Hanging Out With Holograms

Posted on Fri Mar 19th, 2010 @ 4:42pm by Vice Admiral Iluvar & Commander Michael Evans M.D.

Mission: Episode 1.2 - "A House Divided"
Location: Arboretum, USS Pandora
Timeline: MD10, 1328

ON: [[Arboretum, USS Pandora, MD10, 1328]]

Dr. Anthony Haelen strode down the corridor of deck eighteen. He'd had it with the confines of the sickbays, he'd had it with the lordings of the Mark X EMH, the holodecks were full, and he needed to get away for a bit. The large double doors of his destination finally came into sight as he turned the final corner and they opened as he approached. The spicy scent of the slightly humid air hit his holographic nostrils as he walked deeper into the arboretum and he felt himself start to relax instantly; even a hologram needed a bit of nature once in a while (or so he figured).

The tall ceiling was greater than the typical single-deck height to allow for various trees and other plantlife to grow aboard the vessel, and Tony craned his neck upward as he tried to get a glimpse of the top of the great room. As he walked further he passed the floor-to-ceiling windows that looked into the dark of space with the gem-like stars set in its velvet, a striking but oddly beautiful contrast to the foliage about him. As he listened he caught the sound of running water, and then he heard the voices of others. One of them was laughing, and it sounded like an adolescent boy. He moved to investigate.

The laughter trailed off and a moment later, a familiar voice from somewhere in the foliage asked, "What did you do then?"

"Well, I thought about it for a moment," the recognizable voice of Peter (NPC) replied, "Then I put on a straight face and said 'Please state the nature of the medical emergency.' The guy just about went crazy...he looked like he wasn't sure if he should believe me or run the other way." The two boys descended into laughter again, which seemed only to add to the comfortable atmosphere of the room.

"Impersonating a doctor could get you into trouble you know," Tony said by way of greeting with a teasing grin as he parted the plant life screening the boys' almost-hiding place. "Fancy meeting you here," he said as he stepped through to the small clearing.

The sudden arrival of another individual startled the boys and their laughter was silenced almost immediately. When they realized who it was, they began to relax a little. "What else was I supposed to do," Peter asked with a small, mischievous smile, "He walked right into it, if you know what I mean..."

"I'm sure it was quite hilarious," Haelen said, though he himself didn't appear particularly amused. Asking the next obvious question, he said, "What are you doing here?"

Peter glanced toward Aris (NPC), who was still sitting against the trunk of a nearby tree. On one shoulder, a small creature was visible, thought it appeared as if it were resting or even asleep. Aris noticed the look and let out a small sigh. "Iluvar said I should explore the ship a little," he explained, "He suggested I spend some time in the arboretum...so here we are. What about you?"

"Oh, I just need a bit of 'fresh air' so to speak," Tony said. "Things have been getting a bit 'close' in sickbay with the Mark X. Wanted to get away for a bit."

"Mark X," Aris repeated, slightly confused. He wasn't all that familiar with the new technology and Iluvar had left it up to him whether or not he wanted to pursue studying the advanced technology of the Federation or not. So far, he'd felt far more comfortable sticking closer to the way of life that he was familiar with.

Tony made a face, though not at the query. "The latest in the EMH series. She's "advanced" technology, way beyond the likes of the simplistic, outdated, limited..." His face was getting redder, and eventually he sputtered with a lack of descriptors. "...Mark I EMH such as myself!" he finished and flopped down cross-legged on the grass by the boys. He breathed a moment. Then, calmed, he said simply, "She's irritating."

"Oh," Aris replied, giving Peter a look that said he still wasn't quite sure what a Mark X was. The small creature on the boy's shoulder stirred slightly, but continued to sleep without interruption. For a moment, none of them said a word and all they could hear was the sound of the nearby brook.

"We're fellow holograms," Tony said to the grass, "she and I. In the same line of work, with the same purpose. We're like... cousins. I expected strife at first, but she shows no sign of budging!" He began tearing up tufts of the grass and shredding them absently. "She just doesn't seem to realize the fate to which she is consigning herself by refusing to adapt. She may, in fact, find her program transferred to another ship (if she's very lucky); more likely she'll be decompiled or, worse, sent to work somewhere at degrading menial labor. I can understand her arrogance, even her stubbornness, but not her denial." He wasn't really talking to anyone in particular; still, it felt good to talk.

Aris watched the doctor continue to tear up tufts of grass absentmindedly and wondered if he should say something. Afterall, this wasn't holographic turf and replacing it wasn't as simple as re-establishing the program. "Uh...Doc," he said hesitantly, raising his gaze to Haelen's face, "Do you mind?"

Haelen looked up, then realized what he was doing. "Oh, sorry." He dropped the grass.

"It seems as if you're more concerned than frustrated," Aris observed, wondering if the hologram had noticed that himself or not. He hadn't actually met this 'Mark X', so he couldn't really relate to what the doctor was saying about her. A quick glance toward Peter told Aris that his friend hadn't encountered the other EMH either, which left them both at a disadvantage.

Tony sighed deeply. "I suppose," he said. "It's just that she's being given a chance that I never had, and she's wasting it." He shook his head, "And I've been given a say, if not the say in the final decision about keeping her on board." His brows knit, "And I can't keep her on board if she won't adapt, and I can't send away a fellow EMH to who-knows-what fate as though she were a dysfunctional toaster!"

The two boys exchanged another glance and Aris, suspecting that he had a pretty good idea what Peter was thinking, shook his head emphatically. When that didn't seem to do any good, he silently mouthed the word no so that the doctor would not see, but Peter didn't seem to take any notice. Instead, he got to his feet and brushed off his legs. "I think we should meet this 'Mark X'," he said, looking directly at Haelen, "I mean, I've never met a Mark X before and, from what you've been telling us, she sounds like she could be very...interesting."

Tony's eyes got big and he began scrambling to his feet. "I don't know if that a good idea," he began saying quickly. "I mean she really doesn't like leaving the sickbay, and she's rather antisocial to begin with, and..." but it didn't seem that his protestations were having any real effect on Peter.

From where he remained sitting at the base of the tree, Aris looked up at the two holograms. Their sudden motion had finally awoken his Rh'yl which, up until that point, had managed to remain asleep the entire time. It wasn't all that surprising, he supposed. Rh'yls were known for their extreme energy and activity, but they had to make up for it somehow, which meant eating and sleeping quite a bit as well. The high energy was probably an adaptation that had evolved over time to protect them from predators.

Slipping the Rh'yl into the pocket of his tunic, Aris pushed aside the random thought and turned his full attention back to the two holograms. He wasn't certain that he wanted to meet this 'Mark X' hologram, but at the same time, he could tell that something was bothering Doctor Haelen. Aside from Iluvar and Peter, Doctor Haelen was one of the few people Aris felt completely comfortable around. This, in and of itself, was ironic, considering that both the doctor and Peter were physical manifestations of the very thing Aris' people had chosen to give up.

Tony looked at Peter, then at Aris who looked like he may or may not be giving him a shrug. Tony's shoulders drooped and his face fell a little. "Oh, very well," he said, then muttered, "She's not going to like this." Bracing himself, he ordered, "Computer: Transfer the Mark X EMH to this location and activate her program."

OFF

A JP by

Doctor Anthony Haelen (PNPC)
Assistant Chief Medical Officer
USS Pandora
Played by: LtCmdr Evans

Peter Pevensie (PNPC)
Mentor Hologram
USS Pandora
Played by: RAdm Iluvar

and

Aris Ibanya (PNPC)
Crew Family Member
USS Pandora
Played by: RAdm Iluvar