1x1 -- Curious and Stormy

[Curious]

Chyhir, again, was embarrassed to be carried in such a way that made him out to be so vulnerable, but he didn't say anything for fear of seeming ungrateful to Scott for the assistance. He was very much grateful and, in fact, his embarrassment was partially caused by his lack of repayment for all the pains Scott went through for him without complaint.
When he was asked whether he wanted to visit with his crewmates, he nodded.
"I wouldn't be against seeing them, not at all. I missed them. Even the ones I don't know the names of," he explained with a sparkle in his eyes.
He shifted to the side, pushing against the bed with his non-injured hand, and ever-so-slowly lifted onto his feet. He leaned against the mattress slightly on his weak-footed side. A soft grunt of pain escaped him.
"Rapid healing powers would be convenient, wouldn't they?"

[stormy tom]

Scott hurriedly took position next to the doctor, making himself a sturdy pillar for his injured friend. He could easily support as much weight as the doctor needed him to. "Easy there," he mused, wrapping an arm around Chyhir's waist. It might be awkward for the much smaller doctor to drape his good arm across his captain's shoulders, so Scott chose not to suggest it.
"Want me to make you sling for your arm? " He asked gently. "Still looks painful."
Scott guided the pace, not allowing Chyhir to go any faster than they were going. The crew were happy to see them, but Sam was occupying a few of them by introducing their new friend. The doctor would not be bombarded. It was one of Sam's rare sensitive moments.
Halia approached. "Doctor, happy to see you safely returned. Captain," she dipped her head respectfully. "I trust your plan went well."
"It did," Scott nodded.
"Would you like something to eat, Doctor," Halia stared unblinking at Chyhir.

[Curious]

Chyhir was obviously relieved to have Scott to lean onto, taking advantage of his help by leaning on him as much as he needed to (since he knew Scott didn't mind). Instead of grasping his shoulders, he wrapped his arm around his waist, due to it being easier to reach.
"Yes, thank you, I'll need it," Chyhir replied to Scott's offer with a nod. "We can worry about that later, though. Focusing on something rather than my own health for a bit will be refreshing."
The doctor was glad to see that Sam had grown to like Knuck enough to introduce him to the rest of the crew. At first he had worried about whether the fiery little guy would fit in, but now he found he needn't think about it. Sam, being the big lovable goof he was, was clearly enjoying himself with the male about a third of his size.
"Hi, Halia." A pleased smile lit his expression. "It's really nice to see you again. I'm alright. I had breakfast just a bit ago, but I appreciate the offer." At this point, he was used to being babied (which he hadn't accepted readily at first), so he didn't feel as bashful as he would have a couple weeks ago to be offered food right off of the bat.

Knuck was certainly enjoying all the attention he was receiving. As usual, he wasn't in the least bit intimidated by being surrounded by outlaws, and outlaws who were all much bigger than him, at that. The smooth-scaled merchant thrusted his chest out and placed his hands on his hips beside his tentacled companion with pride. Upon impulse, he grasped onto Sam's arm and crawled up his side like an Earth monkey, perching on his shoulder to make an announcement.
"Hey, if you ever want some blaster enhancements, feel free to gimme a request and I'll be happy to help out. Payment is optional, but...appreciated." Something in his gaze said that payment wasn't optional, despite his words. He was horribly poor, after all. "I'll give your cash back if I end up hitching a more permanent ride, though."

[stormy tom]

Halia chirped like a cat, glad the doctor was alright and fed. She patted her captain's shoulder. And went off to find Bolt.
The engineer herself had come over to say hello, giving Scott a wordless stare with all six eyes as a symbol of her happiness he was back. She extended the same stare to Chyhir.
Then she was off again, trailing off with Halia to speak to Sam and talk to their new friend.

"Good to be back," Scott sighed. This was his home, his family. "Well be flying out soon. But not to anywhere dangerous. For a sort of holiday really. Everybody needs one."
It would be a secluded tropical planet. They would land on a deserted area and spend a little time enjoying fresh fruit, warm water, and soft sand. It would be perfect for Chyhir's sensitivity to the cold. And Sam hadn't had a good swim in too long. His friend deserved a little dip.

