4Personal log, stardate 7154.5 on the Standard Galactic Calendar.
This fabled "rainy season" I occasionally hear about cannot arrive sooner.
This is not to say that this "Inna de Poona" island on Sol's third planet is unwelcoming, but it was clear when I arrived here that its climate does not agree with me. Temperatures easily exceeding 35 Units, humidity that prevents one from ever not feeling damp, and a veritable plague of hemovoric insectoids that I am assured "doesn't warrant mass extermination" would make it difficult under normal circumstances for me to find comfort in such a place.
However, the local people, despite only beginning to innovate their own stellar travel, have altruistically gone out of their way to provide comfort for me during my time working here. Many simply assume that I am a "koz-plaiyah" [important note: my research on the phrase through normal channels has hit a wall, I may need to break propriety and ask the humans directly what it means] and do not me much afterward.
The young woman attending to me for my stay has been unusually and welcomefully helpful in approximating my native climate, albeit with the primitive means at her disposal. She has also taken it upon herself to act as my guide around the island complex, which makes things easier when random people try to insist they memorialize their chance encounter with me.
As for the reason I am on Sol in the first place, I regret to say that I have not yet managed to locate them: either they are so well disguised that they are effortlessly fooling the humans, or they have since moved on from this solar system. Either conclusion will take more time to ascertain.
For the moment I will continue exploring the island. My human companion assured me that there are certain locations that are more hidden than I have seen so far, so I plan on searching them to look for signs of my quarry.
I will amend this entry if anything significant happ-
Um…Miss Luvendass, are you awake? I understand that you're usually nocturnal, but with the lights off…
I am currently awake, Lailani Keoloha! You may activate one of the lighting units to help navigate. …end of entry.
"I'm afraid I still do not understand we must wear such revealing garments to this particular location," Celeste remarked as she and Lailani, herself in a one-piece swimsuit and sarong to the alien's string bikini, headed into a series of man-made caves. "It does not line up with what you've explained about 'Ee-arth's religions."
Lailani gave a good-natured giggle at that. "It's not a religious thing, it's more about practicality; I don't think either of us would want to walk back to the hotel in wet clothes."
"And that is another thing; you still have not explained to me where I am being led." The young woman had been weirdly cagey about the destination. "I know I said that I wished to thoroughly explore this island, but that was under the assumption that I would be properly informed about where we are going."
"It would ruin the surprise if I told you!" she insisted. "The have surprises where you're from, right?"
All the times she'd been caught unaware while hunting bounties, every unpleasant occurrence from growing up on Tendricide ran through Celeste's mind.
"…of a sort."
"Well, I promise you'll like this one."
Celeste continued following her guide, taking note of the environment of the caves: the walls were slightly damp, the effect easily visible from the string of lights that ran along the roof of the cavern. The walls themselves looked to be made of igneous rock, most likely left over when this island was first formed.
"OK, just around this corner."
As they rounded the corner Celeste couldn't help but gasp at the sight before her. In a fairly spacious alcove was a raised basin set against the wall, filled with gently bubbling water. Small torches lit up the area, the reflections dancing along the walls in time with the flickering of the flames.
The alien suddenly wrenched herself from Lailani's grasp. "You plan on cooking and eating me, don't you? What else could thus cauldron be for?" Had she thought to bring any of her equipment on the trip could have stunned the girl and raced back to her ship before she had a chance to recover, but her string bikini left little in the way of storage capacity.
It certainly explained why she'd insisted on the secrecy…
"Wait, w-what? I'm not-! …where did you even get that idea, anyway?"
Celeste began counting off on her fingers, "The secrecy of this venture, the insistence on minimal coverings, the remote location surrounded by radio blocking sediment…the care and attention you've shown me before bringing me here? What other conclusion can I reach?" She then dropped into a defensive combat stance, prepared for any further surprises Lailani might suddenly spring on her.
The island-born girl gave a disappointed sigh.
"I was being nice to you because it's my job, and because that's just how I am as a person," she explained, "And I don't know about radio signals, but usually people say there's no cell service on this part of the island. The swimsuits are because, well…" She gestured to the basin. "Water. And this place isn't really a big secret, it's just kind of a thing we do for new guests. …don't you have resorts in space?"
"…yes, there are." With everything now explained to her Celeste was starting to feel a bit shameful of how paranoid she was being. "Though I will admit I've never bothered to visit one for its intended purpose…"
"Well, now's as good time as any to try it." Lailani draped her sarong over a nearby stalagmite and climbed into the basin, settling down against the edge. "Come on in; it feels really nice today."
Grimacing, the alien bounty hunter followed suit, gingerly stepping into the warm water and settling in. While her species was built to survive in more arctic temperatures and environments she was still able to spend time in warmer climates for an extended period of time if need be. Though despite this, the water being hot enough to gently boil it wasn't overwhelming. Still not something she'd have done willingly in any other circumstance, but tolerable.
"How is it?" Lailani asked.
"It is…not unpleasant."
"It's supposed to be good for your skin, something about the minerals that mix in the water, I forget the exact science."
"Hmm…I will trust you on this."
Celeste did her best to relax in the "makeshift jacuzzi", mulling over her current priorities. She'd arrived here in order to track down her quarry: a notorious nuisance the galactic peacekeeping forces wanted to be put somewhere out of the way. She'd elected to employ a discreet approach this time, posing as a tourist while keeping an eye out for signs of the target.
And given how she'd seen no sign of them, they were either better at masking their presence than she'd been informed, or had already left this planet and was headed to another.
What sort of foul machinations were they even up to while she marinated in a jacuzzi?
Zoey blinked again, still not entirely sure she could believe her eyes right now.
Buried up on the ground in front of her was a young woman about her age…with cat ears and a tail. They certainly looked genuine- the way they both occasionally twitched at random seemed organic, at any rate- though without a more in-depth examination (with proper consent, of course) there wasn't really a way to know for sure.
"Where on earth did someone like you come from?" she wondered aloud.
The girl didn't respond, going "Nyaaaaaa…" with every breath she took as she slept.
to [ever] be continued…?