TEST DRIVE #5 - Low Gravity Gymnasium and Ten Forward

[tenforward_m]

Option 01. Ten Forward: The first thing you see is a bar. A large, lively bar filled with many different faces and many different smells, sights and sounds. This is Ten Forward, the Enterprises' off-duty lounge; feel free to get acquainted with your fellow travelers and try to find somebody who's in charge: this is your new home now, after all...



Option 02. Aboard the Enterprise, The Low-Gravity Gymnasium: The gym is a large room with several alcove-like sections housing the aerobics and martial arts areas, a parrises squares area, an anbo-jyutsu court, and a separate fencing room. While there is normally a zero-gravity area as well, today all of the gym is in zero-gravity conditions.

Zero-gravity can be, well, kind of weird, because it's not like a gradual loss of the pressure holding you to the floor--you may have taken the turbolifts, just expecting to take a leisurely run, or maybe work out with a treadmill to get in some cardio, but the minute you step into the gym you're floating, as is anything you might have been holding or bringing with you.

Do you freak out, start flailing and trying to swim through the air back to where you can escape? Do you make the best of it and tough it out to get your exercise in, or do you start having fun with the sudden game of weightlessness? Pick your personal scenario and have fun with all the other weightless people.

Comments

[blazing_stag]

"So you know how to work it, but you're having a ton of indecision for breakfast instead?"

James had appeared by her side with a loud crack. His smirking face gave off the impression he knew what he was doing but he really didn't. He'd only arrived less than an hour ago but he was used to be taken from one place and placed someone else at someone's whim.

"Think it'll make butterbeer?"

[pronounsarehard]

"Of course I know how to make it work. It's a replicator." Ezri looked at James "Just tell it what you want, and it will come out here. If you can decide that is. Unlike me. Obviously. Is butterbeer an alcoholic beer or is it like root beer? It wont make alcoholic drinks. Synthehol only. And you might have to program it if it doesn't know what it is."

Ezri had known boys like James, both as Ezri and as Dax. Overconfident, and kind of arrogant. The Trill did her best to stifle an aggressive impulse, who she was pretty sure was Joran. Or maybe it was Jadzia. Or Curzon. This was so confusing.

[blazing_stag]

"Technology isn't everyone's strong point, you know?" James moved to talk to the machine.

"Hey. You. Make me a butterbeer then." The computer didn't seem to understand. "Please restate inquiry."

James doesn't look impressed and instead leans on it and turns to Ezri, shrugging at her question. "It's just butterbeer."

[pronounsarehard]

"Yeah but if it's from your reality than we don't have it here. I've never heard of it. Do you know how to make it? You can program it in to the replicator like this," Ezri tried to demonstrate.

"Otherwise, might I suggest a root beer? It's good. And actually might settle my stomach. Computer, 2 root beers."

She handed one cup to James, taking the other one for herself. "I'm Ezri."

[blazing_stag]

James sighs, annoyed. "What's the point of being thrown from dimension to dimension if you can't get a decent butterbeer when you get there?"

But he takes the root beer and nods at her introduction. "James. Nice to meet you, Ezri."

[pronounsarehard]

Now that she had a 'problem' to fix, she wasn't feeling nearly as space sick.

"Why don't you think of it as a way to embrace new cultures and widen your horizons. I know, I know, that sounds like something you'd get from your teacher or a tourist attraction. But, where I used to work, before I got ....'placed' here, there were all kinds of people. Klingons, Ferengi, Vulcans, Romulans. It's a great opportunity to talk to new people and eat different food. You might find something you like, and you'll never get to try it if you just stick to butterbeer. Think of it as a blessing in disguise."

Ezri was pretty sure she had her 'hi, I'm a therapist' face on. But that was okay.

[blazing_stag]

James just laughs. "This isn't the first time my location has been decided for me by a higher power. I'll adapt. Just annoys me that the moment I get settled, I'm off again. And I never get to bring my stuff with me. Never get to say goodbye to my friends." And wow that went downhill fast.

"But it's fine. Like I said, I'm used to it."

[pronounsarehard]

Oh yeah. He was a bundle of sanity this one was. Ezri kicked into counselor mode.

"And how does that make you feel? It must be tough, to be moved around so indiscriminately--and to not be able to say any sort of goodbye to the people you know." She gave him a smirk. "And it's not like you can just ask whoever it was to send you back."

[blazing_stag]

James gives her a sideways look at that question but answers it anyway. "I said, I'm used to it. That means it doesn't bother me any more. It always happens in these kind of places anyway so everyone knows that their friends could just pick up and leave with no warning."

He shrugs. "You take each day as it comes, enjoy the company while you have it and move on when you're shoved somewhere new." Looking around, he gave Ezri a thoughtful smile. "On that note, don't suppose this place needs a new cafe?"

[pronounsarehard]

Part of that sounded like the right answer. The problem was she didn't believe him. It sounded rehearsed, like he knew what she was listening for. Or maybe, maybe he beleived it himself. But that didn't mean it didn't bother him. It bothered him. Their previous conversation was a testimony to that. It bothered him a lot.

"That sounds like a very healthy attitude. But, if it was me, and I kept getting picked up and moved without a chance to say goodbye to people, it would bother me." She kind of had experience with that too, from a certain point of view.

"But a cafe sounds nice. Why a cafe?"

[blazing_stag]

James shrugged. "It's just what I do. I enjoy helping people and I bet I have some more drinks this place doesn't have. Even your technology can't beat magic."

He's ignoring the rest of it. Deep down, of course it bothers him but at the same time he's used to it. So he's not really in the need for counselling. Sorry Ezri.

[pronounsarehard]

"Magic?" Ezri wondered if he meant magic like Tobin did magic, or magic as in magic. "What do you mean?" She winked. " I didn't know this was a contest."