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

[goldencobra]

"If you've got a reason. Maybe it's false. And then you could tell me." He's heard enough strange things about Rumplestiltskin that there isn't much that could weird him out here.

[theycallmetodd]

Again he chuckles. "I think not." While Henry might have seen plenty of things in his young life, at least from what Todd has understood, he still thinks that if the boy knew he was talking to someone who might theoretically want to make a snack out of him, he's be unnerved.

[goldencobra]

"I can handle a lot more than you think. If it's bad that doesn't matter. I learnt a lot of bad things from my dad this past year."

He's not about to go into what they are though. But killing and hurting were among them of course.

[tanteiotaku]

He spluttered a little. "I don't have to try to look cool." He adjusted his hat on his head a little. No, in fact, the problem was that he tried too hard.

Philip had probably gotten distracted by something down some aisle and gotten left behind. "Hey! That's a low blow!" he shouted. Why was it so easy to slip back into old habits around this kid?

[goldencobra]

"Only a couple of weeks but--" Henry didn't finish his train of thought because Quark mentioned something much more interesting. Even if it took the boy a moment to figure out where to start. There was so much wrong what he'd said.

"You've been to the 21st century on Earth? Do you know what year it was? Because we were not that primitive then, thank you very much." He's quite offended Quark. And he's a smart kid. He can easily work out that your ears are sensitive.

Villien | Original Character

[not_colourblind]

[One minute he was in the escape pod, the next he was in a crowd of people. His invisibility turned on immediately and he backed himself into a corner.

But after several hours of watching, he was starting to get hungry. He'd noticed people getting drinks from the bar. But food from a hole in the wall. He tried asking it for things he liked but the computer didn't seem to know any of the Agratharian dishes.

Standing beside the replicator, he managed to pull himself back into the visual spectrum even though he didn't have the courage to ask a strange just yet.]

[mrfriendship]

Gentaro was already more than ten feet away by the time Shotaro yelled at him. The shouting was all the confirmation he needed that his plan would work, so he turned and shot Shotaro a thumbs up before diving into a random stall to look for Double's second half.

Re: Villien | Original Character

[abyssum_invocat]

Sinthia had been about three steps from the replicator when she saw the boy appear from nowhere. Her first thought was that he was a fellow teleporter--because that was much like what she looked like, she imagined--and though she took a quick step back, she did smile.

"Where did you come from?"

[not_colourblind]

"I--" He disappeared again after being spoken to but forced himself to stay visible. It wasn't polite to talk as a disembodied voice.

"I was in an escape pod. Then I was here."

[theycallmetodd]

"Cheating for the one making them. Seems it would go very fast."

[electro_kinetic]

"It's only cheating if you think something's got to hurt to be pretty or worthwhile," she says dryly. She does not care for that mentality, no. Noriko has had too much hurt without beauty ever coming into the equation, and she hates the ignorant lyricism people ascribe to the combination as if making it poetic was supposed to help anything. "And if you do, remind me to never ask your opinion on art."

[theycallmetodd]

"You misunderstand me. The pain of a needle is small and not important. It is the time it takes that at least I personally see as important. It gives a moment of reflection as to why that needle is going into your skin, or why you are marking another."

[electro_kinetic]

"I don't need to reflect while ink is being embedded into my skin," Noriko replies, shaking her head. Spiritual by any definition she ain't. "I'm not a pond."

[theycallmetodd]

He wouldn't call himself spiritual either. Just somewhat prone to philosophical pondering.

"So, it is just about the pretty pictures, then?"

[electro_kinetic]

"If it was would you think less of the art?" she asks. "And would you expect me to be upset about that if you did?"

[theycallmetodd]

"No. I would only think that you and I have very different reasons for putting marks on our skin."

[decideformyself]

Philip had, indeed, gotten distracted by something and walked off. There was this very interesting stall selling clothing woven from some kind of alien sheep fur, and he was investigating it intently.

When he heard footsteps he looked up. "Gentaro Kisaragi, look at this! Have you ever seen anything like this material before?"

[oldsouth]

Sure, it clears a path, but McCoy feels real weird taking it now. Everyone is sort of gawking at the disturbance, parted like Moses himself had barreled on through. Now everyone's looking back at him and all he can do is snap his mouth shut so he doesn't let in any more flies and follow after the two kids.

"You don't need to destroy everythin' just for a damn satchel..." It's certainly important, but so's the poor fruit stand and a man's livelihood. Hopefully this doesn't end with him being kicked off the planet by proxy for this bullhead's brash strike of heroism.

