Girls Night Out XXVIII: Finale

Posted on Mon May 28th, 2018 @ 9:17pm by Captain Charybdis MacGregor & Commodore Raul Mizumoto & Commander Fiona McCray & Commander Yuna Raza & Lieutenant Commander Selune
Edited on on Mon May 28th, 2018 @ 9:25pm

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Operation: Risa!
Location: Risa, Roma Arcology, Empress hotel penthouse suite
Timeline: 2265

Denouement: From Fedepedia, the Federation encyclopedia

The denouement comprises events between the falling action and the actual ending scene of the drama or narrative and thus serves as the conclusion of the story. Conflicts are resolved, creating normality for the characters and a sense of catharsis, or release of tension and anxiety, for the reader. Etymologically, the French word denouement is derived from the Old French word desnouer, "to untie", from nodus, Latin for "knot." Simply put, denouement is the unraveling or untying of the complexities of a plot.

The comedy ends with a denouement (a conclusion) in which the protagonist is better off than at the story's outset. The tragedy ends with a catastrophe in which the protagonist is worse off than at the beginning of the narrative. Exemplary of a comic denouncement is the final scene of Shakespeare's comedy As You Like It,in which couples marry, an evildoer repents, two disguised characters are revealed for all to see, and a ruler is restored to power. In Shakespeare's tragedies, the denouement is usually the death of one or more characters.

More modern works may have no denouement, because of a quick or surprise ending.






In the hours that followed, a considerable amount of attention came to be focused on the Penthouse suite of the Empress hotel. Some was from the Risian Security Force, who were happy to have not only the Grey Panther in custody, but the stolen Multi-Cultural Crown Jewels as well, delivered to them by four vacationing officers on shore leave from the USS Bonne Chance, a Federation starship that just happened to be in the neighborhood. There was also considerable media interest and press coverage.

It seemed that the Panther was in possession of the remaining pieces on his person, and thus all of the priceless artifacts were recovered with only minor damages. The suite's internal security feature, activated by Lieutenant Commander Charybdis during the event, had recorded the confession of the master thief, which exonerated him from an attempted murder charge, but did implicate the involvement of the Orion Syndicate. The court case would likely drag on for quite some time.

This came hot on the tail of the Risian Security Force's rescue of Genella Devlin, the heir to the Devlin Enterprises shipping fortune. A vehicular accident that had occurred in a private club on the outskirts of the Rome arcology had led to an investigation of the premises, which had revealed Miss Devlin being held captive in a basement. Authorities were still working out the details, but apparently Kar Durinmo, her business manager, had arranged the kidnapping so that he could seize control of her company. However, had that plan failed he was keeping her alive as a prisoner in order to have a backup plan.

There had been a spectacular hovercar chase as a component of that vehicular incident at the club, which had in turn resulted in a hostage standoff, but the culprits had disappeared, seemingly into thin air. They had yet to be identified, and witnesses at the scene denied that they had actually been taken hostage, while their descriptions of their 'assailants' had been remarkably hazy and inconsistent.

When asked about how it had come to pass that they captured the notorious jewel thief and recovered the priceless treasures of half a dozen worlds, the four Starfleet officers involved in the affair modestly summed up the situation as 'simply doing their duty' and that they were 'glad to be of assistance to the fine men and women of the Risian Security Forces, the real heroes of the day'.

The Empress hotel comped the four officers hotel bill, and did not press charges for the damages inflicted. After all, some water damage and replacing a few mirrors was far preferable to facing the demolition of a floor or two of the hotel, and the positive press coverage over it being the site of the capture of the Grey Panther and the resultant rumors and intrigue was worth its weight in gold-pressed latinum. The Empress' penthouse suite was promptly booked solid for the next eleven months.

Lieutenant Celes filed reports for the missing Starfleet property that was likely stolen by the Panther or his associates- two communicators and one phaser. And it was agreed that memorial services would be held for one brave little Personal Data Device, who gave his all, but was the only casualty of the grenade.

Lieutenant Fiona McCray was mildly inconsolable, until she was presented with a scotch on the rocks and a replacement PDD from her belongings.



