AT/D05-14 - Holodecks

[Tyra Crawford]

== Located on Decks 05, 06, and 14, the Holodecks themselves are large rooms equipped with holoemitters, replicators, and field generators. These help to simulate artificial (but realistic) environments for training, entertainment, or even historical/investigative recreations. ==

[Aeryn Miller]

== This is a separate timeline from what's currently going on, and as always, mission posting is a priority :-) ==

== Holodeck - Deck 06 ==

Sometimes Aeryn didn't know whether she preferred Halloween over Christmas; sometimes it was the other way round, but then again both holidays happened to be the redhead's favourites, so really it came down to the effort she put into them. That being said, organising parties or get-togethers for the crew had become an enjoyable hobby for the Science Chief, who wanted to make whatever she planned unique and spectacular, so there was something for everyone to enjoy. Transforming the holodeck was the relatively easy part, usually an amalgamation of themes and inspiration from old Earth, mixed with a sprinkle of personality, resulting in Holodeck 6 looking exactly like the inside of some spooky manor house complete with a graveyard outside.

Some might think it belonged to the Addams Family, and they wouldn't be far off the mark, as it had nooks and crannies for anyone who wanted to sneak off and explore, alongside authentic decorations and a slightly chilled atmosphere, created on purpose for the desired spooky effect. Once her guests arrived, they would be led through to an ornate ballroom by a Lurch-type butler and greeted by bats sweeping the ceiling, candlelight throughout and black lace-covered tables to sit at. To the right-hand side, and continuing the theme, there were tables laden with themed foods and cauldrons containing both alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails.

A Vampire DJ played old Earth songs in the corner overlooking a decent-sized dance floor, and if anyone was so inclined, there were also games available through the small door on the left that would take them to an anteroom overlooking the graveyard, with games such as apple-bobbing, pumpkin toss, cemetery pong, axe-throwing and many more.

To say Aeryn was delighted with how it had turned out would be a slight understatement, as Lurch guided her to the Ballroom in her bespoke Poison Ivy costume. The corseted top and skirt were in a dark green, complete with vines and leaves draped on them, along with tights and heeled boots in the same colour. Aeryn had finished the look with leaves throughout her long, red, curled hair, long gloves and gold jewellery, which she had customised with dark green crystal leaves.

It was different, and that's what Aeryn had been going for, as one of the hologram servers passed by her, carrying a tray of glasses filled with a colourful bubbling liquid, accepting one eagerly, as there had also been a lot of thought into the refreshments and food that would be available until everyone had enough. Now she just had to wait for the others to arrive, excited to see what they would be wearing, as she would love for this to be a success.

== Open Tag ==

[Robin Mayfair]

As the Holodeck door slid open Robin took in the ambiance of the room. Aeryn had gone all out for the party, but before she could truly appreciate everything a huge figure loomed in front of her, pale and dressed in a fancy coat of black. "Thiiiiis waaay," its deep voice rumbled. The nurse was briefly taken aback but followed as the butler led her into the spooky mansion.

Her first Halloween on the Artemis as a Midshipman Robin had gone all out with an elaborate costume involving ghostly holographic effects. She'd borrowed the basics of that costume, retaining the see-through effect generated by a tiny holoemitter in the small of her back, but otherwise she'd skipped the swirling fog and flowing hair of the old ghost bride outfit. Instead she was a ghostly nurse in an old-fashioned uniform. The outfit was daring for the conservative colony-born young woman, torn and showing more skin than she typically did. White face makeup with black around the eyes and tear effects made her look even more unearthly, and her short purple hair was covered in a short white wig in a bob style. The skirt was definitely "Halloween nurse" in appearance and bordered on ridiculously short (at least for her), though she also wore torn tights under it. Beka would have laughed at what Robin considered borderline risqué, but there were limits about how far the CMO would go and this costume rode those limits. Everything was in pale blues and whites save for a red cross on the hat and breast, and the overall effect was washed out by the translucent holographic effect. With 25th century technology you could look like an actual ghost for Halloween!

