Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Solal Segal (Oncology and Immunology) in Side sim - The Holo Library

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Achilleas Petrakos (Chief Science Officer) in Side sim - The Holo Library

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Solal Segal (Oncology and Immunology) in Side sim - The Holo Library
Posted by… suppressed (17) by the Post Ghost! 👻
<snip>
Achilleas stopped after a few more rounds of circling. He released the dance hologram partner and sighed. “Well I’m getting decent practice with a perfect partner to match my steps, but this won’t prepare me for an imperfect partner at all.” He looked towards Solal and a gleam shone in his eye. “How could I overlook the perfect dance practice buddy? You’re not all that adept at it, you keep saying, so let me take you for a couple spins.” He said as he slowly moved towards Solal, as if he didn’t want to spook him.

CSO Petrakos

“We could alw-” Solal started, but before he finished the thought, Achilleas had suggested that he take Solal for “a couple of spins”. He froze momentarily, and then he blinked forcefully and composed himself. It’s just a dance, and you’re supposed to be logical. You shouldn’t care, he thought. “I was told I have ‘no rhythm’. As I was booted from the class.” He told Achilleas. “But I suppose I would be the most realistic option, which would logically prepare you faster for an imperfect partner.” As he spoke, he assumed dance starting position. “I assume you would like to lead, so you are more practiced for your partner?” He asked. Though he seemed to be back to his usual uncaring self, he was quite glad that Vulcans didn’t really blush - Otherwise, he’d be a lovely green color.

~ Lt. JG Solal, Doctor

“That was precisely my thought.” Achilleas responded as he came up to Solal, took one hand in his, put the other onto his own shoulder, then braced his shoulder blade. “You see, I have no idea if she has any sense of… actually no, she does seem to have good rhythm. I don’t know if that would translate to good dancing rhythm though, so you are the best option in this case. Pardon my feet if I end up stepping on yours.” With a tight core and a firm grip, he started doing the steps without any variations or turns just yet.

CSO Petrakos

Solal took his hand, placing his other hand over Achilleas’ arm. “I am not as familiar with the follower’s steps, so it will be us stepping on each other’s feet. You are the first dance partner that’s nearly my height.” he said. As Achilleas began to do the steps, Solal began to follow, but he was out of rhythm, and there was indeed, much foot stepping to be had. “Your form is good,” He told Achilleas, observing the form as they attempted to dance.

~ Lt JG Solal, Doctor

Achilleas had a grimace every time Solal stepped on his feet. He didn’t want to complain though as he was being done a favor, but by all that was holy Solal had some big feet and was a heavy guy. Did all Vulcans come as dense in body mass as this? Well he was almost a foot taller than Achilleas, so that made sense. He stopped their dance for a moment before calling out, “Computer, play a traditional waltz at 4-4 time.” When the music started he then did the first two steps while saying aloud. “One, two.” Then he did the side steps. “Three, four.” He called out the rhythm while slowly introducing changes to their direction.

CSO Petrakos

Solal followed Achilleas’ directions. The foot stepping decreased in frequency, though it still happened as he missed time and then rushed to catch up. As time went on, he began echoing Achilleas’ counting. “One, two. Three, four.” Slowly, the pair moved about the dance floor, their dance becoming less sloppy the longer they did it. “Are you feeling more confident about your dancing skills?” Solal asked as they moved. “Sorry about your feet.” he said, feeling Achilleas’ foot under his once more.

~ Lt JG Solal, Doctor

“So far it has been going great.” Achilleas said while trying to lead Solal in a way that would decrease the foot steppage. His wrist had gone rigid with extra strength put into it in order to provide physical feedback on which direction they would be stepping. “The pain is a great motivator to learn new leading skills and incorporate that into the dance. I’m thankful that my future dance partner is likely half or a third of your weight though. So don’t worry about, this should all be worth the effort and discomfort to my feet in the end.”

CSO Petrakos

“Do remember that with being smaller, your date will require less… leading,” Solal said. He could tell Achilleas was adding pressure to lead him. And it was helping. There was almost no foot steppage… as long as Achilleas was helping. “Dancing with someone as large as myself should make dancing with someone as small as you make her sound much easier. Dancing is a hobby in which pain is to be endured. In Earth’s history, the women would be made to wear corsets so tight they would often pass out because the corset restricted breathing. They were quite popular in the French olden days.” He said, rambling a moment, before returning his focus to trying to dance.

