Star Trek: Starbase 777

Gone was the typical corridor leading up to the traditional-styled, heavy, wooden doors of the events hall. Attendees of the 2024 winter ball went from plain starbase architecture and into another world. Going on for several feet, an archway high overhead created a holographic display which emulated the ocean being all around. Schools of fish (and the occasional shark) swam overhead, curving around the arched entrance and almost appearing to watch the newcomers. Rocks, fronds, and corals of light blue and pink accented the scene. Underfoot was a dark hardwood floor: stretching on for the length of the underwater arch, it connected to the events hall. At the very end of the passage the wooden doors to the events hall had been propped open, welcoming everyone to the underwater-themed paradise held within.

In. Out. Okay. Vovvi made her way through the entrance with her head held high, dark hair fading into pink down her back and around her shoulders instead of carefully braided and pinned back. 'It's fine, mom, you look fine,' Povala had told her, while Ivissa gushed about her being a princess mermaid fairy, but Vovvi was starting to feel ever so slightly self conscious of the way the mermaid shaped dress hugged her figure, especially the slits in the thighs and down the center of her chest. The streaks of color in her hair and sparkles woven into her dress caught the blue light, and Vovvi felt just a little better. Their Operations department had really outdone themselves this year, she thought, admiring the pillars and the fish projected over her head. Not that she had any frame of reference for last year, but... wow. Wow.

Kya Pok walked into the ballroom in a long blue grown with shoulders that almost became circles as she walked into the ballroom, passing by Vovvi. “You look transcendent, Commander.” She said with a kind smile as she turned and walked backwards to praise Vovvi, before turning on a dime to continue the March of The Fish.

"You as well!" she called after her, a wide smile on painted lips. Elements, her nerves were getting to her again. Back and forth...

Kya turned her head and gave a cutesy wink before heading in. “Many thanks! See you at the party.”

Ev'kor had even less of a frame of reference, having only been here for a few months. But he was a sucker for a party, especially one where he got to dress up. So he'd consulted a tailor, and his own imagination, to come up with something that would fit the theme. So he walked in in a flowing coral-red robe, the fabric springy and light enough to curl around him with every step, but weighty enough to give a real sense of drama. it was open in the front, revealing a white suit underneath: the top was long and made for a lining underneath the outer robe, sinched at his torso under a white corset with ruddy boning which accentuated his dorito shape, a chinese collar poking out slightly from under it. His sleeves were long too, draping over his hands and adding to the flowiness of the get-up. His pants and shoes were white too, with slight red accents, and his hair was pulled into an updo with netting and coral and shells woven into it. His ears were bare, for once. He noticed a familiar face, and approached with a smile on his face. "Miss Rei'nak," he greeted warmly, "What a fortunate coincidence. You look fantastic," he complimented genuinely, trying to look her up and down in the least creepy, most appreciative way possible.

Vovvi inclined her head, smile only widening; the blue lighting did very well covering the rush of green to her cheeks, thank the Elements. "Thank you very much, Mr. Khellian," she greeted in turn. "I would curtsy, but this damn dress is so tight I don't think I could if I tried. You look lovely as well. I love your hair especially," He really did go all out for this, didn't he? How lovely.

"Oh, please, Mr. Khellian is my father. Call me Ev'kor," he insisted. "Thank you for your compliments. I tried my best, but I'm afraid I don't hold a candle to you," he said, embarrassingly genuine.

"Oh, stop it." Her blushing only worse, she insistently waved it off. "We're holding up the entrance. Let's go, shall we?" And off they did go!

It was so much more grand than he'd expected. Kallek peered up at the holographic display, rolling the clasp of his robe between finger and thumb. He was pleased to see his own attire matched the theme properly. The blue satin shifted to a deep indigo at the train, glimmering with points of light that complimented the pattern of his gloves. That was hardly the point of focus though - as a stream of water bobbed about his frame in an ethereal scarf, the golden fish which swam through looking like jewelry themselves. The jewelry, of course, cleverly concealed the various emitters which produced the effect. With the edge of each scale painstakingly painted gold, Kallek was as much the art as what he wore, but shied away from the few guests which began to trickle in, an awkwardness which far more suited the man than this costumed elegance. If anyone looked his way, he nodded, only hoping he didn't look too anxious as he waited for his companions.

