Joint Log | Capt Ivanova - Cmdr PontBrillant - "Summer" - PT I/III

Posted on Tue Sep 9th, 2014 @ 6:51am by Admiral Rochelle Ivanova & Vlimar PontBrillant

2,417 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Are You Touched?

The early morning sand beneath her feet and the sound of obscure songbirds playing hide and seek in the trees all around the resort left Rochelle feeling momentarily alive. It was radiant, she was resplendent as she tipped her face towards the kiss of the sun as it spied between the leaves along the path leading from the main buildings and down to the beach and horses. The light breeze billowed under the gossamer fabric of her unbuttoned over shirt, enveloping her bikini top clad torso in an embrace not unlike a lover's -- it was life, it was beauty, it was magic, she was certain of it and the excitement of such glory made every nerve ending in her body tingle with electric delight from her head down along her spine, through her jean clad legs, and to the bare tips of her sandy toes.

The sound of the waves rolling and crashing, playing along the white sand beach was softly drowned out by the high pitched greeting of a horse as she rounded the bend and broke through the tree line to see them, standing in their corrals in wait. Each of them so very refined with their champagne flute ears and delicate, dished faces. Arabians. The Ferengi had imported ten of them for use of his guests and only the most refined would do. Expensive. Alluring. Beautiful with their swan-like necks and eyes as big as saucers. Rochelle smiled at them. "Good morning."

"Ah so glad to see you made it on time, Captain." a Ferengi man nodded, cupping his hands under his chin in a slight bow as he drank in the sight of her. He appraised her the same way she appraised the horses, namely the heavily dappled gray that stood tied and fitted in only a simple bridle. "Do you approve?" He asked, his gaze following hers as she closed the bridge between her and the elegant animal. "He's pure Al-Khamsa."

"He's beautiful. I promise to treat him well." It didn't matter if he were an ill-bred mule, she'd have found happiness in him all the same. Her hands traveled along the satin of the little stallion's neck, under the willowy tangle of his ink and ash colored mane and along his handsome crest.

"Ah yes. You should. He's very, ah, spirited." The Ferengi nodded with a toothy little smile, nodding as he watched the Captain untie the animal from the rail, set his reins on either side of his neck, and swing her lithe little body onto his bare back in one practiced motion. "You'll be joined today. Last minute reservation."

"By who?" she asked, adjusting the reins in her hand to an appropriate length while the Arabian fidgeted beneath her.

Vlimar, who had been observing from afar, began walking towards the two - approaching Rochelle from behind. He knew that she was going to try and "sneak" to the resort's horseback riding excursion, and from what he'd learnt about the woman, it was to be expected. The idea of having his Captain, perhaps more so Rochelle herself, riding in the steppes of Qo'noS without an escort wasn't overly reassuring.

As he walked he did his best to muzzle the sound of his spurs. He was wearing brown Strathcona books with jeans and a white, ancient style shirt that was unbuttoned close to the end of his sternum, partially revealing his chest. He carried brown gloves, that matched his boots and belt, in his left hand. A quick glance would show that his choice of buckle had been conservative. What stood how, however, was the black nylon bag that hung with its strap across his chest. "Me." he stated as he arrived within earshot of Rochelle and the Ferengi host.

The Ferengi man nodded almost nervously at the sight of Vlimar and hurried to unhitch his horse and bring it to him, holding out the reins with an open hand. "Yes. Ah, Commander Point-Brilliant was the one who made the reservation. Should be nice, you two are on the Vindictaor." The bald headed man nodded quickly, brutalizing the beautiful French of Vlimar's name with his course Ferengi tongue.

