Personal Log - Dani Atarah - Oomph - Earth Pt V

Posted on Wed Aug 27th, 2014 @ 7:32am by Danielle Atarah

1,336 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: In the Dark

If the Captain's office at the Bristol was well endowed with viewports, the Captain's quarters were almost excessive; two whole walls were simply gone -- replaced by huge transparent windows that looked to the stars. And, above, the ceiling was almost completely open to space.

Dani turned slowly and spent a moment, absorbing the magnificent view of the rushing stars from three sides, completely at awe, trying to decide whether she wants to stay, staring, inside the covers, for the entire ride. Maybe even forever.

She squirmed a little, pushing herself further into the sheets, feeling the warmth of the woman next to her, as if reality had to be confirmed. Zett shifted sleepily, her arm brushing through Dani's shoulder, stopping at her hair. Dani savored the moment, her flesh tingling.

She had to do something with herself now. Switch it up. Change the way she looks; it wasn't so much the idea that anyone may recognize her -- it would probably take some time before anyone can report her as AWOL, and even then, the odds of this news reaching the people she meets on Earth were pretty slim while the Federation was in such shotty control.

No, it wasn't exactly about hiding her identity. It was more about erasing her recent past. Throughout her time in Starfleet, short of a couple of tattoos and an occasional adventurous choice of wear-and-tear on her uniforms, she played it fairly safe, wardrobe-wise.

Now, almost 10 years later, she looked it. Starfleet was oozing from her pores now, spilling through her neat dark-brown hair, emanating from any wardrobe choice she had, including the ones in her duffle bag.

She took a breath, shifted Zett's arm gently, and rose to her feet, not bothering to cover herself up. It took a special kind of confidence to walk naked in a room that had three of its walls open to the outside, and Danielle Atarah lacked little in the realm of self confidence. She walked into the shower and stood in front of the mirror, inspecting herself. Even her face looked conformed, she lamented, as if she had a huge bold sign over her forehead screaming "PROPERTY OF STARFLEET."

A bad sign to have with her present company, and that of the near future. They'll be on Earth soon; she had to choose her transformation now.

She tilted her head and inspected her hair, running her fingers through it thoughtfully.

"Thinking of a new haircut?"

Dani blinked and looked up, smiling at Zett through the mirror. She reached to her hair and lifted two long strands from the sides upwards, like Pippy Longstocking. "How about that?"

"Much better," the woman snorted and walked over, taking over the space with two single strides. "Thinking about a change of styles?"

"I would, if I had style," Dani muttered. "I think Starfleet, in its infinite greyness, ruined my..." she searched for the right word, failed, and chose a sound, instead, "oomph."

Kalina Zett laughed. "I don't think you ever had 'oomph'. Maybe 'oof', a little, after a couple of months with me."

"I had, too!" Dani protested. "I was all bratty and brooding. It was a look, back then."

"No it wasn't."

"Was too. I need to bring it back."

"What you need," The Trill smiled mischievously, "is to rub that Starfleet gray off you. What do you think about a new tattoo? Right here," she reached around to point at Dani's forehead, smirking.

"Sure," Dani gestured sarcastically. "It can say 'PLEASE SHOOT ME.'"

"We need to find you some style, little girl. You look like you just got out of the back end of some lubrication lab in on a starfleet ship. What is that," she pulled a bunch of hair playfully and made a face, "is that grease?"

"Oh shut up," Dani scoffed, "I just need to change my looks a little bit. Spice it up, change it out, do some," she rocked her head, and danced, "stylin'."

Zett laughed. "You, my dear Starfleet reject, have no style. Let the professional oompher give you the oomph you need. Here, sit. I have just the thing."

Dani glanced at herself in the mirror, took a breath, said a mental goodbye to her old self, and sat on the edge of the tub.

* * *

"You look gorgeous."

"My own twin wouldn't recognize me," Dani blinked at her own image, tilting her head to the sides, then back and front, trying to see it from all available angles.

"Luckily for everyone -- and I think I can say that pretty exclusively -- you don't have a twin. You look absolutely gorgeous. That jacket is vintage. Early 23rd century artificial leather with wool inlay. You used to plan heists for this type of thing."

"I thought you said I didn't have style," Dani retorted.

"Yes, maybe you should have planned heists for your own wardrobe," Zett quipped, smiling. She reached over and fluffed Dani's hair, nodding in approval. "That looks positively oomphy. You should have come to me sooner."

"Oomphy." Dani echoed, unsure. "Is that an official color?"

Zett chuckled and turned to wipe her hands on a hanging towel. "We have about two more days before we arrive to Federation-controlled Earth. It's best that you look like you belong here, among us rogue supply ship runners," she smiled.

"Right," Dani snorted, "Supply ship. How did you get to be the Captain, Kal? Last I remember, it was under Bentley's slimy command, and he didn't strike me as the replaced type."

"Everyone's replaceable." The comment was said so casually, Dani had to pause for a moment to check the woman's expression. But Zett wasn't even bothered. Instead, noticing the pause of silence, she looked up at Dani, then smiled.

"I didn't kill him, if that's what that sweet expression of alarm is aimed at. He simply moved on to a better place."

Dani glared at her, horrified.

"He's running the Columbus now. Overseeing cruise destinations from Earth. Eugh," she made a face and shook her head, "if you ask me, it's a demotion. I much prefer dealing with cargo than with snotty civilians on their once-in-a-lifetime cruise to flower-filled pukeia." She shuddered dramatically and pulled a shirt over her head. "But it is the more lucrative job. Especially in our kind of business."

Dani shook her head, and, for a moment, was almost startled by the slap of short strands against her neck. Damn her hair was short now; she will have to get used to it. The length, and the fiery red highlights that made her head look like it's on fire.

"Someone's going to declare me a fire hazard," she muttered, and Zett burst into laughter, almost falling out of the pants she was in the process of wearing. "If they do, I'll pour water over your head. Your outfit is waterproof, and you'll look cooler with the wet look."

Dani glared at her. "Does it really look okay?"

"No," the tall woman smiled and buttoned her pants, "it looks great. You look great. You look like you're a free woman who doesn't need to wear grey pajamas to work."

"It wasn't grey, it was... golden."

"Golden? Is that what they told you that color is called? We call it yellow, and it really doesn't do justice to your complexion. Now, stop complaining and pick up your stuff. We're going to be in range for comm channel soon."

Dani nodded, but took another moment to examine herself in the mirror. Her hair was shorter, but still reached her shoulders, and the red fiery highlights reflected light softly, dancing on her head. It wasn't bad. She put her palms into the jacket pocket and turned to look at herself from the back, examining the outfit that symbolized, quite clearly and finitely, everything not Starfleet.

"I'm ready," she nodded.

"Yes. Yes you are."

* * *
Danielle Atarah
Fiery Oomphy Rogue
Bristol supply ship

Kalina Zett
Captain
Bristol Supply ship
(apb by Mooey)

 

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