Star Trek: Starbase 777

In the very centre of the events hall was the area known as the ‘ballroom’, although in reality, it was part of the grand, wider room itself. The ballroom floor was marked out by a slightly raised surface; a sprung floor specifically designed for dance. Although made of wood, the floor had been furnished to create the appearance of marble tiles which shimmered with projected reflections of oscillating water. Faint ripples appeared on the floor’s surface where people stepped, and the illuminated water pattern moved in time with the music. Around the ballroom floor were tables set with opalescent, pearl-style utensils. The places were set to accommodate up to eight people. Overhead, the high ceiling of the events hall mirrored the pattern of the slowly rippling water that displayed upon the dancefloor. In the very centre, hanging low to create the comfortable, cool lighting, was a large chandelier made of multiple spheres, creating the appearance of bubbles. Occasionally a holographic fish would peek its head out from behind said bubbles, using it like coral in a reef.

Kya had taken position in the ballroom, dancing by her lonesome in the middle of the room as she swayed from bubble to bubble like a trained dancer, a smile lit up on her face. Her mother had wanted to become a dancer before she was forced to be both a freedom fighter and Bajoran Militia, but she had passed some lessons to her daughter. Something Kya was taking full advantage of in the moment.

Making her way onto the dance floor, the hand-to-hand specialist spun gently across the rippling floor, her arms outstretched as the skirt she wore billowed with her movements. It was always such a joy to spin while wearing a skirt. The curls draped across her shoulders bounced with her movements as she came to a stop. She turned to see Kya dancing near her, and gently offered her hand in the Lieutenant Commander’s direction, “Kya! Would you like to dance?” She beamed.

Kya smiled as she looked towards Kiadras. “Well, I certainly can’t say no.” Kya said as she took the hand and lightly gave a gentlemanly bow. “How have you been since our last meeting?” She said, allowing her fellow Lt. Cdr. to take the lead. (edited)

The Trill gave Kya a curtsy as he took her hand and began to lead her back and forth across the dance floor. Kiadras had learned to dance alongside her martial arts classes. It helped with dexterity, “I’ve been doing well! Nothing like a storm to get the blood pumping!” He grinned, “I realize that this might be the first time we’ve spent time together socially, Commander Pok, heh.”

Kya smiled as she put a hand on Kiadras’s waist as they began to lightly floor dance. “Oh please, call me Kya. Commander Pok is my mother.” She paused. “That’s a joke, she’s a Sergeant.” She said with a smile. “I hope it’s everything you’ve dreamed of?”

“Ooo, a sergeant, fancy,” She grinned, “Well, alright, Kya. Call me Kiadras. Commander Vrii’s my symbiont,” Oh that is such a stupid joke, but it nevertheless made the Trill giggle as they danced, “I’m enjoying myself! I ought to head out to social events more, I think. Though, y’know, teaching ensigns how to punch me in the chest gets a lil’ tiring sometimes, heh!”

She smiled. “That’s a bad joke.” She said with a smile, clearly having enjoyed it. She stepped out of their dance and spun on a dime before rolling back into Kiadras. “Oh those ensigns. I have to teach them to shoot sometimes. They have the basics and the physical aspect. The mental aspect tends to be the problem with some of them.”

“Oh VERY bad joke, I’m full of those. Five hosts worth of ‘em,” He held his arm out to let Kya spin, and very happily welcomed her back to the steps they were taking, “They’ll do pretty well from what I’ve seen. Know how to use their hands pretty efficiently now, heh. And they can aim! I mean- Well, they can aim a fist, but- Y’get it.”

“Oh I can’t even imagine having 5 hosts worth of them. I have enough bad jokes from my father.” She said with a smile as she started picking up the pace, shayshaying from side to side in her dress and bringing the intel chief along. “Oh sure, but I just couldn’t imagine wanting to aim a fist at your pretty face.” She said with a wink.

“Could give him a run for his money if you’d like. My first host was a father, and my second host was a mother, so I’ve got both ends of the humor spectrum up here,” She removed her hand from Kya’s shoulder to tap her forehead for a bit of silly emphasis, before returning it to where it came from. Her eyebrows raised a bit at the compliment, her expression quickly splitting into a bright smile, “You’d be surprised! This handsome mug has had its fair share of black eyes. But hey, at least I’m looking pretty nice for tonight. Up to snuff with your own pretty face.”

Kya giggled as she dipped Kiadras. “Flatterer.” She teased before bringing him back up and looking at them. “But at least you speak true. I once spent weeks trekking across a forest moon after the USS Takei crashed during the Iconian war, maybe the only time I wasn’t pretty.” She joked. “You are looking lovely tonight, rawr.” She said, giving a cat scratch hand gesture.

Was he expecting the dip? No, but he went with it, and gracefully, too! Getting back to eye level with Kya, he couldn’t help but dramatically toss a curl of his over his shoulder, “I’ve been told flattery gets you a lot of things,” A grin, “But is it flattery if I’m telling the truth, like you said? Semantics, I’m sure,” He giggled himself as the two continued, and beamed at Kya’s compliment, “Oh, and you call me a flatterer.”

She smiled. “I’m nearly 50, I’ve had a lot of practice at flattery. That and tactics.” She said with a light laugh. “You get many partners through pointing out their strengths.” She said. “Would you like me to go through the ones I see in you?” She said with a wink.

