Consolation Prize (Part 1 of 3)

Posted on Sat Jul 18th, 2020 @ 6:55am by Lieutenant JG Miraj Derani & Lieutenant Commander S'hib

Mission: Season 3: Episode 4: Cause and Effect
Location: USS Elysium Holodeck 5
Timeline: MD 08 2000
1716 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure

[ON]

After taking the chief engineer back and forward to the moons of saturn for mining, Miraj was beginning to feel frustrated. She really really wanted to go down and see a real sailing ship. A proper pirate ship. Holodecks just wasn't the same. But for now, it would have to satisfy.

And she'd also made a promise. She quickly sent a message.


Lieutenant S'hib, You said you wanted to play pirates again? Would you want to play this evening? I thought since we can't go down and see the real thing, we could do another Bloodbeard game. As promised, I'll be Roger.


And then started calling up her costume collection on the replicator for her cabin boy outfit.

A few moments later and the computer chimed within S'hibs quarters, the sound of Ensigns Derani's voice filling the small living space and echoing into the sonic shower where S'hib stood, small pebble shaped sonic scrubbers in his hands.

"Computer, please notify Ensign Derani that I would be delighted to do so once I have finished with my shower." He shouted somewhat before continuing to run the pebbles over his chest and arms, the sound waves within the shower pulsating over the white coat that covered his body.

Some thirty minutes later, Miraj was waiting for him outside the holodeck on Deck 11, dressed in white stockings and black buckleshoes, tan breeches fit her snugly, and she had a plain unbleached vest over her linen shirt and loosely tied cravat. She'd bound her hair into a ponytail, and then wrapped the tail so only a few inches of pink was visible. She also held a bundle of costume and props, ready for S'hib.

"I hope they're my size," S'hib called out once he spotted Miraj, eyeing up the bundle of costumes in her arms. "I've got rather long legs." He added as he approached her, wearing nothing but a long flowing white skirt, tapered in such a way to leave his legs and hips exposed.

Miraj tried not to stare at the fact the equine wasn't really wearing that much. To the point that a gust of wind... She shook that image out of her head. "I got the computer to work it out." She held out some of the clothes. "Shirt and waistcoat, and you'll want breeches. It can get breezy where we're going."

"I'm gonna need to start coming to these already dressed," S'hib replied as he took the offered clothing. "Perhaps we could do some tailoring sometime, find something that suits me." He said happily, enjoying the fact this was potentially turning into a regular activity with Miraj.

"I'm sure we can. Though fashions in this time and place are kind of complicated. No one had invented zips or velcro." She held out a belt with a brace of flintlocks sized for his enormous hands.

"Its a section from Bloodbeard's Booty. Basically. Bloodbeard has come to Nassau on the trail of a Spanish treasure ship that was caught in a storm and wrecked. His rival, a merchant captain called Ignatius Dent, has allegedly spoken to a survivor, and got the location marked on a map. The survivor turned up floating in the harbour, so Bloodbeard sends Roger and Staines to sneak aboard the London Rose and steal it. Got it?"

"Oh, not a stealth mission... Miraj I have hooooves." S'hib whined loudly as though some awful passed experience suddenly dragged itself out of the depth of his memory.

"Don't worry, the settings are completely customisable to account for species based difference. Once we load the main program, you can play around with them so it takes those hooves into account. Fair?"

"I suppose that's fair..." S'hib replied with a frustrated snort before shaking his head firmly to the side and casting his mane behind him.

She eyed that too. "Most men in this period wore their hair tied back. If you want. I could braid yours, or just a pony...er...tail."

“You know that's considered an act of friendship to my people, with matching styles often attributed to those you love... a sort of bond so to speak.” S’hib smiled, remembering back to the time he spent braiding Naxea’s hair

Miraj's face went the same colour as her hair. "I'm sorry, was that too forward? I wasn't implying... I mean I only offered because of the setting. not that I don't want to be..Friends I mean, not forward. I don't want to be forward. I just didn't think it would mean anything more than just.. I'll be quiet now." she turned her back on him, and quickly started the program, wondering if it was too late to add the ground opening up and swallowing her.

