Romeo, Oh Romeo, Part 1 (June challenge post)

Posted on Thu Jul 21st, 2022 @ 4:26am by Lieutenant Commander Rin & Captain Gary Taylor

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Holodeck
2441 words - 4.9 OF Standard Post Measure

Rin and Gary stepped into the holodeck together, intending to do some serious melee sparring within its safety parameters.

"Computer, run program weapon training 4."

The blank walls were replaced by a holographic landscape. To their left stood a large rack of weapons from a variety of galactic cultures. However, behind the rack was a colorful tent with a sign that read "Ye Olde Weapon Shop."

Rin looked around at their full surroundings. The sun was bright as they stood on a gravelly street lined with similar shops. In the distance, a gleaming white castle stood perched on a hill.

"Computer, run program weapon training 4," Rin repeated.

"Weapon training 4 program already running," the computer replied.

"Computer, halt program."

"Error. Cannot comply."

Rin frowned as she looked back at Gary with a sort of WTF? expression. "Maybe Myne is playing a joke on us?"

A man emerged from the tent, dressed in colorful archaic clothing. "My apologies for keeping you waiting, milady. I did not recognize you in your...stylish clothes. What can I do for you?"

Rin, dressed in her usual form fitting athletic outfit, looked at the man, then back to Gary. "Milady?"

Gary looked at Rin, then back at the shop keeper, then back at Rin, a look of confusion on his face but he managed a reply to Rin's question, "A greeting, one of respect to a noblewoman or a great lady." He answered as he looked down at himself and saw he was dressed in his gray sweatpants and a tee shirt that read, Will try anything twice. "This is not the training program." He said stating the obvious.

Gary looked at the man, " Milady would like to see what weapons you have that she may be interested in purchasing. As he waited for the man's reply. He moved away from Rin and said softly, "Computer show arch." Nothing, Again, he said "Computer show arch." This time he got a reply. "Error, program needs to be completed before arch will displayed. To which Gary replied with a emphatic "Damn!"

A commotion erupted at the far end of the street as four men marched forward in heavy armor. "Step away from the princess!" One shouted.

Rin momentarily looked around, trying to recognize the princess, before realizing they must be referring to her. "Wait, wut?"

"Never fear, this knave will cause you no harm!"

She followed their gaze toward Gary. "No, wait! Big misunderstanding. He's... helping me shop."

"Shop, milady? For what could you possibly need to shop for in this common market?"

"Well, swords, obviously," she fumbled, nodding toward the shop. "But they're very heavy , so I asked Gary along to carry them."

"....Gary? You speak of this knave over-personally."

"Uh....Sir Gary?"

"That's right, Sir Gary of Taylors. Here to help the Princess. Do you have a problem with that?" Gary blustered, hoping his challenge was enough to make the other man back down.

The soldiers briefly discussed the situation. "Apologies, Sir Gary of Taylors, but if you know the princess then surely you know the Queen's insistence she stay within the castle walls until her marriage."

"Now I see why the princess went sword shopping," Rin muttered under her breath to Gary.

"I do but knowing the princess as I do, it was easier to take her shopping where I can watch her then having her sneak out of the castle." Gary remarked all while stifling a chuckle at Rin's muttered reply.

The soldier chuckled. "Then you won't mind taking responsibility for her, yes? We can even help you with that, as she has such trouble wandering off."

And faster than one would think possible, the soldier slapped a pair of manacles on them, Gary's left hand to Rin's right.

"Hey! Hey!" Gary shouted as the manacles were fastened around his and Rin's wrists. "What are you doing? Take these things off!"

The soldiers laughed. IT was becoming quite clear they had no interest in anything Rin or Gary would say to them.

"Ok, this is getting tedious," Rin sighed. "Take them off."

"Or what?"

Rin picked up a slim, almost dainty dagger and, without flourish, stabbed it beneath his chain mail just under his arm. "Or I even the odds a bit."

She snatched up another knife, pointing it at the three remaining men. "Anyone else want to play? We can both literally do this with a hand tied behind our backs. Which is fortunate, all things being what they are."

