STF

Kahs-Wan - Holodeck Program

Posted May 7, 2022, 2:19 a.m. by Lieutenant ISAC (Assistant Chief Medical Officer (EMH)) (James Gray)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade T’Mara Michaels (Chief Science Officer) in Kahs-Wan - Holodeck Program

Posted by Lieutenant Jahok (Chief of Security / RTF Commander) in Kahs-Wan - Holodeck Program

Posted by Lieutenant ISAC (Assistant Chief Medical Officer (EMH)) in Kahs-Wan - Holodeck Program
Posted by… suppressed (10) by the Post Ghost! 👻
The reddish brown of the city of Shikahr felt intrinsically alien to T’Mara, It was so different from the cities and planets that she knew. Yet this world, Vulcan not Earth, was the home of her race. It was supposed to feel like home. Or least familiar. T’Mara took a deep breath. With enough effort and enough time in the holodeck, it would accomplish that. From where she stood, she could see the towers of the main city and the surrounding desert.

“Computer. Repeat basic description of Kahs-Wan,” T’Mara said.

“Kahs-Wan is the traditional survival test of adulthood for adolescent Vulcans. The child must survive ten days without food, water, or weapons. Once the trial is complete, the individual can claim the right to be considered an adult.”

T’Mara knew without any doubt that she couldn’t spend ten days in the holodeck but at least she could get enough of a feel for the trial to… T’Mara shook her head. That line of thinking was useless.

“Computer. Disengage safety protocols,” T’Mara said as she headed into the desert.

LtJg T’Mara Michaels

The computer’s soft voice interrupted the klingon opera Jahok selected to listen to while working on reports. “Attention,” It said, “Safety Protocols disengaged in holodeck one.” Now that got his attention. Jahok asked aloud, “On whose authority?” Holodeck safety protocols weren’t some simple on or off switch. To disengage it would take the work of a hacker or a high ranking officer. After a moment the computer answered, “On the authority of Lieutenant Junior Grade T’Mara Michaels.” That. . . was unexpected. Jahok locked his personal console and PaDDs, then grabbed his phaser before striding out of his office at a quick pace.

After some time he arrived before holodock one, “Computer, open holodeck doors.” The computer complied with his request and the doors slide open to reveal and unfamiliar desert under a red sky. Jahok paused under the threshold, studying the landscape before him. “Computer, what is the name of his holodeck program?”

The answer came a moment later, “Kahs-Wan Program”.

He didn’t know what that meant so he asked next, “What is this place?”

And the answer, “The desert outside the Vulcan city of Shikahr on planet Vulcan.” So this was Vulcan, but what brought Lt Michaels here? And why had she disregarded the safety protocols? Jahok didn’t like this so he set forth, following the Lt’s footprints in the sand. He’ll just have to find the Lt and ask her himself.

Lt Jahok COS/RTF Cmdr

Although T’Mara had never been through the Kahs-Wan, it hadn’t taken her long to formulate a strategy for dealing with it. Ten days without food would be unpleasant but easily survivable. Ten days without water would be more difficult particularly if you allowed yourself to become dehydrated. Most Vulcan youths would be driven to seek out water even though they were aware of the hazards that came with water; wildlife. Only the most highly adapted species could get all their water needs from food or the air. Most needed open water and that meant that predators would know to look for prey near open water. T’Mara’s plan was to avoid dehydration and that meant seeking shelter or at a minimum shade. The work involved in walking in sand would be draining so a rocky surface would be better. Less than a half kilometer there was a promising rock formation and after only a few minutes she was walking on reddish rocks.

The other hazard T’Mara saw in the Kahs-Wan was getting lost in the desert and her plan for dealing with that was to always keep the city in sight. As soon as she found an appropriate overhang where she could find shade through most of the day, she climbed to verify that she could still see.

It wasn’t the city that caught her attention though. There was a figure walking through the desert apparently following her footprints.