Sam easily toted around the small merchant, laughing. "Easy there little guy. Careful what you say around our engineer. She might just beat you with a wrench for trying to mess with our stuff."

[Curious]

As much as Chyhir wished to get used to Bolt's way of displaying affection, he wasn't quite there yet. He couldn't be sure what she meant by staring at him wordlessly--for all he knew, she could be glaring at him out of anger for occupying her captain's attention for so long. Something told him, however, that this wasn't the case. He knew Bolt possessed a good nature. So, instead of flinching away from her gaze, he smiled shyly at the reptilian mechanic.
At Scott's explanation of his plans, he perked up. His already high spirits lifted even more.
"Really? Where are we going?" Chyhir had never been on a trip vacation before. The only "vacations" he'd ever been on were short breaks from work, mostly spent taking naps and lounging around in his apartment in solitude. A break with friends sounded like a dream.

Knuck let out a laugh that sounded a little bit like a spray bottle. He plunked his rear down on Sam's shoulder and took one of his tentacles in his hands. He waved it around a bit as though wielding a sword (while making sure not to tug too hard).
"I'm sure I could take her on with ease! You don't survive in the ring out of luck, mate! I took on my fellow prisoners with only a dagger up against their axes and spears and won easily! That isn't to say I won every time--some of those guys were damn tough." He flexed his scrawny biceps. "I could chew her wrench in half!" As ridiculous as his claim sounded, it was true. His species had teeth tougher than steel and equally impressive digestive systems. He could eat one of his handmade blasters without suffering a scratch.

[stormy tom]

"Another planet," Scott explained, leading Chyhir to the dining room and sitting him down. He made himself some tea and came back to join the doctor. "A tropical planet. It'll be warm. You'll have fun! And you'll get to see Sam swim. He's amazing. It'll take us a couple of days to get there so you'll have plenty of time to rest so you can enjoy yourself a bit more."
It was time to take a break from dangerous missions.

Sam laughed, spinning a slow circle. It was like having a child perched on his shoulder. "I'd like to see you two go at it. Bolt's not somebody you want to mess with." the reptilian female was one hell of a monster if you get her riled up.

The next couple of days were spent casually flying toward their next destination, safe and unfollowed. Scott did what he could for Chyhir, trying to help but also remembering not to be too pushy. The doctor might feel better if the captain wasn't doing everything for him.
They would arrive shortly. Scott left the cockpit and Sam took over for landing, Halia sliding into the co-pilot's seat. Everybody was excited for a break. Scott himself went to get into a t-shirt and some shorts. He wanted to enjoy the sun. Bolt brought him some sun tan lotion and he gratefully accepted it, covering his fair skin in the lotion to protect himself from getting burned.
Scott slipped into his sandals and went to find Chyhir, sunglasses in hand.

[Curious]

In the time that the Endeavor made for the crew's vacation location, Chyhir grew more and more excited. Not only was it a huge step up from being confined in a prison, but Achlad was a tropical planet, as well, so that meant Chyhir would be immersed once more in the environment he grew up surrounded by. He'd missed the feeling of velvety sand between his toes and salty wind in his hair. When he'd lived on Achlad his favorite activity had been riding jewneks along the seashore. He made sure to take care of himself as well as he could in order to heal up in time to fully appreciate the crew's break.
By the time they made it there, he wasn't feeling much better physically (the main component in healing such injuries was patience) but he certainly wasn't lacking in emotional health. The doctor, back to his slim but not unhealthily thin state, had changed into his old Achladian attire for the occasion. A sash of white silk-like material was draped over one of his bare shoulders and he wore light yet baggy pants that bunched up at his ankles. Both of these pieces of clothing were waterproof. Now that he finally had the opportunity to expose his skin to the sun, the subtle patterns on his chest, feet, back, and arms were visible. Well, only one of his arms, since the other was tucked into a sling.
When Scott emerged into his room, the doctor was sitting on the edge of his bed and brushing his hair over a shoulder with a contented look on his face. He looked up at the sound of his entrance.
"Are we all set to go?" He stood rather unsteadily while using his bed as support.