Rochelle put a single leg on her mount, sending the animal quickly pivoting around in an about face. The sight she was met with nearly made her roll her eyes. It was indeed Vlimar standing there, looking so undoubtedly comfortable in his riding attire. "I see." She replied, hips rocking to keep her seat as the high keyed stallion danced and threatened to spin beneath her. His tail cracked through the air as he wrung it against his hocks and flanks, signaling his irritation at being forced to stay in one place. It was as if the animal could feel her frustrations at being baby sat, the evidence of which rested the old Marine bag draped so carefully over the Frenchman's torso. He'd brought a weapon.

A wry little smile crossed the redhead's lips as the horse she rode popped up in a half rear, and she leaned forward to stay with him as he rose. "Very well then." Rochelle shrugged as the sand sprayed from beneath the stallion as his forefeet met the crust of Qo'noS once again, "Suit yourself." It felt as if the world had lifted away, that she'd been given wings by which to soar, the moment she released the gray and sent him surging forward and away from the men standing by the corrals. Time itself seemed to stand still as the horse thundered down the beach, steadily putting distance between herself and Qapla' with each blistering stride.

Seeing Rochelle depart so quickly, Vlimar couldn't help but smile and shake his head as he quickly slipped his foot into a stirrup and swung up. It didn't take long for him to settle his other foot in the coordinating stirrup and press the handsome black gelding to chase after her. His horse seemed slightly tamer than hers, but was of a good size. A steady creature. "Come on." He said to the animal as he leaned forwards towards its head, shifting his weight off its back to allow it to gallop freely. "Allez, vas-y! Allez, allez!" Said Vlimar again as his horse struggled to catch up, about sixty meters from her.

As the beach wind whipped his face, Vlimar couldn't help but maintain his smile. The familiar feeling of such tremendous beauty, of being able to ride again on a shoreline with good company, under the condition that he caught up with her, left him buzzing. He kept having to look up, glancing through the wind, to see Rochelle's horse, looking for a way to gain distance but unable to find any.

A quick look over Rochelle's shoulder told her that she was being pursued, chased by the Frenchman on his black horse. Part of her wanted to laugh, part of her wanted to beg the gray to find another gear -- They both won out until the horse shook his head, throwing his body through the air in a buck that nearly unseated her. He'd sensed her momentary lapse in concentration, the tattered edges of her control, and he'd taken advantage, his body twisting sideways and putting them into the surf. Rochelle slipped precariously sideways and tangled her fingers in his mane in a crude attempt to stay on. The wind captured whatever four letter words left her lips in that moment as she somehow managed to right herself and the conceited gray bundle of nerves beneath her while the sea, however, laughed - throwing a wave at them, chasing them back out onto the dry sand. She could almost hear the stallion's apologies as the cold fingers of the ocean splashed up from under his belly to douse them from where her knees met his sides on down in what felt like ice water.

Another glance told her that Vlimar had nearly caught up, all thanks to an ill-tempered Arabian that now stood chewing on his bit, blowing and waiting for her command with his nervous ears flicking back and forth. "Run." Rochelle said with a wild little grin, her cold sand and surf covered heels digging into the horse's ribs to beg him forward -- and forward he went, launching back into a gallop.

Seeing the gray horse slow down, levitate to the side and send Rochelle's body into the air slightly, Vlimar had the instinct to dig his spurs into his horse's belly, racing to try and render aid. He could feel his horse foaming at the mouth as it neared Rochelle's stallion, could see the distance closing and wanted to speak to her, to know she was ok when the dappled horse kicked up his heels and took off into another gear just as he was slowing his own mount down. "Allez!" Screamed Vlimar, leaving his horse confused for half a second, then, as per the wind, the black picked up just where he'd left; trying to set his speed close to Rochelle who, clearly, was playing with everyone. All Vlimar could do was dig his spurs deeper against his horse's belly, hoping their crazy ride would soon stop.

