Getting Dolled Up

Posted on Sat Feb 2nd, 2019 @ 10:41am by

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Deep Space Nine
4046 words - 8.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Ludmilla had, through her Aunt’s assistance, scored a relatively nice place for her short stay on DS9, in fact, the quarters she was in had been prepped as though the Ambassador herself was coming, ~A little white lie never hurt anyone.~ She thought as she opened the door to allow Jessica in, “So, here’s my place for the time being. Make yourself comfortable.”

“Wow”, was Jessica’s first response. “Are you a princess or something?” The place was huge, and had lots of shiny things in it that Jessica didn’t know the use of. She sat down on the sofa which looked incredibly comfortable indeed. If anything, she was good at following instructions.

“Nah, my parents are both Commodores, you know my Aunt the Ambassador.” Ludmilla shrugged, she’d never been overly impressed by any of it, “She arranged this for me. You’re welcome to spend the night here with me if you’d like. There’s like four bedrooms here. Anyway, you get comfy, I’m going to grab a few things and then we’re gonna really have some fun.”

“Don’t you think it would look a little odd if I were to spend the night, alone with you?” Jessica asked. “I mean, what will your parents say?”

“They’d probably say you’re a better influence on me than my friends in Moscow.” Ludmilla answered honestly.

Jessica laughed. “I see.”

“Besides, my Aunt has been going on about you to them for a while.” The blonde explained, “She’s over Titan at the chance to finish some left over business from before I was born.”

Jessica nodded. “Yes, leftover business indeed.” She had nobody left on Turkana who she knew. But it was still her home, and those were still her people. In a strange way she couldn’t put into words, she felt she owed them to try and help, that that was the purpose of her life and that before she had done at least some good, she couldn’t rest and focus on her own needs.

“So, ready?” Ludmilla said as she plopped down a massive makeup bag.

“What’s all this?” Jessica asked. A lot of paint, to make her good-looking? Looked like Ludmilla had had the same idea. Was she a telepath? “You’re going to help me become presentable?”

“You’re already presentable.” Ludmilla reassured her, “I’m just going to shine you up a little is all. You’ve got a lot to work with, don’t sell yourself short.” ~Sounds like this one had a Cheline, too. Maybe I can fix her before she gets as nerved out as Mysh’ is.~

“I’m fairly tall, so no worries”, Jessica said. And that much was true. Despite the malnourishment during parts of her childhood, she had grown up to be quite a tall woman. “Let me ask you something. How old do you think I am?”

“About twenty five maybe.” Ludmilla answered, pulling out a chair, “Okay, if you can sit right here, we can get started.”

“Come on, honest answer, don’t patronise me”, Jessica said.

“That’s what I thought.” Ludmilla protested, “I mean, yeah, I can tell you’ve had it rough, but you’re not as bad off as you’ve convinced yourself you are.” ~Wow, she really is as bad as Mysh’, this is awful. Poor girl.~ “Anyway, just remember, Milla is your friend, and we’re about to take ten years off of that face. Kay?”

“If you think you can make me look twenty-three again, go for it”, Jessica smiled. “But, please be careful around my missing ear? It’s still tender.” She brushed her hair to the side to show her. It really did not look nice at all, which was why she kept it under her hair for the most part.

“Poor baby.” Ludmilla said, her eyes misty. She leaned over and kissed the place where Jessica’s ear used to be, now really hoping that her Aunt could get the approval to make those bastards pay for what they were doing to those people, “And don’t you worry, I’m going to take good care of you. Come on, I used to help Mysh’... my sister, Anje. We used to do this kind of thing together all the time. It’ll be fine.”

Jessica flinched. Nobody had touched her there since the incident, and the contact came unexpected. She resisted the urge to jump, she knew that the girl was only trying to help, that she wasn’t in danger. But that was her conscious mind. Her unconscious, where the seat of all fears was, had to be beaten into submission. She dry-swallowed and nodded. “I trust you.”