"Hey, fair. But like I said, five hosts worth...humor, flattery, tactics...and wine, from my second host!" She grinned. Honestly, she hadn't stopped grinned since the two of them started dancing, and there was just the slightest bit of a dusting of blush across her cheeks, "Ah- By all means, I'm all ears!" She said with a slightly flustered laugh. Ohhh, ohh prophets.

Kya lightly brushed her fingers up the tactical officers arms. “Well’s let’s see what we have here. You’re strong, you know who you are and what you want….never mind smart and capable and all of the things that come with the dashing tactical officer you are.” She said with a grin. “And of course, you are devilishly attractive.” (edited)

The Trill took in a quick breath as Kya's fingers slid up his arm, that dusting of a blush on her cheeks becoming a LOT brighter in the process. The compliments did little to aid in the cooling off of his cheeks. In fact, those curls brushed behind his ears did wonders in showing off the bright red tips, "Ah- Well, ah- Prophets, nice of you to say," Oh Kiadras we're really in it now.

Kya smirked softly as she lightly angled her hand under Kiadras’s chin gently. “Invoking the prophets? Has anything we’ve been saying to each other been particularly virtuous for the past 5 or so minutes.” She teased.

The Trill rather quickly short-circuited when Kya's hand found its way beneath her chin, and she could do little besides smile brilliantly and try to sift through a lot of thoughts mixing around in her head. It dawns on her and her shared memories that she as a host is indeed a bit younger than Kya, and it certainly tightened part of her chest, "Ah...y'know, fair point, gotta say-!" She had kind of stopped swaying back and forth at this point. Not a lot of dance moves came to mind right now. (edited)

Kya smiled and she winked at the younger officer. “You have a lovely smile.” She said with a smirk. “I figure before we continue I should ask: How far are you willing to go with this? I don’t want to push you any further then you don’t want to be.”

He let out a soft laugh, that smile remaining across his face as he did so, "Thank you kindly, Kya," He said with a nod, before letting out a hum at her next question. Very fair question, "I'm open for business. Which is to say, y'know, I'm up for having some fun. As long as you're having fun," He gently pushed her shoulder to start dancing once again, grinning all the while.

Kya smiled as she leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. “Good, I hope you aren’t too against perhaps coming to my quarters after the ball?” She said, picking up the slow dance once again. (edited)

Oh Prophets. Her cheek was very hot when Kya pressed her lips against it, and another flustered giggle escapes her at the gesture. There's the slightest bit of a stumble in her steps as the two danced, but Kiadras was nothing if not dexterous and caught herself immediately, all without tripping Kya up (nor falling against her), "Can't say I'm too against it, no!"

Kya’s own cheeks betrayed a lightly coloured orange blush. “Well good, I do love picking up cute officers at ballrooms.” She said with a grin. “Does right after work, or do you need time to get your feet steady?” She teased.

"Oh, well, I'll have you know I'm great at keeping steady, heh. That's my whole job," He shook his head a bit to brush some of his curls out of his eyes, "I'm not doing much of anything after this, Kya...I mean- Besides visiting your quarters, I suppose, yeah?" He grinned, "Here's your cute officer at the ballroom."

She grinned. “Then how about se spilt up for now, and I’ll find you once the party ends.” She said, pulling Kiadras against her and bringing them in a light kiss of the lips.

She sucked in a breath as the two met lips, a lot more blood rushing across her face as she was kissed, even if it was just a light one. After the two pulled away, the Trill very rapidly and embarrassedly nodded to Kya, "Ah- See you then!" She slowly spun her fellow TAC officer away, her hand lingering in hers as they both stretched their arms outward, "Enjoy yourself, heh!"

Kya winked. “See you around, I hope you’re ready to get rough, Miss Hand-To-Hand Specialist.” She said with a wink before spinning out of the dance and heading towards the rest of the ballroom.

The hand-to-hand specialist stood there for a moment, just the slightest bit stunned before she smoothed her skirt out, "...hey, for your first social event in a hot second, you're not doing too bad for yourself, Ki...heh," She muttered, before looking out to the sea (pun intended) of other dancers.

Mulled wine in hand, Ev'kor made his way to the ballroom. He could set it down later if he found someone to dance with, but for now, it was keeping his hands warm, and still, and he was content to take in the room for a bit.

“Come here often?” Kya asked, lightly approaching Ev’kor. “Kya Pok.” She said with a bow and smile, appearing much more friendly then flirty like before.

"Not particularly, no," Ev'kor laughed as Kya approached him. "In fact I would say this is my first time," he said, bowing back. "Jolan tru. I'm Ev'kor tr'Khellian."

“Jolan Tru.” She said with a smile. “I’ve been to so many of these it’s hard to count.” She said with a laugh. “Even when I was a child on DS9 there were parties like this now and again.”

Ah, he supposed. He'd been to quite a few functions as a child, too, it came with the territory of being an aristocrat in the Romulan Star Empire. They weren't anything like this, though, so he didn't count them. "I've not been in service for very long," officially, anyway, his years in the Resistance didn't count, "so I've not had much opportunity yet. And the past few years I've been to busy to consider it, so now that my workload has slowed down significantly, I thought I might as well put my best foot forward," he said with a smile, motioning vaguely down to his outfit.

