Cold Outside, Warm Inside

Posted on Sun Nov 7th, 2021 @ 3:48pm by Jeassaho Kea (*) & Evahnae Kohl & Jinx Jorasco & Laurier Cami

Mission: Mission 14: Holoworld
Location: SS Holoworld
Timeline: MD2 15:00
1674 words - 3.3 OF Standard Post Measure

Escape to the coast and enjoy some time away from the busyness of everyday life was what she had said to her husband. She sat looking across a barren ice world whilst she soaked in the jacuzzi, wind down in the steam room, and making the most of the me-time she suddenly had been offered. The ship had been declared safe and they had been told to go off and have some fun before they reported things to authorities and had to do some work in getting supplies and scavenging what they could before bigger players got involved.

Jeassaho had the very best in luxury with a superior hotel room nap. She had champagne on arrival and a delicious two-course dinner with everyone who had come along with her, all complementing the wonderfully relaxing spa, but the ice outside bothered her. It was not something you would expect in a program like this. “Anyone else bothered by the barren ice world around us?”

Leaning back in the tub, wearing nothing but a bikini, Cami didn't even open her eyes. "It's a spa, Jea. You're supposed to stop worrying and relax. They probably mean for it to be a way of making the inside feel all warm and cozy."

Jeassaho just gave her friend a look. She was not sure what she was feeling, but it bothered her and filled her with dread. It just did not fit correctly. She glanced around at the others wondering if they felt the same.

Jinx sat in the bubbly tub with the other, taller, women, but for her the water came up to her chin without her having to slouch down. She actually had to hold her head up a bit to keep from inhaling the hot, bubbling water. She wore a bikini too, though she wasn’t sure why. Back home, they didn’t bother with swimwear, unless one was diving a reef or something and wanted to avoid getting cut.

“I heard they do something like this on Earth, yes?” Jinx asked. “In very cold countries, they build houses for the hot water and steam, and then occasionally run outside and then back? Also jump in icy water?” She thought it crazy. Kisongo was mostly tropical and semi-tropical, a very warm planet. Its polar ice caps were small, and home to only small, inconsequential tribes, though a couple of the moons were icy like that outside the spa. And most Kisongo considered those who settled there just as crazy.

Jinx went into a coughing fit as she inhaled a bit of water.

"There's a retreat in the Carpathians that holds an annual nude tobogganing tournament." This particular gem floated lazily from the other end of the spa. "This reminds me more of Honshu though."

Having joined the group ostensibly as an attempt to get to know them better, Eva hadn't exactly advanced the cause much since arriving. With her hair piled up atop her head and, for reasons only clear to herself, a massive pair of sunglasses hiding most of her face, she was more a presence than a participant. The glasses slid down her nose for a moment though and she grinned at the worried Betazoid. "Maybe whoever designed the program just wanted the best of both worlds."

Her eyes slid towards Jinx.

"You okay?"

“Yes, fine. Sorry,” Jinx said. “It’s built for big people. I need a booster seat,” she said with embarrassment.

Even though Issac worked out and ate right, allowing him to maintain a 'perfect' body; or so his wife told him at any rate, he was somewhat shy about showing it off. However, he had needed a nice relaxing spa and so he bit the bullet and dressed down to his loose swim shorts and made his way to the spa. He smiled as he approached seeing those gathered.

"Hello," he said, stopping at the edge. "Room for one more?"

Jeassaho shrugged. "Always room in the holodeck for one more," she commented, calling out for the tub to be made bigger by the holodeck. With only a small swish of water, the holodeck accommodated her request. She could feel they all thought her mad for worrying, but she felt uneasy.

“Oh! Yes! I should do that!” Kisongo didn’t really have such advanced holotechnology, so Jinx was less used to it. She instructed the room to raise her seat a couple inches, allowing her to relax more naturally in the bubbling, heated water without half drowning. She gave herself a booster seat.

"All we're missing now is a couple of naked Risian masseurs and cocktails." Cami sighed, enjoying the experience in spite of the noise going on around them.

"I am sure we can arrange the cocktails, right, Eva? Not sure Reuben would be happy over the naked masseurs though," Jeassaho called, relaxing back into the tub again. If anything happened, there was safety in numbers now, so that was at least more reassuring.

