Surfs Up

Posted on Thu Jul 28th, 2022 @ 7:40am by Senior Chief Petty Officer Mason Malone & Lieutenant Commander Finnley Keating VII

Mission: Character Development
Location: Holodeck 2
Timeline: Following "ghosts"
1877 words - 3.8 OF Standard Post Measure

Finn arrived at the holodeck a little late, having dragged herself there unwillingly. Mason already stood waiting, looking almost as if he was debating leaving and coming to find her. "Sorry, I'm late. I won't lie to you. I didn't want to come so I got carried away with things in engineering and lost track of time and then I didn't exactly walk quickly to get here. But I knew you weren't joking when you said you would drag me down here if I didn't show," Finn gave an annoyed smile.

"I wasn't," Mason confirmed, clearly happy to see she had showed up after all. "I'm sure you'll feel better after a quick course. It doesn't have to take long or be difficult. I did pick one that requires us working together and... trusting each other."

"I'm really not in the mood for a course Mason. Can we do something else?" Finn asked, replicating the puppy eyes he'd given her earlier in the day.

"Sure .. what would you like to do? I actually would prefer something.. team building?"

"Can we do some surfing? I can teach you how to do it if you don't already know," Finn replied. In truth, it may not have been the most team-building of activities but nothing calmed her soul more than time on an ocean, and right now it was what she felt she needed.

Anything to make her feel better, he reasoned as he gave a nod. "Sure. I'm a reasonable swimmer but I don't think I've been surfing before. Are talking the with or without sail kind? On my prior assignment, years ago, before I was married I had a teenage roommate who was a very skilled sailor. He took me out on a boat once.... wasn't my thing as I got knocked out by the boom...."

"Without. We're talking on a single-person board, in the ocean, no sails, no booms," Finn loaded the program and stepped inside. Instantly she was washed with a sensation of contentment. Every feeling of grief and guilty slowly washed away with the sound of each wave breaking onto the shore. Her shoulders relaxed and a smile crept onto her face as she walked over to the replicated swimsuit and proceeded to put it on.

"Right..." He noticed a change in her and smiled as he too changed. "No wetsuit?" He queried as he saw the waves roll onto the beach.

"The water is programmed to a warm temperature so it's not needed. I do recommend the rash guard though," she pointed to the swimsuit-like shirt that lay next to his replicated shorts. She herself had already donned one along with the board shorts that had appeared for her. Finn shot Mason a quick smile before running toward the water. It wasn't often that one spied Finn in such a giddy mood, especially not lately, but her face beamed as her feet touched the water. This was where she most felt at home.

"Rash guard?" He queried as he dutifully pulled the shirt on as well as the shorts despite already wearing swimming shorts. "This feels a little weird," he admitted as he wiggled to get comfortable with the layers of fabric. Feeling a little lost now, he grabbed the only other available board and followed her. "And now?"

"Have you ever seen someone surf before?" She asked, walking back out of the water to grab her board that she'd left lying by the shore.

Slowly, Mason shook his head, still tugging at the double layer of fabric that comprised the bottom half of his outfit. "No, I haven't."

Finn gracefully swung her body on top of the board and started to paddle out to sea. "Basically you just wait until a good wave comes forward and then you paddle to catch it." She bit her bottom lip as she searched the water for the right moment. This was her element. Nothing else mattered here, it was just her and the water.

The ocean started to swell and Finn could see, no feel that it was time. She turned her board in the same direction as the wave and paddled vigorously until she felt the water pick her up. Like a hand lifting her out of misery and pushing her towards the safety of the shore. Finn swiftly hopped up to stand on the board and just let the wave carry her to its end.

The engineer paddled back to Mason. "That's all there is to it," she smiled, moving to straddle the board in a sitting position once again.

"Right .." deciding the two layers was really uncomfortable, he pulled one off and tossed it aside. He then picked up the board and walked in, following her example. His timing however was completely wrong and he washed up, coughing and laughing. "Wow...that was a rather epic fail....I didn't even get to get up.... however that's done to begin with..."

Finn laughed, it had been a while since her consciousness had felt this light. "Sorry I probably should've explained all of that. Here," she took her board out of the water and set it on the sand before lying atop it. "Once you feel the water pick you up, you push up with your arms and at the same time pull your feet forward. Then stand from there. If you don't feel comfortable standing, just hop up to your knees. Try it on the sand first," she motioned for him to join her on the shore.

