Ensign Lera Michaels - Home again home again

[steve...@yahoo.com]

((Deck 5, Holodeck 2, USS Khitomer))

Zerva: Do you think when this is over we could, maybe visit your home? I’m assuming if you’ve programed in your home town that would include the house you grew up in?

Why the house itself would be of much interest escaped Lera. It was a building. In this case a three dimensional image of the building. Far better would be to take Ezra to the actual town, the actual house, her actual family. It would be much like when she and Lacy had gone there. Or would it? What would her mother assume? Would she start hinting, if such a delicacy was possible with her mother, that they should marry immediately and start producing grandchildren for her? How would they react to Ezra being a Trill? she knew Mom was expecting a Human or a Vulcan son-in-law.

Still the fact Ezra was interested in her background was a good sign. And it was much too early to "meet the parents."

Michaels: There is a small difficulty with that. I have only included the exterior... you can see it about 100 meters up the road. First things first.:: beat :: Here we are. Fast as you can across the finish line. Cross and then walk to that young Mexican girl you see there.

Zerva: ::beat:: You got it.

Ezra picked up the pace though it was clear that he was near his limit. She debated for only a moment whether to blast by him. That might be viewed as showing him up. She matched his pace exactly.

Michaels: Well done. Keep moving. Watch me and do the same.

Mexican girl: :: placing the medal on its blue ribbon around over Lera's head and around her neck.:: Congratulations, Lera. It is good to see you again.

Michaels: Thank you, Estrella. :: turning to Ezra :: Accept your medal, Ezra.

He did and actually managed to smile despite his heavy breathing.

Zerva: If I may ask, why are we getting medals if we didn’t win?

Michaels: Everyone who finishes the race gets a medal. These races are mostly about finishing and not so much about being in the top three. We are only getting medals because this is a race simulation. Do not expect a medal every time you do a training run.

Zerva: What’s next?

Michaels: We need to keep moving. After a long run, if you stop moving too soon, the blood will settle to your legs, and you could feel light headed. So we keep walking to the next station. If this were an actual marathon or half marathon, we would be getting some refreshments... to rebuild our carbohydrate levels. Bananas are very common. After we would be drinking something as well. Most races would offer us the perfect post marathon beverage. Mostly water, some carbohydrates and a small amount of pain killer.

Zerva: My joints are definitely feeling it. Was there anything else they would give out?

Michaels: They would give us a beer. I have not figured out how to get the holodeck to produce beer or bananas. In all fairness though, a 10K is too short a run to need any of those.

Zerva: I’m not much of a beer drinker. That’s an interesting choice after a race.

Michaels: There must be three of you who decline the beer. Real races also offer water, some sports drink or other. A few will give you chocolate milk :: she glanced over at him. He was recovering nicely, :: Still want to see the house where I grew up?

Zerva: I would like that very much.

Michaels: Very well. It is just a short distance ahead on the right.

Zerva: Even though the program doesn’t have the interior, it’s still nice to see your home.

Lera stopped in front of an old two story house. The holographic version was not quite up to date. Still it had the same cactus, the same straggly excuse for a tree. The short wall and the chain link fence were right. The sheet metal roof was right. The dirt. The sand. The memories both good and mediocre were there.

Michaels: This is it. I have never given much thought to programming the interior. :: she shook her head.:: Fit for purpose and not much else.

Zerva: That’s entirely up to you. If you want to program that in, I’m not sure how long it would take?

Michaels: Too long. Far too long.

Lera shook her head. She tried to understand the moment of sadness that began as they stood outside the house but there was only emptiness. It looked like home but it was not home.

Michaels: It would not be worth the time or the effort.

Lera turned to Ezra, hoping that he was not too disappointed.

Zerva: I understand.

Michaels: I will show you the real thing... in the near future. :: She took his hand and gently squeezed it. :: After you have seen one of the two grocery stores, two of the three churches in

Marathon, what m ore could you possibly want? Besides, I looking forward to seeing your Dojo. If you're feeling up to it.

End

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Ensign Lera Michaels

Engineering Officer
USS Khitomer
K240106LM2