Lt. Robin Hopper: Take Me Out To the Ball Game
Robin Hopper
((Gym, Paxau District, Habitat Ring – Amity Outpost))
Having unexpectedly (but pleasantly) run into Counselor John Carter at the gym, Robin thought it may be a good idea to take a little time to get to know the man behind the uniform. After all, not only was he an experienced Lieutenant Commander with years of service under his belt, and Second Officer of the station, but he seemed to keep relatively to himself – and this made Robin curious. She figured there could be no harm in putting the offer out there for a more social activity than the usual scheduled psycho-analysis.
Hopper: Well, I’m not due for another counseling session but, if you don’t mind waiting around a few minutes while I change back into my civvies, I’d love the chance to catch up unofficially. ::Shrug:: Maybe we could find something fun to do?
She smiled confidently – though it dawned on her that what exactly that would be, she wasn’t sure. Aside from boxing, she knew little of what interested the rather-enigmatic Lt. Commander. With any luck, he’d suggest something agreeable and they could go from there.
Carter: I'm good for that. Let's both get changed and we meet back here, then you pick the activity. How does that sound?
oO Darn, Oo she thought, still smiling. It wasn’t going to be easy then. She looked around the gym briefly, hoping to catch some sort of inspiration and found only a myriad of digital posters advertising various sports-based holoprograms aimed at the hotel’s guests… Something told her that asking the Commander for a rousing Tsunkatse match was not a wise choice. She brushed a lock of damp hair out of her face and turned back to Carter.
Hopper: Yes. Sounds great. I will… think on it.
She hoped that sounded half as certain as she was trying to make it sound.
Carter: Fantastic. I'm looking forward to it.
Hopper: ::Genuine smile:: Same here. See you later, Commander.
With that, she backed towards the door, offering Carter a parting wave before turning and stepping through the sliding glass partition. The cooler air ‘outside’ hit her once again and gave her goosebumps. As she walked towards the changing rooms, she wracked her brain, trying to think of what on earth the two of them could do…
((Holodeck 2 – Copernicus Center, Level 5))
Jeans were such a bother. She’d never been a fan of pants – but denim, with its stiffness, had always stymied her. The only thing worse was leather, which she abhorred with a passion. It was rare that she considered her bioneural prosthetic left leg a ‘disability’; for the most part, it simply felt like a normal extension of her body and almost never affected her day-to-day life… Ironically, the simple everyday act of putting on a pair of pants was one of the few times she wished she just had all the same parts as everyone else.
Still, she knew the cool summer breezes of her homeworld well and, given that her activity of choice involved spending several hours sitting outside, she figured it was better to spend a few minutes struggling to get her inflexible metal appendage into the leg of a pair of Levis than to spend the entire game freezing. She’d topped the jeans with a sweater and a cap which, she understood from her research, was intended to keep the bright summer sun out of her eyes – but her real purpose lay in representation. Emblazoned on the cap was the logo of the home team, the Theta Spacers,
Hopper: ::Selecting the relevant program from the list:: So… Are you much of a fan of ‘baseball’, Commander?
Carter: Response
Hopper: ::Chuckling:: I understand it’s a bit of an anachronistic game, but it’s popular enough amongst some of the old frontier worlds.
Carter: Response
The door to the holodeck slid open, revealing the modest multi-sport stadium that sat near the heart of Theta VII’s capital city, Port Hibbing. Even in the summer sunshine, the breeze carried with it a characteristic cool breeze that immediately made Robin feel right at home. oO Brr. Oo
Robin stepped through first, and led the way towards the main entrance to the stadium. Already, the smell of popcorn and hot dogs, along with the sounds of enthusiastic fans finding their way to seats, began to emanate from beyond its glowing metal-and-brick walls.
Hopper: It was never really my thing, but The Spacers were a respectable enough team in the local leagues… according to their statistics. I told the computer to pick an exciting match… They’ll be playing against the Argelius Pacifists.
Carter: Response
Hopper: Not a very encouraging name for a team, I know – but you don’t keep three hundred years of violent urges pent up without finding some way to blow off steam. Healthy competition was key to the Argelians’ social reformation project… ::Waving her hand:: But that’s beside the point. Name aside, the Pacifists are a hell of a team… according to their statistics.
Carter: Response
TBC
