Star Trek: Theurgy

Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

November 01, 2021, 08:28:23 PM

[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @GroundPetrel

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"Argh!" Lillee groaned, increasingly exasperated as yet again, she tightened the stiff corset yet more. She checked the time, wincing as she realised that she'd now spent over forty minutes trying to fathom the dress. When Anh-Le had sent over the photo in preparation for their holo-date, Lillee had fawned at first, falling in instant love with the billowy dress. It was beautiful, radiating nobility and elegance in a way that instantly appealed to the farm girl from far off ch'Beiran. Lillee had worn intricate dresses before, and she liked to dress up as much as anyone else, but this...this was on another level.

Unfortunately, Lillee's infatuation with the 17th century Earth dress dimmed somewhat as she looked up how to put the thing on. The instructions (written helpfully by the holonovel authors) were clear and precise, but it still took Lillee longer than she would've liked to admit to work it all out. She was an expert pilot, capable of disassembling a shuttle's warp core in her sleep, but this old Earth contraption was seriously stretching Lillee's intellect.

"Urgh," Lillee finally gasped in relief as she judged that the corset was tight enough; apparently, "just below rib-breaking" was the required degree of torture. She was intensely grateful that she'd already done her hair and make-up, her blonde hair flowing behind her, perfectly styled by the aid of Thea. By the time Lillee sorted out the dress itself, not to mention the shoes, she barely had a couple of minutes left over to look herself over in the mirror.

"Oh," Lillee said in shock as she regarded her own reflection. "Oh...oh. Oh. Oh by the Elements...the French got something right, I think...oh, this is worth it, this is absolutely worth it. This is...I am keeping this!"

With that, Lillee left her quarters (which entailed fitting through the narrow door, an adventure in itself). Passing crewmen in the corridors had a variety of reactions; amazement, shock, appreciation, and the occasional amusement. Lillee smiled happily at them all, feeling an unexpected warmth at being regarded in such a fashion, the centre of attention. She had been on a few holo-dates before but this was already proving a unique experience, and she hadn't even reached the holodeck yet!

Walking in the dress and shoes was somewhat tricky, but by the time Lillee arrived at the holodeck, she had managed a manageable grace. Seeing that the holodeck wasn't in use, Lillee waited out in the corridor, eagerly anticipating Anh-Le's arrival. She didn't know the details of the program that Anh-Le had chosen, but purely from putting on the fascinating and gorgeous dress, Lillee was bubbling with curiosity and excitement.



Lillee's dress
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Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #1 – November 08, 2021, 09:19:34 AM

Lt. JG Dantius Thi Anh-Le | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy  Attn: @Griff

Anh-Le popped a painkiller pill (she still wasn't quite fully recovered from the absolute disaster that had been the Klingon raid on Theurgy, in which she'd been only narrowly saved by Commander Rutherford's well-timed grenade), checked her stockings, fluffed out her pantaloons (how, exactly, did late seventeenth century European men handle this absurd fashion?), and straightened her ruff.  The outfit would have to work as it was. 

Anh-Le headed out without even a limp.  She was a bit ahead on dealing with her backlog of Klingon messages (hopefully, all the messages from the Klingon whose girlfriend was stationed in the Ganalda system, and said girlfriend, would be contained in the back half of the last data dump...Anh-Le was invested now, as weird and creepy as that sounded, and she was honestly rooting for the Klingons against the girlfriend's stuck-up noble mother-in-law), she had a nice historical-fiction holoprogram...

...and a beautiful blonde Romulan in a fabulous period dress waiting outside the holodeck. 

"Damn," the Orion grinned as she approached.  "You look fantastic, Lillee.  I hope you enjoy the program, it's a personal favorite of mine.  Played it religiously in college."  Well, except for sophomore year, since in the mess of anxiety known as sophomore year Anh-Le had spent a frankly unhealthy amount of time being topped by the chick in Vulcan Love Slave 18, but nobody actually needed to know that .  "Classy period piece, sword duels--I jacked the difficulty up, should be fun for you--and France's most notorious bisexual disaster."  The holodeck doors opened as Anh-Le tapped in the parameters and activation code, revealing a richly apportioned ballroom in which men and women in period garb danced and mingled. 

This was looking like a good evening in  the making. 
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OOC: Sorry for the delay, grad school is a mess.  Let's have some fun! 

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #2 – December 12, 2021, 02:40:44 AM

[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @GroundPetrel

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At Anh-Le's complement, Lillee smiled self-consciously, looking very unlike her usual confident self. "A French bisexual disaster, hm?" she mused, clearly bubbling with excitement at what lay ahead. "And sword duels? Oh my." Lillee gave Anh-Le a once-over, intrigued by her date's apparel and thoroughly appreciative. "You look very dignified yourself, Anh-Le. Those clothes...you make them snap." Lillee even snapped her fingers for emphasis, grinning, before extending an arm. "Shall we?"

At that, the two women took a step from the sterile 24th century corridor to a lavishly decorated 17th century foyer. The moment Anh-Le and Lillee stepped over the holodeck threshold, they were bombarded by music, chatter and the occasional tinkling laugh from the grand ballroom beyond the foyer. The air was even thick with scents, seemingly of various perfumes, a veritable assault on the nose which made Lillee's nose twitch uncomfortably, but was not inherently unpleasant.

The holoprogram had inserted Lillee and Anh-Le into a queue, of sorts, with an older couple up ahead of them, both even more lavishly dressed than Anh-Le and Lillee. The queue led to large wooden doors, beyond which the 'party' seemed to be happening. A servant, who was himself looking quite dapper, talked to the older couple briefly before turning and stepping inside the ballroom.

"I present the Vicomte Michel La Rochefoucauld, and the lady Gabrielle la Rochefoucauld!" he called out in a thick French accent as the couple stepped inside, rewarded with light applause. Lillee watched the whole affair with her mouth agape, dazzled by it all.

With that, Anh-Le and Lillee stepped up to the door, the handsome servant promptly returning to greet them with a polite bow. "Bienvenue mesdames," he said warmly, the French charm turned up to maximum and instantly settling Lillee's heart aflutter, even if she had no idea what the man had just said. She clung to Anh-Le slightly tighter in her excitement. "May I ask how I should present you this evening?"

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bienvenue mesdames - welcome ladies

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #3 – December 19, 2021, 11:34:28 PM

Lt. JG Dantius Thi Anh-Le | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy  Attn: @Griff

"Madames Dantius and t'Jellaieu," Anh-Le replied with her best smile and her best French.  She'd never been the best at it, for all that it was still a relatively common tongue among what local elites remained in Vietnam after centuries of integration into a dizzyingly vast ultra-egalitarian superstate, but the odds of Lillee knowing it were...well, not an impossibility, but on the more unlikely side.  "Forgive my lady, she is not yet well-acquainted with the lovely streets of Paris."  Though, "lovely" in the 17th century was questionable.  This was still the dark, medieval, claustrophobic city of Hugo and Balzac, not the tree-lined boulevards and parks of Haussmann's planned city. 

This was, of course, why all of the best holographic games (including seven Assassin's Creeds, one of the alternate-history spinoff series, fourteen adventures of the First Republic, a comical number of romances for lonely youth, and the singularly embarrassing Quark Enterprises production The Ferengi of Notre Dame, the subject of forty-seven lawsuits from parties ranging from the French regional government to the distant descendants of Victor Hugo after the Ferengi megaconglomerate had bought out the rights-holders and produced that...piece) were set in the old, pre-1860 Paris. 

The servant inclined his head with a polite smile, and turned to announce them as Anh-Le turned to her date.  "Do you like this setting, with only some words not translated?  Or do you want full immersion?"   Oh, maybe she should've asked about Lillee's music preference. 

Well, it was too late to change the whole setup now.  The script gave the players time for one dance before the opera singer showed up and started flirting with one of them.  Then the dance-or-duel. 

After all, what was a more appropriate way to start this kind of story than a flirtatious singer/fencer/woman-who-once-burned-down-a-convent-to-sleep-with-a-nun showing up to turn up the charm on a young lady? 

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #4 – January 08, 2022, 06:20:19 PM

[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @GroundPetrel

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"This setting is fine," Lillee said softly, eyes wide as she and Anh-Le stepped over the threshold into the large ballroom. Even for the time period, the extravagance around them was dazzling for Lillee, leaving her completely lost for words. Polite accented chatter filled the air around them, gentle music adding to the atmosphere. The windows showed that the sun was only just starting to set, suggesting along with the pleasant heat that it was the height of summer. A night of dancing, wine and pleasant conversation lay ahead for the 17th century French nobility, who (thanks to the programming) paid no heed to the two aliens who had stepped into their midst.

