What Was and Might Be II

Posted on Sat Nov 12th, 2022 @ 10:57pm by Lieutenant Commander Lyra Cassiel & Lieutenant Commander Andrei Petrov
Edited on on Sat Nov 12th, 2022 @ 10:59pm

Mission: In-Between (S1:E3-S1:E4)
Location: Holodeck 2
Timeline: Mission Day 28 at 2130
2673 words - 5.3 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

"It is just a reminder of the things I missed out on being used as a pawn in this whole power play against the Ivers' family... and it makes me angry." She looked back to Andrei then and gave him a slight smile, running her thumb over the backs of his fingers. "But I am thankful that you've prepared this for me so thoughtfully. I know it must have taken quite a bit of time and effort, and I love it."

“I understand. You have every right to be angry. I’m angry for what they’ve done to you.” He said, seeming quite genuine in his choice of words. “I vow to erase their names from history one day. we will.”

He watched as the exuberant waitress brought a tray with steaming plates in. Smiling, she set them down in front of them and turned to leave, bouncing away with energy in her step.

“For now, though, pretend it’s all settled. I want you to have a wonderful night with me.”

He really would be angry if he even knew a glimpse of it, but not just at the Ivers family. Still, it was not the time to dwell on it now and Lyra knew it. He had gone through a great deal of effort to make this for her and it was not something that had gone unnoticed. “How could I not have a wonderful night with you when you’ve created something so lovely just for me?” She smiled at him, the expression genuine. “Thank you, Andrei.”

Andrei offered a smile. It was surprising how warm and gentle they could be toward each other, and how heartless they could be with others. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it for a moment before turning to his food and grabbing his utensils.

The two drifted into a mix of companionable silences and conversation. An expensive pinot noir was brought out to them to pair with their dinners. They spoke of nothing and anything; happenings on the ship, wine, stories of court past and present. It was organic and flowed easily between them. Easier than either would have thought it might, most likely. Eventually they finished what they wanted of their meals and were left sipping on wine and admiring the view.

“That was just as delicious as I remember.” Lyra said and took another sip of her wine. Her eyes were looking out at the water again, but one hand moved to find his on the table again.

Andrei looked out at the water again as it billowed and rolled over itself on the beach below. He had designed the program to be unintrusive in this mode, so even the conversations and music in the background were readable, quiet, and sufficiently mundane so that they wouldn’t be distracted from each other. A shame the real world couldn’t be like a Holodeck.

“I’m interested in hearing what you’d like to do next.” He said toward her quietly, his eyes drifting down her dress again and admiring her beautiful appearance. “But first, we’re going to dance.”

He stood up, a grin on his face, and held his hand out to her, preparing to take her to the dance floor.

“You know the tango, don’t you, My Lady?”

"I love tango, it speaks volumes more than a simple waltz." Lyra stated factually as she took his hand and stood. Thankfully for her, court dancing had been one of the things she had actually enjoyed enough herself to pursue recreationally. She may not have had a firm grasp on the current who's who of the court, but she most definitely had a strong grasp of the popular music and dances. Dancing had even been one of the first things she had done when she left her former "life" behind and embraced this new face and body.

"It takes a strong leader to guide a proper tango." She noted, then turned into him slightly so she could touch his chest. "I am in very good hands." Giving him a smile, she released his hand as they moved onto the dance floor. Taking a deep breath, she turned and approached him again. Stopping quite close but not quite touching him, he could easily catch the scent of what she was wearing, that spicy, almost earthy bouquet which was very much her. As the sound of a cavaquinho picked up in a simple melody, she watched as Andrei lifted his right hand up to her side but didn't touch her until she lifted her hands - an acceptance of his invitation. She lifted her right hand to place in his left, while her left arm slowly slid around his shoulders, though it was his right hand on her back that had pulled her against him.

She exhaled gently against the soft skin under his ear, and he felt her body melting into his, submitting to his lead. The embrace.

As soon as they’d stood on the dance floor, the gentle guitar music had begun to play, sweet, understated, and sultry, and every conversation on the balcony stopped as the holograms turned to watch them with rapt attention. Andrei held her left hand in a waltz, but the movements otherwise were gradual and smooth. He loved his left leg out to the side, sliding his dark blue dress shoe across the floor, as did she. Move by move, they seemed to draw patterns on the floor with their feet. Their heads were side by side, and her perfume mixed pleasantly with his cologne.

Lyra followed Andrei's lead with practiced skill and natural ease. She hadn't been exaggerating when she had told him she loved to tango - she loved to dance. There was no hesitation to the placement of her feet, the movement of her hips, or the placement of her hands. Each step, cross, and pivot were done with precision. Quick boleos added an enticing flair to the crosses and pivots. Her legs slid over and around his in intimate hooks and touches, and on the occasion they made eye contact, it was as intense and intimate before they returned to their heads simply being close, though their eyes didn't meet. He never had to force her to move for him, she responded to his slightest touch because she trusted his lead. It was easy to see for their guests, and Andrei would be able to feel her submission in his own hands.

Andrei understood the depth of her skill as he led her in the dance. He was and had always been a talented dancer, and he often featured in the dances of the Imperial Court. She hadn't been around for that, of course, but he was sure he'd been caught on film for just that at some points in his life. He shifted his weight to his right and extended his left leg to the side. Slowly, he stepped with her and then stepped forward three times, prompting her to step quite elegantly backwards and to the side. When they arrived, they paused. He felt the heartbeat in her chest pressed near to his and felt the fabric of her regal dress against his own suit. He angled his chest to the right and then stepped in that direction then, resetting them.

