The BLTS Archive - Arachnia, Queen Of The Spider People
by Suz Voy (suzvoy@tesco.net)

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Date: 1st November 1999

Archive: Do it!

Disclaimer - I've always admired your...Para-Borgism.

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I would have paid any amount of latinum, given up my
replicator rations for the rest of the journey, traded in
all my holodeck time...just to see her in that dress. Just
once.

I still would.

It has become the stuff of legend; stories that are far more
interesting that anything I've ever produced.

There are some who claimed to have seen her on the way to
the holodeck to do her duty. There are even a few who
absolutely swear that they still see her occasionally, in
the dress, disappearing into a turbolift or around a
corner...only to find no one there. Only to ask the computer
and discover that she'd been on the bridge or in her
quarters the entire time.

They're just stories, of course. Nothing with any substance.
Yet I can't help but perk up when...

"Did you hear? Nicoletti could have sworn she saw Arachnia
disappearing into the hydroponics bay."

Not that they ever say it directly to me. No, I just listen
in as they tell Paris, Harry or the Doctor. The only people
who I absolutely know who saw her in the dress.

The temptation to ask has been nearly unbearable. I began to
once -- jokingly -- but we got interrupted by some comment
Seven made and I haven't been able to since.

I've considered just asking her. She must have the dress
somewhere. Does she take it out of the cupboard sometimes?
Put it on, study herself in the mirror, only to ruin it by
laughing at the absurdity? Does she study herself, her
outfit, in the mirror and enjoy what she sees? Does she
enjoy being someone else for a while?

Perhaps...perhaps the ghost of Arachnia that the crew have
'seen' is simply a glitch in the programme. Perhaps,
somehow, her image is being projected to different locations
around the ship because of some mechanical error.

Perhaps they want to see her so much that they do.

It was something of a relief when she agreed to it. Damn,
but that was the funniest briefing I've ever been to. Even
Tuvok and Seven wouldn't let her off easily. But more than
anything it was such a relief. She'd been so despondent that
I...

Well.

That doesn't matter, really.

The point is that -- according to Tom - she was actually
enjoying herself.

So I suppose I won't ask. I suppose I won't push. If she's
enjoying herself I don't want to risk any effect an
intrusion may have.

I have a sonic shower, I get changed, I climb into bed. And
wonder.

Just how did that dress look?

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The End