Joint Duty Log - LtCmdr Waterhouse & Lt Rotek - "She Was A Crazy Dancer"

Posted on Sun Nov 23rd, 2014 @ 8:23am by Commander Amelia Waterhouse & Lieutenant Commander Rotek

1,776 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: All Hallows’

Despite it all being replicated, the spread on the food table actually looked pretty good. Amelia had secretly shared Rochelle's skepticism, even knowing the quality of the replicator programs her family collected, but as Cecil had narrowed the patterns down to a short list for her, she'd been pleased with what he'd found. Amelia's hand hovered just above the plates full of blooms made of fruit and vegetables, adhered to crackers with soft cheese, as she tried to decide which ones to move to the plate in her hand. One with a rose crafted of red and yellow tomato and orange carrot was moved to the holographic bone china with the orange and green pumpkin border, and she moved back to collect a violet made of eggplant, and orange and red bell peppers and olives crafted into poppies.

She moved to the end of the table to collect a black glass goblet and filled it with some of the rum punch. She'd noticed her brother paying the punch bowl frequent visits, and she didn't have the heart to tell him the rum was synthehol. If he couldn't tell the difference, would his noodley god care that it wasn't the real thing? She shook her head as she moved away from the table, stem of her goblet cradled in her middle, ring, and pinkie fingers, as her thumb and pointer pinched the edge of the plate. She wished she'd selected a plate pattern that was a little less authentic — she knew of plates with notches cut out to hold a piece of stemware in it for easy one hand hold. She'd find a way to make that look dignified enough for the next party.

When she moved near the doors opening onto the balcony, the wind teased at her hair — mostly down with the occasional rope braid and ribbon to keep it out of her face and avoid it getting tangled into the sculpted leather tentacles of her Cthulhu mask. The gauzy one shoulder green dress danced in the wind, the skirt making a soft rasping sound as it rubbed against the tall straps of her sandals, as the cloth draping from her shoulder hit the little sculpted leather wings on the back of the waist cincher she wore. She looked upon the crew with a smile, raising the goblet to her lips for a drink.

Rotek, clad in a full suit, from the Victorian era, and with a mask resembling a fox slowly walked up beside her, goblet in hand. He'd let his long dreadlocked hair run wild to add to the look of his costume. Clearing his throat as he approached her, he quietly said "It's a lovely evening is it not?"

"It is," she returned, stealing a glance at the Fox who'd joined her. The doctor had put some care into his costume, but had not gone out of his way to obscure his identity. Amelia could appreciate that as much as those who'd covered themselves head to toe; there were a few of those among the crew tonight. "That is a lovely mask, Doctor, and a well cut suit."

Inclining his head, he said "Thank you Commander. I am ... unaccustomed to these kind of parties, but the computer was very helpful in coming up with ideas. May I say though that your gown is rather becoming."

"Thank you," she returned with a soft smile. "I love costume parties, it's always interesting to see what people arrive as," she observed. "Has Rochelle kept me running around too much, or is it just that you're a busy man, that's lead to me not running into you outside of briefings since your arrival?"

Sipping his drink while trying to come up with a response, Rotek slowly replied "I'm sorry I haven't been around very much. I've been spending a lot of time in Sickbay and ... alone. I don't want to ruin the party talking about why that is, but let's just say I'm working through some things, and haven't been very sociable." Pausing he added "I am slowly trying to get out of my shell, but it is difficult."

"If there's anything I can do, let me know?" Amelia replied, laying a hand on his shoulder. "My parents are around somewhere, dressed as Kahless and Lukara. Who knows how Dad talked Mama into that. He asked after you when they'd arrived."

Nodding, Rotek replied "Your parents? I spent some time with them when I was waiting to be picked up on the station. Your father is very ... sociable, but I'm not sure if your mother liked me."

"Sociable," Amelia repeated with a giggle. "That's one way to describe him. Mama just has her... baggage. She seemed convinced that she'd offended you."

Shaking his head, he took another sip and said "Not at all. I was just very... fragile then. I felt a bit overwhelmed by their friendliness. I didn't mean to make anything uncomfortable. And now here I am again ruining a good time at the party."