Clutching Anh-Le's arm, Lillee allowed her partner to lead her into the ballroom. A large space in the center of the ballroom remained empty, the perimeter slowly filling as more people were announced and entered. The music was beginning to die down as the room filled, seemingly timed to finish at the precise moment everybody had arrived, even if Lillee had no idea how they could do such a thing.

Finally the music came to end, and a silence settled over the room. Lillee glanced around curiously, not understanding. "What happens now?" she whispered to Anh-Le, her heart pounding in nervous anticipation, but before Anh-Le could reply, an impossibly handsome man stepped into the empty space. His clothes bordered on gaudy, but his charm made it work, and he looked around the crowd with an intense look. As his eyes settled upon Lillee and Anh-Le, he winked, and Lillee giggled softly into the silence, unable to help herself.

With that, not saying a word, the man turned to a similarly breathtaking woman whose elaborate dress made Lillee's look tame by comparison. He extended his hand to the woman, who took it with an air of feigned indifference, and the moment she stepped inside the circle, the music began once more. The moment was perfectly arranged, and like clockwork, the rest of the attendees began to filter into the circle, all starting to dance in time with the music, although with varying levels of skill and enthusiasm.

Lillee bit her lip, watching the dancing for a moment, but it only took her a few moments to work out the rhythm and footwork. Eyes alight, she looked to Anh-Le and nodded in excitement, silently giving her partner permission to take the lead.

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #5 – January 15, 2022, 04:01:39 PM

Lt. JG Dantius Thi Anh-Le | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy  Attn: @Griff

She wanted Anh-Le to lead the dance.  Right.  How did you say "My dancing skills are not the best, though I did spend way too much time playing this program solo back in college, I hope I don't disappoint you" in desperate lesbian? 

Too late.  The music was going.  There was a beautiful Romulan who was probably at least twice Anh-Le's age in her arms.  Why was she thinking about the lifespan thing right now?  Gay.  That was it.  Just blame the gay, it was easier that way.  God but Lillee's eyes were beautiful. 

...the muscle memory was still there, Anh-Le realized.  She was doing OK with the dance, and hadn't stepped on Lillee's feet yet despite her focus being on the blonde's smile rather than on the footwork.   Blame the hundreds of times she'd played romance programs at the Academy.  Definitely time well spent, in retrospect.  Certainly more helpful in the long-term than the unhealthy amount of hours Anh-Le had spent hardcore subbing in Vulcan Love Slave 18.  Senior year finals week, as a lonely lesbian afraid and more than a bit ashamed of her own drug-producing body while desperately craving any kind of stress relief, was probably best left forgotten. 

The Orion pulled her partner close, and they spun in a circle (Anh-Le's interest in history was relatively narrow and mostly military-focused, so she had no idea if the dances you were supposed to do in this one were historical or just what the audience was expected to expect, but they certainly felt quite romantic with a partner) without terrible accidents.  It was nice, Anh-Le thought, to hold someone and have them hold you.  Physical intimacy hadn't been that great of an option for her for years due to anxiety over her pheromones.  Well, these past few weeks had been the ultimate form of exposure therapy, and Anh-Le was kicking herself for being such a mess about even hugging people all these years.  Lillee was warm and soft in the right places and rock-hard with sleek muscle in the other right places.  

I am one lucky asshole, Anh-Le thought to herself, trying to focus on the dance instead of absconding with her partner for some kisses in a hallway.  This game was not just about her, after all. 

Then she saw a lanky redhead in a period men's outfit with a slender rapier at her side leaning against the wall, and realized that she should probably make sure her date knew the rules of the game. 

"I should note, there's a thing with this program," Anh-Le murmured as she spun into an embrace with Lillee again.  "You can answer romantic intrusions with duel requests if you're so interested.   For example, if someone were to, say, ask to take your hand for the next dance, I'd need to borrow a rapier and get my romantic swashbuckling game going."  She pulled back with a wink. 

The music was winding down, and the redhead was coming over.  Anh-Le suppressed a smile before taking a half-step back to kneel and kiss the blonde Romulan's hand.  "My lady is a lovely dancer, thank you."  Was that too forward?  No, all the good romance programs had the love interest do something like that.  It was the romantic thing to do.  Yes.  Probably. 

...I really need to stop second-guessing myself here.

And then the holo-character stepped up with a voice like liquid honey just as Anh-Le released her girlfriend's hand.  "Madame is an excellent dancer," the redhead said with a disarming smile.  "Please forgive my intrusion, but I simply had to ask--would madame do me the honor of allowing me a dance with her radiant self?"  Full bow and everything.  Anh-Le had met the actress once at a fan convention while on holiday leave, she was quite friendly if much more awkward and clumsy in person. 

The Orion stepped back, and gave Lillee what she hoped was an encouraging wink and a smile.  "Oh!  You are that lovely singer, who I saw just last week opposite Jean Dun!  I, I am flattered, madame, but I am afraid that you shall have to ask my lovely companion...and she is rather possessive..." 
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OOC: This post brought to you by Anh-Le's post-mission decompression and general useless lesbianhood. 

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #6 – January 19, 2022, 10:33:19 PM

[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @GroundPetrel

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The romance of it all was downright overwhelming; the music, the gentle sway, the intimacy. Lillee's heart fluttered as she and Anh-Le danced, her smile wide as she looked into Anh-Le's brown eyes. Those brown orbs were full of life, as rich as the mind that shone through them, a mind that Lillee was only just starting to fathom. She saw the nerves and excitement there, the affection and almost giddy happiness, and probably far more besides. More than almost any other time in her life, Lillee craved Vulcan telepathy in that moment, just to witness Anh-Le's thoughts and emotions, her fears and desires.

The dancing was hardly exceptional, but Lillee was past caring. She could shed her usual self; mother, soldier, pilot, killer, survivor. In that moment, with Anh-Le's warm hand in hers, their eyes upon each other, she was just Lillee i-Fennheii t'Jellaieu; the confidence, the boldness, the constant calculation, the worries, the facade...she could just be free, like the young naive farm-girl she had once been. Anh-Le was firm, embracing, magnificent, brilliant...safe.

As they embraced, Lillee's smile turned thoughtful. "A duel, hm?" she mused in a whisper, grinning mischievously. It was rather absurd, like the post-Sundering stories where the early rihannsu had orchestrated the most elaborate and ridiculous fights over petty things, just for the fun of it. Lillee had enjoyed those stories as a child, the wild romances and vivacity of it all, so why not live it?

Of course, Anh-Le being Anh-Le, she just had to do that romantic gesture at the end. Lillee's cheeks flushed, beaming as Anh-Le ever so gently kissed her hand, and she curtsied back. Curse that heart, it would fly out of her chest if it didn't calm down! Right on cue, a dashing woman intruded on the couple, and even knowing that it was just a hologram, Lillee felt her blood quicken at the blatant flirting right in front of her. How odd. When was the last time she had felt jealousy? It had been so long...

Anh-Le's reply was the perfect setup, and Lillee took advantage. She gave the intruder a very dangerous smile, rather like a predator examining prey. "That is very bold, yes, to request a dance without addressing the lady's partner?" Lillee said, facing the redhead squarely, and trying not to be distracted by how absurdly gorgeous she was. "My lady is right, I am most possessive. Dantius Anh-Le is mine." LIillee's eyes widened in alarm at the somewhat hyperbolic declaration, and she flashed her girlfriend an apologetic smile before refocusing on the redhead. "If you desire the honour of a dance with Anh-Le, you must first win her from me. Dare you try?"

Around the three women, the rest of the ball-goers had taken notice, many of them watching with interest. The musicians, seeing what was happening, wisely stayed quiet until the drama played out. The young lord who had opened the dance stepped closer, looking between the three women with alarm.

"Mesdames," he said with a dazzling smile as he tried to defuse the situation, "we need not do this here, there is no need for such language this evening..."

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #7 – January 27, 2022, 07:34:59 AM

Lt. JG Dantius Thi Anh-Le | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy  Attn: @Griff

"Nonsense, monsieur," the redhead declared, shucking her jacket and tossing it to a gleeful young lady in an elegant dress in one movement.  "Madame, since you are so passionate in defense of your lady's honor, I am compelled to accept your challenge!"  She patted the rapier at her hip with a winning smile.  "To first blood, my lady?  And when you lose you may know that you have the honor of bearing a scar inflicted by La Maupin herself, lead soprano of the Academie d'Opera and champion duelist!" 
 
Anh-Le fanned herself dramatically.  Back at the Academy, she'd usually played the duelist player role, and had never been able to take the difficulty setting too high (archery had always been her favorite weapons-based sport, after all).  Being the damsel to be fought over wasn't half bad. 

