Dress rehersal.....

Posted on Tuesday 31 January 2017 @ 19:59 by Captain Melody Jones & Commander Save'ena (Sav) Tillatix

Mission: Intermission
Location: Holodeck
Timeline: MD12: Late Afternoon
3055 words - 6.1 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Things between Melody and Save'ena had been going great recently, but Melody still held onto the hope that they could become something more. However, she still had to build up the courage to tell Sav how she felt.

To that end she had decided to come up with a way to tell her, without telling her.

She had written a holodeck program so she could pour her heart out to a holographic Sav and get some feedback on what her reaction would likely be.

Entering the holodeck she found herself standing outside her favorite café / bar in San Francisco to make herself feel at home. She opened the door and went in*. She had written other people to be included in the program as the café was quite popular. There was a bar in the centre of the room which was sounded by tables on all sides, several of which were occupied. She had written that she would find Sav at one of the tables. Right now, she couldn't see her. 'Must be round the far side' she thought to herself. She decided to go to the bar initially and get a drink.

Outside the holodeck, Save'ena had come up to the doors. She was off duty, had changed into her raver outfit, and wanted to look up Melody and go dancing. She knew she would be hurting at the end of the dancing, but it would be so worth it to dance with Melody. She called out, "Computer, is there a lock on the entering?" The computer came back with, "Open for all comers." Sav smiled, then walked through the door.

Sav found herself in San Francisco, where the Academy was located, but no where she had ever been. Glancing around, she found herself right by a Cafe'/Bar type of place. Figuring Melody might be practicing getting the program just right, she went into the place. The front with the restaurant did not have Melody, but she thought she saw Melody's head through the opening into the Bar area. Sav walked through the opening and found many patrons about. Melody was definitely recreating the entire ambience of the place.

Sav figured she might as well get a drink while looking for Melody. And, as she went up to one side, Sav saw Melody standing at the other. Deciding to surprise Melody, she strode up to be near her to listen in on what drink Melody was ordering.

The holographic barman came up to Melody "Good afternoon Miss and Welcome. Would you care for a drink? We have a house red wine that is very pleasant."

Melody smiled, losing herself in the program "That sounds lovely, thank you."

Sav now injected a request of her own as she also tried out a nickname she hoped Melody wouldn't find annoying. "Hey, Beryl-Locks, any chance of you including me in your drink order?"

Melody spun round and for a moment looked rather shocked. She had not expected the holographic Save'ena to come and find her, but she decided the program must have adapted itself to her loitering at the bar.

"Hey Sweetie. I'm glad you're here." Once again letting herself get immersed in the program "I have something I need to tell you" she motioned to a table that was nearby and empty, then turning back to the barman "Better make that a bottle and another glass.

Sav had expected the shocked look from Melody. After all, she was intruding into Melody's holodeck time. She was happy that Melody had not shooed her out. "Sure thing, Melody, I'm all ears for yah." She watched expectantly as Melody received the bottle of wine and the two glasses. She gladly followed Melody to a secluded table.

Once they were seated she looked straight into Save'ena eyes. "Sav......" She began, and then faulted. She had been rehearing this moment in her head over and over again and even though she was only talking to a hologram, it was a damn good one.

Sav reached out to take a hand, then leaned forward. Her ears cupped full forward as her whiskers moved full spread and out to show her full attention was upon Melody. Her tail shook once as her voice chimed in, "Yes...?" A light smile played about her lips as the light gleamed off the moisture in her eyes, their depths showing a spark, character, and something hidden in the background, kept away. The fur at the edges of her tail shifted in the light air currents in the bar.

"Sweetie. We're best friends and we get along really well but there has been something else. Something which I suppose I've been hiding from myself. Just recent event have made me think I need to stop hiding and be truthful with you. When I'm with you it feels like it's just me and you and nothing else matters. You make me feel...... safe and loved and..... well better than I've ever felt and sometimes the though of not being with you has made me do some......... questionable things. I can't imagine you not being in my life now. I guess what I'm trying to say is...... " She took a deep breath......

Sav's fur became fuller as the inquisitiveness of the Mephetian kept growing with Melody's words. Her entire demeanor was one of waiting expectantly. At each pause, she would move her body in an down and up move, as though to say, 'Yes, keep going'. Melody was describing the bestest friend ever, a true friend, with love for each other, unbounded, unneedful, and Sav sure could use one right now. At the breath, Sav said, in a quiet voice with full timber to it, "Go ahead.."

"I love you."

Just saying the words, Melody felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She even let out an almost hysterical laugh afterwards.

