"Guess Who" Drabble Challenge

[AllisonPetra]

Narrator: I also think Hoshi. Hoshi’s job is communications and she is a progeny (“You could almost say it's in the blood”). She would have to keep notice of who is talking to whom (as Communications Officer) to make sure that the ship is secure. She is a regular in the mess hall and would be able to monitor T’Pol and Trip’s eating habits.

The Episode(s). I am stumped, particularly by the quote. I chose Affliction, Demons and Terra Prime as possible episode links:

Affliction: T’Pol and Hoshi have a mind meld. After the meld, Hoshi gets a taste of the romantic vibe towards Trip. T’Pol doesn’t fess up, but I think Hoshi would know.

Demons/Terra Prime: At this point the crew knows about Elizabeth – the fact that Elizabeth is even possible says that Trip & T’Pol are/were intimate. I think the whole crew would be asking themselves “How could I have missed this”. Including Hoshi.

[Cogito]

Thank you WarpGirl!

3. This is pretty much because of being brought up as a Boomer. When your entire community for your entire life is confined to a ship, you learn how to keep observent of what's going on in your community. It's a part of your psyche, almost a survival instinct.

You have got the answer, and the reason for it, exactly right. This is my rationalisation for the fact that Travis was basically ignored as a character. I see it as a survival instinct in such a closed community to be unobtrusive, do nothing that would have any remote chance of irritating the people around you, be quietly cheerful and optimistic but above all unintrusive. And always on the lookout for people who might not be coping so well with the stresses of life locked away in a small box for years on end, because it only needs one person to go stir crazy to kill the lot of you.

I wondered whether this drabble would work, because it relied on a key fact that was pure speculation on my part. I am SO glad you saw it the same way. I tried hard not to say anything to remove the ambiguity, either in the drabble or in the question, because any of your answers would have been credible. But the clues which I hoped would steer you towards the Boomer were "in the blood" (implying that his "line of work" was part of his family background) and "and who isn't" trying to hint that it was interpersonal conflict or isolation that he was really looking for. The mention of nagging to watch his film was an oblique reference to movie night in Horizon. I hoped that once your thoughts turned to the boomer, this would strike a chord.

Sorry that it wasn't your preferred option of Phlox, but thank you for getting the boomer answer.

[WarpGirl]

wasn't my preferred answer, just one that might have been the easy choice. Like I said all of the options fit for various reasons. It was brilliantly done!

I can't write one right away, morning meeting, than going to be with some friends for the rest of today. Y'all are going to have to wait until at least 8pm sorry!

I actually have a life today.

[AllisonPetra]

That was great Cogito (and WarpGirl).

Wow Travis never came to mind. It’s good to get some insight into him.

Travis is pretty much in every episode, but regulated to all most wall paper sometimes – maybe not if I’m paying CLOSE attention to him specifically. Characters are supposed to mature aren’t they? Look at Data! He wasn’t even human, but he grew enormously over the series. Do you think the writers just wrote Travis that way – not allowing his character to mature/stretch/engage much – or did the actor just play him that way? OR am I just not appreciating the strong, steady, silent type?

Perhaps my "character" has some maturing/stretching/engaging to do?

[Silverbullet]

Travis did have a moment or two but mostly he was a cardboard cutout in the background. Think that TPTB simply thought of him as the mad Russian in TOS there and forgotten.

Most of the others could have been developed. Trip and T'Pol's romance could have been enlarged without taking up more than ten percent of the series. Soval, Shran, Phlox. they mus thave had interesting backgrounds. Certainly Malcom as a Section 31 operative would have many exciting backstories. Hoshi, mysterious, beautiful, remote. what a foil she wouldhav emade for either Malcom or Travis. Of course Travis was given Ganet in Demons/Terra Prime. She could have been interesting too.

So many opportunities. Pity they had gone to waste and the series ended because of it. Too much of a one Hero series when it should have been an Ensemble series like the other, more successful, series which lasted for at least seven seasons.

SB

[WarpGirl]

Well My plans were wrecked by a gust of cold wind! I caught a chil and my legs went ballistic with painful spasams. I entered our house of worship on my feet and left in daddy's arms. Someimes my life really stinks! But the good news is I'll have a drabble ready soon.

[WarpGirl]

I don't like this one! Too much emotion for just 100 words. I'll have to make it a chapter in a fic later. Okay 2 characters, and 1 episode referenced. It's rediculously easy, but I'm in a very mushy mood. To counteract the fact I'm in pain and have an urge to be a .

I head for the gym. When I get there, I notice the lights are down as dim as possible, and it seems empty. But my eyes adjust and I see her. She's practicing a Kata, her form is off. Finally, she drops on the mat.

“Hey.”

“You can't sleep.”

“Not tonight.”

“They're sticking needles in my head again. When I'm asleep I can feel the pain. I can't fight it.”

I drop on the mat and hold her. “You don't have to be strong right now. I'm sorry, I didn't save you.”

“You are now.”

[Cogito]

Sitting here in my comfy chair, with arms and legs that do what I tell them and don't hurt, it's easy to forget that some people aren't so lucky. Easy to forget, because the alternative is so uncomfortable. I have no idea what it's like to be in your situation, but I'm sorry to hear that you've had such a bad day. Please accept a cyber hug.

From my perspective, having never been anywhere near Hoshi's situation, this is a disconcerting glimpse into a horrific experience. And also from my perspective, I can see parallels between Hoshi's situation and yours - probably not as well as you can see them. How much more poignant must this story be, I wonder, from there?

[WarpGirl]

Cogito you are very sweet. Now that was only a 1/3 guess. And although correct, I'm not going to give you a win based on that.

[Silverbullet]

Wg, obviously i twas Hoshi and Malcom but blamed if I can think of the episode.

SB

[WarpGirl]

I think the episode is extremely obvious so I don't want to grant a win quite yet. Keep trying!

[Silverbullet]

Okay, it has to be after she had been captured by the Xindi and rescued by the Maaco's She was in sickbay in a very bad way. Archer forcerced her to accompany him to the weapon so she could show him how to set it to self destruct. That was Zero Hour. It would have to be after the Nazi incident. those episodes I mostly missed. I am stumped.

I don't remember he being tortured by the Suliban. Only T'Pol

Team Cogito. does that help?

SB

[WarpGirl]

Okay I checked it's not Zero Hour.

[Cogito]

I've got as far as SilverBullet - am I going to have to resort to the episode guide to remind me what came after they rescued Hoshi? Come on SB, I'm counting on you!

[Cogito]

I'm going to go with Countdown. Because Zero Hour was when Archer took Hoshi back to try to destroy it, and Reed was there that time. Perhaps wanting to make sure he didn't make the same mistake twice?