All Downhill From Here

Posted on Wed Mar 13th, 2019 @ 4:10am by Lieutenant Commander Angus Murphy

Mission: Sojourn
Location: Ratha Mountain Range, Marga III
1932 words - 3.9 OF Standard Post Measure

"I think this was a good idea," Murphy said, not for the first time. He'd watched the landscape outside of the high speed maglev train over the past fourty minutes morph slowly from flat plains to gradually evolving hillsides until finally mountainous peaks filled the distant horizon. "But I've never skied before so if I break something, you're going to have to wait on me through my recovery, promise?" He grinned, turning his gaze back over to his partner Patrick who was seated across from him so that they were facing each other.

"But what do we do if I break something?" Paddy theorized, "I've never skied either... Should we join a kiddie class? Or just not go down hill on day one?"

"If we both break something we're moving back to the resort because Manu would take care of us," Murph laughed. "But seriously, we're not going to break something. I may not even ski. I may just enjoy the hot tub and the warm drinks, I'm thinking."

"And warm blankets," Patrick smiled, shifting to sit next to Murph rather than across from him. "I'll go anywhere, as long as it's with you," he promised, "and if you want hot tubs and warm drinks, then that's what we'll do. As long as we do get to play out in the snow too...I want to build a snowman!"

"Then a snowman it will be," Murph said, reaching over and squeezing the other man's knee. "Oh," he said, remembering something, "The captain wants to meet and talk about some things that have happened while we were on leave. Sometime in the next day or so, I think, so I'm going to invite her to the lodge. Is that.. okay?"

The train began to slow as it approached the station that was inside the giant ski lodge.

"Of course," Patrick agreed, pretty much without pause to even consider it. He wondered what happened that needed to be talked about, but right now he actually didn't really care. He got up as the train came to a full stop. "I hope our room here is as nice as the one on the beach," he smiled, "just probably not as hot." He managed to look a little hopeful. "Do you think it has a tub?"

"I think it might," Murph smirked as he pulled down their bags from the overhead storage lockers and slung them both over his shoulders so that Paddy wouldn't have to carry one with his still-healing arm. He followed Patrick off the train and onto the lodge platform.

The inside of the lodge was massive. There were small groupings of comfortable furniture around open air indoor fire pits, the lodge concierge desk, an equipment rental desk, an excursion desk, signs pointing to a casino, a bar, and several restaurants.

Pulling his arm through Murph's, Patrick drew him close as he marveled at the decor for a moment. Drawing him over to check in next, Patrick made quick work of registration and getting their door keys. "Let's go check out the room and dump our gear. The weather is so nice I think we should get into the snow before it turns on us."

"It's nice, but it looks cold," Murphy grumped playfully, squeezing Pat's arm. "I miss the resort already and those tropical drinks..."

They took a lift up their room on the third level. It wasn't a suite, but it did have a large bed, a deep open tub between the living area and the bathroom, and a balcony with a hot tub. Parkas were laid out on the bed for them along with a small arrangement of local sweets and flowers that didn't look very familiar to Murph.

"Hot tub!" Patrick exclaimed, pointing towards the balcony before turning towards the flowers. "I think I may have seen this before... They are lovely in certain sauces, I won't bore you with the details." He grinned, feeling like a little boy in a candy store as he turned around and around until he almost fell over, staring at various things in childish wonder. "This looks far better than the brochure."

"And yet you still want to go out and play in the snow?" Murph asked as he picked up a jacket and zipped himself into it. There was a thick hat and snow goggles and a paid of snow pants, that he probably should have put on before the jacket, but he'd know better for next time. "Let's go get hypothermia, then!"

"I'll need some help with that heavy coat," Patrick said, pointing at the parka, "I can't get my arm back that far to get it on. I can manage the hat I think."

"Well, that's probably not a good sign. I want you to go see Doc Adamson when we get back," Murph said as he helped Paddy into the coat.

Once he was fully dressed up, Patrick giggled. "We look like little marshmellow men," he said, pointing at their reflection in the mirror. "Where's the fun in being all this thrussed up?"

"I imagine it's so we don't get cold," Murphy said with a smirk. "You know, I've never uh... touched real snow before."

Eyes widening, Paddy stared at him. "Are you messing with me now love? Never been in real snow? Where did you grow up?"

"Boradis III. There are no ski resorts on Boradis III, I can tell you, and I never went anywhere cold the whole time I was at the academy. More than happy with San Francisco weather," Murphy said, nodding as he played with the zipper on Patrick's coat. "So I guess that makes me a snow virgin. Will you have patience and teach me your snowy ways?"