~ Lt JG Solal, Doctor

“Well then she should take to dancing very well because she is both five feet tall and often wears corsets. With the corset, corset cover, options, chemise, petticoat, skirt, and over petticoat… it is an effort to remove. It is kind of like being given a beautiful present and finding out it is wrapped in seven layers of tape. Totally worth the effort to open that present, but also a little frustrating in ‘the moment’.” Achilleas kind of rambled back. It could be thought that he was over sharing, but in his excitement of making headway with a plan to further woo his girlfriend and for the sake of bonding with the first guy friend, it could probably be forgiven.

CSO Petrakos

Solal raised an eyebrow, but he didn’t say anything about Achilleas’ oversharing. “She must like history,” he commented. He’d always been just a bit glad he hadn’t been born a human girl of those time periods. He’d take half-vulcan orphan of this century any day.

~ Lt JG Solal, Doctor

Achilleas quirked his head in thought for a moment. “I don’t honestly know how she came to like Victorian dresses. Something I’ll need to inquire about for sure.” He led them through a few more steps and turns before coming to a stop. “Whew. Okay. I don’t know if I’m ready for doing the real thing but at least my nervousness over where to start is gone. Thank you very much for your help with this. If I can ever return the favor please let me know.” He hadn’t yet released Solal from his grip, having kind of forgotten about that.

CSO Petrakos

Solal stopped when Achilleas did. “You will do fine so long as you control your nervousness,” he said, having not yet released Achilleas either. “Any time. I’m glad to be helpful,” he said. And then he realized he was still holding Achilleas and he suddenly and very quickly let him go, stepping back.

~ Lt JG Solal, Doctor

Achilleas grinned as Solal let him go and stepped back. He had a sudden urge to close the distance and give him a big hug but he held himself back from doing so. He had just met the guy after all and while he felt they were becoming fast friends that would be much too forward of him. “By the way, what kind of food do you like?”

CSO Petrakos

“Cassoulet. A French dish, traditionally for peasants. However, when I prepare it, I use animal product substitutes,” Solal told Achilleas. “Why do you ask?” He asked, unsure of the relevance of his favorite food.

~ Lt. JG Solal, Doctor

“I was taught by my grandmother to cook a number of traditional and popular Greek dishes and thought maybe a way to show my appreciation for your help could be to cook up a few of them and do lunch or something. We could make it a pot luck if you wanted to cook something and bring it. Additionally, my girlfriend makes some fantastic Bajoran cuisine if you wanted to do more of a group thing.” Achilleas said excitedly as the ideas just sprang forth.

CSO Petrakos

“This sounds like an excellent idea,” Solal replied. “I can bring my cassoulet, and it would be very good to try some of your own traditional dishes and meet your girlfriend, as well. I can also bring a dessert if you like.” He suggested. He had a great French dessert in mind. “When would you like to hold the proposed pot luck?”

~ Lt JG Solal, Doctor

“Hmm… now that is a great question.” Achilleas replied as he put a hand to his chin in thought. “And you have met her already. She was my counterpart during the whole tea party thing. But please keep any sort of mention of that to a bare minimum with her. That incident embarrassed her terribly after the effect wore off. I will need to check with her that she’s up for doing a pot luck first, then check our scheduled shifts before I can get back to you on when would work for us.”

CSO Petrakos

Solal thought back to that very strange tea party. “…Ensign Riani?” He asked. “I have yet to meet her under normal circumstances. By the sounds of things, she would prefer it if I pretend it was the first time I were meeting her anyway. At any rate, if she would like to come, it would be good. Otherwise, I’m sure the two of us can coordinate schedules. I have my own scheduled shifts in the sickbay memorized.”

~ Lt JG Solal, Doctor

“I don’t know if she’d want the meeting to be disingenuous though. Maybe see how she approaches the introductions and I’ll be there to divert the topic if it gets uncomfortable. I’ll warn her ahead of time that you had met at the tea party first. It should be okay. Plus I’m the one who approves and changes schedules in my department, so being a department head has its perks.” Achilleas said with a laugh.

CSO Petrakos

Solal shrugged. “However she prefers,” he said, though he wondered how sensitive Ensign Riani really was. “That is true,” he added to the second part of what Achilleas said. “My schedule shouldn’t be too hard to work around, unless the Sickbay becomes suddenly very busy for some reason.”

Lt JG Solal, Doctor

“The chances of that while still docked at starbase and the starbase’s own medical facilities being available is pretty slim. Unless another starship with almost all of the crew injured comes to dock.” Achilleas said while running a quick calculation in his head. “Something like a 19.4% chance of likelihood. Actually a bit higher than I was initially thinking. Well plus or minus about 5% for a margin of error due to limited information.”

CSO Petrakos