Music was playing from the manor house as the sinister butler led his ghostly guest through the elaborate front door. She recognized the song... "Dead Man's Party" by Oingo Boingo, a classic. Robin loved old earth rock n' roll and was a walking encyclopedia of the genre.

I'm all dressed up with nowhere to go
Walkin' with a dead man over my shoulder
I'm all dressed up with nowhere to go
Walkin' with a dead man over my shoulder

Waitin' for an invitation to arrive
Goin' to a party where no one's still alive
Waitin' for an invitation to arrive
Goin' to a party where no one's still alive

Very appropriate. And the music wasn't so loud as to be uncomfortable, something the Augment appreciated... though she had a pair of noise-cancelling earbuds in her pocket just in case. She'd learned her lesson a long time ago when it came to parties. People loved really loud music. She understood and would never harsh anyone else's fun, but very loud noise caused her physical pain.

Aeryn was there in an amazing Poison Ivy costume, corset and heels and long red hair. For a moment Robin was jealous of her friend. Aeryn could rock an outfit like that seemingly effortlessly while the CMO had a bit of a complex about her height and skinniness. But it was only a short flash. Robin was surrounded by knockout redheads on this ship, and jealousy was pointless. She was what she was and Aeryn's costume was great. She glided up to her friend, pausing only long enough to ask for a sweet iced tea from a ghostly servant.

"Hi Aeryn! Great atmosphere. I love it!" The ghostly nurse's voice was hollow and distant, as if in a tomb... part of the holographic effect.

== Tag Aeryn and anyone else who shows up! ==

[Aeryn Miller]

It's fair to say Aeryn was a little apprehensive, but not because of the spooky effects and atmosphere. Organising parties and get-togethers had become the norm for the redhead, who relished the task even if it came with a side of nervousness about whether anyone would turn up and if there would be any drama. The latter was something you couldn't really avoid, not even with the best intentions, plus the crew always enjoyed scuttlebutt regardless of who it involved. The smoking cocktail helped the CSO immensely before more people arrived, offering them a warm smile as she recognised those from her department.

Seeing them dressed up in an array of costumes, including Sims as a mad scientist, warmed Aeryn's heart, and she looked forward to catching up with them as they split up to explore, with a couple heading to the anteroom to play games. Some even headed to the dance floor as the Vampire DJ changed songs; Aeryn wasn't familiar with it, but it was appropriate nonetheless.

Taking another sip of her drink, Aeryn decided to wait for the rest of her guests before partaking in any of the activities, before her attention shifted to the ghostly nurse gliding up to her as though she belonged to the programme itself. The effect was clever in its undertaking as Aeryn took a moment or two to realise who was behind the ghostly apparition. When Robin spoke, her tone was different, showing how much effort had been put into her costume.

" Hey Robin, thank you. I'm glad that you do, and great costume by the way; if I hadn't realised it was you, I'd have thought you were part of the programme".

== Tag Robin and anyone else ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

Hallowette had spent far more time preparing for the evening than she cared to admit, although most of that had involved deciding which of the various accessories scattered across her quarters were absolutely essential to the costume she had chosen. The elaborately adorned tricorne hat had been an obvious necessity, as had the boots, the waistcoat, and the rather impressive imitation cutlass hanging from her belt. The small collection of rings and necklaces had required more consideration, particularly when she'd discovered that several of them had a habit of becoming entangled in the elaborate lace cuffs of her shirt. By the time she'd finished, her reflection had looked sufficiently adventurous to satisfy even her rather enthusiastic imagination.

She had chosen to be a pirate, or at least the sort of pirate that appeared in the romanticized adventure stories of old Earth, where daring captains sailed magnificent ships across endless oceans in pursuit of treasure, adventure, and occasionally a handsome stranger. The reality of historical piracy had been rather less appealing when she'd researched it, but Hally had decided there was little reason to allow several centuries of unpleasant historical accuracy to interfere with a perfectly good costume.