Sav smiled at the words. She drew herself up to return the phrase, to let Melody knew she loved her also, her true friend, but then the laugh occurred. That laugh, as though Melody was holding something in that was not the norm, not something usually said. This confused Sav as she had about returned the words, but now was wary. Had something happened to Melody? Was this a hologram? Sav smelled, and knew it wasn't. This was Melody, and so she waited whatever was happening to quiet itself.

When she had collected herself she repeated "Save'ena, I love you and was hoping you were ........ feeling the same way.........."

She looked at the hologram and waited a response.

Sav swallowed, then said, "I'm not sure why your laugh. But, directly, yes, I love you as well. I feel the bondship with you, and I was hoping you would feel the same. True love between friends, becoming a true friend, is hard to come by. I was not sure if you had felt it or not." Sav clenched onto Melody's hands. "I... sure can use one right now, if you're sure you will have me."

Melody just sat back in her seat and pondered for a few moments. Her face betrayed no emotion. As the holographic Save'ena had spoke to her, she had hear all the words but something else had dropped into her mind like a sledgehammer - It wasn't real.

She glanced around, looking at her soundings and although she appeared to be siting in her favorite café, she suddenly could sense the holodeck wall at the back of her mind. In most programs she used on the holodeck she could get lost in the fantasy and sometimes she could forget she was on the holodeck, but now....... She felt hollow inside, much like a projection. She had come to the holodeck so she wouldn't get hurt. The last time she had acted without thinking the results were disastrous. This time she had over thought the problem, and the results were not much better.

Sav had expected a brief pause, of a settling of Melody's mind now that she had said yes, she could and would love Melody, as her true friend. And, who knows, that could develop into a bond friend, girl friends who were intimate and looking for the same male for their family. But, would Melody accept that, as a Terran? Well, Sav would take it one day at a time and find out.

However, Melody was looking around at the room, looking everywhere but Sav. Had Sav said something wrong? Was Melody having second thoughts? Was she afraid of getting a stray hair from a kiss? Sav shooed that thought away. It was not fair to project onto her what was said to her on a totally failed date at the Academy. Still, why wouldn't Melody look at her? What was wrong with her, Sav, now?

She looked back at the faux Save'ena and a sad smile played across her lips. Her response had been what she had wanted to hear, but would the real Save'ena feel the same way? Maybe she should have just told Save'ena to her face and be done with it, but she was afraid. Afraid of loosing her. When it came to relationships, Melody's track record was not good. She had never managed to find that special someone and now fear of loss was threatening to end it before it began.

Sav swallowed as Melody finally looked at her. But, Melody's expression had changed, a sadness of... loss?.. seeming to come over her. Sav sniffed again, barely finding the mood change pheromones showing sadness within Melody. What now? What had she done wrong now? Sav breathed out a trembling, "Melody?"

This hologram was different somehow. It seemed more real, even appeared to be getting agitated that Melody has not responded.

Melody let out a sigh "This is my favorite café in San Francisco and the computer had done a very good job in re-creating it. I remember the wooden floor near the door used to creek every time I walked in........ And the computer had recreated it also. The computer has made it perfect I know because I programmed it in. I suppose that's one of the things I like about the holodeck. You can control every little detail and make things exactly how you want them. And what you can control....... can't hurt you. I suppose I was silly, thinking I could control this but it's not real. She gestured with her had to include all around her. It's all an illusion, a place for me to hide in. Sometimes it ok, but this....... This was a bad idea.

Sav noticed Melody had not dropped her hands yet, which was a good sign, she hoped. She responded to Melody, "No, not a bad idea. I think you did a marvelous job. While not real, it looks, sounds, and even smells real, and is a nice place to have to find solace, or friendship." Sav looked on expectantly, wondering how this was a bad idea. Well, to her, of course, she could tell it was a hologram because the smell was mostly correct. Holodecks, as of this time, still could not recreate all the nuances of odors for a place, but, Terrans never noticed as they were more sight and feel based, not smell. Sav only wished her smell would come back as it was a shadow of its former self.

She brought her attention back to the holographic Sav "You're not real either. While the computer can make this setting, it cant re-create her. Al her nuances and details Somethings are still not possible, even in this day and age. You're very good, but not the real thing. May be I should have just told her ...." Melody was now talking to herself.

Sav got a confused look on her face as Melody said this. She was there, now, with Melody. Why would Melody think she was not? Was she trying to backtrack, pretend Sav wasn't real, as she truly wasn't sure yet and something felt wrong? Yeah, that would be her luck, Melody having a deep down repulsion for the anthro Skunk before her, skunk being the operative word. She shook her head as her tail shook once, its hair flouncing from the movement, "I don't understand.. " And then, Melody dropped her hands, leaving Sav more confused than ever.

Melody stood. She looked at the hologram coldly "I have to go, this was a mistake" Then raising her voice, "Computer End Program."

