Joint Duty Log - Capt Ivanova & Cmdr Dahe'el - "A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having!"

Posted on Mon Dec 8th, 2014 @ 11:46pm by Admiral Rochelle Ivanova

1,749 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: All Hallows’
Location: Holodeck - Masquerade Ball

Turning from view with his back to the door, the figure released his jet black hair from its usual secure position and let it flow over his shoulders, which for a change were draped in a black cloak which in turn covered a black shirt.

Slowly, a pair of black gloves were pulled on to cover his hands and a mask lifted up to his face and affixed in place. To the outside observer he would be unrecognisable and that was the point, he'd researched the character and the associated media, the belt he wore also matched the persona, a row of weapons hung and shifted as he turned to the door.

The trip to the holodeck would only take a few seconds, yet it felt like it was going to be forever as he strode down the corridor.

=/\= Masquerade Ball, USS Vindicator =/\=

Stepping through the lavish entrance way, the masked man noted the grandeur and decoration laid out in the simulation, he approached a large set of open doors and was given a nod by the man standing at the door, as soon as his foot landed on the marble dance floor, a voice rang out throughout the ballroom, announcing his presence and his character.

"Announcing V, Twenty-First century vigilante from V for Vendetta." The porter bellowed to the amusement of the party goers, heads turned as they tried to ascertain just who it was who hid so carefully behind the mask. The smiles said it all, the man was well concealed and his identity safely hidden until the stroke of midnight.

For all of Noah's intense preparations, Rochelle's costume hadn't fooled anyone who knew the lore of the mythical bird she represented. Ornate, beautiful, covered in jewels, glitter and sequins, the Phoenix had come to life in a ways she'd never quite dreamed. It was almost overwhelming to the young Captain, the masterful nature of the flowing gown, the corset, the delicate nature of the cap sleeves that hung like petals off her shoulders. The mask and the wings only served to complete the image, and the latter moved and stretched in coordination with her moods and movements. Noah had done a fantastic job when he worked on their holographic appearance, rigging the emitter to be quite empathetic.

The announcement of V had caught her attention, bringing the coolness of her eyes and the delicate nature of her masked face around to size the man up. While some were easier to pick out and name, others chose to make her work for their reveal. His height and build ruled out several options off the bat, but a she approached him the mystery remained intact -- for now.

It was quite clear who approached V, he knew it deep down in the depths of his being and allowed himself a smile behind the mask, he took a few steps towards her, his cloak flowing behind him as he dodged someone who moved into his path.

"Evening." She greeted with a small curtsy as the two of them met and the sound of a violin's strings began to sing a hello of their own, begging that attention be paid to the dance floor once again. Up close, Rochelle could see the little intricate details that would act as clues, the raven-like shine of his hair would be her starting point. That was the beauty of a masquerade, the intrigue, the subterfuge, the beauty of being paired with stranger after stranger and never quite knowing for sure who it was that played shadow.

"I am quite sure that it is," V replied as he matched her curtsy with a bow, bringing one arm around before him and sweeping his cloak along with it, "May I have the pleasure of this dance?" the masked man asked as the sounds of the quartet made their way into his mind.

Rochelle could have answered with a thousand wit cutting things, all of them sat perched on the tip of her tongue as a razor edged barbs. She kept them stilled, choosing instead to give the masked fellow the benefit of the doubt, even if he had been cheeky. The mask distorted his voice, further obscuring any chance of her simply guessing his identity, and if she wanted to solve the mystery, she'd need to play nice. "You may." She replied with a nod, offering him one of her hands.

His hand found the small of her back and the leading hand found hers, holding both with a gentle and familiar touch. His masculinity forced its way through as he led the redhead out onto the floor of the ballroom, his cloak flowing behind them as seasoned feet led the pair on a waltz through the crowd.

The feel of the masked man's hand against her body as it held and guided her with such confidence and care would quickly act as the Phoenix's greatest clue. Few would dare touch her let alone take for themselves any form of intimacy. Her head canted to the right as she moved to compliment his every action, allowing him to steal her away from those who had been far more inept, and giving her a chance to breathe in spite of the tight constraints of her corset and bodice. She knew him... Well. His reward was a bright smile, one that caught in her eyes as they waltzed over the green and ivory marble squares and basked in the candlelight above.

