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 Lieutenant Junior Grade Vora Zorell (Scientist) in Holodeck 2 - A Shift At The Wattle & Daub (tag: Vora, Open)
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

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.

“Listen,” P’Mala whispered. “I forgot my first week here and hit my head so hard I had to check myself in to Sic– the doctor.”

She continued up the stairs, kicking herself a little.

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. Oh! I’m Vora by the way. Vora Zorell, from Sciences.”

~Vora Zorell

“P’Mala from Medical, I’m the new doctor under Vock. And you are doing quite well! With those clippings and your attire, I thought you’d been at this longer than I had!” she said, her face lighting up.

“It helps that I study things well,” Vora said, tapping her head with her index fingers. “Eidetic memory.”

This was really the first time she’d really talked to someone on the Europa outside of her duties and, to be honest, it felt great to meet someone else who liked putting on three layers on garments and lurking around turn-of-the-century Britian.

“So what do you think of the place?” P’Mala said, twirling around.” I just bought the holonovel before I came aboard. It’s a sequel in a series and I’d finished the first on my Cadet cruise.

She was babbling a little bit and knew it.

-Ensign P’Mala Dawes

“It seems really interesting,” Vora said, moving her carpet bag to the bed. “It’s both very different and exceedingly similar to places I’ve known.” She gave a lopsided grin. “It’s hard to explain. What made you pick your character?”

~Vora Zorell, Sciences

P’Mala was kind of dumbstruck for a second.

She technically could inhabit anyone in the holonovel, but she settled for a barmaid in a middling traveler’s pub in Southampton, yes.

“I guess,” she said truthfully, “I can blend into her. She’s not the main character, but the bar needs her. What about you?”

-Ensign P’Mala Dawes