Vanik was clad in a deep navy blue suit with gold embellishments on the jacket, making an x-pattern with shiny gold fabric across the front. Under the suit jacket was an even darker blue dress shirt with a high collar, up to his very pointy and angular jawline. The suit jacket was almost open, revealing the shirt, and no tie was around his neck but instead two gold chains. His pants matched the blue of the suit jacket and were crisply ironed and had a nice little line on the front, and at the very bottom of his visage he had on shoes that were also somehow golden and glimmery in the low, blue light. His hair was combed but still a bit pointy in places. He walked into the ball's entrance, a bit sheepishly, nodding if people acknowledged him. He had not yet laid eyes on anyone he recognized, and was feeling a bit uncomfortable himself. He was not particularly accustomed to balls, exactly, but he'd gone to at least one formal event at Starfleet Academy and took to heart the opportunity for camaraderie and maybe even enjoyment. He took a look around and noticed a familiar face in one CPO. Jal, a fellow engineer. They'd not spoken much but being from the same division was enough to open a door for conversation. "Greetings," Vanik said, walking up to Kallek. He looked intensely at Kallek's outfit, eyes widening as the fish "swam" around his face. They were enchanting. The young Vulcan stopped at a respectable distance and held up the ta'al in greeting.

Appearing from behind the giant, beautiful wooden doors was a slightly shorter figure with lighter, peachy skin and a mop of dark wavy hair. Teno appeared through the crack in the entrance doors, his strong hands gloved in a dark green silken pair of gloves which went halfway up his forearm. His top was a jacket that at his shoulders appeared like a layer of green fabric, buttoned at the neck, that trailed down into layered pieces of fabric sewn together in the shape of leafy sea weed. It was multiple shades of green and they glittered gently in the cool light. His shirt under the mostly open jacket was a lighter green color, and his trousers were a deep almost black green. His shoes were black and shiny. Teno made his way in, waving and smiling happily at anyone who recognized him or said hello. He was happy to be there and excited to attend the gala! He loved dressing up and had spent a lot of time drawing and then replicating each piece of this outfit and putting it together for weeks before the ball. He was very grateful to OPS for putting it together and making such a magical event for them!

Kallek's attention was drawn from a piece of facade by the approach of Vanik, and he smiled with a bow of the head despite the discomfort of a gaze upon him with such intensity. "Hello, ensign," he greeted politely in return. Unprompted, he added, "Triple 0 and Triple 1 assisted with configuring the fish. The holo-emitters are part of the jewelry." Tilting the clasp he'd been fidgeting with, one could see on examination that aside from matching his d'ja pagh, it was also a cleverly hidden button. "...Your own attire is lovely. It suits you, I think." His gaze trailed back to the decorations. When he shifted, the water trailed along in its languid path, and the fish darted through as if startled.

Vanik nodded in response, a hint of green rushing to his face with Kallek's compliment, though perhaps the blue light obscured the flush some. "Oh," Vanik said, an eyebrow raised. "Holo-emitters - that is fascinating. I did not know they could be employed in such a clever manner. They are working... 'swimmingly.'" He said, a hint of, something in his voice when he made the pun. "Thank you also. I had this design custom made. It was inspired by a terran fish that is primarily golden and blue." "What kind of fish did you choose to program into your outfit?" He asked, wondering how long it had taken to get everything just right.

Iviaan was completely and totally fine. His hands were not shaking. He was very lucky to still be properly steering his hoverchair, actually. Because he didn't DO big events. He didn't do parties, or balls, or whatever in between. But this would be fine. He wanted to step outside of his comfort zone. Dressed in a somewhat more simple suit and bowtie, Ivi was clad almost entirely in blue besides reddish accents and the colors on his coattails. He had discarded his visor for now. Just have to get it over with ... To the ball, he supposed.

Eicran had spent a good amount of time debating whether he should attend this ball or not. He was acutely aware of the fact that he was new on board and barely knew anyone, which as a result, could result in him standing around like a spare part while people chatted with friends. However, he also knew that in order to meet people, you had to put in the effort. It was something that he wasn’t particularly good at, hence him fidgeting with his cufflinks in nervousness as he approached the events hall – but he had psyched himself up for this, so there was no going back now. His anxiety melted into awe as the corridor changed. He found himself gawking and staring upwards at the archway that curved overhead. It must have been some sort of holo-projection, but it looked so real. He had to shoot a glance back over his shoulder to the normal part of the corridor to ensure himself that he hadn’t just been teleported into an aquarium. He slowed his strides so he could take everything in, very much dazzled by the scene… And by everyone else who had attended so far. Everyone looked so dashing in their outfits! It was like everyone involved – event planners and attendees alike – had pulled out all the stops.

