ten_fwd_meme | TEST DRIVE #15 - Holodeck and Ten Forward

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test drives

TEST DRIVE #15 - Holodeck and Ten Forward

001: 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!]

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Kira was quiet for a few moments, digesting what the Doctor had said. Her large eyes were quite expressive, and it was clear that what he had said had touched her deeply and it had gotten her thinking. She nodded a little after a moment.

"I...had never thought about that before." She murmured, thoughtful and almost in awe. She knew of magic - and she herself was very closely in tune with nature. This sounded like powerful magic indeed. She didn't need to know how it worked - but she could believe. For Jen.

This time when she smiled, it was bright and it shone in her eyes. She was still concerned for Jen...but a part of her spirit was eased.

"Thank you. I may not know how it all works, but I believe you and I have faith in my dear friend." She said finally in warm tones. Fizzgig chose that time to lean from Kira's arms, curious now about the other man, sniffing and whining. The gelfling laughed fondly and pet the creature.

The Doctor nods in reply. He doesn't ask for much, just a little something to hold onto. His focus then turns to Fizzgig. "He's very protective of you. Have you known each other long?"

And he would be very interested to learn his language.

"He is. He's been with me a long time. Since I was a child." Kira nodded. "His name is Fizzgig. He's all noise but he can be a big baby sometimes..." Fizzgig snorted and she laughed. "Not all the time..." She added fondly. He definitely was protective of her and shown lots of bravery on occasion. Especially when the Skeksis were attacking her.

"I found him in the swamplands where I grew up with the Podling People."

The Doctor grins as he listens to her story. "And you adopted each other. Well, people think I collect companions like that, so I suppose it's as good as anything."

He's still in a bit of awe and wonder. "I never thought I would say I'm glad I was brought here. But meeting you... Oh, it's a wonder to behold."

Kira smiled. She supposed they did adopt each other didn't they? Like the Podling People adopted her. "Yes, we're family." She agreed.

She was still not quite sure how to react to his awe over her. She'd never had such a reaction before. Though then again - other than Jen, she had never been with any other folk other than the Podlings. Sadly she remembered her mother very little. It was more impressions now. But she did clearly remember when her mother hid her from the Garthim.

"It's just me...just Kira.." She said finally, pale cheeks blushing pink. She didn't think she was anything that special. "Oh, can you show me around the ship?" She still kept imagining it as a great ship on the sea...but she felt no rocking. She knew he said 'starship' but it was still hard to fathom.

"All of my companions become my family as well..."

Last of the Time Lords and all. He slowly stands and offers his hand. It's not something he normally does, but to touch a Gelfling... No one back home would believe him.

"It would be my honour."

He's unsure about how Fizzgig, will react, but he supposes he'll have to get used to the creature if he wants to spend time with Kira.

Fizzgig growls a little when the Doctor stood up and offered his hand. But it was half-hearted - and Kira ruffled his fur before holding out her own hand. Small and delicate, the limb had three long slender fingers and thumb. Her eyes were wide and curious as she curled her fingers around the Doctor's.

She honestly liked this man who stopped to help her. She knew deep down that she could trust him.

[ooc: I totally give permission for a dreamfast type experience where he 'sees/feels' the events of the Dark Crystal movie! She's a natural touch telepath and is conscious of it :D)

The Doctor had made a simple mistake by taking the Gelfling's hand. The myths and legends had mentioned their abilities, of course. But when a species is gone, there's no way to test which parts of myths and legends are true.

The fact that they were touch telepaths was true. But the Doctor had no idea of the kind of telepath they were. "Touch telepath" simply defines how the ability is used. It doesn't really talk about what kind of ability it is.

So, when she took his hand, he sensed immediately that she was a telepath. And a powerful one at that. Not as powerful as some Time Lords and certainly not as powerful as the TARDIS - but powerful enough that he wouldn't hurt her. There was a small comfort in that.

A part of the Doctor wanted to put up all of his defences. But the part of him that was curious, won out. He still held her hand, but slowly sat back down. It would be bad if something happened and he fell on top of her. He closed his eyes, more to focus than anything.

He spoke softly into her mind. His voice here, had a gentleness and serenity that his current physical form could never quite manifest. "I am a telepath too. Do you know what's happening?"

He assumed she did, but it's always best to check.

With this being a natural ability, Kira had full conscious control over it. More so that it wouldn't be disruptive in daily interactions. With Jen it had been special since he was the first Gelfling she had seen other than herself. He had the ability too...and so the bonding had been strong like a rush between them.

In this case - her thoughts automatically rose up to touch the Doctor because she could somehow feel that he too had a gift. He wasn't a Gelfling and obviously felt different...but she found the sensation welcoming just the same. They were the last of their species...and Kira found solace in that. Unlike Jen - this experience was very controlled and contained.

Smiling, she knelt next to the Doctor when he settled back down, holding his hand between them.

Gelflings call it 'Dreamfasting'. A sharing of thoughts, feelings and memories! This only happened between me and Jen before. I can only guess that we share a kinship you and I. You have a similar gift and...we are the last of our kinds.

