TEST DRIVE #2 - The Holodeck/Ten Forward

[tenforward_m]

Where were you a minute ago? Well, you aren't there anymore. Instead, you're standing in a very large, dark room lined with yellow. There are doors at either end of it.

Here's where things get a little choose your own adventure-y. You could:



1: Approach a console filled with buttons, located a few feet away. Press one, and it'll let you out of the room. Travel down a long hallway and you'll be in Ten Forward, the Enterprises' entertainment lounge. Have a drink, mingle and try to figure out why you're here.

OR

2: Maybe you just muttered some vague request under your breath. Maybe you wished aloud you were somewhere else. Or for help? If you did, might be in a fire station. Muttered something about killing whoever dumped you here? Surprise - you're in a slasher movie!

Though they're confusing, these visions feel about as real as they can be. And guess what - other people can experience those fantasies with you, as if they too were really there. How ever will you escape? Or do you want to?

[OOC: Welcome to the Holodeck! If you choose this option, whatever your character chooses to say out loud will cause a virtual reality program to load and play. While your character feels as if what they're experiencing and seeing is quite real, they're purely living through the latest and best in what he Enterprise has to offer in entertainment. Make sure to detail what your character's fantasy is, so that those threading with them will know how to react.

Open til next month's test drive!]

Comments

Rose Tyler in the Holodeck

[defendergirl]

"Hello? Is there anyone around who could help me get back to the TARDIS?"

Rose Tyler is used to weird. Traveling around with the Doctor and you're bound to come across weird in all its shapes, sizes and forms. Most of it is extraordinary. Some of it is dangerous and even a bit scary.

This room makes her a little uneasy but she manages to keep her composure.

... Even when the familiar humming of the TARDIS's engines begins to fill her ears, quickly followed by those very mechanisms visualizing before her eyes: the central command, the ramps, the yellow glow from the lights and green from the centre.

"... what?" She reaches out for one of the levers, fingers resting on cold metal. "This isn't real, is it?"

But it feels real.

[morphitudinous]

For some reason, Billy can't seem to keep himself from poking into every available doorway. He stumbles onto the holodeck again, this time entering a green-lit control room that almost looks like something out of an aquarium with all this coral. But there's more to it than that, right?

He steps up and shakes his head, smiling apologetically. "It's a computer simulation based on your memory or imagination, as far as I know. But what did you imagine here?"

[defendergirl]

"Well, it's a mighty convincing one, if it's a simulation," Rose says, letting her hand fall back to her side.

She glances at the newcomer.

""It's s'posed to be ..."

Whoever he is, he seems so calm. Must have some experience with these things.

That's reassuring.

In fact, it's reassuring enough that Rose feels like she can tell him exactly what it is and he most likely won't look at her like she's gone daft.

"Well, it's a time machine, really. It belongs to my - my friend. The Doctor."

[morphitudinous]

"A time machine? Wow, that's incredible," Billy's eyes light right up, and in a second he's leaning over to study the controls intensely. They're a mystery even to him, though---he'd have to see the console in operation to even begin to understand the complexities of time travel.

After a few seconds' study, he turns back to the girl. "I can't say I've seen him. We have several Doctors, but as far as I know they're medical professionals, not time travelers."

[defendergirl]

"Yeah, this Doctor's a bit special."

Time traveling, Converse shoe wearing alien. The last of his kind.

She smiles. It's kind of a fond smile.

"I can't imagine it'd be easy for him to find this place though. Would it?"

[morphitudinous]

Billy answers with a wistful smile, glancing down at the communicator on his wrist. It's useless here, really, so it's been more of a friendship bracelet than anything. But it's still a reminder of what he's missing.

"We have no idea how far we are from any of our home planets. We could even be in another dimension entirely. A friend of mine's trapped here with me, and we're working on trying to send out a signal that they can read, but it doesn't look too hopeful from here. The ship's crew is attempting to take us home themselves, but the engine's been destroyed."

[defendergirl]

"Another dimension," Rose repeats. "Usually when this sort of thing happens, I know I can count on the Doctor to show up and save the day."

At the very least, he could be there.

She takes a breath, soaking in the familiarity of the TARDIS simulation.

"'Suppose I'm going to have to go at this one without him for now. I'm Rose, by the way."

[morphitudinous]

"He's familiar with anomalies, then? That could definitely help, if someone was searching from outside. And I'm sure he is."

Billy feels a little more confident offering his hand than with most people. "I'm Billy. It's a pleasure to meet you, though I'm sorry you've been dragged into this mess."

[defendergirl]

"S'all right," says Rose dismissively. "It's a bit of an adventure, yeah?"

And if there's one thing Rose has learned during her time with the Doctor, it's that she's kind of the adventuring type.

She grins a little.

"Yeah, the Doctor's bound to be looking for my whereabouts by now." She doesn't have any doubt about that. "Might as well make the most of the situation now."

[morphitudinous]

"Right," Billy agrees. "Though if you were traveling with him before, I'm guessing this isn't as interesting to you as it is to most of us. You would've seen things you never thought possible, right?"

[defendergirl]

Rose would have to argue with that.

She shakes her head.

