=/\= Deck 6, Holodecks =/\=
"Computer, begin program Bai Charlie-India-10."
"You may enter when ready."
Indira adjusted her skirt and tank top and walked through the
automatic doors into the holodeck. A warm breeze immediately ruffled
her long black tresses, and she smiled at the outcome of the new
program she had been working on. Manicured grass covered the rolling
hills that stretched from where she was standing almost all the way to
the horizon where you could see just the barest hint of water. To the
left was a sprawling cream stone villa, topped with red terra cotta
shingles. Stepping away from the lush garden she was standing in,
Indi made her way to a portico running along one entire side of the
home and ducked between a pair of billowing white curtains that
adorned every arch of the portico, broken only by the reddish-orange
columns that held it up.
"Computer, arch." The garden Indi had been standing in turned back
into the archway that lead back into the ship's corridor, and she went
and tapped one of the panels. "Bai to Lieutenant Dlya. If you're not
busy, Runo, care to join me in the holodeck?"
Runo looked up towards the roof from his desk in Security and smiled,
before glancing down towards the paperwork he was working on. Standing
up and heading out of the offices, he strolled down the corridor, tapping his
combadge as he did. "I don't know about that, I'm knee-deep in old status
reports that I have to log into the computer. I am not sure I can find the time.
That and Commander Marcus wanted these done yesterday." He kept his voice
level and added a tiny bit of regret to it as the turbolift rose up
several decks to keep the facade going.
Indi frowned. Now that she had finally gotten the program just right,
and was excited to see it "live", she hadn't considered he'd be busy.
"I suppose duty comes first, in that case, I'm sorry I didn't check to
see if you were on shift or not. I guess I'll just hang out for a
while, and show you this later."
Walking up to the doors into the holodeck, he double checked to make sure
that this was the holodeck Indi was referring to. Seeing that a program was
indeed online, he paused a moment. "Computer, what program is currently
active?" The computer beeped before responding. "Program file Bai
Charlie-India-10 was selected by Ensign Bai 14 minutes, 27 seconds ago."
Stepping forward and watching the doors slide apart, Runo walked into a
setting that could have been his grandparents ranch back on Earth. They had
lived in a somewhat rural area for the 25th century. The breeze managed to
wing its way through what hair he had before losing itself into the giant blue
sky that seemed to stretch on forever. Several lazy clouds speckled the azure
with splashes of pure white. The adobe matched perfectly and Runo had to
admit, Indira had quite a talent for this. However with that said, he
couldn't seem to find her. "You know... it makes it somewhat of a challenge to
surprise you when you hide so well." His voice carried a little and he
knew that it wouldn't be long before he got a response. Since he had come
straight from duty, he still wore his uniform.
"Over here." Indi stood from the chaise she had been lounging in, and
tossed the PADD back down to her now empty seat. "I was just making a
few tweeks." She smiled as he ducked through the curtains to the
shaded portico. "I thought you were busy?"
"The Chief of Security has been known to give favors to those who work hard
for him so I got out early." Runo glanced about the surroundings. There was even
more detail inside than there was outside. "Its beautiful. You have
quite the talent here... can I ask where we are?"
"Welcome to Italy. I designed the program based on the villa where my
parents and I took vacation when I was younger. Do you like it?"
"It's amazing. I can't believe I passed it up when I was younger."
Runo strolled over to one of the windows overlooking the hills with the terraces of
grapes growing all over. His eyes grew distant as he spoke. "It faintly reminds me of my
grandparents farm in South Dakota. We visited once when I was fairly little, when
the Lexington was in orbit, getting refitted. I spent the weekend with them, helping
them out around the house and a little with my grandfather in the field. The 24th
century had made its debut but the people around there tried to limit what technology they
used, preferring hardwork over a computer making it for you. I wish I had spent more
time with them." His voice trailed off as he looked around, finally turning back around
to face Indi.
"They had decided to visit a friend on Betazed, a few days before the Dominion
invaded. We didn't learn about their fate until a few weeks later. They had been
taking refuge in a hotel when it was destroyed in a bombing run." He shook his
head slightly to clear the old memories before giving a sad smile. "Sorry... I'm
not here to tell stories about my family. Now, one thing I did learn from my
parents was an appreciation of good food. Where else besides Italy to dine
on some quality Italian food? I know a mean recipe for vitello con melanzane." His
mood brightened as he spoke and he gestured towards the kitchen.
Indi plastered a smile on her face, trying to mask the empathy.
"Please, lead the way." He grinned and started through the open
wooden door into the kitchen, but she couldn't just let his painful
story go, and stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Runo..." Reaching
up, she kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry." Turning quickly so he
couldn't see her blush, she stepped into the kitchen. It was clean
and bright, with every amenity a chef could ask for.
"Over here." Indi stood from the chaise she had been lounging in, and
tossed the PADD back down to her now empty seat. "I was just making a
few tweeks." She smiled as he ducked through the curtains to the
shaded portico. "I thought you were busy?"
"The Chief of Security has been known to give favors to those who work hard
for him so I got out early." Runo glanced about the surroundings. There was even
more detail inside than there was outside. "Its beautiful. You have
quite the talent here... can I ask where we are?"
"Welcome to Italy. I designed the program based on the villa where my
parents and I took vacation when I was younger. Do you like it?"
"It's amazing. I can't believe I passed it up when I was younger."
Runo strolled over to one of the windows overlooking the hills with the terraces of
grapes growing all over. His eyes grew distant as he spoke. "It faintly reminds me of my
grandparents farm in South Dakota. We visited once when I was fairly little, when
the Lexington was in orbit, getting refitted. I spent the weekend with them, helping
them out around the house and a little with my grandfather in the field. The 24th
century had made its debut but the people around there tried to limit what technology they
used, preferring hardwork over a computer making it for you. I wish I had spent more
time with them." His voice trailed off as he looked around, finally turning back around
to face Indi.
"They had decided to visit a friend on Betazed, a few days before the Dominion
invaded. We didn't learn about their fate until a few weeks later. They had been
taking refuge in a hotel when it was destroyed in a bombing run." He shook his
head slightly to clear the old memories before giving a sad smile. "Sorry... I'm
not here to tell stories about my family. Now, one thing I did learn from my
parents was an appreciation of good food. Where else besides Italy to dine
on some quality Italian food? I know a mean recipe for vitello con melanzane." His
mood brightened as he spoke and he gestured towards the kitchen.
Indi plastered a smile on her face, trying to mask the empathy.
"Please, lead the way." He grinned and started through the open
wooden door into the kitchen, but she couldn't just let his painful
story go, and stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Runo..." Reaching
up, she kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry." Turning quickly so he
couldn't see her blush, she stepped into the kitchen. It was clean
and bright, with every amenity a chef could ask for.
=== TO BE CONTINUED ===
Lieutenant Runo Dlya
Assistant Security Officer
USS Charon
&
Lieutenant (JG) Indira Bai
Assistant Medical Officer
USS Charon
