Lt. Cmdr Robin Hopper: Act Casual
Robin Hopper
((Nygean Transit Port, bordering the Eakarian Expanse – Delta Quadrant))
As the botanical tour came to a close, Robin sensed they’d soon be ushered out by the blinking lights. Recalling Ensign Blackwood’s interest in the Bazaar, she decided that’d be the next stop on their little tour of the station as they made their way down towards the docked Voth research vessel.
Hopper: Alright, gentlemen. Take a few minutes to soak it in, then we’ll head along to the Bazaar.
As all three of them drifted around the room a bit, examining their own individual points of interest, Robin decided to take the time to get to know them a little more as well.
Hopper: What about you two? You both know I’m a ::teasing:: simple country gal who grew up on a farm. If you don’t mind me asking, where did you grow up – and, um, what do your families do?
There was a brief pause before Scotty jumped on answering first.
Reade: I grew up in the big city. My mom was a doctor, while my dad was in Starfleet.
Blackwood: Response
Hopper: Is that what inspired you to pursue a career in Starfleet?
Robin smiled encouragingly.
Reade: For me, totally, I really wanted to follow my dad’s footsteps. He was also a engineer, which made me want to pursue the same path. He actually now is a professor at Starfleet Academy. He has visited Amity once or twice.
Blackwood: Response
Nodding, happy to learn more about her crewmates, Robin noticed that the floor lights were once again becoming insistent, urging them to move along. oO Whoever had designed this exhibit must be impatient. Oo They followed the lights back to the exit, and began making their way on to the Bazaar, a few levels down.
As they stepped into a large glass elevator, along with a dozen or so other station-goers, Robin huddled up with her fellow Starfleeters.
Hopper: Now, the Kathesis Pact does engage in limited commercial exchange with the Federation already, so the same credits system you’re used to using with, say, Ferengi merchants or the Talaxian traders on Amity should work here as well… Though to be honest, I don’t spend my credits much, so I have no idea what the exchange rate is like. ::Small shrug:: Guess we’ll find out.
Reade: Robin, I am totally in the same boat as you. It’s Evelyn that normally spends all our credits. She would love this Bazaar for sure.
Robin chuckled. Betazoid culture could be rather extravagant at times; She’d only ever seen Evelyn Beake in uniform – but she could just imagine Scotty’s girlfriend wearing some vibrant high-fashion statement piece out of Idridi – or, in this case, an exotic Delta Quadrant curiosity from the Nygean port. That would be something!
Blackwood: Response
Hopper: Oh! And keep your eyes open, in case we happen to spot any Voth in the bazaar. Never know, maybe they enjoy perusing as much as we do.
Reade: Understood. Let's shop till we drop!
Blackwood: Response
Exploring the Bazaar was eye-opening in a way Robin hadn’t exactly anticipated. One the one hand, there were certainly vendors selling wares Robin had never heard of before – many of which, at a glance, she still wasn’t entirely certain of; Everything from clothing, to cultural artifacts, to books, to crystals and gems, to star charts, to… yes, strange and enthralling foods!
However, as she nibbled on a doughy Pensarkan protein orb (that the vendor had assured her was vegetarian), she was also struck by how familiar this all felt. Even here, across the galaxy, in the far-flung Delta Quadrant, there were so many hallmarks of humanoid civilization that seemed almost homey.
Maybe, she thought, this was because a space station like this would ultimately end up as a sort of cultural melting pot – a blend of the various cultures that inevitably wound up being a fairly homogenous representation (just was one might find a blend of Human, Vulcan, Andorian, Tellarite, and other ‘influential’ Federation Cultures on any Starbase in the Alpha or Beta Quadrants).
Whatever the case, the trio of far-flung officers found themselves navigating the Bazaar with relative ease and (thankfully!) few, if any, serious cultural misunderstandings.
Reade: Robin, Harrison, what do you think about this hat for Evelyn?
Robin drew her eyes away from the little horned dolls hanging from a vendor’s stall to turn towards Scotty, and found him looking into the glass window of a quaint storefront. Walking up beside him, she examined it with an approving nod.
Hopper: I mean, I think you should buy it either way, Scotty – and if she doesn’t want it, I’ll take it. ::Closer to the glass:: Look, it’s even got adjustable sizing. And that colour! So cute.
It was a sort of raspberry hue; Deep pink, bordering on red. Robin was sure that it would suit Evelyn’s colouring – which, now that she thought about it, wasn’t that dissimilar from her own (though perhaps a tad darker).
Hopper: I can always model it ::smirk:: if that would help.
Blackwood: Response
Reade: I see, I think you are right, and she will surely enjoy it. But lets us look around more for a bit, I can always come back and purchase it.
Robin shrugged and nodded, but kept her eye on the hat a moment longer. It seemed a little silly to purchase, of all things, a hat when one lived on a space station with stable atmospheric and lighting conditions designed to be pleasantly mild at all times… but fashion was fashion, baby. If Scotty did not buy Evelyn that hat, then she was going to buy it.
oO And I’m just realizing this protein orb was wrapped in paper… Oo
She pulled a little of the white pulpy substance she’d been trying to eat for the last five minutes from her mouth and flicked it into a waste receptacle before taking a proper bite of the dumpling-like snack.
oO Hmm… Oo it was loaded with savory and umami flavours that brought up a sense memory of the Thai place down the road from her University dormitory. oO That reminds me! I should look for a gift for Sabra! Oo She thought, recalling the gift she’d received from her old UC Berkeley Bestie.
