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.