Spa Day ((O'Halloran/Matthews/Curtis))

[Caroline Curtis 0]

((NOTE: This log is set prior to the 9/2 sim.))

 

This station is such a marvel, Anna thought as she exited the liftbank area on deck 364. She remembered some months back, while the Reaent was visiting SB 435, that she'd commented to Caroline that Federation starbases all seemed to be very sterile, bland places. They lacked the grungy unpredictability of her home station, Kilo and to her way of thinking, it made them dull. Well, SB2 was different. It was vast and packed with life, a real hub of industry and definitely didn't have that homogenized Fed vibe. She had a feeling that no day here was ever 'business as usual'. It was a shame they wouldn't be spending too much time here, but a couple of days was better than nothing. While at lunch with Will and Caroline, they'd talked about the different amenities the station offered and one that really appealed to the females at the table was the state of the art spa advertised. Will hadn't seemed to mind if they abandoned him and a quick comm to Debbie had showed that the CMO was equally enthusiastic. Anna had gone back to the Reaent to secure the baby octopus who'd escaped an ignominious death as an entrée and he was now happily...or at least safely, secured in Sci Lab 2, the pH balance of his new tank being monitored by one of the scientists who had stayed on board to monitor an ongoing project. Her rescue project a success, she was now on her way to the spa to meet Caroline and Debbie.

 

This area of the station wasn't as high traffic as where they'd eaten lunch, Anna noticed. The shops were clearly full of high end merchandise and she passed innumerable boutiques for clothing, jewelry and footwear. As she approached the spa, she was struck by its elegantly understated facade. And she immediately saw that Debbie and Caroline had beaten her here.

 

"Sorry, if I'm late," she said with a smile as she approached the two. "Took me longer to get back off the ship than I thought it would."

 

"Not to worry," Caroline replied cheerfully. "I take it our newest crewmember is safely stowed away?" She and Deb had sequestered themselves on one of the benches outside the spa, awaiting the third member of their party, and she quickly pushed herself to her feet as Anna approached, shaking herself out of the thoughts that had occupied her in the meantime. Caroline liked coming back to starbases like this one; it gave her a grounded feeling that was simply not to be had on a starship, and made her feel a bit more at home, though she had to admit SB2 was not much like her previous home bases. It was close enough to be reassuring, however, which was something she had found she needed, particularly after the debacle with Schawnsee and the craziness of the week or so previous. "It'd hardly be a worthwhile vacation if we were expecting you to hurry all over the place, would it?" she added wryly with a grin, glancing from Anna to Deb.

 

Deb stretched her legs. "About that new crewmember," she remarked with a grin. "We have a state of the art aquarium in Sickbay. I think it's saltwater so you're eight legged friend might enjoy it. Then again, he might get a bit more pampering in his own private tank." She stood up and rubbed her hands together, her smile brightening. "In the meantime, it's our turn for a little pampering. You have no idea how I'm looking forward to this."

 

"I don't think so!" Anna laughed, thinking that Mr. Pinchie had it all over her tiny cephalopod in size and could probably cut the little guy in half with his pincers. She glanced between Caroline and Debbie, already anticipating the afternoon. "I haven't been in one of these places since the Academy and am really looking forward to this."

 

* * *

Two hours later...

 

"Mmmm... I don't think I have a bone left in my body--the massage was wonderful," Anna murmured from where she lay resting in a tub full of something warm and loamy with the consistency of oatmeal that she'd been assured would slough all the dead skin cells from her body. She had a towel wrapped around her head to ensure the conditioner that smelled like exotic flowers didn't dissipate too early. Her eyes were closed so that the facial mask of clay purportedly from some rare mine on some planet who's name escaped her, could rejuvenate her skin from the ravages of working in a sterile space environment. She didn't know about erasing the damages wrought by working in a ventilated atmosphere but it sure tasted good she thought, using the tip of her tongue to sneak another taste. She was sure the attendant had said it wasn't poisonous... Or was it that it wasn't toxic to clothing? Now, she couldn't remember.

