Girls Night Out II: All Roads Lead

Posted on Sat Apr 14th, 2018 @ 1:08pm by Captain Charybdis MacGregor & Commander Fiona McCray & Commander Yuna Raza & Lieutenant Commander Selune
Edited on on Sat Apr 14th, 2018 @ 1:30pm

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Operation: Risa!
Location: Risa, Roma Arcology
Timeline: 2265

Rome: From Fedepedia, the Federation encyclopedia

Rome was a thriving civilization that began growing on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to become one of the largest empires on ancient Earth.

In its approximately twelve centuries of existence, Roman civilization shifted from a monarchy to an aristocratic republic to an increasingly autocratic empire. Through conquest and assimilation, it came to dominate much of Europe, Asia and Africa. Rome was preponderant throughout the Milky Way as a repetitive region found on many worlds and was one of the most powerful entities of the ancient worlds of many planets. It is often grouped into "Classical Antiquity" together with ancient Greece, and their similar cultures and societies are known as the Greco-Roman worlds.


"Ahhh about 10 minutes I should think and we'll be there - should be pull some kind of surprise?" Yuna asked, not knowing any of the 'bonding' customs of any of these races. Trills were still quite new to Starfleet, the race itself steeped in history but new to this alliance of races.

Fi snorted. "Fruim tha looks oov things she has us planned for tons oov fun, bless her pointy ears," she gave a little shrug. "We kin roll with whatever the planet throws us... tis joost shoreleave," she waved a hand. The monorail slowed for its unscheduled stop.

The doors at either end of their car whooshed open and several heavily armed and armored Risa peacekeepers boarded.
Fi's eyebrows disappeared up under her fringe of red curls.

"Everyone please remain calm," an authoritative yet friendly voice expressed. "This is a simple scanning check. Please do not be alarmed. If you will please remain in your seats, we will continue your journey to your destination as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience. Please enjoy your stay on Risa."

With that the security personnel began moving into the train, obviously looking for something.

Fi sighed and tapped another message to Char "~security check. should be there soon~" She crossed her legs and settled back looking respectably Fleet like.

"Security check my ass," Yuna swore, keeping a keen eye on the burly guards. What the mink was going on?

"Scuse me... Lt Celes, USS Bonne Chance, Chief of Security," Yuna stood up and approached the guard. "Mind telling me what's going on?"

One of the burly security force turned to regard her, then turned to the officer standing in the doorway, who nodded and stepped forward slightly. "Nothing to concern yourself over, Lieutenant. Minor internal security issue... we appreciate your interest and expertise, but we currently have the situation under control. Again, our apologies for the inconvenience." His voice was friendly, but firm.

The guards who weren't blocking the exits moved among the passengers doing spot checks with scanners and asking for identification. The man in gray that Yuna had noticed passed his papers on and declared that he was here on personal business. Fiona and Yuna got passed over because of their fleet uniforms and shiny customs stamps.

"Hmmph!" Yuna returned to her chair with a little huff- she did not liking being brushed off and dismissed. What the heck was a chief of security good for when it wasn't security? Plonking back down she watched the progress of the checks with a critical eye.

"What are they after?" Fi asked, but got no answer from the brooding Security chief, nor did the Risian security force seem particularly forthcoming with details.

A couple of people were pulled for what was apparently outstanding warrants but other than that the guards didn't seem to find anything notable. "We thank you for your cooperation, and again we apologize for the inconvenience we've caused. We hope your plans are not disturbed by this interlude, and do please enjoy your stay on Risa," the security officer in charge announced once more, and with a nod of courtesy to Yuna, he was the last to depart the train.

Once the security force had withdrawn, it returned to skimming along what soon became astoundingly gorgeous scenery. Breathtaking blue water framed by shale mountains and lush tropical jungle slid by at high speed, yet slowly enough to give the passengers an opportunity to marvel at the natural wonders. Waterfalls flowed past the monorail and every window had a spectacular view. Fiona gave a whistle, "Way to go Char!"

The man in gray went back to his paper, ignoring the vistas that flowed past.

Yuna leaned over, "There's something with that dude behind us... I'm telling you," she whispered, making sure no-one else could hear. Ever the subtle one, Fiona turned around to look. "Which one?" she hissed back in Yuna's ear.

"That one... the dude in grey... No, don't look!" she hissed, keeping an eye on him with the corner of her eye. "I'm telling you, there's something weird about it..."

"Oh aye... he's suspiciously readin' a newspaper. Looks like a business man tae me," Fiona shrugged. "I think ye really do need some time off, hon," she gave Yuna a companionable pat on the shoulder and sat back down.

The thought occurred to her that she might possibly be seeing things that really weren't there. "Maybe I do... I haven't had any decent time off barring medical leave in... well, forever," she admitted with a shrug.

"Och... yer a cop," Fiona chuckled. "It's okay, I see engineering everywhere... you see potential bad guys. I bet Selune sees flight vectors... it cuims with tha joobs."

