Time For Some Fun
Posted on Thu Dec 19th, 2024 @ 4:27pm by Lieutenant Ja'sol H'ros & Captain Edmund Merrick & Lieutenant Junior Grade Zhara Rynn
Edited on on Sun Dec 22nd, 2024 @ 12:12am
2,552 words; about a 13 minute read
Mission:
Episode 16 - Silent Cries
Location: Neverwinter Nights - Promenade - Empok Nor
Timeline: MD001 2000 hrs
Edmund was still fuming after his talk with Vura, what he had hoped to do certainly went south rather quickly. He paced around in his private quarters, clenching and unclenching his fists. He needed to have a little bit of fun, and there had to be something that he could do something to burn off his agitation. Edmund's pacing soon stopped, turning on his PADD to look at what was offered.
There it was a place upon Empok Nor, Neverwinter a dance club and woah they had cosplay?! This caught Edmund's attention. The name spoke to him, and the offerings of entertainment looked like it was something he would be interested in. He had an idea, and the scowl on Edmund's face disappeared with an ear to ear smile.
Quickly he sent a message to Ja'sol. "Ja'sol, how would you like to have a little bit of fun, there is a dance club that you might be interested in going. It’s called Never Winter."
While he waited for an answer from Ja'sol, Edmund's mind went back to part of the conversation he had with Vura, which brought up a thought to his mind. What did Zhara do to alleviate stress or even do anything for fun?
Edmund decided to send a message to Zhara.
"Zhara its Edmund. This may come as a surprise, but, do you have anything planned for your time on Empok Nor? I'm going with a friend to this club called Never Winter. Would you like to come check the place out?"
Zhara was taking care of the plants in her office when she got the message. She really hadn't spent any time on Empok Nor and going somewhere with a friend sounded delightful. "I'd be delighted. What time and where?"
"I would say, maybe around 1800 and it will be at Never Winter a club that is on Empok Nor. I plan on dressing up as there is the ability to dress up as characters, and I aim to dress up. Would be good to just have a little bit of fun." Edmund responded.
It did sound interesting, and Zhara could use a night off the ship. "I haven't heard of the club. What sort of dress-up is it?"
"I would say something medieval style of clothing? There are those who dress up like Elves or Faerie bards, warriors, fantasy sort of garb." Edmund answered very happy to hear that Zhara was willing to come in on the fun.
"I'd love to come. Thank you, Edmund. I'll see you outside the club at 1800." When the conversation ended, Zhara began to look up medieval fantasy clothing.
Ja'sol found the message that Edmund had sent him and returned the message. "Hey Edmund message received, What did you have in mind?"
"Meet me outside of Never Winter, at 1800 and let’s see if you can find a costume you'd like to wear. I'll send you some costume ideas you might like to dress up in. You get to choose what you'd like to wear. I'll meet you there."
Zhara chose a full multi-colored skirt, peasant blouse, and brown lace-up vest with red and orange flowers embroidered around the edges as her costume. Because it was a club, she chose to leave her hair loose rather than put it up. She thought the look was both medieval and fantasy and wouldn't stand out too much if she chose to wander around the station later. She wasn't sure exactly where to meet Edmund and Ja'Sol, so she found a place near the front of the club where she could sit and wait for the others while having a clear view of anyone coming and going.
Ja'sol showed up wearing Black boots and black leather pants, A belt with three pouches tied to it and a long sword on his right hip. His shirt appeared to be white silk with golden embroidery of a dragon going down the right arm, and upon his head he wore a cavalier’s hat with a long white feather sticking out of it. He spotted Zhara and walked over to the table. Excuse me, but are you waiting for Edmund as well?
"I am." She stood and smiled. While they hadn't met, she recognized the chief of security. "I'm Zhara. Zhara Rynn. One of the ship's counselors. A pleasure to meet you, lieutenant."
Just then Edmund arrived, wearing an all-black outfit, looking very much the part of Dread Pirate Roberts. He heard Zhara's introduction, and waggled a gloved finger towards the others. "Ah ah ah, no ranks and no telling your position on the ship." giving a wink. "Nice outfits both of you, very lovely, very lovely indeed. Ja'sol, I see you are carrying a mandolin. Do you play? I love the bard outfit."