Following the boys, quite contented now that she could tuck into her snack properly, Robin found herself in front of another little store – this one a bit less vivacious-looking than the last, but no less intriguing. It appeared to be full of antique gadgets and gizmos which undoubtedly drew the interest of the more mechanically-minded Engineer and HCO.
Reade: Now take a look at this here. Some old engineering knick nacks.
Scotty was already moving inside, his eyes wide with excitement, so Robin followed, happy to indulge her fellow officers in their interests and hobbies.
Hopper: ::Following him in:: This place is like a little treasure trove… Though I’m not sure what some – make that most – of these things even are.
Blackwood: Response
Robin picked up a tubular device with connection points on either end. At first glance it resembled an antique fluorescent lightbulb (the ones common in 21st century office buildings), but after picking it up she deduced it may actually have been made from some sort of translucent metal.
Hopper: Like, what’s this for example? ::Squinting:: Is it glowing? ::Putting it down, concerned:: Should I not have touched that?
Reade: Well, it's just an old engine part, I do not think it's any use now, but it would be great to have if the price is right.
Robin nodded, grateful that Scotty hadn’t immediately whisked her to the nearest clinic, and decided not to pick anything else up without asking about it first.
Blackwood: Response
Hopper: What would you do with it? Or any of these things, I mean. Do you think any of these parts could be of use? ::Considering:: Do you think this vendor ever sells more, um, contemporary pieces? It may be worth asking them if they’ve ever come across Voth propulsion technologies.
Scotty paused for a moment, thinking over what she’d said. Robin took another bite of protein orb and waited for his answer, curious at his hesitation.
Reade: Well, no I do not think that would be allowed to purchase. Technically speaking, most engine parts are usually restricted.
Hopper: Restricted? Why’s that?
She looked to Scotty as well as Harrison for answers. No doubt an Engineer and a Helmsman were the right people to answer such a thing.
Reade/Blackwood: Response
((OOC – Feel free to expand on this and get technical if you want! Don’t feel limited by this set of tags, we can always backsim. This is a great opportunity to do a little comparative worldbuilding, explaining how things work in the Federation vs how they might work in Kathesis Pact space; not to mention highlighting both of your characters’ technical knowledge!))
Hopper: I guess that makes sense. ::Blushing:: And here I was hoping we might swipe a Voth transwarp control module on clearance or something. ::Shrug:: I’ll admit, mechanical engineering is definitely not my wheelhouse. Then again, the Kathesis Pact may have different regulations in place, so it doesn't hurt to check.
After spending a bit more time in the shop (unfortunately, no Voth parts on clearance!) they made their way back into the widespread market. The entirety of the bazaar was spread over two levels. The uppermost level, where they were now, included a central circle of smaller vendors – a its center were the least-affluent merchants, with their little tables and blankets spread out, surrounding by a ring of pop-up stalls, and finally bordered by legitimate storefronts like the one they had just visited.
Robin was curious about the second level, so she led them down a flight of curling stairs, which deposited them in the more dimly-lit “Evening District” (according to her attempted translation of the Nygean sign). It reminded her of the “Merchant’s District” on Amity – though the atmosphere was far ‘cleaner’ and less rough-around-the-edges. Each storefront seemed adorned with glittering lights and neon designed to entice and draw in passersby. A bar with a neon sign depicting an unfamiliar alien creature (that sort of looked like a wet cat?) pouring from a bottle into a shot glass caught her eye.
Hopper: What would you boys say to trying one drink, on me? I know we’re all on duty, but how often do you get to sample real Delta Quadrant hooch? If we like what we try, maybe they’ll sell us a bottle to take home.
Reade/Blackwood: Response
Hopper: ::Chuckling:: It was a rhetorical question anyways. Come on.
She made her way into the bar, the doors – evidently laser projections, rather than real physical doors – fizzling out of the way as she approached. Inside, the atmosphere was lively (though not nearly as “lively” as the Klingon bar in Amity’s merchant district. Robin recalled that the Nygean justice system was quite punitive. Perhaps that was a way in which they maintained decorum and order even in inherently unruly places, such as spaceport bars.
But what really caught her eye was the man seated at the end of the bar, about two-thirds of his way through a bottle of some sort of yellow glowing spirit. He was a hulking fellow, at least a solid foot or two taller than Hopper, judging by his seated stature, and easily over three hundred pounds. Most importantly, though, was the saurian features of his face, and the small protruding cranial crest that stuck out of the back of his skull.
Hopper: ::Tapping Scotty and Harrison on the shoulders:: Oh! Oh! That’s a Voth at the bar. I’m sure of it! ::Clearing her throat:: Oh, um, act casual. Let’s get a table, order some drinks, see if we can figure out how to initiate conversation, hmm?
Reade/Blackwood: Response
TBC
