TEST DRIVE #16 - Turbolifts and Ten Forward

[ten_fwd_mods]

Option 001. Trapped in a Turbolift: This space travel thing is new to you, and you're starting to think the ship is purposely out to get you. A turbolift is just a grandiose name for an elevator, which should be the safest way to travel after all! But someone out there is out to get you, you're sure of it. Because the next thing you know, the lights flicker and the lift grinds to a stop. You're trapped, with whomever was unlucky enough to be in the lift with you.

It could be hours before you're rescued. These turbolifts span the entire massive ship, and don't just travel straight up and down. No, they can travel horizontally, vertically, sometimes even diagonally. You could be stuck between any deck now. There is a small access panel on one of the smooth walls, but how good are you with getting these things to work? Let's not forget that sudden stop tossed everyone around a little, and people could be hurt. Time to put your emergency thinking cap on, and make friends with the people beside you fast. You could be the only way back to freedom.

Conversely, you could slide that pack of cards out of your pocket and start a rousing game of gin rummy. Really it's up to you.







Option 002. Ten Forward: You have no idea what just happened. One minute you were home, minding your own business, and now you're on a spaceship in the middle of a crowded room! It looks like a bar. There are people eating and drinking, some in uniform, others not. Some are clearly aliens, and some of the food is looking rather strange too.

You've managed to land in Ten Forward. A long bar with barstools and a bartender span one side of the room, with a bank of strange computers on that same wall. It looks like people are ordering food and drinks from them. Tables are sprinkled throughout, and the far wall is nothing but floor to ceiling windows with a view out to space. It looks like a nice lounge, low conversation making the room hum.

Better ask some questions and find out where you are, or just tap the closest person on the shoulder and try to make friends. The bar is open.

Comments

[nosmallfry]

This kid seemed to be a simpleton of some sort. Had he been dropped on his head a few dozen times? He reminded him less of Padmè now, thankfully.

"The only Kenobi I know is master Obi Wan, and he does not have any family in the military that I know of," he said simply. "Do you know where I could find this Darth Vader?" Perhaps it would be better to go alone anyway, rather than have to protect this youngling.

[usedtobullseyewomprats]

Oh, Anakin, if only you could see how you yourself appear sometimes.

Luke raised his eyebrows at the Obi Wan name. "Huh. Maybe we're from different galaxies after all."

When the man asked about where Darth Vader was, he blinked. "Ah, back in my universe, somewhere in the Empire. He works for the Emperor, and they are still menacing the known worlds, so... I would presume near Coruscant, though I don't know for sure."

[resistancepilot]

He still doesn't know who Luke is, but of course he recognizes the emblem of the Rebel Alliance. With parents like his, how could he not?

So as excited as Luke is to see someone from his galaxy, Poe is just as excited to see someone who was part of the original rebellion.

"You were in the rebellion! I haven't met very many who were." His parents had settled down into their lives after the defeat of the Empire, and hadn't kept in touch with everyone they'd known. "What was that like?"

[nosmallfry]

"Different galaxies? I highly doubt that," he said as though that made it clear that this person was somehow mentally deficient. "We are on Coruscant right now," he added, dryly. "If there was a Sith Lord here, don't you think the Council would know?" And have more to worry about than Anakin, for certain.

He wanted to take this Sith down himself, he wanted to show them all, but everything about this lead stank like a three day dead Hutt.

How haughty he was. How little he knew.

[the_blood]

"One thing I can tell you right away, is that except when acting according to the laws and rules of Protocol," you could almost hear the capital letter and the importance in the word from how she said it, "you can simply call me Ailyshia."


"Another proper address, and one more commonly used by males who serve a Queen, as you and I do, is Lady before her name. Politely and formally in our Society, you can use Lady for any female you wish to show respect to."

She muttered something under her breath, but otherwise let Theiorn's entry into the conversation pass. "This bond I have learned about, though this is the first I have felt it myself. A Queen rules through her court, and at the minimum, a Court is 12 males and a Queen. That makes up the core of the First Circle, though it can expand from there. The First Circle are those most trusted, those in the Queen's confidence, who handle the most delicate tasks and assignments. A Queen can choose the males who serve her in many ways," she began.

Theiorn decided to take pity on the poor boy, and he wanted to help one who would soon be like a brother. So he started providing mental commentary, explaining things from a more male perspective. *The Queens think they choose, but she's never set up her own Court, she doesn't realize we have more say in who we serve than they do. A Queen who isn't tainted cannot force a male to serve. She chooses, yes. But she chooses from those of us who offer ourselves to that choosing. Agreeing to serve a Queen means that you accept her rule over you, her will is your life. There are ways you can defy a Queen, of course, and we do have certain... rights that we can enforce on her, and on her behalf. People here seem to think it choking, handing our lives, our leashes to her, but it's more balanced than they seem to realize. At least in KAleer, where we are from.*

Unaware that Theiorn was communicating with Luke, she continued, "One way is by looking at simple logic. Who knows the area she is to rule best, who has a good resume, who could fill the roles she needs filled. Another is by asking the aid of a Black Widow." She touched the hourglass pendant she wore. "If she is not one herself. Black Widows have an innate sense that let them get a feel for a person. It is very hard to hide from one of us, harder still to lie."

