Sand & Service, Part V: Pairings

Posted on Thu Sep 17th, 2026 @ 4:17pm by Captain Remy Johansen & Ensign Dani Harper & Lieutenant Commander Ryan Keel & Lieutenant Kah’lyn Chiara & Lieutenant Commander Xalanth & Josef Forstinger & Master Chief Petty Officer Vashti Rao

2,713 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Maintenance and Recovery
Location: Amberwash Beach, Southern Continent, Barisa Prime
Timeline: November 3, 2389

[Continued...]

Dani watched Kash for a few moments and then walked over to where Vashti and the others were still organizing. She noticed Josef, the 21st century Human she had helped find on Freecloud was mingling with this group and thought it might be time for reintroductions.

"Hey guys," Dani greeted generally to the crowd of younger officers.

"And you, Josef," she said extending a hand to the Human. "I'm not sure if you remember me, but you tried to kill me, while I was - successfully - saving your life a couple of months ago. It's Dani."

Josef blinked a good few times as Dani adressed him. He hadnt forgotten. Not entirely at least. He couldn't recall everything. It was like a hazy dream, or to put it more accuratly, nightmare.

He smiled. It seemed natural enough, but for anyone who knew him for a little longer, like Tenzi, or at least knew his mind like the good Counselor, it was a tense one, hiding something. Projecting.

"Right, uhm. I, don't remember much. Or anything beyond red. I-am sorry about that." he took her handshake. A bit ironic, a few weeks ago, that same hand would've tried to crush her windpipe in a drug fueled rage, or worse.

"Look on the bright side, I didn't get you thrown into a Brig." A poor attempt at a joke to lighten the mood, mostly for himself.

"Yeah, right," Dani replied with a good natured laugh. "I heard about that. I think everyone heard about that. You're famous."

"Right, of course everyone has." Great, just great. Thats his second massive screw-up that now appereantly nearly everyone aboard a giant starship was aware of. The only net positive he could think about is that he did not attempt to kill someone with this one-well, technicaly one could argue he commited an act of terrorism-okay, enough thinking Josef.

"I think Infamous is a better word. At least I havent been thrown out the Airlock by the Captain, yet." Josef responded to Dani's laugh with own Jovial tone, hiding his sheer embarassment and regret behind it like a brick wall.

"It's really okay," Dani shrugged. "Don't sweat it," she said giving him a playful jab in the arm.

---

At his oven, Xalanth was happy. A warm, spicy yet pleasant smell was coming from the beach oven as the meat began to cook.

“That smells delicious!” Kah’lyn added as she looked over at Xalanth. “You’re making me hungry.”

"The wonders of being married to a great chef. " Added T'para. She and Leilani had changed into matching two-piece sports outfits bearing the academy's medical team pattern and logo.

"So Kah'lyn you ever played volleyball before?" Asked Fulvia.

“A brief introduction during my academy days, but not in proper matches. I’m a quick learner though,” Kah’lyn offered. “What about you?”

"Mostly just what i picked up from my sister wives when we've played it. Most of my experience on the sands was with a sword in my hand. " The former gladiatrix replied.

“Well I’m sure we’ll manage to hold our own if we try.” Kah’lyn added.

"Indeed. " Replied the Roman confidently. "So what will we do about team colours?"

“I’m easy, what colours do you prefer?” Kah’lyn asked curiously.

"My preferred colour is red, but i see that's taken. " Fulvia added, glancing at one of the other teams." Shall we go with pink?" She added.

“That sounds acceptable to me” Kah’lyn nodded.

"Well, let's go and pick out an outfit and get changed," Fulvia replied fondly as she headed for the small changing area that had been set up.

“Right behind you” Kah’lyn smiled as she followed Fulvia. “Needs to be something slimline, that won’t hamper performance and makes us look good.”

Stepping into the changing tent, which had been set up within a small clothing replicator. Fulvia's fingers brought up the screen and began flicking through a few designs. " See any you like?" she asked her teammate

“Hmmm how’s about this one” She pointed out a design that would both be practical, that they could have their names on and that they’d look good in.

"Looks good. Let's get them replicated. " Fulvia replied. Within moments, the two outfits were sitting on the replicators platform.

“Let’s get these tried on” Kah’lyn smiled as she picked up hers. “I think Xalanth’s eyes will pop out of their sockets when he sees you in this.”

Fulvia gave a pleasant smirk. Xalanth's eyes always seemed to pop out of their sockets whenever he saw any of his wives. " I'm sure he will." She said before disappearing behind the changing curtain.

Kah’lyn did the same, it didn’t long before she was changed and ready. “These certainly do show the figure don’t they?” She grinned. “But I like it.”