It was controlled, the gallop, arcing along and teasing the reaching fingers of the sea as the two of them, Rochelle and the gray, found common ground. With her hands low against his withers and her body rocking to match the swing of his gait, the two had become one solid, lightning-like, entity. Both of them were breathing heavy, the wind having stolen their breath, by the time the beach turned to herd them towards the woods and forced her to slow her mount to a walk or risk breaking his legs over fallen branches and long roots. Behind her she could hear the heavy puffing breaths of the black horse and its rolling footsteps as Vlimar advanced upon them. He'd earned her capture, she thought, and brushed her wind blown hair from her face with her fingers. "So you decided to suit yourself indeed." She teased when she knew he was within earshot, her horse carefully side stepping to allow their companions room as the trail began to narrow.

Vlimar, panting perhaps more than his horse, looked at Rochelle and shook his head. "You have lead quite a chase, milady, perhaps now's the time to give the chaser a little room by your side." He stated, clearly aware of his double entendre as he pet his horse's neck and took to murmuring compliments in his ears. While he was still learning about his mount, he already understood that the gelding liked to be talked to, his ears were tipped back most of the time, listening to the man riding him. As Vlimar was speaking to him, the black horse directed himself beside his gray brother-at-arms and peacefully followed their lead.

"Perhaps." The redhead replied as she allowed her reins to slip through her fingers to create a drape as they gave her horse his head. They were going nowhere fast now that they'd come to a mutual understanding. She was in charge while she was astride him, not unlike how she was in charge on the Vindicator. "But I've often heard that the chase can be better than the catch. I didn't need a baby sitter." Rochelle looked over at him while they rode along, the beach becoming a memory as they looped around a bend and deeper into the woods.

Vlimar chuckled softly, "I can assure you, I brought this weapon to protect myself as I have no doubt that you wouldn't need such an apparatus." He claimed as if he were injured by her words. "Besides, you have made me your head of security, along with many other duties, and part of that duty is the ensure the safety of my Captain." He finished, wanting to add more, but restrained himself. He'd anticipated that Rochelle wouldn't appreciate his presence, especially since she didn't request it. "As for the chase... In some cases, indeed, the price isn't worth the effort. In your case, however, I can assure you that the chase is and always will be worth every breath you take." He replied softly, pressing his horse close enough that he could probably touch her shoulder without leaning sideways. The horses walked head to head while Vlimar kept a firmer hold on his saddle's cantle than Rochelle required.

"Security fell to you because Commander Archer is on one of his little jaunts and you're the only one that's qualified." Rochelle scoffed gently, referring to the orders she'd signed and sent down to his office shortly before they'd arrived at Qo'noS. It had been later during the evening of her crowning that the thought had occurred to her -- shortly after Almar had snuck a dermal regenerator to her quarter's to heal her badly bruised eye -- if she were to be precise. It still hurt, but the thought of Mikkal lurking unattended hurt worse.

Given half a second to think for himself, the gray stallion pinned his ears and tightened his lips in warning towards the black horse's close advancement, his tail once again wringing as he silently spoke of his dominance and promised injury should the other animal continue to invade his personal space. Rochelle gently feathered his reins with her fingers, reminding him that she was still there, still in charge. "You flatter me, PontBrillant." It was her turn to chuckle and shake her head at his words, so pretty and candy coated, "If you aren't here to babysit me, then why are you here?" She asked, knowing she hadn't left memo of her intent to ride while staying at the resort.

Vlimar smiled again. He actually had gone through several loops and hoops to find an occasion to be with Rochelle. From conversation during their lunch together, he knew she absolutely adored horseback riding and it was a quick assumption to guess that she would, at some point, try to book a trip on Qo’noS. Therefore, as an ex Section31 member, Vlimar used subversive negotiation techniques to obtain word from the Ferengi operators if Rochelle booked anything, especially if she was booking alone. "Let's just say that I wanted to be here, with you." he said, giving a short answer after a long thought process.

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Continued in Part II...
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Captain Rochelle Ivanova
Commanding Officer
USS VINDICATOR

&

Commander Vlimar PontBrillant
Strategic Operations Commander
USS VINDICATOR

 

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