Cascade – Insertion
by Lieutenant JG Petro
Post Details
Randy slowly opened his eyes as though he had been sleeping for days. He could smell rot around him, the bowels of a society that no one wanted to explore. It was dark, just a little bit of light coming through a doorway that looked like it had been years without a door. The ground was cold and so was the air, filled with the dust of abandonment.
He stood, his head swirling like an overnight binge at the local bar. It took a few minutes for him to steady himself as he tried to remember where he was and how he got there. Nothing came to mind. He couldn't recall much of anything. He stepped through the doorway into an empty corridor and began walking aimlessly down it. Lights flickered. Maintenance obviously not caring much for the condition of the deck. He found a lift and waited for it to make its way to him. When it arrived, it stood in stark contrast to the rest of the environment. The polished metal glistened in the pulsating lights. He stepped on, guessing that he was on a starbase. A ship wouldn't look like this.
"Promenade," he said and closed his eyes as he ascended. When the lift stopped he opened his eyes again. People bustled about their business, paying him no attention. As he joined the flow of people he noticed two men and a young girl having a discussion outside of a bar. The talk was short and they separated. There might be something of interest there but he could investigate later.
He looked up and saw a dwarf, or something short, moving along the beams. A thief, he surmised, looking for something of value. This was certainly a starbase, but which one he didn't know. There was something familiar about it but he couldn't place it. He continued moving with the flow of people. No destination in mind.
As he passed by the reflective window of what appeared to be a chapel of some sort he noticed his attire. He wore a plain black shirt and black pants. His hair was slicked back and he had a pin of some sort just left of his heart. He wasn't sure what the pin was for or what it represented but the silver of it made it noticable. Perhaps it was significant. He thought about removing it but then decided otherwise. It might give him a clue later on.
He found himself flowing into an eatery behind two women who looked to be about his age, talking about what they were going to eat. He realized, once the smell entered his nostrils, that he was hungy. He had no pockets and therefore no currency. He had no identification, no rank, nothing for which to compensate for a meal.
Sitting down at a table he was greeted by a young man that looked rather feminine. "What can I get for you?" the man asked.
"Coffee, two eggs and some bacon." Randy replied.
"Bacon?" The girly man looked at him curiously.
"Yes, from a pig."
"I'll see what I can do." He turned and walked away. Randy didn't bother to see where he went but rather skipped his glances across the faces, and species, that was around him. He watched and waited.
Lost in his observing he hardly noticed when his order was placed in front of him. Coffee, two eggs and some strips of some kind of meat that could have passed for bacon to anyone that never had it before. "Replicated would have been adequate." He said.
"Replicators down." The man explained, "I've been told that this is as close to bacon as we have. If you don't like it you don't have to eat it."
"No kidding." Randy said and picked up one of the pieces. He took a bite, and nodded. "It'll do."
The waiter smiled, nodded and turned away leaving Randy to his meal. He ate quickly, finished the coffee and mingled into a departing group of people. He didn't notice the waiter as he returned with the bill only to find an empty seat and likewise empty place.
Moving through the promenade he found a computer console. "Computer, identify location."
"You are currently on the promenade."
"Station?"
"Deep Space Five"
"Who am I?"
"Please restate the question."
Randy walked away. He felt like he had been here before but couldn't remember when or why. For that matter he didn't know why he was here now.
"Mr. Newell." A voice said from his left. "This way Mr. Newell."
Randy turned and saw a middle aged man looking at him and gesturing for him to follow. He did. The man lead him to another chapel and once the two of them were inside he turned and faced him.
"Your pin is your identification and credentials. Don't lose it. Merchants need only scan it to accept payment. Find yourself some quarters on whatever level you choose. You're belongings will be delivered to you."
"Who are you?" Randy asked.
"Doesn't concern you," was the response, "You are Randy Newell, a visitor from earth on a tour of the galaxy. That is all you need to know. The rest will come to you in time." The man turned to walk away and Randy reached out to grab his shoulder. The image vanished.