Erra finally arrived to the ballroom, keeping to herself mostly. She had rehearsed in her mind the first thing she'd say to Rii. The first thing that she'd present herself as in this crucial event. If she had even the slightest chance... she couldn't mess this up. Feeling the pressure build, Erra's breath was uneven. There was no turning back now -- well, technically there was, but if Erra did turn back now she'd label herself a coward. Noticing her shallowed breath, Erra did her best to control her breathing and heart rate, taking deep, long breaths to maintain her composure. From the limited experience she had from talking to Rii, she figured Rii would appreciate her to be more subdued and controlled. But she didn't want to assume too much -- ugh, this was so stressful! For now, Erra, just took deep breaths, waiting for Rii...

Kya smiled as she looked to Ev’kor with a small nod. “Well you look lovely.” She said with a slight tilt of her head and grin. “What do you do? I’m a tactical officer, weapons specialist.”

"Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself," he said, returning the compliment. He chuckled at her question. Really, talking work at a party? "I'm a medical officer," he simply answered.

She gave a small exaggerated curtsy and a smile. “Thank you kindly, and we always need more medics.” She said with a grin. “And what do you do outside of work and fish themed galas?”

"I can't say fish themed galas are an integral part of my existence, but," Ev'kor laughed, "I would consider myself something of a literature buff, and I'm not a bad cook, I like trying new recipes. What about yourself? Surely weaponry is not the only thing in your life."

“Mmmm, those are all fair things. Let’s see what do I like.” She had to resist the urge to say “women.” but moved on from that thought. “Oh I like reading as well, and I have a passing interest in religion across cultures.” She said with a laugh. “And of course, weapons across cultures.”

"Naturally," Ev'kor agreed emphatically. "What genres do you enjoy? I'm a historical fiction person myself, though I won't turn down the occasional horror or fantasy novel," he shared easily.

She smiled. “I love fantasy! Tales of dashing knights sworn to do good in the world? Well that’s exactly my style.” She said with a grin. “Have any particular historical topics you’re interested in.”

Not technically the kind of fantasy Ev'kor was used to reading, as his tastes tended towards tales of political intrigue (he was Romulan, go figure), but he'd been (jokingly) called a knight in shining armour over the past three decades that he'd gained an appreciation for them. "Any retelling of a famous historical figure's life is fascinating to me, especially when they've been dead so long the real history is partially or mostly lost. It gives an insight into the author, I feel, and somewhere in between versions there is usually a kernel of the truth. Aside from that, a good period piece about inter-House drama never goes amiss." Again, he was still Romulan, after all.

Rii entered the ballroom, pale blue eyes scanning the elegant space with a mix of calculation and barely concealed anxiety. Their smile flickered momentarily as they glanced around the room for Erra. Rii was slightly worried about their performance tonight in general. It was a..Newer experience for them. They breathed in as the fragments of their collective consciousness whispered subtle observations as they looked around: Nael noted the room's acoustics, Cortan assessed potential strategic positions, and Basalith urged a calm approach. When they noticed Erra, they walked over and said *“This one hopes you haven’t waited long.” *Rii offered a small, practiced smile, their tone blending charm with professional courtesy. They looked at her from head to toe and softly commented, "This one must commend you—your appearance tonight is truly remarkable.”

The Vulcan woman definitely did have as much composure as a typical Vulcan woman would have - heh, that was a lie lol. Internally freaking out, Erra kept herself as calm as could be as Rii approached her, maintaining a steady breath in and out. This was it. This was the start of the dance. "Negative, sir, I haven't waited long at all," Erra said, resting her eyes upon the Pandronian - and unable to take her eyes off them. As she approached the Pandronian as well, Erra's breath caught in her throat, and said nothing for a moment. Then, she spoke again. "Thank you, sir, I... I have to agree, your appearance is remarkable as well. It's... Unlike anything I've ever seen before. It's like... You're glowing, but not actually glowing." Butterflies filled Erra's stomach as she stepped up to Rii... Well, here goes nothing.

Rii's pale blue eyes met Erra's green eyes, a subtle vibration of anticipation rippling through their collective consciousness. A soft teal blush shifted across their mint-green skin, the color deepening at the edges of their cheeks at the glowing comment “Thank you,” Their head unconsciously floated a fraction higher, betraying their internal excitement. As they glanced around, Nael’s voice echoed in their mind, suggesting with a subtle insistence that the two of them should dance. Erra stepped closer, and Rii tilted their head slightly, their gaze softening as they hovered just two inches above their shoulders. They spoke gently, *"Shall we dance?" *Trying to keep their tone between a balance between enthusiasm and grace.

Well, Erra messed up what she was going to say - but in the end, it didn't really matter, Rii was as enamored as she hoped for them to be, and Erra had an internal sigh of relief. She was worried it was going to end off way worse and she would say something that upsetted Rii -- well, in truth, she had that fear with everyone. But especially with Rii. In this moment, however... Erra didn't really feel the need to be overcautious about what she said or how she acted. It was just... being present in the moment. And that's all she needed to do. "We shall," Erra replied, stepping even closer to Rii, and finally wrapping her arms around Rii gently. She swayed subtly with the music, keeping Rii close. This was it -- she was dancing with the one person who reminded her more of Senutt than anyone else. The one person who she truly felt enamored with in this time period. Erra moved with fluidity and grace as she danced with Rii, occasionally looking up at them, locking eyes with them. And a few times even some tears welled up in her eyes -- happy ones, albeit. And a smile, in some capacity, never left Erra's face.

Reply to: @er. Arn. Ev'kor tr'Khellian | MED (@Matt) *Not technically the kind of fantasy Ev'kor was used to reading, as his tastes tended towards tales of political intrigue (he wa...

