Table



A table was a piece of furniture. It had at least one upward-facing flat surface and was held up by a base. The design of a table was to facilitate holding objects on its surface and was often surrounded by seating in the form of benches or chairs. 5047 classifications of tables existed in the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)'s computer. 

Use
On 892-IV, on which a society identical to 20th century Earth had developed (albeit where the Roman Empire never fell), this parallel world including such common Earth furniture items as lamps, chairs, and tables. 

Most bipedal humanoid-populated worlds utilized variations of tables. Their simplistic form and functionality increased their popularity in a variety of structures. Most prolific were their use in eating establishments where patrons sat in chairs and ate their meals which were served on the tables. 

An establishment which featured many tables was Quark's Bar. This was a popular recreational facility located on the space station Deep Space 9. Many other establishments had similar setups with tables and chairs. In 2285, Doctor Leonard McCoy visited a San Francisco bar to hire a transport ship which should bring him to the planet Genesis in the Mutara sector. The bar also had a lounge-like atmosphere with many tables, holographic parlor games, mirrors, plants, and lava lamps. 

Riva considered the design of a table ("three-sided, and if possible made to resemble indigenous rock") significant for peace talks between two warring factions on Solais V. 

Technical uses
At times, tables were the perfect platform for technical or mechanical use. There are a number of species that feature tables in such a function. The master systems display table was an installation on board the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) located in the engineering portion of a Terran vessel. It was part of the master systems display units and featured a number of computer systems embedded within. Similar tables were featured in Starfleet Command. 

Gaming
Although the most common use for tables was furniture, they were used for other purposes. A common use was for popular entertainment such as games. Games like dom-jot and poker were played on tables designed specifically to facilitate the gameplay.

Dabo was a roulette-style game of chance developed by the Ferengi which was played on a table that held the dabo wheel and player bets. When one won, it was customary to shout "Dabo!" Given the "profit at any price" philosophy of the Ferengi, it was not uncommon to find that a dabo table had been rigged. 

Tongo was a strategic Ferengi game that was a combination of cards and roulette and was played with two to eight players. The object of the game was to win by acquiring as much wealth as possible. Games of tongo were occasionally played on gaming tables at Quark's.

Pool, or pocket billiards, was any of several games played on a six-pocket billiard table, usually with fifteen colored, numbered balls, and one white cue ball. A variation of pool was played at a bar in Paradise City, on Nimbus III, which involved an actual pool of water for a table in which the balls floated. ; ; ;

Dom-jot is a game played with a ball and cue on a table with an irregular geometric coordination, similar to Terran billiards with certain elements of pinball. 

Poker was a traditional Earth card game of chance and skill. The game had many variations, but all forms of poker were games of incomplete information in which the players wagered on the strength of their cards relative to those of the other players, and at least some of whose cards were hidden from the other players at the table. 

Related topics

 * Chair
 * Dom-jot
 * Furniture
 * Poker
 * Pool
 * Tongo