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Silken lets out another giggle before replying, "I think I have a few questions, you're definitely wearing more than just the mask across your eyes, and I would love to peel that more complex one back, given the chance." As if by instinct, she shifts position, slightly accentuating her figure, and crosses her legs. "And thank you. I'm also perceptive enough to notice that we have a... distraction in the works. And I know for sure now that this station doesn't have a nanorepair system or the kind of diagnostic software my company can offer." She sighs before muttering, "It would be wonderful if it didn't make their egos swell."

She turns to the growing situation, all ears perked toward it like some bizarre radar dish, then turns back to Rick and asks, "Well, now that you know why I'm here, why are you here? I was going to guess that it was just for the thrill of an exotic party, but either you just can't stand by when things start to get tricky or you have another reason for being here. I won't ask you to spill secrets, but I'd love an answer now that I've managed to notice that crack."

After a few calming breaths to regain her composure, Gabriela looked around and also realized that things had come to a grinding halt while she argued with the supposed repairman. Whoops! Time to get this party back on track. The spray of ice from CryoStryker was a great first step, and it gave her an idea. "Hey everyone!" She called out, raising her hands so people could easily find her in the greenhouse. "It's time for the talent show! There's prizes for the most impressive talents -- a week free vacation in Radiance Station's finest hotel, all food, drink and spa visits included!"

While Gabriela had her minor freak-out at the supposed repairman, the scene outside the dome was still placid and peaceful as ever. The magnificent space whales had continued to gently float onward through the dark of space, their giant eyes taking in sights from entire solar systems away. Their flanks gently blush to a rosey pink wherever Yll'r passes, the only acknowledgement that they seem to give of the much, much smaller astral traveler's presence. But by now they are beginning to move out of easy site of the windows of the arboretum, continuing on their path out to the rim of the current solar system.

Olivabeth heard the woman at the front of the room and smiled to herself. Maybe she could pull off some magic and impress these humans.
She sensed the panic in the woman's voice, and decided it was best to sit back and not cause an interruption. If there werent enough people, she might sign up. But blending in was the most beneficial choice. There was still no waiter however...

As the situation with Nigel appeared to be resolved, Maverick was able to return his focus to Silken, albeit disarmed. He had underestimated her, but it sent a thrill through him all the same. The cowboy had a much better idea of who she was now, and why she was able to dress in such an extravagant way, but it didn't dissuade him. She was forward, and he respected that.

"You're welcome to peel more than that back, should the evening steer that direction," he replied, wearing an easy, crooked smile. He leaned back, resting his arms over the back of the seat, chest open, hiding nothing. It appeared he had recovered from his momentary surprise, and perhaps was now compensating.

"I suppose an equal exchange is fair, but who's to say I'm not just here for an exotic party?" He chuckled, gesturing around them for effect. He paused there to see if that answer was sufficient, but seeing Silken's fixed, inquisitive gaze, he sighed and sat forward, clasping his hands together on the table.

Lowering his voice to a more serious tone, he met her eyes and replied, "I follow the gold. Grand reopening, brand new casino, there was sure to be some elites here. They sent the invites out far and wide. No doubt you arrived to keep up appearances on top of why you're actually here. We're both just a coupl'a wanderers, and yet here we are." His eyes glinted as he sat back and lowered his chin - his gaze piercing hers.

Suddenly, Gabriela's voice cut through the tension, and Maverick's demeanor brightened considerably. "Ah. You hear that? A talent show. And quite the prizes too. Maybe you'll get to see some of what I can do sooner than later."

He gave her a cheeky smile and slipped a hand inside his leather jacket, deftly producing a deck of cards. They were well worn, black with gilt edges, but made of something unknown.

With the space whales passing on, Yll'r began to swerve off to make their way back to the station. After all, the party was their primary concern, the whales were just a much needed break from the gravity-laden pressurised environment. Not that the pressure was a huge deal... if anything the gravity was the least comfortable aspect. On their way back, they performed a few more acrobatic manoeuvres by the arboretum window, then diverted to an airlock, broadcasting a request to be let in on a frequency that was considered an open channel.

A talent show, huh? That sounded like fun--though he technically kinda had already showed off one of his party tricks, there was something else he'd been working on...

"May I enter?" he asked, coming up to their hostess. "Cryostyker and I have a couple more tricks up our sleeves, if you'll have us." The spear floating next to his shoulder bobbed in agreement, blinking it's blue lights at her in what appeared to be excitement.

Nigel bent over the open access again and tutted, he was behind schedule already and the little freak out of the current owner had made more of a scene than he wanted. He turned on the light and LADAR scanner again and reached into the space, pulling out a small component from the space about the size of a pencil. He sat down heavily and began looking at it, intently, turning it this way and that so that it caught the light.

Seeing Olivabeth standing there looking lost, a droid eventually rolls over, the lights on its chest flashing gently. "Welcome to Radiance Station," it buzzes. "How may I assist you in enjoying the grand opening celebration?"

An airlock is opened for Yll'r once again, permitting them re-entry.

"Of course," Gabriela smiles to Kolt. "You can be our first contestant. But why don't we head back to the commercial core so we have more space to perform and see performances without tripping over the petunias?

"Oh I've got a trick" he said, overhearing Kolt and holds up the damaged columnator by one end between his thumb and forefinger, he shakes it rapidly up and down. To eyes which operate on the human scale, the rod appears to bend and flex. To everyone else, he's simply wobbling a metal rod.