"Hologram." Randy whispered and looked around at the empty room. "I'm in." he said, not even realizing that he had said it.
by Lieutenant JG Petro
Post Details
| Title | Insertion | |
| Mission | Cascade | |
| Author(s) | Lieutenant JG Petro | |
| Posted | Wed Oct 24, 2012 @ 8:12pm | |
| Location | Unknown Deck |
He stood, his head swirling like an overnight binge at the local bar. It took a few minutes for him to steady himself as he tried to remember where he was and how he got there. Nothing came to mind. He couldn't recall much of anything. He stepped through the doorway into an empty corridor and began walking aimlessly down it. Lights flickered. Maintenance obviously not caring much for the condition of the deck. He found a lift and waited for it to make its way to him. When it arrived, it stood in stark contrast to the rest of the environment. The polished metal glistened in the pulsating lights. He stepped on, guessing that he was on a starbase. A ship wouldn't look like this.
"Promenade," he said and closed his eyes as he ascended. When the lift stopped he opened his eyes again. People bustled about their business, paying him no attention. As he joined the flow of people he noticed two men and a young girl having a discussion outside of a bar. The talk was short and they separated. There might be something of interest there but he could investigate later.
He looked up and saw a dwarf, or something short, moving along the beams. A thief, he surmised, looking for something of value. This was certainly a starbase, but which one he didn't know. There was something familiar about it but he couldn't place it. He continued moving with the flow of people. No destination in mind.
As he passed by the reflective window of what appeared to be a chapel of some sort he noticed his attire. He wore a plain black shirt and black pants. His hair was slicked back and he had a pin of some sort just left of his heart. He wasn't sure what the pin was for or what it represented but the silver of it made it noticable. Perhaps it was significant. He thought about removing it but then decided otherwise. It might give him a clue later on.
He found himself flowing into an eatery behind two women who looked to be about his age, talking about what they were going to eat. He realized, once the smell entered his nostrils, that he was hungy. He had no pockets and therefore no currency. He had no identification, no rank, nothing for which to compensate for a meal.
Sitting down at a table he was greeted by a young man that looked rather feminine. "What can I get for you?" the man asked.
"Coffee, two eggs and some bacon." Randy replied.
"Bacon?" The girly man looked at him curiously.
"Yes, from a pig."
"I'll see what I can do." He turned and walked away. Randy didn't bother to see where he went but rather skipped his glances across the faces, and species, that was around him. He watched and waited.
Lost in his observing he hardly noticed when his order was placed in front of him. Coffee, two eggs and some strips of some kind of meat that could have passed for bacon to anyone that never had it before. "Replicated would have been adequate." He said.
"Replicators down." The man explained, "I've been told that this is as close to bacon as we have. If you don't like it you don't have to eat it."
"No kidding." Randy said and picked up one of the pieces. He took a bite, and nodded. "It'll do."
The waiter smiled, nodded and turned away leaving Randy to his meal. He ate quickly, finished the coffee and mingled into a departing group of people. He didn't notice the waiter as he returned with the bill only to find an empty seat and likewise empty place.
Moving through the promenade he found a computer console. "Computer, identify location."
"You are currently on the promenade."
"Station?"
"Deep Space Five"
"Who am I?"
"Please restate the question."
Randy walked away. He felt like he had been here before but couldn't remember when or why. For that matter he didn't know why he was here now.
"Mr. Newell." A voice said from his left. "This way Mr. Newell."
Randy turned and saw a middle aged man looking at him and gesturing for him to follow. He did. The man lead him to another chapel and once the two of them were inside he turned and faced him.
"Your pin is your identification and credentials. Don't lose it. Merchants need only scan it to accept payment. Find yourself some quarters on whatever level you choose. You're belongings will be delivered to you."
"Who are you?" Randy asked.
"Doesn't concern you," was the response, "You are Randy Newell, a visitor from earth on a tour of the galaxy. That is all you need to know. The rest will come to you in time." The man turned to walk away and Randy reached out to grab his shoulder. The image vanished.
"Hologram." Randy whispered and looked around at the empty room. "I'm in." he said, not even realizing that he had said it.