S’hib watched Miraj nervously ramble, wondering why this was becoming a frequent response from others now that he was being more... sociable. “If you do my tail I can do my mane, nothing fancy though otherwise, we’d be here all day.”

"Okay. It will be rough and ready then." The holodeck doors opened and they were in a small inn room with two narrow beds with rope fittings and straw mattresses. "Lets get you dressed."

S'hib looked at the bundle of clothes in his arms as they walked inside, wondering how he was going to put any of it on. "You might uh, want to look away while I figure this out." He said with a somewhat confused tone.

"What? Oh! Yes." She quickly turned her back. "Its not so bad. One leg in one hole, other leg in the other hole, shirt over the head and tuck it in. Its not as if you have to get it all on in the right order."

"I see..." S'hib replied as he unfastened the buckle around his dress and allowed it to fall to the floor. "I've never worn trousers before..." He said as he dropped everything but the breeches, holding them up in front of himself and squinting somewhat at the clothing he was now being forced to wear.

"What? Never?" Miraj used her fingers to count. Full lieutenant, so maybe 3 years in service plus four in the academy. "You've never once tried them? Not in all the time you were on Earth?"

"If you haven't noticed I try to wear as little as possible," S'hib said with long sigh leaving his nostrils. "And I spent six years at the Academy..." He added as leant down, attempting to step into the clothing without lifting his lengthy legs too much.

"Wow. If it was me, I would have tried. I love dressing up." She kept her gaze fixed on the paint peeling off the rough plaster. "Do you need a hand - Help! I mean help."

"You'll need both your hands..." S'hib said with a wicked grin as he pulled the breeches up to his hips, knowing full well what he had just said might imply.

Even the back of her neck went bright red at that. Hesitently, as if knowing she was going to see something quite terrifying any second, she turned to look. Seeing he'd got the trousers on and he was quite decent, she breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay. Shirt." she handed the linen garment to him, and then shook out the waistcoat. It was short, not uncommon to sailors and poor folks for the time. She held it up, "then this."

"If you insist..." S'hib said as swung the shirt behind him, sliding both arms inside before taking the waistcoat from her. "But I'm still going to need those hands of yours..." He added with a growling snort while buttoning up the shirt before glancing back up at her, turning on the spot and flicking his tail gently at her.

"Oh, yes." she turned to the bed and grabbed a length of leather thonging that was coiled there. Then she inexpertly plaited the length of his tail, trying to do it quickly and not too hands on. Then she tied it back up to the root and lashed the loop close together so his tail would be harder to catch people and/or things too easily."

"Okay. All done. computer, arch." The back wall produced the arch. "You change the settings you need. Then we'll start."

S'hib looked around at his tail, his face seemingly pleased with the outcome. "Hm, maybe I'll get you to tie me up more often." He said cheerfully as he walked towards the arch, his arms up behind his head as he tied the lengths of his mane into knots.

Miraj spluttered a bit, trying not to laugh. "yes, sir," she replied weakly, unable to trust herself to say more. "Whatever you say."

S'hib glanced back, a wicked smile plastered over his face as started to type on the LCARs inside the arch... deciding that perhaps he had punished her enough for making him wear such ridiculous clothing, though he could already feel his coat itching. "Right, now my hooves should sound like the boots you're wearing..."

"Want to test it?" Miraj suggested

"Probably should..." S'hib said as he lifted his hoof and placed it back down a few times, nodding in approval when he heard no click.

"Perfect." She gave him two thumbs up. "Allright, let's go."

Miraj threw open the door to their room, revealing the tavern beyond. They were on the first floor, where a balcony ran around the main room, where tables made from planks thrown over barrels were surrounded by rough balleds. In one corner a group of men, scarred and bearded were singing a song that cast doubt on the fatherhood of navy sailors. In another, a group, just as scarred and twice as hairy, heads pressed close together were scheming things, and all over, groups of three of four men quaffed ale from pewter tankards and boasted and jested.

One of them, a weathered old salt with a sharp rectangular scar running across his cheek and nose and up to his forehead, saw Miraj and S'hib step out. He raised his mug with a cheer. "Arr! Staines, still 'educating' the midshipmen I see!"

To Be Continued...

Ensign Miraj Derani
ACFCO
USS Elysium

Lt S'hib
Security officer
USS Elysium