Water is wet

Dustin sat by the edge of the pool, his feet idly kicking in the water. Around him, members of his crew splashed, swam and played in the gently lapping waves generated by the same machine that kept the water comfortably warm and siphoned out any pollutants that might get into it - such as spills from the iced coffees and glasses of juice that people sat sipping all along the water’s edge. This was the smaller of Sola’s pools - the larger one was closer to a waterpark, with slides and sprinklers that sprayed water in a variety of shapes, as well as smaller pools intended for if or when the crew aboard had families with them.

The water he sat by was favoured by the more athletic of the crew for that reason; it allowed for better diving and for swimming against the push and pull of the waves, and was more like a day at the beach than the loud party of the main pool or the cold sterility Dustin remembered from school swimming lessons back on Earth.

From behind him, he heard the sound of running feet and was about to pass comment before the runner launched herself past him like a torpedo and he got a brief view of dark braids, flexed shoulders and a rather excellent backside as Sammie knifed into the water with barely a splash. A moment later she surfaced, the warm water of the pool dripping from her braids to run down the front of her top; Dustin followed the passage of one bead of liquid into her cleavage with his eyes before realising she had been talking to him.

“Huh?” he asked, blinking and hoping that none of the crew around them had noticed him staring at his pilot’s breasts; Sammie grinned and gave a theatrical sigh that made her chest shake against the thin straps of her bikini, nearly distracting him again as she spoke. “I said, are you gonna sit there and just paddle like a little kid, or are we going to swim, Dustin? I want to race!”

Pushing off the side, Dustin gave a contented sigh as the warm water washed over him - before spluttering as Sammie splashed some in his face. “Race, Dustin. C’mon, lets go!” She said, before turning and diving into the water. Dustin grinned, kicking off the bottom to propel himself forward, his arms moving in swift arcs as he sped to catch up. Moments later, he drew level.

“How….” Sammie raised her head from her front crawl to speak, the words coming inconsistently as a result “…are…. You so … fast?” She was swimming flat out, but Dustin was knifing through the water and rapidly pulled ahead. Her hand closing on his ankle pulled him up short, the pair tumbling under the waves for a moment before they surfaced, treading water.

Spluttering from where the water had flooded his nostrils, Dustin moved closer to Sammie, their bodies almost but not quite touching. “You learned to swim on starships, where there’s not that much water. I learned to swim on Earth, in Contact City, where it’s a fifteen minute bus ride to a beach. A freezing cold Atlantic beach, admittedly - but that’s just all the more reason to swim fast, so you stay warm.”

Sammie ducked her head under the water momentarily, her braids sending droplets flying when she tossed her head back. “Alright. I’m warmed up now - race you back, and this time I’ll win.” Without waiting for him to reply, she set off again, water sleeting out behind her. Dustin trod water for a little while longer, sighing as he watched the way she swam - all power, no finesse, then flipped onto his back to follow her at a far more leisurely pace. He could probably still out-pace her if he tried, but catching up so that it was a close win would let her get the satisfaction of victory without it being obvious he was throwing the race.

The pair sat on the side of the pool a little while later; Sammie leaned into Dustin’s shoulder as she sipped a blended fruit smoothie through a straw. “Alright, I’ll admit it, this is a pretty good date idea.” She said at last, wriggling until he looped his arm around her. “Exercise, good drinks, good company…” She grinned as a particularly exuberant member of the medical team cannonballed into the other side of the pool, splashing a bunch of their friends and starting a water fight. “…and comedic entertainment.”

Dustin hugged her close. “I thought you’d like it” he said, before adding “and when we’re done here I asked Naera to whip up some burgers. Proper Earth style, with gherkin and relish and everything. Thought we could eat, then maybe go and curl up and watch a holovid or something.” Sammie nodded, setting her drink down and stretching. “That sounds amazing honestly, Captain. Alright, shall we go and show those medics how a water fight is supposed to go?”

Getting Sammie out of the pool turned out to be rather difficult, and they ended up arriving in the ready room a good half hour after Dustin had told Naera they would be there. To his surprise, as he walked through the door she was finishing garnishing their meals - each getting a plate containing a burger as well as a mountain of chips and coleslaw - rather than glaring at them for letting the food get cold. “How…” Sammie began, but the chef just shrugged. “I asked Sola to let me know when you entered the changing rooms, and if you entered the same changing room. Figured that way I could adjust the timings in case you two got frisky.”

Sammie blushed, and Dustin shook his head. “I wouldn’t do that, not with that many people around.” Naera gave him a look that said that she rather thought he would, and he paused momentarily to wonder what exactly Emely might have shared with her friend. Sammie’s insistent tugging on his arm - and the scent of the burgers, which was making his mouth water - returned him to the present, and the pair sank gratefully into their seats. Naera fussed over them for a minute or two more, then nodded. “Alright, you two - I’ve got to go now; promised the others we’d dine together in the main hall. Need anything else? No? Good. Have fun!”

Dustin grinned as he saw Sammie watching the Caenii shortstack’s plump rear disappearing out the door and gave a theatrical huff. “Feels like you’re only with me for my chef” he said, sticking out his tongue; Sammie promptly flicked her hand out and pinched it between her fingers - not hard, but enough to make him throw his hands up in apology. “Swowwy, sorry, was just joking around.” He managed to say as she released him, at which point the dark haired woman gave him a playful punch on the arm. “I know that, Dustin. Besides, you were watching her backside too, don’t deny it.”

The food really was great; as with everything that didn’t come from an automat, and it was with contented stomachs that the pair lay on Dustin’s bed a little while later, scrolling idly through Dustin’s subset of the ship’s video library in search of something to watch. Sammie’d suggested on the walk back from the pool that as it was his turn to plan their date it would only be fair if he got to pick the film. She had raised her eyebrows at the folder containing more than a few home videos that Rye had made though, and was still giggling about the fact that despite having seven women he still had a porn stash when he finally settled on a title and hit play.

Sammie went quiet as the device flashed up the box art from the film on the screen; an elegant, futuristic looking starship with the title in glowing text above it. “Flight of the navigator, huh?” she said, flicking her eyes sideways at Dustin. “This better not be some ‘oh captain, pilot your ship into my nebula’ cheese.” Dustin paused the video and shook his head. “It’s an ancient film; my granddad loved it when he was young and I’ve got good memories of watching it with him on rainy afternoons. Came out in the nineteen-eighties - proper archive stuff. I was shocked when I found out the ship had it in the databanks.”

Sammie snuggled into him at that. “Your granddad huh? Well, in that case I’m honoured, even if you have chosen a kids film for us to watch while we’re in bed together on a romantic date night.” Dustin shrugged in reply, wrapping his arm around her. “Date nights are for us to be close, not everything has to involve us banging like we’re in a porn holo.” Raising the bottle of fizzy that she’d retrieved from the automat before lying down, Sammie said “amen to that” and hit the play button.

Sometime later, with the credits rolling, Sammie twisted to look at Dustin. “It’s a good film” she said thoughtfully, leaning in to kiss him on the nose. “Although even for classical cinematography I thought some of the special effects were a little dated. I liked the ship though, form changing is badass whether it’s a mech turning into a plane or something like that with a walnut turning into a dart.” Dustin grinned at her. “Told you I had good memories of it.” Sammie nodded thoughtfully, then moved her hand to the front of his trousers rather deliberately. “I’ve got a good memory too, Dustin. And while you said not everything has to involve porn holo style banging on date nights…” The question hung in the air like an invitation.