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Day 15 [1930 hrs] Artificial Fashion

DAY 15 [1930 HRS] ARTIFICIAL FASHION

[Selena Ravenholm | Senior Officer Quarters | Deck 10 | Vector 2 | USS Theurgy] attn: @Auctor Lucan

Whistling to herself all the while, Selena practically sauntered down the corridor, a flat package tucked under her mechanical arm.  Thanks to the recent shift change this particular section was bustling with activity, officers coming and going in all manner of different outfits.  It was readily apparent that most of the crewmates she passed were heading off duty, the plethora of casual outfits brought far more color to the surroundings than the typical Starfleet black and grey tended to.  Selena herself had joined them in such couture: a lilac sleeveless wraparound halter top hung in place from her neck and back, with a loose, ice blue vest framing her torso nicely, all sitting above an off-white skirt that’s hanging very loosely down to her shins.  Barefoot, the woman’s cybernetic feet clacked on the deck despite the thin carpeting with her full stride.  Nodding to each crewmember in turn as she passed them, Selena couldn’t help but smile slightly at the different looks she got, and he was sure she wasn’t imagining the eyes staring from behind either.

It was a good feeling to be off duty at last.  Between the constant fussing of the doctors and nurses in Sickbay over her injuries from the Great Hall, the crash courses concerning Operations with Commander Stark, and her own little projects from both on board Theurgy and the planet below Selena just hadn’t had that much time to relax and enjoy herself (outside of her work of course.  Being directly linked to a galactic capitol had done wonders for her information hustle), and she felt it was time to do something other than sit at a desk, even if she’s bound to have Sickbay all over her ass about it in the morning.  She didn’t want to do it alone though, and there was one person in particular that she felt could use a break as well.  While thinking about how to spend their free time, she remembered something that she’d been told in the past that would be a perfect diversion.  A night on the town might not have been possible in the traditional sense, at the very least she could bring a bit of town with her.  Hence the package and outfit.

Approaching her target’s quarters, Selena’s stride slowed to a more causal walk, as if such a thing would throw the occupant off.  Appearances had to be maintained though, no need to rush this, they had all night.  For some reason her heart started to pound a bit as she glanced the nameplate on the door for a quick reassurance.  It had to be the unannounced appearance she figured, it would be a shame if the effort went for naught, or at least delayed…. She banished the thought quickly, even if they weren’t “home”, that wasn’t exactly how it was with her friend: in some sense of the word, she was always home.

Tapping the call button, Selena waited the appropriate second or two before calling out.  “Thea, it’s me.  Care for a visitor?”

Re: Day 15 [1930 hrs] Artificial Fashion

Reply #1 –
[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | Public Baths | Deck 06 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]
[Show/Hide]
Having experienced a brief lull of requests for her personal presence and assistance in different projects, ranging from cataloguing and retrieving specific data from uncorrelated databases for a pair of scientists, to traversing one of her Jefferies tubes that had become too heated from a malfunctioning EPS conduit, Thea had taken the opportunity to practise the skill of swimming.

The first couple of times she had frequented her Public Baths, a couple of officers had expressed concern for her, believing that her mobile emitter was running the risk of water exposure if she submerged herself, but she had convinced them that her Mk II Lin-class emitter was quite safe when ensconced in the latticework of forcefields and photons of her bodily projection. The challenge, instead, was keeping herself afloat in the traditional sense one would when swimming. Of course she could use the anti-grav units of her emitter to assist in the endeavour, but that would be - as it was colloquially called - 'cheating'. She wished to learn the skill as organics might, not just for sake of convenience in the rare case of her interface projection ending up in deep waters - where her emitter wouldn't find ground to levitate from - but because she enjoyed the process of learning something new.

So far, she had managed to find buoyancy with the breaststroke and the backstroke styles, and she was currently practising the sprint freestyle, which was the most challenging yet. She'd found success by making her projection inhale and then hold that breath to preserve buoyancy. She didn't require breathing between every second stroke, like organics might, but could keep her face submerged throughout the length she swam. Beyond the skill-learning, she had also found great enjoyment in the sensation of water around her projection, with her upgraded sensory mapping finding the sensation... soothing, for a lack of a better word. This, she would converse about when asked, but she had a more private reason she had come to frequent the swimming pool.

It was the opportunity of wearing different swimwear, which she'd either replicated for herself or bought in the market places of Aldea. Instead of just making her projection wear the attire, she had come to enjoy the sensation of clothing that wasn't a part of her projection. It allowed her to sense the textiles against her skin when she moved, and not having to feel numb. Her chameleon body-suit was functional, and a part of her that she wouldn't stop using since it was her personal uniform, but when not assisting her crew? When she had some private time? Then she would take the opportunity to dress herself in real clothing, and not tell the people she met that the clothes were real - leaving them thinking that she was just projecting the cloth on top of her holographic body.