It wasn't long until the biomechanical alien had made his return.
Funny, lots more people had arrived. The party was growing at an exponential rate.

"I apologize. Did not mean to ditch you all like that," He chuffed, metallic clicks rising from his throat once more. "How's the celebration? Going strong, I hope?"

Gabriela gives Nigel some serious side-eye as he performs his trick. To Zeno, she says, "We had a bit of a hiccup." Her side-eye intensifies at Nigel as if trying to indicate that he was the hiccup. "But we're about to have a talent contest, so hopefully things are looking up again." With that, she led the way out of the garden and back through the archway to the commercial core, where the buffet table was still being continually refreshed by droids.

Like a mother full of pride, Olivabeth saw the droid and praised her species for coming so far. A waiter, please, she should have known better.
"Yes, actually," she said gently, her voice smooth, slow, and soft. "Can you find me a seat with a good view of the talent show? Also a margarita would be nice."

Yll'r practically retraced their previous flightpath back toward the venue of the party. They opted for a more... brief introduction this time, only exclaiming "Surprise!" Before realising that the bulk of the party had moved to the arboretum. "Oh..." they began to fly their way over to the others, beginning to blabber as soon as they got close. "My goodness, that was exhilarating, being beside something so big! I do so enjoy the company of other spacefarers! Did... did I miss anything...?" the llaa-synn floated over the heads of everyone, gently revolving as they did so.

Jadi got lost watching the whales for a moment. They were so colorful, changing in radiant waves of vividness which stood out from the darkness around them. She smiled as she recognized the creature which had been at the party now swimming beside them. It reminded her of her own zero-G training. She was never able to just enjoy that. It was always a drill, always preparation for a what if. If only she could simply float amongst the stars.

She took a deep breath to bring in the floral scent of the arboretum. It wasn’t too long before the whales were floating out of sight. The security crewman couldn’t help but overhear the early conversation with the temporal repairman. She figured she’d move alongside him and observe, quickly crossing the distant to him. She had first been tasked to the operations department on a damage control team on a small ‘Wallace-class’ starship.

The nosy Bajoran peered at him, curious about his tools, the new coil and his lack of worry about changing the timeline. After all, a concern about that one part could lead to an overhaul of all such coils which could leave room for a new faulty coil to be installed. If so, that change might not be felt until the time traveler returned…. Or at least that’s what Jadi wondered to herself. All was likely under control.

She got there just as he began his trick, “Umm, we’ve seen that before”, she said in a teasingly jocular voice.

"A talent contest?" This was a bit of a new concept to Zeno. Unlike most of the things he had encountered at this party, this was something he had never come into contact with. But surely it was something worthwhile...

"I'm not quite sure what that is, but I'd be more than happy to watch from the sidelines." He stomped off towards the arboretum, following everyone along like a lamb in a herd. It looked as if the show was already underway.

"Yll'r!" calls out Gabriela happily as the spacefarer comes zooming back, sticking out an arm to put around their "shoulders" and guide them back to the commercial core with the rest of them as they were heading out of the arboretum. "Not yet! You got back just in time for the talent show!"

The droids were setting up rows of seats in the commercial core, perfect for viewing anyone who felt like performing for the fellow attendees. The droid that had approached Olivabeth guides her to a front row, before departing to get her a margarita from the bar. It returns promptly, handing it over with a metal claw. "Anything else I can do to augment your enjoyment of the grand opening?" it buzzes.

Nigel shrugged at Jadi "Suit yourself" he said and proceeded to grip the coil in both hands, manually bending it for a moment before checking his datapad once again. Unsatisfied, he continued to bend the coil, back and forth, each time checking something on the slate. Eventually he checked it again and was satisfied "now THAT was a magic trick" he said, obviously an inside joke.

The silver mask conforms to her eyes as visible, sparkling amusement fills and widens them. A very, very bold offer indeed. "If that's what the right steering can do, I may need to take the wheel,," she purrs, mask making the lower tone more resonant, "But until then, there are other things to do. And indeed you are here for the exotic party, and in the most interesting way, aren't you? And you're not wrong, I suppose. The company heard of an opportunity, and so had to show its presence. Advertising isn't cost effective when you sell industrial or luxury products, of course, but there are other ways to make an impression." She leans forward to rest her arms on the table, letting her pose and the results make her point for her. "But, even with that much intent, we are both just wanderers."

Again that strange eyes-only smile as she watches the cards. Inside pocket, sleek and hard to see. Easy to feel if contents shift. Nigh impossible to pick, she notes to herself, Very, very good. "I'd be thrilled to see what all you and the others can do. I'm not much of a performer, unfortunately. At least not here, and at least not without relying on technology rather than my own skill. Now, get me to a negotiating table and that's a different story. Shall we find seats to watch?"

Yll'r's translation device/mask let out a gasp. "A talent show....! Oh, my kind do that kind of thing all the time! We love showing off new acrobatic manoeuvres to each others or artistically pleasing electromagnetic waveforms we have learned. Though I suppose most of you would not be able to perceive the latter. Oh, but I know so many fun patterns!" Yll'r wiggled under Gabriela's guiding arm, not to escape, but rather out of excitement. "Can I participate? Can I? Please? Pleeeeeease?"