Building up a team part 2

Posted on Tue Feb 21st, 2023 @ 1:50am by Lieutenant Commander R'elle & Lieutenant Commander Rayek trLhoell & Lieutenant Commander Klarth

3,751 words; about a 19 minute read

Mission: Into The Void
Location: Holodeck
Timeline: after the christmas party

Suddenly everything went dark for Rayek and he felt himself lying face down on the ground. Assuming the worst, that he'd been switched with R'elle (it seemed a Wadi thing to do), Rayek took his own advice advice and rolled quickly to his left.

Suddenly R'elle was beside Klarth "What the...Klarth how did I get here? And Rayek has taken my place? This is getting very weird." R'elle said.

Klarth had been so focused on guiding R'elle that he didn't realize they had switched places until he heard R'elle's voice next to him and he just about jumped out of his skin, but he soon recovered his composure, because he knew he still had to guide Rayek. Rayek had successfully rolled out of the path of the glowing ball of light and was now past the lasers. "All right Rayek you can get up and the next thing you have to do is start climbing the rope bridge in front of you."

Rayek was relieved to hear he'd dodged the orb of light. What happened to it he had no clue. Klarth's mild spoken directions didn't given the Romulan any sense of alert level he should be maintaining for this next obstacle. Out of a sense of self-preservation in this game, Rayek opted to remain hyper alert.

Which was smart because the doctor claimed Rayek could stand and begin climbing a rope bridge. Moments before switching places there hadn't been a rope bridge, there had been a climbing wall. Obviously the terrain changed so as not to give advantage to those who had seen it.

Rayek stood but despite Klarth's instructions, the Romulan wasn't certain if he'd gotten to his feet facing the correction direction to find the bridge as indicated. He reached out both a hand and a foot tentatively seeking to find some confirmation as to where the bridge was.

"Some precise direction would be appreciated," the Romulan prompted.

R'elle stepped back while Klarth was focused on Rayek. She untucked her tail and breathed a sigh of relief! That felt so much better. Caitian tails were not meant to be constrained. She returned to Klarth's side.

Klarth tried to clarify the distance but no sound came out because it wasn't his turn to speak anymore.

Apparently it was up to R'elle now. "Ok Rayek, seems like I'm the one who has to guide you. So take two steps forward and then you should be at the bridge. If you stretch out your hand, you should be able to feel it." R'elle said. She was relieved to have her tail out and to be away from the lasers but guiding Rayek, well she wanted to do her best.

The Caitian's instructions were clear and concise enough so that Rayek took steps forward and confidently reached out a hand in an arc in front of him and met with what felt like a post. Rayek felt along the post as he edged closer, feeling with his booted foot for where the rope began and the ground ended. His foot passed over the edge after two taps forward then met open space. So this rope bridge crossed a span of some sort. Possibly another mudpit, he thought hopefully.

Realistically, the Romulan knew he was in the Holodeck and that the safeties were on, so that nothing major would happen even if he should lose his footing and fall; but the lack of visual cues was playing havoc with Rayek's one phobia - his fear of heights. What if it wasn't a mudpit below but rather another of the deep pits that were R'elle's first obstacle. Rayek hesitated at the edge... his hand gripping the post, white-knuckled. "What does this bridge look like?" He called back. "Are there planks so that I can I walk normally... or am I to walk heel to toe across a single rope strand?" He hated how his voice sounded wavering as he spoke.

"OK, it's one big rope on the bottom. Two big ones on either side for the railings. Definitely heel to toe." R'elle said. She hoped Rayek would be careful.

Klarth thought Rayek sounded a bit uncomfortable so he tried to cheer him up "Come on," Klarth said, "we fought an invisible assassin. Compared to that this is a walk in the park."

Rayek nodded at R'elle's description. Heel to toe it would be. He groped about blindly until he found the other post and stood center between the two. He let out a shaky breath then felt forward with his right foot until he could feel the thick corded rope beneath his boot. For a moment, he considered removing his footwear to have better feel and grip on the rope but since the obstacle course could extend beyond this bridge he might need his boots later.

It was at this point that he heard Klarth's words of encouragement. He almost chuckled. Rayek would honestly rather face an invisible assassin that be suspended who knows how high over a pit. Rayek didn't know if it was better or worse that he couldn't actually see the pit. He silently thanked the Klingon as the words did their job and prompted Rayek to take that next step and the step after that.