Besides, she was fairly certain the cutlass made her look particularly daring.

The holodeck doors opened to reveal something altogether different from the cheerful celebration she had been expecting. Hallowette stopped just inside the entrance, her teal-grey eyes widening as she took in the gloomy interior of the manor house. Aeryn had evidently outdone herself, transforming the familiar holodeck into something that might have been lifted directly from one of the gothic stories Hally had encountered during her studies of Earth literature. It was magnificent, in a rather unsettling sort of way, and she was still admiring the architecture when an enormous figure emerged from the shadows.

"Thiiiiis waaay."

Hally looked up. And then a little farther up.

"Oh shit!" she exclaimed, one hand instinctively settling upon the hilt of her very obvious prop cutlass before she caught herself. The enormous butler regarded her with an expression that suggested he had seen far stranger things than a diminutive pirate aboard a Starfleet vessel. Recovering quickly, she offered him a cheerful smile and a little flourish of her hat. "Thank you, good sir! Yeh be most obliging!" Her naturally Franco-sounding accent made a rather peculiar companion to her enthusiastic attempt at sounding like a pirate.

She followed him into the ballroom, where her attention was immediately captured by the remarkable spectacle awaiting her. Bats swept overhead, candlelight flickered across the walls, and somewhere beyond the gathered guests a musician dressed as a vampire was providing an accompaniment that seemed perfectly suited to the surroundings. Hally turned slowly as she walked, taking everything in with the delighted curiosity that had made exploring unfamiliar places one of her favourite occupations since childhood. The graveyard visible through the windows was particularly impressive, although she found herself wondering whether Aeryn had programmed anything to emerge from it.

She desperately hoped so, though preferably something that wouldn't actually try to eat anyone.

It didn't take long to spot their hostess, whose elaborate green costume was immediately recognizable, even to someone whose knowledge of ancient Earth popular culture remained a little uneven. Hally had encountered Poison Ivy during one of her occasional excursions into the ship's entertainment library, although she suspected the character would have been far more dangerous to meet in person than the naturally beautiful Aeryn appeared to be. The figure standing beside her was another matter entirely. Hallowette recognized Robin only after a second look, the ghostly transparency of her costume proving remarkably convincing.

"Cap'n Hallowette the Bloody, at your service!" she announced brightly as she approached the pair, removing her oversized hat with an enthusiastic flourish and offering an exaggerated bow. Unfortunately, the movement caused the bare cutlass hanging from her belt to swing forward, its curved blade catching awkwardly in the folds of the overlong crimson sash at her waist. A moment of rather undignified adjustment followed before she managed to straighten, recovering with a grin that suggested the minor betrayal of her equipment had done nothing to diminish her enthusiasm.

"She settled the hat back upon her auburn curls, looking between the two women with obvious delight. "Aeryn, this is absolutely wonderful! And Robin, you look incredible! How are you doing that?"

The question was accompanied by an interested glance at the doctor's translucent form, and for a moment Hally seemed almost ready to begin investigating the technology behind the illusion. Then she remembered the occasion, and the fact that she was supposed to be a fearsome pirate captain rather than an inquisitive Starfleet officer. Drawing herself up to her full, not particularly intimidating height, she hooked a thumb into her belt and adopted what she imagined was a suitably menacing expression.

"Uhm, avast ye! Where be the grog, ye lily-livered spooks? This cap'n be feelin' a bit parched, I says!"

[Robin Mayfair]

"Hey Robin, Aeryn responded. "Thank you. I'm glad that you do, and great costume by the way; if I hadn't realised it was you, I'd have thought you were part of the programme."

Robin smiled. "Thanks. That's what I like to hear. Halloween's my favorite holiday and I always go a little overboard on the costumes."