"You are doing nothing of the sort," Amelia insisted. "I was about to go inspect the side ballroom, which I'll admit I set up a little selfishly. I love the music in here, but it doesn't lend itself to the sort of dancing I'm usually inclined towards. Care to join me?"

Nodding, he offered his arm and said "Sure, I'd be honored. I believe offering a lady one's arm was a sign of respect was it not? We need to stay with the theme of the evening."

"If we were going for accuracy to the era, Rochelle and I would have been standing at that door all evening, greeting everyone as they arrive," Amelia explained, laying her hand on his offered arm. "When Cecil mentioned it, I think my eyes grew two sizes, so he suggested simply having a herald to announce everyone's costumes instead. I do think that's a better solution, don't you?"

Smiling under his mask as they began moving towards the ballroom, he said "I agree. I don't think it would be too much for you two to play hostess all night. When would you have time to socialize?"

"Exactly, I don't know how women did it in those days," she returned with a head shake. As they approached the doors into the smaller ballroom, one of the food attendant holograms pulled the door open for them. Amelia nodded to him as they passed through, and were enveloped by rowdy Romani music.

The people in the middle of the dance floor were kicking up their heels, some dancing in pairs, others dancing in long chains of people who held hands and snaked around the dance floor. Others stood along the sides of the room, stomping feet or clapping their hands as they watched and talked in pairs and groups. The band on the stage were dressed up like fairies — the women wearing dresses that resembled wild flowers, the men wearing scarves and hats that looked like various flora, and all of them sporting gossamer wings and stunning masks of delicate metal scroll work.

Smirking at the groups of people dancing, Rotek said "I'd ask you to dance Commander, but I'm not sure what I'd be doing. I don't want to trip over my own two feet."

"I'm not sure if they know what they're doing either," Amelia pointed out, observing the line of people who had just started to circle past them. A couple of the people at the front of the line were high kicking, and cross stepping as they guided the rest, and others were just keeping up, while a couple here and there would stumble and be held up by those to either side. She set her plate and glass down on a passing tray. "Give it a try, it might be fun." Amelia giggled, clasping Rotek's hand in hers, and pulled him forward as the end of the line passed. She grasped the hand of the trailing person, half skipping to get into step and keeping half an eye on Rotek to make sure he was going to keep up.

Allowing himself to be dragged along, Rotek did what he could to keep up. Thankfully the mask he wore covered any signs of embarrassment that may be on his face. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he let the feelings from the experience take over, and tried to push the other pain aside.

Amelia started talking softly to herself as her eyes watched the feet of those ahead of them in the line. As her steps and kicks finally started to synchronize with the rest of the line, the song wound to a stop and the band paused for a break. She nodded to the man who's hand she'd grabbed at the end of the line, and turned to Rotek as the people spread to the edges of the floor.

"What do you think?" she asked with a grin.

Taking a moment to compose himself, Rotek replied "That was ... exhilarating. For a moment I forgot about the pain of .." Catching himself, before he launched in to what was bothering him, he added "The pain I'm dealing with, and that I've spoken to the Captain about. It was nice to take a moment to step away from all that."

"They'll start back up again in about fifteen minutes. As a program, they don't need the break, but the audience does and it keeps it realistic," she explained with a wink. "You'll join me again when the start back up, yeah?"

Nodding, he said "Sure. On one condition. Once thing slow down, I think we need to talk. I'm nervous about talking to the counselor, and after my conversation with the captain, I know I need to work through this stuff on my mind. Do we have a deal?"

"If we don't find time for it tonight, I'll make time for it soon. Even if we have to schedule an appointment in my office on some pretense about sickbay so no one bothers us with silly questions. Good?" She smiled wide at him. "For now, enjoy the party. It's what it's here for, and I worked hard piggybacking off my mother's fine holodeck programming skills to get this program set up for tonight."

Inclining his head in agreement, he said "Agreed my lady." Then continuing to try to get into character he added "Shall we re-join the festivities?"

"Of course, good sir," she answered with a smirk and a wink.

=/\= End Log =/\=

Lt Commander Amelia Waterhouse
Executive Officer
USS Vindicator, NCC-78213-E

Lieutenant Rotek
Chief Medical Officer
USS Vindicator, NCC-78213-E

 

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