“Oh yes, that is all very interesting. As a half Cardassian who grew up on DS9, I have a vested interest in Cardassian history and learning what happened that led my people to do such awful things with the Damars and Dukat’s of the world.” She said with a nod. “Dukat’s biography is interesting, not by him of course, but interesting.” She said, giving a light recommend.

"I understand. It sounds a bit more recent than what I'm usually reading, but I might give it a try." Ev'kor said, mostly to be polite. It wasn't that he was uninterested in Federation history, in fact he did try to keep up specifically for the sake of his brother, but he couldn't promise any interest in a recent figure such as Dukat. "Say, Miss Pok, would you care to dance? I'm afraid I only know how to lead, but I do believe I've been standing here for long enough," he offered.

“Please, Miss Pok is my mother.” Ha! Joke reuse! She was a pro at this. “Kya works just well enough.” She said with a smile as she offered her hand and nodded. “I think I can follow your lead.”

"Give me a second," Ev said, scanning to find the nearest table to set his mug down. He didn't have to look very far, turning around basically directly where he'd come from- and his eyes were pulled back to the bar, which... he shouldn't have looked. When he did place the mug on the table, it was cracked slightly (curse that Vulcanoid strength), seeping wine ever so slightly. He'd clean it up later. Now he just turned around, plastered a smile on his face, and took Kya's hand, leading her onto the floor. "It's been a while since I've done this, so if I misstep, it'll have been because I'm out of practice," he warned.

Kya smiled as she waited patiently, and gave a small but polite laugh at the sight of the wine. You okay?” She said as she took the hand and gently walked out onto the dance floor. “Please, missteps are fine. That’s just life.”

"Yes, I think I must have..." Well, nevermind. He laughed at Kya's comment. "That's far too wise to be about dancing, ma'am," he said, before falling into the first steps to the measure of the song, his robe flowing around him in ways that made it easy to follow his steps. The first few were... rusty, but then he found his feet. "I swear I used to do this regularly," he said, an embarrassed flush coming over his face.

“Mmm, my mother taught me it to dance, and those words.” She said with a smile. “There’s a reason an old guerrilla like her still has a job on DS9 security.” She said with a smile as she followed along, clearly not rusty after her few minutes of flirt-dancing. She paused with a smile. “Oh I can tell, but you seem….distracted.” She said with a click of her tongue as she looked to the bar. “Who are you more jealous of? The beautiful intelligence operative or the dashing bartender, hm?”

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ev'kor denied quickly, far smoother on his feet now that he got in the rhythm of the music. He changed the subject back to... dancing, sort of. "An old guerilla, huh? Your family was in the Bajoran Resistance?"

She smiled slyly. “That’s what they all say.” She said before spinning out of the dance and back into his arms. “Mother was, father was a Cardassian farmer who came over to DS9 during the Klingon war. I might be the first post war Bajoran-Cardassian hybrid, but don’t fact check me. I wish I was the first in general, but oppressors find the oppressed so arousing, don’t they?”

Ev'kor pulled a face. Oh, wasn't that a concept he was intimately familiar with. "I'm sure there are others with a happier background," he offered, thinking of his roommate, who was half Reman, half vulcanoid, but whose parents were a happy story out of a million tragedies. They talked, sometimes. "I've seen it myself. The bad, and the good."

She gave a soft nod as they gracefully danced around the ballroom. “There are a few, especially post occupation.” She said with a hum. “They say Dukat had a hybrid daughter, an artist, and of course she was murdered by his friend Damar.” She said with spite before shaking her head. “Forgive me, I can get animated on the subject.”

"Happy stories, Kya, happy stories. This is a joyous occasion, we're here to dance, not to get angry," he placated, turning Kya into another spin. "I was in the resistance myself," he lowered his voice to say it, never knowing who might be listening. It wasn't something he was ashamed of but rather something he knew to be cautious about. "I've seen it all. I'm a doctor, have been for four decades. I know," he needed her to understand that. "But we're not there, we're here, and the present is both beautiful, and the only thing we can affect."

She smiled softly. “Oh what a charmer you are. If I wasn’t already booked for tonight and you didn’t clearly have eyes for our purple dressed commander I would be turning on the charm myself.” She said with a wink. “And I understand, remind me to never bring up history at a gala again.” She said with a joking twinge. “Instead I’ll focus on the beautiful present.” She said with a grin. “And my lovely dance partner.”

Ev was positively going green at the ears right now, when Kya called him out correctly. He moved past the comments though, only smiling down at Kya. "That's what I like to hear. Although you're free to bring up history, if you ask me. You just look far more radiant when you're not frowning," he said, playfully complimenting her right back.

Kya smiled as she saw the hint of green, her own skin glowing a faint orange at his own compliment. “What is it about the medical officers on this station that make you so fetching? First Via, now you? It boggles the mind.” She said with a grin, before holding his waist and dipping him with a cheshire grin. “How does my smile look from there?”

"Must be the profession," Ev'kor said, before clutching at Kya's shoulders tightly. Towering over everyone since a young age, he couldn't remember the last time he'd been dipped; even Tonavek never tried for fear of unbalancing and hurting either or both of them. "Lady, you just scared me half to death," he said, looking up at her with wide eyes. "The cat that got the cream is a good look on you, though," he continued once he got his wits about him again.