That evening, during the shift-change, she was wearing a black bikini that she'd never worn before, and she liked the way it clung to her photonic skin while she moved through the water. This was, until an alert in her systems came up, telling her that she had a visitor in her quarters. She was more intrigued than annoyed at the interruption, and before she had accessed her internal sensors to pin-point who it was, her C-47 subroutine relayed Selena Ravenholm's words to her. This, made her smile, and she climbed out of the pool.

[A moment,] she relayed with a smile through the intercom outside her quarters, and then accessed her transporter systems...

[ Senior Officer Quarters | Deck 10 | Vector 2 | USS Theurgy ]

....beaming herself inside her quarters.

Water dripped from her frame and her hair where she stood on the carpet, and she realised that she hadn't collected the towel before energising. Was it because she was eager to meet Selena? Perhaps. Dumping the query from her runtime, she went to her restroom in order to collect one. "Enter," she said, and made her sliding doors part for the new Chief of Operations. By the time the cybernetically enhanced organic had stepped inside, Thea had a fresh towel in hand, having begun to scrub her hair dry with it.

"Selena," she said with a smile, taking the sight of her in with her projection's optical sensors, "you look beautiful. Healthy as well, now that I noticed you've been discharged from sickbay. Any lingering malfunctions?"

Thea noticed the box her friend carried, but said naught of it, even though she was curious about it.

Re: Day 15 [1930 hrs] Artificial Fashion

Reply #2 –
[PLt. Selena Ravenholm | Senior Officer Quarters | Deck 10 | Vector 2 | USS Theurgy] attn: @Auctor Lucan

It was almost hard to dampen her surprise when Thea didn’t answer right away.  Selena knew that she would know about the visit the instant she tapped the call button regardless of where her holographic friend was on the ship, and that’s assuming she wasn’t watching the approach to the door through her internal sensors.  Selena couldn’t have been more proud at the delay though, it meant that Thea was learning all the little things about humanoid life and applying them appropriately.  As soon as the doors unlocked at the call the human walked into the hologram’s private den and stopped short at the sight.  The carpet in the middle of the from room was a soggy mess, the temperature differential immediately obvious to her augmented sight.  Thea’s voice came from the restroom door to her left, and Selena’s blue eyes followed the wet trail to the source and widened at the near-bare form standing there, towel vigorously scrubbing away at the projected hair, water still slowing dripping and running down that beautifully perfect skin.

Selena tried not to stare, but wow, when Thea dressed down she did not do it in half measures.  And typical Thea, even though it was apparent she’d been interrupted she was still her perfectly polite self, always thinking of others first.  “Yeah, you look amazing myself.  Yourself….” She stammered out after a quick mental reboot.  “I’m doing well enough, out of the chair for the most part though you won’t see me doing any backflips along the corridor ceilings anytime soon.”  She then stuck out a leg and twisted her foot back and forth a few times to demonstrate the returned range of motion.  “Sickbay did a good job, engineering too from what I hear.”  For some reason no one would tell her which engineer they pulled up to consult about her damaged appendages and spinal implant, she’d been too busy to look it up either, something she needed to do, someone had more than earned a drink.

“So uh, anyways.”  Selena gestured towards the table and started for it as soon as she got the go ahead, “I finally had a chance to take a night off and since there were no pressing crises I thought I’d see if you wanted to join me in a little bit of fun.”  She set the box down and fiddled with the top edge with a finger, feeling the edge against the synthskin.  “I looked up some shops in the Orion district that were willing to deliver and found a few things that I thought you might enjoy trying out.”  Flipping the lid off and setting it aside she waved her friend over.  “I hope you don’t mind that I provided them with your measurements, I wanted them to fit just right.”

Nestled inside the box, folded neatly and stacked like a deck of cards were several outfits of various styles, fabric, and source.  “I know Klingon fashion isn’t the greatest but thankfully the Orions are more than happy to import from all over known space.”

Re: Day 15 [1930 hrs] Artificial Fashion

Reply #3 –
[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | Senior Officer Quarters | Deck 10 | Vector | USS Theurgy ]
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Whilst Selena spoke of her recovery, Thea remained intrigued as to what might be inside the box she'd brought, yet while her running internal sensor log data might hint upon what might be inside... she selectively didn't upload that data to her interface's runtime. That way, it could remain a surprise since she quite enjoyed being surprised. Especially in the context of a private visit like this, and a friend bringing a gift. The data was right there in one of her computer cores, well within the grasp of her positronic system's grasp, but she didn't retrieve it because she didn't wish to ruin this gesture on Ravenholm's behalf, in which she clearly had gone out of her way to surprise her.

