Swan For A Night

Posted on Fri Oct 18th, 2024 @ 11:24am by Lieutenant Katya Davi

1,154 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Prelude to War
Location: Promenade, Empok Nor

Katya Davi arrived at Empok Nor thirty hours before she was to report to her new assignment aboard the USS Valiant. As she'd spent days traveling, she decided to have her gear transported to the ship and spend the day wandering around the station. Even though she didn't have assigned quarters—yet—her orders would be in the computer and whoever was overseeing incoming cargo would know to put her things aside until her quarters were assigned and her belongings could be transferred. She'd done that job herself on multiple occasions. And, if she decided to stay on the station tonight and report in tomorrow, she could simply get a VOQ and buy something to wear. That is, if she found something fun. She wasn't interested in the latest trends. She preferred more classic styles with soft, flowing materials; styles that made her feel and look good.
 
She connected her PADD to the station's computer and scrolled through the list of shops. There were more than she could visit in a week, so she selected a few that were of most interest and went exploring.
 
She began with the places that most appealed to her—and where she was most likely to find something to suit her taste. Namely, books and music. She did note two clothing shops and one that claimed to sell unique jewelry that looked promising. She didn't expect much from the latter, but she hoped to find a couple of books and maybe some new music to add to her playlist.
 
She spent two hours wandering through the various book and music shops, picking up print books to read the backs or check the copyright information. She loved the smell of actual bookshops and could spend hours browsing, but she needed to limit herself today if she hoped to get anything else done. In the music shops, she asked to listen to samples of different music collections, occasionally humming along to a familiar tune.

By lunchtime she had a dozen print books: five histories, five fantasies, and two biographies. They might keep her busy for two or three months, depending on her workload. She often read before going to sleep. It helped her disconnect from her sometimes chaotic day. In addition, she picked up a crystal with seven collections of classical and folk music from Earth, Vulcan, and Betazed. Those would be added to the playlist she occasionally listened to while working or carving.

All of her purchases were sent to the Valiant, hopefully to be stored with the rest of her gear.
 
For lunch, she chose a lovely 20th Century earth diner. The waitress’ hair was set in a bouffant and she occasionally popped her bubblegum as she talked. Katya loved the atmosphere, and the cheeseburger was better than expected. While she ate her french fries, she was entertained watching two small children at a nearby table steal their mother's chicken nuggets whenever the woman looked away. Finally, Katya finished her soda and went to check out the two clothing shops.
 
Not expecting to find much, she wasn't surprised when there was nothing at the first shop she would consider wearing. The colors clashed and the clothes in general looked they were designed by an impressionist. However, the second one, farther off the main thoroughfare, was a pleasant surprise. The front of the shop catered to current fashion, but in the back was a section with clothes that were both lovely and comfortable. Two dresses caught her eyes, one was a long-sleeved, tea-length dress in midnight blue. The style would suit her, but she had no idea where she'd ever wear it. The other was a deep ruby that was Grecian in design. It draped over one shoulder, leaving the other bare. Tiny ruby flowers were embroidered along the edges. It had a slit up one side to facilitate dancing. Again, she wondered when she would ever wear them? She hadn't been on a date in two years and was generally too busy to think about it—if she found anyone who wanted to go out with a woman who spent her time fixing things and playing with knives.
 
Deciding she didn’t want to buy them only to stuff them in the back of a closet until her next transfer, Katya turned her back on the dresses and selected three gem-colored blouses in a heavy silk fabric. Those at least could go with pants, so there was a possibility they’d been worn at some point. She really needed to get out of her uniform from time to time.
 
Once again, she paid for her purchases and had them sent to the ship. Now she wanted to find a quiet place to read or maybe see if the station had an arboretum. She left the shop and pulled out her PADD to see what other options she had. Just then, she received a message, informing her that the senior staff had been invited to get together at Club Neverwinter that evening. As Katya was soon to be part of the senior staff, she was invited. She suspected the invitation came from someone in operations simply because they'd noticed her little shopping trip.
 
She had nothing suitable for a club. She turned to look back at the shop. Not yet, anyway. She tried on the two dresses she'd been eying, then set them aside and went back to find something that would be appropriate for the evening ahead. After trying on five other dresses, she selected a sleeveless sapphire-blue wraparound. When she spun around in front of the mirror, the skirt flared becomingly around her legs. Yes, that would do nicely. She added a slip and shoes, then bought all three dresses, asking that the first two be delivered to the ship.
 
There was still plenty of time to make one more stop. On the way, she arranged for a VOQ with a bathtub. If she was going to spend the night on the station, she wanted to enjoy a real bubble bath. That secured, she bought several pieces of jewelry from the last shop on her list. Part of her felt terrible for buying so much. The books and music were a nice addition and would definitely be used, but she still didn't know where—or if—she'd wear the dresses after tonight. A girl could dream, she thought, smiling to herself.
 
Tonight, she was going to meet the people she'd be working with, and she wanted it to go well. Making a good first impression would help. She always felt more confident when she looked her best. And if she felt completely out of her element, she could go hide in her VOQ and read a book in the bathtub. Regardless of how the night turned out, tomorrow she’d be back in her regulation coveralls, but perhaps, for this one night, she could be a swan.

 

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