#holodeck shenanigans

Seven wakes from a strange regeneration dream, goes looking for answers, and somehow ends up building a Delta Quadrant Christmas morning for a little girl who has never had one. Kathryn helps. Tom and Harry suffer. B’Elanna regrets answering her commbadge.

2.2k words • late S5 • found family feels • snow on the holodeck •

Seven navigating emotions with the subtlety of a warp core.

Happy Reading!

Episode 3 - The Maltese Butterfly - Part 2

As they walked to the holodeck together, Adrien kept glancing at Nino – sorry, Nick Nasher, as long as he was in that costume – who was narrating their journey. His voice was low and somehow gravelly, not like him at all.

‘With apprehension christening our every step, we made our way down the long, winding corridor. Having more experience, I kept my eyes wide open, casting suspicious glances at everyone we passed. You never know what a person might get up to behind closed doors. But my partner – Rick Zodiac – was more naïve, looking to me for guidance and handing out friendly greetings like they were boiled sweets.’

‘Boiled sweets?’

Pulled out of character, Nino stumbled on his next step before carrying on down the hall. ‘They’re these things we have on Earth. You should ask the replicator to make you some.’

They approached a door that looked like all the others.

He stuffed his hands in his coat pockets, ducking his head and speaking in that strange voice again. ‘Then we arrived outside the holodeck and stopped at the door. My partner shot me an uncertain look. He’d heard about my reputation with these things. What can I say? People like to talk. But I say, let ’em. It keeps them occupied. Better that they’re gossiping than shoot – Commander Cesaire!’

Cutting himself off, he gave her a hasty bow as she walked over.

She stopped in front of them, one brow up with amusement. ‘You were saying something about shooting me, Lahiffe?’

He blinked at her. ‘What? No! No, I was – I was just –’

She laughed. ‘It’s okay, I knew what you meant. Are you showing Adrien the holodeck?’

‘Y-yes. Would – would you like to join us?’ The question came out shaky, his voice now high-pitched.

She shook her head. ‘No thanks. I swear, the holodecks are always malfunctioning. But you two have fun.’ She gave them a little wave and carried on down the hallway.

Episode 3 - The Maltese Butterfly - Part 1

Adrien dropped his hands and pointed at the smooth wood panelling that fronted the bar. ‘I see you fixed the hole I burned through that yesterday.’

Luka stilled, eyeing him with caution. Then his face appeared to soften and he gave the bar a final wipe-down. ‘Yeah. Lieutenant Kurtzberg sorted it out for me. Thankfully, it was an easy job.’ He set the cloth aside. ‘You never got to finish your drink. Would you like me to make it again? There’s nothing worse than being interrupted in the middle of a great song.’

Adrien had only the vaguest notion what that was supposed to mean, but he nodded. ‘I’d like that.’ He took a seat at the bar.

Luka started pulling out glasses and decanters of colourful liquids. ‘So, what’s on your agenda today?’

‘I’m waiting for Nino. He said he’d take me to the holodeck.’

‘Ah, yeah. He said that yesterday, didn’t he.’

Adrien folded his arms on the bar. ‘Being honest, I don’t really know what the holodeck is.’

Luka smiled as he started mixing the drink. ‘It’s a kind of room controlled by the ship’s computer. It uses holograms to create realistic simulations.’

‘How realistic?’

‘Very. It can trick you into thinking you’re climbing to the top of a cloud-piercing mountain, or travelling around the world in a submarine. You don’t go anywhere, but you feel like you are. Every sensation is like real life. Basically, if you can imagine it, the holodeck can simulate it.’

‘Wow. That sounds….’

‘I know.’ Luka gave the drink a shake.

‘Do you use these holodecks much?’

Luka shook his head. ‘I’ve had bad luck with them. Something always seems to go wrong.’