"It's the Ocean!" Part 1: Paradise Found (Backpost)

Posted on Mon Sep 22nd, 2025 @ 7:53pm by Lieutenant Commander Alexander Espersen & Captain Calypso Skyie & Lieutenant JG Raven Windancer & Lieutenant JG Katie Kellerman
Edited on on Mon Sep 22nd, 2025 @ 8:05pm

Mission: Lower Decks
Location: Captain's Ready Room; Unnamed Class O Planet
Timeline: Before Tial arrival

ON

The ship was on course for the Tialan homeworld, due to arrive in just over six days. Six boring days. Not a thing to do. The ship was working so well that the engineers were getting bored. There were so few objects of stellar interest nearby that the scientists were opening old sample containers for their studies. Everyone was so healthy that the tiniest injuries got Kellerman’s heart racing.

And so when McMillen and Benvenuto showed the First Officer their findings of a recent probe survey, Alexander Espersen took it immediately to the Captain in her Ready Room.

He showed her the images on a PADD. “Class O, Captain, with an Oxygen-Nitrogen atmosphere. Ninety-one percent ocean. Land masses in the form of small islands around the equatorial region. Climate like the Maldives on Earth, sunny and hovering near thirty Celsius. No evidence of civilization. No evidence of any kind of life other than dune grasses and palm trees.”

"Sounds like a blast." Cally laid her head back down on the desk where it had been when Alex had walked in. With nothing going on meant that her days were routine and boring with no outlets whatsoever. Even playing tennis with Jade had only resulted in more defeats, to the at-least temporary delight of the engineer. "Sounds like you're just teasing me right now."

“Here’s what I propose,” he continued. “We enter orbit for twelve hours. Set up two spots along the coast of this island here,” he said, pointing on the PADD. “This bay is a sandy paradise. And this spot here has waves that some might enjoy surfing. We let anyone who wants to beam down enjoy a brief shore leave. If we stay for twelve hours, which will be entirely in daylight given the planet’s rotation speed, it might actually put us arriving at Tial at a better time of day. Noon instead of midnight.” Every detail contributed to the man’s rationalization. “And given the cultural differences aboard the ship, we can also distinguish the Bay as being a nude beach. Anyone not wanting that will still get to beam down to the far coast. So what do you think?”

"So you AREN'T teasing me with a good time? And you're giving us a good reason for which to go to this paradise planet?" She raised her head and gave him a searching look, looking for any signs that he was just playing with her mind and not seeing things, "Twelve hours of sun and sand and not a shred of clothing? You're serious? But who'll be up here on the bridge? Wouldn't want anyone to just waltz along and take the ship for a joy-ride."

“Well, first, we would ask for volunteers,” Alexander suggested. “Not everyone wants a beach day. Anyone who volunteers bridge and engineering watches can be offered a perk of some kind. Extra holodeck privileges, maybe, or shore leave priority next time we offer it. If there aren’t enough volunteers, then a few people are asked to take a four-hour shift. And I’ll always be reachable; I’ll have Doctor Kellerman give me a subdermal communicator. In a pinch, I beam back up, bringing with me anyone I might need to handle a crisis.”

"I'm not volunteering!" Cally stated bluntly, but it was definitely clear that she knew that if needed she would do it, "Besides that I don't need more holodeck time, but I'm going to spend as much time working on my tan as I possibly can. I've been stuck here on board the ship or doing diplomatic duty ever since I officially took over. Some time on the ground when I DON'T have to be on my best behavior is what's called for. We can announce that there's no rank on the ground, so we're all just people and we can allow officers and enlisted to mingle if so desired."

“Absolutely, no rank on the ground,” Alexander agreed. “Nowhere to put a rank pip on a nude beach anyway.” He leaned forward. “I’ll order Windancer to alter course. We’ll arrive tomorrow at oh-nine-hundred. I’ll handle all logistics, with a bit of help from Michelle getting food for everyone. My special training team will arrange for beach gear but they’ve earned their leave too.” He smiled. “I’m quite looking forward to this actually.”

"I can um..." Calypso bit her upper lip at the thought of all the fun she could have on the ground, but she HAD to show she was looking out for the crew as well, "Help with coming up with optional activities? I'm sure some people would play beach volleyball and some frisbees and beach balls and lounge chairs, towels, you know, everything that goes with a day on the beach?"

“All ideas welcome,” Alexander said. “But you deserve as much a break as anyone else. Let’s get you out of that uniform and onto that sand.” He knew her so well by this point.

Cally stood from behind her desk with a laugh, "But I presume you mean at oh-nine-hundred getting me out of the uniform, not this very minute?" She took a few steps around the intervening future, light in her eyes, "By the way, which side of the beach are YOU planning on being on, Alex?"

“I’ll want to visit both, if only to make sure everyone is having fun,” he answered. “But I’ll probably enjoy my own time on the nude side. There was a domed sea resort back home that was a big clothing optional spa and beach. Najaat and I always had a good…time…” He trailed off and went quiet, turning away.

"Well, if you decide to need to hide behind a dune to get some privacy, I'll be there to keep an eye on you." Cally said with a wink as she ribbed him, "Oh, we need to make sure to check the water before ANYone goes in. Some planets have a high heavy-metal content and if the waters show anything that could be hazardous, we're going to have to make them off-limits."

"I'll lead an away team for some close up scans of the sites," he said, nodding. "Myself, Valleroy, McMillen, and Kellerman will go down first. We should be able to fully assess the safety of both sites in twenty minutes or so. And then people can start beaming down."

"Doesn't sound bad, so just long enough to pack a couple of towels, maybe an umbrella and get to the transporter room." She held out her hand in an odd gesture, "You have my blessing, Commander, change course and get us to a nice little vacation spot."

"Yes, ma'am." A smile on half his face, he turned on his heel and returned to the bridge. "Ms. Windancer, alter course, three-four-nine-mark-two, maintain speed."

"Aye, Commander. Changing course to three-four-nine-mark-two, maintaining speed." Raven answered, a flutter of anticipation awakening in her.

HOURS LATER

The survey was complete. Both beaches were free of environmental hazards. No microbes that might cause illness, no toxins, no predators of any kind, no dangerous contaminants in the water. The weather would be a warm 30 degrees Celsius, a gentle wind, and no clouds. The worst anyone might get is a nasty sunburn if they didn't take care.

And so the first crewmembers started beaming planetside. A handful had helpfully set up a space near the beam-down site, where towels, beach chairs, shade umbrellas, beach game activities, and sunscreen could be taken, and someone volunteering from the replicator shop was beaming down restock as needed.

Signs had been posted to indicate the path East toward the coast beach, where the waves would make for excellent swimming and surfing, or the path South toward the bay beach, which had calmer waters for lounging in a clothing-optional setting.

Espersen, in some Starfleet issue command red swim trunks and with a towel over one shoulder, tapped his new subdermal communicator installed near his ear. "Espersen to Bridge. The beach is open. Repeat, the beach is open."

"All sands, brace for impact!" Katie said, jumping up from the Engineering station and skipping to the turbolift.



To be continued...