(Galartha, Risa - Day Three - Five)
[OOC: Just accounting for some of shore leave and testing out writing a little of Uhura's history out of sheer boredom - just skip over this!]
As her footing slipped for the third time that hour, Nyota wondered if she hadn't overestimated her abilities. It had been a while since she'd climbed something so tall, and after she passed the halfway point the footholds had started shifting erratically. To challenge those willing to get to the top, that was what the instructor had informed her as he double checked her equipment. And if there was one thing that an Uhura would not turn down, it was a challenge.
With a deep intake of breath, she steadied herself against the cliff face and grabbed the nearest hold, heaving herself up. For a brief moment she simply watched as the surface changed, one outcrop melting back into the wall as another appeared. There was no particular pattern to it, but she hadn't expected there to be. As best she could tell (for her inner clock was in no way as advanced as Spock's) each hold lasted a minute, maybe two, before it gave way and changed position randomly.
The muscles in her arms were protesting against the quick movements, but Nyota ignored it, quickly gripping the newest hold to appear nearby and pressing up with her legs. Rule number one of rock climbing: never look down. So she concentrated on keeping her eyes upwards, to the top of the cliff that was slowly appearing in her line of sight. Her right foot caught in an arête, and she used the advantage to propel herself up a little further. For a moment she almost slipped, her hand grasping a hold that was quickly disappearing, but she caught herself and lunged for the one beside it. Now she was so close there was no way in hell she was going to bail.
A few more bumps and one slam later, she finally reached the last outcrop before the crux. From here there was only a number of paths to the top and no easy reprieves. She only had a quick breather, knowing that the outcrop would melt away from under her if she didn't keep moving. So sucking in another lungful of air, she pushed herself up once more. This was the most difficult part, but also the quickest, and it was only another fifteen minutes before her fingers finally felt the familiar curve that signified the end.
She felt the last rush of adrenaline, pushed her foot into the last hold at waist level and scrambled upwards, pulling herself up and over the edge. For a moment she was still, stomach pressed against the dusty floor, as she caught her breath. Then, opening the eyes she hadn't realized she'd closed, she burst into a bright smile and looked around at her victory.
Though the wall itself was artificial, it had been built up against a naturally formed cliff and Nyota could feel the cool breeze blowing in from the coast to her west. She shrugged off the backpack, unhooked the safety ropes from her middle and dropped them beside the piton. It had definitely been worth it, she decided, pushing the hair that had escaped its tie away from her hot face. In one direction was the hotel she had left the day before, barely visible from her vantage point. Brightly colored trees dotted the path that would take her back, and all she could see of Suraya Bay was the tips of the highest buildings. Everything else was lush greens, spotted with a myriad of colors; pinks, reds, purples, colors she didn't even know the name for. If there hadn't been two suns rising high above her, she would have almost believed she was back home.
Twisting on her heel, she turned her attention to the ocean view. It was far better than anything she had seen back in the city. It was just endless blue, so crystal clear she imagined that she could see small dots swimming underneath the surface. But she was far too high up to pick out anything but vague shapes. Behind her was the forest she had trekked through to get here, which had been an experience in itself. The Risians had filled it with tame creatures from all over the known universe; she alone had seen a herd of Earth deer, as well as a pair of Degebian mountain goats. The path she had taken was easy, well walked, not wanting to get lost and have to abandon her trip early.
Another climber a few hundred yards down had completed the climb too, and their cries of victory drew Nyota out of her thoughtful daze. It was then she remembered one of the various reasons for making this trip. Ducking down, she opened her pack and rifled through it until she pulled out what she had been looking for: a small, portable holo recorder. Resting it in one hand, she switched it on and checked to see if it was recording, before tilting it over the edge to see how far up she had travelled. Once she had a quick sweep of that, she captured a few minutes of the view before settling it on nearest rock. She folded herself gracefully down in front of it, legs stretched out in front of her and settling either side of the rock. There were only a few minor scratches marring her skin, and a handful of bruises that weren't entirely from the climb. Considering a few of the horror stories the guide had told her about broken limbs and concussions, her own injuries were practically nothing. The nastiest thing she had gotten was a deep purple and green bruise on her hip - regretfully not from the trip and from her falling down the hotel stairs on her way in. Not that she'd be telling anyone that story of course.