And she was getting a show out of it, too.  There was that abundantly personal benefit. 

Score one for me, this was a good date idea!  Next time they'd have to do something...something quarters-based.  Yeah.  Dinner or something.  Anh-Le was new to sleeping with a real person instead of being stepped on by a holo-Vulcan, she quite liked Lillee, and was rather keen on getting some actual girlfriend deeds under her belt before one or both of them died horribly in some battle, or skirmish, or incident with somebody on board going crazy. 

That had apparently happened on this ship already.  You usually didn't see reports of that more than once or twice a year.  Except in Ferengi intercepts, but those were mostly just some junior officer accusing his CO of being insane and committing the sin and crime of charity so that he could run a corporate soft-coup.   Anh-Le figured that considering the circumstances, giving herself odds of three in four to make it through the year would be...optimistic.  Calculations that were, to be fair, influenced by the recent memory of being stabbed by a Klingon, but still, even when she didn't have painkillers in her system and slight stiffness in her side from those and medical treatment, she'd still not like the situation from a risk standpoint.  They were, after all, in an undeclared war with an enemy they had disturbingly little intel on. 

So, there was a very large part of Anh-Le loudly shouting a rather convincing argument for diving headfirst into this relationship and getting as many deliriously happy hours as possible in before she got caught by another bunch of angry Klingons without Commander Rutherford to start tossing grenades around, or got killed by some dickhead aliens with an outdated ideology, or was mutated into a pile of space herpes or whatever her godforsaken species evolved from by some wunderkind's science experiment, or was subjected to infuriating experiments by a god-like alien with a bad sense of humor, or got possessed by the enemy and made to kill everyone she cared about because they still had next to no understanding of how the enemy worked or any idea of how to block enemy possession. 

...and she really needed to stop thinking about that and start thinking about Lillee's impending duel for her honor as the blonde Romulan took up a stance opposite her erstwhile holo-rival.  "Strike true, Lillee!" Anh-Le called, and fanned herself dramatically again.  "Take my kerchief and return it to me unharmed, I beg you!" 

Melodramatic?  Yeah.  But it was the appropriate setting for that. 

This is going to be awesome!  Best date idea ever!
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ooc: sorry for the delay, hope this sets you up for a grand fight! 

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #8 – January 29, 2022, 03:53:10 AM

[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @GroundPetrel

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With the duel proferred and accepted, Lillee was full of energy. The dancers formed a perimeter around the duelists, hushed whispers carrying around the ballroom as the tension started to build. Lillee, for her part, didn't move an inch, her eyes on her opponent. In a very real sense, the combat had already begun as Lillee and La Maupin eyed each other, each assessing the other woman. After a moment, Lillee smirked at a memory. Oh, how her father would be proud to see her remembering his lessons about dueling. He'd preferred disruptors, of course, but a duel was still a duel.

There could be no doubt that La Maupin was as capable as she professed. Her weight was balanced, her rapier ideally positioned, her men's clothing clearly tailored to not hinder swordwork. The woman radiated confidence and lethality. If Lillee was honest with herself, she found the French redhead very sexy, particularly as La Maupin sensually stroked the hilt of her rapier, their eyes still locked. No wonder Anh-Le liked this program.

"Mon-sur," Lillee said confidently (despite her appalling pronunciation) to the handsome lord, "may I borrow your blade?" She held out a hand expectantly, flashing him a dazzling smile of her own. He sighed, but after his female companion elbowed him firmly in the ribs, he duly drew his own sword. The overly flamboyant manner in which he presented it to Lillee was perhaps a bit unnecessary, but this was an evening where style was everything.

Lillee took the rapier, assessing it quickly, knowing that she had to become familiar with it quickly. It was incredibly light and thin, very different to her own honour-blade. She swished it back and forth after a space was cleared, thinking fast. No real heft, but surely very sharp...a weapon designed to cut, not cleave. Very light, so very fast; tricky, but sure to provide a show. A test of skill, indeed, but at least Lillee need not worry about the insanity of fighting in the elaborate dress and gorgeous (if impractical) dainty shoes. Her eyes and arms would be doing all the work.

Content, Lillee set herself opposite La Maupin, again taken back by how outrageous the redhead looked, making Lillee all the more excited. Oh, there would be questions to ask Anh-Le later! At Anh-Le's melodramatic request, Lillee struggled to stop herself from laughing. She turned and reached for the crimson hankerchief, resisting the urge to kiss Anh-Le senseless then and there, just for the hell of it. No, this was a night when kisses had to be earned.

"Don't worry, my darling," Lillee said confidently as she slipped the hankerchief into her cleavage, "this duel is mine." She briefly bowed her head to her opponent. "To first blood."

A few moments more passed, the whispers of the spectators fading, the tension building, Lillee and La Maupin eyeing other, both grinning at the sheer pleasure of it all. They began to circle, rapiers extended in front of them, Lillee looking somewhat out of place in her dress. More moments passed, the duelists eyes locked, and then...

CLANG!

The blades clashed as La Maupin slid forward, her blade flashing as it bounced off Lillee's guard. Again she attacked, this time from another angle, only to be blocked again. The tension built even more, everyone knowing that this was merely the preview, the first probing strikes. The duelists continued circling carefully, each step measured and precise.

Then, without warning, Lillee hopped forward with a rapid stab, then another, then another, a series of wasp-like strikes. La Maupin caught them all, though, before answering with her own series of attacks, more elaborate and refined then Lillee's improvisation, and far more successful. Only fancy footwork prevented the blade from slashing down through the front of Lillee's dress, the offending blade slapped away a half-second later. Mere centimeters had preserved Lillee's modesty, such as it was.

She was still in the duel, though, and becoming more confident by the moment, although Anh-Le hadn't been kidding about jacking up the difficulty. The redhead swordswoman/opera singer/bisexual disaster was a serious challenge. Nevertheless, Lillee threw herself into another series of strikes, this time varying her own attacks. The two rapiers flashed and clanged, a rapid exchange of blows and counterblows, all to the oohs and aahs of the watching crowd. Lillee didn't let up the pressure, giving herself over to instinct, attacking and blocking faster than she could think, not allowing La Maupin to recover, but unable to force the issue.

Finally the critical moment came. La Maupin finally found room to breathe before launching a devastating counterattack, forcing Lillee back, confounded by the redhead's masterful bladework. Desperate, knowing that her defence would falter within moments, Lillee did the only thing she could think of. She hopped right at La Maupin, her rapier grinding against the other blade as they protected their owners, Lillee sliding so close that the two women could almost kiss each other save for the swords that were between them. Without pause Lillee ducked low, feeling something in her dress tear as she did so, but she also felt something far more satisfying: the tiniest bit of resistance in her wrist as steel met flesh.

It was the tiniest of cuts on the back of La Maupin's hand, but it was clearly a cut all the same. Lillee stood tall, beaming with triumph...even as she noticed a familiar red hankerchief poking out of the Frenchwoman's breast pocket. Lillee glanced down and sure enough, the crimson hankerchief had vanished from her cleavage.

How did she do that!?

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #9 – February 07, 2022, 08:48:43 AM

Lt. JG Dantius Thi Anh-Le | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy  Attn: @Griff

Best.  Idea.  Ever.

There really was nothing like watching a beautiful woman who your little gay heart was in free fall for in a tense sword duel with another beautiful woman, Anh-Le thought as she stood with a cheer and clapped for Lillee's...victory?  Technical victory.  That counted.     

"Oh, my lady t'Jellaieu, thank you so much for defending my honor!" Anh-Le declared, taking the Romulan's free hand and gently kissing it with what she hoped was an elegant motion.  "And my lady d'Aubigny, I must congratulate you on giving my lady t'Jellaieu a good fight, though to sacrifice the bout to pilfer the favor I gave to my lady was most...rakish."  She extended a hand, fighting back a wince as her side objected.  Damn Klingon bastard.  And damn herself for insulting his mother and  pissing him off.  "Could I trouble you for its safe return?" 

The holographic Frenchwoman sheathed her sword with a chuckle and a winning grin, but did not hand over the kerchief.  "For the kiss of a lovely woman, madame,  I would do such a thing in a heartbeat."  

Anh-Le scoffed theatrically.  "Oh, you cad!  Regrettably, my lady t'Jellaieu requires my attentions, and I cannot abandon her."  She kissed Lillee's hand again with a smile. 

"But of course," la Maupin replied with a smile.  "How beautiful a lady's loyalty is, and  how inestimably valuable to possess!"  She nodded to Lillee with a pretty good take by the original actress at solemn respect.  "Therefore I must consider you to be an exceptionally wealthy woman, madame," the hologram told the Romulan.  "Perhaps some day we should--"  

"Julie!" another voice called, and the fencer  and analyst turned  to face her properly. 