She let her hand fall gently and tapped her fingernails against the tabletop, the darkly tinted sharpened nails making a subtle beat, her purple dusk ring catching and releasing the light.

"And then there is the bond, a call or a pull between a Queen and a male," she is so far into the explanation, and trying to recall her lessons and explain them afresh that she's managed to forget to sneer as she says male. "where each recognizes something in the other from the sound of their voice, and a look in the eyes. For a Queen, it's knowing without question that you hold the leash for that male, that your presence will sooth him, that he will follow you. I can write home, and ask for more information. I was not planning to set up a Court, I never intended to rule, and it has been a long time since these lessons for me."

She leaned back and stretched a bit. "Something to drink, ro eat, Prince?" she asked. He was now her responsibility, and if she suggested they got refreshments, perhaps it would stave off his desire to fuss.

Oh, Theiorn was so amused by this. He sent spear to spear, privately to Luke. *If we accept food and drink, it will be easier to ensure she eats and drinks as well.*

[ro_laren]

From her future. If it were possible to kill Q, she would be more tempted than ever. Wesley Crusher. What was that going to do to Doctor Crusher? It was hard enough to speak with her as it was.

"From the anomaly that turned four of us into 12 year olds, yes. And if you are from the future, the Temporal Prime directive prohibits you from telling me anything that might be useful," she added with some irritation. she stood with her shoulders straight hands behind her back. She might be in the body of a child, but there was no reason to stand like one.

"Apparently, however, Q has brought several of us here from different parts of the time line, as well as several beings that aren't from any race or quadrant we've ever encountered. I presume the captain has been keeping busy setting up diplomatic meetings and making treaties."

She has no clue if he has or not, but that makes the most sense. She would know for sure except.. no one tells 12 year olds anything. Even if they finished their academy training.

[usedtobullseyewomprats]

Luke stared.

"Uhm."

Did this guy really not know? Uhm.

Shit.

"You know we aren't actually on Coruscant, right? We're on the Enterprise." He shook his head. Something weird was going on here.

[nosmallfry]

"I highly doubt that I flew fast enough to change planets without being aware of it," he said, irritated. Anakin was very much unimpressed with this person. And with this gag. Whatever the point, what ever was going on, he was out of patience, and irritated.

"I tire of this joke," he said flatly. "It is not funny, it makes no sense, and it is pointless. If you are going to continue to try and deceive someone, try someone other than me."

He pulled his lightsaber and put it on the table between them, as a warning. It was a very familiar looking lightsaber, I am sure. He kept his gloved hand on it, watching to see if the other took the hint.

[resistancepilot]

"It doesn't listen very well." Since it obviously doesn't want to do what it's supposed to. And has an attitude to boot. "Where did you get it?"

[kaylinneya]

"You wouldn't believe me," she said dryly, making another grab for it. It made a rude noise and flitted to hide behind his head.

[resistancepilot]

He continues to follow, but still at a distance. There's no need to take unnecessary risks and endanger himself if it can be avoided.

The orange flight suit might make him stick out a little.

[resistancepilot]

Well the fact that at least one of them is some form of royalty explains a lot. Though it doesn't have to, of course; General Organa is former royalty and she treats people better than this. He has a feeling that he wouldn't want to spend as much time with this set as he would with others he's known.

It's not fear that causes him to decline her offer though. He's been through too much to be afraid of a board game. "It wouldn't do much good. I'm not familiar with the game."

[the_blood]

"Of course not, I'll teach you. It's simple enough."

Theiorn gave a rude snort.

Her gold eyes flashed. "It's not like I asked him to play chess," she snapped.

Theiorn smiled up at the stranger. "If any female of my world asks you to play chess, I recommend your run. Save yourself the headaches."

[resistancepilot]

"You might be surprised by what I'd believe." He's unfazed by all the non-humans, after all, and by the fact that they're currently in space. Strange creatures are nothing new.

[reincarnshaman]

"Hux" turns a corner suddenly and when Poe turns to follow, he'll find a very annoyed red head glaring at him and trying to grab his arm. "Is there any particular reason why you're following me?"

He does not sound like Hux. There's no where near enough sniveling in his voice. Also it's - for someone from Earth - pure County Cork, Ireland (or Eire from where Trever is from).