“I did it,” she smiled into the holo recorder, leaning back on her hands. She didn't look directly at it, but out to the ocean on her left, idly wondering if she would have enough time to take a trip out there. A week just didn't seem enough to do everything she wanted. “It only took me,” here she glanced at the watch on her wrist. “sixteen hours and fifty six minutes. I used to be able to do it in thirteen. Maybe I'm getting old.” With a small laugh, Nyota leant forwards and picked up the recorder, pointing it out to the forest. “'Mara, you'd love that thing. It's full of all kinds of animals. Seriously, it's a xeno-zoologists dream. Maybe one day I'll bring you.”
Balancing the device on the surface once more, Nyota returned to her previous position. She fell silent for a moment, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth as she considered her words carefully. “I'm sorry I missed your birthday mama. There was... a lot of stuff going on. It's really confusing, and I'm not even sure how to explain it all, so I'm just going to tell you that I'm okay. I know that's all you want to know anyway. I hope it was great anyway. Maybe I'll make it home for the next one?” She let out an exasperated sigh, knowing that there was no way to promise that. She wouldn't make it home for any birthdays for a long time. She had known that signing up for Starfleet of course, but it didn't make the bitter reality any easier to swallow. Reaching up, she pulled the rest of her hair from its knot and shook it out, slipping the tie around her wrist.
“I'm glad we ended up here. I needed to do this. I've just been feeling so-- I don't know. Useless? I know, Uhura women are not useless. We do. We solve our problems. But it's like I'm barely in control anymore. I don't know.” Another sigh. “It's kind of hard to solve a problem you don't even know you have. But climbing this thing,” she waved a hand behind her, shifting her legs to cross at the knees, “was... cathartic. Up here I can just think, you know? What am I talking about? Course you know.”
She unfolded one leg, pulling it up to her chin as her finger traced a faint, light line that arched around the curve of her knee. “Remember, 'Mara, when we snuck out to the cove out by the shore, and I wanted to climb the rocks. And you let me even though you told me I'd get hurt. So obviously I slipped and fell, just to prove you right. I told everyone you pushed me down the stairs. That's why you got grounded.” Her leg fell back down to fold underneath her. “I didn't get a scar this time, although I got this bitching bruise. It was actually from falling down the stairs though, so maybe it's fate paying me back for lying.”
Another climber had made it over the edge, and once more a victorious 'yes' sounded behind her. She glanced over her shoulder at the young woman, locking eyes with her for a brief moment and giving her a soft smile in congratulations. Straightening back round, Nyota returned her gaze to the floor. For a moment she was silent, just watching her fingers as they made invisible shapes on the ground. “It was good, I had to do it.” she nodded, only now raising her eyes to look into the recorder. “I know that you wanted to climb it with me, but you can't. But maybe-- I mean it's not the real thing-- but at least you can see what it's like.”
Nyota closed her eyes, fingers coming up to brush the tears away from her cheeks. It took her a moment to regain her resolve, but she swallowed down the rest of them and pressed her lips together firmly. It had been years since she cried over this and damnit, she was an Uhura. Tears didn't help anyone.
“I'm sorry that you can't be here baba but I climbed it for you. Make sure you tell him that. And make sure he sees this, at least the beginning.” Her voice grew a little quieter, and she once again looked down at the floor. “He should see it.” She brightened up, unfolding herself from the ground and once again hopping to her feet. Holo recorder in hand, she did one last 360 of the view, and then turned to device to face her.
“I'll be back in space by the time you get this, so don't send an auto reply mama, I don't know how many times I have to tell you not to do that. Actually just let Imara do it alright? Seriously, just because it's been a while it doesn't mean you should just forget how to use subspace transmissions. I hope I'm not as bad as you at your age. Give my love to everyone. Except Tabansi. Tell him I'm withholding my love until I get a damn comm once in a while. Kwaheri.”
She pressed her fingers to her lips in a brief kiss gesture before ending the recording. A few others had completed the climb by now, and were milling around in groups, discussing their experiences and how long it had taken them. She allowed herself a smile of triumph that, while it had taken her longer than the climbs she had done back home, she had still managed to beat quite a few people. Once the recorder was safely back in her backpack, Nyota lingered a few moments longer at the top, soaking in the sights and taking a few pictures of her own. Then she was done and could feel the suns beginning to descend towards the horizon, the breeze a little colder and the sky a little darker. As much as she would have loved to spend longer, she had to be back at the hotel by tomorrow morning and lingering any longer would put her behind schedule. Wandering around Risa alone at night, even the tropical forests, was not advisable.
Pulling her backpack on once more and reattaching the rope to the harness around her middle, Nyota anchored herself over the cliff face. She leant back, balancing on the heels of her feet, and took one last look before abseiling over the edge with a new surge of exhilaration.
