animal to roast if we have to."

"Okay." Elliot agreed, "Half now and half when we wake up. I'm not sure we should try any type of plants, they could be poisonous. Perhaps we could make a snare for some small game, but it would take time since we will have to wait for them to come to the snare." They needed to get up to the top of the mountain and set up the beacon and didn't have a lot of time to be sitting around hunting and trapping food.

"Valid point," she said. "So, half now, half in the morning, and we'll do our best to place the beacon and get back to camp before dark." She was still feeling chilly had hoped some food would be good for both of them.

In the dim campfire light Elliot noticed Kiara shiver, "There is a dry blanket in my pack, I think we should share it close to the campfire." It was a common practice in emergency survival situations that two persons should share body heat.

Kiara's first reaction was to say she was fine, but she knew she wasn't. "I have a blanket, too. I didn't think of it. Perhaps the two will be sufficient." She fumbled for her bag and noticed she was a bit uncoordinated. She got up and went to her bag, slowly and carefully pulling out some of the food and her blanket. "We need to get dry."

"Then we should remove our clothes and also put them by the fire so they can dry out. That would allow us to warm up a bit." Elliot said as he watched her gather the food and blanket.

That's what she'd been thinking. "Apologies to your wife," she said, stripping down to her underwear and wrapping herself in a blanket. Then, feeling slightly better, she spread her wet clothes on a rock by the fire. It did feel better. Now they needed to eat.

"Apologies are not necessary unless the motives were different. Although I do find you attractive, you're married and to the best of my knowledge I am too." Elliot began to remove his clothes so he could get covered by his own warm blanket. After they ate and got ready to sleep he would have to talk Kiara into cuddling to share body warmth while they slept.

"I am not married. I'm not even sure I'm in a relationship," she admitted. "And while I appreciate the compliment, I do not hit on married men." Just ones in love with the ghosts of their dead wives. When she put it that way, it didn't sound very good.

She was in a somber mood as she ate her food. It had nothing to do with Elliot or his comment. In fact, she was flattered, and if their situations were different, she could see herself being attracted to him, too. But right now she couldn't even think of anyone but Dallas.

When she finished eating, she was still cold, but not as much as before.

"Right," Elliot said almost apologetically as he began to eat his...food while covering himself with his blanket. When they both were done eating he spoke up, "We should get some rest." He paused for a moment before reluctantly adding. "As I mentioned before, we need to share bodily heat and that requires close proximity, spooning I believe is what they call it."

"No need to sound so reluctant. While I wish the fire would be enough, as I don't want to cause you any problems, I know it won't," she admitted. She was also stubborn, which did not help in this situation. "How should we do this?"

"It's not a problem," Elliot responded with a warm smile, "And I think we should do this laying down." He teased. He placed his blanket on the ground close enough to the fire to keep them warm, but not too close as to catch fire. Elliot got down and lay on one side, 'Your turn, you can lay in front of me or in back of me, your choice."

"I have yet to master the art of sleeping on my feet," she quipped. She settled in front of him and spread her blanket over them both.

Elliot placed his arm over her and hugged her tightly pulling their bodies close together, fitting like pieces of a puzzle. Elliot felt the warmth of her body against him. This was the first time he had touched another woman since he had met Meghan and even though it was for survival, he felt guilty. He felt guilty for being alive when she might be dead, but he didn't know one way or the other. He had found no evidence and he should have been searching for her instead of taking this mission.

Kiara didn't sleep well. Elliott reminded her too much of Dallas--even though the Chief of Security was officially just a friend. That didn't stop her from falling for him. Laying beside another man made her miss Dallas and wish he were here with her. It had been so long. For the hundredth time, she wondered if he know she was gone? Had anyone sent out a search party? There were so many places the shuttle could have gone they might never be found, and that also made Kiara sad. For herself, but more for Elliott and his wife.

Elliot woke several times during the night, not sure why. He thought that Kiara may have stirred a little, but wasn't sure. He hope that she was warm enough to sleep well or as well as she could. They both needed all the rest they could get. The sunrise woke Elliot, that meant that the clouds were probably gone and that meant that they probably wouldn't get wet or a while. He allowed her to sleep a little longer.

He had no idea how much longer he had slept, but the impulse engines of the small craft woke him up, nearly startling him. He sat up tying to get a glimpse of the ship.

Kiara dreamed she heard a transporter, but knew it was impossible. They'd been in a cave during a storm. Both were going to mess with anyone trying to find them. However, when she woke once and felt a sharp prick in her neck. When she woke again, she was alone in a dark room. On a bed. She tried to move, but decided it was best to hold still and listen.

Elliot got stood up when he noticed that Kiara was no longer with him. He would have woke if she had gotten up to go use the bathroom or something. He walked outside of the cave and looked around for her. He decided not to yell for her for fear of being heard by whomever was on that ship or by more of those creatures. There was no sign of her so the only thing that he could think of was that she was taken, but why just her, why not both of them unless this was a game. Then the game was afoot.

TBC.......

 

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