Test Drive #8 - Ten Forward and the Enterprise Concourse

[ten_fwd_mods]

Note: Starting next month, Test Drive Memes will be moved to our new meme comm, ten_fwd_meme! This is the last TDM for ten_fwd_ooc, but all past memes will still be linked here and we will still announce when a new TDM goes up. Last month's TDM is over here and has some still recent threads you can tag as well.





Option 01. Ten Forward: You know how you were standing there, back in your home world, just minding your own business?

Time to forget all about that.

You're suddenly standing in the middle of a very large, lively bar filled with many different faces and many different smells, sights and sounds. Happily, you're not alone — in fact, you're surrounded by people who seem to be as confused as you are... and some of them look a little, well, unusual.

This is Ten Forward, the Enterprise's off-duty lounge; feel free to get acquainted with your fellow travelers and try to find somebody who's in charge, or ask some questions of the person nearest you, throw a fit, stage a coup... maybe do a little exploring? Others might call it the USS Enterprise, but for the foreseeable future, you'll be calling it home.





Option 02. The Enterprise Concourse: Perhaps you did decide to do a little exploring. You're currently on Deck 4, where the ship's stores are located. This may be a starship, but it has been designed to be a home for officers, civilians, even families with young children. Though there are replicators on every deck, there are just some things you can't get from them, and so you come to the concourse. Perhaps you're in the market for some fancy perfume, or you want to get your hair done at the salon; maybe you're interested in shopping some of these strange alien fashions, or you just want to relax at the spa and get a massage. It's like a miniature mall without the Cinnabon, so pick your favorite store or stall and spoil yourself.


[OOC: There isn't a lot of information about the store(s) on the Enterprise, so we're taking some creative license and so should you! Maybe there is a Cinnabon there after all. Q may not appreciate food and beverages the way we do, but he does appreciate a good joke. Who wants to go shopping at the space mall?]

Comments

Carson Beckett | Stargate: Atlantis | Option 1

[atadiscoverer]

A man gets thrown onto the floor of Ten Forward, instantly clearing the people in the small area between the bar and the seating area.

Carson, meanwhile, has no idea where he is, what just happened... All he can remember is feeling the heat on his back, and ending up... wherever here is.

Looking up, he blinks. Confused. He was in Atlantis a few moments ago, on the OR level, having just removed...

Yes. The exploding tumour. Had it exploded? Was this...?

No. He was still alive. His heart was beating ten to the dozen, and he could feel the sweat rolling off his brow. On instinct, he reaches behind him, feeling his back. No burns...

Definitely alive.

He then becomes aware of the people around him, some of them muttering concernedly. He smiles, nervously, slowly sitting up.

"Ah... Can... Can anyone tell me where I am?"

[theycallmetodd]

The first thing that comes into view would be a pair of large black boots. Then pants and the sweeping hem of a long coat, both in some kind of black but worn leather. Following the tall form upwards, one will find the long white hair, grayish green skin and yellow eyes of a wraith.

This wraith, known as Todd (why oh why had he ever decided to volunteer that alias upon his arrival?) doesn't recognize the man on the floor. He has never seen him before. But he does recognize the uniform. This man belongs to the Atlantis Expedition.

"A very long way from home."

[atadiscoverer]

He's wearing a black shirt, having stripped his scrubs off to transport the tumour. A classic off-duty Expedition get-up.

And, the second he sees Todd, he's scrambling to his feet because... Well, a Wraith is stood in front of him. He takes a few steps back, nervous, fear radiating from every pore in his body, because Christ, why did this have to happen to him?

"A-Aye? I-Is that so?" He asks, trying to keep the tremor from his voice. It's partly successful.

[theycallmetodd]

Yes, a wraith, but also a lone wraith. There are no others about, and this is no Hive.

To say that the fear this man displays is pleasing to the wraith wouldn't be quite correct. It is familiar, however, and not how other humans here react in his presence.

It does draw a rather toothy smile from him.

"It is so. The Enterprise, I believe the ship is called."

[atadiscoverer]

Enterprise... Where has he heard that name before?