As her footing slipped for the third time that hour, Nyota wondered if she hadn't overestimated her abilities. It had been a while since she'd climbed something so tall, and after she passed the halfway point the footholds had started shifting erratically. To challenge those willing to get to the top, that was what the instructor had informed her as he double checked her equipment. And if there was one thing that an Uhura would not turn down, it was a challenge.
With a deep intake of breath, she steadied herself against the cliff face and grabbed the nearest hold, heaving herself up. For a brief moment she simply watched as the surface changed, one outcrop melting back into the wall as another appeared. There was no particular pattern to it, but she hadn't expected there to be. As best she could tell (for her inner clock was in no way as advanced as Spock's) each hold lasted a minute, maybe two, before it gave way and changed position randomly.
The muscles in her arms were protesting against the quick movements, but Nyota ignored it, quickly gripping the newest hold to appear nearby and pressing up with her legs. Rule number one of rock climbing: never look down. So she concentrated on keeping her eyes upwards, to the top of the cliff that was slowly appearing in her line of sight. Her right foot caught in an arête, and she used the advantage to propel herself up a little further. For a moment she almost slipped, her hand grasping a hold that was quickly disappearing, but she caught herself and lunged for the one beside it. Now she was so close there was no way in hell she was going to bail.
A few more bumps and one slam later, she finally reached the last outcrop before the crux. From here there was only a number of paths to the top and no easy reprieves. She only had a quick breather, knowing that the outcrop would melt away from under her if she didn't keep moving. So sucking in another lungful of air, she pushed herself up once more. This was the most difficult part, but also the quickest, and it was only another fifteen minutes before her fingers finally felt the familiar curve that signified the end.
She felt the last rush of adrenaline, pushed her foot into the last hold at waist level and scrambled upwards, pulling herself up and over the edge. For a moment she was still, stomach pressed against the dusty floor, as she caught her breath. Then, opening the eyes she hadn't realized she'd closed, she burst into a bright smile and looked around at her victory.
Though the wall itself was artificial, it had been built up against a naturally formed cliff and Nyota could feel the cool breeze blowing in from the coast to her west. She shrugged off the backpack, unhooked the safety ropes from her middle and dropped them beside the piton. It had definitely been worth it, she decided, pushing the hair that had escaped its tie away from her hot face. In one direction was the hotel she had left the day before, barely visible from her vantage point. Brightly colored trees dotted the path that would take her back, and all she could see of Suraya Bay was the tips of the highest buildings. Everything else was lush greens, spotted with a myriad of colors; pinks, reds, purples, colors she didn't even know the name for. If there hadn't been two suns rising high above her, she would have almost believed she was back home.
Twisting on her heel, she turned her attention to the ocean view. It was far better than anything she had seen back in the city. It was just endless blue, so crystal clear she imagined that she could see small dots swimming underneath the surface. But she was far too high up to pick out anything but vague shapes. Behind her was the forest she had trekked through to get here, which had been an experience in itself. The Risians had filled it with tame creatures from all over the known universe; she alone had seen a herd of Earth deer, as well as a pair of Degebian mountain goats. The path she had taken was easy, well walked, not wanting to get lost and have to abandon her trip early.
Another climber a few hundred yards down had completed the climb too, and their cries of victory drew Nyota out of her thoughtful daze. It was then she remembered one of the various reasons for making this trip. Ducking down, she opened her pack and rifled through it until she pulled out what she had been looking for: a small, portable holo recorder. Resting it in one hand, she switched it on and checked to see if it was recording, before tilting it over the edge to see how far up she had travelled. Once she had a quick sweep of that, she captured a few minutes of the view before settling it on nearest rock. She folded herself gracefully down in front of it, legs stretched out in front of her and settling either side of the rock. There were only a few minor scratches marring her skin, and a handful of bruises that weren't entirely from the climb. Considering a few of the horror stories the guide had told her about broken limbs and concussions, her own injuries were practically nothing. The nastiest thing she had gotten was a deep purple and green bruise on her hip - regretfully not from the trip and from her falling down the hotel stairs on her way in. Not that she'd be telling anyone that story of course.