The truth was that the semi-anonymity of Halloween costumes always loosened her inhibitions a little. It was if she could slip a bit into a different identity, one not quite as worried about what people thought. Her outfit would have been scandalous on Iota Tau, not for the holographic effects (which were well beyond their technology level) but for the shortness of the skirt and the skin it showed. And even in the wider Federation Robin found herself unwilling to completely break out of her shell. In a society where nudity was barely an issue the young woman wouldn't even wear a bikini when swimming. Modesty was just too deeply ingrained in her. And when the party was over she'd be back to her usual blouses and dresses.

But for now? It was time to have fun. Another crew member approached as Robin spoke to her friend. A young woman barely taller than the nurse, in an elaborate pirate costume with much jewelry, complete with cutlass.

"Cap'n Hallowette the Bloody, at your service!" She flourished her hat, bowed, then struggled as the weapon got caught for a second before correcting. Robin unsuccessfully tried to stifle a laugh. "Aeryn, this is absolutely wonderful! And Robin, you look incredible! How are you doing that?"

Hally slipped back into character. "Uhm, avast ye! Where be the grog, ye lily-livered spooks? This cap'n be feelin' a bit parched, I says!" Robin laughed again.

Fortunately at that point a ghostly servant glided up and offered the nurse the tea she'd requested. Southern style to match Robin's accent, which meant ice cold and sweet enough to melt teeth. The young woman pointed at the servant. "He should be able to help you, Cap'n Hally. Ask for whatever you like. Rum?" As she spoke with her hollow voice she picked the glass up from the tray, it becoming as translucent as her form as the holographic effect passed over it.

She turned around and indicated the small of her back with her free hand. "Holoemitter taped there." It was just barely visible if one looked carefully. "I had a friend in Engineering whip it up for me. It's like the isolation suits they use to spy on developing cultures, but since it only deflects part of the light it can be smaller. This one also taps into the Holodeck itself and uses its systems so it only works when we're here."

The first one she'd used a couple years ago had been the size of Aeryn's corset, was extremely uncomfortable, and had a battery life limited to two hours. That party, her first, had been in the lounge, and it had been a wipeout for Beka. A breakup with her boyfriend of the time and a complete dismissal by Cera Morgan. Robin had enjoyed it, but her friend's pain and humiliation soured the memory. This would be a better time, she was determined.

This emitter was the size of an old handheld communicator and would last for almost six hours. And it was much, much more comfortable to wear. Like the first costume she could control its features through a ring she was wearing. A double tap turned the voice effects on and off, and a press-and-hold turned the effect off entirely if it got to be a pain.

"If you can't go crazy for Halloween when can you, right?"

== Tags Aeryn and Hally ==

[Aeryn Miller]

Robin's response was instant, and Aeryn couldn't help but smile, especially when she learned that Halloween was the CMO's favourite hobby, and why she always went a little overboard with costumes. " I think that's great, as it's one of my favourites too". For someone like Aeryn, dressing up was something she could always remember, especially growing up on Tamanga III or whenever she visited Earth, and it had continued into her adult life; she could never pass up the opportunity to do so. It also never ceased to amaze the redhead how she was constantly learning new information about her friends, and she appreciated the effort that had been made thus far.

She was about to say something else to Robin when Hally joined them, dressed as a pirate complete with a cutlass. The arrival of the pilot was well-timed, and knowing how much her friend loved languages, it wasn't a surprise to hear her speak pirate, even if she suffered a slight mishap shortly after. Hally quickly recovered before enquiring about where to get a drink, her words succeeding in making Robin laugh as one of the ghostly wait staff appeared with the CMO's drink.

Robin answered Hally, which Aeryn then confirmed with a nod, before the ghostly nurse explained how she'd achieved her elaborate set-up; Aeryn thought it was very clever and gave her some inspiration for next year.

" I like it, and you've given me some ideas for next year", she said, agreeing with Robin about going crazy at Halloween.

" Exactly, and why I went with this programme, well, it's a mix of programmes, but I'm really happy with how it turned out".