 

Caroline mumbled something that sounded like assent, her eyes half-shut and her head tipped back against the wall behind her; rather than Anna's mud bath-like experience, she had opted for something which looked like nothing so much as a hot tub full of Tang. Once reassured by the earnest young attendant that despite its radioactive appearance it was in fact some sort of muscular relaxant and rejuvenant from a planet she had never heard of, she had allowed herself to be eased into a floating prostrate position which had proved utterly soporific, and she was now drowsing with an expression of great contentment. Anna's voice broke through the haze and she opened one eye slowly, giving her friend a sideways grin. "No wonder this place came so highly recommended. If they'd had a place like this on Starbase 1124 I'd never have gotten a lick of work done..."

 

Deb's head rested against the back of the soaking tub while the deep lavender liquid swirled around her courtesy of the sixteen jets strategically placed to insure maximum coverage. She couldn't begin to pronounce the name of the whatever it was she was soaking in but it smelled wonderful. Her hair was in a pony tail and her face was covered in the same delightfully tasting clay mask Anna had chosen. She could barely move after the massage and she didn't bother opening her eyes when she spoke to her partners in pampering. "I could get used to this. We should petition the powers that be to install a spa on the ship."

 

"Yes, I'm sure Captain McQueen could be persuaded to free up some space to put one in--especially if you requisitioned it as a medical necessity, Deb." Anna tried to grin but the mask was uncooperative. "I can think of no good scientific reason for installing it...but Caroline...with the way business has been booming for you the past couple months, you could add your voice to Debbie's and claim it is a wonderful mental health stabilizer. It's true, after all--my mental health feels wonderfully stabilized right now."

 

Caroline laughed, rolling over lazily in the bright orange liquid and resting her arms on the edge of the tub. "Oh, I'm sure we could find a scientific reason...perhaps you can put one of your petty officers to work on a paper regarding the long-term effects of ingesting that stuff you have on your face," she responded teasingly, noting Anna smuggling another bit of clay out of her mask. "We're not the only members of Life Sciences that can be turned to your purposes. Personally I'm in far too relaxed a mood to contemplate attempting a report to the captain on anything. Remind me when we're back on the ship." With a wink, she released the wall and let herself bob up and down rhythmically for a moment before rolling over again. "I have to say, this whole place isn't quite like anything I've seen before; my experience with Federation facilities has rarely been anything like so elaborate..."

 

"We'll have to word the requisition carefully," said Deb as she allowed her arms and hands to float on top of the soothing liquid. "We could make it sound like something we need for rehab. If we get rid of some of the equipment in the physical therapy room, I'm sure we could fit a couple of these spa tubs in there. And we already have a masseuse or two on the roster." She smiled proudly. "Yep, I think it's worth a try."

 

"I'm putting my credits on Deb." Not wanting to knock it over, Anna carefully felt around the tub's wide ledge, searching for the delicate china cup she'd set there before the mask had been applied to her face. She could still smell the fragrant steam of the tisane but where was...oops. The telltale clatter of cup against saucer told her she'd found it. She finally decided enough was enough and forced her eyes open, feeling the mask begin to crack with the movement. "Hey...when did they bring pastries?"

 

"Perhaps they have a Betazoid on their staff," Caroline said with a chuckle. "Or have simply heard of Reaent's affinity for baked goods in all things. Either way, they're certainly well-prepared for us." Feeling far too comfortable to move for her own dish yet, she looked up at the ceiling, an ornate affair that bore little resemblance to usual Fleet bulkheads. "We're being given a fair length of leave here...I wonder if Starfleet has decided they don't know what to do with us," she added dryly.

 

"I'm sure they'll find something to do with us," quipped Debbie, sinking a bit lower into the lavender bath. "And it will probably result in our needing another spa day....or two. All the more reason to get one installed on the ship." She smiled mischievously. " I happen to be on very good terms with the XO. I think I'll talk him to helping us with this. In the meantime, I'm content to stay here for as long as they'll let me."

 

"He's definitely an ace in the hole," Anna chuckled, lifting her feet so that her toes suddenly reappeared from the depths of the tub and she could rest them against the rim. "If we're going to get the tubs, we need the botanicals to put in them. I suggest we pick up some samples and get them programmed into the replicator." Leaning back, she closed her eyes again, luxuriating in a feeling of great well-being. "This so beats a sonic shower."

 

"A sonic shower?" What's that?" asked Debbie, softly patting the water with the palms of her hands. "Once we get the tubs installed, I'll never take another shower." She grinned mischievously. "I'm pretty sure I can get my husband hooked on this too." Her smile broadened. "Wouldn't that be fun."

Edited September 5, 2010 by Caroline Curtis