“I did it,” she smiled into the holo recorder, leaning back on her hands. She didn't look directly at it, but out to the ocean on her left, idly wondering if she would have enough time to take a trip out there. A week just didn't seem enough to do everything she wanted. “It only took me,” here she glanced at the watch on her wrist. “sixteen hours and fifty six minutes. I used to be able to do it in thirteen. Maybe I'm getting old.” With a small laugh, Nyota leant forwards and picked up the recorder, pointing it out to the forest. “'Mara, you'd love that thing. It's full of all kinds of animals. Seriously, it's a xeno-zoologists dream. Maybe one day I'll bring you.”
Balancing the device on the surface once more, Nyota returned to her previous position. She fell silent for a moment, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth as she considered her words carefully. “I'm sorry I missed your birthday mama. There was... a lot of stuff going on. It's really confusing, and I'm not even sure how to explain it all, so I'm just going to tell you that I'm okay. I know that's all you want to know anyway. I hope it was great anyway. Maybe I'll make it home for the next one?” She let out an exasperated sigh, knowing that there was no way to promise that. She wouldn't make it home for any birthdays for a long time. She had known that signing up for Starfleet of course, but it didn't make the bitter reality any easier to swallow. Reaching up, she pulled the rest of her hair from its knot and shook it out, slipping the tie around her wrist.
“I'm glad we ended up here. I needed to do this. I've just been feeling so-- I don't know. Useless? I know, Uhura women are not useless. We do. We solve our problems. But it's like I'm barely in control anymore. I don't know.” Another sigh. “It's kind of hard to solve a problem you don't even know you have. But climbing this thing,” she waved a hand behind her, shifting her legs to cross at the knees, “was... cathartic. Up here I can just think, you know? What am I talking about? Course you know.”
She unfolded one leg, pulling it up to her chin as her finger traced a faint, light line that arched around the curve of her knee. “Remember, 'Mara, when we snuck out to the cove out by the shore, and I wanted to climb the rocks. And you let me even though you told me I'd get hurt. So obviously I slipped and fell, just to prove you right. I told everyone you pushed me down the stairs. That's why you got grounded.” Her leg fell back down to fold underneath her. “I didn't get a scar this time, although I got this bitching bruise. It was actually from falling down the stairs though, so maybe it's fate paying me back for lying.”
Another climber had made it over the edge, and once more a victorious 'yes' sounded behind her. She glanced over her shoulder at the young woman, locking eyes with her for a brief moment and giving her a soft smile in congratulations. Straightening back round, Nyota returned her gaze to the floor. For a moment she was silent, just watching her fingers as they made invisible shapes on the ground. “It was good, I had to do it.” she nodded, only now raising her eyes to look into the recorder. “I know that you wanted to climb it with me, but you can't. But maybe-- I mean it's not the real thing-- but at least you can see what it's like.”
Nyota closed her eyes, fingers coming up to brush the tears away from her cheeks. It took her a moment to regain her resolve, but she swallowed down the rest of them and pressed her lips together firmly. It had been years since she cried over this and damnit, she was an Uhura. Tears didn't help anyone.
“I'm sorry that you can't be here baba but I climbed it for you. Make sure you tell him that. And make sure he sees this, at least the beginning.” Her voice grew a little quieter, and she once again looked down at the floor. “He should see it.” She brightened up, unfolding herself from the ground and once again hopping to her feet. Holo recorder in hand, she did one last 360 of the view, and then turned to device to face her.
“I'll be back in space by the time you get this, so don't send an auto reply mama, I don't know how many times I have to tell you not to do that. Actually just let Imara do it alright? Seriously, just because it's been a while it doesn't mean you should just forget how to use subspace transmissions. I hope I'm not as bad as you at your age. Give my love to everyone. Except Tabansi. Tell him I'm withholding my love until I get a damn comm once in a while. Kwaheri.”
She pressed her fingers to her lips in a brief kiss gesture before ending the recording. A few others had completed the climb by now, and were milling around in groups, discussing their experiences and how long it had taken them. She allowed herself a smile of triumph that, while it had taken her longer than the climbs she had done back home, she had still managed to beat quite a few people. Once the recorder was safely back in her backpack, Nyota lingered a few moments longer at the top, soaking in the sights and taking a few pictures of her own. Then she was done and could feel the suns beginning to descend towards the horizon, the breeze a little colder and the sky a little darker. As much as she would have loved to spend longer, she had to be back at the hotel by tomorrow morning and lingering any longer would put her behind schedule. Wandering around Risa alone at night, even the tropical forests, was not advisable.
Pulling her backpack on once more and reattaching the rope to the harness around her middle, Nyota anchored herself over the cliff face. She leant back, balancing on the heels of her feet, and took one last look before abseiling over the edge with a new surge of exhilaration.