Triple 0 came in hand in hand with Triple 1, which quickly turned into pulling Triple 1 forward due to the holographic display that memorized their partner. They could feel the amount of attention it grasped through their link. Triple 0 wasn’t going to stare at it , they were more eager to see the Ball and to see Kallek! Triple 0 was wearing a deep sea blue suit adorned with intricately embroidered octopuses twisting across the fabric with each movement. * *They scanned the room, seeing if Kallek was already there. Their emerald eyes were bright with curiosity, and their enthusiasm practically vibrated through their connected consciousness. As they navigated through the gathering, Triple 0's grip on Triple 1's hand remained firm, guiding them inexorably forward. Their gaze drifted from one group to another, taking in the subtle interactions and unspoken dynamics. That's when they saw Kallek. As they pulled Triple 1 to them,they waved to them. "Kallek!" *They smiled as they came over to them, pulling Triple 1 and sending a message, “I see Kallek, but you can keep looking at the holographic displays. I can handle it *"

As Triple 0 pulled them forward with characteristic enthusiasm, Triple 1 found themselves looking up and around at the holographic underwater scene, their analytical mind briefly tracking the light blue and pink coral accents and mentally noting the sophisticated projection technique required to create such nuanced environmental rendering. It was gorgeous, and made them smile. *Initially, the pair had planned to spend the evening in the laboratory, meticulously testing their new holo-capacitor design—a far more appealing prospect to Triple 1.However, Triple 0's enthusiasm was impossible to resist. Because here they were in a complementary suit decorated with whale silhouettes. The marine theme continued, though with a more subdued approach—the whales integrated seamlessly into the suit's design. * *As Triple 0 discussed the ball with growing excitement, their animated conversation and bright demeanor slowly wore down Triple 1's initial reluctance. When Triple 0 approached them about inviting Kallek, Triple 1 found themselves unable to dampen their partner's spirits. The sight of Triple 0's pure joy ultimately made them relent, recognizing that sometimes supporting their pair’s social desires was more important than their preferred technical pursuits. They didn’t even notice that they were being pulled straight to Kallek, until Triple 0’s voice said through their link “I see Kallek but you can keep looking at the holographic displays. I can handle it *

…hrm. The Assistant Chief had committed himself to being personable, given the promotion and all, despite parties not really being his forte. He had to do his best to be sociable, right? It was pretty important for being a member of the leadership and also just…being a member of the fleet aboard the base. Clad in blue suit that just lightly shimmered, paired with a red tie and pocket square with sharks printed across them, Maxson certainly cleaned up well. His hair and beard were very finely groomed and trimmed as well. Well, little to do besides enjoy himself, right? He made his way under the holographic arch, musing quietly to himself about how he made the right choice in tie, given the sharks swimming around.

Hiammin had been hesitant at first, but she had eventually relented. So now she strode in wearing an evening gown that was quite colorful and a bit iridescent. Her dark hair, usually tightly braided, now spilled in waves down her back. While she would've preferred to carry a weapon, she couldn't bring her bat'leth, so she decided that if things came to a fight, she would simply use her body, much like the mantis shrimp that inspired her dress.

The pun earned the slightest suggestion of a smile from Kallek. "I was primarily drawing from lanternfish. The programmed fish have a similar shape, but since they were altered to match the jewelry rather than fabric, I suppose they're... closer to goldfish?" Oh yes, there were to be puns in this conversation - he was not immune to humor. But that conversation was abruptly cast aside by the Bynars' much anticipated arrival. Face lighting up, Kallek murmured his excuse for departure and moved to greet his friends with a broad grin. "Triple 0, Triple 1, it's good to see you both! The suits look great." His movement cast ripples through the floating water, and he spared it a brief glance. "Everything's working well, thank you so much for the assistance. It went a long way." He beamed at the duo, prior anxiety largely dispelled by familiar (and friendly of course) faces. "Have you ever been to something like this before?" This was the first such event Kallek was attending, and so that discomfort still sat somewhere below his throat, but he couldn't help but be enchanted by it all. Perhaps it was obvious he hadn't. Wholly focused on this new conversation and the answer to his query, he turned back to where he'd just been and gestured in an offer for Vanik to join it if he chose.

Dressed in his suit with his hair out of its usual ponytail and instead pinned in place through a series of well placed and somewhat concealed decorative vine design hair pins and woven in jewellery pieces, Vara'l walked toward the entrance to the winter ball. Usual uniform boots switched for a pair of slightly warmer brown civilian ones that rarely happened to see any light at all except for when he happened to deem one of the few events he needed to dress up in something other than formal uniform had arrived. The brown boots decorated with a light series of silver vines and decorations altered through a quiet effort a week ago to be somewhat more seaweed and otherwise sea themed. Having paused only briefly as he walked, Vara'l scanned his surroundings briefly and noted each person present. Noted them and, once he failed to identify anyone he happed to know well enough for an approach and conversation right at this moment to be merited, resumed his walk to the entrance. Once there, he headed into the ball proper. Telim was with Elohae and anything that needed dealing with right at present had been dealt with or could be allowed some time without his attention. He'd elected to attend to have some..'fun' and that objective would be achieved, he hoped.