Fulvia nodded as she looked down at the pink leotard. " It is very snug-fitting, very modest compared to some of the stuff i wore in the arena. You look great Kah'lyn."

“Thank you” Kah’lyn smiled warmly. “Fingers crossed we can win this.”

Fulvia smiled and nodded as she stepped outside. Xalanth and the family had gathered around Xalanths beach oven. Eyes turned towards them. "Looking, good guys." T'para said with a grin on her face. " We'll have to add the outfit to your wardrobe Fulvia."

Kah’lyn grinned. “I think it’s most definitely us! We’re here to win and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Fulvia grinned. "That we will, Kah'lyn."

Kah’lyn nodded she just hoped she wouldn’t let Fulvia down, she’d feel awful if she did.”

---

Vashti looked over the crowd one last time, then reached for the whistle hanging against her chest. She had brought it because it seemed appropriate for a tournament--despite not participating or referring herself. She was starting to suspect maybe she had replicated it because somewhere--deep inside--she just enjoyed having an excuse to blow a whistle at people.

Before she could raise it, Tenzi reached over and took it from her.

She gave the whistle a quick blow that carried loud and clean across Amberwash Beach. Conversations tapered off and heads began to turn. Even some of the kids in the water a little ways away looked back to see if an emergency was being declared.

Tenzi smiled with a little too much satisfaction and handed it back.

"I've always wanted to do that."

Vashti stared at her.

She slipped the chain of the whistle back over her head. "You got spit on my whistle."

Most of the assembled pairs of eyes had settled on her, then she stepped forward. The whiteboard had been updated and remained behind her with Tenzi and Josef doing their utmost to keep it hidden beneath a towel that threatened to fly away with a gust of wind.

"Alright, everyone. We've got enough people to make this worthwhile now, so we're going to get started."

She glanced briefly to Tenzi. "Again, thank you blowing my whistle."

Tenzi nodded solemnly. "My pleasure."

Vashti turned back toward Astrea's crew. "Here's how we're doing this. We've got ten teams, and I've given each one a Greek-letter designation. Those names are purely for keeping track of the tournament. Nobody has earned the right to call themselves Alpha just because they think they're particularly impressive." She shot a look toward Kasper and Malcolm who were still looking too cool for school in the middle of the group.

"Records and history don't lie, baby!" Kasper called out with a giant smirk on his face and a laugh while nudging Malcolm. Volleyball was surprisingly one of the more random things he was good at and felt like he could brag about.

"Doesn't matter what you call us," Malcolm said with a more cool casualness than Kasper portrayed. "We play to win."

Vashti shook her head, smiling despite herself.

"Matches are going to be one set to fifteen points. You have to win by two, with seventeen as the maximum score. We're using three courts, so there'll be matches running concurrently. Once a match finishes, the next teams assigned to that court can get themselves ready."

She pointed toward the covered whiteboard.

"The tournament itself is single elimination. We have ten teams, which means six teams will receive a bye into the quarterfinals. The other four teams will play two preliminary matches to determine who joins them."

A few of the players began looking toward the board with renewed interest.

"The preliminary matches and the quarterfinals have already been randomized. Same goes for the byes. Nobody can accuse me of favouritism."

Rixi raised her hand.

"Can we accuse the computer?"

"Absolutely."

"Excellent."

A few of the assembled laughed.

Vashti continued. "The two preliminary winners move into the quarterfinals. From there, it's semifinals and then the final. If we have time, we'll play a third-place match. If we don't, nobody gets a trophy for coming in third place."

"You are giving real trophies?" came the accented voice of Garo Hakobyan from the back of the crowd, standing near Zera Leyar.

For a moment, Vashti's heart fluttered at the sight of Garo but not with its usual vigour.

"Maybe."

Rixi's eyebrows went up.

"There is?"

Vashti's smile became a little more guarded at her friend's reaction.

"There may be."

"Vee."

"I had some spare replicator time when we berthed at 773."

Tenzi leaned toward Josef, whispering, "Such BS. She's been working on that trophy for weeks."

"Months," Emiliano interjected with a grin.

"I can hear you both," Vashti said turning to look directly at the culprits.

"Sorry, Chief," Emiliano answered.

Vashti folded her arms and surveyed the group in front of her. The sound of the ocean behind her was steady and an entirely different background noise from being on a starship in space. After some busy weeks and months, it felt good to have something like this to look forward to. Astrea had spent more than its fair share of time with repairs, reports, assassinations, and Romulan warbirds. Not to mention the thousand small things that came with keeping a starship powered and moving through space.

Today they were just going to focus on hitting a ball over a net.

"Any questions?"

