Ensign Tho’Bi - Sing for your Supper, Ensign!

[Tobi]

(( Main Mess Hall - Deck 3, USS Artemis-A ))

The holographic rendering of NOT-Grok was replaced by a giant red, black, and gold Dabo wheel that floated inches above the table top. The head of Holo-Ferengi appeared at the center of the wheel. He grinned at the highest ‘briber’.

Holo-Ferengi: Spin the wheel! ::beat:: The higher the number ::beat:: the more lightyears you can go!

Bancroft: ::eyeing the Dabo wheel:: I wonder what mildly cursed space calamity the universe has in store for me today.

Cole: You’ve already willingly been blind in a warzone, so … I’m sure you’ll be fine … mostly.

The Andorian was watching the back and forth between Bancroft and Cole, when a holographic Dabo Ball pinged off his forehead. The deep set eyes of the Holo-Ferengi glared at him.

Holo-Ferengi: ::irritated:: Rule of Acquisition number seven ::beat:: Keep your ears open! 

A three-dimensional golden seven shimmered into existence with the rule itself orbiting in a never-ending loop around the equator of the Seven.

Holo-Ferengi: ::irritated:: Your move!

Blue hand spun Dabo wheel. Eleven Lightyears. Dark blue eyes tracked across the three-dimensional holo-galaxy. Empty space. Empty space. Gorn raiding party, no thanks. Ah! Holo-Suites.

The Enterprise NCC-1701 REFIT landed on the holo-suites. Burst of light, inverse cone. A three-dimensional rendering of Holo-suites floated above them with a one hundred spelt out in bars of gold-pressed latinum. 

The Andorian slung one hundred bars into the centre of the game table. The three-dimensional holo-suites sprang towards him, landing in front of him. With every turn the Holo-suites would earn him 10 bars of gold-pressed latinum. 

K’Wara: Response

 

Play proceeded around the table until it was Meris’ turn. They leaned forward and spun the wheel. It landed on twenty, and they began moving their piece through the light-years until they landed on a wormhole.

Meris: What does that mean?

They didn’t have to wait long. Their piece suddenly began to spin and swirl, then was sucked into a vortex within the board.

Holo-Ferengi: Sorry! You lose your next turn! But don’t worry – there’s always Rule 88! 'It isn’t over till it’s over!'

A huge three-dimensional golden 88 manifested above them, with the rule orbiting its equator in a never-ending loop.

 

Cole: Oof, that is rough. 

She leaned forward and spun the wheel, getting a seven. As her NX ship moved across the board it landed on SECTION 31 MISSION

Holo-NOT-Grok: ::smiling evilly:: You’re progress has been blocked by an active Section 31 mission. Pay 50 bars of latinum to get them to look the other way or go back five spaces.

Cole: ::exasperated sigh:: Can’t help but feel like you're shaking us down Grok. ::dropping 50 bars into the pot.

Tho'Bi: ::to Cole:: Shake down translates into Ferengi as, business as usual.

K’Wara/Meris: Response

It was Roy’s turn next, and he leaned forward and spun the wheel. It landed on thirteen – of course. He counted the spaces aloud in a mock-dramatic whisper as he moved his tiny Defiant.

Bancroft: One… two… three… temporal nonsense… five…

The final square read TEMPORAL ANOMALY.

The Ferengi grinned.

Holo-NOT-Grok: ::smiling evilly:: You’ve been aged forty years. Pay 100 bars of latinum for genetic reconstruction or lose 3 turns due to back pain.

Roy grumbled and slid the required payment into the central pot.

Bancroft: ::muttering:: Forty years older and still not eligible for early retirement. At this rate I’ll be dead and working overtime.

Cole: Could be worse, could be forty years older and still an Ensign. ::laughing::

Tho'Bi: ::to Bancroft:: Could be much worse, Ferengis collect debts even after the Captain airlocks you ::beat:: there's no escape. 

Bancroft/K’Wara/Meris: Response

The Andorian’s turn came round with a tiny arc of ten gold-pressed latinum bars zipping towards him. The dabo wheel spun. Twenty one lightyears. A rundown space station was in range. He could increase his profits from the Holo-Suites ten fold.

The Enterprise NCC-1701 REFIT touched down on the rundown space station and lights went down too. A bright white spotlight snapped at the center of the game. The silhouette of a floating throne and figure upon it manifested in the gloom.

The figure broke into the spotlight. Mad, bad, and dangerous to know. Holo-NOT-Q.

Holo-NOT-Q: Sorry to disappoint you Ensign! You won't be increasing your profits this turn…. Oh, I know, the Universe can be so unfair. ::glint in the eye:: …and it's about to get a whole lot less fair! ::snaps fingers::

Flash of white light. A holo-lute appeared in the Andorian’s hands.

K'Wara/Cole/Bancroft/Meris: Response

Holo-NOT-Q: Sing for your supper, Andorian! …or lose all your money and forfeit the game ::smiles::

Bright flash of light. Holo-NOT-Q was gone, but the spotlight remained. It fell on the lute holding Andorian. 

K'Wara/Cole/Bancroft/Meris: Response

The Andorian shot an accusative look at his roommate Ensign Cole. 

Cole: Response 

The only songs he knew were old Andorian Engineering Clan songs, he sang with his mother when he was a boy. He had no idea how to play the strange wooden instrument in his hands, but to his surprise, as he started to sing, the Lute played along.

Tho'Bi: ::passible singing:: Vrel’sha’mar, vrel’keth’nor. Zal’norash kethni’del. Kagh! Kagh! Kagh! Vrel’sha’mar, vrel’keth’nor. Zal’norash kethni’del. Kagh! Kagh! Kagh!

K'Wara/Cole/Bancroft/Meris: Response

For reasons never to be understood, the Andorian continued on into the second verse.

Tho'Bi: ::passible singing:: Lex’jal’tor, vrel’keth’nor. Zal’krasha kethni’del. Kagh! Kagh! Kagh! Lex’jal’tor, vrel’keth’nor. Zal’krasha kethni’del. Kagh! Kagh! Kagh!

The spotlight clicked off. The regular game lighting snapped back in. And the lute was gone. The words “Challenge Competed” rotated above them. The Andorian sighed a shoulder shuddering sigh of relief. 

K'Wara/Cole/Bancroft/Meris: Response

Tag/TBC

((OOC: I wrote the song for another Sim. Translation can be found on SB118WIKI:

https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=Andorian/Graalen#Songs ))

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Ensign Tho’Bi

Engineering

USS Artemis-A

A240203T11