Other data was available to her though, like the record of treatments and procedures completed in relation to Selena's recovery - the list of subsequent tasks and assignments carried out to facilitate the repairs of her cybernetic augmentations. While Thea was positive that her friend would be making a full recovery sooner rather than later, she wasn't Selena's doctor, and wouldn't interfere with the treatment plan by telling her that she shouldn't be worried. Knowing Selena, she might opt to ignore her rehabilitation exercises if she knew the high odds - choosing to devote her time to more stimulating tasks. If Thea did tell her the prospects, it might lead to the odds lowering instead, and Thea very much wanted Selena healthy and fully repaired.

Done scrubbing her hair, Thea towelled herself down a bit before moving to the table. With a smile and a glance in her friend's direction when she talked about visiting the Orion district, the excitement generated by her emotion chip increased when she mentioned 'measurements'. She couldn't help her eyes widening.

"You got me clothes?" she asked, said excitement making her voice pitch higher. She quickly tore into the box, seeing that her friend had indeed get her new apparel of different sorts. She picked up the topmost garment, and it was a slim leather jacket in burgundy red, with zippers in gold. The leather had a vintage-soft feel to it, and the lining had a satin-like material. She loved it before even putting it on. As she held it in her hands, she spotted the items further down in the box, and she pulled up a matching boots of the same kind of leather. She was so excited she didn't know how to prioritise her pending tasks, leaving her mouth agape and looking between the box, the clothes and Selena.

"Thank you!" she blurted out with a delay that - for her processing power - was quite substantial. With the jacket and boots still in her hands, she hugged Selena but not too hard since she was still recovering from her injuries. When parting a little, clothes-holding hands still around her lower back, she was smiling brightly at her friend. "Thank you so much. I haven't been able to go down to Qo'noS and... I don't have an eye for clothes and I would never have found these on my own. That you would go out of your way..."

Realising that Selena had been down there, she had to chide her, despite how grateful she was. "But you're hurt! You shouldn't have... You need to rest! Please tell me you had these delivered."

Their faces close, Thea found her optical sensors lowering to Selena's mouth, and without further analysis beyond her immediate wish, she kissed her - this dear friend whom she'd been intimate with before. It was the least she could do to show her gratitude.

She didn't linger, however, stepping away so that she might try out the contents of the box - the jacket and the boots just being two of many other items that Selena had brought her. With a grin, she reached behind herself to pop the clasp of her bikini top, and then freed herself of the bottoms as well. She didn't want the wet swimming wear to ruin these gifts. So, naked, he began to look for clothes she could wear underneath the jacket.

Re: Day 15 [1930 hrs] Artificial Fashion

Reply #4 –
[PLt. Selena Ravenholm | Senior Officer Quarters | Deck 10 | Vector 2 | USS Theurgy] attn: @Auctor Lucan

Selena stepped back from the table with a wide grin and playful laugh, Thea’s eagerness to get into her gift was just as intense as she figured it would be.  She stood back and watched as her friend pulled out and admired the jacket and boots, mouth hanging towards the floor and that hilarious look of incredulity something that the human wasn’t sure she’d seen on the hologram’s face before.  With the delay in Thea’s usually talkative response Selena opened her mouth to give a few details but she was enveloped in the hug before any words came out.  The leather jacket flopped against her back and rear with enough pressure that felt almost playful, triggering a rush of blood to her skin that Thea had to have felt.  The hug relented after a few moments, though the other woman kept her arms wrapped around Selena’s waist to keep her close.  Artificial steel-blues stared into projected browns and for a moment she lost all train of thought.

Selena’s conscious brain managed to pull her out of the digital sea in time to catch the last bit of Thea’s chiding, and she blushed even further as she blinked to stall for a moment to catch back up.  “Oh, I never left, I did all the shopping through the Orion datanet.  Though I do owe Ens…” her explanation got cut short with a most unexpected kiss.  It didn’t last for more than a moment, but the suddenness of it combined with the pure pleasure behind it almost made her melt right into the deck.  As Thea stepped away Selena instinctively licked her lips as if she was dredging up some final meal crumbs, hoping for any last trace of Thea’s taste.  Standing there in charmed stupefaction, Selena watched as Thea divested herself of the bikini with surprising grace, her one free hand popping the clasp on her back and pulling off the bottom with an ease that the cyborg wasn’t even sure she could pull off.  If Selena’s cheeks could have flushed any deeper, they would have, Thea’s complete lack of shame was well earned, and it was hard not to stare, especially when she peered back into the box on the table, leaning just enough to show off how well her program simulated natural reactions to the artificial gravity.

