Subject: Grail: 'Unexplores Spaces' - `Welcome to the Jungle'
`Welcome to the Jungle'
by Ensign Tifa Charr and Lt. Logan Castle
<<Stardate:47307.18-0930>>
<<Holodeck 12>>
"Mistake number one, sirrr.", Tifa purred with a smile. She
approached the `Decks control pad and looked over her shoulder to insure
that Castle was not trying to take liberties. As she suspected, he was a
Boy Scout. His back was turned. She debated for a time what environment
she should choose. Finally, she decided. She was reluctant at letting
others step onto her hunting grounds, but she wanted to impress her
chief, so she decided to stack the deck in her favor. There was no way
he could beat her in her environment.
"Rrready.", she finally announced.
=^=Program loaded. Enter when ready.=^=, the computer confirmed.
"Give me three minutes to get into position."
Castle consulted the antique wristwatch he was wearing and nodded
for her to go. She did.
Castle realised that he would have to be very clever if he did not
want to be embarrassed in this exercise. He had given the Caitan all the
advantages. She possessed superior senses and a sound understanding and
empathy of the environment. He shrugged. His time with the Corp had
given him more than ample jungle training. And that was the terrain she
had chosen as he looked inside. He could already feel the humidity.
That was clever of her. The more he sweat, the better able she
would be to smell him out. This was not going to be easy.
When three minutes had passed, he entered the `Deck and was
transported to a steamy jungle.
The ground was roughly level, again, giving Tifa the advantage of
being able to excersise her superior speed. But only if she were to
catch him out in the open. He wasn't going to allow that. In seconds, he
was moist with sweat. So, he removed the uniform tunic, kept the
communicator and put the damp clothing on the ground beneath a
sprawling fern. Then, he took to the trees.
Castle waited silently. The ambient sounds of this illusionary
jungle were as perfect and complex as any real jungle he had ever been
caught in. Damn, he hated the natural environment. He was much more at
home in an urban or city environment. Castle had street-smarts. But, he,
at least, had jungle training. It was enough.
He saw the sultry Caitan break cover from a small copse of
diminutive trees. He was glad he saw her, because there was no way he
would have heard her. He stilled his breathing and waited until she was
right beneath him. Odd how... stimulated... this excersise was making
him. With a lewd smile, he simply fell from the tree.
Castle hit Tifa Charrs back with his shoulder, sending her
sprawling into the shrubs. She saw his uniform tunic and screeched her
anger at the obvious ploy. But, when she rose and turned, Castle was not
there.
In the near distance, she heard him running through the jungle.
Castle knew that he had to be smart now. She had fallen for that
trick, but he was certain that she would not do so again. And, having
revealed himself to her, he could hear her coming up behind him. Fast.
Up ahead, the ground broke. A shallow stream cut across his path,
but he could easily jump it.
Tifa tore through the jungle, the human making more noise than a
herd of gazelle. She closed the distance easily. Up ahead, she saw a
break in the ground. A shallow stream cut across her path, but she could
easily jump it. When she reached it, she lightly launched herself into
the air.
Castle saw her leap over him as he pressed himself against the
shallow decline. When she was flying by, he stood up abruptly and
grabbed at her tail. He caught it with a lucky jab and pulled it hard.
Tifas momentum dragged him forward, but he had brought her down. She hit
the water with a roar.
Castle continued across the stream, leaving her cursing and
coughing water. She did not stay down long.
Tifa was fuming mad. This human was humiliating her on her own
hunting grounds. Her emotions washed over her. Hissing, she ripped her
uniform off with her claws, throwing the shreds to the side. She didn't
care about regulations anymore. She especially hated the boots and threw
them even further. Now she was back in tune with her environment. One
with the jungle. She listened for Castle. His splashing footsteps
indicated he was running down the stream. 'Like a Katarra' she thought.
Stealthily, she cut through the woods.
A few moments later, she saw Castle round the bend and dived on
him. He obviously hadn't expected it for she easily pinned him to the
ground, burying his face in the stream. Instinctively, Tifa buried her
claws in his leg to keep him from running. She knew had to be quick and
efficient because, with his size and strength, Castle had the advantage
in close combat. She raised her claws to stike, but the human had
already recuperated from the surprise. His arms came up and threw her
off. Tifa quickly turned into a roll and was back on all fours in an
instant, hissing at Castle who had already pulled himself out of the
ditch and was running.
Castle realised that his wounds were more ugly than they were
disabling, but still, the pain in his leg was slowing him down. He was
out of breath and too slow to evade her. She was younger and faster.
When he finally came to a clearing, he crossed it and turned. When she
finally broke the cover of the other side, she would find him waiting.
So he waited.
And waited.
And waited.
He realised that she was not going to come at him face to face.
That was not the Caitan way. She would circle him and try to....
Castle spun around as Tifa launched herself from the low growth
behind him. He never heard a thing. Only the sixth sense born of too
many years of mortal combat allowed him to turn at the right time.
She hit him low and hit him hard. But, being ready, he grabbed her
around her waist, over her back, as she took his legs out. Lifting her
up as he fell, he brought her up high, then threw her down hard. Her
breath exploded from her in a harsh exhalation. As she struggled for
breath, Castle straddled her midsection, pinning her arms. From his
boot, he produced a short, broad-bladed knife. He tickled her delicate
whiskers with it.
"And that, Ensign....", he smiled, panting, bleeding. "... is why I
am the Chief."
He rolled off her and laid beside her, looking at her.
"Was it good for you, too?", he grinned.