"My lady de Florensac?" Lillee asked. 

"This is phase two coming," Anh-Le explained in a murmur.  "It's got a bit more of a mystery theme."  And sure enough, the newcomer, an attractive woman of around holo-d'Aubigny's age, held up a  slim handbag. 

"My good-luck charm," the lady de Florensac explained.  "A rather antique bracelet that I brought, all that I have of my mother...Julie , you must help me!" 

"Fear not," d'Aubigny declared proudly.  "These lovely women, too....Madame t'Jellaieu, Madame Dantius,  would you do me the honor of helping me find this scoundrel?" 

Anh-Le smiled in response and squeezed her date's hand.  "If my lady t'Jellaieu wishes so, I would be glad to!" 

And here they were just getting to the best part! 
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OOC: Sorry this is super late,  got reamed by grad  school work.  I hope you like it! 

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #10 – February 10, 2022, 02:12:10 AM

[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @GroundPetrel

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Rather out of breath after the duel and somewhat miffed at d'Aubigny for not seeming flustered in the slightest (even if she was a hologram, it was still annoying), Lillee was grateful when Anh-Le took the lead. Of course, Anh-Le kissing her hand did nothing to slow Lillee's heartbeat, even if she giggled at the silliness of it. Lillee grinned as d'Aubigny tried to trade the kerchief for a kiss, rather liking the Frenchwoman's persistence and sheer cheek.

Of course, Lillee could hardly blame anyone for being so eager to kiss Anh-Le. She'd done it plenty already since meeting the astonishing Orion, and yet she always seemed to want more. When Anh-Le professed her loyalty, followed by yet another kiss on the hand, Lillee giggled once more, her modest bosom heaving in a most unladylike manner in her excitement, adrenaline still flowing after the close duel.

With the interruption, Lillee finally had a chance to catch her breath, although she couldn't resist a little smugness at d'Aubigny's comment about the value of Anh-Le's affection. Lillee gracefully handed the rapier back to its rather put-upon owner, favouring the lord with a grateful smile, before Anh-Le explained the next phase.

"This should be interesting," Lillee replied in an excited whisper, although she forced herself to look concerned as the new arrival asked for aid. d'Aubigny's immediate decision to help the poor woman was wonderfully gallant, making Lillee's heart beat faster all over again, as did Anh-Le's exuberant agreement.

"Yes, of course we shall aid you!" Lillee said confidently. "This thief shall be found and put to justice!" With that, she let go of Anh-Le's hand,  turned to the handsome lord and attempted a curtsy, praying that the damage to her dress wasn't visible. "My lord, we thank you for your gracious hospitality, but with your permission, we must now seek out this...um...fiend!"

Lillee winced at how exuberantly she said the last word, but the lord smiled as if he hadn't noticed. "Of course, mesdames, bon chance in your endeavour. And dear Julie, if you could avoid eviscerating any nobility this evening, I would of course be indebted to you. Bonne soirée, mesdames."

Lillee curtsied again, feeling horribly like the uneducated and unrefined colony girl that she was, but the respect and smiles of the nobility (even holographic as they were) made her blush. Full of enthusiasm, she grabbed Anh-Le's hand as they turned back to the Lady de Florensac.

"Tell us, please," Lillee asked the noblewoman, "do you know where your bracelet might be, or who might have cause to take it?"

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #11 – February 17, 2022, 05:55:59 PM

Lt. JG Dantius Thi Anh-Le | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy  Attn: @Griff

"You're doing great!" Anh-Le whispered into Lillee's ear.  "This thing is programmed for over-the-top drama.  It's part of the draw."  That and being strategically designed to appeal to every lonely lesbian on this side of Arcturus.  That France's most famous (infamous?  Both?) bisexual disaster, reproduced in three dimensions, personality cooked to emphasize the gay drama energy that had led the original d'Aubigny to stab herself on-stage with a real dagger and die of grief after the real de Florensac died?  Yeah.  The Quark Enterprises subsidiary that wrote this series knew their audience, and delivered the goods. 

Lillee sure seemed to be liking this, so she could probably be added to the doubtlessly near-endless satisfied customer list. 

Score one girlfriend point for me!  Anh-Le would've done a fist pump, but that might've aggravated her still-healing stab wound. 

"I have only spoken to some six or seven...perhaps eight people who could have taken the bracelet," de Florensac answered Lillee's question.  "There were not many people who had the capability to pilfer it from my handbag before I sought for it in the hopes that the good luck I have experienced while wearing it might aid you in your duel,"  she explained. 

"Ah, then action we may take," Anh-Le grinned.  "We must form the suspects into a line, they may not have had the opportunity to hide it somewhere yet.  Even if they have, it will likely be very difficult but possible to conceal such a piece, should we search them and the immediate vicinity." 

And then it would be a simple matter of deduction to determine which of the randomly-selected potential culprits had done the dirty  deed.  Followed shortly by the excessively and deliberately dramatic fallout. 

...alright, so Anh-Le had played this program, and others both in this series and by this particular Quark Enterprises imprint, perhaps more times than was strictly healthy, but screw it.  No shame, that was what you were supposed to say.  No shame. 

"Who could possibly have taken your bracelet, my lady?" the Orion asked, then murmured to her companion, "Watch this, my powers of deduction at work.  Unless you want to have a go first?"  The actual culprit would be randomly seeded.  But there were usually about four options. 

"I had it while I was speaking to the heir to d'Armagnac..."  The Marquise frowned.  "I cannot possibly accuse someone of good breeding...but I was quite distracted while speaking with some heirs from the Vendée, it must have been during that time?" 

"Then we must declare everyone a suspect, for manners' sake if nothing else,"  Anh-Le declared dramatically.  She clapped her hands to summon the announcer.  "Even I must be considered a suspect.  Good sir, would you be so kind as to close the doors?  We have a low and cowardly thief in our midst, who must be ferreted out post-haste!" 
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OOC: Apologies for the delay, I had some mental health issues earlier this week. 

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #12 – March 14, 2022, 05:50:22 PM

[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @GroundPetrel

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The announcer looked flabbergasted, but at the somewhat surly nod of approval from his lord, he promptly snapped his fingers. Two servants were at his side in an instant, and after a rapid exchange of French, the three of them scuttled off to close the various doors around the ballroom. After they were sealed (much to the bemusement of the ballgoers), the handsome lord clapped his hands loudly, quickly silencing the chatter and music.

"Mesdames and messieurs," he called out, "a vile crime has been committed, here in my very home, amidst this grand celebration! I must inform you that a theft has taken place!" Shocked gasps rang out among the crowd. "For the sake of nobility and honour, I ask you all to cooperate full-heartedly with the fine young ladies whom I have entrusted to find the fiend among us!" Some irritated muttering began to spread, and for the first time, the dark-haired lord's gaze lost its gentle touch as it became apparent that his words weren't being heeded. "Enough rebellion, I implore you! Kindly remember that we are of the high class, and we are French."

That, bizarrely, seemed to do the trick. With some resignation, the crowd seemed to assent, and Lillee glanced around, pondering the mystery. She was no great detective, nor had she ever really enjoyed such activities, and she felt profoundly out of her depth. She was sharply reminded of the time when her four year old twins had soundly defeated her in a game of Find Waldo, much to their triumphant amusement, having worked out the clues before she even realised that there were clues.

Instead, Lillee looked at Anh-Le with an affectionate smile. "I have found that your brain is the sexiest part of you," she said softly. "Care to demonstrate? After that, Julie and I can encourage the thief to confess with our...natural charm." Lillee and Julie then shared a look that was downright evil, both the Romulan and the hologram clearly having the same nefarious thought, the sheathed rapier on Julie's hip still very prominent.

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #13 – March 26, 2022, 07:40:55 AM

Lt. JG Dantius Thi Anh-Le | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy  Attn: @Griff

This?  This was how a woman died of gay.  A beautiful Romulan in a pretty dress telling her that she's hot. 

Now to impress Lillee without metagaming.  Anh-Le had played this program a probably-unhealthy number of times, probably more times than the Klingons on that Mo'Kai base had shared around the porn trove she'd found disguised as moderately important data. 

(there were few things, Anh-Le knew from experience, quite so effective at distributing information as bored junior officers with some naughty holos and too much time on their hands.)

There were always a set number of suspects, Anh-Le mused as the servant holos helped the fencer's friend round up the possibles.  Plus the one obvious red herring to cover for the actual red herrings.   Say what you would about Quark Enterprises, but they knew how to keep the player engaged. 