The smile confirmed to V that his disguise had been broke, she knew who he was by the very way he handled her, by the very way that he guided her around the floor and the way he inserted himself easily into her personal space, "Familiar, isn't it, Rochelle?" he asked with a smile to himself beneath the mask.

"You could say that." She replied in a style most demure and her smile slowly metamorphosed into something more indicative of her wry nature. Rochelle knew she wasn't hiding from anyone behind the great garb and that a single look would have her name toting along right behind it on the lips of her crew. It wasn't Noah's desire to hide and disguise her... Something deeper seemed to well behind the careful hands of the strange minded boy, though the Captain wouldn't be caught making a complaint. Instead she allowed herself to find comfort in the Cardassian's educated hands.

"For a ship so large, I always seem to know when you are near. As much as I can feel the heart beat of the ship, I know when she's not feeling right and I can certainly tell when she's hurting. I think I'm starting to get the same way with you," the Cardassian replied softly as they danced their way among the costumed crowd.

The Phoenix's head canted softly to one side as she regarding the vigilante and his mask-muffled words. Almar was the ship's personal gargoyle, her sworn protector that would chase away the ills just as she herself was the valiant Captain that would get them in and out of battle. She'd be foolish to believe if the Vindicator was solely hers -- on the contrary it would seem that the Engineer was simply allowing her to borrow the great ship for her to do her bidding. "That could be considered dangerous, allowing yourself to become so intertwined with both the ship and her Captain. Wouldn't it be considered a conflict of interest?" The redhead teased in question.

"Perhaps," Almar replied as he slowed their pace a little, in time with the music, "However I can't help what I feel. I said before that this feels right and it does, whenever I am with you, I feel the same as when I'm engrossed in the engines of this ship. I feel at peace," he continued as they sped up again slightly.

"It's a dangerous line to tip toe along." Rochelle acknowledged him, her masked face tilting as she tried to pick up any form of expression. The Cardassian's mask denied her with it's stoic white smile leering back without any hope of unveiling the man aside from his dark, glittering onyx eyes as they peeked through the dark slit voids of the mask. "I trust you. You've become my touchstone in all of this and to be honest, I don't know if I could have made it this far without you."

"Dangerous indeed, but I've always been one to keep playing things safe, I've always been the one who threw himself into his work and its about time I took some time to step back and look to myself for a change," Almar replied softly, "The ship doesn't need my constant attention, but I gave it to her because there was nothing else for me to give it to."

The mask spoke again, this time deeper and begging for light to shine on the task and matter at hand. Rochelle nodded in understanding, the idea of settling down wandering just off the cuff and remaining unsaid, but spoken all the same. Settling down had never been something the young Captain had thought of, but the hours and minutes were steadily becoming years. "I suppose people come to that conclusion... At least most do." She answered and gently squeezed her partner's hand.

"Not necessarily settling down, but at least living a little..." Almar replied as he returned the squeeze, "There's more to life than duty, more to living than the job."

"So you've said quite a few times." The firebird's head swept slightly in a nod, glitter drifting away from her hair as the motion of the waltz and the nod of her perfectly coiffed head combined to steal a bit of the red and bronze sparkle from her. "I'm trying. I really am, but I find myself sinking deeper and deeper into duty and further away from having a personal life at all."

Beneath the mask the Cardassian frowned and found himself placing a single gloved finger to the Phoenix's lips. His head shook and the motion of his body simply stated that the night was not one for lamenting or philosophizing life, but rather for the merriment of dance and celebration and he was set on celebrating with her in his arms then and there on that dance floor as they moved so elegantly along.

---

Captain Rochelle Ivanova
Commanding Officer
USS VINDICATOR, NCC 78213-E

&

Commander Almar Dahe'el
Chief Engineer
USS VINDICATOR, NCC 78213-E

 

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