“Apologies for the fright.” She said genuinely. “And thank you, I do love some good cream.” She said with a wink at the innuendo before breaking down laughing in the middle of their dance. “Woof, sorry, that was bad.”

"No, I'm sure that wasn't your finest work," Ev'kor said through suppressed chuckles of his own, caused partially by the phenomenally shit joke, and partially by Kya's own laughter. "I can't say I disagree with you, though," he added, never one to miss the opportunity for a salacious joke himself.

This time Kya was the one blushing. “Are you sure you aren’t Vialara in disguise?” She said with a giggle. “I like you Ev’kor. You have a wonderful spark in you.” She said with a smile. “Plus, you can remember how to dance.”

"I'm fairly sure I have yet to meet the former CMO, so yes, I would say I am fairly certain," Ev'kor said, still laughing. "Thank you for your wonderful compliments. You are quite fiery yourself, and I admire that," he complimented back. "I've got it down now, right? It took a second, but I'd say I'm proving all of the dance teachers in my youth wrong right now."

She gave a soft laugh to herself. “Oh you have done quite well.” She said with a grin. “And fiery? That’s a first, and I like it.” She said with a smile. “Anything exciting happening for you before the year is up?”

"Absolutely nothing, myself. I'm escorting my father to the airlock later this week, since he wants to spend some time at home, but other than that, I have nothing going on aside from work," Ev'kor said sheepishly.

“Ah, beyond prayer and work I myself have nothing else going on.” She said with a small smile. “Is your father well?”

"As well as he can be, I'm sure. The past year here in the Federation has really perked him up, to the degree that he's confident enough to stay on Mol'Rihan for a few weeks, which makes me happy." Ev'kor knew his mother had been wanting to spend more time with him as well, but she'd had work so hadn't been able to come to the station for the time being. The fact that his father could go home for a while was good, he was happy about it.

Konstantin rolled into the ballroom with an enthusiastic speed though and anxious one, he was a bit bad at asking if other people wanted to dance with him, hell he barely knew anyone here it was fun but at the same time a bit awkward so he sat there in his wheelchair for a while looking at the other people who were dancing. He was contemplating on whether to join or not since he had put on his braces and was ready to go at any moments notice, but for now he just sat there.

She smiled as she looked towards Ev’kor. “Well that is lovely, I won’t ask as to the details but I’m happy your father is living his best life.” She said with a hum. “It’s a blessing to spend time with family. I was blessed in my last posting of DS9 to have my mother & father living there, and it was wonderful to go to lunch at my father’s cafe every day. I miss it.”

Her nerves only heightened with every step closer to the music, to the swirl of bodies dancing elegantly along the floor, and now Vovvi was overthinking everything again. What if she'd forgotten how to dance? (Stupid, she danced with Ivissa all the time, she would stand on her toes and they'd waddle around while she giggled like mad.) What if she bumped into someone? (She'd apologize and move on.) What if she stepped on Rojin's feet? (She wouldn't.) She exhaled to expel the racing thoughts, trying to get a peek up at his face as they moved swiftly through the crowd, seeing if she could catch that sliver again - that small squint to his eyes breaking through the calm, casual expression - ripples in an otherwise crystal clear pond - squeezing his arm a fraction too tight. "Alright," she said, once they'd gotten close to the actual dance floor, "how do you want to..?"

40 years spent in resistance didn't mean he forgot the manners and skills taught to him and his siblings as an obligatory part of social curriculum for the descendants of a self-respecting, prominent Romulan House. No, quite the opposite was true - because infiltrations demanded an ability to seamlessly blend into the higher society, because more often than not his point of entry was some sort of social event on a ship or a base. People were surprisingly willful to talk after a glass of good ale and a few circles around the ballroom floor... He looks at her after feeling that squeeze, eyes skimming over her face, trying to discern the expression. Thankfully, today he wasn't an infiltrator, a spy, not even the Republic's devoted protector and informant. Today he was just a man living on a non-enemy base, enjoying an event in good company. He could allow himself honesty, and that-- that was refreshing. Rojin could tell she was anxious, but instead of stopping where they were, he decided to just... Go, and not let them get stuck on decisions. There's a decent space left between dancers when he steps in and gently tugs Vovvi along. He then turned himself so that he was facing her, and offered his hand: "Something like this. My shoulder doesn't bite, I promise."

She softened, then, taking his hand (safe, safe, safe, still beating in the back of her mind in an incessant rhythm from that day in the fog; Rojin was solid, a comforting, warm presence, soothing her nerves and silencing the murmurs of doubt in one simple action,) and guiding his free one to her waist. "I would be worried if it did," Vovvi answered with a small, somewhat nervous smile, relieved that he moved so quickly — she would've gotten stuck in her own thoughts otherwise. Almost like he saw it and pushed past the first barrier before she could start faltering... She sharpened her focus, filtering out the background noise and chatter of people until only the two of them and the music remained (as well as a general awareness of the people around them, for courtesy's sake). It was a mess of helpful and more confusing. Something about looking at Rojin right now made her thoughts start scrambling again, but she kept her gaze locked firmly on his (golden, piercing sunlight melting behind the tundra, she could feel the fire licking at her veins even now), and they were off. The first handful of seconds spent finding a steady rhythm, and her fighting to keep her attention focused on anywhere but how warm Jin's hands were, and find it they did. Her rigid frame melted into something more flexible, easily malleable on the dance floor. She grinned. "Have you been practicing?" she teased, her eyes crinkling at the corners, and there was no doubt that Vovvi was absolutely glowing with delight.

