Ensign Lyra Voss: Strictly Melodrama
Sarah Terry
((Qo'noS District - Starbase 118))
As soon as they entered the Qo’noS District, Lyra was struck by a strange familiarity - the red cast to the sky, air laced with leather and spice, the dance of firelight across the flagstone paths. She had visited the First City several times, though the last visit had been just over a year ago now. It brought a bittersweet ache to her heart to remember it. She took a deep breath of the warm air and let it out slowly.
Kel: I always forget how different this place feels. It’s like the station decided to grow a spine.
For all the sharp angles in the architecture around them, it wasn’t severity she felt, but spirit. Something visceral, unable to be ignored.
Voss: ::with a small grin:: Or a heart. Is the opera house nearby?
Ryden gestured for her to follow and after a few turns, they found themselves across a broad promenade from a large trapezoidal prism-shaped building. Its grand entryway was flanked by massive reliefs depicting the great heroes of old - she recognized Kahless and Lukara fighting off the forces of Molor in the Great Hall of Qam-Chee, Kortar and Shelka burning down the heavens, Aktuh and Maylota fighting to the death because one could not live without the other… Somehow in the end, most great Klingon stories were love stories.
Kel: I’ve never actually been inside for a performance. Just… walked past it a lot, told myself I’d go “someday.”
Voss: ::laughing:: Well, let me be the first to welcome you to “someday.”
As they walked across the promenade, Lyra could hear Ryden’s thoughts churning. This was a new space - one without the expectation of restraint. Equal parts freeing and slightly unsettling, perhaps. Especially when you weren’t used to it. She’d always found the similarities between Klingon and Betazoid culture interesting - true, Betazed didn’t share the martial focus of Qo’noS and maybe some the Matriarchs would have balked at the comparison, but the two cultures shared a boldness and honesty, in addition their rather draconian social hierarchies. It was just much more fun when it wasn’t your House you were dealing with.
Kel: If Klingon opera is anything like the district, I’m guessing subtlety isn’t really the goal.
Voss: Perish the thought! No, we’ll be dealing strictly with melodrama here.
He allowed a faint, self-aware breath to escape him.
Kel: I think I could use something that doesn’t ask me to be careful with myself for a couple of hours.
Voss: Maybe we’ll be getting you a season pass before all this is over.
Kel: ?
They entered the shadow of the imposing façade and Lyra stopped to pull out her PADD for a moment.
Voss: Just give me one second…
She opened the message from L’Rana again to go over the details. No tickets - her name would be on a list. The director was Neerta, of the House of Jyk’Ta, and this was a friends and family dress rehearsal. L’Rana and Neerta knew each other from a season in Mor'em Cha where they’d directed together. Lyra scanned the text three times to be sure - that was all the relevant information. It didn’t actually assuage her anxiety to go over the message, but there were few things in the world she hated more than walking into a place she wasn’t familiar with and having to just… speak to someone? She never knew what to say. Or who to say it to.
Kel: ?
He must have sensed the spike in her anxiety. She shook her head with embarrassment and put the PADD away again.
Voss: Oh I… this is the worst part for me. Just walking in and…. I always feel like I’ll say the wrong thing or miss some vital detail and make a fool of myself. It’s silly, I know. I have to triple check everything, and plan out what to say.
Kel: ?
Voss: ::laughing:: Well and it’s extra funny, because, as I’m sure you’re starting to realize, once you actually get me to start talking, I don’t shut up.
Kel: ?
Voss: I’ll stop stalling. We wouldn’t want to be late.
They walked up the steps and opened the heavy wooden door. As soon as they crossed the threshold, they were transported to a world of opulence. The lobby ceiling was almost four meters tall, lit by torchlight and draped in red velvet. Veins of gold ran through the dark stone floor. She couldn’t help the smile that came to her face. It was exactly what she’d hoped it would be.
Kel: ?
Voss: Isn’t it? I bet it’s modeled after –
She stopped speaking as a Klingon woman came up to them with a curious expression on her face.
Klingon Woman: You have entered the Tang Te Voc Opera House. ::she obviously didn’t think they had meant to:: Our performances do not begin until this weekend.
Lyra took a deep breath and swallowed hard. Klingons tended to appreciate a strong first impression.
Voss: L'Rana HaDwI' jIH tuq Kovek - Neerta jup ghaH 'ej QoQ ra'wI' ghaH. DaHjaj much wIbejmeH wIghoSta'.
The woman’s eyebrows went up and then she grinned and clapped Lyra on the shoulder.
Klingon Woman: toH, Dochmey choH 'oH! jup SoHna' 'e' vIrurlaw'. I am Ama’erta, I manage the front of house here.
Voss: Lyra Voss, and this is Ryden Kel.
Kel: ?
Ama’erta: ::warmly grasping their hands:: A pleasure to meet you both. ::she pulled out a PADD and examined it for a moment:: Ah yes, L'Rana's little soprano. Let me find you some seats. Follow me.
She strode into the theatre as Lyra and Ryden followed.