But that hardly matters. Not with the immediate danger of the Wraith... Of course, he hasn't lunged for the attack yet... But with all the, seemingly, human people around, one wonders why he hasn't taken to this room like an all-you-can-eat buffet.

He can feel his headset in his ear, but he gets the feeling that it's going to be pretty useless at this point...

"How did I... We... Get here?"

The enemy is going as far to give a semi-poilte conversation... Carson may as well, also. Besides, it's not like he has much choice.

[theycallmetodd]

What many humans might fail to realize, is that wraith - especially one as old as this one - are not without restraint and discipline. He is hungry, yes, and all the people around are providing a constant temptation. But that doesn't mean he has to act on said temptation. He is not some impulsive youngling who cannot control himself.

"By the whims of some entity who, from what I understand, finds it amusing to use others as pawns in a large, cosmic game." He makes no attempt to hide his irritation. He was brought here and is kept against his will. There is nothing to be pleased about.

[atadiscoverer]

"So you're stuck here, too?"

He's keeping the conversation going. He doesn't fully believe the Wraith. These beings are incredibly intelligent, after all, it wouldn't be above them to lie and invent a scenario...

Still, the scenario is pretty out there, even for an invented one...

"...I'm going to assume there's no way to get home?"

[theycallmetodd]

"To my great dismay, yes." There's no reason to hide this. It's the same for him as it is for so many others.

The scenario is absurd. Too absurd for this wraith to ever use as a lie. Why make up a lie that no-one would ever believe?

"None that I have found so far."

[atadiscoverer]

Dr. Beckett regards himself as rather intelligent, even if he'd never admit to such. Even he finds it hard to believe that a Wraith would rely on such a deception...

"So, uh..." He tries to keep a conversation topic going. "You're not... Feeding?"

[theycallmetodd]

The wraith watches him calmly, his arms crossed over his chest. Normally that's a topic to avoid here, but, this man already knows what he is.

"As much as I would wish to..." He raises a clawed finger from where it has been resting on his upper arm, pointing to the armed security personnel by the exit. "I would not like what would follow it."

[atadiscoverer]

"How long can you... uh... last?"

Is that a hint of concern in the human's voice? Maybe. As much as he finds the actions of the Wraith deplorable, they are victims of their own physiology. And trapped with food all around? It must be torture...

Yet, he's fairly certain that, even a lone Wraith, could handle himself without being killed. There was something else.

[theycallmetodd]

Indeed, how long could he last? Thanks to Sheppard, he has a bit longer, but even now have can feel his strength fading. And, while he has made progress with the gene therapy, it still isn't finished. He can only hope he will get it done in time.

"Hopefully long enough."

[suggests_flowers]

For a moment, she thinks her heart might actually have stopped.

How long has it been? Too long. Too long since she went back to Earth on the Daedalus and he stayed behind and things just hadn't worked out. Too long since Atlantis. Not that Cadman's unhappy with her life on Earth; how could she be, when she's on a gate team? But nothing can compare to Atlantis.

Not even this place, as amazing as it is.

"Carson?"

It takes a moment for her to stand, a moment for her to realize that her jaw has dropped and she's staring at him like he's an apparition. A moment longer to recover, to stick a cocky grin on her face and stride over to him.

"Fancy seeing you here, Doctor."

[atadiscoverer]

His head snaps to that familiar voice, and his own jaw drops slightly. Because, well... She was supposed to be on Earth.

Getting to his feet, he manages to stammer out something.

"L-Laura... I mean Lieutenant... I... uh..." Deep breaths Carson... She's your ex, not a Wraith. He manages a smile, a genuine smile, because, God, does he miss her.

"It's good to see you, too..." He remarks, before looking around. "Wherever the bloody hell here is."

[suggests_flowers]

"I'm pretty sure you can call me 'Laura'. It is my name."

And they were, once, rather a lot to each other, though he hadn't called when the Atlantis Expedition had been recalled, and she hadn't sought him out. That doesn't stop her missing him: the way he laughs, that smile, the way her name sounded in his adorable accent. That doesn't stop seeing him again hurting, because she wonders how different things would have been if she'd still been on Atlantis and they hadn't been trying to conduct a relationship across two galaxies.