“You make me miss Anje.” Ludmilla commented, surprising even herself. She’d never admit it, but the years they’d gone since speaking last had ground on her soul. She’d listened to every one of the messages her sister left her: at least one every day for a year, then down to a couple a week, then by the time the two year mark came only on her birthday and Christmas, then this Christmas nothing direct, only through their parents, ~Guess she finally gave up. Wish I hadn’t been so stubborn.~

“Then it’s good you can go on the Elysium with her”, Jessica said. “I’m sure she’ll be delighted. She’s got a big heart and I think there’s a lot of space in there for her family and friends.”

“I don’t know, Jess.” Ludmilla shook her head sadly while running her fingers through Jessica’s hair, ~Wow, definitely spent some time living rough.~ “Okay, gonna do something with the split ends and put a deep conditioner in here and let it sit while I do your nails, nice facial mask going, too. Then makeup.” She started getting her stuff out of the bag, then stopped, “Mysh’... Anje and I haven’t spoken in almost three years.”

“All the more reason”, Jessica said. “Do it, while you still can. Who knows what happens tomorrow? The wormhole might swallow us up.”

“Please don’t say that around a Bajoran.” Ludmilla laughed, then turned serious, “I don’t know.” she sighed, carefully removing the split ends from Jessica’s hair; it looked like she usually did it herself, ~Probably has to….~ “We had an awful fight about her girlfriend, I said some… terrible things. Every day, for a year, after that she would call me and leave me messages. I wouldn’t listen to them at first, then I listened but wouldn’t return them, then they came less and less frequently, and now we’re going to be on the same ship….”

A quick check to make sure all the splitting was taken care of and Ludmilla began to massage conditioner into Jessica’s hair, “I don’t know if she’ll even want me around.” She said honestly, “I mean, Cheline was bad for her and I knew it, we all did, but she wouldn’t listen to anybody. I don’t know, maybe I should’ve minded my own business. Trying to protect my sister, I ended up driving her away. There’s tea tree oil in that, so if it tingles a little it’s nothing to worry about.”

“It does, kinda nice”, Jessica said, referring to the tingling. She wondered what it would feel like to bathe in the stuff, and if she should? “You can’t choose your family, and nobody is perfect. I’m sure she knows that, too.”

“This woman was just using her, everybody could see it BUT her.” Ludmilla complained, gently spreading a deep cleansing facial mask onto Jessica’s rough, but still attractive skin, “She hadn’t noticed Anje at all for the entire time they were stationed together. Then she finds out Aunt Anje has an opening for a Chief of Staff, all of a sudden Cheline has always had feelings for her. Then, Aunt Anje chooses someone else for the post, Cheline tells my sister ‘We’ve grown apart’ and puts her on the curb. And the worst part is she gave herself over to this woman, let someone change her from head to toe to be what she wanted, inside and out, and didn’t say a word. How does that feel? It’s got the tea tree oil for cleaning and avocado for soothing, should be pretty nice.”

“It feels amazing”, Jessica said, responding to the question but not the rant. There was nothing she could say. It sucked. She’d seen abusive relationships, had been in some herself. She’d never known another kind. But they were still relationships, and wasn’t that better than being alone? She didn’t know what to say. “Maybe, just don’t bring it up? Tell her you’ve missed her and want to make up for lost time?”

“Probably hard for you to understand where I’m coming from.” Ludmilla laughed, “It’s a Russian thing, I guess. We’re very protective of our own. You say Anje got you a place to stay?”

Jessica felt she understood the most important parts, but Ludmilla obviously wanted to change the subject. Jessica wasn’t going to press it. “Yes, some guest quarters here on the station. They’re great, my own bathroom and everything.”

“Sounds like she really cares about you.” Ludmilla smiled, it seemed Anye had taken her broken friend to the inside, ~It’s the Russian way.~ She remembered her Aunt’s favorite saying, “That’s a good sign. I don’t know, maybe. I just… I want the Anje I used to have back. The one who wasn’t sheepish or shy. I want Anje back and Mysh’ to go away.”