2

[star_born]

The change still gets to him, the way they've taken his ship and changed it into something new and foreign. It grates on his nerves every time he takes a wrong turn. It's just not right. He knows his silver lady, her insides, her purr. But this isn't his ship and he's not the captain.

Realizations like that make him want to drink. And bars, even in space, are a pretty comfortable place for him.

So it w as familiar and casual when he slid up to the bar, smiled and ordered something strong. Apparently the majority of drinks need to glow under blacklights in the future, but he's not going to complain.

Not about that anyway. What is complain worthy though is the itch on his back. He rolled his shoulders in a futile attempt to make it stop and when that didn't work, he bent his arm awkwardly behind him in an attempt to scratch. But it was that elusive spot between shoulder blades that only a skilled contortionist could get, and while he would brag flexible, he couldn't claim to be that good.

"Ah, dammit." He grumbled, switching arms and trying with equally failing results to scratch his itch. That's when desperation set in and his eyes scanned the bar and then nearby patrons for help.

There's not many to choose from. In fact, there's only the man next to him. And it's no pretty girl to scratch his itch, but he turns on the charm anyway, all smile and bright blue eyes and a look that says 'you know you want to help'.

sorry been out of town

[oldsouth]

The cough rouses him from the brooding cloud he's been fueling for the past hour. he glances over at the young girl beside him, chuffing at her attempt.

"Sweetheart, don't start with that..." He leans closer to smell it and the whiff even makes him clear his throat. "Especially somethin' that cheap. Start sweet and work your way up. It's an acquired taste, sure, but you get used to it." He remembers the first time his cousins put a bottle of inexpensive whisky in front of him as a joke. The taste and the coughing's still a vivid memory burned in his mind, especially the laughter. After that he stuck with spiked cider until he could legally drive.

wow that is Spock's job jesus

[oldsouth]

McCoy's seen enough shit in his life to not really care what people do in their little personal bubbles. It only becomes a problem when that bubble invades his, which it almost does when an elbow comes close to jabbing him in the arm. So with an annoyed huff, he gives the man a brief glare--Or tries, until he gets a look at his face. It's like he's seeing a ghost from his past. Suddenly he's back at the Academy after hours with his best friend after a rough exam.

But the eyes, shockingly blue like his, break the spell after the embarrassing stare. "What are you, a damn monkey?" he finally gripes, sharper than he really means to with a stranger. It simply rolls out easily and comfortably like he's talking with his Captain. Hopefully the man doesn't take it too hard.

[star_born]

"A monkey arm would be great right now." He grumbled easily, not deterred in the least by the remark. After years with his own cankerous doctor by his side, insults like that slide off his back easier than water on oiled skin.

"Know where I could get one?" And he's oh so tempted to point out that that hairy arm could damn well be mistaken as one, but he's here to get his back scratched, not make enemies.

"It's right...here." And he turns just enough for the other man to see fingers flailing against his back, trying to inch up to the spot right between his shoulders where the itch taunts him. He's moments away from trying to find a wall with an actual sharp corner to it to rub up against.

Re: Spock has that effect on McCoy ;)

[emotional_security]

"It is certainly an unusual predicament, Doctor," Spock agrees, detecting only the barest odour of Saurian brandy coming from the medic. "But we have been in worse situations before, and survived. Obviously."

Regarding McCoy, slumped heavily in the next chair, Spock sighs inwardly. He would have preferred for the Captain to be the one to join him here, but no matter. The doctor has his uses also.

"Have you talked to anyone else since your arrival?"

>T!!

[oldsouth]

"Well, no argument here... This is probably the nicest prison we've been stuck in," he murmurs, taking another look around. Hell, how can he not? The familiarity lathered with plenty of the foreign sure makes his head spin. It adds its own sense of dread and disconcert, but it sure beats a cramped, barred cell--And hey, he's not actually confined to sit with Spock this time. That's certainly another added bonus to their captivity: Freedom of movement away from the pointy-eared hobgoblin.

"A few, but nothin' too enlightening. Everyone looks at me like they've seen a damn ghost--And that isn't too comforting, Mr. Spock." His hand slides across the table as if searching for a glass and then suddenly remembering he never got that far. He brings it back to rest by the lip of the table. "What about you? Please tell me you did better..."

[oldsouth]

"Haven't the foggiest, kid. I'm sure someone's sellin' one at the bazaar we're orbitin'..." He continues drinking his bourbon, but it's a futile attempt. Whoever this kid is, he's either stupid or just has the biggest pair of brass balls to keep annoying the customers around him.

"What do I look like, a masseuse?" He scoffs. "Throw the bartender a few credits, I'm sure she'll be more'n happy to oblige ya..." As the liquor starts to soak in, his accent grows stronger with his disparaging words.