[resistancepilot]

"Only with the females? Are the men just that bad at it?" Or is this some strange sort of game?

[kaylinneya]

She arched her brows and rested her palms neatly on the pommels of her daggers. Fine, he wants to hear it, she'll tell it. She smirked, knowing he'd never believe it. "During a chaos storm, possibly the one that made it rain blood, a woman had a difficult birth. Several did. This one gave birth to an egg. The Midwives gave it to me. When a Dragon from another world who had originally been from ours came to squat in my apartment, after turning down every possible offer of luxury and opulence, someone tried to kill her by throwing an arcane bomb in my window. The egg hatched, ate the magic in the bomb and kept us from being as destroyed as my home was." At that she made a sour face, pain and anger there. That had been HER home. Her apartment. Paid for with her pathetic pay chits. It was small and cramped and filthy, and it had been hers. And... and now it was gone.

[the_blood]

"Males cannot play chess properly," she said, primly.

He snorted. "Men have a sense of strategy and play rationally."

"Women are better, and we have better strategies," she said, her gold eyes flashing with anger.

"Sacrificing the Queen is not a better strategy! The Queen is to be protected!"

"The Queen is the most powerful piece on the board, Prince, it is her duty to protect the other pieces. that's all there is to it, Prince."

"The Queen gets killed the game is over, what happens to the other pieces then?" he snapped. "The pieces are on the board to protect the Queen."

They gared at each other with such an intensity, it looked like it very much might come to bloodshed if someone didn't stop them.

[resistancepilot]

"No. No particular reason." He rests his hands lightly on his hips, casually. He doesn't sound like Hux, at least, so he's probably keeping a low profile and not endangering anyone. "I just felt like going for a walk."

[reincarnshaman]

Keeping a low profile and not endangering people don't necessarily cancel each other out. But that's neither here nor there.

Trever studied the guy for a moment. He's made a point to try and get some sort of visual on everyone new here and this was someone he didn't recognize.

"You're new here, aren't you?" Trever was fond of getting to the point sometimes.

[diplomaticsolutions]

His warmth could be felt through the skin of her cold hand as he pressed that kiss against it, and she couldn't help but notice the juxtaposition in her husband. How angry he had been then, going down a path she couldn't follow, until- "I doubt this was the restaurant that-"

Although she paused, brow furrowing. Chancellor Palpatine. It had all been a rouse, a lie, a deception. But Anakin didn't know that, yet, at least. "-that he suggested."

Not unless he had information that went far beyond that of anyone here. Leaning forward slightly, her eyes searched his. "What is the last thing you remember before coming here, Anakin?"

[diplomaticsolutions]

Ten Forward had become a place that Padmé had become familiar with. It wasn't as if they were on a planet where one could go where ever one could travel too. Here, the options were limited, although that wasn't Padmé complaining. She still couldn't explain how it was that she existed here, or even Master Yoda for that matter, but for now she would consider it a small blessing that she did.

There was always something going on, something to distract the mind if that was what one was looking for. That, and the fact that Padmé quite liked the view from Ten Forward was why she was often found there. She had been sitting at a table, a cup of tea before her. While she knew she didn't require it to survive, there was still something about sipping away that she enjoyed.

Her mind had been turning over some of the lessons that she had been in, turning the facts over in her head, when she heard that groan. Her gaze turned, although she also paused, forehead furrowing. There was something about him that was so familiar, and yet Padmé could not recall having ever met him. "Did you need a hand with something?"

[nosmallfry]

"We both found the place," he said with a laugh, "following his directions. Maybe his tastes are just more eclectic than we realized. I like it here." Of course he liked it here. She was here, and that was all he needed to like any place, really.

He liked when she leaned closer, he smiled and did the same, wondering what she was looking for, in his face.

"The last thing I remember?" he asked, brow furrowing slightly. Sometimes he simply could not figure out how her mind worked, but he loved that about her. Really, since the first time he saw her, there wasn't a thing about her he didn't love, save her absence.

[diplomaticsolutions]

It was something she didn't even want to say, knowing that it would distress him. Here, before her, was the man she knew and loved, the man who had always been tender and gentle, who would never have lifted a hand to hurt her. When he simply repeated her question, she moved back in her seat, cocking her head slightly.

"Anakin... We're aboard a starship called the Enterprise. I've been here for over three months." It was said softly, letting the words sink in.

[nosmallfry]

"That's impossible," he said. He wasn't arguing or challenging, he was confused, and even had a hint of laughing, thinking perhaps this was some kind of a joke. "I just saw you yesterday, when we snuck away to have a few minutes..." his eyes invited her to laugh with him, smile with him. There was no anger in Anakin now, not here with her. As far as he was concerned, never with her. She was his angel.