CHAPTER 02: The Festival of the Moon [2100 hrs.]
CHAPTER 02:The Festival of the Moon
Captain's Log. Supplemental. One hour ago, we rendezvoused with the Harbinger at the designated coordinates. We have travelled deep into the KNZ, far away from Federation or Klingon civilisation and well outside any long range sensors of the crippled fleet we left behind. We have de-cloaked within the relative safety of a Class 9 nebulae, and many of the skeleton crew on the Harbinger has now beamed over to the Theurgy for an event that has been planned on the holodeck.
An event that will hopefully raise crew morale and give us strength to continue the fight for truth, justice and freedom... despite what we've all endured over the course of the past few months. We have barely cleared the ashes from our faces after we escaped Theta Eridani IV, only begun hull repairs for the enemy fire we drew from the Reavers and Task Force Archeron, and we do not know how many of the injured will ever get back on their feet. Nonetheless, we must find the courage we lost when we could not save everyone. When we had to make tough decisions and follow orders regardless the cost. All for the sake of the greater good... and to make the truth live on.
It is my hope, that we can all raise ourselves from wallowing in regret of past losses...
...and look ahead.
- Captain Jien Ives, Commanding Officer of the USS Theurgy
[ USS Theurgy | Corridors | Deck 05 | 2100 hrs. ]
Walking alongside each other, Captain Ives and Captain Vasser were just a part of the throng of people moving down the corridors towards Holodeck 01. Jien was in her female form, and to honour the event of the evening, she had changed her form to wear a white toga. She wanted to be able to be reached, though, so she had brought her combadge - tucking it inside one of the small folds of the garment - but otherwise she merely wore white sandals and a had her dark hair braided down her back.
"This could either be a success... or a total catastrophe," she commented, her face belying her attire in its grimness, walking next to the other Commanding Officer, "It all depends on the civilian that appeared in the Yridian shuttle before the Calamity found us the first time. Her name is Rihen Neyah, and being a Risian native, we will have to have faith in that she can make the crews focus on the present and enjoy themselves. After all, this might be the last chance we get to let them all experience something like this. For on the morrow, we set course for the Sol System again."
Soon enough, they reached the open doors to the holodeck, and as they stepped through, the tropical expanse of Suraya Bay on Risa spread out below them. They had entered upon a white marble terrace that had stairs leading down the mountainside on both sides. The exotic scents hit them first, and then the chirping of crickets in the moonlit night. Torches were lit along the railing of the terrace and down the stairs, and as she stepped up to it in order to see more of the view, the flickering light made Jien squint. The vista below her expanded all the way to the ocean; a turquoise sea alive with the reflection of the full moons, and all the way down the sprawling cliffs towards the beach, there were numerous villas in white stone. They were built into the cliffs, competing for space with the many waterfalls that fell from on high; gushing from the mainland plateau far above. The sound of foreign music flowed from the buildings and became an undercurrent to the sounds of the waterfalls, and to set the rhythm, the beating of drums made the night alive with expectation. It was as if Suraya Bay had a heartbeat, and everyone had taken that heart for their own - the promenades alive with celebrating people.
Directly below the marble terrace that Jien stood upon, about a hundred yards down the mountainside, a bowl-shaped stage in white stone awaited at the end of the two stairs. It resembled an amphitheatre without the distinct mediterranean build from Earth history, and at the centre of the fine sand danced the figure of a woman. Jien was fairly sure that it was Rihen Neyah. For what she did was no ordinary dance. No, for the glint of steel flashed in the firelight, and when Jien leaned out a little over the railing, she saw that the Risian was juggling curved, long knives. The performance seemed effortless, despite the fact that she danced around upon the sand while the steel whirled in the air above her.
When Jien pushed away from the railing and began to descend the stairs, she spoke again to Vasser. "On the morrow, you and I will have to speak of a matter concerning Petty Officer Dyan Cardamone," she said, not thinking that the evening of festivities was suitable to sort out that administrative mess. "Sufficed to say, she was more than she seemed, yet not the enemy. She revealed her true nature in order to help restore our fallen Temporal Affairs Officer. We need to decide on her fate come morning."
Looking around herself at the steady stream of familiar faces, all of them slowly making their way down the wide stairs and seating themselves in the amphiteatre, Jien found herself wearing a faint smile in the moonlight. "Tonight," she said quietly, reminding herself as much as speaking with Captain Vasser, "will be all about the present."
Now that she had gotten closer, Jien saw that the Risian also wore a toga-like garment, and Rihen Neyah smiled brightly and genuinely to her growing audience. All this while she danced and kept juggling her blades.
The Risian celebration known as Lohlunat - meaning the 'Festival of the Moon' - was traditionally celebrated at Suraya Bay, so the plan was that once enough people had arrived and seated themselves, Ms. Neyah would end her show and officially declare that the festival had begun.
OOC: Its time for shore-leave in mid-episode! Chapter 02 takes place on the night of the same day as Chapter 01 played out, and it will focus entirely upon this night on Risia (holdeck version). This thread is open for all characters, since they can all pass on urgent matters or duties to a subordinate if needed. There will be Supplementary threads posted for different kinds of activities or locations in Suraya Bay once Rihen makes her announcement.
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