Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in What If…

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in What If…
Miranda Farquharson sat at the vanity in her dressing room, applying the outrageous makeup required for the stage. Up close it was garish and comical, but it was necessary to give the appearance needed for those in the audience to get the effect. After the final curtain and before she appeared at the after party, Miranda would wash and reapply to something appropriate. Today she had a coffee and cream colored wig, instead of her own red hair. She was playing the the part of Guinevere in the play King Arthur. Told from ancient records from the Roman Empire. The term in the play was Woad for the people she was representing. The makeup artist was applying cuts and contusions to her and tapping her fingers into place. The first scene she was to appear in, was in a small hole dug into a cave with iron bars, where is was malnutritioned, dehydrated, and had been tortured. Looking at the fake bruises and lacerations, the dark circles under her eyes and the amount of powder and paste to make her look dried out oppressive.

When it was time, the stage crew helped her climb into the small alcove of her prison and closed the bars over it. It was a difficult part to play, but Miranda loved it. In this iteration of the famous tale Guinevere was strong and independent and fierce. Even more so because of the cruelty and torment she endured.

Miranda, Leading Lady

Jay had talked him into this. Roman hadn’t wanted to go. Well, Roman hadn’t even wanted a vacation. The two men sat in the front row of the audience, Roman’s arms crossed, wearing that signature pout of his.

Jay, meanwhile, looked happy and excited, and kept tapping Roman’s arm and pointing to things. Roman would nod and smile politely, and then promptly begin pouting playfully once more. Both men were dressed to the nines, hair done up, wearing their nicest. “C’mon, Roman, life can’t be all work.” Jay said, elbowing him again. “Look at the curtain! All the design on it is lovely, isn’t it?”

Roman huffed and nodded. “Sure it is, but I’d still rather our lab than this. We’ve got things to do and not enough time to do them.” Complained the darker haired gentleman.

“Oh relax. We’ve done everything required of us, and you know things’ll be fine while we’re gone. Just enjoy the show!” Urged the red haired one, grinning and waving towards the stage. “Oh! Oh! I think it’s starting. Shhhh!”

Both turned their eyes towards the stage, remaining politely quiet as the curtain opened.

Roman Alden, on vacation | Jason Caliano, on vacation

It had been three years since Miranda’s debut on her 18th birthday. It had been a struggle and precarious. She had switched troupes after though. She had been lucky that Randy had decided to accompany her. The director had been after bigger prizes with Miranda being his crowning jewel and he was willing to gain more at her expense. It could have been disastrous for her.

This production was in an outdoor amphitheater, which meant the battle scenes were much bigger and they had horses and wagons and things were much more authentic. The play began and went through three scenes before Arthur and his knights arrived at the home of a Roman family that they were evacuating north of Hadrian’s Wall. It was there they found a door, stoned up and sealed up. Breaking the door down, inside they found a dismal damp and dark dungeon. A priest begged them to leave the people alone. He was going to stay with them and save their souls before they died. Bodies, emaciated and dead, were found forced into small inhuman alcoves. A small boy was found alive in a pit and a woman, Guinevere played by Miranda, in a small bared hole. She stares back at Arthur, looking distrustful and wary. Battered, bruised, injured, and unable to walk.

They were lifted and carried out to a wagon. Arthur gives the Roman patriarch the ultimatum to go willingly or be arrested. They leave to escape the the army of Saxons invading the British soil.

Miranda, Leading Lady