"Well, my good lords and ladies!" Anh-Le declared.  "It appears that some ruthless, rapacious rapscallion has absconded with my lady  de Florensac's ancestral property!"  Hey, alliteration!   That was good flowery speech.  "Now, my lady, if I could have a private moment with yourself, my lady t'Jellaieu, and my lady d'Aubigny?" 

The Marquise nodded, and Anh-Le beckoned Romulan and hologram into a huddle.  "Who could have had the opportunity to sneak your jewel away?" the Orion asked. 

The Marquise hologram bit her lip fetchingly.  Anh-Le had met the actress once at a booth at a local fan convention back at the Academy.  She'd been nice, and signed an autograph, then wished for Anh-Le to meet a nice girl. 

That one sure came true, didn't it? 

"Well," the hologram began, "of those who had a chance..." 

Anh-Le tuned out most of it, it was four that she remembered.  All men this time (there were several female possible suspects who cycled through, it was luck of the draw).  Du Chalons, the drunken sot and red herring; the junior-branch Montmorency heir, whose side of the family was in rather dire financial straits, and who had been near de Florensac when she briefly set her handbag aside; Seurat, the legal official, part of the growing bureaucratic-mercantile middle class that would topple the regime in a century, with a chip on his shoulder and close with a young lady from Champagne who de Florensac quietly said seemed to be jealous of her; and young du Motier, known for his rash decision-making, one of whose younger relatives would in the better part of a century become a hero to the Americans, known to be incautious and a gambler because (three lawsuits from distant modern relatives with chips on their shoulders later) a Federation judge had ruled the Quark Enterprises historical-romance drama series protected creative speech.

The Orion was probably metagaming too much, but her girlfriend deserved a show, didn't she? 

Anh-Le strode dramatically back and forth amidst a rough oval of partygoers, stroking her chin in dramatic thought.  "A criminal or other such scoundrel such as stole my lady de Florensac's property," she declared, "requires motive, means, and opportunity.   Opportunity came several times, but means?  Motive?  I cannot peer directly into the minds of those who may be the villain of the hour, but I can surely speculate.  Means, there were several of the opportunities given where a man or woman of sufficient dexterity could steal my lady's property.  But...all three?" 

She turned dramatically to du Chalons.  "Opportunity you had, sir, but motive or means?   My lady does say that she rejected your request for a dance, fearing for your reputation as you seemed to be having trouble with your feet, but you have not approached her sense, and none have seen you bear ill will towards her."  Next, du Motier.  "Your reputation has been tarred with charges of foolishness, but if as some are no doubt whispering you have gambling-debts to pay,you would have left almost immediately or immediately after stealing the heirloom.  No, I judge you likely innocent." 

" Who, then, could it be?  My good sir Seurat, you are often frowned upon for you birth, and to be involved with a woman whose friendship my lady has been uncertain of in the past, but you have not spoken to or been close to my lady de Florensac tonight.  Which leaves..." 

Dramatic twirl and point.  That was practically obligatory.  "Monsieur Montmorency, you had the opportunity, being near my lady when her handbag was abandoned and she distracted.  Your family has been having financial trouble and you were attempting to leave when the doors were closed!  I believe that you were responsible, and I implore you to return my lady's property at once!" 

Today's villain, tall and sneering, bit back a snarl.  "Before my grandfather's grandmother's great-grandfather gave that jewel to her grandmother's grandmother's grandmother, it was part of my family line, not hers!"  He drew his rapier, the crowd gasping and moving away as he advanced on Anh-Le, who gasped dramatically herself and clutched her heart with the power of all the acting elective classes she could remember.   "I have seen two of you duel, my ladies, and while I admire your skill, I must warn you, I quite capable myself, and this lovely woman shall rue the day that she exposed my restoration of family tradition, should you try to stop me!" 

And here came phase three.  The action beat. 

Anh-Le winked at Lillee.  Come on.  Leap to the rescue and start the chase scene, it'll be fun!
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OOC: Apologies for the delay, grad school has been kicking my butt.  Hope this is worth the wait! 

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #14 – April 04, 2022, 08:08:52 PM

[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @GroundPetrel

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Lillee hadn't been kidding: Anh-Le's intellect certainly was the sexiest part of her. As Anh-Le worked through her deduction, Lillee bit her lip, suddenly feeling quite warm in the dress. It was an exhilarating experience, and by the time Anh-Le reached her conclusion, Lillee was blushing a faint green. The confidence, the casual superior intelligence, the relish, the wit...

By the Elements, how did I ever find such a woman!?

Of course, not everyone was as enamored as Lillee. Lord Montmorency's answer was comical, but perversely, Lillee found herself liking him. He was almost a spot on Romulan caricature; picking absurd fights over century-old feuds, employing such subterfuge, employing that arrogant sneer. It was a classic trope in the Empire every bit as much as the 'hero' character was on Earth. Montmorency could've starred in a holonovel on Romulus and nobody would have batted an eyelid.

Of course, all such amusement vanished the moment that he advanced on Anh-Le, rapidly grabbing her and spinning her around as an Orion shield, his rapier held threateningly to her throat.

What followed next was purely instinctive. Without thinking, Lillee grabbed the sheathed sword of the nearest nobleman and pulled it free, swiftly hopping (as best she could in the cumbersome dress) to protect her lover. Montmorency hesitated, baffled by Lillee's stance: two hands clasped around the hilt of the slender sword, one foot planted squarely in front of the other, murderous fire in her eyes.

"Release her, you fiend!" Lillee demanded, adding overdramatic flair to her voice. She only realised a moment later what stance she had taken, and how poorly suited the slender rapier was for it, but she stuck to it anyway.

"Hm," Montmorency said lingeringly, his eyes tracking Lillee and d'Aubigny as the two women advanced. He steadily retreated towards the grand doors, various nobles gasping and muttering in shock, some of the men even drawing their swords, but seemingly entirely uncertain of what to do. Lillee and d'Aubigny glanced at each other, the two swordswomen coming to a silent accord, even if one of them was little more than an elaborate subroutine.

"Open the doors!" Montmorency called out behind him, and promptly the servants obeyed. He sneered at his foes, glancing at the lady de Florensac, as if assessing his chances of reaching her. Then he considered Lillee and d'Aubigny again, his blade still held ever-so-close to Anh-Le's throat. "Ah. Yes. Well. This all seems most entertaining, but you see..." He paused. "Bye!"

With that, Montmorency turned and bolted like a rabbit, pushing Anh-Le to the floor as he went. d'Aubigny was hot on his heels, but Lillee ran (as well as she could in the dress) to her lover first, bending over to offer a hand up. Lillee was grinning, her face flushed green with excitement.

"Come on," she said happily, "let's get him!"

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #15 – April 11, 2022, 09:02:00 AM

Lt. JG Dantius Thi Anh-Le | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy  Attn: @Griff

This was the best part. 

Of the whole idea for date night, not just the program.  Seeing her girlfriend flushed and grinning?  Yeah.  That was a great feeling. 

"Let's get after that bastard!" Anh-Le agreed, taking the offered hand and springing to her feet, only briefly wincing at the twinge of pain from her recent wounds.  God, she needed this.  The universe was on fire and work was staring down a barrel of 'we could win, eventually, with lots of luck, but for now we're playing whack-a-mole and waltzing right into the enemy's game', but for a few hours she could just have fun at a ball and a little adventure with her girlfriend. 

Girlfriend.  There was solidity there, she thought as they raced up a broad, lushly appointed set of holographic stairs, Lillee ahead despite her lesser height.  God, Anh-Le was a lucky woman.  And to think all this happened because I missed my meds by accident.  Luck.  It blew her way sometimes.  It was important to remember that. 

They made the landing.  A servant carrying a tray of fine glasses stumbled ahead, trying to stabilize the tray as the holo-fencer sprinted past after her prey.  Lillee ducked around the man with fluid grace.  Anh-Le stumbled, caught herself on the wall, and managed to avoid causing a crash, the servant crying out as the glasses nearly toppled.   

Lillee looked amazing in that dress.  Dancing around like a ballerina. 

A ballerina with a sword. 

That's sticking in my mind for a while.

"When we catch him," Anh-Le panted, "I pray, my lady, don't let him escape justice again!  I swear, if you defeat him I shall owe you a great favor for avenging my honor!"  The Montmorency hologram had come very close to touching her breast--that qualified as harm to honor, right? 

"Hurry!" d'Aubigny called from ahead, by a small open side door.  "This passage leads to the roof, he's trying to escape that way!" 

Time for the climax.  And then, hopefully, a romantic, 17th century French tryst?  Anh-Le would see. 

She rated her odds pretty well, though, considering the excited smile Lillee threw back over her elegant shoulder. 