Little wonder it didn't work out.

He looks just as startled to see her as she felt, and he looks ... older, too, though it hasn't been that long. It's Atlantis. The war. What it costs.

"It's the USS Enterprise, Carson," she says, a hint of her usual teasing laughter in her voice. "Don't you recognize it?"

[atadiscoverer]

"Enterprise?" He's looking around, frowning... It did look somewhat familiar... Sort of. Like something he saw on TV years ago...

"Is this a new SGC ship?"

Of course, the laughter gets him, and he can't help but grin slightly, embarrassed at whatever faux pas he's done that's caused her to do that. Carson was pretty oblivious to most common things; a downside to spending all your young adult life in University, studying to the level Carson has...

Laura always found something to tease him for.

[suggests_flowers]

He shouldn't take it too seriously. Laura teases everyone, especially her friends: Carson, Rodney, Katie, the other girls from poker, the members of her gate team. Her smile's a little apologetic at the look on his face, but she never meant anything by it. Still doesn't.

She'd meant the joke to gently introduce the truth to him, that they've found themselves in some alternate reality where Star Trek is real. She'd forgotten how little of so much pop culture he knows, though she knew, once, about that and why it was, because he'd spent so much time working and studying and becoming her best he could be.

She'd loved that about him, once.

Now, she bites at her lower lip and sticks her hands into her pockets, lifting her shoulders a little.

"Uh. No, no, it's not."

She licks her lips.

"So you know that ... thing about how there are multiple realities out there and different versions of events have happened in each of them? We're ... kind of in the one where Star Trek is real."

[atadiscoverer]

"Star Trek?" He frowns slightly. "With Captain Kirk and that?"

Of course, he's aware about multiple realities. This isn't the first time the SGC's fell afoul of them. Oh, Rodney would love this...

"How did we... Get here?"

Re: Carson Beckett | Stargate: Atlantis | Option 1

[ltcolonel]

"Give him some space will you?" John's sure he's heard a ghost and pushes through the people welcoming the newcomer to get a closer look. He swallows as he comes face to face with one of his best friends (or his clone). "Carson," he says but his easy smile wont come.

"You look a little hot under the collar there."

[atadiscoverer]

At the familiar voice, Carson looks up, his eyes widening, but a slight smile cracking, as he gets to his feet.

"Colonel, am I bloody glad to see you..." He is, genuinely.

[ltcolonel]

"Likewise." It's a little weird for John, but he wants to believe that it's his Carson, brought back from the dead by Q. He would give a fair bit to have one last chat and round of golf with the Scotsman.

"That was quite an entrance, are you okay?"

[atadiscoverer]

"Aye..." Carson says, looking behind him, still a bit disorientated. "Aye. I'm fine. I think..."

And he looks around.

"Where...?"

[ltcolonel]

"Where and when," John says with a wry grin. "We're in a totally different universe Carson, they are a whole different breed of explorers, with better technology." He would kill to take some of the communicators back home and adapt them so they could talk to Atlantis from whatever planet they are on.

"Your are the first friendly face I've seen from home, since I got kidnapped."

[atadiscoverer]

"Alright... Where and when. I can live with that."

Carson frowns, shifting and looking around nervously.

"Perhaps a better question's how?"

[element_wizard]

((ooc: Just started watching SG:A and really enjoying Carson's character. If you're worried about spoilers, is okay. I don't mind.))

Alec peers down curiously at the guy. He's dressed in fairly ... well, what he'd term futuristicy uniform clothing. There's a type. But that definitely gives him a basis of how to go about explaining what happened. Of course, he's not sure if the guy is from Earth so some of this might mean absolutely nothing to him or even if he is from Earth it might not have the same things... Still, it's worth a gamble.

"You're on the Starship Enterprise having been kidnapped by an alien entity from your dimension and reality to this one." And then he waits to see if he gets called nuts or not.

Well, he'll probably get called nuts anyway, but it depends on for what out of the statement.