TEST DRIVE #3 - Alien Bazaar/Ten Forward

[tenforward_m]

#1

Option 001. Alien planet, marketplace: So you're new to this whole space travel thing. The ship is cool and all, but there are hundreds of alien worlds out there. You want to explore. To see what the universe REALLY looks like.

Well, here's your chance! Your first stop is this lovely indoor marketplace, which looks kind of like a mall. There are stalls one after the other as far as the eye can see, and they sell all kinds of things: food, clothes, trinkets, animals, fabrics, jewelry, perfumes, books, etc etc. Some things look human, easy to recognize; other things look very alien. There are two levels, and constant chatter as people hawk their wares and discuss prices.

Do you want to explore? Poke at the weird shops? Buy a gift for a new friend? Flirt with someone at the food court? Maybe you see a pickpocket, and must run to the aid of the victim. Maybe there's some other villainy afoot. After all, a crowded marketplace is a good place for villains to lurk, causing trouble. Whether you're a hero or just an unassuming traveler, there proves to be some adventure for you on this planet.


2

Option 002. Aboard the Enterprise, Ten Forward: You have no idea what just happened. One minute you were home, and now you're on a spaceship, in the middle of a crowded room. It looks like a bar. There are people eating and drinking, some in uniform, others not. Some are clearly aliens.

You've managed to land in Ten Forward a long bar with barstools and a bartender, tables sprinkled throughout, and the far wall is nothing but windows out to space. It looks like a nice lounge, low conversation making the room hum.

Better ask some questions and find out where you are, or just tap the closest person on the shoulder and try to make friends. The bar is open.

Comments

lol I got it

[forsoothforsure]

"Oh, yes, of course," Loki says agreeably. "A very difficult sort, that Q. Isn't he? Something of a trickster?"

It would help, of course, to know what he's dealing with.

Re: lol I got it

[in_the_wrong_q]

"I wouldn't call him a trickster, but Q does like to have his fun." A wave of his hand, dismissing it. "Even at the expense of lower life forms."

[funnythingsare]

"Most people haven't," Tony replies smoothly. "Then again, most people just think it looks funny. They don't tend to comment on the electrical properties. Quid pro quo, Blue--it's a miniaturized arc reactor, keeping my heart free of shrapnel. So what are you?"

[forsoothforsure]

"How sad for them," Loki purrs. "Even so, shouldn't we see what he's up to?"

[in_the_wrong_q]

"Well, isn't this interesting." The man says, folding his arms, his expression widening in an amused grin.

"Should we? I don't see why you're including me in that little statement, there."

[electro_kinetic]

"It's one of those glass-half-full things," she says with a shrug. She's used to people being concerned about the topics she chooses to comment on.

"To answer your question though, I'm electrokinetic; in layman's terms, a mutant. I can absorb, channel, and manipulate electricity. And I do not think that looks funny--it looks brilliant. Did you do it yourself?" She can't imagine there's a huge market for optional electromagnets implanted into one's chest.

[mrfriendship]

"Hell yeah I am!" He shot a thumbs up. "Imagine how many buddies I could make here!"

That was when he abruptly dropped his arm, his eyes growing wide at just who he was talking to.

"Ryuusei?! How long have you been here?"

[mrfriendship]

"You mean she wouldn't believe you?" He actually looked shocked at the notion.

Sorry been out of town

[oldsouth]

"Hell if I know," he mentions after a puff if breath, trying to find a clear view of the humanoid between the crowd. It wasn't exactly easy. "That one!" He finally declared, point a little to the right. "The one in the hood!" Which isn't too specfic, but he didn't exactly expect to be robbed in plain view! Next time he'll start profiling for Heaven's sake!

[tanteiotaku]

He shrugged. "Oh, she would. She'd just be mad we disappeared when there were open cases." Open cases meant unsolved cases, which meant no fees to collect, which makes a sad Akiko.

But he grinned. "There's no such thing as a vacation for a detective."

[spideys]

"We - uh. We had our own kind of invasion, I guess," Peter says, though he kind of regrets it immediately.

That way lies talk of Spiderman.

Although ...

"What do you mean 'superheroes are dicks'? Aren't - aren't they s'posed to be the good guys?"

[theycallmetodd]

The compliment doesn't go by unnoticed, but he doesn't respond to it. "If I may, I would like to read it. If time allows." If he's indeed stuck, which he suspects that he is, knowing more about the various races around would be useful. "I am certain it would be very interesting."

