Emergency Rations

[StarBase 118 Staff]

Welcome to Emergency Rations, where each month we highlight details from the world of Star Trek to fuel your fandom, inspire your writing, and help bring your sim to life.

This month’s theme is feet, because that’s the kind of thing we do here.

You have caught up on all your reading; you have scrolled through all the forums; you have read the entire wiki again. You’re still one step short of writing that post, and this time, no amount of frantic pacing is going to help you. No sweat. It’s time to break out the Emergency Rations…

It’s likely you’ve written about your character’s feet before now. You’ve described how she pulls her Starfleet issue boots on when Red Alert sounds, or what kind of heel she wears because of her height, or how his feet ache after a long trek across a deserted planet. Let’s go one step further, and talk about where else our feet can lead us.

As you chew your way through your rations, think about how you can incorporate these items and ideas into your sim. When you’ve succeeded, tell us about it on the forum. We’d love to hear how you’ve put your creativity to use!

Socks. Chances are you’re wearing them right now. Or not. Is your character? How do they feel about that? What are Starfleet socks made of? Are they comfortable? Do they breathe well? Do you replicate yours in a non-standard color? You can’t believe it, but I legitimately want to hear about this. Does your character keep some in a drawer, or replicate them fresh each day? Think about what comes between you and those standard black boots!

Dance. You’ve written about it already. This time, put those feet to use and dance with a crewmate. I dare you. Grab your stern first officer, your shy doctor, or your three-legged engineer with all left feet, and take them for a turn around the bridge or wherever you happen to be. Find a credible reason to swing that partner round the deck – any reason not to dance on a starship? – and do it. Dip them. Put on your Warp Drive and the Ithassa Five album, and go wild!

Foot odor. Let’s talk about it. The world of Star Trek exists in a future where peace and equality have spread themselves over the galaxy like a warm, fuzzy blanket. You guys, that doesn’t mean there isn’t foot odor. Soggy feet? On shift too long? Unable to shower because you’re cooped up in a baddie’s holding cell? Tell us about it. Ugh – what if your species has heightened olfactory senses? What if someone has reduced senses and doesn’t know any better?

Please step in to the forum and let us know how you used these ideas in your writing! Happy simming!

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