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #16 – April 20, 2022, 01:41:33 AM

[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @GroundPetrel

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If there was one thing that Lillee grew certain of as she chased after her quarry, it was that human noblewomen were rarely called upon to run. The dress hadn't fared well during the duel, and as Lillee ran at full pelt through the grand corridor and up the stairs, she could feel it threatening to tear. Nevertheless she kept up, her heart hammering away, full of exhilaration. She could always replicate another dress afterwards to keep, and if it should fall apart now...well, with Anh-Le the only one around, that was hardly something to dread...

At Anh-Le's call, Lillee glanced back again at her dapper girlfriend, her grin now more devilish than ever. "Do not worry, my lady, he shall be made to pay for offending your honour, I swear it!" she called back melodramatically as she hurried along. Lillee's acting was truly awful compared to Anh-Le's, but she didn't seem to care a whit.

The spiral stairway that led to the roof was narrow, only wide enough for one at a time, but that didn't deter Lillee as she took the lead. Her dainty shoes struggled to find purchase on the stone but she managed all the same, the rapier clanging loudly off the walls and steps. Soon enough Lillee reached the open door at the apex of the stairway and she burst through, only then pausing to glimpse her quarry and confirm that her compatriots were behind her.

Montmorency, for his part, appeared quite stuck at the far end of the roof. The evening Paris skyline around them was majestic, living up to the name it would one day be known as: the "city of lights". The grand outline of Notre Dame was visible from afar, with countless fires and lanterns lighting the streets and buildings below. Lillee shivered suddenly at the sudden chill of the night air, but she gamely advanced on the thief, trusting Anh-Le and Julie to go with her. The flat part of the roof was uncomfortably narrow with nary a guiderail in sight, barely sufficient for two people to walk abreast.

"Surrender and face judgement for your crimes, mes seur Lillee demanded, her accented voice carrying far amidst the open air. She heard the horrible hamminess and mangled French even as she spoke the words but still didn't seem to care in the slightest, pointing her blade at her foe.

"Hm," Montmorency hummed quizzically, leaning slightly over the edge of the roof, as if judging the distance to the next building. "This is most disagreeable, yes, most disagreeable. Well," he said dramatically, spinning to face the three women squarely, "mesdames, how do you propose we solve this quandry that we have found ourselves in?"

Lillee glanced back at Anh-Le with a rather dangerous smile, then at Julie. "Well, ladies," she said mischievously, "how do you propose we address this?"

---

OOC: Sorry for this one, I've been struggling a tad.

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #17 – May 01, 2022, 09:18:52 AM

Lt. JG Dantius Thi Anh-Le | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy  Attn: @Griff

By pausing the program and kissing on the roof for a bit  while I catch my breath, Anh-Le thought, but no, she was in character, damn it.

"Well," she mused.  "This villain's crime took place during a duel over a lady's honor, I think it only just that he duel for his fate.  But first...My good sir, did you ever consider how you would escape justice, much less restore your fortune?  And with a lady's jewels, at that?" 

The villainous hologram snorted.  "Fortune can be rebuilt from a seed, my dear.  And I have that seed.  A chat with one common fence and I would plant said seed in good earth.  Now, have any of you the courage to face a desperate man?" 

"Oh, I fear that my skills as a duelist are...limited," Anh-Le admitted.  "But my lady here is...exceptionally talented."  Did she want to see Lillee kick the hologram's ass over top of a simulated alleyway? 

Well, yes.  Of course.  That was sort of the point of selecting this whole program for one of their scant few vacation days. 

D'Aubigny eyed Montmorency's perch at the precipice.  "Madame, I fear that there is only room for one of us to face this scoundrel," she said to Lillee, blade unwavering as she pointed at the thief.  "Do you wish to challenge him, or should I?" 

"You can take him," Anh-Le murmured, clutching Lillee's left arm and sliding behind and alongside her to whisper into one pointed ear.  "Go on and wipe the smirk off of his face!" 

"Such confidence!" the thief sneered.  "When you fall before my blade, perhaps I shall take a kiss from the lady Dantius as I leave?" 

Anh-Le had heard that he'd threaten the same as a second-chance challenger prompt if the non-combatant player was a man, too.  This series may have been written and produced by Ferengi, but they were trying to meet Federation norms...

Wait.  No.  That was irrelevant. 

"Are you just going to let him talk about me like that?" Anh-Le said with faux outrage.  "He's all talk.  You'll demolish him!" 
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OOC: No problem!  I'm sorry for  being a bit  delayed, my last week of class was brutal. 

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #18 – May 10, 2022, 06:50:02 PM

[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @GroundPetrel

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Oh, he just had to make it personal. Still feeling Anh-Le holding her arm, Lillee glanced over her shoulder at her and winked even as she still held her blade out. "Rest easy my lady," she said with a grin. "The only lips you're kissing tonight are mine."

With that, Lillee took a decisive step forward as Julie simultaneously stepped back, yielding the space for the duel. The roof sloped down on either side, leaving scant room for anyone to move, with a rather lengthy fall awaiting anyone who lost their footing. With typical dramatic timing the wind picked up, blowing Lillee's golden hair and ruffling her dress. She felt a chill on her exposed arms and neck, but Lillee barely noticed amidst the thrill and her own excited heartbeat.

"You are going to regret that jibe," she taunted her opponent as she took careful little steps forward, her thin blade held straight out, inviting challenge.

Montmorency smirked. "Ah, I may, but if I triumph, it is such a sweet prize..."

Suddenly he lunged forward, the blades clanging together before disengaging. There were gasps and cries from the alleys and streets below as a growing crowd watched. Lillee and Montmorency waited a beat, assessing each other warily, before Lillee took her turn to attack. With that the battle truly began, the blades moving faster and faster. Neither fighter could move around each other and soon, bit by bit, Montmorency started to gain ground. His attacks began to cause Lillee more and more problems, forcing her back first one step, then another, then another.

Sensing victory, Montmorency cried out, "Yield t'Jellaieu, and I will give you your life!"

"Never!" Lillee countered dramatically, and she attacked with renewed vigour. The blades clashed so violently that it seemed as if they'd break, but Montmorency seemed unperturbed, matching Lillee's aggression with skill. The wind picked up even more, both duelists lit by the lanterns atop the roof as they fought, Lillee's blade movements becoming wilder and wilder.

Then the critical moment came. Abruptly Lillee slid forward (the skirt of her dress ripping entirely from hip to heel), startling Montmorency as he backpedaled. Lillee's blade twirled first clockwise then counterclockwise, drawing an elaborate pattern as the sword tip slipped past Montmorency's guard to hit his arm. The nobleman yelped in pain, throwing his own sword away, which Lillee deftly caught with her other hand. With a smirk of triumph, she settled into a low stance, both blades pointed squarely at Montmorency, the foremost of the blade tips held directly beneath his chin.

"Ah, oui," Montmorency stammered as the crowd below applauded. "This is...um...a most unfortunate circumstance, c'est sur, ah...." At the pointed urging of Lillee, he began stepping back, closely followed by her and the swords, until he was standing right on the edge of the roof. Seeing that the game was up, Montmorency sighed, raising his hands in surrender.

"I, ah, suppose you'll be wanting your prize, my lady?" Montmorency said weakly, and at Lillee's nod, he duly reached inside his tunic and produced the golden bracelet. Lillee hung the bracelet on the tip of her second sword and rotated the sword behind her (stretching the bodice painfully tight in the process) for someone to collect the bracelet, but she kept her eyes on her prey all the while. She took a little step forward to look past Montmorency into the alley, and she grinned dangerously.

"Quoi?" Montmorency asked in confusion before looking back below him, and his eyes widened in alarm. "Ah non, non, je refuse-" Then Lillee promptly poked him in the chest with her sword, pushing the nobleman off the edge. He screamed (a most undignified sound) before a loud squelching sound could be heard which was, altogether, even more undignified. The laughter from the crowd  filled the Parisian night as Montmorency struggled to escape the dung-filled cart

With that, Lillee turned around the others, unable to stop herself giggling.

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #19 – May 16, 2022, 07:43:42 AM

Lt. JG Dantius Thi Anh-Le | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy  Attn: @Griff

Faint, drool, or whimper? 

It wasn't like it was a conscious decision per se, and Anh-Le's subconscious settled on number three as the fencer hologram inspected the bracelet for damage. 

"Hot," was what she managed to turn the wordless whine into, which part of her mused was probably the term for 'please take me now' in desperate gay girl. 