“Allow me…” the augmented woman almost purred, losing herself into the intimacy of the impromptu show.  Reaching into the box she picked out a folded bundle of black fabric and unfolded it to show off the cut.  The thin turtleneck almost shimmered in the lights as it waved in the subtle air flow, long sleeves hanging limply as if begging to be filled.  “Antosian silk, a good pairing with the Krencha leather the jacket and boots are made from.  They use a process related to their cellular metamorphosis to allow the fabric to conform to any figure that it enraptures without risking its structure.  I’m told it’s almost like wearing a second layer of skin.  As for the bottoms…” Gently setting the turtleneck on the nearest chair back, Selena pulled out the final piece of the ensemble: a pair of slacks made from a heavy twill weave of indigo fabric.  “I didn’t ask where they got these, but denim pants has been a staple of Earth fashion for literal centuries.”  Setting them down as well, Selena stepped back to allow Thea time and room to study the outfit in detail if she so wished.

Re: Day 15 [1930 hrs] Artificial Fashion

Reply #5 –
[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | Senior Officer Quarters | Deck 10 | Vector | USS Theurgy ]
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Not being too self-conscious about her projection's statue of bareness, especially not with a lover as company, Thea made no gesture to cover herself quickly. She may have noticed the way she affected Ravenholm with her sensors, detecting changes in body temperatures in certain areas of the human's organic torso, yet those readings were subsumed by the prioritised task of indulging herself in the gifts in front of her. Wearing just a smile and with eyes rapt on the apparel Ravenholm lifted out of the box, her sensor mapping mimicked the feeling of a pulse - the simulated excitement she felt just as real to her as it may have been to an organic.

"They're so pretty!" The elated feeling made her giddy, and when presented with the jeans, she bit her lower lip and held them up in front of herself - the light of her quarters catching the colour. A quick database search informed her that indigo could be both purple and blue, but in the context of the jeans, the indigo Selena referred to was a dye. It was commonly found on M-Class planets in one form or another, as a powder won from various tropical plants. Her universal translator named the common powder Indigofera, though it had as many different names as there were languages. The dark blue dye of the jeans harmonised perfectly with the gold attributes on the jacket and boots, just like the burgundy red of the Krencha leather. The turtleneck being black, it would work colour-wise with anything she had in her wardrobe as it was a neutral colour.

"I must to try them on," she concluded with emphasis, and stepped into the jeans without bothering looking for underwear in the box. She had to jump twice to get her feet all the way through the legs, and then she shimmied her hips and derriere into jeans. Being brand new, they almost felt a size too small, but she had also learned that jeans expanded a little with usage, so she made no comment - confident that they were perfect. "I can't believe you made this a priority when you have a new Department to run. What made you come up with this idea? I have nothing to give you in kind!"

After buttoning up, she slipped into the turtleneck, and while it was indeed snug, the silk made it feel like a caress to put on. With no bra, little was left to the imagination, but she barely paused before going for the boots and leather jacket. Once fully dressed, she accessed her shipwide hologrid system and created a second projection of herself in a mirror image of what she looked like, so that she could see herself. Turning and moving, the mirror image in front of her mimicked her movements just like a standard two-dimensional mirror reflection would. She drank in the sight of the way her new clothes looked on herself and smiled with contentment.

"They are perfect..." she concluded, turning to Selena. "Thank you so much... I hope to get a good opportunity to wear these soon..."

Re: Day 15 [1930 hrs] Artificial Fashion

Reply #6 –
[PLt. Selena Ravenholm | Senior Officer Quarters | Deck 10 | Vector 2 | USS Theurgy] attn: @Auctor Lucan

Watching the way Thea just poured over every little detail of the jeans, Selena couldn’t help but smile and give a small clap.  “Almost hard to believe that something made for utility could be so fashionable, isn’t it?” She asked.  “Not my style though.” The cyborg added, playfully thrusting out a skirt covered hip.  “Loose and free is the name of my game.  At least down below.”

Thea didn’t waste any time with the jeans, and her varied attempts to actually get them on made Selena giggle a little bit.  The old fabrics certainly didn’t respond in the same way as the modern materials, and the way her friend was bouncing and jiggling around while trying to slip her legs and perfectly round derrière into the denim most definitely made for a good show.  Needing a distraction to keep from outright staring, Selena turned and strode over to the replicator, hips instinctively swaying with each step so that her skirt could brush around her naked legs.  The woman’s attention was mildly split while she tapped through the menu looking for something appropriate: thanks to some engineer’s choice in material, Thea’s reflection was clearly visible in replicator’s control panel giving her friend a still-perfect view.