Vanik nodded again at Kallek’s joke and made a curious look as he described his motivation and inspiration for his outfit. “Well, it is quite thoughtful and inspiring.” The tall Vulcan looked over when Kallek called to the Bynars and nodded again. It was logical that Kallek would want to go over and be with his friends. “I hope you have a pleasant time at the ball. Good night, and perhaps we will see each other again.” And he walked off in some other direction, hesitant but curious about what else the ball had in store for its visitors.

As much of a jock the Trill was, Kiadras liked to dress up. It was fun! And for a themed party, oh for sure, she loved to put together a silly little outfit. She wore a black dress with iridescent fish scales all across it and dangly glowing earrings and a necklace with a faux fang, doing her best to give off the vibes of an angler fish. Rather than her regular curly ponytail, she had let her hair flow down across her exposed shoulders, tucked neatly behind her ears. And oh yes, her shoulders and arms were on display with the dress she’d worn, showing off her muscles and a couple scars dotted across them. As scary as angler fish and scarred muscly arms were from the outset, Kiadras nevertheless wore a bright and cheery grin on his face as he made his way into the ball, the short train of his iridescent dress following after him. (edited)

Although fashionably late, thankfully Erra knew this was nothing to be in a major hurry for. Still, she wanted to be there before they got there. This was the first major impression they could make on them. Erra's heart raced beneath her dress. She was clad in what appeared to be a brilliant satin seafoam dress - nothing too fancy, the occasional rhinestone here and there, but she didn't want to do something that was too over-the-top or distracting. This was one of the few times when Erra truly needed to put a massive level of thought into her appearance. Other than that, Erra's makeup was pretty standard although her eyes were slightly accentuated by her makeup. She kept her hair pulled back for the most part, as she usually did, so nothing was too different about that. On her hands and extending to her forearms were a pair of matching seafoam satin dress gloves, gloves which she made sure to keep as clean as humanly -- or Vulcanly -- possible. As she walked the sound of clip-clops filled the immediate vicinity - only about a two-inch heel on both of her shoes, but still a higher heel than she'd ever put on in her life before that. Erra went on her way to the #ballroom.

Coming in with a beautiful red-carp inspired outfit, Kakabam wore a long red gown with yellow fin-like sleeves and trimmings on the hem of the dress. To ensure mobility, the dress fell to their ankles and they wore black dress shoes that were nerly flat. They were tall enough as it was. On their head they wore what appeared to be 'horns' like a dragon, matching the folklore behind their outfit. They were happy they found a babysitter that evening so they could attend the ball without worrying about Riki.

Coincidentally behind Kakabam was Rilek who was dressed in blue and white, the colour of waves. She decided to go for a more elegant and less fishy design, but still on theme. "What a lovely outfit, Kakabam," She complimented her cousin with a polite smile. She admitted she had been a little too harsh on Kakabam, especially since they had nothing to do with whatever house politics the Khellians had going on. Still, he was the closest person to Jinsol and it was hard to fight her own prejudices at times. She bowed her head slightly and then headed off to go see what sort of food was available.

Triple 1 remained focused on the intricate details of the holo-aquarium, their mind meticulously tracking the projection parameters and light refraction techniques. However, the subtle shift in their shared consciousness—a flicker of recognition and interest through their bond with Triple 0—drew their attention. Kallek's image materialized in their head, sharp and clear, breaking their concentration from the holographic display. Their shared consciousness began to pulse with Triple 0's curiosity, the boundary between their individual perceptions blurring, pulling Triple 1's focus inexorably towards the conversation at hand. The connection with Triple 0 now fully enveloped their awareness, guiding their attention like a gentle but insistent current. Triple 1 turned, surrendering to the shared momentum of their unified consciousness. They smiled at Kallek, breaking their usual solemn face "So, no stuttering or heating,… that's good!" *The words emerged with a mix of clinical observation and genuine relief. Their gaze then drifted to Triple 0 as they softly squeezed their duos hand. *

Triple 0’s grin widened at Kallek’s compliment, their excitement bubbling through their shared bond. Their gaze flickered to Kallek’s suit with unreserved admiration. “You look amazing,” They said earnestly, their emerald eyes sparkling as they looked Kallek from head to toe. Triple 0 shook their head and said ”At Mckinley Station, we were invited to a lot of things, but we preferred to explore Earth and tend to ourselves. What about you?" Their emerald eyes locked onto Kallek, sparkling with a familiar curiosity. Triple 1's subtle presence hummed through their shared consciousness, a quiet reassurance as they waited for Kallek's response. The moment felt steady, anchored by the simple connection of Triple 1’s hands and the gentle hum of conversation around them.