“Never had a Risian masseur…” Jinx said. “Is that a cocktail?”

“Afraid not.” Jeassaho snorted, looking around for someone else to tell her exactly what a Risian masseur was.

"Could always make it one," Eva retorted, having sunk so far into the warmth that her chin had disappeared under water. "Kill two birds with one stone. Let's see, what would go in a cocktail honoring the quadrant's best masseuses?" Pushing her sunglasses up onto her head, the brunette narrowed her eyes in an exaggerated abundance of thought. "The mai-tai recipe is actually fairly adaptable. We used to just throw in whatever seasonal fruit we had on hand and add the occasional experimental dash of whatever needed using up."

Wriggling into a better sitting position, having some empathy for Jinx's earlier issues with the depth of the water, Eva took a moment to consider the options before recounting an improvised recipe, along with suggested proportions, to the omnipresent spa attendant in the sky. The resulting cocktail, a rather vibrant shade of purple instead of the typical orange, materialised as a glass for everyone, plus several jugs for refills.

Eva's first sip was punctuated by a squint of consideration. "Needs lime."

”Works for me,” Jeassaho said, taking a sip with a noise of appreciation. It was a good taste for her, but she was not overly fussy, especially with something that was not going to get her drunk or even tipsy.

Jinx cupped the large glass in two hands to try it. She lifted an eyebrow. “It’s good,” she said. “Sweet, a little tart. I taste...something like juma fruit and...ryxweed?” she guessed, knowing mosty the flavors from home, so they might not be familiar to the others.

"See, this is why we bring someone who knows her drinks." Cami nudged Jea, motioning at Eva. She giggled a little as she sipped her drink and relaxed. "Shame about the massage. What about a mud bath?"

The Betazoid ignored the judge from her fellow engineer in favour of downing the drink and putting it back in the tray. She watched as Issacs got out of the spa with a quiet word and left. “I am clean. And want to stay that way, but if you want a mud bath, go for it. I cannot think of anything worse,” she admitted, wincing at the memory of the one and only time she had been roped into a mud bath on Betazoid. It was not her cup of tea at all.

“Mud...bath?” Jinx asked. “Is that not...the opposite? What am I missing?” the tiny alien woman asked with perplexity.

"It's good for the skin, silly!" Cami giggled. She looked at Eva. "What about you? Can I get a little support here?"

"For sitting around in filth?" Eva squinted, her nose screwed up in exaggerated contemplation that veered towards vague distaste. "I mean, I've heard of mud masks; there's no shortage of goop to slather on your face if you want to smell like a swamp for days. If you're selective about the kind of muck, they're actually not that bad. But an entire bath?" The brunette didn't look convinced. "Doesn't it...get places you'd rather it not?"

"You are meant to wear what you do here, but yes, places rather not." Jeassaho laughed as she stood up in the jacuzzi. Her twin piece covered her, but it was hard to miss the scar along her stomach as she moved to get out. "I am done cooking like a lobster," she explained, pulling a large towel around herself against the chill that was suddenly in the air. It was meant to be tropical, but it did not feel very much like that now she was out.

"Boo -- lame," Cami moaned at her friend with a little snort. "Go find me someone to do a massage then."

“Just ask the computer,” Jeassaho suggested with a grin, patting the woman on the head.

“I could walk on your back,” Jinx offered.

"There you go. Offer of the day. I am going to head back though. It's getting late for me and I have a few things to do," Jeassaho said, wrapping the towel around her tightly despite the water disappearing once they left the holodeck. It would still be cold if she walked around in just her swimsuit.

"I think I've pruned-up enough too," Eva agreed, lifting her hands from the water to consider the wrinkled pads of her fingers. Convincing herself to leave the warmth of the water to brave the cold took a moment, but with a groan that very quickly became a frantic monkey noise as she scrambled for her towel, Eva swamped herself in the blessedly oversized shroud and slipped on her footwear. "I'll come with you."

Jeassaho nodded. She would not admit it but she was unnerved by the ship so not being alone was good. "See you guys later then?" She offered to Jinx and Cami.

"Fine." Cami made a little sulking face. "But I'm not sharing my masseuse with you!"