“What does that mean, mush?” Jessica asked. Now that it had been made obvious it was not just an affectionate nickname, she wanted to know, not caring that she mispronounced it.

“Mysh’ means mouse in Russian.” Ludmilla replied, “It’s what Anje became after Cheline basically took over her existence. Cheline took over and Anje ceased to be. She made all the decisions and Anje went along with it, like a good little mysh’ does.”

“Yes, I know what that’s like”, Jessica said. “It’s safer that way, you know? Don’t provoke, don’t get hit. Doesn’t always work, but it’s something.”

“Oh, Cheline was never physically abusive to her.” Ludmilla said quickly, not wanting to make Jessica think Anje was the type to accept being slapped around, “She just molded Anje to her needs to the exclusion of anything Anje needed or wanted. I’d be surprised if she didn’t still. In fact, if you’d like to make a small wager, I can prove it.”

“Do you think it’s wise, playing around with something this serious?” Jessica asked. “But the Anje I know isn’t quiet or demure. She seemed to be holding her own against a rather, well, gregarious girlfriend she was with.” She just assumed, having been told who Anje would go for, that Estelle was her woman.

“Girlfriend?” Ludmilla shook her head, “No. She’s still sulking over Cheline. I know that because she talks to mom every night she can. In fact, she’s still convinced that Cheline is going to come back and give her another chance and I can prove it. I guarantee you when we see her that Anje’s hair is precisely twenty six and one quarter centimeters long, because that’s the exact measure Cheline liked it to hit on her.” ~Poor Mysh’....~

“To hit on her?” Jessica wondered.

“Yeah, like to end, extend to.” Ludmilla explained, it seemed there was a bit of a dialectic gap between herself and her new friend, “Cheline had one specific spot where she wanted it to land, Anje went with it.”

“Hm, she is very meticulous in her appearance, this is true”, Jessica admitted. “But please, just be her sister. Maybe say you’re sorry for getting involved. Might remind her of happier times?”

“The thing is I’m not sorry about anything I said.” Ludmilla admitted, “I’m sorry about the results…”

“No, I can see that”, Jessica smirked. “But you can say you are. To break the ice. I’m sure you can phrase it so it’s ambival… no, ambiguous enough.”

“Maybe.” Ludmilla shrugged, getting out the tools to work on Jessica’s poor, untended nails, “Maybe just seeing each other again will be a good start. Anyway, about that wager….”

“I think it will be”, Jessica agreed. “Is there a special food you’ve always enjoyed together? Something that will make her think of better times?” There had to have been good times, or they wouldn’t love each other, no matter the estrangement, Jessica figured. She ignored the wager question.

“Our dad is a great cook.” Ludmilla laughed as she cleaned the underside of Jessica’s nails, “He used to make a sausage and shrimp creole that was to die for. He’d get in there and cook, Anje would be slicing vegetables up, Bo and Morg would be deveining shrimp… Anje would always give me a little piece of tomato…”

“Have you got the recipe, for the replicator?” Jessica asked. They couldn’t very well replicate the preparation ceremony, but at least the flavours, the aromas. She knew scent was powerful. Some reminded her of home, and always brought tears to her eyes. There had been good times on Turkana, too.

“I’ve got a bunch of stuff on my PADD, I think it’s there.” Ludmilla answered, “Why? You want to try it?”

“No, silly, you make it for her. For your reunion”, Jessica said. “I’ll serve it to you, I could be your waitress for the night. Anje won’t reject me for being ugly, I know that.”

“Okay, two things.” Ludmilla started, “One, stop it with that, you’re not ugly. Two, I mean, okay, I guess. What’s the worst that could happen, right?” She took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror, she was definitely nothing like the girl her sister would remember anymore, causing her to laugh, “She’ll probably flip when she sees me anyway.” Having finished cleaning under Jessica’s nails, she walked to the replicator, “Got a favorite color?” She asked, planning on putting it on her friend’s soon to be manicured claws.

