Ensign Lera Michaels - Somewhere out there

[steve...@yahoo.com]

((Ventral Ring Beta Module, Smith's Superior Holosuites, Deep Space 33))

Zerva: ::smiling:: I have an idea. I hope you don’t mind. Computer ::bleep:: Upload program, Histonia-E-Z-102.

In the blink of an eye, the plains and the dark, distant mountains of Marathon vanished and were replaced by a slightly sloping area in front of a cavern opening. The cavern opening was huge, and Lera could only guess how large it was. Toward the edge of the cliff, a solitary old man sat on a crude wooden bench facing a fire and several other benches that formed a rough semi-circle. Lera noted two things as they walked toward one of the benches. The man looked a great deal like her human grandfather, weathered, leathery skin and appeared to have a prehensile tail. Neither the fire nor the old man moved. Clearly, he was a programmed character. She also noticed that the stars looked oddly familiar.

Beyond the smiling, kindly old man was the edge of the cliff. Lera could see a river and a dark grassy plain beyond.

Michaels: I have only seen a few pictures of Trill, but ... this doesn't feel like your home world. I am uncertain whether I believe you were raised in a cavern.

Zerva: ::nods:: This is Histona. Or rather, Histona as it used to look. It was located in Saretis, one of the four larger continents on the Emisan home planet. It was my first contact and away mission with the crew ::pausing:: And the last one aboard the Arrow. ::his face briefly showing signs of sadness:: Unfortunately, their home planet no longer looks like this. Sadly, after years of internal wars, all that was left was a bombed-out husk of nuclear radiation.

Michaels: There are times when I question whether humanoid species are all destined to mass insanity.

Zerva: The Emisan survivors were divided into two groups. Those living deep underground in the caves, and those who lived in the station above the planet. We had to help them relocate to a new planet. They gave us the history of their people on a file that we used to upload it into the Holodeck database. This area was used by several neighboring villages as a place to meet and gather. I uploaded the program to both the Khitomer and the stations' Holodecks respectively. Commander Dewitt and I created the program together last year.

Michaels: I will keep in mind that Commander Dewitt is an experienced holodeck programmer. One thing I do not understand. All planets have a different view of the stars and the locals identify different patterns in the stars. Constellations. These do not appear to be correct for Histona.

Zerva: We decide it would be best, if the night sky view was the same location as the Khitomer was in space. Wherever the Khitty goes, the stars here in the program align to our position in space.

Lera frowned and was secretly glad that it was dark enough that Ezra probably would not notice.

Michaels: I see. :: though she did not see :: And the old man? He is based on a real Histonan individual or is he based on someone you knew on Trill? I assume he does something in addition to sitting by the fire smiling. The arrangement of seating implies that he is the center of attention.

Zerva: ::smiles over to the storyteller:: He’s an Emisan storyteller. All you have to do is ask him to tell you a story, and he’ll select one of the many stories throughout their history. The perfect place to toast some marshmallows and make some s’mores while listening to campfire stories. I wish I had some with me now.

Michaels: That would be pleasant.

Lera winced. She was constantly falling into her notion of Vulcan speech patterns. It was something she had planned to quit doing. However, she had been speaking that way for so many years now, it was probably part of her nature. She decided not to worry about it any more.

Michaels: That would be nice.

As they completed the short distance to one of the benches, the fire began to move, and the old man began to show signs of life. At least, he shifted his weight and appeared to be breathing. Hand in hand, they sat on one of the benches. She worried for an instant about how close she should sit next to him. Lera settled on being close enough that their clasped hands would fit comfortably between them. Only the slightest motion would be enough for the hands to touch someone's leg.

Zerva: I find this spot right here is the best view of the stars. My brother, sister, and I would sometimes come to a park nearby our house in California and look up at the stars together. Makes you wonder if the two of us were ever gazing up at the same time. ::smiles over at her, with one hand still holding hers.::

Michaels: Realistically speaking...:: she paused. Of course, the configuration of stars would be different when viewed from Earth, or Last Hope, or Trill, or here. And differences in local times... But that was not what Ezra was saying. :: Probably so. Two people, light years apart, watching the stars at the same time. :: beat :: That was stupid, Lera. :: beat :: You in California. Me in Texas. Obviously, we looked up at the same night sky.

Zerva: ::looking back up at the stars:: Tell me more about your sister, please. Did she ever visit the stars like you did?

Michaels: My sister is currently Cadet Katherine Michaels at the Academy. She was born on Last Hope. She made the trip to Earth with several stops along the way at the same time our parents and I did. I do not know how much of that she remembers. My sister. To be completely honest, I routinely found her to be irritating. Still, I do love her, which probably sounds weird coming from a Vulcan. And she did try doing everything I did. Of course, Marathon is so small that there is not much for teenagers to do but look at the stars. And get into trouble with each other. And boys. Katherine always had better luck with human boys than I did. I understood why that happened. She was Human and more interested in them. I was neither Human nor particularly interested in teenage Human boys.

Zerva: Response

Michaels: I have talked too much. :: she turned just enough to see him, the light of fire dancing off his face. :: You have not told me anything about your family. You have a brother and a sister. Presumably, you have parents as well. It is your turn. Tell me everything relevant about them.

Zerva: Response

Michaels: Are either Karem or Jorzia considering joining Starfleet, or do they have more sense than to risk being in a war zone halfway across the Galaxy?

Zerva: Response

Michaels: Hmm. There is one aspect of this path we have chosen. We have seen more people die in the last few months than most people see die in their lifetimes. And... and we never know when our time will be over. Or when it will be too late.

She hung her head slightly, sighed, and pressed their clasped hands against his leg.

Zerva: Response

TAG/ TBC

Ensign Lera Michaels

Engineering Officer
USS Khitomer
K240106LM2