A flush bloomed across the ridges of gilt scales, and Kallek again rolled the robe's clasp between his fingers - an action the duo might recognise to be in lieu of the various parts he would otherwise be working. Self soothing. The openness had startled him from the script he'd conceived, and he was left fumbling for a grasp on the conversation. "Well, thank you," he acknowledged. "It's similar for me; the invitation was extended, but I never went to such things. People, crowds... aren't my strong suit." His smile returned, soft, and unsure of its place on his features. "Still, I'm in good company, I think. I'm glad you two decided to attend." Kallek's gaze meandered along the passage to the doors. "Should we see what else they've set up? It's no rush, if you'd rather keep looking at the display, Triple 1." Though it was far from his own specialty, he was happy to admire the work just the same. If anything, that made it more impressive.

After a little bit more time, being a bit late than what the time initially called for, Maya finally arrived to the outside of the ballroom. The engineer bounced on the balls of her feet with sheer excitement as she peeked in the in and saw a bit of the inside and just absolutely couldn't contain her excitement as she adjusted the top of her two piece, flowy, orange and white tropical dress, and the matching marigold flower in her hair before she walked through the arch, immediately mesmerized by the sight of all the fish and sea creatures all around them. All of this was absolutely beautiful! However, there was a more special kind of 'fish in the sea' that Maya wanted to find here in the ball...

Paco followed a bit behind from Maya. Similar to his cousin, Paco wore a dapper Orange and white suit and necktie, and to happily match his outfit on the top, he wore a matching pair of orange cargo shorts accompanied by neon orange shoes.... He would've been much happier in white and orange crocs and socks, but Maya lightly scolded him for trying to stretch the dress code and wear crocks in a formal black-tie event. Regardless, Paco still had his camera on hand and was happily ready to take snapshots of the festivities, happy to document the end of another year in 777.

Dressed in a blue suit with a fitting blue vest and orange colored tie and hair neatly combed to let it fall down naturally, he rolled into the area in his usual wheelchair though he was also wearing his braces in case there was to be a dance and he wanted to be prepared for it even though his dancing skills could have been better. Konstantin looked around the room seeing a great deal of people, whew, he didn't know where to start, so many people and so many rooms to choose from he had decision anxiety. But he was ready for whatever might come and he was excited to be here despite not having spent much time on the station yet.

The Bajoran shyly entered the venue, taking a deep breath as she stepped into the open hall shortly after Maya had arrived, Practically refusing to enter until she was sure that Maya was already there with her for company in case she had a (mild) panic attack at the size of the space and the amount of people. Her hair was done nicely and she had on her amazing Suit/dress combo she had found, in the same orange and white colour pattern as Maya had on, she gently tapped at the little noise cancelling headphones she had tucked under the edge of her hair to block out the ambient noise, and quietly slipped in behind her into the event, immediately focused on tracking down Maya.

Having been planning to attend the annual winter ball for the past week, Elwyn finally arrived with an excited grin on her face. The majority of that week had been spent planning and designing her outfit, with a small amount of time dedicated to practicing doing her hair and makeup differently to usual. Walking through the entrance wearing a long, flowy, elegant strapless, ocean blue sequin-covered dress with an opening at the front, matching flat shoes and sparkly eye makeup, and her usually long braided ponytail replaced with a crown braid and braided bun, the android was absolutely amazed by how the events hall had been made to look and sound and feel like an underwater environment. When she'd read about the theme she had never expected this level of detail, but the people who had taken time out of their days to plan and set all of it up had truly gone out of their way. Little did she know her mind was about to be blown further, as she headed further into the ball...

Rii didn't arrive early or late—they appeared precisely when the moment demanded. Formal events were familiar territory, though most had been peace conferences or first-contact receptions that they attended alone. This event was a pleasant surprise, they were going with someone! Initially, when Erra first blurted that they both go together, Rii was going to decline the offer before Kael and Nael intervened and convinced the Colony to override Their position and accept the offer. What was behind Kael and Nael’s intervention was beyond Rii’s comprehension at this time. But they were looking forward to spending more time with Erra. * *Stepping into the grand entrance wearing the beautiful suit Minh designed, Rii paused, looking up, and promptly gasped at the ceiling. The ocean ceiling was a marvel. Starbase 777's operations department had outdone itself. Intricate holographic fish moved with such nuanced detail that they seemed to observe the attendees with an almost sentient awareness. "Let's find Erra," Kael's voice resonated internally, a gentle prod cutting through Rii's momentary fascination with the environmental design. Kael was right. Their head—which had begun to float a few inches above their body during contemplation—snapped back into place. As they looked around and went to the #ballroom*

The pale blue dress she wore made her feel like she was under water, the shimmer crystals made her feel ethereal and that was what she was intending for. She had decided to come as a silver fish and she gracefully entered.