The soldiers reached for their scabbards, but what they drew were..... Cardassian disruptors?

"Well, that's not historically accurate," Rin quipped. "I think now we run."

"Not the time for a comment on historical correctness." Gary replied, "And yes we run." With that he pulled Rin along with him as they dashed through the crowded market, Gary was knocking items and tables over behind them. creating quite a mess and a scene of outraged voices (mostly curses) to slow their pursuers and put distance between them and Rin and himself.

Ahead, a merchant was rolling his apple cart across the street, straight into Rin and Gary's path. Both tumbled to the ground amid a cascade of fruit, then scrambled to get their feet back under them, trying not to unbalance the other.

Gary grabbed Rin under her arms and hoisted her to her feet. "This way!" He exclaimed as he pulled Rin along. His destination now clear. It was a women's clothing shop. "We can hide in here!" he stated as they went through the entrance.

Tucked behind a rack of pretty things now, Rin held her breath as she peered through a gap in the wood slats of the shop walls. Several seconds later, the pursuing soldiers came into view, now heavily hampered by citizens not thrilled with the disruption. Dodging a barrage of angrily thrown tomatoes, the soldiers pushed on past the shop.

"They're gone," Rin whispered. "But we need a plan how to get out of this damn program."

Gary looked around and indeed the other knights were gone. He looked at Rin, "That is a very good question. Let's ask the computer." He suggested and then added, "It can't hurt, we may get an answer."

"Computer, halt program," Rin stated again.

"Cannot comply. Current program must be completed," chirped the computer.

"What is the goal of current program?"

"Expected conclusion requires the rescuing of the princess."

Rin made a face, then laughed. "I've been assuming all this time this was your usual romantic holonovel where the intended user played the part of the escaping princess. But they aren't. They play *your* part," she said toward Gary.

"My part? Oh, the rescuer? And you are the princess. So princess, what do you wish to do? I am your humble servant." Gary finished laughing.

"So....the princess is going to be married off to some dimwit, I suspect. That's why she wants to get out and away. So...either we run, although I'm not sure where *to*, or...we meet the problem more head on?"

gary tilted his head at her, "Whay is your idea of more head on?" Then added with a grin, "Might be interesting to see the dimwit you are to marry.''

"Punch him in the face? Duel for my honor? I really should be allowed to duel for myself, but I don't think that's how the program is set up."

Gary laughed at Rin's reply. the more time he spent with Rin the more he liked her and her sense of humor. "I don't think either is a viable option Rin to end the program, so we need another option."

"Do you have suggestions?"


"Pick another suitor." Gary answered simply. "Unless you just want to run but we'll get caught eventually."

"Well, that'd be you. You're the main character. So, uh, I, Princess Rin, do declare my...eh...love for Sir Gary of Taylor?" She visibly winces saying the words as she looked around waiting for the computer to respond.

The computer remained silent.

"Ok, maybe we need to add something more to it. Ideas?"

" Gee Rin, don't look so pained." Gary teased and then went on. "Hmm, let me try, maybe I need to make the declaration." Gary told her. "I Sir Gary of Taylor do hereby declare my love for the lovely Princess Rin and wish to take her hand in marriage."

Still nothing.

"Please tell me we do not have to actually go through with it!" Rin exclaimed.

"Um maybe we need to go to the castle, and you need to tell your folks you changed your mind?" Gary suggested.

Rin was thoroughly frustrated by this stupid program. Frustrated at the malfunction, of course, but frustrated by the sophomoric content just as much.

"Worth a try," Rin replied. With that, she attempted to lead the way out of the ridiculous little shop, only to get yanked back by the cuff still attaching her to Gary. "Damnit, I hate this program."

She looked around the shop again. "You think we need to be properly dressed to gain entrance?" she said with a sort of resignation. "After we detach ourselves, of course."

"I'm willing to try anything right now Rin." Gary admitted with a shake of his head. "This whole program is full of contradictions. Let's get these cuffs off us and do to that we need a blacksmith. Then we'll find some better clothes and visit the castle."

So Rin and Gary wandered the illogical town, until they found a blacksmith.