After sitting there doing nothing but watching for a long while he sighed at his own inability to ask someone for a dance. He was by all means a social extroverted person though but sometimes that came with anxiety, especially to ask someone for a dance because he was afraid he'd be somewhat of a liability. So Konstantin moved on from the ballroom after considering it he went to the bar area.

Ev'kor nodded at Kya. He'd spent 30 years not ever seeing any of his family, though they exchanged letters sometimes, and while he'd missed them, he knew it was almost nothing compared to a Romulan lifespan. Still he was inclined to help Kya. "You could always go back a while, or invite them over here sometime. Or both, at different times. A change of scenery every so often never hurts." Sure, there was a bit of a difference between someone travelling from here to Mol'Rihan compared to travelling from here to Bajor, but still.

His fingers twitched as soon as he felt the heat and pressure of her skin, suddenly very aware of the slits on the sides of her dress. Despite the hesitation, he wills it to stay there - it was, after all, Vovvi herself who put it there. An indication that it was fine. Perhaps, if he went along with this line of thought, an indication of her trust. As soon as they found their hand positions, Rojin tugged again - gently, just a half-step closer to himself, their hands now bent at proper angle. Just like he was taught, all those years ago, but lacking the stick-up-your-ass rigidness that the older generation, for some reason, wanted to instill into him and his siblings. He then looked around, double-checking that the coast was clear, until his attention returned back to Vovvi. The nagging intrusive thought that this up close, he should definitely be wearing his eyepatch, was tuned out for the sake of the music and her voice, and his focus on leading the dance. He smiles back, or rather it's a simple upturn of the corners of his lips: "Here and there. Had to attend events while bartending in other places. You are not half bad yourself - when did you have time to practice, huh? Is having ballroom dance skills a requirement for Intel officers in Starfleet?"

She looked to Vovvi and Jin with a small glance, my my, Ev’kor must be fuming. “Oh I know, and I have a few times. But they are very busy. My father runs a cafe, and my mother is part of Bajoran Security. Both are nearly 100 by now as well.” She said with a small laugh. “Getting them to stop working is about as easy as getting an orb vision.”

Ev'kor had committed to not looking. He was going to be behaving himself, not show off his poor impulse control in front of the bartender some more. "Wouldn't they much rather get their rest by now? A hundred is quite an advanced age," he asked, knowing that for himself, a hundred was not yet half of his expected lifespan, but for a Cardassian or a Bajoran, the situation was quite different.

“Oh they’re in positions where they don’t have to be too physical but can still work. My father just runs the business end instead of cooking, and my mother has a desk job. They are happier working than they are not.” She said with a smile. “Besides, I left them in the care of their neighbours. The Sisko and The Prophets.”

Ev'kor didn't want to say he was religion-averse (in fact Tonavek had been religious, and he'd loved him dearly), but he hadn't ever known how to sensitively approach the subject. He himself could be considered a tad spiritual, perhaps, maybe even a little superstitious, but he'd seen far too much suffering in life to consider any sort of deity. "At least they're being kept safe, then," he just said politely, his charming face still pulled into a smile.

She could feel his….not wanting to engage with the topic of religion and respected that. She didn’t want to impose on him a topic he was (maybe?) uncomfortable with. “At least they are safe.” She leaned back in his arms. “I feel pretty safe in these nice arms myself.”

Vovvi laughed; a bright, warm burst of a sound, ducking her head to hide it out of habit. "Oh, yes, we have to take our higher-ups for a spin around the ballroom back in the Republic in order to land the position." She joked, mentally tracking his movements so she could keep up the pace, but it was starting to slip into subconscious rhythm now. They were just... in perfect harmony. A step forward, a step back, and she was right there with him, shoes thankfully left uncrushed in the process. She didn't even stumble over her dress! "No, I've just kept myself in practice over the past thirty years or so. I taught -- am teaching -- my children as well, though I don't give them reasons to stick rocks in my shoes, I hope." "Or maybe," she posed with an air of mischief, telling by the slight quirk of her lips to one side and little scrunch of her nose, "I was hoping I'd get to dance with you at some point tonight. Who's to say, really?" she hummed casually. Both things could and did coexist. She was hoping Rojin would get to dance — but with her specifically? Hm. That was an inside thought, one she didn't intend to spill, but too late now. "The suit is lovely, by the way. I like the fins. Very cute." (edited)

"Well, in my opinion, if you haven't found any rocks there by now, I think it's safe to assume that you are at least a decent dance teacher?" he mused, cocking his head to the side inquisitively as they glided around the ballroom - somehow both of them falling into the easy, shared rhythm of the dance. "Though, to be fair, being better than what we got as kids is... not that hard of a task, huh." Unwilling to leave that thread at a darker note - it was the winter ball, after all - Rojin decided to be just a little bit cheeky, slowing their steps to give his dance partner a quick yet careful spin, appreciating the way the dress seemed to glimmer in the room's lights. "Ohh, so all of this was part of a grand plan of yours?" the man asked, bringing Vovvi back closer to himself, "I see, I see. Mastermind levels of forethought there, miss Rei'nak. You got me where you wanted me. As for the suit - thank you, truly. Not a lot of color to work with, but I think we made it work. What's the inspiration for your dress?"

