Lt. Haukea-Willow: Marilyn Monroe
Aly Drolet
((OOC: The 8th graders went on a field trip today and I stayed behind with the 4 or 5 that couldn’t go. I wrote this with my time. I will try and get some back-tags answered on Thursday or Friday.))
((Rooftop, Hauteur Serene Hotel, San Francisco District, StarBase 118))
Haukea-Willow stood, an ancient pillar of 20th century grace, draped in turquoise, metaphorical lace pooling around her shoulders, a train of fabric extending down the Grecian column of her dress, her back exposed in a deep V, terminating at her mid back. Encasing her feet were a pair of white sandals, a thick cylinder heel. Her fine hair was situated in a bun, no jewelry, merely her white purse, gold chain thin, glinting in the light.
The emotions pulled at her spine, creating a rigid, guarded posture. A quiet loneliness that encased her like a cocoon, waiting for her metamorphosis. It was New Year’s Eve and she felt trapped. A swelling cup of pride, sorrow. A wondrous feature bolstered by the art deco architecture of the Hauteur Serene Hotel - the tradition of Auld Lang Syne a broken record of her imagination.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And auld lang syne
Trash collectors and surviving pumpkins accented the space before her, producing a magical movie quality to the atmosphere, artificial light swirling, catching the dust.
Yet, reality caught the vibrant ginger of a set of curls, an equal shade of turquoise blue peeking above the crowd of heads - Lyra Voss and Mi'shune sh'Sonora.
Haukea invaded their space.
Willow: I don’t mean to interrupt, but I thought I could join you. May I?
sh’Sonora: Willow! Great to see you! ::She reaches over to hug, careful not to spill her drink on the Lieutenant’s beautiful seafoam dress. Her antennae perk up in realization, then she directs Willow towards Voss and speaks in an hyperactive fashion.:: Have you met Ensign Voss? She’s one of my friends back at the Academy. Lyra, Willow. Willow, Lyra.
Voss: Nice to meet you properly, lieutenant. ::slightly nervous at meeting someone new:: I… love the color of your dress - it’s like the caps on winter waves.
Haukea-Willow’s lips curled into a slight upturned smile, miniscule in her joy, remaining in a transcendent, liminal space of movie star quality. A creation of golden curls and soft features accented by harsh arc lamps, pocketed by three-point low amber lighting, reminiscent of noir Paris, butterfly lighting sculpting the smooth features of the face. Haukea was Marilyn Monroe at Sam Spiegel's New Year's Eve party in Beverly Hills a la the Judy Garland experience.
Willow: I’m imagining I am an old Hollywood starlet. It makes the evening more magical.
sh’Sonora: Old style Hollywood is the best! And it matches with the decor and building! I know I had to improvise. Probably for the best. Andorian formal robes are like a kimono had a baby with some medieval padded armor, and it’s so constricting. This is much better if you ask me.
Voss: You both seem to know more about Earth movies than I do - we were just talking about some in Mi’shune’s collection. I’ll have to study up some more. For what it’s worth, you’d fit right in at a Betazoid gala too.
A delayed reaction, lips twitching upwards, to sh’Sonora’s introduction, a vintage greeting provided.
Willow: ::Addressing Voss:: Haukea-Willow at your service. How do you both do?
Like a flashbulb camera highlighting the cheek bones, sh’Sonora’s face flushed a sharp hue of royal blue. The Risian unwilling to judge one’s character believed in happiness, brightened by the lively atmosphere, considered the Andorian to be expressing a positive array of emotions, bolstered by Voss.
sh’Sonora: I am grooooovy! But if you think I’m feeling great now, wait until the party really gets started.
Voss: ::laughing:: I’m probably a step down from groovy, but I guess the night is still young. How are you, Lieutenant?
Willow: I am present and I am myself. I can’t ask for much more.
Her face soothed the sharp edges of her jaw, settling into the off duty reality of the Risian woman, an individual Haukea was delicately learning to love, Hollywood, and film aside.
Voss: So do you have a favorite old Hollywood film? Maybe I should start making a list. Between those and Mi’sh’s martial arts flatvids, that should help round out my Terran cultural education.
Willow: Due to the evolution of the film and picture camera, I am partial to vids from between the years of 1930-1960. “Casablanca.” Anything from the repertoire of Judy Garland.
Voss: Certainly sounds worth watching! Have you seen that one, Mi’sh?
sh’Sonora: Well… I’m more of a Hong Kong action flick kind of gal… unless you count John Hughes films! I’m a sucker for comedies!
For herself she certainly had not witnessed the comedic stylings of the Hong Kong action vid, she was more of a soft romantic woman, appreciating films like “Girl Crazy, Notting Hill, and Love Actually.”
Voss: Maybe we need a movie night. I was introduced to popcorn when I was at the Academy and am completely obsessed - I have a great recipe for gochujang-caramel popcorn with toasted peanuts that I am always looking for an excuse to make.
sh’Sonora: Yeah, I can have that! Wait until you try my targ jerky. It’s to die for!
Popcorn and targ jerky rolled, inedible in her stomach, unsure of the sanctity of the combination. However, a fine mocha, chocolate velvet sliding along the tongue and down the throat, accompanied a film like the safety of a warm hug.
Willow: Unsure about popcorn and targ jerky as a combination but I’ll bring the coffee.
Voss: So this is my first time in the San Francisco district - have you had a chance to come here before, Mi’sh? Lieutenant, I imagine you’re familiar with most of Starbase 118. How long have you been stationed here?
Forever. That felt like the reasonable, truthful answer to Voss’s question. Providing a definitive answer was a moment of time dilated suspended pondering.
Willow: I’ve been stationed here three, almost four years. I could have sworn it was forever. The San Francisco district has wonderful parks and cafes.
sh’Sonora: It’s quite lovely here. Even if I spent a lot of my time at the flight school annex in Marseilles and Jupiter Station, San Francisco is still one of my favorite universe destinations. This is a good approximation, in microcosm no less! Now, if I can only find a good Wing Chun instructor I’d be set.
Willow: I know Tai Chi but that’s the extent of it.
Voss: Response
sh’Sonora: Yeah, my old seifu’s back on Andoria, and the only teachers around here are holographic… or the shaolin temple in the Chinatown district, but they’re not answering my calls.
Inspecting the intricate glint of light swirling through the rainbows cast across the room Haukea sympathized with sh’Sonora, able to acknowledge the projected shadow, cast by rain as in “My Darling Clementine,” of the ghosts of the past, the unreachable aspects of the soul.
Willow: Well, if you ever require a gym partner, you're welcome to give me a call sh’Sonora.
Voss/sh’Sonora: Response
Willow: Voss, sh’Sonora, likewise, if either of you would like a tour of the station, I can show you my favorite cafes, parks, beaches, walking paths. We could have a movie night. Discuss the cinematography produced by the 1940s camera and the dutch angle.
Haukea, in such a delicate atmosphere, could provide sh’Sonora with a modicum of herself, a particular view untethered from previous incidence or dissociation - a rare interaction; the Hollywood starlet without cosmetic enhancement.
Voss/sh’Sonora: Response
Lt. Haukea-Willow
Chief of Security - Crisis Response
Starbase 118 Ops
M239512BG0
Ad Astra Per Aspera/To The Stars With Difficulty - Una Chin-Riley