"Oooh are you in for a treat!" Impatient as ever, the younger man grabbed his hand, and the room key along the way and pulled him out of their room, right across the halls and out into knee deep snow. It was a struggle to trudge off the cleared path but that didn't deter him in the slightest. "I guess you don't know what a snow angel is then either?" he asked, releasing his hand to grab a handful of powdery snow. Grinning like a mischievous oaf, he made a loose ball and tossed it right in Murphy's face.

Murphy was caught off-guard by the assault of frozen water in the face and he blinked several times and wiped it away. He reached down to scoop some up, getting a feel for the texture of the powder. It was fine. It didn't pack extraordinarily well. "Oh, that how it's going to be?" he said as he threw the mixture at Patrick and then tackled him into the snow.

Patrick squealed as he was tackled into the snow, wrapping his arms around Murph in reflex. "Oooh this is cold," he exclaimed as the melted snow dripped down his neck and into his collar. "Yes this is how it's going to be," he laughed, putting cold hands to the other's cheeks. "We are going to freeze and then warm up later, cozy by a fire. But first I'm going to show you how to have fun in the snow."

"I think I'm getting the hang of it," Murph smiled impishly. Then he tried to force a handful of snow down the neck of Patrick's parka while laughing about it.

Squirming, Patrick tried to grab a handful of snow to return the favour. "Nooo," he squealed, positive that they were drawing stares. His cap fell off as he struggled, making it easier for snow to get into his neck. His cheeks were bright red from the cold but he didn't seem any less deterred.

They wrestled around in the snow and made snow angels and even tried a little bit of the hover skis, which had safety features to avoid other skiers and obstacles, but they never tried the real courses out and instead opted to head in wrap up with hot drinks in the room.

Murph lowered himself into the hot tub with a moan. The day's activities had been a workout of a sort he wasn't quite used to. He set his warm cider on the edge of the tub and looked out over the twilight mountains as he waited for Paddy to join him.

Breath forming little clouds in the cold air, Patrick walked on to the balcony and let the fluffy bathrobe slide from his shoulders. He too was feeling sore and knew he'd overdone it today. "Doc will be so mad at me," he said as he slid down into the tub. He sighed in relief as the hot water enveloped him. "We might not ever want to leave here," he added, " the view is just gorgeous."

"Something about this planet is addictive," Murph said, letting himself slide down to his neck in the rolling, steaming, bubbly water. "Or maybe it's you."

"Me?" Patrick moved over to lean against him. "I'm addictive?" He would sooner believe that there was something in the air, or maybe the food. "What if they make us not want to leave?"

"I think we'll have to go back, eventually," Murphy stretched an arm up out of the water and then put it around Pat's shoulders, drawing him tighter. "But it gives us something to look forward to in the future. You know, retire to one of these planets. Some day. Very, very far away."

Patrick nodded slowly, leaning into the arm that held him close. "I could live here," he admitted, "though I don't think either of us could ever fully retire. You like your job too much and I love mine." He turned slightly to look at him. " Unless you want to resign yourself to fixing my stove?"

"I'm sure I would miss being on a ship," Murph agreed, glancing upward toward the stars that were visible now that night was fully upon them. "But it's fun to think about, anyway. With you."

"We could get our own ship and travel, when we're grey and old," Patrick fantasized, "or have any children we might have make sure we get to places." He smiled happily. "May that be a long time away, so we can enjoy our jobs a little longer." Leaning his head back, he kissed the other's cheek lightly. "Together." He closed his eyes a moment, feeling the cold air brush against his cheek, while the rest of him was submerged. "Want to have a quick run into the snow, and then back in the tub? We seem to be close enough to the ground to be able to do it."

"Alright," Murph replied with a smirk. "You go for it and I'll sit back and watch."

Smirking back, Patrck splashed him before hoisting himself out of the tub, shivering visibly as his body gave off steam against the cold air. Judging the distance from the deck, he dove right into a pile of snow. "Ooh!" he cried out, his skin glowing red as he climbed back onto the deck, and into the tub. "Oh oh this is hot," he exclaimed, sidling right back up to his partner to get some warmth back into his body. "That was fun."

"That did not look fun," Murphy laughed at the younger man's antics as he moved to face him in the water, their breaths swirling like clouds in the chilly air as their lips met. "I'm going to show you fun."

Off

Lieutenant Angus Murphy
Chief Engineer
USS Majestic

Patrick O'Malley
Chef
Pnpc lhaes