Haru was here at the party! By himself because T'Sareth was actually working that evening. Haru was pretty confident he could get around alright. He had his ocular implants set to scanning mode which would relay any visual descriptions right to his PADD he held in his hands. The scanning mode also made the images a little clearer, which mainly just helped him avoid crashing into people, he still couldn't recognise people or identify objects without h is PADD. Tonight he was wearing a very pretty blue and gold sequin top with black trousers that also sparkled! Haru chose the outfit from the replicator based on a description, he obviously had no idea what it looked like. The fabric was soft he he was excited to party with everyone!

Maya was just aimlessly looking around, and also occasionally admiring the various fish and everyone's outfits as she went along looking for her bestie. She was initially worried that she didn't come and had the thought of leaving the ball to try and find Alaya, but then from the corner of her eye, Maya saw a familiar glimpse of orange that stood out brightly amongst the crowd, and like a fish seeing a pretty lure, she made her way towards them. Although, she tried to be as sneaky about it so she could surprise them. "Alaya!! I'm glad you can make it!" Maya happily cheered out as she scooped Alaya into a hug for a little bit before she let go, though she gently held one of Alaya's hands as she took a small step back to see their whole outfit. "Prophets, you look... amazing!" She said warmly with a smile and a giggle, a tad mesmerized by how good the suit/dress combo looked on Alaya, especially from where she was standing.

Sinau patted at her dress as she nervously entered the entrance hall. Her hands moved clasped behind her back as she nervously tapped on her painted nails. Rarely did Sinau bother to ever dress this pretty, but it seemed like a fun, and maybe she'd see some familiar faces. Of course there was hope she'd meet more people but she was never really good at it sometimes; especially in big events like this. Swiveling her head nervously. Looking around initially did help a bit, the lighting, decorations, and seeing a few faces that she vaguely remembered. It was more then she though, probably the part of her brain that overthinks shutting up. The woman walked along, looking for anybody on their own or someone she recognized not wanting to get in the way of someone's conversation.

The Cardassian-Romulan walked gracefully up to the entrance doors slowly, carefully, their very tall golden, shimmery heels clicking rhythmically on the floor as they took one step after another. They were tall today, 6'8" (203 cm), towering over most of the Winter Ball guests that were also approaching the entrance. As they approached, they smiled, awestruck by the beauty of the entrance and the holograms of swimming fish above. Whoever had gone to all this trouble had certainly outdone themself, they thought as they pushed through the doors to make their entrance. Xal was wearing a glittery ballgown with a mermaid-style silhouette. It fit them like a glove, all of their curves on display. The dress was a light pink with a sheer, jeweled fabric layered on top, the bottom fanning out to resemble a fin. The straps were translucent, also pink, and had two long ribbons of fabric attached at the top of the shoulder made of the same material that trailed down their arms and flowed as they walked. The neckline of the dress was a v-shape, showing off their collar bones and part of their chest, but not revealing too much. Ever the accesorizer, they had their signature pink choker wrapped tightly around their neck and all of the jewelry in their ears and nose was gold with pink gems, complimenting their outfit and their clear, green skin. Upon entering, they did not immediately recognize anyone, though they smiled coyly at those who locked eyes with them, waving a princess wave. They made their way further into the ball, seeking out companionship in this new place. Perhaps they could strike up a conversation with someone over drinks?

Neya in the building! She'd never been to a function like this before, only ever having served on ships before where this sort of thing was not feasible in the slightest. So she'd gone all out! She was wearing a gorgeous, slate grey evening gown, strapless and hugging her figure tightly except for where it flared out slightly around her feet so she'd be able to walk with no issues, with white specks almost resembling stars all over. On the front, there was a peachy pink panel vaguely in the shape of a heart. She was an electric eel! She was on the arm of everyone's favourite tactical cadet despite being the taller of the two, talking softly to her as they entered. "It's genuinely my first time! I had to call my best friend to figure out what to wear," she said as they walked into the entrance together.

Ekhesai grinned to disguise her gnawing anxiety, dressed in bright blues and reds in comparison to Neya's softer colors— she was dressed up in a suit and tie, complete with a matching vest, her hair dip-dyed blue at the ends. "You look really pretty," Sai stage whispered in response, beaming at her friend. Something about this place was making her absolutely glow— the ball was gorgeous, of course, but she was bursting at the seams with excitement. "I'm really glad you wanted to go together, and helping me shop saved my life I think," she giggled.

Pel felt entirely out of place. She clutched the black handbag her mother had given her, hard enough to leave dents. She was wearing a black midi dress with one long sleeve, the other arm exposed. It hugged her body, accentuating her stout, deadlifter build. She wore a set of fancy silver necklaces with purple inlaid gemstones - another gift she never had a reason to wear until now. The loud click-clack of her matching pumps made her feel more exposed than showing off so much neck ridge - but she noticed, with relief, that nobody was looking at her. The myriad of people of all different sizes and colors, dressed to the nines, beautiful scenery all around, soothed her anxiety. How could she have thought she’d stick out like a sore thumb? She had come alone, but that hardly mattered. The decadent undersea world could capture her attention entirely, and even if she didn’t strike up conversation, just being here and not shut inside her quarters was enough to consider the coming evening a success.

