driftfleet_ooc | Spring Test Drive

Entry tags:

!test drive

Spring Test Drive

THE SPRING TEST DRIVE MEME
(Or Fall Test Drive for you Southern Hemisphere folks!)

Got someone you want to try out before you app? Well this is the post for it! Feel free to use anything that fits in the setting of Drift Fleet! Want to play bumper shuttles? Want to go wild in a med bay? Play around with the current plot? Have at it!

Threads from the Test-Drive may be made game "canon" but DO NOT count toward AC!

FOR NEW PLAYERS: You DO NOT NEED an invite to participate in the TEST DRIVE! If you decide to APP into the game, ONLY THEN will you need an invite from a current player!

→ The previous test drive (which may still be active!) can be found here.

Helpful Info for Ideas!:

March Star System

Game Details

Test drives are posted SEASONALLY, so the next one will be in June!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Pike will be the first one to admit, any other Starfleet officers here were a blessing. It meant shared values, ideals, and overall a sense of camaraderie that bordered on family. Which is why he didn't ask Kirk if he was part of Starfleet, just asking what he was stationed on was enough.

The answer though? Well that made Pike pause in his walking and narrow his eyes at Kirk. It doesn't stop him from reaching out to shake Kirk's hand, but it is met with a slightly firmer grip then normal.]

Captain Christopher Pike, NCC-1031 - U.S.S. Discovery, at present until my mission is complete where I can go back to my own ship, the NCC-1701 - U.S.S. Enterprise.

[It's said with some amount of curiosity here and if it wasn't for recent events for himself back home, he wouldn't be quite so curious but leaning more towards suspicion.]

So you'll have to forgive my confusion, Captain, at the fact that you're claiming command of my ship. [And as far as he's aware no one's replaced him yet on board her. At least Number One hasn't written him a strongly worded report about abandoning her to some stranger along with the rest of his crew for the wonders of Discovery and her crew.]

_{[ Christopher Pike.

The name hits his heart like a sledgehammer, stealing the breath from him. He's sure he audibly gasped, and he doesn't really care. Those blue eyes widened, staring at Christopher Pike like he was speaking to a ghost, and in a way, he was. The last he had seen of Pike had been a still, quiet man, buried beneath rubble and bloodied.

This man did not look like the Pike he had known, not quite. Oh, he was a silver fox, that was the same, and the smile was similar too. Different and familiar. He didn't doubt this was Christopher Pike, even if he might not be his Christopher Pike. Even so. For the second time in a month his eyes misted. But damn it, this wasn't his Christopher. He couldn't just break down and sob like he had with Spock and with Bones.

Honestly, how embarrassing.

He let out a soft laugh, dipping his head for a moment to get control, running a hand through his hair. ]}

Well, that's simple enough, Chris. That's because in my reality, she is my ship. I was given command of her when you were promoted, after the Nero incident, in 2258.

[The unfortunate part of all of this is that Pike doesn't know Jim Kirk, because if he did then he would have reacted with a lot less suspicion and a lot more gratefulness at the news he was just delivered. He can tell that, wherever this young man is from, whenever he's from, that he's had some sort of influence on him and enough to see that the poor man is dealing with a lot of emotions at him being here. It's totally unexpected and if Pike were a lesser man he would be moving away at how Kirk was reacting. But he can't blame him for having emotions and he can't blame him for something that hasn't happened yet or will happen.

It's really with a lot of concern for Kirk that he doesn't let go of his hand but instead grips it tighter, more out of concern now and he even reaches out to touch Kirk's shoulder.]

Then obviously there's something about you I liked, besides your sense in avoiding to much feather ruffling. [Because really he can't imagine a time where he would skip over Spock or Number One for someone else if he didn't know this kid well or didn't like him. Not at least, if he had a say in the matter.

He's just going to avoid thinking about his own fate for a minute here.] Which means we should probably sit down and continue this conversation. [It's all said with some amount of caring because if he was at all honest, discussions of futures and realities tended to make his brain hurt on a good day let alone one that might be tossing in alternate realities of his own life.]

_{[ Kirk had the sense the man hadn't known him when they met - it was pretty obvious. He took no ill will in Pike not recognizing him, and knew there was the distinct possibility that this Pike would not be his Pike at all. He was fairly sure of it, given that he looked a bit different from the one he knew - younger, yes, but he didn't think that even aging would change bone structure and even a bit of height that much.

Even knowing that, understanding that, his heart still clenched and swelled to have a Pike here at all. Like he was stealing moments back. God, when the other him found out...

He swallowed and nodded, taking a steadying breath and squeezing Pike's hand back, grateful the man wasn't just writing him off as completely mad, especially with that display. He gave a laugh as they went to take their seats. ]}

My penchant for feather ruffling is what got you to notice me in the first place, actually.

_{[ He could understand wanting to avoid anything time travel related. It still gave him a headache to this day and he hated it with a passion. ]}

[Pike was so glad he wasn't aware of the fact that there was not just one, but two Jim Kirks running around because he can only imagine what a second go around of this reunion would do to him. Probably make him wonder what all this other version of himself had done to warrant such loyalty from a kid like him. At least with his crew on board the Enterprise he had five years worth of deep space exploration and missing a war that had taken over all of their home systems to have bonded them all together. And with Discovery it had taken him being an idiot, Michael almost dying and really just the last few weeks alone to bond them together. He could see that progression but he can't, couldn't, see that with a young man he had never met before today.