Aside from the stunning views, the train being buzzed by a rather familiar-looking shuttlecraft doing a low-altitude flyby and Fiona bouncing around trying to see everything, things went pretty uneventfully after that.

Arriving at the arcology, the piazza where the shuttle disembarked was partially open air and partially enclosed, but with amazingly high ceilings supported by grand, polished stone columns. Everything had been crafted to look like various shades of marble- some pure white, some blue-veined with lapus lazuli, some with granite worked through and all of it bright and clean and carefully working to create the effect of having arrived in beautiful ancient Rome in its heyday.

Rome was, in Galactic standards, more of an ideal than a place, as at least half a dozen worlds claimed legends of gods of Olympus and places named for them that were remarkably similar... and Rome was a great ancient city found on a number of worlds. But there were always commonalities, and in creating yet another of their themed arcologies, the huge self-contained resorts within the controlled atmospheres that made Risa possible, this one was here to simulate and emulate the epic glory of one of the ancient cities of legend... with all of the modern conveniences one could possibly desire.

Chariots waited to take passengers to potential destinations, with fully artificial horses in front of them that were simple animatronics, while the chariots themselves were hover driven. The buildings were all airy and clean and bright, with amazingly high ceilings supported by worked and carved columns of polished stone. Frescoes adorned many of the walls alongside bas relief carvings of scenes of ancient life and myths, while statuary great and small reproducing famous works of the masters from throughout the galaxy as well as original creations abounded.

Security personnel stood about in Centurion armor that was cleverly disguised battle armor, while the spears that they carried were most likely stun-sticks. Everywhere the Risan natives were clad, either partially or just barely in togas, some with laurel wreaths adorning their crowns, some not. They were easily identifiable by the forehead markings common to Risians, and ideally by their perennial good nature, which had made their hospitality legendary across the galaxy.

Vendor booths were tastefully arranged around the edges of the indoor pavilion which encompassed the entry port, selling everything from 'native' clothing items to small tsotchke style souvenirs such as snow globes, small magnets bearing images of local scenery and logos of Risa and the Rome arcology to statuary of varying size reproducing various famous works. In addition there were wine vendors selling everything from a glass to a barrel, and food vendors of nearly every kind selling easy-to-carry foods on a stick for those looking to sample the exotic local cuisine, or a creative interpretation of 'a taste of Ancient Rome'.

Fiona's discerning eye could see manufacturing lines... yes, it was pretty, but so much of it was an empty shell. The 'marble' columns with their grooves and their cornices at top and bottom were just plascrete columns that had a faux cover overlaid upon them that looked good to the eye, but they were just fakes over the real functional structural work. The flooring was still standard transparent aluminum over top of a thin veneer that had likely been applied to the underside of the standardized decking of most prefabricated structures. In short, it was pretty, but she could see behind the curtain.

Fi gave a little sigh and shrugged it off. She could pretend to believe the illusion for Char's sake- after all, she understood her Vulcan friend well, and she knew how vitally important it was to her making sure that her cohorts enjoyed this weekend. "Woo laird... this place..." She fanned herself as though she felt faint. "It's oover tha' top fabulous, it is..."

In the center of the shuttle station was an enormous statuary fully ten meters high and just as wide, which was surrounded by a fountain. The statuary itself was a depiction of great figures from the many mythologies associated with the various Romes throughout the galaxy. While neither woman was particularly fluent in such antiquities, some things were simply a constant. A water god held a trident, his lower body scaled and bearing the fins of a fish. A god appearing in motion carried a scroll and a caduceus. A beautiful woman smiled at passersby, while a dark and martial god leaned on his great sword and stood watch. A hooded figure bore a staff with skeletal hands, beckoning to passersby. And at the top of the statue stood a massive and powerful god with a long beard, looking paternal and regal, holding lightning bolts in one hand as he pointed to the horizon.

A strapping and handsome young man was holding up a thin piece of slate mounted on a frame of wood. On the black slate in a lettering style that was evocative of the latin 'period' lettering- which was prevalent everywhere one saw any sort of signage- were written the names "Yuna Fi Selune" in what seemed to be white chalk. He appeared to be scanning the crowd visually, apparently hoping to catch a glimpse of someone.

"That looks a little odd, why did she send someone to meet us?" Yuna asked, taking in the beautiful surroundings as they walked along. Man, someone really had designed this place after every girl's favourite fairytale, she imagined. Too bad the Trill fairytales involved slugs and spots.

The engineer gave a snort of laughter and whispered wickedly. "Welcome giftie?" her tone was hopeful. "Cuid be tha'custom here or he cuid joost be our... ah... Chariot driver"

The wee Scot gleefully goggled at the scenery both living and built. "Laird boot they do love ah marble... everythin's chiseled," she said with appreciation. Whether it was about the architecture or a pair of Risan's passing out welcome glasses of 'ambrosia' it was hard to say. Fi turned her attention back to the suspicious Trill. "On Earth it's a custom tae send a driver tae pick people oop at tha transport hubs. Char's spent a lot oov time traveling around Earth so... she probably picked it oop."

She grinned again. "Or... welcome giftie? He is rather pretty..."