"You look great too," Neya whispered back, nudging her playfully. "Let's go! I wanna touch a manta ray," she said, straightening up and pulling on Ekhesai's arm to go to the touch pools.

She was impressed with whoever had participated in the decoration efforts this year. Despite being certain that the entrance was worth a closer look she passed it with long deceptively purposeful steps. At least the skirt of her dress was not tight enough to restrict movement. * *The dress itself was plain black and long. In fact, she was fairly certain she had worn it to at least one funeral in the past, but she had not been able to convince herself that she needed any additional dresses, she had too many already for how infrequently they were worn. Over the dress she wore a poncho and a thin golden metal belt. The poncho was not new either, although it was in almost flawless condition which could not be said about most of her other ones. She had halfheartedly started to draw corals on it some weeks back and had refused to stop until it looked at least halfway presentable. It was by no means what she had intended for it to be, but there was at least some chance none of the people working with marine biology would wish her ill after seeing it. Her hair she had pulled out of her face with two coral clips that were in fact the only new part of the entire look. She had wanted to keep her hair entirely open, as she usually did for similar events, but strands hanging in her face now reminded her of the fact that she had still not figured out how to braid them properly again and rather than spend half her focus on pointedly ignoring that she had opted to just clip them back. Right… here she was, perhaps she should leave again, but not instantly.

D’rthrek stepped back into the bustling entrance hall, his towering 7’7” frame, and T’Mil’s striking height at 6’11”, making it impossible not to notice them earlier. If anyone had missed their brief appearance on the ballroom floor, it would have been hard to overlook the two dancing. But the loud and crowded celebration had been too much for T’Mil. The Hirogen that he knew didn’t often gather in groups this large, and she had asked to leave early, but he couldn’t blame her—he had seen how the noise unsettled her. Still, she’d encouraged him to return. “You wanted to try more of the food,” she’d said, a slight smile breaking through her usual stoicism. And so, here he was again, wearing the deep blue suit she had crafted for him—a rare departure from his usual battle armor. The intricate design of a shark emblazoned on the back had been T’Mil’’s idea, and though he felt slightly out of place in it, he respected her handiwork. *He wasn’t entirely comfortable in such a social setting, but the allure of sampling the exotic dishes was enough to draw him back. Quiet and observant, he navigated the throng of people to the #buffet *

Triple 1 felt through their subconscious that if they decided to stay, Triple 0 would definitely intervene. They can always come back to marvel at the holography later, “Oh no, I've seen enough, even though its gorgeous. Triple 0 has been thinking of the #touch-pools ,Why don’t we head over there?” *They offered as they pointed in the direction and started to walk over, gently pulling Triple 0 with them. *

Triple 0 rocked on their feet, the cybernetics along their head subtly catching the light as their wide, emerald eyes darted between Kallek and the shimmering displays around Kallek “It’s a good thing you’re here,” They said brightly, the words spilling out before they could stop themselves. “I wouldn’t have convinced Triple 1 to come if you hadn’t been coming too,”They kept rocking on their feet as they glanced around curiously. Were there any places to touch sea creatures? Holographic and Master Computer’s databases were one thing, but the real thing?

The former asshole was no longer sporting a bushy beard or dressed in a tuxedo, or a polo shirt - instead, she was now clean-shaven and in a brilliant starfish dress, clad with rhinestones at the corset, and her hair was done back in a beautiful ponytail with bangs. Her arms were now silky smooth and clean shaven, although her forearms were covered with satin gloves. If one took a look at her, most likely they wouldn't even recognize her unless they looked hard enough at her face. Strolling into the entrance, she noticed the others who were standing around there, and offered them a gentle wave and a smile. "Hello hellooo!" Snake said, before she made her way off to the #buffet. (edited)

Shortly behind Snake - in fact, nearly right behind Snake - was the rebellious Vulcan girl. She also clip-clopped across the floor in heels but not in a dress - instead, Essen strolled into the ball entrance sporting a sharp, creaseless seafoam tuxedo with a perfect teal bowtie. Her headband was still there, but instead of red it was a brilliant teal-blue. She sported a mani-pedi complete with a fish scales pattern on them and rhinestones where possible. Her makeup was, of course, ✨snatched✨ as fuck, as usual for Essen. Essen carried nothing else with her, she kept the look, while dashing, somewhat minimal, except for the small details like the fish scale mani-pedi. She waited patiently for her Kayleebug, she was so excited for this huge opportunity - her second dance with Kayleebug, and she had the hunch this would be even better than the last!