"Oh, bein' in a new place is always interesting, no matter what or where. I've definitely seen things I never thought were possible, but a spaceship that's got people from all planets and all walks of life never fail to impress me.

"Have you got much experience with this sort of thing?"

[morphitudinous]

"No, but I've dreamed about it," Billy says honestly. He's fought off alien invasions, sure. Met a few extraterrestrial friends. But this is the first time he's left the planet, and it's honestly beautiful.

"I can finally learn about societies on other planets. We only had limited exposure to extraterrestrial neighbors at home, and to be honest...by and large it wasn't pleasant."

[defendergirl]

"They aren't always pleasant, I'll tell you that."

She smiles ruefully.

"I've been through my share of hostile alien invasions. But yeah, there are plenty of really lovely sorts too."

[morphitudinous]

"Wow, then you've been luckier than us on the whole," Billy says wistfully. "What would you say was your favorite experience out there?"

[defendergirl]

Rose considers this.

Honestly, it's difficult to pick one particular experience. After all, anywhen spent in time and space with the Doctor is really her favourite, even the part when she was getting used to the transition of his face changing. And even when she was running away from something that wanted to kill them.

"New New York was fun," she says. At least for the parts she remembers, before her body was taken over by the consciousness of a strange woman called Cassandra (coincidentally, also the 'last human' at the time). "It was basically a look into the far, far, far future on New Earth. I think the Doctor said it was something like the year 5,000,000,023."

[morphitudinous]

"Wow. Even if that is the same numbering system following from my lifetime, that is distant."

Billy looks impressed---excited. But it also raises a question in his mind. "For comparison, where and when did you come from?"

[defendergirl]

"I'm from Earth. London, England," Rose says. "It's the year 2006. Quite a long way from 5,000,000,023."

It's definitely the comparison, isn't it?

[morphitudinous]

"United States, California, 1994," Billy introduces himself with a quick nod. Really, from her voice he might've guessed---but with the strangeness of languages going on here, he can never be entirely sure.

"So how'd you get the opportunity to do all this traveling?" he asks next, wondering if anyone else back home was doing it. He wants in! It sounds more flexible than this Enterprise business.

[defendergirl]

"I was just ... lucky, I guess," Rose says. There's a pause in her words, because luck doesn't even begin to cover it.

Destiny, maybe? Some kind of calling?

It's hard to tell, but when the Doctor first showed up while she was still nothing but a shop-girl, she had no idea what sort of a life she was about to lead.

It's definitely been more flexible than the Enterprise, that's for sure. But then, it's just her and the Doctor, and not an entire crew and a crowd of people from all sorts of different planets, pulled from their homes.

"I dunno, really. Sometimes I think about it, about why the Doctor picked me, but ..." She shrugs. "He's got his reasons. And I couldn't say 'no' to space and time travel, now could I?"

[morphitudinous]

Billy grins back at her. "I can't blame you. I'd jump at the chance too."

With that, he turns back to exploring their simulated surroundings, studying these controls and how they might all fit together. "I guess it takes a lot of precision to land at the right point in time, huh?"

[defendergirl]

"I thought so," Rose says, fingers grazing the tops of buttons, and the edges of levers without too much care.

She knows they're not real.

And also?

"But sometimes it feels like the Doctor just - I dunno, presses a knob here, and pulls down a lever there, and poof! We've arrived." She laughs. "There've been times, too, when we'd be on our way to one place but once you step out of the TARDIS, you're some place completely different. And unexpected."

She looks back at Billy and grins too.

"Still. Somehow, even with those 'mistakes' of his, I feel like wherever we go, the Doctor means us to go there. Or maybe the TARDIS does. She's got a mind of her own."

[morphitudinous]

"She does? A sentient ship?"

Billy sounds most excited about this. He knows it's only an illusion of what Rose knows, but it would have to be incredible.

"And she lets your friend the Doctor get into those situations?"

[defendergirl]

"Sort of. At least that's what it feels like sometimes. The Doctor gets into arguments with the TARDIS, like he's talkin' to her."

It's sweet.

"I dunno, they've got a weird sort of ... relationship."

A man and his box.

"But look at me, just talkin' about myself and the Doctor. What about you? What sort of aliens have you seen?"

[morphitudinous]

That sounds...strange, but wonderful. He guesses a lot of Rose's life is like that. It's fascinating. But now he has to somehow describe his own experiences without giving his involvement away---a tricky order.

"Unfortunately, it began when our astronauts opened the wrong dumpster on the moon. We expected triumphant news coverage and got a planet invasion, starting with my hometown."

He half-smiles. "Luckily, a group of mysterious superheroes called the Power Rangers arrived, and they've been fighting off the invasion to keep it from going any further. Most of my encounters has been in the park---their clay soldiers further their invasion by attacking random civilians. I've been knocked around a few times, but the Rangers keep us safe."

[defendergirl]

"Superheroes? Like Spider-Man and Batman and all that?"

Rose looks interested. She's seen a lot, but superheroes, like the spandex-wearing sort, are one thing she's yet to witness.

"Glad you're all right and that these Power Rangers were around.

"What sort of a person puts a dumpster on the moon?"