She responded, her mindvoice gentle and clear as crystal. Sweet and pure. Whatever memories or thoughts that came up, she simply let flow as they will. Usually what was meant to be, was what was shared.

"Kinship might be a bit of an exaggeration, but we certainly have similar abilities. My people just calls it 'contact'. Every species with telepathic abilities calls it something different. Now, if there's anything you don't want me to see, just imagine a closed door, I'll not enter."

While the Doctor always gave that suggestion to others, he often times forgot to do the same for himself. As such, with fellow telepaths, they can sometimes get more information about him than he strictly desires. And well, the images are a bit fast - blame it on his enthusiasm for finding another pure telepath.

She might see a rapid succession of his various faces. And then His companions. Maybe some of his enemies.

One thing is clear: The Doctor has lived a very long time - not all of those years were good. She might see some images from the Time War.

But she might get the sense that there are sort of two timelines where the Time War is concerned: one where the Doctor destroyed Gallifrey (his home planet) and one where he saved it.

Kira's eyes were wide with wonder as her mind was flooded with various images. No, she wasn't overwhelmed per se. Mind to mind always tended to go faster than regular speaking anyway...but there was so much!

So many faces...is that all you? She murmured in quiet wonder. The energy felt the same, but the appearance kept changing. There was a lot of people too...and things she couldn't put a name to. Places she'd never seen before. She understood on some level that the Doctor had lived a long time and seen so much.

The mind link wasn't a one way street. At the same time, images and memories from Kira also played out.

In contrast, Kira's world was lush and full of life and full of mystery. It had the sense of a young planet and also an old one - with hints of ancient civilizations dotting the landscape. The Doctor would be able to see the swampy forests that Kira had grown up in - as well as the jovial Podling clan who had took her in and raised her. He might have also seen a flash of a memory where an adult female gelfling was hiding the young infant Kira in the stump of a tree while fleeing from danger. She then got struck down by a large black shelled creature. A Garthim.

Brief flashes like a montage showed Kira being found and raised among the Podlings, learning all the ways of Herbalism and how to live in balance with nature. There was even flashes of her journey with Jen. Meeting him and forging a solid bond. Riding the land striders, and attacking Garthim to save her Podling clan mates. A vision showed how she spread her wings while jumping with Jen over a cliff side to glide safely down...

Seeing the castle of the crystal and the evil Skeksis. Being captured and drained of her life essence. Tossing the crystal shard to Jen moments before she was stabbed from behind, so that he could fulfill the prophecy...

All in all it was an amazing roller coaster ride of the psyche with all the emotions that came with.

Edited 2016-01-08 10:04 (UTC)

When he sensed her questions, he didn't close the connection, but he did back off a little. The last time he had any connection had been with the Teller at the Bank and briefly with his mate. But that wasn't the same. That was out of necessity. This... this was willingly, from both of them, if the story he got was anything to go by.

He had his own moment of surprise, and he couldn't stop himself from thinking, "It's you..."

But he stops himself. She deserved answers first, his life was far more complex.

"Yes, I've had all of those faces. Time Lords have a way to cheat death a bit. We call it regeneration. Every cell in our body renews itself."

He projects an image of one of his transformations to help her understand.

""I'm over two thousand years old. But, the age of my face has nothing to do with how old I am. But, you! I've heard some of the legends, but I had no idea it was you."

He then shows her a few of the images from his own mind, his own memories.

"I don't know if your story ends the way the legend tell it, but you can rest knowing you saved your world."

And perhaps the whole universe. Who knows what might have happened had things gone differently.

Kira was silent both audibly and mentally as she saw the image of him regenerating. It was incredible that he could do that. She knew he felt 'older' than he seemed but now she understood why.

She absorbed what he told her, seeing the images as he told her of the 'legends'. It moved her immensely to know that Jen had did it and that their world was saved. Her eyes filled with tears of joy and relief and that knowledge filled her with a little bit of peace.

Thank you. She murmured softly, giving his hand a squeeze. She could tell the flood of information was subsiding and simply just savored the connection for what it was.

"Thank you. I haven't been able to share like this in a very long time."

Besides, the Gelflings were myths to him. So to be able to encounter them... Well, now he understands why Clara was so interested in meeting Robin Hood.

The connection faded enough for her to be back in the hallway of the ship. She kept a grip on the Doctor's hand, happy for some sort of connection. It was a warm comfort in her mind - even if no information was shared.

She reached up with a free hand and wiped her eyes with a small smile. Her expression was alight with joy and hope, her eyes shining with happy tears. Ah yes, he was about to show her around the ship. She was curious to see how it sailed among the stars and not the ocean. Fizgig seemed to sense the change in her, and he looked from the Doctor to her and back again from where he crouched on the floor - like a small ball of fluff.

"I'm ready to see more of the ship." She said, seeming lighter now. "It seems so strange. I don't feel any life. Not like my home." No life as in...no living growing things like forests or grass.

He tilts his head and considers her last statement for a long time.

"Other than the beings on board, there isn't a lot of life. There are gardens and some people grow plants in pots and keep them in their rooms. But we're not on a planet."

