The Gathering Storm: Chance Holo-Encounter

Posted on Sun Jul 30th, 2017 @ 3:58pm by Baroness 2nd Class Schwein von Alcott & Akira Zhuri

Mission: When Iconians Deserve to Die

Shwein had finished packing again and was heading out again when she bumped into a curious... and soft... young girl in the halls on her way to the Romulan shuttle. "Pardon me, young Frau..." Then recognition dawned on her as the woman cleared her uncovered eye. "Ah, dis ist zhe Chief of Operations of zhe Prinzessin's ship, zhe Hera, ja? Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Baroness Shwein Alcott." Shifting her bag, she offered a smile and her hand to Akira.

Akira looked at the hand extended to her with curious fascination, then at the owner of said hand, even more fascinated by Shwein. "Curious!" Akira exclaimed with a smile, then with no sense of personal space, she moved closer. "Fascinating, what nationality or dialogue does your accent represent? And your eye, what happened to it? Oh, and your hair is so pretty, is it naturally this color or do you get it done?" Akira rattled off with unrestrained excitement.

"I... ist..." Shwein blushed slightly as she slowly retracted her hand and composed herself in an attempt to answer the questions before more came. She knew the woman was a young life form, but this was an almost child-like innocence she didn't expect and it caught her a bit off guard. "German human, that of a colony world. My eye was lost to Syndicate pig-dogs and the cybernetic replacement can be unsettling to most so I leave it covered most of the time. This ist my natural hair color."

"Amazing!" Akira said with a cheerful giggle, but then she realized how uncomfortable she was making Shwein and took a step back in an effort to calm herself. "I am sorry for my behavior, I did not mean to make you uncomfortable, I just get really excited sometimes... And to answer your original question, I am Akira Zhuri and I am in charge of Operations for the USS Hera," she continued, offering a sheepish smile at the end. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Taking a deep breath to steady her words, Shwein smiled anew and nodded. "It is a pleasure to meet you. As I have been assigned as the Prinzessin's personal entourage for the Artan family once she leaves again, you and I will have the opportunity to work together to support her in our own ways."

"Ah, wonderful! I can always use the help, there's so much to see to, it seems like the work is never done," Akira replied with a brighter smile. Then a blank stare briefly formed on her face as she accessed the computer directly to check on quarter allotments. "It seems quarters have already been assigned to you; would you like me to show you to your quarters?" Akira offered once she was done with her direct connection to the computer.

"Thank you but no. That will be unnecessary as I will first be going on a secret mission with Herr Xustos," Shwein replied apologetically, impressed with Akira's efficiency. It put her own to shame.

"Oh, I heard there was a trip in the works! Well, I can take you the shuttle bay where the shuttle is being prepped, or perhaps if you do not want an escort then simply ask the computer once you are aboard the Hera and it will provide directions for you," Akira explained.

"Yes, actually, the ship ist one of ours." Shwein paused a moment to let that sink in. "I'm on my way now to moor eighteen where we are departing from. As I understand, you are seeing a member of this mission, ja? Herr Daytona Ral? I spied you and he elsewhere in the fortress."

"Oh yes, he took me on a picnic in the garden!" Akira replied with a blush. "The garden was quite lovely, I'm so pleased that I was able to come aboard to see it. It's the next closest thing to going outside that I've had the opportunity to experience! Oh, but I should not hold you up if you are headed for the ship now; please excuse my enthusiasm, everything is still quite new to me and I do not mean to go on like this."

Shwein shook her head. "Nein, young one. It ist perfectly fine. You are young and in love. Perhaps some day you will not be shackled by your emitters, but for now please take advantage of the Prinzessin's kindness. Such as the delights of the baths on the sixtieth floors. Once we return, i recommend you take your love there."

"Ooooh, that does sound interesting!" Akira said with wide-eyed interest. "I will definitely look into this, thank you! I will let you go now since you have someplace to be; please make sure Daytona comes back safely! Well, I would like all our people to come home safely, but I can't deny I have a vested interest in Daytona's safety."

"Ja, I will make sure all return safely. I am an accomplished medic, after all. Especially with this." With that, Shwein lifted her eye patch to reveal her slightly glowing golden cybernetic eye, giving Akira full access to seeing it, and her full access to scanning Akira with it, both eyes widening as the full scans came in. "Gott in Himmel... You are more complex than zhe Prinzessin's wife..."

"Oh, it's so pretty!" Akira said with a smile when she saw the cybernetic eye, but she grew stiff and wary when she registered that Shwein's eye was scanning her, only to hear her assessment of how complex she was. "Um, thank you?" Akira said awkwardly. "Honestly, I try not to think about it... I love Aunt Maica, and though the composition of my matrix may be more complex, she is still far more advanced in terms of social development."

Flipping her eye patch back down, Shwein sighed heavily. "Dis ist complex issue, I presume? Which ist best? Apples or oranges?"

"I like apples," Akira said, clearly not comprehending what Shwein actually meant.

"Ja, apples are nice. Solid white sweet meat throughout." But then Shwein grinned. "But then the orange is easy to eat and just as sweet, no? Just peel it and segments come apart in easy bite sized pieces? Complex yes, and different. But no less delicious, ja? The apple you can just bite into... And the orange you may have to learn how to eat... But in the end they are both delicious fruit."

Akira nodded enthusiastically, but she still did not grasp the parallel that Shwein was making. "I had to get Daytona to help me figure out how to eat an orange, but it was very good. I also like nectarines and mangoes, but I cannot decide what is my favorite just yet," she said cheerfully. "And he gave me cheese! That was very interesting!"

"You are the orange and Lady Maica ist the apple." Shwein was blunt and waited for that to sink in, ignoring what Akira was saying. "You are complex and need instruction on daily life while she is less complex and came with instruction built in. You are different but both delicious fruits."

"Yes, I am delicious, Daytona said so," Akira asserted, but then she blushed crimson when she realized exactly what she had just admitted to. "I mean- I don't-" she sputtered as she tried to figure out how to talk her way out of this blunder. "Y-yes, I see what you're saying now," she said with an embarrassed squeak.

Shwein blushed slightly as well, but quickly stepped forward and licked Akira on the cheek before stepping back. "Ja... Delicious... Very fruity..."

Akira rubbed at her cheek where Shwein had licked her. "Do not tell Daytona you did that; he is very protective, I do not think he would appreciate someone else licking his girlfriend."

Shwein chuckled softly. "Nein, I will not tell unless you do."

"Good," Akira said, still blushing. "Well, this exchange has been... informative... I think I will leave you to carry on with your, uh, whatever you were doing..."

"Going to a secret shuttle to depart on a secret mission," Shwein reminded Akira. "It has been an honor meeting you, Akira Zhuri. I look forward to meeting you again soon." With that, Shwein offered Akira another handshake. She hoped Akira would accept this one.

Akira looked at the outstretched hand with confusion, then remembered what she was supposed to do. "Oh, right," she said, then reached out to take Shwein's hand and give it a shake. "I look forward to interacting with you again!"