He wasn't moving fast - certainly not as fast as the Caitian could have done given the ease that she'd navigated the narrowing of the path earlier - but he did step-by-cautious-step begin his way across. He knew that each heel to toe for him was exactly 33 cm, so that after 3 steps he'd traveled only a meter. So far most of the obstacle that only been between 10 to 20m. That meant hopefully only 66 steps to cross the distance. Rayek mentally counted each and every step.

It looked to Klarth that Rayek was almost there. He wondered if this would be the end of the challenge. Or maybe it was just wishful thinking.

"Ok Rayek! Doing good. Just slow and steady. " Suddenly up ahead, flames shot up out of nowhere. "Rayek! now there are flames and I think they may be burning the bridge. I think you'd better hurry up!" R'elle said.

Slow and steady was exactly what Rayek intended. But the Wadi game designer's had another plan, as he found out when the counselor informed him of the flames on the bridge. Rayek's anxiety spiked. Spurred by her words, Rayek attempted to pick up the pace but in doing so he was less certain of his footing and at one point a foot slipped off the rope.

Fortunately his white-knuckled grip on the supporting ropes on either side kept him from losing his balance completely. His heart was racing with adrenaline as he pushed on.

Despite the flames it looked like Rayek was over the bridge. Klarth saw a big red button on a pedestal just ten feet away from Rayek. The only obstacles he could see were more flames. up high. "Okay there seems to be a pedestal with a big red button just 10 feet from the end of the bridge," Klarth said. "Start army crawling again to avoid flames. Hit that button and I think this is it!"

"You can do it Rayek! I know you can!" R'elle said. Her tail flicked back and forth excitedly. She didn't want Rayek to be hurt. She knew the safeties were on but still that fire looked awful real!

At Klarth's direction, Rayek dropped to his stomach and once more began to crawl on this belly. He hoped he was keeping his direction straight but it was difficult to tell if he had a list to one side. He could feel the heat from the flames somewhere above him. Since Rayek had never attempted to judge his 'pacing' during a crawl, he was uncertain as to what '10 ft' might feel like crawling. He'd have to rely on Klarth once more to direct him to the pedestal. "Am I close yet?" he called after 9 'steps' - estimating that he could travel about 30 centimeters each step putting him at about 3 meters.. almost 10ft.

"You're almost there Rayek! 2 steps should do it then you'll be clear!" R'elle said.

"Come on Rayek," said Klarth. "You can do it!"

The counselor's use of the term 'step' confused the Romulan... did she mean his usual pace of nearly a meter? Or this arm-crawl pace? Well, he'd find out if it were the latter any moment. He continued his crawl as they called out to him encouragingly.

Clunk. Rayek's head bumped into something solid. The pedestal Klarth had mentioned? It had to be. Rayek remained low to the ground and began patting along the pedestal, keeping his head low, feeling for the 'big red button' that Klarth had mentioned. Thankfully by feel, the pedestal didn't seem too ornate. It should be easy enough to feel for the protuberance.

Up and up he felt along the pedestal until he was forced to move into a crouched position, the flames heat hotter the higher he rose. But at the very top of his reach, he felt the rise of a 'button'. "Pressing it now." He called out in warning. The button depressed and the heat above him disappeared. A second later and Rayek could see again. He saw that he was at the beginning of the course once more, and there crouched at the base of the pedestal was Klarth. It seems they'd been switched again.

"It would seem that I am the test primate now, so where am I going next?" asked Klarth.

Rayek saw that the three-story climbing wall still remained - an secretly was so grateful that he'd be switched out before that had to be done by him! What was new, however, was the abundant presence of vines all over the wall. At this distance, Rayek couldn't identify the plant species by sight. As such, he couldn't determine if it were poisonous, or had challenging attributes such as thorns or sticky sap that might interfere with Klarth's climb.

What he did note was that there were several large bulbous seed pods or flower buds spaced intermittently over the wall. He suspected that the goal of this challenge was to guide Klarth along the wall avoiding the thick vines. But first Klarth needed direction to get to the wall which thought at its closest was only 5 paces beyond the pedestal. A knot of vines and pod were in that spot however, so Rayek preferred to guide Klarth further to the right where access to the wall seemed better. Yet when Rayek attempted to speak, he realized that though Klarth had spoken after him last, that it was R'elle's turn to give direction.

The Romulan glanced to the counselor and did hand signals to suggest his preferred route to the wall, but given her medical background, Rayek was uncertain if she understood his military signals.


R'elle wasn't sure but she would do her best. "OK Klarth, turn right and walk 5 paces then turn left." She knew of Klarths' fear of carnivorous plants so she was betting these plants indeed were carnivorous.