As a pair of wine glasses materialize in the alcove Selena gave a non-committal shrug in answer to Thea’s first statement, and followed it up with a conspiratorial smirk to the second when she walked to the couch, a glass in each hand.  Watching her holographic friend fasten the surprisingly form-fitting pants over her hips and start slipping the turtleneck on as the augmented human sank into the couch, a thought popped into her head that started a small fit of laughter.  “Would this count as a Ferengi-style strip tease?  I’ve never seen one of them before.”  It wasn’t that funny a joke, and she sobered up with a quick sip of viognier.  “Only an off-duty priority.  I prefer a loose hand on the leash so I don’t have to spend a lot of time watching over my peoples’s shoulders.  I knew you liked trying the feeling of different fabrics, and there was such an abundant source right below us I had to make use of it.  And they’re a gift Thea!  You don’t have to get me anything in return.”

By now the second Thea was standing in the middle of the room mimicking everything the first did.  Selena never quite understood the holo-mirrors, sure they’d been around since holographic communications had been developed in the middle of the prior century, but they just weren’t as fun as a traditional mirror, at least to her.  Just as Thea studied her double, Selena studied her in turn, gauging the fit and shape of the gifted clothing and how it hugged every square centimeter of the photonics body.  Her steel-blue eyes shifted subtle shades as the irises adjusted to give her a closer look, close enough to study the way the fabrics shifted as the woman turned and bent.  The Antosian silk really was like a second skin, every little contour of her torso was perfectly visible, including a pair of fun little nubs poking out from Thea’s bust whenever the leather jacket shifted to expose a breast.  The leather itself hung from Thea’s frame with the appropriate weight and matched her skin beautifully.  The jeans were almost too good to be true, somehow Selena wondered if Thea would have to reset her projection to get them off when the time came.

Thea appeared quite satisfied, cancelling the holo-mirror and turning towards the couch.  Uncrossing her legs and rising to her feet again, Selena crossed the few steps between them and offered the untouched wine glass.  “I’m glad you love them, I’ll admit the pants had me slightly worried when they didn’t stretch and form fit the way modern synths do.  And it just hit me, I never thought about accessories!  Belts, jewelry, maybe even a touch of makeup?  Might have to use the replicator for those, at least for now…” Tapping the glasses together in a silent toast to the night, she thought about the last part of her friend’s statement.  “No reason we couldn’t make the opportunity now.  Below Decks should still be open if you want to try a real social gathering.  Or we can fake a holodeck failure so that we can claim it for ourselves, recreate a famous city?  New York in the 2010s?  London in 2030s?  1960s Tehran might be a little warm, but doable…”

Re: Day 15 [1930 hrs] Artificial Fashion

Reply #7 –
[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | Senior Officer Quarters | Deck 10 | Vector | USS Theurgy ]
[Show/Hide]
The comment about a strip tease hadn't passed Thea by, and she had laughed a bit at it - the reference to Ferengi culture quite obvious. Selena tended to resort to humour often, and it was something Thea appreciated about her company. She wasn't sure she agreed about not giving anything back to Selena at some point. Gift-giving as a custom inherently meant that she ought to think of something that her friend would like as well. She saved that that task in her memory banks for later since she would have to do proper research into what would be an ideal gift for her.

Thea shrugged at the mention of accessories, since while she agreed that it would make for a great addendum to the outfit, she felt - with the gifts she wore - beautiful enough without any of those. She never really applied makeup to her projection either, since she could merely resequence her appearance to alter her skin and eyes accordingly. Her hair was still wet, so she raked her fingers through it to get the damp tresses out of her eyes, but that would have to do.

"No need to fake a holodeck failure," she said with a grin, having accessed one of her computer cores to verify her findings. "I happen to know that Holodeck 04 is available right now, since Ensign Herrold just cancelled his scheduled Martian rover race session, one minute ago. We have two hours all to ourselves if you fancy having a little bit of an excursion, indulging in shared suspension of disbelief..."

Said and done, she accessed her transporter systems, locked on to Ravenholm as well as her mobile emitter, and then picked the destination. "Energising," she said, and the two of them vanished in twain shimmers of light...

[ Holodeck 04 | Deck 21 | Vector 04 | USS Theurgy ]

...and appeared on the lit holodeck, the grid markings spreading out from beneath their feet. Thea put her hands on her hips and considered the options Selena had suggested, narrowing her eyes in thought.

"How about the Promenade of Deep Space Nine?" she suggested, walking in a little circle in front of her friend, "I have so many references to it in my database, but I have never really explored it with my projection, seeing it for what it actually looks like, truly experiencing it. I know there is a bar there, and it's not just Starfleet officers, but lots of exiting people from the Gamma Quadrant and other travellers passing through as well. What do you think?"