Anh-Le gathered herself, cheeks burning, and cleared her throat.  "Uh, I mean, my lady, truly you have upheld my honor with your courage.  While I am sure my lady d'Aubigny will thank you with quality opera seats or some such on her lady de Florensac's behalf, I am afraid that I am not nearly so notable as the finest leading lady at the finest opera house in the world...how, then, could I ever thank you for your daring and skill?" 

Wide eyes, lean in, hands clasped demurely in front of her.  That was what the seminal Arandis's All-Encompassing Guide to Your Perfect Risan Vacation (featuring tips and anecdotes allegedly from the late, legendary Ambassador and connoisseur of fine pasttimes Curzon Dax himself) said drove girls wild in preindustrial historical holos. 

...Well, it seemed to work, given that Anh-Le got a breath-stealingly, eye-closingly, oh-god-this-is-what-I-missed-in-college-what-kind-of-idiot-was-I-being-scared-of-my-own-damn-body passionate kiss out of it. 

Part of Anh-Le was consumed by the kiss and just whited out.  Another babbled uselessly inside, bouncing off the walls of her brain.  Another was dramatically kicking her in the metaphorical behind for not practicing to be a better kisser (but Academy mental health services said that voice was bullshit and she should ignore it). 

Another wondered how the Hell she was going to explain to her mother that her first real girlfriend was a Romulan fighter jock probably significantly older than her, who already had two kids, who Anh-Le wanted to just hug and kiss and promise a better future because god damn, what the fuck, Anh-Le was head over heels in something like two weeks in the middle of the possible apocalypse (unless the Enemy's apparent bottleneck could be exploited, in which case Theurgy could blow the bulk of their plans up simply using the Federation's nature as a functional state...and whee, there was another brain tangent, try to remember it later girlfriend time now), head over disastrously gay fucking heels for a woman probably twice her age who could kick her ass buck naked (oh, save that thought for later, too), and she was heart-stoppingly gorgeous to boot. 

d'Aubigny chuckled in the background.  "I'll take the bracelet back to my lady de Florensac, mademoiselles, but may I interest you in a change of venue?  A proper bed makes these things so much more comfortable than an old roof-top, and I have the strangest feeling that my lady de Florensac will require my presence at her domicile for...many hours tonight." 

Anh-Le pulled back slowly, eyes fluttering halfway open.  "Up to you, Lillee," she murmured.  "I mean, I hear under the stars, even holodeck stars, is romantic.  And I'm in the mood for some romance after that mess with my CO and those Klingons and the other mess with the Klingons who busted up Rutherford's phone call."  And stabbed me.  But that kind of stabbing probably isn't as romantic as the dramatic fencing duel kind.  "But also hard ground is supposed to be murder on the back."  Which she wouldn't know because she'd had actual sex all of...once.  While high on the knowledge that Lillee was enthusiastically consenting even after getting the whammy because of Anh-Le's forgetfulness days before, so Anh-Le wasn't really sure if the aches and pains the day after that date were from doing it on an Aldean hill, or from sheer holy-shit-this-is-happening overexertion. 

"Either way," she finished, blushing at the memory, eyes drifting over Lillee's flushed cheeks and plump lips, "I'm ready for anything.  With you." 
--------------
OOC: Apologies for the delay, had some logistical hassle with my student housing. 

I think that was sufficient ADHD gay dork losing it at her girlfriend doing some cool sword stunts, hope you like it XD

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #20 – May 24, 2022, 05:53:19 PM

[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @GroundPetrel

[Show/Hide]

Anh-Le's little "hot" was all it took for Lillee to blush madly, her heart hammering faster than it had during the duel. The faint chill of the Parisian evening, the breeze tickling Lillee's skin, the faint moonlight on Anh-Le's face; all of it only added to the romance of it all.

Anh-Le's coy playful words and demure act tipped Lillee over the edge. Without a care in the world, Lillee dropped the swords, rushed forward, placed a hand on Anh-Le's cheek and kissed her, all of the built-up anticipation and passion of the past hour expressed in that moment. As they kissed, she felt a pleasant shudder building from the base of her back that spread throughout her entire body. Completely enraptured, both women became lost in the moment, the warmth of each other's lips, and Lillee had to suppress a moan of contentment.

As they pulled back, Lillee was left grinning once more. She glanced between d'Aubigny and Anh-Le as they spoke about the forthcoming evening activities, mulling it over in turn as she looked around them and contemplated the narrow rooftop. Of course, Anh-Le's heartfelt 'I'm ready for anything with you' damn near made Lillee's heart stop.

"Truthfully," Lillee said softly, biting her lip as she looked into Anh-Le's brown eyes, "I'd be happy to throw you down right now, rip off your clothes, kiss you until you beg for mercy and give you such pleasure that you cry out for all the city to hear..." Speaking the words very nearly drove Lillee to make them a reality, but she held herself back. "But...yes, a bed would be nice. For a change." She thought for a moment, glancing up at the stars, twinkling in a near-perfect mimicry of reality. "If we ever do this beneath the stars, let they be real stars."

Still, there was one more thing to be done before the festivities could begin. Lillee moved to d'Aubigny, attempting to appear graceful, and she courtsied before the Frenchwoman. "It has been a pleasure, my lady d'Aubigny. I look forward to meeting you again, and I wish you a very pleasant night with the lady de Florensac." She winked, smirking. "I believe she is the type to be most...um...passionate...behind closed doors, yes?"

With that, remembering the oddly invasive custom that she'd witnessed during her visits to Paris, Lillee leaned forward and kissed d'Aubigny's cheeks. She had no idea whether the French still did that so many centuries prior, but oh, why not? She'd always wanted to try it, at least once, just for the heck of it. With that, Lillee turned around and returned to Anh-Le, grasping her girlfriend's hand.

"Please, my lady," Lillee said in a heated voice, her cheeks flushed a faint green, "lead me to a chamber where we may retire for the evening. I am most fatigued..."

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #21 – May 31, 2022, 08:52:20 PM

Lt. JG Dantius Thi Anh-Le | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy  Attn: @Griff

She was gonna die.  Right here, right now, blood spurting out her ears like a cartoon as her brain boiled from lust, oh god, wow, OK, that was a wild thought, what the fuck, OK, she had to, just...

Anh-Le managed to lasso her brain and get back to the topic at hand. 

Fuck it. 

She kissed Lillee right back, blushing madly, and god, they weren't gonna make it to a bed at this rate, but she didn't care, because Lillee made that cute little mewling noise, and Anh-Le's knife wound ("keep an eye on it" the doc said, "take it easy", the doc said, well, Anh-Le had learned years ago that she was the kind of patient doctors hated) was throbbing something fierce but she didn't give a good goddamn because holy shit she had a girlfriend, an amazing girlfriend, what the fuck, Mom would give her the Talk again (maybe two to three times, just in case), and Dad would offer Anh-Le a drink to celebrate and then amble over to find some mutual interest with Lillee to "see if she'll fit into the family" because Dad was Dad like that, and Lillee would probably blush and stammer and Anh-Le would want to kiss her all over and they'd go for a walk in the nature preserve and go to the lake in the center of Hanoi to swim with the turtles that had been cloned back in '27 and were bigger than most people these days, and...

Her lungs were burning.  Oh, right, breathing. 

Anh-Le pulled back, gasping for breath, and found words that she were pretty sure were period-appropriate.  "Consider, um, consider that the first installment of my gratitude, my lady," she rasped, and her voice was deep and rough and oh god Lillee was blushing and she was so cute and Anh-Le was gonna spontaneously combust. 

"Um.  Bed, right.  Please.  Let's go."  Anh-Le cleared her throat.  "Carry me away, my lady?" 

And she yelped as she was swept off her feet, reflexively flinging her arms around Lillee as the blonde picked her up in one fluid movement. 

"Second floor of the sim," Anh-Le gasped as she clung tight to her girlfriend's svelte form.  "Bedroom...red door, I think.  Used to use it in single-player."  God, she was going to sub so fucking hard for her girl, and she was gonna love it. 

"Carry me away, my lady," Anh-Le rasped, and then she was on instinct, nuzzling into Lillee's neck and nibbling and sucking on the exposed skin, just a faint sheen of sweat there from Lille's duel, and god, this was heaven, what the fuck, what kind of luck was this, the universe was on the brink of annihilation or whatever other Captain Kirk bullshit her life was now, the Federation was being attacked by an invisible enemy and she was on the run with a shoestring budget, and yet here she was in heaven with a wonderful woman and it made no sense, her life made no sense, how could the world be so fucked yet this part of her life finally be so fucking perfect? 