[dreams_dont_die]

"I've learned just how serious temporal displacement is."

A long eighteen months ago.

"So yeah. I'm serious. Before I found myself here it was Commonwealth Year 10088. Which in Earth time is ..." He hesitates, making a mental calculation, because for a man from Tarn-Vedra, Earth reckoning was never his first way of dating. "5168."

He shakes his head.

"And you'd never have heard of my homeworld."

[bet_on_the_river]

"In a situation this different, either you get used to it or you don't."

He's seen his share of people who couldn't adjust. Not here, of course--these modern and civilized Starfleet people don't seem to allow individual failure--but in New York. People who came to the big city, or to a new country, in search of a better life. People unprepared for what they'd find there, people who end up chewed up and spit out in one way or another.

He's a survivor. He'll manage, eventually.

"I just wish there were more to do."

[spideys]

"That's insane," is the first thing that comes out of Peter's mouth before he can stop it.

Because - what the hell.

Talk about science-fiction come to life; Peter can't even imagine what life would be like 3,156 years later, but he imagines sticking around Dylan will enlighten him to some degree.

"Wow, that - that makes me feel like I'm living in the stone-age or something. All our tech must be really primitive.

"A-a lot could change in 3,000 plus years."

To put it lightly.

[mrfriendship]

"Man, she sounds kind of harsh." He mumbled, looking a bit unsure. Maybe she was just the one to keep people in line like Miu. It made a lot more sense when he thought of it that way.

"I think I get what you mean. I guess there's no vacation for Kamen Riders either."

[tanteiotaku]

He shook his head. "She's great at keeping the Agency running, though. She's tough like her old man was."

He chuckled a little at that comment. "That's for sure. There's more work out here in distant galaxies for a Kamen Rider than for a detective from the 21st century."

[mrfriendship]

"I definitely wanna meet her someday! You'll introduce us, right?" Gentaro's previous doubtful expression was already long gone, and instead he seemed stoked about the idea of meeting one of Shotaro's friends.

"That's why I'm here! People always say two heads are better than one, so imagine what we could do with four Riders at once!" It would probably be awesome.

[tanteiotaku]

"Sure! She'd be happy to meet another Rider." Once she was done beating him with her slipper.

Awesome indeed, though none of the Riders here were any he'd worked with before. "Four? Is Eiji here?" He hadn't seen him yet. And a guy that tall tended to stand out.

[emotional_security]

After a particularly long contemplative silence, Spock bows his head in a gesture of submission.

"Commander, you were correct to remind me of Starfleet protocol," he admits, still trying to process the future destruction of two planets. "I have no right to question you further - you have endured great suffering with honour."

[mrfriendship]

"Then we'll be buddies for sure!" He smiled, banging his fist to his chest and pointing off to nowhere in particular in his signature friendship pose. At the mention of Eiji, though, he was obviously confused.

"Does that mean you haven't met Ryuusei yet?" He asked.

[home_fires_burning]

"I know a bit," she says with a smile. "From raising the sheep, to shearing, carding, spinning, weaving, sewing--it's a lot of work. Much easier with machines."

She doesn't use the machines. When your biggest problem is finding a way to fill time, there's no point in time-saving devices.

"Those over there, I'd be more reluctant with, but then again, laundering seems to be gentler now. All sonic, or whatever they call it."

[just_a_chemical]

"They said the name of the planet, but I don't remember what it was," she says. "It had some numbers in it. Something-four, maybe? Not Earth, that's all I know, but close enough geologically that it can sustain human life. Or humanoid, anyway."

There's nothing wrong with not being human. It's just a statement of fact, like there are cats and dogs and all the other animals. There are humans and... all the other sentient races, humanoid and not.

[tanteiotaku]

He couldn't help but shake his head while smiling at Gentaro's enthusiasm. That pompadour reminded him of when he was in school. He never had one, but one of his fellow trouble-makers did.

He shook his head. "No, I don't think so. What's he look like?" The name didn't ring any bells, but he never forgot a face.

[asklepian]

"Kira!"

Julian stood up from where he'd been sitting across the room, dodging a couple of people in his excitement. After his abduction by Sloan, and finding himself here, he's been missing the faces of his friends and crewmates. Even a reasonably friendly face was welcome.

Especially with Dukat here. It could hardly get more awkward.

"Am I ever glad to see you..."