It was late afternoon moving into early evening, that last bit of afternoon before twilight would turn the last rays of the sun golden and the moons rose over Risa. The ladies of the Bonne Chance had fulfilled their local obligations, though there would still be considerable Starfleet paperwork to complete. However, it was the decision of the First Officer that there was sufficient documentation to keep the incidents fresh in their minds, and they could continue their shore leave until 1200 the following day and file the appropriate paperwork upon their return.

Thus were they left to their own devices, and they found their way poolside once more to enjoy the early stages of the beautiful Risian sunset and decide what to do with their last night of shore leave together in the magnificent luxury paradise.

Fiona leaned back in the chaise and sighed. "I'm... knackered," she confessed. "I passed tired about 3 hours ago and now I'm joost ridiculous. You know what I want?" she asked then answered, "I want a good meal and sleep. Maybe a couple oov movies laying on that fluffy couch oor somethin' quiet like a walk on that beach joost... not... anywhere near a sewer."

"That sewer was beyond gross. I can still feel the filth on me even after a long shower," Yuna wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"In space, no one can hear you scream," Selune giggled as she eyeballed the borrowed shuttlecraft Jupiter, "You know... this whole time we could have remote accessed that shuttle with the PDD and just flown back to the ship... I think I'm going to go lie down, then hide myself in orbit disguised as space junk for the remainder of the 'vacation', communications disabled and just ignore the universe. After at least 2 hours of bathing and finding a physician to look at my ears."

Fiona's jaw dropped and she stared at the pilot for a good 30 seconds before stammering out "...and you did na think to mention this plan why exactly?"

Shrugging nonchalantly Selune casually flicked back her now less than luxurious bangs, "It only just occured to me that we had access to a shuttle, a programmable PDD and a hackable communications grid with the power to find it... not to mention a pilot who could remotely fly it through a crowded city. Maybe next time?"

"Oi! Bite yer tongue!"

Yuna sat back, watching the banter play around the pool deck between her friends. They really were her friends, after all that they'd just been through together.

Performing complex aerial acrobatics before plunging into the cool blue waters, Charybdis had been showing off on the diving board, and now she stroked smoothly to the edge of the pool to lever herself out. As she rose gracefully from the refreshing waters, she performed a full-body stretch then watched in curiosity as a familiar-looking balding middle-aged gentleman in a cast noticed her, recognized her, spun around to get tangled up in his crutches and promptly fell into the pool. She began to move his way to offer him some assistance, but even with a leg in a cast he still seemed remarkably determined to swim in any direction that was away from the voluptuous Vulcan.

"I dinna think he wants help, Char!" Fi called out to her friend. The comely commander shrugged and let it go. After the day they'd had, she was learning to embrace that lesson rather handily.

"Well, I made us a reservation at Caesar's Table, which is supposed to have the best steak and seafood in Rome. I think I can still swing it on my Starfleet creds..." Charybdis commented with a rueful grin. "I gave all of my unspent booty to Jackie the Noodle Man. I hope he uses it well. That reminds me," she tossed Yuna's credit reader back to her, "you left this on the counter back at the clinic. I assumed you might want it back."

"Why thank you, and this time, can we NOT get into any trouble? A nice quiet evening would be fabulous," Yuna snorted, tucking the credit reader back into her small bag.

"I make no guarantees. I have it on good authority that I am a magnet for trouble for some reason. But a nice dinner, then a walk on the beach at sunset sounds very nice... maybe introduce you girls to The Princess Bride, pop some popcorn and call it a nice relaxing night. Although..." the Vulcan vixen said with a gleam in her eye and a shrug in her shoulders, "There are still a lot of clubs we haven't seen yet..."

"NO!" a drink umbrella went sailing in the first officer's general direction. Fiona looked even more horrified by the mention of clubs than she had over the unmentioned plan. "Do not make me have to harm you," she said to her friend with a completely serious tone.

The complex interactions between humanoid females somehow did not seem so difficult to comprehend after this weekend, and Charybdis smiled and bowed slightly.

"As you wish..."

 

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