“Blue”, Jessica said. “The blue of the sky at dusk.” She had always felt safer at night. She could hear them come, she could hide. And she had excellent night vision. Dusk always meant, another day done, another day survived.

“Okay, so dusky blue it is.” Ludmilla smiled, not asking why that was her favorite color, assuming it was merely because it was pretty, “By the way, you should probably rinse the treatment out of your hair now. I’ll replicate the nail polish while you do that.” ~I know it’s not my business, but her and my sister would make a cute couple…~

Jessica nodded and moved to the sink. The tingling had stopped, so there was no reason to keep it in. “So, you want to do that?” she asked. “The meal, let me serve you?” It was a way of saying thank you, Jessica figured.

“Would be wonderful.” Ludmilla said. She noticed Jessica hadn’t been interested in her offered wager, so she was going to just have to ask, “So, uh, Jess, any thought about coming to the Elysium with me? I mean, a ship that big has got to have plenty of civilian jobs, I’m sure we can get you into one. It’ll be nice to already have a friend there when I arrive. Plus you might enjoy exploring the galaxy a little bit. Seeing things you’ll never see here.”

“You think I could?” Jessica asked. “I mean, they’d take me? There’s got to be a waiting list a mile long.” There was no mistaking she loved the idea, though.

“Maybe, maybe not.” Ludmilla shrugged, taking the replicated polish from the machine and moving to the table, “But I know an Ambassador who will gladly put in a good word for you. And Anje will love it, too.”

“That would be amazing”, Jessica said, rubbing her hair dry and wondering why there was a ‘don’t panic’ and a large number forty-two embroidered on the towel. “I mean, I can’t do much, but being a waitress is only hard on my legs, and they’re used to a lot.”

Ludmilla looked down at Jessica’s legs, the shape was obvious even through her clothes, “Wow, those are super toned.” She complimented, “Runner’s legs.” She instantly winced at what she’d just said, ~Of course, you idiot! She’s spent her whole life running from rape gangs!~ “Jess, I am so sorry, I didn’t even think about that…”

“No, but I think lifting drinks is easier than crates in the cargo hold”, Jessica smirked. She hadn’t done a lot of running at all in recent years. There hadn’t been anywhere to run. “They made me work pretty hard. Which was okay. I like working. It’s something to do. But I’d rather work for the good guys, you know?”

“Probably a lot easier.” Ludmilla laughed, she’d never had an actual job, wasn’t even sure she knew what to do with one; her first one wasn’t due for another four years.

“I’m glad you like my legs, though”, Jessica grinned. “They’ve always been my favourite pair.”

“I can tell.” Ludmilla giggled, deciding to feed the pun fest, “I mean, you’re clearly joined at the hip.”

Jessica laughed and patted the girl on the back. “Very observant.”

“Okay, so let’s wipe the stuff off your face and see how much better it looks.” Ludmilla said with a laugh, “Then makeup and a trip to Quark’s.”

She wasn’t exactly confident that all of this would do her much good. But then, how did everyone else around here manage? Maybe that was what people did to look so much younger than they were? Well, younger than she looked, despite being older, anyway. “And you’re sure this’ll work?”

“Like I said, just polishing the diamond is all.” Ludmilla reassured, “Just trust me.” She couldn’t understand what gave Jessica such a poor self image, ~Actually, yes I can. All she knows is fighting for survival.~

“I… I do”, Jessica said. “Just a little hard to believe.” She’d only known people taking advantage of her in her youth, and then thankfully ignoring her after the ear incident, truly a blessing in disguise. It was also a reason she had stopped taking care of herself, something that had only recently changed. Now, she didn’t think being smelly was advantageous any longer, and she did feel a lot better this way.

“Look, I know you’ve been through a lot, but that’s behind you now. Things only go up from here.” Ludmilla promised, though she was making guarantees she had no control over, “It’s going to be better.”

