OOC: I feel like doing something a little bit different, so I’ve decided to start a side sim with a twist. This particular side sim has a unique rule: we never say on the boards what the side sim is actually about. It’s a special sort of game that is supposed to be fun for us authors, and cathartic for our characters. The fun part is not actually saying what this is about, even when it would make perfect sense to do so. That means we don’t:

1. Write any OOC post that explains or asks what this side sim is about, besides this one written by me.
2. Write any IC post with narration that explains what this side sim is about, for the benefit of the audience.
3. Write any character dialogue that explicitly states what this side sim is about.

Anyone can participate if they want to, but it is very important that we follow the rule where we don’t explain what it’s about. If you want to know what it’s about, ask me privately off of the boards (e.g. through email, Discord, whatever) and I will tell you. But the price of that knowledge is that you can’t ruin the game for anyone else. If it works right, you’ll all know anyway within the first five minutes what it’s about, but don’t guess or blurt it out. We’re not playing a guessing game. We’re dealing with Noodle Incident.

Joe

The Europa’s bridge was dour, despite the standard loop of duotronic chirps from the computer systems playing in the background. The computer knew in exact detail what had happened, but it was content to continue chirping along as though this week was any other week, as if there was nothing particularly special about the year 2394 other than the number of seconds that had passed since January 1, 1970. Unfortunately, the crew knew differently.

Johann Dvorak was absently pondering this and other things as he stood at the starboard forward section of the Bridge, by the viewscreen. Stars continued to streak past as they always did when the ship was at warp speed, but today they seemed worthy of his scrutiny. Actually, it was more like his past actions were worthy of his own scrutiny, but he wasn’t vain enough to stare into a mirror while standing watch. Not that there were any mirrors on the Bridge. Sometimes the computer screens were glossy enough if the lights were turned up too high, but that was as close as one could get. In order to actually see if he could catch a reflection, he swiveled his occular implants towards the dedication plaque to his right. There was a small panel there near it that occasionally reflected light at just the right angle. In so doing, his gaze passed across the quote at the very bottom of the plaque:

Some ideas are so bad, they’re worth doing anyway.

Words to live by, Johann thought reflexively before the irony of it struck him. Though after further contemplation, he stood slightly taller than he had been a moment earlier. Now is the time for action.

“Helm, change course. New destination, Betazed.”

The nameless ensign at the helm looked confused by this particular order, given that it contradicted what he understood the Europa’s current assignment to be, but knew better than to question it.

“Aye, sir. Course plotted.”
“Increase speed to Warp Factor Eight, and execute.”

The entire ship turned one hundred forty degrees in its current plane and then accelerated on its way to this entirely unplanned destination.

– Johann Dvorak, CO