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

[mojitoing]

...Well, this is an interesting development.

Sam even has a mojito in his hand, hoisted halfway toward his mouth, when he's blipped here. He's happy it's with him - it's a sin to waste booze, and an even bigger sin to look conspicuous when you're in a strange place.

A strange place that kind of looks like the Enterprise, though it's a lot sharper and brighter here than it was when he was watching it through grainy, snowy footage on an illegal Ukrainian hookup back in the 90's.

He'll be sitting at his table, trying to gain information secretly and relying on every drop of training he's got to stop himself from freaking out. After all, a SEAL - and a spy's - best advantage in any situation is a cool demeanor.

[from_the_outside]

This spy would tend to agree, and her demeanor, therefore, is frosty as a January morning.

It doesn't stop her from casing the room, or sitting with a corner to her back, or making sure she's got her blind spots covered, but it does have the beneficial effect of allowing most curious glances to roll right over her: she's not panicking or kicking up a fuss or demanding information, she's just...

Observing.

Even the guy at the next table over, with the mojito and prohibitively poor taste in clothing.

[mojitoing]

Well, Sam does know spies well - and spyish demeanors. He pretends not to be affected by her close examination as he pastes on his Friendly Tourist Sam smile. The more harmless he seems to her, the more time Mike and Fi will have to extract him from his weird ur-enterprise he's been dumped on.

Damn, and she'd normally be his type. And that's an EXPENSIVE garish shirt, or so his last sugarmoma told him.

"Take a picture, sweetheart, it'll last longer." He waggles his eyebrows and sips at his drink.

[she_listens]

"I'd ask if I can get you a drink," begins a soft voice, coming from his left. "But I see you came prepared."

Guinan looks amused, hands clasped in front of her.

She doesn't mind if people make her job easier, but she does mind when they don't bring enough to share.

[mojitoing]

If Sam knew he was coming, he'd've brought a bottle of the best wine he could lay hands on - which, considering his numerous sources, would have been a pretty excellent little jug of booze.

He automatically turns on the charm, leaning forward with a grin. "A gentleman's always prepared." The glass comes to a gentle rest upon the table. "...For anything but being being blipped right up from the beach to this joint." He's going to presume he hasn't been drugged and dragged here, because terrorists and arms dealers normally have a knee planted in your groin by this part of the conversation.

[she_listens]

It's not that Guinan couldn't knock the wind out of him before he knew what was happening, but she settles for growing amusement instead.

"Beaches. Ah, it's been a while."

She looks wistful.

"Maybe I can get you something after all, then. Some explanations, perhaps?"

[mojitoing]

That she likely could, but Sam's never been the sort of guy to give a woman a good reason to beat the hell out of him.

"Don't they give you shore leave?" He's curious. And then she offers to give him info - he's definitely going in for the kill. "I wouldn't turn down a little heads-up."

[she_listens]

"They do, but the beaches on some planets are nicer than ones on another."

Besides, she likes travelling. It's in her blood now.

"Have you heard of the United Federation of Planets, or of Starfleet?"

Her assumption is no, but it's always better to let the other party speak for themselves.

"You're on the starship Enterprise."

[mojitoing]

"Heh, tell me about it. I'd rather be in Pebble Beach than the Gulf, you know what I mean." It's always been in Sam's blood, too, though after years of service he's frankly enjoying his time in Miami.

He has (thank you, years of 60's tv happily watched in his parent's living room), but he's a pretty damn good undercover agent. His features paint themselves into a mask of total surprise, then pretends to struggle for a look of normalcy. "Huh. The final frontier." He puts down his drink and raises an eyebrow. "Do you know why I'm suddenly up here on the Enterprise? 'Cause if you don't I've gotta tell you this is the best DT I've ever had. Beats pink elephants by a mile."