To further prove her point, ghostly apparitions appeared overhead, floating with ease as though they didn't have a care in the universe, except one or two who got closer to some of the guests, scaring them intentionally.

== Tags ==

[Mara Calleja]

Mara approached the holodeck. She paused at the door, and checked her reflection in the glossy panel.

Her costume was something of a collaboration. The original idea had been Counsellor Kuik’s, in an attempt to get Mara to wear something out of her comfort zone and therefore not completely covering and baggy. Mara herself had made a few tweaks and then she’d called on Beka Sydesh to help with the final version, calling in one of the many favours the redhead owed her.

The Valkyrie outfit channelled one of the main reference points, Tessa Thompson’s character from the early 21st century movies. The trousers and vest top were a light grey, and the silver scaled metal armour that wrapped her torso had taken an age to get right. She wore dark brown knee-high boots that featured ornate shin plates in the same silver, and a pair of sheathed short swords hung from a big leather belt around her wide hips. A calf-length ultramarine blue cape hung from her shoulders.

Heavy muscles shifted under caramel brown skin as Mara went bare-armed. Combined with her wide shoulders, it actually made her look more powerful and imposing. She had the definition and tone to make a bodybuilder weep, the product of all the long hours in the gym and a punishing fitness regime. She never showed much of anything but at the counsellor’s urging, she’d relented here.

Her hair was braided and swept across to the left, falling over her left shoulder, and the bare right side of her head now bore a stylised (and temporary) Norse wolf tattoo The outfit was completed by silver warpaint across her forehead and cheekbones, and heavy patches around her eyes that started black but faded to lighter blues at the edges.

Eventually the Security Chief hit the button to open the door and stepped in. When the giant figure in the suit stepped out behind her, Mara didn’t flinch. She looked around as she followed him through the house, quietly impressed by the attention to detail. She’d seen Addams Family movies and a lot of the various interpretations over the years. This place was the best of those ideas distilled down into one building.

As the two stepped out into the ballroom and the Frankenbutler withdrew, Mara headed for the drinks table and picked herself up a giant mug of non-alcoholic fruit punch before looking around. Seeing her friends, she headed over.

"Exactly, and why I went with this programme, well, it's a mix of programmes, but I'm really happy with how it turned out,” Aeryn was saying.

“So ya should be. Looks amazin’,” Calleja said as she joined the group. She took a moment to look over the costumes and grinned.

“Sorry Robin, hard to see ya there. The holo-effects are so cool. Cap’n Hally! Hat needs to be bigger, though you’re rockin’ tha’. An’... Poison Aeryn? Ya gonna make yer exes even greener than that outfit if they show up.”

== Tags all! ==

[Robin Mayfair]

The costume Mara had chosen turned her from a figurative Valkyrie into a literal one. It resembled the 21st century movie character without being a replica and showed quite a bit of inventiveness... and skin. Robin wasn't sure she'd ever seen the Security Chief with bare arms. She always wore a uniform or something baggy, and Robin had never pried why. The nurse was the last person who would do given her predilection for covering up. She clearly wasn't showing off or trying to be sexy, but the effect was a bit intimidating and reminded the CMO of the vast size difference between the two of them. Armor, a cape, a pair of short swords, all she was missing was a winged Pegasus... and the holodeck could always provide that.

“So ya should be. Looks amazin’,” The Valkyrie said with a grin. “Sorry Robin, hard to see ya there. The holo-effects are so cool. Cap’n Hally! Hat needs to be bigger, though you’re rockin’ tha’. An’... Poison Aeryn? Ya gonna make yer exes even greener than that outfit if they show up.”

That got a laugh out of Robin. Aeryn was model beautiful and her Poison Ivy costume broadcast it to the world. The young woman half-expected Batman to show up and start trading one-liners with the Science Chief. She wondered how good Aeryn's skill at monologuing was.