It was everything she could do not to giggle childishly at being twirled, a thrill she hadn't felt in nearly thirty years running hot through her veins in time with the music. "Truthfully, I couldn't tell you the name. Not because I don't remember it, but because I have no clue how to pronounce it. Hula skirt... Something?" She couldn't think of how Veldan said it for the life of her. "It's fun, though. Our outfits go together well I think." "But yes, it was my grand, wicked plan. Having fun dancing with a good friend of mine at a fancy party. Isn't it terrible?" She leant in just a little closer, not enough to disrupt their rhythym but enough to be noticable, gaze still bright with that same sort of mischief. "Very well, Lareth, if I've got you where I want you— what now?"

Ev'kor laughed at Kya's flirting, pulling her a little closer to indulge her. "Is that so? I'm glad I could provide." He still got ittttt. He was, to be honest with himself, not ready for anything that left this ballroom, but flirting was nice. Normal. It reminded him of a time before the Resistance.

Her giggle tugs at his own corners of the mouth, prompting a small smile and the realization that he had been doing That an awful lot this evening - and these smiles were genuine, unlike the ones Rojin pulled onto his face like an ill-fitting mask when he had to go through the social interactions during infiltrations, all of that just to fit in. No, this was similar to the moments he shared with his fellow fighters. The rare, precious crumbs of safety when they could all gather and indulge in living for the sake of living, not fighting to see their and other people's tomorrows. It was similar, yes, but at the same time, this felt more... intimate. Personal. Shared just between the two of them. Trust was... a beautiful thing. "I only remember mine because it's four letters," he confessed. "But the other name they use for these animals is "killer whales". Formidable hunters, but also, very social animals. Live in families and have their own unique dialects and hunting styles, handed down through generations. At least, that's what Saren told me. Quite fascinating, I think. I wonder how the black and white pattern helps them hunt... besides matching well with the more colorful ocean creatures." There was a beat or two after Vovvi leaned in, which ended when he he replied with his tone lowered, almost conspiratorially: "Well now, is this a spy film? If we go by the plot, something dramatic needs to happen - doesn't even have to involve us. Like the chandelier falling, or the arrival of the third party... Or-r-r-r I could twirl you again - I think you enjoyed that, hm?.."

Kya smiled as she dragged a well done up tactical red painted nail along his chest with a kind laugh. “Oh please, you are quite a nice provider.” She hiked up a knee to his side with a grin. “If you aren’t careful I’ll have to see what other services you can provide.”

Ev hummed, knowing nothing was going to come of it. "I'm sure we'd have a lovely time, Kya," he told her, looking down at her, "but I'm afraid I need to wined and dined before I take someone home with me," he said, exaggerating slightly. He just didn't really... pick up people he'd just met, alright? He was a shy boy at heart.

She dragged her nail up to his chin with a smile before removing it. “My my, a medical officer who can keep it in their pants? A shocking turn of events.” She said with a smile. “I’ll respect that, I hope you know that means you’re getting treated to some nice cooking. My father taught me how to.”

"I'm sure you've got a bit of a biased view of our medical officers," Ev'kor said, unconcerned. "I can assure you most of us are very professional, at least everyone I've worked with so far." He was pretty sure this was a dig at Vialara, but he'd never met her, so he would refrain from commenting further.

She giggled. “Oh don’t worry, I love Via with my whole heart.” She said with a smile. “Just a little joke.” She said with a nod. “But professionalism I can work with.”

"I'm sure you can," Ev'kor grinned. "Thank you for this dance, Kya. I'm going to grab a bite to eat, before I fall over," he said, skillfully maneuvering the two of them to the edge of the ballroom so as to extricate themselves from the dancing crowd with grace. "But it has been lovely to meet you."

"Aw - that's cute." Hunting in packs, anyway. Vovvi had a soft spot for those sorts of creatures, working together and taking care of each other and the like. Even if the actual hunt was more often than not brutal, she still thought it was adorable. In theory, at least. "I'm sure he'd be happy to tell you if asked. Or you can both find out together. Both options have the potential to be fun.." "Mm..." Vovvi pretended to ponder the choices given, as if she didn't internally wince even at the playful suggestion of the pretty bubble chandelier falling, or something terrible crashing the party. She did go green in the cheeks, however, because she had enjoyed it a little too much and let her guard slip in a moment of childish glee. It didn't feel like anything more than a playful jab, however, so she didn't get hung up on it for long. "I don't want anyone to get hurt on the glass, nor do I want to have to pull a phaser out of who knows where—" no, she was not actually armed, obviously— "So I'd much rather be spun, please and thank you." She also liked how the dress looked, swishing under the lights. Hehe. "We would make great spy film protagonists, no?"

Kya smiled as she retreated from Ev’kor’s grasp. “Oh of course darling. Thank you so much for the dance, and it was lovely to meet you.” She said as she departed, walking towards the ball with a smile, a wave, and a blown kiss. “Have a good rest of your night.”

