Posted by Ensign Dr. P’Mala Dawes (Doctor) in Holodeck 2 - A Shift At The Wattle & Daub (tag: Vora, Open)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Vora Zorell (Scientist) in Holodeck 2 - A Shift At The Wattle & Daub (tag: Vora, Open)

Posted by Ensign Dr. P’Mala Dawes (Doctor) in Holodeck 2 - A Shift At The Wattle & Daub (tag: Vora, Open)
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Henson rubbed his temples with his fingers.

“Of course, one is accustomed to that kind of fee when one is filling the Alhambra, but we’re a wayfarer’s pub, dear lady,” he said, taking off his spectacles and polishing one lense after the other against his sleeve.

Her smile hadn’t faded. Of course she knew this even if she also knew after one performance from her he’s be changing his tune.

“One pound a show, plus meals, laundry, and room to board. For the duration and a day,” he countered.

P’Mala knew the room he was speaking of–it was on the top floor of the building near hers, and not a guest room, per se, but it was clean and private–maybe worth a dozen shillings a night. She guessed she was to be the laundress Henson had in mind, too.

-Ensign P’Mala Dawes

Well this posed a problem but maybe not entirely. Vera didn’t want to turn down his offer but she would not be able to explain the truth of her situation. “One pound and room and board as you have outlined but only for the first two weeks. After that I will have secured my own accommodations and my wage goes up to one pound and four shillings.”

~Vora Zorell

P’Mala swung by the negotiations.

“You’d be silly not to take it,” she said, nudging Henson in a rare moment of directness. Over the last few months she’d spent in her character working at the Daub, while they weren’t close, she knew Henson respected her work ethic and, hopefully, her opinion at least somewhat.

She shrugged and resumed her duties.

The old man regarded Vora carefully, then sighed. “I can call upon my solicitor tomorrow to draw up an agreement, but if you’d like to start tonight, I can give you half a pound and your room upon your signature in the morning.”

He thought on it for a second. “But if that is too short a notice, we can start you in two days.”

P’Mala cheered to herself in the corner. Maybe she could take a moment to get to know this person before much more time passed.

-Ensign P’Mala Dawes

‘Vera’ extended her hand. “Why Mr. Henson I do believe we have ourselves an agreement. And I will be happy to do a performance tonight. I just need a it of time to settle into the accommodations you’ve eluded to.”

The old man took Vera’s hand in his cool wrinkled hands and shook. “Settles that,” he said. “I’ll get your coin from the till and have it ready.”

She gave a gracious bow of her head. “You have my thanks in advance.”

“Pamala!” he barked. “Take Miss Zalenas up to her room on the second floor. You know the one. I have it covered down here.”

She offered a small nod and smile to Pamela who so neatly intervened on her behalf. The less she had to explain herself, the easier it would be for everyone.

~Vora Zorell

“Miss… Zalenas? Was it?” P’Mala said, approaching the woman. “Is now a good time for you to see the space?”

She gestured toward the stairs behind the bar to a dark hallway with a dangling light and access to a bathroom. There was also a stairwell where a velvet rope sectioned off the public and private areas of the pub.

-Ensign P’Mala Dawes

“Yes, of course. I have a suitcase and a trunk I will have delivered in a little while. But I can get a few things in order before they arrive,” Vora said. She gestured to the stairs. “After you.” She was actually only a little bit taller than P’Mala so she was able to meet her gaze directly as she smiled.

~Vora Zorell

Over the centuries, The Wattle and Daub had been burnt down, rebuilt, added onto, expanded, reconfigured, and jury rigged so many times that practically the only wattle and daub left was in its name, but the second story definitely felt like an older space. Even the stairway was thin and narrow.

“Watch your head,” P’Mala whispered as she led the woman up the stairs. The walls were paneled in a deep breadboard and plastered with old advertisements for liquor and dusty paintings and photographs

“Oof,” Vora said a second later as her matching hat hit the ceiling and Vora ducked even further. “Hats can be so inconvenient sometimes, but then again I do believe mine saved me from a nasty bump,” she said with a light laugh.

On the second floor was a tight landing and several rooms. Three small but decently appointed worker’s quarters. P’Mala led Vora to the empty room with the essentials–a twin bed, a side table and lamp, a desk, a small closet with a couple men’s coats. It’s walls were wainscoting and whitewashed, the windows with thick wavy glass occluded with age.

“This is it,” she said expectantly.

Zorell turned in place, taking in the room as if she were recording it. Which she was.

She didn’t quite know what to do now. Should she drop the act? She knew this would an was a crewman in the same holonovel but didn’t want to break the game if the stranger was still playing.

“So…” she said carefully. “Do you come to Southampton very often? I haven’t seen you before, but from those clippings, it seems you’re a Londoner. It must be amazing, playing music for audiences.”

-Ensign P’Mala Dawes

Vora smiled. “Computer, pause program.” There was a little chirp and while nothing seemed to have happened since it was just them in the room, nothing else was happening for the time being.

She smiled more shyly. “I don’t usually like the holodeck, but I got to dress up once in something vaguely Victorian and the open program sounded like fun. Am I doing okay so far? I picked the character out of some options because it seemed like something I knew nough about, but I’m honestly not sure. h! I’m Vora by the way. Vora Zorell, from Sciences.”

~Vora Zorell