"Great outfit, Mara," Robin said in her sepulchral voice. "That must have taken a lot of work." Truth was she didn't have Mara figured for a Halloween type, but she mentally kicked herself and reminded herself that the Amazonian woman had been responsible for an incredible Christmas party. And if Calleja had decided to cut loose like the rest of them then she was all for it.

The ghostly nurse put her drink on a nearby tray and made a show of moving around the Valkyrie to inspect her outfit. She was almost gliding, her movements graceful, eerie and just a little off in a way that was difficult to pin down but meant to be unearthly. She'd watched more than a few ghost vids and practiced in her quarters. It was a silly use of her abilities, but what was the point of being a genetic oddity if you couldn't have fun with it?

"Very good. You shall take many to the afterlife tonight."

== Tag all ==

[Tes Th’etellis]

Tes knew how important celebrations were to humans. They had celebrations for everything, after all. At least one in every season. They even had a holiday for something called “Labour Day”, which Tes assumed meant they would work extra hard, but instead, they called off work. Odd, but Tes wasn’t one to judge.

And for that reason, when he heard of the Halloween party in the Holodeck, he went, despite his anti-social nature. If it was important to them, he would go.

He, in fact, had read up on the human celebration of Halloween, and knew a bit about it when he showed up at the doors of the Holodeck. He knew humans dressed up as all kinds of things: fictional characters, inanimate objects, animals, celebrities. Usually, they were people or things they admired.

So, Tes had replicated a bright red shirt with a black tie and grey slacks, and slicked his hair and temporarily dyed it black, and showed up at the door as Florian Schneider of Kraftwerk, an old Earth synth band he admired.

Also when reading about Halloween, Tes learned about the human tradition of attempting to scare people during this holiday. No matter. What he read about wasn't scary; misplaced souls were not scary, unless they had a vengeance. And mythical creatures? Nothing compared to the mythical beasts of Andorian folklore. So this would be a breeze, right?

Except the moment Tes stepped inside, he felt immediately uneasy. He took small unsure steps inside, until…

"Thiiiiis waaay."

His knees buckled under him and he kept himself from screaming, but he gulped hard and nodded.

“Yes, yes, uh, thank you, sir…”

He followed sheepishly behind the butler, eyes flitting back and forth between guests and ghosts, his legs trembling with every step.

Once inside the ballroom, a ghostly apparition dived down at him and he cowered almost immediately. Once it passed, he stood and pretended like it didn’t happen.

He moved around backwards in a terrified skulk, his heart racing. This was a lot harder than he thought. His eyes went from one guest to the next to another to the eerie decorations.

While walking backwards, he bumped into someone. And turning around he came face to face with a ghost nurse. His antennae stood up pin straight and he leapt back, letting out one small shriek… before he fell silent upon realising who it was, at which point, he covered his mouth with his hand and turned bright blue.

He straightened up and pulled his hands to his chest, clearing his chest and speaking meekly.

“Oh, good evening, Robin. Um… fun Halloween party.”

== Tag Robin and anyone at the party! ==

[Ardanna Svenson]

At first, Ardanna wasn't sure if she wanted to attend Commander Miller's party or not, but following a conversation with Ollie, the brunette decided it might actually be a lot of fun. Besides, it wasn't as if she didn't like Halloween; quite the opposite, really, given her family's history and the stories about being descended from witches. So when it came to choosing her costume, Ardanna knew exactly what she wanted, and couldn't wait to show it off. To achieve her witch look, Ardanna had opted for a long black and purple medieval-style dress, complete with long trumpet sleeves and a corset. She then finished the outfit with black lace-up boots and a matching authentic hat, along with dramatic makeup and a broom replicated just before she left her quarters.

Feeling good and happy about her choice, Ardanna made her way to the holodeck, not flinching an inch when greeted by the rather imposing-looking butler. She had to admit that the setting was perfectly spooky, delighted rather than scared of the floating ghosts or the headless horseman gliding through the unsuspecting crowd on his way to the graveyard and beyond. The Ensign quickly spotted their host and a number of other people she recognised, specifically her boss and Hally.