"Excuse me," Rin said awkwardly. "I know it's an odd request, but would you be willing to help out a princess in distress?"

The man looked at the shackles. "I'm sorry, milady, but the guard must have had their reasons for locking you up such."

Rin looked at the man, back to Gary, and then back to the man with a sigh and a rolling of her eyes in response to what she was about to do. Throwing herself to the ground she bewailed, "Please, sir, you have no idea the horrors of that castle, I cannot return, for I shall be married to the most dreary and diabolical of men! While Sir Gary here is kind and thoughtful and reasonably clever. Could you possibly find it in your heart to rescue your poor princess?"

Gary decided there was no arm in piling on, so he added to Rin's tale of woe. "Noble blacksmith, the princess does not wish to marry the man picked for her. For she loves him not. You would be doing her a great service if you would remove these cuffs from our wrists."

The blacksmith looked at the two of them, then looked out the front of his shop conspiratorially. "Alright, hurry inside. But if anyone comes asking I'm gonna say you forced me to help you."

Rin wasn't quite sure how that story would play out. The blacksmith was well over six feet tall, broad shouldered, and armed with a hammer. Exactly how did he think she might believably compel him? Wasn't her problem. Wasn't anyone's problem, really, since he was a hologram.

So they went inside and in a few minutes had the manacles off.

"Ah, much better." Gary said as he looked down at his now freed wrist. "Well sweetie," He said looking at Rin, "Shall we go meet the folks?"

"This is beyond awkward."

"Look, Gary said, "We're playing roles, we don't have to like them but we do need to see this through so we can get the program to end and us get out of here. "So, snookums." He bantered, "Are you ready to face the trials of the castle?"


Rin's eyebrows narrowed slightly as she pursed her lips. Then she slapped on a wide, exaggeratedly fake smile, and grasped his hand. "Lead the way, honey bear."

Gary stifled a chuckle at Rin's obvious unease at the situation. He looked an arm around her waist, "Sure thing dumpling. Let's go."

The two wandered back to the dress shop. "Hello, good ma'am!" Rin announced loudly to the proprietor. "Apologies for our earlier hasty retreat, but I would quite like something suitable for visiting dear mother."

"I know just the thing!" The plump lady exclaimed, waving her back into the shop.

When Rin emerged again, she was wearing a tightly corseted dress that definitely showed her off to best, uh, advantage. Layers of flouncy blue, pink and purple fabrics emerged from the waist.

"Choose your next words carefully," Rin warned, although she allowed a bit of a smirk to come through.

Gary's eyes danced with merriment as Rin came out in her dress. It was definitely eye catching and showed Rin's figure off to its full advantage. "Beautiful." He answered simply.

"Well said, Sir Gary. Now it's your turn. I do believe there's a men's shop next door."

"Thank you, princess, my mom didn't raise a dope." He nodded reluctantly, "Alright if I have to, let's get this over with." He said as he led Rin out of shop and to the men's shop. "Good sir." He said as they entered to you believe you can come up with suitable attire for me to match what my intended wears?"

"I can good sir." The man replied and turned to Rin, "How would you like your mate to be dressed princess?"

"Oh, your fate really is in my hands now," Rin quipped. "Good thing you responded wisely in the previous shop."

Rin looked to the owner. "As he said, something to match my own. Although perhaps a bit less shiny, because I am a benevolent princess and won't inflict this fabric upon him."

Gary resisted rolling his eyes at Rin's comment. Though he did mutter, "You are too kind princess."

"I have such the thing for sir knight. come with me." The man said taking Gary into the back. Minutes dragged by and then Gary came out. He was dressed in a shirt of fine silk with a tunic over it in a light brown color. with breeches of a matching brown, hose and black leather boots. He glanced at Rin daring her to say anything.

Rin just smirked and curtsied, then offered her hand to Gary. "Shall we be off to make a scene at the castle?"

Gary took her hand, a smile of relief on his face for Rin not making any comment. "Thank you for not saying anything." He said in a low voice as they moved away from the shop and headed on the path to the castle.

"I dare say we have mutual blackmail material on each other for eternity."

(To be continued)

 

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