Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Dasca’s Apartment - Let Us Make Mr. Melvil Dewey Proud

Posted by Civilian Karilan Massat (Owner, Quill and Parchment Books) in Dasca’s Apartment - Let Us Make Mr. Melvil Dewey Proud

Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Dasca’s Apartment - Let Us Make Mr. Melvil Dewey Proud
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Massat and one of his most trusted technicians sat in the lobby of one of the larger and more well-appointed apartment buildings in the city. They had arrived thirty minutes early, Karilan knowing that Star Fleet and Colonial security would want time to verify him and his employee and to make sure they were supposed to be there. The Lieutenant Governor was not in, and they were told to wait. Dutifully, they took their freshly-security-checked tool cases and crate of materials and sat down and waited for her to arrive.

“This place is so cool!” the young Antican said in a whisper. Karilan smiled and said “This isn’t a library, Fren. You can speak normally.” “Right… right. It’s just I don’t think I have ever been in a building this nice.” Karilan nodded and said “Our leaders work quite hard and diligently to make sure that the colony operates as best it can. Personally, I believe they deserve a nice place to call home. And besides… this building is owned by Star Fleet.” Fren nodded absentmindedly as he continued to look around.

Massat, Owner, Quill and Parchment Books

A minute later and a good ten minutes after Dasca had told tole them to expect her, she entered the building appearing very much as the harried woman she was. She paused, breath out a breath and approached. But despite her obvious stress and being lateness, there was a curious development unfolding with Eela Dasca. When she had first arrived, and indeed even that first day she had ventured into Quill & Parchment to work, Eela had favoured structured and dark formal business clothing. But little by little pops of colour began to appear, followed by chunky jewellery and prints. It was if she had been some ancient black and white media and someone had turned a dial to allow colour to seep in.

Today was no different. Simple navy trousers and a white blouse were paired with a oversized coat that was embroidered all over in large floral motifs. She clutched her usual black leather work bag over her left shoulder and gave them an apologetic smile. “My apologies. After decades of being a punctual Starfleet officer, apparently meeting times are suddenly suggestions. You can tell how happy that makes me,” she deadpanned.

Karilan nodded in understanding and said “It no problem, Lieutenant Governor. We are happy to be able to help you in this, and thnank you for allowing us into your home.” Fren nodded enthusiastically in agreemnet, but stayed silent.

Eela allowed herself to relax and offer a genuine smile to Karilan. “But it’s nice to see you, and”-she bowed her head to the Antican with them-“I’m Eela. Thank you for coming.”

She looked over at the security desk and caught the eye of the Lieutenant who had cleared the pair. “All good, Coleman?”

He gave a crisp nod. “Yes, ma’am,” he said.

“Perfect, come on, let’s go on up,” Eela told them.

She led them through the lobby and they could see that a hallway veering off to the side led to a pool. But Eela took them past several lifts to the last one and pressed her fingers to a scanner. The doors opened and she entered, mentally letting herself decompress after yet another insanely busy day. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

“Not at all.” Karilan said as they stepped inside and let the doors close. “No! And your building is so amazing!” Fren said excitedly and Karilan gave the Lieutenant Governor a small smile. “Fren is one of my best technicians. He hopes to join Star Fleet one day and be an Engineer.” Fren nodded enough that a normal person would have a concussion, but said “Oh yes!! I cannot wait!! Two more years and I will old enough!”

Massat, Owner, Quill and Parchment

Eela’s delighted smile was genuine as she pressed her fingers to another scanner and hit the button that would take them directly to the top penthouse. “Oh, I remember those waiting years. Felt like it would never happen,” she said to Fren. “But I’ll give you a bit of advice. When that does happen, soak in every moment. It goes by so fast and you get lost in classes and assignments. Pause every now and again and take it all in, Fren. They can be extraordinarily important years.” Not everyone had a great Academy experience, but Eela treasured hers, even to this day.

The lift took them up swiftly and when it stopped, Dasca stepped out into a small space before a double set of doors. She once again used her biometrics to unlock the door and took them through the right side.

They found themselves entering into a large foyer with matte black stone floors with white veining, and the walls around and beyond them were painted in a taupe colour that was more brown than grey.

The foyer had a closet to the right and another door on the left that led to a storage room. But there were also two comfortable arm chairs in a floral pattern on either side of a console table. On the walls were a couple of art pieces: a delicate pencil drawing of some sort of shop with jars of items on shelves behind the counter, and a watercolour style painting of an aurora sweeping over the night sky, illuminating a lush looking hillside. The sight lines from the front door utilized the floor to ceiling windows that spanned the entire exterior wall of the apartment. It looked right into the open plan dining room which held double doors onto the large patio that spanned two-thirds the length of the penthouse. Already the garden that her and Sharah had started was starting to fill in. There were no buildings right beside hers that blocked the view, so one could see the central part of the colony in and around the Government Tower.

She slipped off her shoes and immediately slid her feet into her sheru, the pair of soft soled and embroidered Hallian shoes meant for indoors. Her coat was laid on a chair and for the moment she kept her workbag on her shoulder.

“Come on in and don’t worry about your shoes. The floors are hard and we have work to do,” Eela said, moving through the foyer and turning left. The hallway spanned the entire apartment and down the right was a closed door, but to the right there was the windowed walls of an office.

The entire wall of the hallway opposite the foyer was filled with framed images that documented the six decades and of Dasca’s life. Family, friends, three quadrants of travel- the highlights of much of her life where there. Though not everything. Nothing from her wedding, and Cory showed up in only one image that was of him and their two teenaged children on Earth. She hadn’t cut him out of her life- that was impossible- but she was giving herself room to disentangle herself from a shared life. Other images on display were also deeply important, like those of all her grandparents and her late parents, or her promotion ceremony when she made Captain. Out in her work life, Eela might be picky about what she showed and didn’t show of herself, but in the sanctuary that was her home, she did not hide herself. What you saw was what you got.

Along the opposite side of the generous hallway from the photos were tall and thin boxes resting up on their sides, doing their best not to take up all the space. And in the dining room and even visible in the locked office were crates upon crates. Eela honestly felt overwhelmed just stepping into the area. Claustrophobic almost. She smiled at Karilan. “Okay, so my thought was that this wall opposite the photo gallery would be all books, all genres, but especially non fiction. But all the valuable and sensitive books would go in the special cases and in my office because it remains locked when I’m not in there. Any overflow of non precious tomes can go on shelves in my bedroom where I have quite of bit of extra space. Unless you have something else you think would work.”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Karilan looked at the space, and they and Fren took measurements and looked at some material samples. After limiting the selection down to around five, they looked at Fren and said “What do you think?” He shrugged and said “Doable for sure.” He then looked at the doorframe of an open door in the hall and said “It’s certainly think enough.” Karilan nodded and pulled out a PaDD and began sketching. “Can we go sit and talk for a moment?” he asked Eela without looking up as the stylus moved across the PaDD in swift movements.

Massat, Owner, Quill and Parchment Books