She would, of course, go over and say hi at some point, but for now Ardanna wanted to explore a little, indulge and have a good time as she accepted a goblet of some sparkly-looking beverage that tasted divine once she'd sampled her potion. Although she could never resist a good song or the dance floor, when I Put A Spell On You began to play, indicating to her companion to join her as she downed the rest of her drink, and headed in the direction of the Vampire DJ.

[Aeryn Miller]

Mara was next to make their party entrance, and Aeryn had to admit that her friend looked amazing. The detail in the Valkyrie costume was everything and more, which made the science chief suspect that she'd called in a favour or two. Not that she expected anything less from the Amazonian security chief, or the effort put into such an outfit. It showed just how much more confident she'd become compared to all of those months ago when Aeryn had helped her with her wardrobe. As always, Mara was full of compliments with her usual wit and teasing nature, something Aeryn appreciated, especially the part about making her exes jealous.

" Exactly what I was going for", she said, grinning after Robin had complimented Mara's outfit before giving it the once-over and her approval. " I agree it's a fantastic outfit; I love how much effort everyone has put in".

It appeared as though Robin's Middie Tes had, to put it mildly, fallen victim to the spookiness, bumping into Robin in the process. Sure she'd gone to great lengths to make this party as authentic as possible, but she did feel somewhat sorry that he'd been scared out of his wits. He engaged his superior as expected, and in time Aeryn hoped he would be comfortable enough to join in with their conversation as Svenson arrived and made a beeline for the dancefloor.

Aeryn had to admit the song was one of her favourites, but she wasn't about to leave the group just yet, while the headless horseman was doing a grand job of scaring the partygoers, it seemed that the additional entertainment wasn't about to stop anytime soon.

" If you like the ghosts now, wait till you see what's going to happen in the graveyard later".

== Tag all ==

[Robin Mayfair]

Robin had gotten so distracted by Mara's costume and the music that she didn't even notice the Andorian before he bumped into her. He let out a small shriek and turned deep blue, his people's blush mechanism. 

I'm losing my touch. 

“Oh, good evening, Robin. Um… fun Halloween party.”

The nurse tried to stay in character and remain a terrifying ghost. She really tried. She just couldn't manage it, and let out a laugh that probably sounded even more sinister with the voice effects. "Sorry, I wasn't making fun of you, Tes. It was just your reaction... it was what I was going for." 

The medic was dressed in a peculiar red shirt, had slicked back black hair. The gray slacks, the black tie, Robin put it together instantly. Kraftwerk wasn't to her taste, but she was familiar with the 20th century band and had heard their music. "Kraftwerk, right? I've seen one of their videos." 

It was interesting that the Andorian was into ancient earth music, but it wasn't unusual. One of her Academy instructors, Doctor T'Lera, had been absolutely obsessed with human rock and roll from that era and the young augment had spent many a happy afternoon discussing music with the Vulcan. If anything the doctor was one reason she'd branched out from the bluegrass and rockabilly she'd previously listened to and played into broader musical tastes. And besides, Robin was actually fairly familiar with Andorian music, especially the 24th Century Cha-Zenn style popular in the equatorial regions of that world. 

"Credit Aeryn for the party. She's done a great job!" The ghostly nurse indicated Poison Ivy. 

"If you like the ghosts now, wait till you see what's going to happen in the graveyard later," the Science officer responded. 

"Now that I'm looking forward to!" 

== Tag all ==

[Ardanna Svenson]

There was just something about dancing that gave Ardanna an extra sense of freedom, the type of freedom that only those close to the security officer got to see. When on duty, yes, she could share the odd joke, listen to and join in with gossip, but those moments were usually saved for when she wasn't running drills or upgrading equipment or doing other important tasks that needed her full attention. Her job always came first, a mantra that had stayed with her since her early days on the freighter, but that didn't mean Ardanna couldn't enjoy herself or have fun- quite the opposite, really, because life was far too short.