And, finally, in walked Kaylee. She was in a gorgeous, sequinned strapless coral dress. The gown went right down to the floor. She was in a matching set of 2-inch heels. Her makeup complimented it without being too much and over the top. Her hair was in a half up half down style, with the part that was down was curled nicely, and the part that was up was in a neat plaited bun. She wasn't very creative with her sea creature, opting for coral. Her heels clicked across the floor as she scanned the entrance for Essen. She knew she'd be here. Her outfit, whilst minimalistic, made her feel beautiful. She walked with an air of confidence quite rare for her. She finally spotted her beautiful girlfriend, and was stunned for a few minutes. She was gorgeous. "Essen!" She cried, finally 'running' as best she could over to Essen. "You look...amazing."

The moment she heard her babygirl's voice, Essen turned in the direction of the sound until she laid her eyes on the beautiful woman -- and she was even more beautiful given her formal appearance! Essen's breath caught in her throat as she looked upon her babygirl, and tears of joy welled in her eyes. Kaylee looked absolutely angelic. "Kayleebug..." Essen managed to say, and took Kaylee's hand. "You look--you look divine. I have an absolute queen as a girlfriend. You're just... Stunning." And she leaned in to give Kaylee a gentle kiss on her cheek. "Are you ready for this dance, my love?" As she gestured to the #ballroom.

T'She had finally arrived, perhaps a touch late, but it was better late than never! They felt a little out of their comfort zone in the outfit that they had chosen -- they rarely ever showed that much skin, even if most of it was still technically covered -- but they were willing to deal with it for the duration of the ball itself. Besides, they felt that they looked absolutely stunning! So that was that in their book. But, they needed to decide where they were going to go next, and with a flourish (and as they adjusted their glasses), they decided to get something to drink at the #bar .

Next to arrive was Zhi'rev, in his absolute finest, and looking as fashionable as ever. In a glittering ensemble that he thought would remind people of the concept of the deep ocean itself. (Even if that was a very high goal indeed) he walked his way all the way to the #buffet , planning on grabbing something to eat there before he went and enjoyed any of the other activities.

Paco looked over his shoulder and realized they have sort of completely lost tracked on where Maya was. And there they thought they were going together because they were color matching, but Paco didn't bother to think too much about it, nor did he think finding her would be worth it as he just continued to make his way to wherever the food and/or the spontaneous gay shipping/meme-able moments to document in the event was. Ahh its just like the first Christmas he celebrated in 777. Paco pulled out a pair of his noise cancelling earbuds from their pocket, placed them on his nears, and tapped them on as they ventured, where no one has probably gone before... the #buffet .

Kaylee reached her hand out towards her girlfriend, her dearest, and bowed forwards. She had never been so excited. Her stomach felt like it was full of butterflies, and her mind was racing to remember how to dance. "If I may take you for it, my love." Kaylee took in her girlfriend's outfit. She rocked the suit, just like Kaylee knew she would. Kaylee felt like the luckiest girl in the world to have found Essen.

Maggie snuck on through the gala with a smile on her face. She wasn’t here for dancing no no, she was here for fish.

Vara meanwhile snuck past some dumb looking science officer (who has sliver hair?), and went towards the bar. She needed a drink.

Dion arrived in a full-length dress with multiple layers of semi-transparent purple and blue fabric, wavy like the tail of a betta fish; the top of the dress was tight against his chest and covered in shimmering scales, almost iridescent, and backless, exposing sturdy muscles and a temporary tattoo of a betta fish. His gloves, too, were scaled, and his earrings were little koi fish; strangely, though hanging from his ears, they seemed unaffected by gravity, swimming around a little like floating koi-dogs on a leash. Scratch that, though: one earring was missing, replaced by a jellyfish, the other item on the ear of his beloved...

Allan, who was also here! In a pretty similar backless dress, also with multiple layers of semi-transparent, wavy fabric like the tail of a betta fish, flowing out at the bottom from the more form-fitting, v-cut shape at the top. The gradient of the dress went from a purple at the top to a deep red at the bottom, followed by a black color at the edges. He had black scaled gloves and one jellyfish earring that lit up purple and moved slightly - and, of course, another earring that was like a little koi-dog on a leash.

Thalass had slightly less grace. Not that their outfit hadn't taken effort on their part - it was beautiful, in its own way - but the problem with full mermaid cosplay including a scaled, realistic mermaid tail was that they had failed to think of how exactly they would walk around in it. Dion had done them a favour and carried them here, but they hadn't thought further than that. Hmmm.

Upon Thalass' request, he quickly escorted Thalass to the #fishing-pools.

And Allan followed! Fish!

Sinau looked at the new people entering and seeing the strange series of events. "Huh?" Was all she really mumbled before focusing; still hoping some more familiar faces would show she went to the #buffet to atleast not be waiting on an empty stomach.