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…

Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in What If…
Posted by… suppressed (7) by the Post Ghost! 👻
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

The two men watched the show. Roman had read the play before, he seemed a little disinterested… Until the part where the men found Guinevere. The actress was beautiful, and though she had spoken no lines yet, she seemed good at what she did. As he watched, his eye mostly on Miranda, Jay nudged him and whispered in his ear, “So you do have a sense of women after all, do you? She looks nice, I’ll give you that, but I wonder what she’s like for real?”

Roman elbowed him in the ribs and shot him a playful glare. “Quiet, I’m watching.” They were quiet again, out of respect for audience members around them.

Cmdr. Roman Alden
First Officer & Chief Science Officer

Guinevere sat quietly in the wagon, which was opened faced on the side toward the audience so they could see. She was quiet, but it allowed Rand to watch the audience. There were two younger men, dashingly dressed, making quiet comments to each other. That was not unusual and their faces didn’t display displeasure. For some reason though, it made her want to blush.

The next time they got to see Guinevere, Arthur climbed into the wagon and made his way toward her. She forced herself to sit up and back as far away as possible. His purpose was to check on her. He was incredibly kind and gentle as he unwrapped her hand and the audience got their first look at the disjointed and swollen appendage. “They tortured me. With machines. To make me tell them things that… that I didn’t know to begin with,” the woman explained by way of explanation. Her voice was pure and carried across the audience without help technology. The ache and torment clear in the sound, creating fear and anger within the audience.

Arthur warned her it would hurt as he reset the joints. Her body stiffened, but she didn’t cry out. Arthur rebandages her hand and leaves.

Later he returns, “How’s your hand?” She smiled at him with irony, “I’ll live, I promise you.” There are many scenes back and forth between Guinevere and Arthur and even Lancelot. She is proud and curious, but courageous. The audience sees this when the convoy is stopped across a frozen lake by the appearance of the Saxon army. Tristan, a knight and the best archers, tests the distance, but his arrow falls short. Unseen behind Arthur and his men, Guinevere leaves the wagon, takes up a bow and arrow. An arrow streaks up and past the knights coming down to land in the chest of one of the Saxons. Arthur turns to see Guinevere walk up, knocking another arrow. Here the Arthur and the audience see that Guinevere is not a tortured woman, but a warrior as well.

Equally impressive, the shot was not made with tricks and props, but the actress had actually made the shot herself.

Yeoman Rand

The two men sat in the front row of the audience, transfixed by the scene. “She is talented,” Jay whispered. “Of course she is. Look at the program.” Roman replied, opened the little booklet and pointing to the small paragraph biography of Miranda Farquharson. It listed some of her other performances and things about her career. “Now hush and watch.” Roman whispered, nodding towards the stage. “You can gawk later.”

Jay grinned, “Last I looked, I’m not the gawker today, Romeo.” He whispered back, giving Roman another look. Roman scowled playfully and shook his head.

Cmdr. Roman Alden
First Officer & Chief Science Officer

The play continued, and Rand was aware of the attention she had drawn from the two young men in the front row. She was familiar with attention from fans, bit she was never co portable with it. She spent intermission alone in her dressing room, talking to her brother because she felt extremely anxious for some reason. She was professional though and went right back out on stage. She was moving and captivating, bringing a real life and soul to the character of Guinevere. She was witty and kind, feminine and brave. The play had a lot of action with one subdued love scene. The final battle ranged all over and Rand was dressed in armor of wide leather straps (that were not historically accurate unfortunately) and blue body paint. She led a charge across the field, fencing and fighting with the rest. Taking hits, falls, and attacks with the rest. The whole audience gasped, holding their breath as she went down to the antagonist and then cheered as she fought her way back up.

The fi AL scene, of course, was the wedding between Authur and Guinevere. The dress was beauitful, flowing, long accented in gold and true to the time period. Uniting Britain under a new king, having expelled the Roman’s and the Saxons. As Author raised his sword, Guinevere claspsed her hand around his, showing a unity of leadership unusual for the Arthurian Legend. The curtain closed, then opened with all the performers and crew coming out to take their bow.

Miranda, Leading Lady

It was a fantastic performance. The audience stood and clapped as the crew took their bows. Roman and Jay included. Roman had his eyes on her the whole time, but each time she looked his way, he glanced away modestly. Then the audience began to file out.

Cmdr. Roman Alden
First Officer & Chief Science Officer

Jay wasn’t the only one who noticed Roman’s interest. As the actors and actresses left the stage, Lori, her understudy, hurried up to her. “He’s so dashing Miranda! Who is he?”

“Who is who?” Rand asked heading for the lobby. The troupe always met the audience in the lobby.

“The two men up front. The dark haired one can’t keep his eyes off you. You should introduce yourself.” Rand shook her head. “If they want to meet me they will be able too. They probably just want an autograph in their play bill.

They all made their way into the lobby, still in costume, and greeted their audience.

Miranda, Leading Lady

As they were greeting the audience, Roman hurried past. Jay grabbed his arm and stopped him. “Where d’you think you’re going? Say hello! You only stared at her all night. Aught to do the polite thing.” Jay said, grinning and pushing him towards Rand and her understudy.

“She was on stage , Jay. She’s used to being looked at. Besides, I wasn’t staring- oof!” He grunted as he was accidentally pushed by another member of the audience, rushing out to get ahead of the crowd. He ended up right in front of Rand. “Oh, erm… hello.” He said. In the background Jay was grinning, trying not to chuckle. Roman was usually quite confident… Except with dating prospects.

Cmdr. Roman Alden
First Officer & Chief Science Officer

Miranda was greeting people, and mostly she stayed in character. People loved it and it was one of the things that made her so popular. Lori saw the two young men approaching and she nudged Rand. Rand looked over at her quizzically but was only met with a grin. Rand turned back only to be very close to the much more handsome of the two young men from the front row, and mesmerized by the most stunning blue eyes she had ever seen. For the first time ever in her career, Miranda Farquharson forgot herself. “H… hello.” Her voice, her natural voice, had a strong Scottish lilt, and she was blushing.

Miranda, Leading Lady