There was a time to be serious and a time to let go, and this party was the latter, as the brunette stayed for another song. Becoming lost in the rhythm of the beat, not caring who saw or heard as she sang along. After all, what was the point if you didn't sing along? For someone like Ardanna, it showed how much she'd changed, no longer hiding behind her strong façade, at least when she didn't need to, and so far she was having a blast.

Even the myriad of ghostly apparitions did little to make her jump or scare her, despite one black-clad skeleton taking an interest in her, causing Ardanna to laugh rather than run away in fright. Commander Miller had done well with the amount of spookiness, something the Ensign appreciated regardless of whether it scared her completely. Once the song finished and the skeleton moved on to its next victim, Ardanna decided to head to the refreshment tables, choosing one of the cauldron cocktails while also filling a plate with the delicious looking themed foods, as she might as well indulge and ensure she had plenty of energy for more dancing and/or taking part in the games later.

[Mara Calleja]

"Great outfit, Mara," Robin said in her sepulchral voice. "That must have taken a lot of work."

"I agree it's a fantastic outfit; I love how much effort everyone has put in," Aeryn echoed.

“Thanks. An’... Well. Most o’ the effort wasn’t mine. Yer chief doctor finally started payin’ back some o’ those debts she owes,” Mara replied with a grin. “I’m a big believer in usin’ the skills o’ people who are better at things than I am. She’s got a great eye fo’ this stuff. Don’t tell her I said tha’ though.” The grin widened.

There was a strangled squeak as an Andorian appeared, and greeted Mayfair. The Security Chief didn’t recognise him but figured it was a safe bet he was one of the Medical staff.

There’s a joke there ‘bout him managin’ to find the absolute smallest person in the room an’ blunder straight into her, but from the look o’ him he’d probably shit himself if I started in on him. I’ll leave him to Robin’s actual tender mercies.

"If you like the ghosts now, wait till you see what's going to happen in the graveyard later," the hostess teased.

"Now that I'm looking forward to!" Robin joined in.

“Go on then,” Mara said. “Be a novelty fo’ me lately. A stack o’ bodies an’ it wasn’t anythin’ to do wi’ me how they got there.” She pulled her lips back in a feral smile at the dark joke.

[Aeryn Miller]

Mara confirmed that she'd had help with her costume after accepting both Aeryn's and Robin's compliments about her outfit. While the CSO and Beka weren't exactly the best of friends, having not spoken properly since their surprise breakup, she didn't blame Mara for calling in favours. It wasn't as if Aeryn had avoided Beka, at least not intentionally; in fact, she'd been quite civil when she'd last seen the Doctor, but things were still a little raw, and hopefully that would change the more time she spent around her ex. Perhaps tonight would be the icebreaker they needed, assuming Beka would attend. For now, though, Aeryn was happy to keep Mara's secret and told her as such.

" I won't; your secret is safe with me".

Robin took the time to reassure Tes, while also guessing his costume, which triggered something in Aeryn's memory about the band, although the redhead couldn't quite place where she'd heard them before. Mara remained silent, no doubt not wanting to scare him further, as Robin paid Aeryn another compliment, which Aeryn acknowledged by raising her glass to Tes, offering the Andorian medic a warm smile.

As for the surprise planned for later, Aeryn grinned as Robin and Mara approved of what was to come, with Mara even joking about it, which only made Aeryn grin more, because she knew exactly what it was about. She only hoped it would live up to her friends' expectations, but there was still plenty of time, and it wasn't worth the extra stress, since everyone seemed happy enough with what she'd already provided.

" Haha, yeah, Mara, I'll admit to feeling the pressure a little bit, but I'm confident that you'll all enjoy it", she admitted, knowing she could be honest with her friends.

After everything they'd been through lately, Aeryn was well aware of how tonight needed to go well, and for the subsequent gossip to be positive rather than negative, as long as it remained a success.



== Tag all ==