Klarth did as he was told, he turned right and walked five paces and then turned left. While he was going he said, "Well this is too easy so far. Are their any traps to avoid?"


"No. No traps that I can see," Rayek stated "but you will be climbing up a three-story wall littered with vines. You are at the wall now where the vines are lightest."

"Vines?" said Klarth "It sounds like these game masters are running out of ideas. A three-story climb actually sounds nice. I'll take it slow and if I can't find a hand hold I'll ask you guys for help." Klarth felt around for handholds to start with and started climbing.

"Watch out Klarth!" R'elle shouted. "The pods are reaching for you and I don't think they are friendly!" Indeed several bulbs opened up as the vines began to wrap around Klarth.

Rayek, who had been watching closely, noted that while the pods opened immediately at the start of Klarth's climb (Rayek suspected they sensed his presence either through body heat or vibration of his movements), the vines only reacted after being brushed against while Klarth was searching for his hand hold. So the key to successfully making it through this challenge was by avoiding the vines. Not an easy task even if Klarth could see.

But first the Klingon had to free himself. One vine had encircled Klarth's wrist and was attempting to draw the Klingon towards the open and awaiting pod 2 meters away.

"Do you carry a blade? You're going to need to cut or tear the vine off your left wrist or it will draw you into the pod's maw." Rayek called out what he hoped was useful advice.

"Yes, I have a blade said Klarth and a phaser too, though I wouldn't recommend using it blindfolded." Klarth felt the vine around his wrist. He took out his blade with his other hand and sliced the vine. Klarth felt it fall off his wrist and heard a satisfying squelch sound that must have been fluids from the vine shooting out. "Vines are no problem, but is this a bad time to tell you I'm afraid of carnivorous plants?" Klarth put the knife back and felt around for hand holds above him. The quicker he got this challenge over with the better.

"It's alright Klarth! Just keep moving!" R'elle said. Unfortunately it wasn't that easy. The plants seem to redouble their attack as even more sought him out as he moved higher. More plant sought to wrap him up in their thorny embrace. What's more is that the vines further up were thicker and harder to cut. "Be careful Klarth, the vines are thicker the further up you go!"

Rayek frowned at the counselor's advice to the Klingon. Proceeding ahead without direction seemed foolhardy to the Romulan. Well there was no help for it... the best that he could do not was try to guide Klarth along the clearest path and hope the doctor would be able to deal with what vines he did encounter. "Bring your Right hand to two o'clock. Left hand to twelve... and finally Right foot to five." There were few vines to the right presently.

It sounded like the vines were all around him, but Klarth took the route that Rayek had recommended and when he sensed vines around him again he slashed with his knife and again heard that satisfying squelch sounds. He felt around for more handholds to see where he should go next. "Should I go the same way again?"

"Not quite Klarth! Up and to the right diagonally about 2 feet! The vines as thinner there, then straight up for maybe 10 feet" R'elle said.

Since the counselor had given precise enough direction to the doctor, Rayek's options were to hold off speaking until there might be a problem or a change in direction needed, or he could offer encouragement to the Klingon. Recalling how much their words had assisted him mentally when he'd needed to cross the bridge, Rayek knew what he had to do. "You've got this, Doctor! No way these vines will stop Klarth, son of Hergh!"

It wasn't very Klingon, but Klarth felt scared. Rayek and R'elle both trying to help him through this meant a lot. "Thank you both, I know I could not get through this without you." Klarth began to reach to the right diagonally about 2 feet and when he found the hand holds he then started climbing straight up. For the first time he heard what he was sure was the mouth of a carnivorous plant and in his head it looked huge and could swallow his arm in its maw." He took out his knife again and began to swing wildly searching for it. "Where is it?" he said as he swung.

Given Klarth's near panicking reaction to the opening of a pod some 6ft to his left, Rayek - since he couldn't talk - attempted the only thing he could think of at the moment to assist. He reached out with his mind towards the Klingon - lightly at first. Rayek wasn't 'reading' the Klingon but instead shared with the doctor the certainty of Klarth's safety. If Rayek did it subtly enough, the Klingon might not know the Romulan was even in his mind... but that was iffy since Rayek hadn't used his ability in such a manner in over a year.

Suddenly Klarth realized that the plant's mouth that he thought was right in front of him was actually about 6 feet away. His ears had been playing tricks on him. He honestly felt kind of silly. He put the knife away and started climbing again. "Sorry guys, he called down. I told you I didn't like those things"

'That's ok Klarth! You're doing fine. Just keep going. You're almost there!" R'elle said.