Re: Day 15 [1930 hrs] Artificial Fashion

Reply #8 –
[PLt. Selena Ravenholm | Holodeck 04 | Deck 21 | Vector 3 | USS Theurgy]

The suddenness of the transporter dematerialization was a minor shock for the cyberneticly enhanced woman but the unexpected quantum tingle was just enough of a rush to make it fun.  Leave it to Thea to come up with an idea and execute it in less than a blink of the eye, even with her own enhancements to allow her mind to link up with a computer, Selena couldn’t hope to match her holographic friend’s pure speed.  Glancing around at the empty holodeck, Selena almost reached out to summon a program menu but again, Thea was already steps ahead of her.

“You know, I’ve never actually been to Deep Space Nine, can you believe it?”  The gears started to turn under Selena’s black hair as she tried to think of everything that DS9 would have to offer, even in holographic form.  “All these years doing what I do best and somehow business never got me to one of the biggest hubs of the spinward Federation…”  Heels clacking on the deck plating betrayed her inability to contain her more excitable self and the woman started bouncing a bit at the idea.  She didn’t have to vocalize her acceptance of the program, and before she knew it the famous Promenade of Deep Space Nine materialized around the two women.

Selena’s hands clapped together into a tight double-fist right in front of her face and she practically squealed in delight at the sheer resolution the program offered.  Instantly the bustling sounds of a multi-species crowd that rivaled Federation capitals filled her ears along with the mechanical thrum of the airlock cycling closed behind her.  “Oh my gods just look at this place!  What year is it, 2372?"Spotting the Klingon Empire banner hanging from one of the upper walkways, she quickly revised her estimate.  “Oh, post-War? I guess then this might be one of the more recent scans?”  Selena turned to Thea fast enough that her skirt whirled around to wrap against her legs before unfurling again.  “Doesn’t matter though, Quarks has to be the first stop!”

Without asking, a mechanical hand took hold of a leather-clad holographic wrist and Selena started towards the near-mythical bar just a handful of steps from the airlock Thea had put them in front of.  The electronic clicking of a dabo wheel was already audible from inside, the sound cleverly designed to be heard over any crowd.  Quickly straddling the first stool at the bar Selena patted the one next to her to encourage Thea to take it as well, and the Ferengi behind the bar (not Quark sadly) tilted his ear.  “Springwine for me, and…” she trailed off, glancing at Thea, eyes shining a little green in the yellow lighting.

Re: Day 15 [1930 hrs] Artificial Fashion

Reply #9 –
[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | DS9 via Holodeck | USS Theurgy ]
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Thea grinned as she seated herself on the stool by the famous bar, and when Selena had made her order, it was her turn.

"Voodai, please, and leave the bottle," she said, before turning her attention back to the interior of the bar, featuring everything between rare aliens to dabo tables. The atmosphere was lively, smiles all around, and Thea could but imagine how the mood of the place might have been different during the war. Once she got her synthale, she turned her attention fully on Selena.

"I must say I prefer this than going down to Qo'noS. There is no telling what might happen down there given the rowdy population of the Empire, and over the course of the past two weeks, there have been multiple reports about crewmembers getting into trouble one way or another. Here, it' just you and me, even though it's not, I guess," she said with a smile, glancing at the holograms all around them. Holograms like herself, only not quite comparable. The photonic beings were just imagery conjured by the program, lacking any true A.I. programming and subroutines. There were, of course, rumours about there being some evolved hologram of a singer on DS9, but she wasn't sure she could give those rumours any credit. She had a hard time believing that the hardware of the holosuites at DS9 had the processing power and memory storage to house a true A.I., but she supposed she could be wrong.

"You know," she said, and reached out to brush her friend's hair out of her cybernetic eyes, "as public as this setting might be, at least at a glance, I wouldn't mind thanking you thoroughly for these gifts. Since we're not really 'here', I can do this."

Then, she leaned forward, and kissed Selena - enjoying both the taste of the organic as well as the scent of her. The olfactory sensor suite she had got installed at Aldea made it so much more than it had been before. Thea lingered to savour the moment, making out with her friend and getting some wolf whistles from the Starfleet holograms around them, along with a few cheers from the alien ones. Eventually, she pulled away with a grin.

"I remember when we first met, after you had broken into the Main Computer Core," she said ruefully, the recollection crystal clear from her memory banks, "I had you at phaser point, ready to neutralise you as a threat. Little did I know we'd end up as friends and lovers. Something which, admittedly, seemed even more far-fetched when you were mind-melded and we fought in the mainframe of my first mobile emitter...."

Laughing a little, she poured for herself, and raised a toast. "So, to unlikely companionships?"