"I think you both look handsome," Zhara said, smiling.
Ja'sol in response to the question started playing the mandolin and singing a song called boat on the river. " Take me back to my boat on the river, I need to go down, won't you let me go down. Take me back to my boat on the river and I won't cry out anymore........ " He continued until he finished the song.
"I haven't heard that song before. Is it Terran?" Zhara asked.
"You have a good ear, Zhara. It's a song I learned while I was in the academy, It from a band called Styx, back in the twentieth century." He stopped and removed an earpiece from his ear. "Sorry, I forgot to take that out, Half of what you said during your introduction was drowned out by security chatter."
"That's fine. I said I'm Zhara. Zhara Rynn. Nice to meet you."
Edmund was quiet when he heard Ja'sol play, rather impressed with the skills his friend was displaying. "That was fantastic! And definitely befitting the role of a bard." He grinned and clapped his hand upon Ja'sol's shoulder. "Okay. To give you a little bit of warning when we go inside, there is a dance area which you can fly and dance. A pair of bracelets will be given to you, which will help you dance in the air. "
The music of the place was filled with energy and a person could feel it echoing out in the corridor where the three were standing. Edmund made certain that his mask, cap and scarf were secure before he said to the other two, "Ready to go in? "
Zhara nodded. She was curious to see this dance floor.
The trio was met by a woman who is dressed like a faerie with gossamer wings that shimmered in the light with some iridescent hues.
"Greetings welcome to Never Winter"
"Thank you." Zhara smiled at the woman. Then she looked around, appreciating the decor.
"Where would you like to sit?" the woman asked.
"A table please." Edmund replied with a smile, taking in view of the mix of people there in the club. He saw faeries, elves, some dressed in Viking garb, some dressed as gypsies. There were also others who wore club wear as well.
The lady took them to a table which had a good view of the club. An upper section with a bar not too far. "Someone will be with you shortly, and also here is a pair of bracelets for each of you, to join in the dance out there." smiling prettily.
"Thank you," Zhara said again. She looked at the bracelets for a moment before slipping them onto her wrists.
Ja'sol quietly looked about the club and observed his surroundings, He watched the dancers and then peace tied his sword in its scabbard so it wouldn't fall out when he went to the dance floor. He picked up the pair of bracers and clicked them on his wrist. " That looks fun over on the dance floor. He smiled to Zhara and held out his hand. " Would you care to try the dance floor with me? "
She smiled and curtsied. "I would. Thank you." It looked...interesting. Especially with people floating in the air.
"I'll be at the table to save it until you both get back. I just want to get the feel for the place and watch people." having a seat and ordered a drink as well as a pitcher of lemon water, with slices of fresh lemons floating in it.
As soon as they passed through the bubble around the dancers, Zhara was hit by a sensory wave. Where she rarely picked up thoughts of non-telepaths, she could now see and taste emotions. Lights danced around the edges of the bubble, occasionally shooting across the dance floor like sparkling rainbows. Each color had an emotion and flavor attached to it. For a moment she paused, letting her senses experience each new sensation.
Ja'sol stepped through the bubble and let the senses wash over him. It reminded him of the Eldorian festivals back at home. The meetings, dances and pairings that occurred. A lot of the sensations felt somewhat familiar to him, all except for the floating part, that is. He felt some other empaths nearby and smiled. The flying dance floor made him feel like a giddy schoolboy. He extended his hand to Zhara and spun her around gently and then discovered that a waltz step was effective in the air. " Care to try a somersault together? " He asked her.
She hadn't considered that, but she nodded. "Might as well see how it works." It would be an interesting addition to the waltz.