The Klingon's lack of reaction suggested to Rayek that his aid had gone undetected. This left the Romulan in a bit of a quandary as to whether to tell the Klingon of his invasion into his mind or not. Rayek's innate nature would have him just keep quiet, but experience within Starfleet suggested that at some point the truth would come out and that his honesty now might be better received than his deception would later on.

With Klarth still 2 meters from the top, Rayek decided to at least wait until the Klingon was not clinging to a climbing wall to tell him. And maybe without a knife readily at hand.

With no other dangers that he could see to forewarn about, Rayek continued to offer encouragement instead. "Your next hand hold is at 2 o'clock. Then 10. Continue that for the next 2 meters. The path is clear ahead."

"Doing good Klarth! After you reach the two meters, there is a hand hold up and to the right about 100 cm. Grab that and then another one about 20 cm up form that and 30 to the left. That should get you up. The path is clear to get to them but I don't know for how long! The plants are shifting!" R'elle said. Indeed, the plants seemed to be reposition themselves, slowly but surely, they were moving toward Klarth! Not all of them but several in his vicinity.

Klarth listened to the directions and moved as quickly as he could. Hopefully he could get up to the top without having to cut vines again.

R'elle's warning had been offered just in time. It spurred the doctor into moving quickly and thus Klarth avoided the majority of the seeking vines. It was only as the Klingon pulled himself the final way to the top, where his hand could reach over and feel the platform that Rayek noted one thing that undo all of Klarth's hard work. There at the top, mostly hidden from view by the angle with which Rayek and R'elle were viewing the wall, not 3 ft from where Klarth had his hand was what looked like an open pod, and 3 tentacle-like vines rising up from it now that Klarth was in proximity. Rayek wondered if the plant sensed body heat rather than movement - as the pod and vines had only reacted once Klarth's hand was over the edge of the wall.

What to do now though was the question Rayek was quickly trying to figure out. Stopping wasn't an option. The vines would quickly overtake him. Forward and fight was the only feasible way.

"The moment you are over the edge, you need to pull your knife and strike swift and low to the heart of a pod, directly in front of you two feet. Do not hesitate or concern yourself the vines.... strike the pod. It's your best chance." Rayek advised.

Klarth did not know if he could do it. plunge his knife into a man eating plant. If he had to look at it he would not be able to do it. But perhaps being blindfolded was a blessing. When he reached the top he did as Rayek said and plunged his knife into the pod. The pod felt slimy and he heard the sap flying out as the plant died. And when he removed his blade it was gooey with sap. He wiped it on his uniform and said "Where to now?"

"Well, I think that's it Klarth! I think you are done!" R'elle said.

The Wadi host reappeared (When he had he disappeared? Rayek wondered) and shouted "Allamaraine!!"

The obstacle course dissolved into a blinding white that Rayek was forced to squint against and when it faded he found himself and the others back in the holodeck room standing beside the Chula game console.

"Oh! Thank the Elements!" Rayek said in relief that the ordeal was over and somehow he'd managed to not ostracize himself by showing his Romulan nature overly much. He didn't think there would be any recovering this time if he'd once again sacrificed another game member for his own selfishness. He'd learned a lot from that incident 2 years; enough to know never to repeat it.

"So we're done here?" the Romulan checked with the counselor to be sure there wasn't anymore to this Team Building exercise.

Klarth took off the blindfold and laughed. He went over to R'elle and clapped her on the back. "That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It was kind of fun. Let's do it again sometime." Klarth looked at Rayek to see what he thought?

"Yes that is all Klarth! You both did wonderfully! You can be proud of yourselves for facing your fears! You did wonderfully!" R'elle said.

Noting Klarth's look towards him when the Klingon suggested doing it again, Rayek grimaced. Even the counselor's encouraging remarks of how well they did facing their fears didn't change the Romulan's perspective on the activity. "You have an odd sense of what is considered fun, Doctor. You can count me out."

Unfortunately, Rayek knew all too well that if the counselor insisted he be present, there was little he could to avoid the mandatory session. He just hoped that his actions here had been enough to forego any more mandatory team building exercises.

"You're right Rayek." Said Klarth. "Hopefully there will be no time for such playing because our upcoming real missions will be even more dangerous."

Rayek chuckled. "Nothing in the world is as dangerous as Klingon optimism."

 

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