Re: Day 15 [1930 hrs] Artificial Fashion

Reply #10 –
[PLt. Selena Ravenholm | DS9 (really Holodeck 04) | Deck 21 | Vector 3 | USS Theurgy] attn: @Auctor Lucan

Selena’s eyebrow raised at Thea’s demand for the entire bottle of Voodai.  Sure it was just synthale so it wouldn’t affect her even if she were biological, but the woman just had to wonder now, could Thea actually get drunk?  She made a mental note to investigate that in the future.  Somehow.  She gave the replicated springwine a tasting sip while Thea mused about the rowdiness of the population down there, and Selena couldn’t find herself disagreeing.  While she would have loved to have been able to go do her shopping personally, there was a fair chance the new XO would’ve had to pick her out of the stockade by the end of the trip.

Selena’s eyes were still focused out into space when Thea’s light touch to her hair brought her back to the here and now, and she happened to turn towards her holographic compatriot just in time for her to reach forward for that kiss.  Ice-blue eyes flashed in surprise, this was hardly what the woman expected.  Still, it was more than welcome and she let it be known.  Leaning forward to put some more pressure into it soft lips opened just enough to let her lounge taste Thea’s lips in turn, instincts guiding her in properly reciprocating.  The cheers and wolf whistles from the simulated crowd was a nice touch, and Selena’s mechanical arm raised to give them all the archaic yet ever useful “get lost” gesture of a single upraised digit.

When the kiss broke she turned away for a brief moment, cheeks flushing from the growing arousal and the same grin spreading from ear to ear.  Thea’s little rueful recollection was answered with a chuckle and Selena gleefully touched glasses.  “Always. And you’re never going to let me forget about that little brawl, are you?” she teased after a sip.  Glancing around the recreated Bar, her mind started to turn a bit more.  There was a lot of station here, and as tempting as it was to try her hand at seeing if she can break the dabo algorithm, there were some other spots that were for more cooperative in style.

Downing a bit more of the wine Selena surreptitiously materialized a few slips of simulated latinum to slide towards the barkeep.  “So what would you like to do next?  It might be simulated and holographic but from what I understand is the best tailor shop in the entire sector and possibly even the quadrant is just down the corridor, we could easily avail ourselves of its services.  Or….” Leaning close to whisper into Thea’s ear, Selena’s voice dropped to a more sultry octave. “Do we find ourselves some empty quarters and see just how well that outfit comes off?”

Re: Day 15 [1930 hrs] Artificial Fashion

Reply #11 –
[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | DS9 via Holodeck | USS Theurgy ]
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Chuckling a little when asked if she'd ever let Selena forget the way they first met, Thea shook her head and sipped her drink. "Hardly. Trespassing into my computer core just to get my attention certainly was an ice-breaker, and as for trying to hack my subroutines while you were mind-melded... it certainly went a long way to make an unforgettable first impression," she said, still enjoying the lingering taste of her friend on her lips and how it mixed with the drink. "Though admittedly, I do prefer our later exchanges compared to striking your 'ghost' down with a sword. Our bouts since have been much more enjoyable..."

The holograms around them had looked away at that point, the 'show' over for the time being at least, but Thea didn't consider them as more than a backdrop - the illusion of their 'presence' not making any impression on her. She knew she was less prone to enjoy suspension of disbelief when it came to the cardboard characters of holo-programs, since she was more 'aware' of their code than organics, but it had been rather amusing how Selena had flipped them off. It fit the narrative of their shared experience, and she'd found it humorous since she wouldn't have thought of it herself.

Whatever thoughts were churning in that organic mind of Selena's, looking at the bar interior as she were, Thea was confident her friend would reveal what they were soon enough. When she did, the first suggestion held far less merit for Thea than the second one... for obvious reasons. "Oh...  Well, you know that shedding clothing is an added benefit to wearing them for me, since I can't just make them vanish for you," she whispered back, having put her hand against the side of Selena's neck. "I will need your help indeed. Come, I have an idea..."

Thea turned to the Ferengi barkeep. "What holosuite programs do you have available, good sir?" she asked with a grin, for while it may have been intriguing to put on a show right there in the bar, she knew that the holograms of the program would have them arrested, so the closest available place of privacy was either the restrooms or the holosuites. Thea turned back to Selena once the Ferengi had listed them off. "Your pick..."

The irony of visiting a holosuite while already on one of her own holodecks wasn't lost on her, but it would - nonetheless - still fit the parameters of the DS9 program.