"He is rather easy on the eyes," Yuna admitted, heading towards the porter.

"Aye, he is, I wonder where Selune is?" Fiona followed her as they skirted around another prosaic fountain she snagged a couple of the glasses of ambrosia and tried to pass one to the Trill, but Yuna was already moving with a purpose. "Might as well hae the whole experience," she sipped the drink cautiously and then cooed. "Ohhh, fruity and chilled perfect. " She took a sip from the other glass, "Waste not want not..."

She almost ran into Yuna, but pulled herself up short as the security officer approached the man with the sign.

"Looking for us?" she quipped, pointing to the sign he was holding.

The young man gave her a sweeping bow and an appreciative once over. "Are you Yuna or Fiona?" he asked politely, knowing for certain that neither was the Caitian he'd been keeping an eye out for. "I am Adonis, I will be your driver while you are here."

Fiona muffled a giggle with another drink from her two glasses

"We get our own driver?" Yuna raised an eyebrow. Apparently this place certainly was a palace of luxury.

The glowing smile she recieved from the charioteer could melt a heart of ice. "Yes, Miss Yuna, it's all been arranged."

"Well isn't that all hunkey dorey... more hunkey than dorey," Yuna whispered to Fi as they followed the porter to the chariot he was walking towards. The horses, clearly artificial to anyone who 'knew' horses, but completely lifelike to the average person, stood patiently waiting.

"Och...they make me miss home," Fiona gave one of the faux beasties a pat as she passed it.

Adonis took their luggage and led them to one of the 'chariots' in front of the station. Unlike the Roman conveyances it mimicked, these contraptions had comfortable seating and a forcefield that allowed the air in but kept the bugs and wildlife out.

As they pulled away from the station, Yuna had caught another glimpse of the man in the gray suit, standing at a communications kiosk. Evidently Fiona had been right, and the man was nothing to be concerned over. Maybe she was just being too suspicious.

Located in the heart of the arcology amidst world-class shopping, entertainment and the Central Business District, the Empress hotel towered above one of the stunning beaches they'd seen on the way in. They knew this because Adonis was informing them as they traveled through the city.

"One of Risa's tallest hotels, the Empress offers unsurpassed panoramic views of the arcology coupled with every luxury amenity, multiple superbly-designed entertainment facilities and 16 exciting dining and lifestyle choices for a multi-dimensional experience," Fiona read from the guide pages Char had sent them.

"How long are we here for again?" Yuna asked, " I'm sure we're not gonna fit all this in to a few days..."

"Well... we hae at least a week off boot I think we're only here in Rome for 48 hours. Char has plans with that... man uv hers," Fiona's cheeks were getting slightly flushed from the ambrosia. "I guess sleep will be optional if we want to see everything."

Their charioteer was glad to point out and explain every landmark in sight. "That is Olympus, one of the finest nightclubs in the area," he gestured at an opulent black marble building as he took them through the traffic at a comfortable pace for taking in the scenery.

"Nightclubs? Holy spots I haven't been to a nightclub since I was at the academy... and even then I was only getting thrown out of them," Yuna murmured, looking at the scenery as they passed.

"Heh... you'd get along fine with me brothers then. They were always gettin' thrown oot oov places!"

Adonis cleared his throat gently to interrupt.

"We are arrived," he proclaimed as he guided the horses into an open air lobby filled with gigantic palm trees and some of the most realistic man-made water features either women had ever seen.

It looked more like a grotto where nymphs would play rather than a hotel entrance. Adonis told them that in order to engage his services all they needed to do was com 72 and he would be at their disposal, whatever their need might be... which drew a giggle from Fiona. Their baggage was whisked out almost before the horses had stopped moving, and a pair of toga clad individuals of indeterminable gender greeted them in unison

"Welcome to the Empress, please accompany us to check in," they said in perfect harmony, then they turned as one and lead the way in to a vast marble lobby where a hidden orchestra played soothing string-based music.

Fiona peered at the twins then leaned in and whispered "Androids... very lifelike!"

"Androids? Ya reckon?" Celes queried, looking after the new porters. They did seem very... indeterminate.

"Aye... they are," Fiona said quite firmly. "Too perfect"

Check in went swiftly, all they had to do was give their names and collect a pair of keys... real honest to god metal keys on chains of sufficient size to be worn around their necks. "Oh now thet's charming," Fiona said then they discovered that the keys were for the private elevator that would carry them to their lodgings.

"Jaysus," the scot breathed out as the lifts walls cleared so that they could take in the view. As the lift began to rise, they spotted a familiar shuttle parked on the level above the one that they'd just left, bearing the familiar legend of the 1745- Shuttlecraft Jupiter.

"Ha! Shuid have known Selune would take a shuttlecraft. She beat us here, clever kitty!"

The lift went all the way to the top then emitted a soft three note chime that prompted them to use their keys again. This time they were asked to put their palms on the lock pad in order for it to be keyed to them.

Then the lift doors opened, and the duo were definitely not prepared for the sight that greeted them.

 

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