As they moved into another molinete, Lyra continued to move with unimpeachable grace. When Andrei would push her feet during the sacada she responded with ease, sliding and stopping exactly where needed. When his leg came down to block her path during a pasada, she lifted her own to step over but not before dragging her foot in an enticing way just briefly against his ankle. She pivoted back into him, briefly looking up into his eyes and then away once more. She certainly knew how to bring a deep sensuality to her part of this dance. Certainly any flesh and blood crowd would have been just as mesmerized by the couple as the holograms were now. Finally, the music found its conclusion and the last of their steps came with it.

Lyra stood still with Andrei; her body was pressed against his and she remained in the dance embrace while he held her. She took a moment in the stillness to just breathe him in, enjoying the scent of his cologne and conditioners mixing together; he was warm and she could feel his heart beating slightly quicker but still steadily in his chest. Her own body was slightly warmed all over, but certain areas a bit more than others which showed she had very much enjoyed being so close to him and dancing such a sensual dance with him. She looked up to him then and gave him a warm smile while placing her fingertips lightly on his cheek.

His ocular implant allowed him to see the details of her heat as certain parts of her body were red and orange in color. While his natural eye saw naturally, and observed the slight heaving of her chest. He was also electrified and felt emotional arousal as well as one of a more physical nature. He pulled her slowly from the dance floor and back to their table, but stood next to it rather than sitting down.

“Well that was fun, wasn’t it?” He asked with a smile that signaled interest. “Now the sky is the limit here. This party, the rooms of this mansion, the city, and the ocean. What does your heart desire?”

For the first time since they had been catapulted into the delta quadrant months ago, Lyra found herself desiring home; to be there with him and to conquer this place, these people. Unfortunately, there were just some things that couldn't be so easily given. She looked around to her options, considering them for a moment and then squeezing his hand.

"Why don't we go inside for a little while, then." Andrei was obviously quite proud of what he had created for her and rightfully so. She figured going inside would allow him to show her more of what he had done given he would have likely decorated the interior as well.

Andrei took her by the hand and offered a satisfied expression. He was eager to show her the inside. He had spent a few hours, scattered over about a week, designing most of the rooms based on limited records, standards of their class and the location, and his keen knowledge of Imperial Style and art. He was satisfied that what he came up with was an excellent guess of what they would find in such a place.

He moved with her past the crowds and through the door into the building, stepping down a staircase made with cherry wood and silver railings, offering her his help down them.

"Do you remember anything in particular about this place? I'd love to hear how it compares with the real thing as you remember it."

Taking his hand, Lyra walked down the steps while she considered his question. Her memories of this place were still hazy, but less so when they had first arrived. "I remember the library that doubled as my papai's study. He was there often and while my brother and I weren't really supposed to bother him, he would never get angry when I would sneak away from my governesses to come and find him. He'd usually sit me on his lap and read to me for a while before I was eventually found out. I also remember our music suite; we would practice in there often and it was one of the most common places to find my mother."

“Well, I did take some time in the library, though there was no way for me to be sure about the details when your family owned this place. Still, I curated and did what I could.” Andrei said, walking with her down the well-illumined hallway for a way. “Part of me wishes we were seeing the real thing.”

“We will one day. I don’t know if it will be the same from what I remember - who knows what was done to it - but we can restore it to what it was. Or make it our own.” She didn’t look at Andrei when she said it, so it wasn’t entirely clear if it was something said off the cuff without really thinking about the implication or if she had said it with purpose. Her face betrayed nothing. They moved down the long hallway appointed nicely with various pieces of art which she did look at and appreciate but didn’t stop to ponder the deeper meanings of or look at the details. They had a goal now and could do that later.

Finally they arrived outside of the study’s door and Lyra paused for a moment, looking at the fine wood and running her fingers over it. It wasn’t exact, but it was close enough to ping the memory for her to even know that. She moved her hand over to the wall panel and touched it. The door slid open and she felt Andrei let go of her hand so she could step inside. As she moved in, her eyes were immediately drawn to the massive window in the back of the office that overlooked the sea outside. Her eyes then moved around to the shelves lining the room, mahogany inlaid with decorations of ebony. They were beautiful in their own right, but it was the rows and rows of books that sat on them that were truly lovely. All leather bound and crafted to perfection just as her papai had liked. The spines offered pops of color and glitters of gold and silver with the lettering on them. The desk in the middle was pure ebony wood with carved designs around the edge that were also inlaid with gold. The chair was a rich crimson leather sat on a matching ebony frame.

Lyra moved through the study, saying nothing but wearing a pleased smile. She pulled out one of the books and opened it, her fingers running over the fine pages. She was a very tactile oriented person and that had been something very obvious to Andrei; it carried over outside of the bedroom. Closing the book, she went over to the desk and pulled the chair back slightly to look at it and the empty desk. Finally, she looked to Andrei directly.

“This is magnificent, darling.”

“Yes,” he agreed, observing the details of the room as she was. His hand was resting on a giant globe which came up to his waist from the floor with ebony waters and raised golden continents. The most beautiful planet in the universe. He had contrived it, basing it on the colors and furniture already in the room. “I have often escaped to lavish places like this one on the holodeck, hoping for a break from the dreariness of the life of a space-soldier. Those metal walls, those cold blue esthetics, they get quite confining. It’s not every day we can visit a planet, and when we do, it’s one like Anorra…commercial. And full of all kinds of alien vermin. This is much nicer.”

He came around her then, looking out of the window and watching figures moving by the beach.

“I long to make my place in this world, not among others.” He said, seeming lost for a bit.

Lyra was quiet, her attention on Andrei as he inspected his own handiwork and spoke. She could understand where he was coming from; he was a man used to living a life of opulence and this was certainly not that. As he looked out of the window, she slid an arm around his waist and leaned in to speak softly, intimately into his ear.

"You will make the world, darling, not simply find your place in it."

TBC