Re: Day 15 [1930 hrs] Artificial Fashion

Reply #12 –
[PLt. Selena Ravenholm | DS9 (really Holodeck 04) | Deck 21 | Vector 3 | USS Theurgy] attn: @Auctor Lucan

The warmth of Thea’s hand on her neck brought up the goosebumps in Selena’s flesh all by itself, and what she whispered back made her shiver just a little bit. She quickly dampened down the excitement, the Ferengi bartender might just be a simulation but she of all people knew just how good those simulations can be. The latinum might be holographic, but she didn’t need to give it all away just because Mr. Big Ears sensed an opportunity for some price gouging. It was a bad sign that his grin was already spread from lobe to lobe before Thea even asked for the program list. “Well as it so happens, I have one of the finest collection of holosuite programs this side of the wormhole.” He practically oozes the used shuttle salesman out of his mouth while producing a PADD from inside the jacket. Tapping at a few buttons he barely looks at the screen, instead clearly doing his best to take a peek at Selena’s chest without looking like he was. “Any particular genre you ladies are in the mood for? We have programs for all needs: romance, mystery, outdoor adventuring, drama, pleasurable…” his voice trailed off on the last one and she swore that he would’ve wagged his eyebrows if he had any. Selena instead rolled her eyes at him and gestured out with a hand. “Let me look please.” She asked with some barely restrained disdain. Thankfully the Ferengi didn’t argue, and the PADD was in her hand a moment later.

Scrolling through the list, Selena wondered how many of the programs on the list were actually ones in Thea’s own library, how many were dummies that no one was expected to select, and some were real program names but would have to generated on the fly based off of whatever scraps of information Thea had. Still, just as promised, the list was quite extensive. At least it was categorized. Quickly discarding the battle simulations, Starfleet training programs, and sports, that still left quite a number to parse through. She took a quick sip of her wine, sparing a glance at Thea in the process, wondering just what might give her the best, new experience. That was the spark the woman needed and she quickly scrolled through the PADD’s listings to find the program in question. Giving it a tap to highlight it, she quickly handed the PADD back to the Ferengi and produced a few more slips of latinum to go with it. “Environment only please, no characters.” She added to the order, getting a knowing nod in return. “Of course, I’ll be right back…”

Watching the hollow bartender shift over to some sort of console, Selena quickly downed the last of the spring wine, knocking the entire glass back in one swift motion. “I think you’ll like this one Thea.” She all but purred, glancing through her bangs to see if Thea was peeking at the selection. The bartender arrived a moment later, data rod in hand. “Enjoy your stay in Holosuite 3 ladies, don’t hesitate to call again if you require anything.” Selena took the rod, the simulated isolinear substrate clicking against her mechanical fingers just as a real one would. “I’m sure we will.” She responded with a mostly-polite smile that quickly disappeared as soon as he moved on. Selena hopped up off of the stool and stretched her legs a bit, showing off some of the leg that was normally hidden under the skirt she was wearing. Extending an elbow to Thea next, Selena gave her her best smile and a wink. “Shall we?”

One quick flight of twisty stairs later, the two women found themselves standing in front of the suite in question and Selena wordlessly slid the data rod into its slot. A few beeps later the doors slid open to reveal a small, sunlight room decorated with curtains to soften the light and all sorts of small artifacts scattered around the room on shelves and podiums of various heights. Plants of all various species grew over the walls and panel windows to further enhance the freshness of the air and space around it. Dominating the center of the room: a single table topped with a soft, contoured pad perfect for laying on. All smiles now, Selena leaned into Thea, gently resting her head against her shoulder. “A Lauriento massage parlor. Granted I might not have their fingers,” she held out one of her mechanical but very human-shaped hands, “but I think I can manage.”

Re: Day 15 [1930 hrs] Artificial Fashion

Reply #13 –
[ USS Theurgy "Thea" NX-79854 | DS9 via Holodeck | USS Theurgy ]
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After entering the simulation-within-the-simulation, Thea could still feel the taste of the drink she'd downed at the bar through her oral sensory mapping. She still had the bottle with her, hanging loosely from her fingertips while she looked around - the smile she wore reflecting the enjoyment she found in Selena's company.

In truth, all social experiences were enjoyable for her, given that her primary drive as an artificial being was to develop, but the experience of close companionship with her friend was one of the most stimulating ones she had in her memory banks. To truly feel 'alive' in the organic sense - as she knew it from her own human experience during the Ishtar Incident - was through this intangible sense of connection with other beings. Social conventions held rules and trials to pass through, where no charts were available, but Thea appreciated her own voyage through the unknown if she could share it with others. Especially someone like Selena, whom had great experience with the non-organic facets of the constantly evolving Federation society.

"Oh, I am quite certain you can," she said ruefully with a glance in her friend's direction, and sauntered over to the massage table. She put the bottle down on top of it, and turned to face Selena again. "You were saying something about helping me get out of these gifts you gave me?"

She posed the question with a raised eyebrow, playfully tugging at the sleeves of her jacket before slipping out of it. With anticipation, she watched her friend from below her eyelashes, wondering how much of a massage she would be getting before... things got out of hand.

"Tell me," she said with a provocative undertone, eyes creased at the corners whilst looking at Selena, "will I have the pleasure of this experience without you having any clothes on either?"
 
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