A Hologram's a Hologram...or is it?

Posted on Fri Mar 19th, 2010 @ 4:43pm by Vice Admiral Iluvar & Commander Michael Evans M.D.

Mission: Episode 1.2 - "A House Divided"
Location: Arboretum, USS Pandora
Timeline: MD10, 1343

ON: [[Arboretum, USS Pandora, MD10, 1343]]

The female form of the Mark X Emergency Medical Hologram shimmered into existence on the small footpath that wound its way through the room. She looked around for a moment, clearly confused by the strange nature of her surroundings. When she noticed Haelen standing not too far away, her face went cold. She marched over to where the small clearing where a teenage boy and the inferior medical hologram were standing. "What is going on here," she demanded, "Why am I not in sickbay?"

Peter cast a glance in Haelen's direction before returning his attention to the Mark X. Clearly, the doctor hadn't been exaggerating when he was telling them how short her personality seemed. Even though Haelen had told them, it was still a surprise to see another hologram with such little concept of the world and how to react in it. Weren't these medical holograms supposed to have personality subroutines for that? He smiled a little to himself as he thought about it.

"Do you find something amusing," the Mark X snapped. She paused a moment as she looked at him, then quirked an eyebrow slightly. "You are not real," she said, a smug look appearing on her face, "A hologram...no doubt one of my associate's creations..." She turned to look at Haelen as she spoke. Clearly, the two holograms were in league, though what the younger one was doing outside of the holodeck was a mystery.

"Mark X, this is Peter," Tony introduced. "Yes, he is a hologram, but not of my creation. Peter is a friend of Admiral Iluvar's," he said, hoping that something in that statement would have meaning for her. "Peter, Mark X." Tony was giving Peter a look that hinted a, 'See? I told you so.'

The Mark X did not seem interested in hearing any explanations. It was clear that this 'Peter' and the Mark I knew each other well. If the Mark I was an inferior matrix, a mere holodeck program was of even lesser note. Why she had been summoned to the arboretum, she did not know. "If my medical expertise are not required here, I shall be returning to sickbay," she said with a hint of annoyance.

"Your medical expertise," Dr. Haelen said as he turned to face her squarely, "is not currently needed in sickbay either as there is no medical emergency and you are not currently on duty with the Chief Surgeon. What, then, do you propose to do in sickbay after your prompt and extremely rude departure?"

The Mark X gave Haelen a cold look that seemed to shoot daggers. In a slow, steely voice, she replied, "I will deactivate myself until such time as I am needed."

"You are needed here," Tony replied promptly.

"Why would that be," the Mark X scoffed, putting a hand to her hip, "You have already confirmed that there is no medical emergency and that my services are not required. Therefore, it stands to reason that my presence is not required either." She couldn't understand why the Mark I was so insistent that she stay. There was no purpose in her being there. The fact that he refused to acknowledge that was beginning to frustrate her.

"I needed to introduce you to these two young crewmembers," Tony said.

She looked slowly from the Mark I to the teenage hologram known as 'Peter'. Perhaps the Mark I had been active for too long, added too many extraneous subroutines to its matrix. "I see only one other individual here and he is a hologram," the Mark X said slowly, hoping that her words might make it past the auditory subroutines of the Mark I, "If you'll excuse me..."

"Don't talk to him that way," Aris said, rising to his feet. He was looking directly at the Mark X as he brushed off his pants. For a moment, she didn't seem to know what to make of the young man, but that moment passed and a small smile appeared on her face. The Mark X reached out and pinched Aris' upper arm, which caused the boy to exclaim, "Ow." He immediately brushed her hand away and rubbed his arm where she had pinched him.

The woman's face fell slightly at Aris' reaction, her confidence shaken. "Wait," she began, "You're not..."

"...a hologram," Aris finished for her, "No. I'm not."

This wasn't going quite like Tony thought it would. It was actually a little worse. He heaved a sigh. "Aris, Mark X. Mark X, Aris," he said with a roll of the eyes. "Would you like to treat his soft-tissue injury now, or wait for him to report to you in sickbay? You're online already, after all. Or did they fail to include compassion subroutines in your advanced personality," he said rather sarcastically to his female counterpart.