"Oh, he would be - that boy doesn't need much of an invitation to speak about all things related to his field in biology," he sighed, fondness evident in his voice. "I'm glad that's the case. Wouldn't have it any other way, but don't tell him that." Rojin didn't notice the hitch. Or, perhaps, he didn't draw his attention to it. The spy question however... gods, if only she knew how ironic it was. If he didn't know any better, he might've gotten worried - but in this case, in this instance, he knew it was just a playful jab at his own words he could play along with. "An Intel officer and a bartender... what a duo. Unsure if we'd be necessarily effective *as a pair of spies, but it would for sure be entertaining. Though, in all honesty, alcohol makes people talk like nothing else. I think I'm starting to see your point... oh, but, forgive me - didn't you request another spin?.." *His tone had a mischievous note in it as he slowed down, adjusting his hold on Vovvi's palm - making his intentions clear and giving her a few moments to prepare. She might've caught a glimpse of his grin before her world would become a blur, guided by his hand, spun again and again and again, until finally, his hand slipped out of Vovvi's to catch her - ending up secured around her waist.

Anything in Vovvi's carefully put together script of what to say next was shredded in favor of a whirl of color, lights, and laughter; around and around she went until she was on the verge of tumbling over, and only then did the string pull taut. She was brought back in (without tripping!) and steadied herself on his shoulders, blinking spots out of her vision with her cheeks aching from smiling so much. Looking up, Vovvi found her expression mirrored near perfectly; there it was, that break in the storm, the little squint of his eyes accompanied by- well. Had she ever seen him smile so widely? No, they'd been small, almost secret, the only exception until now being his bark of laughter earlier, and... she couldn't keep her eyes off of it, off of him. Was it because of her?.. Crumbling; there was something crumbling inside of her, something built up and fortified over decades all coming undone to allow feelings that had been slowly trickling in over the past few months to come flooding through at a single gesture— a dance between friends because neither of you wanted the trouble of finding a partner, a pair of (warm, strong, safe, safe, safe) hands on her waist, a face that was just a few centimeters too close to hers— Vovvi's heart was lodged very firmly in her throat, and she swallowed in a feeble attempt at removing it, cheeks flushed a vivid green as she willed herself to speak. "I'm— I'm a little lightheaded," she admitted in a voice softer than she expected, though she was rooted to the spot and not sure she could or wanted to pry herself away, "It's not any fault of yours, of course, it's just been a while since lunch, and I- ha, Gods, Rojin, I haven't laughed and spun so much since I was young, and it.. it... Thank you. For dancing with me. For making my night." Vovvi finally willed herself to break her gaze from his. "My face hurts from smiling.." Or from the fire building in it. (edited)

Rii wrapped their arms around Erra, their entire Colony working in harmony to maintain their form during the dance. Within them, an unusual tranquility settled - the internal voices that usually provided a constant background murmur had fallen into a peaceful quiet. The serenity of the moment, coupled with Erra's presence, felt like a rare gift. Years of diplomatic functions had given Rii's movements a seasoned grace, each step measured and precise as they guided their partner across the floor. The calm synchronicity of their Colony parts made the dance flow naturally, creating a seamless connection between them and Erra. When tears began to fall from Erra's eyes, Rii gentled their movements to a slower pace. Their pale blue eyes studied her face with careful concern. *"Are you okay?Do you need a break? Or—uh—just a moment to catch your breath?”They asked softly, their training making them acutely aware of the delicate nature of xB memories and experiences. They had researched extensively in preparation for working with former Borg - a habit ingrained from his reassembling from Urel. He wanted to ensure Erra had a good time tonight*

She becomes a blur of light and color, of laughter and joy, and while Rojin didn't quite respond in kind, all too focused on keeping the smooth momentum going, this private display of happiness softened his features into a smile; he always found beauty in unbridled, unapologetic joyfulness of others, and now this feeling was tenfold stronger with Vovvi. Perhaps because she was a friend, or perhaps because of the event as a whole, or maybe it's been too long. The catching motion was done instinctually, but it didn't prevent Vovvi's need to steady herself. And suddenly, there's delicate pressure against his shoulders, and her face was close enough to his that Rojin could see the crow's feet in the corners of her eyes, and then they were just - looking at each other. Into each other. Ah. His brain then reminded him of the scars cracking his face into two uneven parts, and the fake, soulless eye stuffed into his skull, and for the first time in forever it is Rojin who breaks the eye contact first, masking it in a downward glance as he steadied both of them (bringing her away from his damned face), his touch feather-light but also kept to minimum - as if he realized the almost breach of... no. He better not think about this too much. "Let's get you somewhere to sit then," he rasps out. Rojin then turned his head to look at the bar stands, but as soon as he saw one of the occupants - oh, fuck no, Vovvi deserved to linger in her happiness for a while longer. He was quick to reconsider his choices: "Been awhile since you had lunch? Good thing there's a buffet here, not too far away." Her gratitude is a soft whisper against his side, to which the bartender inclines his head. "You are giving me a lot of credit for this... I must say, I doubt mine would be as interesting if you didn't decide to find me today. So... thank you as well."

Erra continued her graceful movement with Rii, as tears flowed from her eyes, but she didn't seem upset in the slightest - in fact, her smile was bigger than it had been all night. She looked up at Rii with a sort of renewed sense of life, of purpose. How Rii seemed to just... Care for her. It was a car she hadn't known since Senutt. And yet, Rii was distinctly different from Senutt. Something about their personality made them especially attractive to Erra. Something about the way they conducted themselves brought Erra a new sort of comfort that she had never known before. In that moment, nothing else mattered or existed except there and now. "No, I'm... I'm okay," Erra said. "These tears. They're happy. I'm happy. I haven't felt this happy since I reunited with Essen, and even before that I hadn't felt that happy in over twenty years. You're doing wonderful. I just... I'm... This moment we're sharing. I am loving every bit of it. And I love that I'm spending it with you."