[stormy tom]

Scott nodded, offering his hand for support. "We're all set. Come on, Sam's landed us. The scenery is pretty incredible." He'd been to a few tropical planets himself, and he had to say he enjoyed the warmth, even if he did have to be careful with his sensitivity to it. Scott had had lots of water ensure he was well-hydrated before-hand.
The captain led the way to the loading bay as the ramp descended and the rest of the crew appeared. Sam emerged last, a big grin on his face. The ramp lowered and allowed sunlight into the ship.

Before them stretched pink sand, and blue water beyond that. Lush green foliage grew around the ship, shielding it. Trees of many kinds grew all sorts of fruits.
Sam yelped with glee, and Scott yelped for an entirely different reason. His best friend tackled him. Sam tucked Scott under his arm and ran toward the water, tossing his captain several feet. The blonde landed with a splash and Sam cackled, diving in after him.
Halia's fur rippled, and then she was pouncing after them, jumping right into the water. Bolt followed too, happy to wet her reptilian body. The others followed too, some preferring to stay on the beach while others jumped into the warm water.

Scott emerged, soaked from head to toe, stomping back onto warm sand and shaking water from his thick hair. His forelock flopped into his face. Sam did a victory backflip behind him, scales shiny in the sunlight. Then he was back under the water and swimming off.
The captain slicked water off him, pale skin practically glowing in the sunshine. "Well, I suppose that's the only way things were ever going to go," he sighed, but it was a contented sigh. Same old Sam, same old crew.

[Curious]

With Scott's assistance, Chyhir limped out with the rest of the crew. He was too busy enjoying the warmth of the sun caressing his skin to notice Sam approaching Scott until the taller man had been snatched away. He laughed heartily at the sight of the crew skipping to the water like kids let out for recess at school, limping along across the sand after them. He settled down at the edge of the water so that the tiny waves just tickled his toes and closed his eyes. No bed could ever be as comfortable as the feeling of sun-warmed sand on one's back. He would have been disappointed to be unable to swim like the rest of them, but he was plenty satisfied with just being there and doing nothing.

Knuck, on the other hand, wasn't nearly as relaxed. Brimming with energy, the little guy was scrambling to keep up with Sam everywhere he went like a puppy following its owner. Unfortunately, his efforts were to no avail, as he was a terrible swimmer. Not to mention he was a little too bold for his own good. It wasn't long before he was swept up by the waves and carried too far out to sea to swim back to shore on his own.
"Sam! Help!" He gasped between waves, flailing his arms clumsily. "Scott! Chyhir! Somebody! I'm kind of drowning! Hel--"
A towering wave crashed over his head and he squeezed his eyes shut, fighting against the current with all his small body could muster.

[stormy tom]

Scott flopped down on the sand next to Chyhir, closing his eyes and letting himself enjoy the peace and warmth of the sun. He stood up again, looking up. "Hey, want some fruit?" he asked Chyhir. The captain reached up with his long arms and pulled himself up into the tree, climbing high to where the best fruits were located. The blonde was agile and although not as strong as his other crew members, was very good at manoeuvring his weight. He easily and safely reached the top, dropping a big purple pineapple next to Chyhir from above. Scott dropped a couple more down too and climbed down to open them up with Bolt's help.
The reptilian woman easily clawed the fruits' tough skin open, exposing the soft peachy flesh inside.

Sam twisted in the water easily, his spines allowing him to turn a tight radius. With powerful limbs and the help of his webbing the big man shot through the water beneath the surface, twisting as he came beneath Knuck and lifting him up on his stomach.
"Careful there little guy," Sam paddled on his back to the shore, depositing the small reptilian man on the sand and patting him on the head. "Don't get ahead of yourself."
Now, he really had to get some water between his scales. It had been far too long. Although Sam easily adjusted to other climates and his human skin could survive healthily on dry land, his species were water-born. He was naturally aquatic, and it felt so good to be wet again after so long.