Sav heard the first words and her heart sunk, realizing Melody was truly backtracking. A friend, sure, but a true friend? Nahhh, not to be in Sav's lifetime. As she felt numb, and so she missed the three little words that would stop the program. She fell back onto her derriere, catching herself upon her hands and arms. She was now sprawled on the floor, confusion reigning, as she looked up at Melody above her. She worked on speaking to Melody as she overcame the sudden disappearance of the bar.

As the Café vanished, Melody found herself not alone. She frowned "Why are you still here?" Then..... Horror dawning on her face as her hand flew up to her mouth as she gasped "Save'ena?????"

Sav's lip trembled as she saw the look of horror and disdain for her upon Melody's face. Her body lightly trembled in her feelings of hurt, rejection, and always getting the really short end of the stick. Fleeting thoughts of just ending it flirted about her mind again, and making sure to leave a note for her to be skinned and the pelt sent to Diostros to finish what he started those six years ago. Shoving those aside, for now, she managed a breath to say in a down trodden voice, "Yeah, Save'ena, your 'mistake' for having gotten to know, Sorry.. umm, sorry." Sav would have said more, but figured it was without merit.

The color drained from Melody's face as her worst fears seemed to be realized. Not only had she hurt Save'ena beyond imagination but their relationship as well. "No, no no no no no no!" She repeated softly. "That's not what I meant. You....... you weren't suppose to see this..... I mean I thought you were part of the program........."

Sav's head and ears flicked in confusion as she tried to wrap her mind around what Melody had said right after the revelations of what Melody had said. She remembered Apollonia College, and the Starfleet Academy, in friendship relationships how many races would show 'two faces', the one to their friends, and the ones to others in trying to keep them friends, and the cliques, circles, and tiers. So much double speak, so many false words, just like how they captured her for Mr. Thompson's slave training dungeon. Sav had never fit in, always the odd one out to be used, wingman, duty driver, scapegoat. She opened her mouth to speak, but, then just sighed. Why did it matter what she said? She would only force Melody into defending herself, and she didn't want to cause that kind of Drama with the Second Officer of the Merlin. No, better to be at least a friendly acquaintance than an enemy.

Melody reached out with her hand, a pleading look in her eye's, her voice trembling "Please! Let me try to explain........"

Sav dutifully reached out to take Melody's hand while also pushing off the floor with her tail so as to not topple Melody or cause undue hardship. She snorted out a cleansing breath, then with a small smile and a flick of her ears showing ready to listen, she tilted her head to Melody and said, "Ready... Beryl-Locks," intoned with a hint of humor to show no hard feelings, whatever was said. Her entire body was poised, expectant, listening for what Melody had to say, explain, or do.

Melody took a deep breath "I've wanted to tell you that I loved you for a while now but I......... I was scared. Scared of being rejected. Scared of ruining our friendship. Scared of loosing you. Last time I was afraid I was loosing you I just acted, I didn't think and things didn't turn out well. This time I thought if I could rehearse with a hologram I could..... Test the waters so to speak. I programed a holographic Sav to respond as you would and when you approached me at the bar I........"

Sav listened carefully to what Melody was saying. Her ears and face showed a quizzical expression, and then a small smile of understanding and yet confusion showed. "You made.. a hologram of me? And, you thought I was that hologram?"

Melody nodded "That's right. I thought you were the hologram. I am so sorry, I never meant to hurt you. You are one of the best things in my life. I....... I " Melody's voice gave out as tear started to run down her cheeks.

Sav churred out loud as she squeezed Melody's hand in hers. "I am.... flattered. You made... a hologram of me.... to practice talking with." She shook her head gently, "I... the last time somebody made a hologram of me, well, let's just say it wasn't G-Rated, for sure." She snorted out a cleaning breath, "I'm.. flattered. Truly am." She moved closer to Melody, then gave her a peck on the lips. Now that Sav understood what was going on, the feelings of being just a wingman or ending her life to send her pelt to Diostros went away. Feeling better about the situation, and Melody, and herself, she whispered in a low voice, "Melody... Melody.. rejection is part of life. It is better to know it than never knowing it. Besides, it doesn't apply this time, really."

Melody breathed a sigh of relief and pulled Sav into a hug. She then released her and looked around at their soundings "What you say we go somewhere a little more........ cozy and....... talk?"

Sav churred louder this time as she looked around the room, "What? And miss out on all of this, cold hard uncaring walls?" She giggled, "Sure, lets get outta here. Your place or mine?"

OFF:

Lieutenant Save'ena Tillatix
CAG / Uroboros Squadron Leader
Bridge Command Specialist
USS Merlin

Lieutenant Melody Jones
Executive Officer
USS Merlin