“There are no guarantees in life”, Jessica said, catching the flaw in the young woman’s logic right away. She sat down on the sofa again. “But chances are good, and one can only look forward.”

“Right.” Ludmilla smiled, taking Jessica’s hand, “So let’s look forward.”

“So, what do you think would look good on me?” Jessica asked. “If I’m going to get a make-over, could you, I mean, kinda make it look like I’m not wearing too much paint, even though I am?” It was a weird concept, a natural look for make-up, but she assumed most people were doing it.

“No problem!” Ludmila grinned, she was loving this part of Jessica, “I know just how to do what you’re looking for.”

Jessica closed her eyes and sat up, leaning forward a little. “I’ll let myself be surprised.”

It took all of ten minutes for Ludmilla to make Jessica look camera ready; just enough to notice, but not too much, giving her what Ludmilla hoped was the makeover of her dreams, “Okay, you can look now.”

Jessica walked over to the mirror, looking at herself. “Forgive me for having this Mary-Sue moment, but… I didn’t know I could look like this.” She beamed, which of course was her best feature, happiness. “Almost normal again.”

“Normal?” Ludmilla laughed, “The word you’re looking for is beautiful.”

“I wouldn’t go that far. But you did a great job, for what you had to work with”, Jessica smiled. She gave Ludmilla a hug. “Thank you.”

“Or maybe you gave me something so good to work with that it made my job easy.” Ludmilla countered as she embraced Jessica, “Either way, you’re welcome.”

She made sure her hair covered her missing ear area fully. She was beginning to consider having it treated. Would she need the scar any longer? Jessica figured there was enough footage to show people, for sympathy. Maybe if she landed that job, saved up a bit? “I’d love to put this to the test.”

“Well, that’s what we’re going to do.” Ludmilla smiled, “But first…” She dashed into her room and returned with a garment box, “I bought this for myself at IFFY, but I think it’ll look great on you. Please, try it.”

Jessica opened the box to find a silky, black, form-fitting dress. The small black number, certainly kinda short on her, it would have been longer on Ludmilla. She held it out against her body. “You think?” She fought her insecurity. “Oh, why not? They’re not going to do anything bad on this station, are they?” She might as well start living.

“That’s the spirit!” Ludmilla said, thinking about when Anje was like that.

“I’ll be right back”, she said, taking the dress with her into the next room. She wasn’t comfortable enough to change in plain view, unlike some she would soon get to meet. When she came back, she was a lot of arms and a lot of legs, with the rest of her well-covered. She felt confident enough to go outside in this. “Thank you for letting me borrow this.” She wasn’t going to accept it as a gift, not with all the other things on top of it all.

“That looks fabulous on you, Jessica!” Ludmilla cheered her one, “That is just beautiful.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Jessica agreed. The black suited her fine, it matched her hair and accentuated her overall body shape, while concealing details. Perfect for her, she thought.

“Jess, I think this dress was made for you.” Ludmilla began, “I want you to have it. I’ve got dozens of dresses, but this one is all you.”

“I’ll borrow it”, Jessica said. “Not up for debate. I’ve taken so much charity, I can’t possibly take any more. I have to prove my worth first.”

“Not charity, a gift.” Ludmilla said, then changed her mind, “No, it’s payment for the serving job you’re going to do for me and my sister. Not charity, honest wages for honest work. How about that?”

Jessica nodded. “That is acceptable.” And she knew she’d enjoy doing something that helped the two of them reconnect, have a pleasant evening together.

“I knew we’d find middle ground.” Ludmilla said cheerily, almost as happy about Jessica’s makeover as Jessica herself, “You look fabulous, Quark isn’t going to be able to get his lobes off of the ground.”

“Are you sure we won’t be causing too much of a stir?” Jessica asked. “This is appropriate, yes?” Was she exaggerating, or was this something scandalous that only the young should be wearing during their rebellious phases?

“Hell yes!” Ludmilla exclaimed, taking Jessica’s arm, “Come on, girl, we got Hell to raise!”