He stands slowly and gestures to the end of the hall.

"Down this way is a lounge. Also called 'Ten Forward'. There are windows there, you'll be able to look out and see that we're travelling in the stars."

He tries to keep a hold of one of her hands, but if it seems she is straining too hard to keep hold, he will release it.

Kira blinked with a small laugh. Really? That was so strange! Though sometimes the podlings kept potted gardens - most of the cultured plants grew in large spaces where they could get the best light. But living in a forested swamp was like living in a large garden in a sense. The idea of living in such a place where it wasn't as common place was more than a little strange to the gelfling.

Yes, it was hard to imagine.

"Oh, I would like to see that!" Kira agreed, keeping hold of the Doctor's hand easily. Though she would have to take multiple steps for a single of his strides. Fizgig made a barking growl sort of noise and followed them, the ball of fluff rolling on the floor. Kira turned her head and beckoned him in her language.

Don't worry, Kira, the Doctor had a rather short companion recently, he's used to pacing himself as long as there's nowhere he needs to be. But when she speaks in her native tongue, the Doctor stops. The TARDIS didn't translate that. And it wasn't a language he was familiar with.

He goes down on one knee so he can see her properly.

"That was your language. Can you repeat it? I didn't understand, which is saying something, since I know billions of languages."

In other words, he wants to learn it.

Kira stops when the Doctor does, looking at him curiously as he kneels to be more at eye level. Fizgig grumbles and halts in mid-roll, nearly bumping into Kira's foot. Her new companion's curiousity about her language made her smile.

"Oh, that was Podling language. It meant 'come'." She looked down at Fizgig who was hiding behind her skirts. "I was calling to Fizgig to follow." She repeated the word 'tamar', rolling the r as she did.

"You know that many languages?" She asked, impressed. It did make sense, considering he had lived so long. "Maybe you don't know it because you've never been to Thra..." At least, not that she knew.

He grins and repeats the word. His 'rolled r' is a bit stronger than hers. Curse his Scottish side. He files the word and the meaning into his head, it won't take him too long.

"I do. Though, most are just different dialects of about five-hundred million languages."

He stood again and gestured towards their path.

"I should like to add yours to my knowledge, but not today. You've had a big day already. You don't need to be teaching an old Time Lord new tricks."

Kira grins wider when he repeats the word - he really was good at the r rolling.

"Wow...that's a lot." She murmured, impressed. She only knew Gelfling, Podling, a word or two of Skeksis, and of course how to communicate with animals. The latter being an innate talent.

When he stood, she reached out for his hand again, happy for that connection as they continued on their way. "I don't mind teaching you. No one has ever been interested before!" She added, pausing to allow Fizgig to hop up into the crook of her arm and settle there. She had to laugh a little at his comment. "One is never too old to learn something." She chided with quiet humor.

"It is a lot."

The Doctor grins down at her as she chides him. He doesn't take it as such.

"Oh? That's good, because I'm old enough to be a messiah."

Which he knows she won't get, but it amuses him regardless. When they reach Ten Forward, he gestures to a table near a window. So that Kira can look out.

"Do you want anything to eat or drink?"

Kira doesn't know what a messiah is, but she understands the context and can't help but laugh lightly as they walked along.

Upon entering ten forward, Kira hesitated with a soft gasp. There was lots of different people here and she could smell different foods. What caught her attention the most though was the huge windows showing an endless black with pin pricks of white. Stars... she realized. Like when she looked up at the sky back home. But they looked different. Brighter...and they were moving.

She moved to the table the Doctor gestured to and with a hop, climbed up onto the chair so she could stand upon it and look out. Fizgig whimpered from where he perched on her arm. Her eyes were huge as she stared - holding onto the back of the chair tightly as she felt a sense of vertigo. She was so taken with the sight she hadn't realized her companion asked her a question.

"Aiy" She murmured softly. An exclamation.

Well... he actually does love watching this part. Because, it's exciting to see. He comes closer to catch her if she falls. And kneels down so he can talk in her ear.

"You might feel sick. Please don't be."

Especially in this public place.

"The stars aren't actually moving, we are."

She shook her head slightly. No, she didn't feel sick in her stomach at least. Just a little dizzy. She reaches out to hold onto the Doctor's arm when he gets close enough to keep steady. Fizgig whimpers again and jumps to the table, facing away from the window. It appeared he didn't like that view too much. It was too big for him.

"It's so strange when you can't see the ground." She breathed. "It's a little scary but....amazing. I've never seen stars so clear!"

TEST DRIVE #15 - Holodeck and Ten Forward

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Gah, the Doctor wants to know what Fizzgig is, but I know it's unnamed.

XD I'd bet the Trek people here would think he's a tribble with teeth lmao

I admit that I did the first time I saw him... and then TEETH LOL

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Well, Doctor is a touch telepath too - Let's do a thing. XD

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I'll let you decide what he specifically learns about her.

Tag was way overdue XD - he can totally know the events of the movie :)

Life happens :)

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Holy moley I thought I answered this a while back! Sorry! <3

It happens :)

<3

Glad to see you're feeling better.