TEST DRIVE #1 - Ten Forward

[tenforward_m]

You know how you were standing there, back in your home world, just minding your own business?

Time to forget all about that.

Instead of doing whatever the heck you were just doing, you're standing in the middle of this very stylish, sedate barroom. Happily, you're not alone there - 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

Now would be a great time to do....well, something. Ask some questions of the person nearest you, throw a fit, stage a coup....maybe do a little exploring? No matter what you do, you're going to be here for a very long time.

For others might call it the USS Enterprise, but for the foreseeable future, you'll be calling it home.

[OOC: this test drive's open until the next app period.]

Comments

[mr_laforge]

He arches an eyebrow, chuckling wryly. "To the Q? Yeah, maybe. The last game he had me playing involved life or death consequences where the odds were stacked against us."

That was not a good day, though the worst of it may have been seeing Commander Riker drunk with power. "But I'm only speculating."

[bobbyprentice]

"That sounds awful, sir," Bobby says, because it does.

But they got out of it alive, apparently, which makes him look at his superior with a new admiration. He already looked up to La Forge, of course - he's the chief engineer of the flagship, how could he not? - but this is a new level.

[mr_laforge]

"It was, lieutenant," Geordi says. "But it's just the type of thing you'll have to get used to serving aboard the Enterprise. Old girl's seen worse."

He's fond of the ship. It's hard not to be after all this time keeping her in working condition. "How long have you been out of the Academy?"

[bobbyprentice]

"Two years," Bobby says, and the question makes him wonder about the Commander. It's not really an appropriate question - not to ask your CO, not really - but it slips out of his mouth anyway. "How long have you served aboard the Enterprise?" He catches himself. "Sir?"

He's a good engineer, but after four years at the Academy and two years as an officer, he still struggles sometimes with military protocol. All that yes, sir, no, sir, three bags full, sir stuff. To be honest, most of the time he'd rather just keep his head down and get on with the work.

But he wanted to see the universe - and if you want to do that, really do that, Starfleet's the only place to be.

Well, he's definitely seeing the universe now.

[mr_laforge]

Geordi glances at him, but if he's offended by the question it's not for long. He shakes his head, chuckling again. "Just passed my three year anniversary. I started out as the conn officer, after serving on the USS Victory and the USS Hood."

He's packed a lot of living into these past three years, not to mention two separate promotions. "This is your first assignment, isn't it?"

[bobbyprentice]

"Yessir," Bobby says. "First in space, anyway. I was at Utopia Planitia for my first two years."

It was nice there. Not exactly exciting - and Gray, assigned to sickbay on a science ship right out of the Academy, wasn't exactly within reach - but it was steady, and Bobby's good at the kind of repair work he was assigned back there.

And whether or not Gray's in reach doesn't exactly matter any more, Bobby thinks bitterly.

[mr_laforge]

Geordi is curious about what's going on in his mind. He can tell the cogs are turning.

"That's not a bad assignment," he says diplomatically. "But you were eager to see more of the universe, I bet."

[randomling]

"Yes, sir, I certainly was," Bobby says with a grin. "They do good work there, and I enjoyed it, but - "

He hesitates for a moment, not sure quite how to go on.

"Yeah," he says eventually. "I wanted more, I guess. And I'm definitely getting it now. I never expected to be assigned to a ship like this."