And at least time travel had given him a chance to try and understand the idea of some of the crazier complexities of reality. The reports he had seen about Lorca helped as well in trying to figure out things, but it all still was complicated.

As it was, he wasn't going to dwell on it to much until after their conversation was over. If he took it all in stride he could figure things out later, think on them and figure out how to handle all of it.]

Of course it was feather ruffling. I can't ever seem to find a group of people that don't somehow manage to do that and impress me in some other way. [For as diplomatic as Discovery's crew was, they were in fact perhaps the biggest lot of feather rufflers he had seen this side of Vulcan.

As they take their seats he can't help but grin as he talks, because it was in fact the truth and if he can perhaps try to take Kirk's mind off of whatever emotions besides overwhelming joy he was experiencing about him being here he would.]

They tend to make fine explorers in my experience, if just a bit on the eccentric side.

_{[ He chuckled against as they made themselves comfortable, his chest tight and warm, remembering the nights he had spent with Chris like this - just sharing a good drink, exchanging stories, laughing. Not quite the same, but close, and he was grateful even for this. It would not be closure. He knew that. That was too much to put on this Christopher. But even so. ]}

Well, I like to think so as well, but I also think I might be a bit biased in that regard. I like to think I've calmed down a bit since I took the chair, but I'm sure Spock, Bones, and the others would say otherwise.

_{[ He usually got termed reckless rather the eccentric, but he liked Pike's word better. He took unconventional approaches, but considering all the ridiculous shit he had come across and had to deal with in his life, could one blame him? ]}

[Pike has always been the welcoming sort with his crew. His door always open, chairs at the ready in his ready room and never really afraid to sit down and talk. As much as Kirk wasn't a part of his crew, in the literal sense, sharing the captaincy of a ship (even if it was a different reality) and in the overall sense of being Starfleet officers meant Kirk pretty much fit the bill for the same courtesy.]

We're always the most biased when it comes to ourselves. But our crews tend to keep us honest. [Reckless may be a better word for Kirk, but that didn't mean Pike would call him that until he saw it.

At the names though, he can't help but sit back in his seat, eyebrow raised.] Spock, somehow I'd be more surprised I think to hear he wasn't on board the Enterprise somehow.

Well, he was working under you as your first officer. And when I got promoted to the chair, he decided to stay on with me. He's been with me about five years now, though when I first met him he was arguing in front of the board to get me kicked out of the Academy.

_{[ His mouth twitched in a faint smile, remembering that. Every now and then the Kobayashi Maru came up between them, but he would never really be sorry for what he done, though he did feel poorly for how he had gotten the virus into the program. ]}

He's here - you know. Spock. At least, my Spock is. I can't say if you're recognize him or not, but I'm sure his reaction to you will be more controlled than mine. He was always very fond of our Pike, in his own way.

_{[ The waiter brought them drinks and Kirk nodded gratefully, taking a large sip of his. ]}

I'm sorry. I keep going on, and you must have so many questions.

_{[ ooc: But I am loving your Pike, so if you would ever like to do a PSL or meme, I would be absolutely down! I'm Luna, and you can contact me on Discord (moulin_lune#9538) or inkedhymnal! ]}

[Spock as his first officer? That brings some amount of surprise to Chris's face, if only because he couldn't imagine giving up Number One in that position unless a better offer came around. Say, someone offering her a flag position and letting her skip right over Captain or something.

But he's not going to dwell on the ifs and worries of his own crew, well one of his crews here and now. He can't change a future or reality he's not a part of, right?

So he takes a sip of his own drink and flashes a smile at the waiter as they leave before tapping his fingers against his glass. He's trying to take it all in, what Kirk's told him, what it could all mean and such, how he can try to live up to some version of himself he doesn't know about but it's not as if he's unused to the sort of attention he's getting from Kirk. Especially the rambling sort at meeting a hero or an old friend.]

First of all, it's fine. If I had a problem with you going on as you have, I would have said so. Secondly, you said five years out of the Academy?

[It's a question, and honestly it's the sort of one that's going to make him think about if he should continue on down the rabbit hole that is this conversation or find another path to take it.]

[OOC: And I'm loving your Kirk and would so be down for that! I'm Knight and I'm at

atlantisknight so I'll totally add you!]

_{[ He took another sip of his drink and he had the good grace to look a
little sheepish. ]}

Yes, well, I was given the chair pretty much directly out of the Academy - your chair, as I said.

_{[ He looked down at his cup, frowning softly for a beat before it
cleared from his features. ]}

There was a major incident, and you were promoted to Admiral, and I was recommended for the chair as your relief. I was doing routine missions within Federation space for about two years, and then for the past three back home I've been on a mission to explore uncharted space.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Spring Test Drive

no subject

he's an emotional mess lately, I'm sorry

It's all good, poor guy was bound to be any which way

three years just him and chekov, and then suddenly all these people - emotions-!!

the poor boys, man

/hugs Pike and never lets go

awwww ;; you guys really do make me want to app him here

unfortunately, we just found out today that DF is going into Endgamee ):

so i heard!

Re: so i heard!