Kah’lyn shook her head. “No questions.”

Vashti pointed to Tenzi and Josef.

"The big reveal."

Tenzi stepped toward the board and took hold of one of the towel while Josef moved the other.

"Ready?" Tenzi asked with an evil grin.

Together, they pulled the towel away.

The tournament board appeared from beneath it, divided into neat sections. Ten team names were next to their Greek-letter designations, with the two preliminary matches marked clearly at the top. Beneath them, the quarterfinal bracket spread across the board, while three columns at the bottom showed the court assignments and start times.

Alpha - Luci/Rixi
Beta - Beckett/Andersen
Gamma - T'Para/Leilani
Delta - Dani/Zera
Epilson - Sakkar/Dallas
Zeta - Emiliano/Garo
Eta - Fulvia/Kah'lyn
Theta - Josef/Keel
Iota - Charlotte/Tenzi
Kappa - Osirin/Kash

COURT #1
Play-in #1 - Kappa (Osirin/Kash) vs. Zeta (Emiliano/Garo)

COURT #2
Play-in #2 - Alpha (Luci/Rixi) vs. Delta (Dani/Zera)



"Then it's Kappa versus Zeta in Court Number One and Alpha versus Delta in Court Number Two," Vashti announced. "Everyone else is invited to spectate, swim, sunbathe, or maybe place an order with Xalanth."

Rixi was tying her hair back as she stepped toward Luci.

"Looks like we're Alphas, sister."

"Ayo, looks like we are," Luci replied with a grin. "Someone's got to knock the doctors off their pedestal, so why not us, sí?"

Emiliano squeezed Luci's hand and threw her a smile before chasing after the white-nosed Garo.

"How much zinc is on your nose, mae?"

Vashti watched as the crew slowly made their way over to the courts as Tenzi fought to unfold a lounging chair.

As Keel moved over towards the courts, he clapped a hand on Josef's shoulder. 'Look's like we're pals for today mister. You good with what Volleyball is?' He leaned in, whispering, 'because I'll admit, I have no idea what we're doing other than dressing in pretty costumes.'

Keel had somehow managed to sneak up on the Veteran, most likely a mix of being immersed within the crowd and Josef just not paying any attention at all to his surroundings. He had to suppress the instinctual reaction to turn around and face this sudden presence as a threat-which was only visualized by him letting out an "oof" and a little tensing of his shoulders.

He inclined his head to the side as Keel whispered. "Well, I know it from TV; otherwise, we are in the same boat. I mean, how hard can it be? You're just punching a ball over a net while being scantly dressed." He looks over to Tenzi on the sideline. "Might've done it sooner if it wasn't for gravel beaches." Which display might remind the Chief of Intelligence he was dealing with someone 14 years his junior-give or take a few centuries- despite his more rough appereance.

Flashing a smile, Keel poked some fun at him. 'Not sure what gravel beaches have to do with you dressing scantily.' He shrugged, 'it's a bit of fun, we'll slap that ball around and see what happens, no?'

There was a flash of an embarassed blush in response to Keels comment, Josefs head snapping from looking at the Andorian Woman to him. "What ? No not that part-I meant Volleyball itself. Wasnt living Oceanside exactly." but he lets out a sigh, relaxing once again. "Funny that they stuck us two Newbies together. Imagine if we make it past the first match."

---

Ensign Dani Harper
Science Officer
USS Astrea
(NPC of Remy Johansen)


Master Chief Petty Officer Vashti Rao
Chief of the Boat
USS Astrea
(NPC of JB Dorsainvil)


Josef Forstinger
Civillian
USS Astrea


Lt. Commander Xalanth
Chief Security Officer
USS Astrea


Lieutenant Kah'lyn Chiara
Chief Counselor
USS Astrea


Lieutenant JG T'Para, MD
Medical Officer
USS Astrea
(NPC of Xalanth)


Lieutenant JG Leilani
Counselor
USS Astrea
(NPC of Xalanth)


Lieutenant JG Fulvia
Intelligence Officer
USS Astrea
(NPC of Xalanth)


Ensign Tenzi Sh'reyva
Engineering Officer
USS Astrea
(NPC of JB Dorsainvil)


Petty Officer 2nd Class Zal Rixi
Engineering Officer
USS Astrea
(NPC of JB Dorsainvil)


Crewman Emiliano Echevarria
Operations Officer
USS Astrea
(NPC of JB Dorsainvil)


Ensign Luciana Aguila
Structural/Environmental Specialist
USS Astrea
(NPC of Eirly Andersen)


Ensign Garabed "Garo" Hakobyan
Transporter Specialist
USS Astrea
(NPC of JB Dorsainvil)

 

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