He was agile enough to manage the move to standing while on dry land, managing to do so on the first try. But the next attempts in the water, despite her instructions, all had him wash up to shore. "I think... I've found something I'm really not good at," he chuckled. "Fun as it is."

"Hmm," Finn put her hand on her chin in thought and then had the computer replicate a different type of board. "Try that one. It's a body board. Hold on to the top part with your hands and do the same thing to catch a wave, but just use your feet to kick instead of using your arms. The wave will push you along and you just go for the ride, you don't stand on this one," she chuckled.

"So basically just get washed up every time?" Mason chuckled as he examined the shorter board. "Do I need flippers?"

"I never use them, but some people do. It's up to you if you want flippers or not," she shrugged and then paddled back out into the water for a few more runs as Mason tried the new board.

"Nah, I'll just trip up," he grinned, "I think I look foolish enough as it is don't I?" He ran into the water and made a few more runs, finding this more suitable to his skill level. Even so, he continued to wash up in a mix of coughs and giggles.

"You'll get better over time," Finn chuckled as he washed up another time. "It takes practice. I started when I was about four and I was no good at it until about eight," she laughed.

"Yeah and I'm nearing thirty...." He laughed. "This is fun but I think I'll stick with what I'm good at. I'm happy to join you here but I'll be content with washing up or just swimming."

"We don't have to surf anymore if you aren't feeling it," she hopped off of her own board and started to walk to the shore. "We can just enjoy the view if you'd rather. I can always come back and surf on my own later."

"But you love this. Really I'm having fun, trust me." He got to his feet and walked up to her. "I can see you're having fun, please don't stop having fun now ."

Finn chuckled. "You're too good for me Mason, do you know that? If you're enjoying it then we can continue, otherwise, I'm ok with doing something we both like. Or honestly, I could go for a meal. I haven't eaten since last night now that I think about it," she confessed.

"Are you sure?" He smiled, a touch of concern in his eyes. Something was different. "I'm not too good for you, I just want you to be you, the Finn I know. My friend, my buddy... and I'm here whenever you have need..."

"Yea, I'm sure. I actually feel decent for the first time in a while." It was an honest answer and though she knew the darkness was still there waiting to creep back in the moment she left the holodeck, she did feel the light at that moment. And that was enough. "I know you are Mason. It's ok, really. I promise." She smiled at him, a genuine smile but a trained observer could still see the sadness lurking. At least it was at bay for now. "Want to join me in the mess hall?"

"I'm sorry Finn, I got a date with George.." he cast her an apologetic look. "But we can do breakfast in the morning?" Provided he wasn't staying the night."

Finn raised an inquisitory brow. "Another date with George, eh? How is that going anyway? I trust he's treating you well? I'll have him cleaning the transporters with a microspanner if he isn't." She said, realizing she hadn't much asked about him in a while and that she should have.

"Better than I've deserved all things considering," Mason smiled awkwardly, "and I got you to thank for that." His cheeks flushed a bit. "I think I'm in love Finn..."

"Aw, Mason, I'm so happy for you! You deserve only the best my department has to offer," she chuckled lightly. "Have you told him that yet?"

"That I love him" Mason choked out. "Uhm..not literally no.. I'm scared to... but I think he knows...why did you think I called him earlier??"

"Do you plan on telling him tonight then?" She asked.

"Possibly. I don't know how.... I'm afraid to get burned again...." He sighed. "I've been trying to show though, that counts right?"

"Of course, it counts, but I'll let you in on a secret. I think he probably loves you too. Just tell him, you won't regret it," Finn replied with a smile.

"You sure?" He gave her a hopeful look, then wrapped wet arms around her and kissed her cheek. "Thanks Finn, I'm hopeless without you..."

She chuckled. "That's far from the truth. Tell me how it goes?"

"You bet!" He promised. "At breakfast alright?" he grinned. "Lunch at the latest."

"Make it dinner. You of all people know that I usually eat breakfast in my office and often skip lunch in favor of work. How about dinner an hour after tomorrow's shift? You can tell me all about your date. I can't wait to hear about it." Finn smiled softly and hoped he would have good news to share the following day.

"I will," he promised, giving her another hug. "Gotta go!"

Finn nodded and watched the security officer leave the holodeck. She turned around and faced the water again thinking perhaps she would catch a few more waves before getting dinner.