"I suppose I shall have to treat him here," she said with an exaggerated sigh. Something still wasn't connecting for her, but she had absolutely no idea what it was. Looking around, she could find no obvious sign as to the location of a medical kit and, being as she had never been outside of the sickbay, let alone to this room, she did not know where to look. "I will need a medical kit," she announced, looking to the Mark I.

"There should be a medkit with a dermal regenerator behind that panel. No, no... allow me," Dr. Haelen said. He retrieved the kit and handed it to the Mark X.

The Mark X opened the medical kit and lifted the dermal regenerator from its place. "Please lift your sleeve," she told Aris, "This will only take a moment." The boy, still grasping his upper arm with his hand, took a step back from the Mark X. She mirrored his movement, a confused look on her face. "It is a painless procedure," she explained, holding up the regenerator, "There is no cause for concern." Despite her reassurances, Aris took another step back and cast a look in Haelen's direction.

'Surrounded by holograms, and one of them a cranky, unsympathetic Mark X who has just pinched the life out of your arm and is now charging you with a medical instrument... If that's not intimidating to a boy who hasn't had much exposure to technology, I don't know what would be,' Haelen thought to himself. "If I may..." he addressed the Mark X.

For a moment, a look of confusion passed across the face of the Mark X. It was her job to help people, yet this boy was scared of her. Strange that he should be frightened of her and not the Mark I hologram. Were not her subroutines more advanced? Her knowledge base larger? She looked the boy directly in the eye and could see something that her program did not quite understand. Slowly, she held the dermal regenerator out to the Mark I.

"Thank you," Tony said, taking the device. The boy still looked a little unsure. "Aris, may I see your arm," Tony asked. "I just want to look at it first. Don't worry," he reassured, "I won't do anything without explaining it to you beforehand, nor without your permission." He looked encouragingly at Aris, but did not approach him.

Aris hesitated a moment, his eyes still on the Mark X. There was something different in the way she was looking at him, but he wasn't sure what it was and it wasn't making him feel any better. Wordlessly, he nodded once to Haelen, indicating that the doctor could proceed.

Tony nodded back in response and stepped toward Aris. "Let's just take a look, then," he said as Aris pushed up his sleeve. Tony refrained from exclaiming aloud as he saw a purpling red welt burned on Aris' upper arm; she had pinched him hard. Receiving consent from an exchanged glance with Aris, Dr. Haelen palpated the deep bruise gently; Aris winced. Holding the medical instrument where Aris could clearly examine it Tony explained that it was a dermal regenerator and that it emitted a kind of light that would help heal his wound and that the treatment would be painless. Again receiving consent he passed the light slowly and carefully over the injured tissue which reduced in size and color over a few moments. "There," Tony said. "The bruise is deep so it didn't heal completely and will be sore for the next few days, but it should feel somewhat better now."

Testing the doctor's words, Aris moved his arm slowly through the range of motion, wincing slightly as a dull pain triggered the nerves in the area. The pain faded away as quickly as it had come, leaving Aris satisfied with Haelen's work. He gave the hologram a small smile to show his appreciation before rolling down his sleeve again.

Tony put the regenerator back in the medkit and snapped it shut. Turning towards the Mark X, he sighed. "As for you... I'm sorry. Computer: Deactivate the Mark X EMH and restrict activation access to Medical Command Clearance, and above, only." The computer gave an audible acknowledgement and Tony looked at her just before her image faded. The expression on her face... was it remorse, or just surprise? Tony sighed and placed a hand on Peter's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, doc," Peter said, looking toward Haelen, "I didn't think..." His voice trailed off and he looked toward where the Mark X had been standing. Iluvar had always encouraged Dr. Haelen's development and protected both their rights to existence. It was something he had wanted to share with this new program, but if what he had just seen was any indication, the Mark X wasn't ready for that kind of freedom.

OFF


A Joint Post 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