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #22 – June 08, 2022, 12:41:06 AM

[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @GroundPetrel

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Anh-Le's request to be 'carried away' drew a gleeful laugh from Lillee before, without hesitation, she promptly swept Anh-Le off her feet with ease. The aggressive movement tore the dress even more, the bodice starting to come apart, but Lillee had other priorities as she (carefully) carried Anh-Le to the stairs. They surely made an odd sight: Lillee in her unwieldy dress carrying Anh-Le in her dapper tuxedo, Lillee blushing green and Anh-Le blushing...more...green.

And Lillee loved it, the peculiarity of it all, the oddness that Anh-Le somehow managed to make exotic and breathtakingly romantic. She barely even registered Anh-Le's comment about 'single-player mode' (why would she need a bedroom on her own?), immediately distracted by whatever delightful torture was being subjected to her neck. It was all that Lillee could do to stay upright as she went down one step at a time, her entire body buzzing from head to toe from the electric shocks emanating from Anh-Le's lips Oh, she wouldn't make it to the bottom of the stairs at this rate, but there was no way she was stopping what Anh-Le was doing!

Sure enough, near the bottom, a particularly devilish suckle drew a groan from Lillee, and her balance shifted. With a cry of alarm she fell, twisting around and holding Anh-Le tight as they down they tumbled down the steep spiral stairs. By the time Lillee opened her eyes, she was on the floor, Anh-Le atop her, both women quite unharmed, the holodeck's safety protocols having done their work. Despite all appearances, the "fall" had been no more painful than landing on a series of cosy mattresses.

Lillee looked at Anh-Le for a moment, startled, then laughed, batting Anh-Le's shoulder playfully. "You distracted me!" she giggled in her defence, still panting from her exertion. Even with Vulcanoid strength and Lillee's recent efforts to get back into shape, carrying a 60-odd kilo Orion so far was no small feat...but oh Elements, it was so worth it!

After catching her breath, Lillee couldn't help herself. Upon looking into her lover's brown eyes in a brief moment of serenity, she suddenly kissed Anh-Le, the kiss charged with hungry need. Lillee rolled on top of her girlfriend, kissing her all the while, pure instinct and desire taking over. Her breath was unsteady in her excitement, enough that eventually, Lillee had to come up for air, panting once more.

The sight of Anh-Le below her didn't help matters, particularly as Lillee straddled her. Sensually, grinning all the while, Lillee took apart the bodice, pulled her arms out of the dress sleeves and pulled down the entire top of the dress, exposing her entire torso. Sweat added a gleen to her flushed skin in the flickering lamplight, the nipples of her modest breasts quite thoroughly stimulated. Pausing for a moment, Lillee looked aside as they heard the distant sound of partygoers from the other part of the house, although the hallway they were in remained quite deserted. d'Aubigny had long since absconded, although Lillee wondered idly if the computer had simply made her vanish when the 'players' had become distracted. Holoprograms could be strangely intuitive at times.

"We...we should really find that bed," Lillee said as she looked down at Anh-Le, smiling with a trace of bashfulness now that the relentless desire had abated, if only temporarily. At a sudden realisation, she moved a hand to Anh-Le's stomach, frowning with concern. "Forgive me, I forgot...are you okay?"

---

Don't ask me how that happened. I have no idea. That wasn't planned. Blame Lillee.

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #23 – June 14, 2022, 09:47:04 AM

Lt. JG Dantius Thi Anh-Le | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy  Attn: @Griff

Anh-Le's mind was gone, consumed by the sensation of Lillee's lips on her own, the sight of Lillee's stiff nipples and the greenish flush of copper-based blood surging through the Romulan's skin down her chest and into that glistening gulf between her breasts, the sound of her laughing voice, blonde hair falling like a curtain around Lillee's face, the warmth of her palm on Anh-Le's involuntarily vibrating abs...

What?  Oh.  Pain.  Right.  Anh-Le shrugged, sure her own hair was fanning out behind her head (why that thought, right now?  Who cared?), probably flushing greener than most leaves. 

"I'm on some good painkillers, it's fine," she managed.  "I've had worse periods.  And I hear Humans and Vulcanoids have those way worse since you shed the lining instead of reabsorbing it." 

She reached up awkwardly, pawing at Lillee's dress.  "Fuck.  You're so hot right now.  Uh..."  Period.  Were they even roleplaying anymore?  "If...actually, you know, it does hurt a bit...so if my lady would, uh, carry me away to bed...I would be so very grateful, um, I'd do, you know, whatever my lady desires."  Seductive look.  She'd seen enough on holograms to duplicate the look, right?  Half-close the eyes.  Bite lip.  "My lady, surely you require a body servant after such exertion?  And, well, something a bit more intimate...and I, of course, I owe you so much for your dashing, um, desire to fight for my honor...anything that you require, my lady, for tonight you are my Mistress, and I your servant...or pet, I guess, if you like that..." 

God, this was such a cliche.  She was going full Slave Girl Hooker Routine, but in period guise.  But she'd been more...not exactly the top, but certainly more aggressive, last time?  And Lillee looked so goddamn hot with that rapier.  She could step on Anh-Le and...

Well, she could step on Anh-Le.  That was for sure.  Anh-Le might not actually exist as more than a mass of excessively homosexual molecules quivering in the vague shape of a humanoid body afterwards, but still. 

"Just fuck me, please," she managed.  "God...can I suck your tits?  I've never...I mean it was hot subbing in Vulcan Love Slave 18, but you're way hotter than that actress, than anyone, you're fuckin' amazing, god..."  She lay one hand over her forehead.  "Please, I want to sub for you tonight.  And kiss you, and your boobs, and just...be yours.  Um, I know I need a safeword..." 

Credit to Quark Enterprises, they were very good about reminding players to code in a safeword before playing an erotic sim.  There was a rumor that some old acquaintance of the CEO had threatened to cut off his ears if they didn't, but Anh-Le thought it more likely that said CEO had considerable experience with that Klingon he'd been in the tabloids for his four torrid affairs with (before suing said tabloids into bankruptcy, of course).  Anh-Le wasn't sure if it was good that she'd remembered she'd need a safeword...or pathetic that she'd played so many sexy hologames that she remembered automatically. 

"Infection," she decided.  "That'll be my safeword."  What she was most afraid of ever since Intelligence's first talk with Doctor Nicander, having her free will taken from her and her body used against her friends and comrades.  "Other than that..."  Giving herself, though...there was a power in that.  A will.  And the idea really turned her on right now.  "I'm yours, Lillee.  Please." 
---------------
OOC: fuck it lol, Anh-Le is a stereotypical useless lesbian today. 

Re: Day 04 [2100 hrs.] La Gloire de Julie d'Aubigny

Reply #24 – July 01, 2022, 12:35:49 AM

[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | Holodeck 06 | Deck 21 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @GroundPetrel

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Lillee's entire body thrummed as she grasped what Anh-Le was offering. She felt a familiar warm tightness in her core at the idea of it...the trust, the freedom, having such a ravishing woman to play with as she pleased. It wasn't just exciting. It was exhilarating! Her rihannsu lovers had never trusted so completely, Jiang could never have submitted like this...

"Then you are mine," Lillee whispered in a quivering voice, her lips curling into a devious smirk. Not trusting herself to wait any longer, she promptly got off Anh-Le, knelt beside her, slipped her arms underneath her lover and picked the other woman up in a rush. From there, Lillee strode sharply through the corridor, erotic excitement drowning out the ache of her arms and back. She also almost missed the open red door in her distraction, and Lillee wasted no time heading inside.

The bedroom was grand, with windows offering a spectacular view of the Parisian night, but neither woman had eyes for it. Lillee made a beeline for the large four-poster bed, gently setting Anh-Le down to sit on it, then rushed back to the door to close it. She turned the key in the lock, and with the deep sound of the lock snapping into place, the atmosphere changed. They were locked in now...safe to do whatever they liked without interruption. Free.

Slowly Lillee turned around, her heart still hammering mercilessly. She walked slowly back to the bed, savouring the building tension, the warmth of the fire in the fireplace tickling at her exposed skin. Lillee was quite a mess now. The upper half of the dress had been pulled down to her navel, the corset similarly open and hanging from her back, the skirt ripped in several places with Lillee's legs quite visible through the gaps. Sweating even more after her exertion, not helped by the heat of the fire, she looked wild indeed.

Finally Lillee reached Anh-Le, regarding her as a predator would examine their prey. Her gaze was steady as she reached out to stroke Anh-Le's hair, her hand then moving to cradle Anh-Le's cheek. Suddenly Lillee moved forward to kiss Anh-Le, even hungrier than before, before she forced herself to pull back prematurely.

"Now," she murmured, "I believe there was talk about my breasts, yes?" With that, Lillee cupped one of her small breasts, fondling it, just to tease Anh-Le even more. "Go ahead...lavish them."