Stardate:70817.2000
Title: Act Two, Scene One (Or: Two Hosts for the Price of One)
Author: Lt. Grace
Scene: Conference Room USS Independence
Time: Following "In Shining Armor" and "Doctor's Orders"
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"Kimare, be careful! If you fall you'll injure Lair Kellyn!"
"Oh, don't worry. Lair Kellyn is fine with this. She's an engineer too, she understands my curiosity!"
February had watched helplessly from beneath as Lair Kellyn, embodying Grace's fourth host Kimare, climbed up onto the back of the couch, pulled down one of the ceiling panels and shimmied up into the Jeffries' tube above. "Look at the wiring relays! I cannot believe how far the technology has come in the past century,"
"I cannot believe how hard it is to have a conversation with the ceiling! And no, I'm not following you up there. Come down!"
Kimare rolled her eyes, and finally dropped straight down from the ceiling to the floor, scaring Bru half to death but landing without incident. "What I wouldn't give to see the rest of the ship."
"I'm sorry, but I don't think that's a good idea. I'm still recovering."
"Ah. Well, schematics then? Please?"
February sighed and walked over to the computer panel on the wall. She brought the schematics of the Independence up and Kimare studied them carefully.
"This is quite something. It's got to be three times the size of the largest ship plans that Starfleet had on the drawing board when I was alive."
"Well, since the war," Bru began, then stopped.
"War changes everything." Kimare concluded, with the eyes of a woman who knew. For a moment, Bru wondered if it was still her that was speaking, or if it was Kellyn coming through.
"What do you do for fun around here?" Kimare asked. "Do you play Parisis squares? Springball? Any other sports?"
"I'm afraid I'm about as athletic as a piece of soggy celery." February said, "But I have done some kickboxing."
"Oh! How many ribbons did you win?"
"Oh, I never competed. Just on the holodeck. For exercise and fun. I really prefer Yoga though."
"Yoga. Blah." Kimare waved her hand. "Too much time to think. Don't you ever get bored, just sitting there, playing the same old songs on that guitar, or doing that string thing you were doing before, what it is called?"
"Crocheting. And no I don't get tired of those things. Each one is different, each time. I like the solitude. I can think and unwind while I do them, alone. Well, as alone as I can get."
"We sure are different, you and I," Kimare decided, and she was right. "I can't imagine just sitting around in the background so meek and quiet, watching life go by. You have to get out there and be the center of attention! Otherwise what's the point of doing anything if no one notices?"
"Were all my previous hosts screaming extroverts?" February wondered, suddenly feeling very alien in her own skin.
"Maybe not all of 'em," Kimare responded. "But I sure was."
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Simon Biggs arrived at Sickbay, and as he stood next to February before the altar, he asked Rigin if there was anything specific he needed to do or say.
"No," Rigin answered, "Just let go, and let the host speak for you."
Simon nodded, and laughed nervously as Rigin moved between them. "This puts me in mind of a wedding somehow,"
"Well if it is, I think I'm severely under dressed." She replied, indicating her attire of faded blue jeans, an old t-shirt and those ever-present pink tennis shoes. The two friends laughed, and she added, "Always a bridesmaid."
Rigin began the transference, and Simon's demeanor changed the instant it was over. Instead of his sweet, calm, usually easy-going self, his features seemed to instantly harden and he snapped at Rigin.
"This is a zhian'tara?" he paced the room quickly, taking in his surroundings with disdain. "We are not on Trill!"
"We couldn't do it on Trill," February began, but he cut her off.
"Highly irregular. Most unusual and not at all welcome. If I'm only going to wake up once every hundred or so years, I want to do it at home." He looked down at Simon's hands, then viewed his reflection in the window. "This body is not even a Trill at all!"
"Knock it off. That 'body'," February snapped, "Is my friend, and you'd better be kind to him, Jevin. He's doing me a big favor, being willing to take you on. From what I've read, you have a real talent for putting people off."
Jevin snarled at her. "And what is your story, little girl?" He gestured toward her clothing. "You are a passenger on this ship? A civilian- not even good enough for Starfleet? What do you do here, dance in the bar for slips of latinum?"
"Hey now!" Simon asserted his personality from beneath, "Bru, I don't like the way this guy is talking to you. What can I do to teach him some manners?"
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Lt. (jg) February Grace
Helm/Flight Controller