They tried the Somersault together and it was more fun than he expected and also made a discovery at the same time. About 15cm before the wall was a field that they bounced off of, its purpose was to prevent patron's from impacting the wall the wall and to prevent injury. Ja'sol had an idea, " If we want more room to dance we could use the wall and bounce ourselves higher and there are less people there, or if you prefer we could stay here. Is there a dance style you'd like to try? "
Zhara looked up at the dancers above her and raised an eyebrow. "I don't know. That could be interesting." She looked at Ja'sol. "As for dances, I am familiar with the basic dances like waltz, fox trot, and reel." She found the sensory assault fascinating from a psychological perspective, but it was a bit overwhelming for the empath. However, she felt that she would adjust to it shortly. "What do you prefer?"
" I am partial to the waltz myself of the given choices, I also know Salsa, The samba and the tango rather well. Those dances are pretty close to some of the Eldorian dance styles that I grew up with." Ja'sol took up the lead and started in with the waltz. " This music is opening up my senses, I find it interesting, What is your opinion on it? "
"It's...interesting." Zhara had been considering the effects on a psychological level and found the overall effects fascinating. "It seems to heighten both emotions and sensory perception with hallucinogenic properties. I imagine it dissipates quickly after one leaves the area. It makes me feel like I fell down a rabbit hole and ended up in Wonderland."
To add to her comment, she noticed a caterpillar smoking a hookah floating nearby.
Ja'sol placed his hands to the side of his head. " This is distracting, I'm feeling everyone's emotions around me and it's more intense than I thought it would be. I'm even feeling a dark emotion or two nearby as well. "
Edmund watched as Ja'sol and Zhara danced, then his attention was caught by a lady in red who was dancing rather, energetically, a Latin beauty. He motioned for a waitress, asking for a placard to reserve the table for himself, Ja'sol and Zhara. Then he left, to join the dancing in the air.
Zhara found that not only was there more space farther up, there was also a greater intensity to the sensory stimulation. It was much like other drugs she knew of. It didn't create emotions, it enhanced them. On a psychological level, she found it fascinating.
She noticed a brown-skinned woman in red doing somersaults and bouncing off the barriers. The other woman looked like she was having fun.
" So, tell me Zhara, what do you like doing in your time off when not engaged in your work? What type of hobbies do you have? " Asked Ja'sol.
Edmund walked to the woman in red, and struck up a conversation with her then proceeded to go dance with her, leaving Ja'sol and Zhara to dance together.
During the course of the dancing, them dancing rather well together it seemed that as the dancing came to an end, Edmund seemed to have been enchanted by the lady in red. Then, as if bewitched by his dance partner, Edmund leaned in and they kissed. Once they had parted, they left the dance floor, he pausing to look up to Zhara and Ja'sol mouthing, 'have fun' a beaming smile evident in his eyes and demeanor.
Zhara couldn't help grinning. She'd talked with Edmund shortly after he arrived on the Pioneer when he was still mourning his wife. Seeing him dance with the woman in read, then kiss her was encouraging indeed. The dance floor here had a way of heightening emotions. Zhara could practically taste them. She hoped this meant that things would go well for Edmund and Rowena. They both deserved it.
Ja'sol got close to Zhara. " Would you like to go someplace a little quieter? I know there is a tea house on the station. I enjoy dancing, just without hallucinations. "
She looked around for Edmund, then decided he was fine. "Yes. This is not my sort of entertainment, but we should let Edmund know."
I agree that we should let Edmund know before we leave, I don't want to be rude after he was kind enough to invite us out here tonight. " Ja'sol looked about for Edmund until he spotted him Dancing with a lady in red and walked over and waved at him until he caught his attention. Zhara and I are heading out to the Tea house, See you later. " He returned to Zhara. " He has been informed of our departure. Shall we go? He proffered his arm to Zhara and waited briefly. I was reading about the Tea house before we left the ship, they serve various Earth tea's and Tea's from all over the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. I even noticed that they had a hot pot on the menu as well. "
She hesitated a moment before taking his arm as they'd only just met, but she also didn't want to be rude.
Edmund watched as Ja'sol went back to Zhara, feeling a bit of peace. He felt that things were going into a good turning point.
A Joint Post By
Captain Edmund Merrick
Company Commanding Officer, The Cure
USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Junior Grade Zhara Rynn
Counselor, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Ja'sol H'ros
Chief Security/Tactical Officer, USS Pioneer
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