When they came to a stop both of them just sat there for a moment, amazed that they were still in one piece. “I think I swallowed my lunch four times.” Jason groaned as he undid the straps to his seat and abruptly fell to the ceiling. “We're upside down!” he called out. “Just so you know.”
“I know. I don't think I'll have the Fettuccine ration pack for a while, doesn't taste so good on the rerun.” Oz said as he carefully lowered himself down and made his way to Jason.
The small ship had managed to keep her hatches, cupboards and compartments closed despite the barely controlled crash landing.
“Everything still where it's supposed to be? Anything broken?” Oz asked.
“Yup, you?”
“Ready for whatever's waiting out there. Here's hoping there's someone friendly.”
A Sunny Morning
Liam couldn't help but admit that he was beginning to enjoy his time aboard the Triton. Over the past nine days the ship had spent on its slow movement along the outer edge of the bright nebula most of the crew had started making themselves at home. The few civilians that were left after most of them found jobs as crewmembers were opening up shop, starting to mix with the more military minded people aboard and that was partly thanks to him.
He had taken it upon himself to make suggestions to department heads about several activities the crew members could engage in to not only mix with the few dozen civilians aboard but to make the Triton a real home. The botanical section of the ship was a great help, many enjoyed strolling down the larger hallways beside the broad planters, vertical gardens on the walls and on through the large center, where full trees were planted and there were even patches of soft green grass for people to lounge on.
His favourite part of the day was the morning; he lead a stretching session that was a combination of different yoga and martial arts disciplines for the crew and civilians right in the middle of the massive garden. Many of them came dressed in uniform, the Freeground style vacsuits the crew wore didn't impede movement like regular clothing. His robes were made for free movement as well and he preferred to wear them instead of a vacsuit during morning exercises. A few of the civilians had taken his example and used materializer rations to create white robes of the lowest Axionic level. The fact that some of them had taken the time to research the order and made an effort to follow his example flattered him, a sentiment he accepted then gently dismissed during meditation.
To his surprise Ashley had joined them that morning. She was dressed in full uniform with the exception of her flight jacket, which had been hung over a large birch tree branch nearby.
Ashley followed the group through their exercises from the side and a few minutes after the class begun he moved to stand right in front of her. Her dark eyes looked into his nervously. “I'm screwing up, aren't I?” she whispered with that soft lisp that always made Liam smile.
He shook his head and fixed her with a reassuring expression; “You're only doing what comes naturally. Close your eyes, try forgetting where you are. Now take a slow deep breath,” he called out to everyone. The majority of the two dozen participants were patient people and they wouldn't mind slowing the class down to a more relaxing stretch. As she took a breath, everyone else followed along. “Exhale slowly, all your nervousness and negative thoughts are leaving you, passing out of your body.” He waited until she had finished and continued; “good, now bring air in through your nose just as slowly, fill your body with clean air, relax your stomach so you can take it all in and when you're full begin releasing slowly through your mouth. All negative thoughts and energies are leaving you.” He did this with the class, watching Ashley as she began to forget that she was the center of attention, at least momentarily.
“Now we're going to lay flat on our backs. Slowly lower yourself down, stay relaxed and be concious of each movement,” he directed the class by example, everyone watched him throughout the sessions, even through such simple motions.
When he had everyone on their backs he went on; “now keep breathing from your abdomen, evenly, deeply as you move your arms just out to your sides, palms up and then separate your legs. Rotate your feet inwards, then outwards. Let them fall naturally, don't force them, they know where they want to be.” He waited for everyone to reach the position he was directing them to and peeked at Ashley. While she concentrated on going through his directed movements she stopped breathing. At the conclusion she started to breathe deeply again. “Breathe with your movements,” he instructed generally, trying not to single her out. “Now slowly turn your head from side to side. We're centering our spines and bringing our bodies in line. Once you've finished, lay with your face to the ceiling.”
She stopped breathing again as she rotated her head. He quietly got up and sat just above and behind her. Her eyes popped open, all her self conciousness rising to the surface.
“It's all right, just keep breathing. Now relax your neck for me, let me move you.”
“Okay,” she whispered back.
He gently took her head in his hands; “now breathe in slowly,” he told her as he turned her head left in a pace that matched her inhale. “Exhale slowly,” he instructed her quietly as he brought her head back to center. “See how natural that feels? Our bodies are more oxygenated, more energized if we breathe with our movements. We are also more self aware, can maintain calm more easily and our thinking is clearer. Try it yourself.”
She turned her head to the other side, inhaling through a smile and then back to center, exhaling as before. “Better?” she asked.
“Much better, now through the session try to match your breathing with the movements. No motion has to be perfect, just don't force yourself past your limits and take it slow. Just concentrate on breathing properly for now.”
“Thank you Chief,” she whispered to him as she watched him stand up and move back to the head of the group.
The rest of the session went well. Everyone was focused, stretched and relaxed by the end. Most of them were on their way to begin their shift right afterwards. Ashley said goodbye to a few of the crew members she knew before approaching Liam with a big smile. “Thank you for helping me get started. I've never done anything like this before.”
“That's all right, everyone has to get started somewhere.”
“Did you learn how to do this on Earth?”
“I started long before I applied to visit, actually. About fifty years ago during my first time in college.”
“Wow. At least we have the right teacher.”
“Well, to be honest I didn't feel ready to teach until I attended on Earth. They have masters there with knowledge that far surpasses anything I've learned, it was a good environment.”
“Do you miss it?”
“Sometimes, but like anything; it would be different if I were to return now.”
She smiled at him and nodded; “I know what that's like.”
“How are things with you and Finn?” It was what she wanted to speak to him about and his invitation to the topic was a relief to her, he could tell.
“We're taking it slow,” she shrugged.
“That's something new to you.”
“That obvious, huh?”
“Only a guess,” he smiled.
“I'm so glad he's okay, but I guess I expected something else.”
“You used to think about him often when he was in stasis?” Liam stated as he folded his hands into the sleeves of his deep blue robes. They started walking towards the rear hall.
Ashley nodded. “Maybe too much.”
“Infatuation is hard to break,” Liam concluded for her.
“Well, I don't know if I was infatuated,” she paused a moment then nodded. “I mean, okay, a little.”