Chez Sandrine, Part 2: Delete Him if He's Bothering You

Posted on Mon Dec 4th, 2023 @ 9:23pm by Thrita sh'Qirhess
Edited on on Tue Dec 12th, 2023 @ 9:52am

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: Campor III - Resupply
Location: Holodeck 3
Timeline: TBD - After Part 1

The group left the corridor and walked into the scene of a bar. The bar itself was made of a dark, red wood and ran alongside the wall to everyone's left. In the back straight ahead was a pool table. To their right were booths and tables, some filled with patrons. A grand piano was situated in this area. Most strikingly to those who had never experienced the program was the attire of the patrons and the employees of the bar.

"Old school, right?" Lissa announced a smile on her face. "Order drinks, play some pool, and get to know some people?" She suggested. "The people here are supposed to be part of the fun."

Vevi nodded. "It's definitely a cool scene," she said. "I am very underdressed." She looked down at her outfit. Oops. "Oh, well. Let's get some drinks, and see what's what!" She led the way to the bar, where she promptly ordered an Andorian ale.

"No way, it's not like that. You can come in uniform, they don't mind," Lissa said. "But a dress up night would be fun, right Shan?"

"Yeah, or we could just wear uniforms," he commented matching her enthusiasm.

"Well I don't even have a uniform and I still feel underdressed". Thrita covered her mouth as a giggle escaped.

Lissa made a face at Shan and went to check out the pool table.

Zeke chuckled at the interaction as he made his way to the bar and ordered a drink from an attractive bartender.

Thrita studied a drink list posted on a wooden sign in ornate engravings. "I've never even seen anything from this period in human history before. It's so alien!" The cursive writing was hard for her Andorian eyes to read. "Port wine?"

18th century style lamps hung from the walls. The blend of alien and human patrons dressed in a range of extravagant clothing gave the place a timeless atmosphere. Thrita's eyes were distracted by a buxom woman, laughing heartily with her arm around a well-dressed guest. She wondered who all of these people were, trying to imagine if Earth was really like this.

"I thought they dressed more conservatively back then", Thrita said as she pulled her eyes away from the woman's cleavage. "Port wine? I think I'll try that." She approached the bar and placed her order.

Zeke turned around his back now against the bar. "Well one thing, we're not just in some generic Earth location, we're in France. Also, we're not in a high class ballroom or anything."

"France? Is there something I should know about France?" Thrita looked quizzically to Zeke before turning to greet the approaching server. She hadn't heard much of human history, never taking the sort of advanced cultural classes that Starfleet cadets did. This was a new perception of what human history and culture could be like. She did take basic history lessons as a child aboard the Cairo, but she spent much of her older childhood living on or near family mining vessels. Her understanding of the place focused on a handful of events and figures. The subtleties of French culture were completely lost to her bank of reference.

"Wouldn't that be the day," the server said handing Thrita her wine. "Can you see any of the likes of us in one of those fancy dresses dancing the night away to find a husband. Seem pretty on the outside, but I bet those people don't have much fun at all."

A trim looking man who was one of the better dressed of the holograms took this as his cue to walk up to Thrita. His dark hair was combed neatly into place and styled with some kind of pomade. "And we do like to have our fun here," he said to Thrita, leaning in toward her. "Tell me what brings you to Sandrine?"

Thrita's eyes went wide as her eyes met that of the dark-haired man. "Um hello." Her throat tightened, causing her gulp for air to show as a visible lump which slid down her neck. A nervous smile took over as her eyelids lowered. "I'm here with my date", she said as she took a step closer to Shanir. A teal blush still crept across her cheek as she spoke to the handsome man. "And you? What brings you here? Who might you be?"

The shen's features relaxed as she stood closer to Shan. Her strong, but delicate cerulean hand lifted the glass to sip the sweet wine. Fingernails were cut short and covered in a clear coat of polish.

Vevi's head was spinning at everything going on. She was trying to take it all in. She liked the scene-it had a bit of a "rough around the edges" vibe that she appreciated. Vevi had been raised on Andoria, the eldest daughter of government workers, but not the oldest child. She was second in line, and as such, she had a bit of rough-and-tumble herself. She took her drink and headed over to the group, carefully watching Thrita's interactions. Something was telling her the guy was up to no good, but she was probably just on edge due to the newness of the situation. A part of being an Intelligence officer was that she was always suspicious.

She found Lissa and Shan. "Should we be worried about her?" She asked, looking in their direction.

Shan heard Vevi in his ear, but he was watching Thrita and the hologram to see how he should answer. He put a protective arm around her shoulder, but he couldn't help but not feel too threatened by a flirty hologram.

"If he's bugging you, just delete him," Lissa called out, not too quietly as she set up the balls on the pool table to get ready for a game."

The man leaned forward in an apologetic bow. "My apologies madam. I did not mean to make you feel uncomfortable. My name is John, and I consider it a personal responsibility to make sure that the most beautiful guests of Sandrine have a pleasant time."

Thrita's giggle burst into laughter. "I don't think we should delete him. No worries, John." A warm smile crossed her features as she tilted her head onto Shan's shoulder.

John turned to Vevi. "I don't believe we've met yet. Can I get you something to drink?"

Vevi stared at the Hologram.

"I already have a drink, thanks," she said, her voice as icy as the color of her hair. She held up the mug of ale in her hand. "You should try Lissa," she said, with the mirth playing at her eyes. THAT would go well.

"Very well, madam." John left the group, and worked his way away from the bar and over toward other holograms near the grand piano.

"Bye John," Thrita called out after him, a playful tone lingering in her voice.

>> to part three >>

RSS Feed