“Bipedal. Either a member of the crew or a holodeck simulation character as a Vulcan. Computer. Alter the appearance of my clothing to match that of a typical female Vulcan Kahs-Wan candidate,” she said. Her clothing instantly became a red hooded robe. It felt like there was something not quite right about the outfit but T’Mara’s estimate was that the approaching figure would only need four minutes and seventeen seconds to reach her position. She sat down on the rock. “Let’s see who and or what has decided to join me here.”

LtJg T’Mara Michaels

ISAC opened his eye this was not the holo grid the void he knows he was in a forest how do you get here he looked around and realized it was the holo deck. He looked around “computer exit” nothing happened dos the program think I am an NPC he will have to find who ever started this program.

Lt. ISAC MH (ACMO)

A second individual appeared and caught T’Mara’s eye. While the first was clearly coming in her direction, the second seemed to be looking for the exit… but wasn’t finding it. That was strange. The holodeck was supposed to open the portal on command.

“Computer. Vulcan style binoculars,” T’Mara said. The equipment appeared next to her instantly and that confirmed that the holodeck was functioning correctly… at least for her. Using the binoculars, she studied the second individual.

“Apparently human. Starfleet. The computer should respond to him. Still there’s something odd about him,” she said aloud. She turned to the other. “Klingon. Also Starfleet. He looks all right. So what is it about the second?”

OOC: T’Mara has never met ISAC and for the moment, at least, can’t distinguish him from a human.

Something else was there and T’Mara turned her attention on it. She swore once the green and yellow cat like creature came into focus.

“Damn. A le-metya, and it seems to be ignoring the human and stalking the Klingon,” T’Mara said. “Why would it ignore the easier prey and go for the Klingon instead?”

She took a deep breath. There was only one reasonable course of action to take.

“Computer. Engage safety protocols immediately,” she said.

LtJg T’Mara Michaels

OCC: that is quite fine but one of the defining features about Isaac yes he is a medical hologram but he is designed to appear as a plague doctor

OOC: As in dressed all in black, broad brimmed hat and a mask with a long “beak”? My apologies. I didn’t make that connection.

Jahok was not prepared for a jaunt through the Vulcan desert, but soldiered on despite the stifling heat and way his uniform began to cling to him as it soaked up sweat. This was no great difficulty for a Klingon, and Jahok kept his mind and thoughts focused on finding Lt Michael. He had spied the figure sitting upon a rocky out cropping and made his way towards them. Jahok hoped it was the very Lt he searched for, which would be a great convenience. As he came closer he saw the glint of light of glass and realized whoever they were, they were watching him and something else.

Jahok turned his head and that’s when he caught sight of a figure he could confidently identify as ISAC. What was a medical computer hologram doing in this program? More questions to ask once he finally arrived at the rock. Jahok was an estimated one minute’s walk from the outcropping and still unaware of the danger behind him.

Lt Jahok COS/RTF Cmdr

OCC: yes full plague doctor costume. He’s not only a medical hologram but an A.I

It didn’t take long for T’Mara to realize that the le-metya would reach the Klingon before he reached the comparative safety of the rock formation and she decided to shorten the time by heading in his direction. Although she was certain that a Klingon had a better chance of handling the predator than most, if it surprised him, it would be … uncomfortable. Even as she started to run toward him from the base of the formation, it was uncertain she could warn him in time and he seemed to be ignoring her gestures toward the rapidly approaching predator. That left her with two choices and she made the less obtrusive option.

“Computer pause,” she shouted just before the le-metya made its attack run and final leap at the Klingon, “pause program.”

The breeze and the flying sand instantly stopped and the le-metya hung in the thin air just a meter away from the Klingon. T’Mara sighed and slowed as she walked past the Klingon to where the le-metya seemed to be frozen, floating in mid-air, mouth open and front paws extended toward him.

When the figure in Vulcan robes came towards him and began to gesture wildly, Jahok was tensed and caught on to what they were attempting to tell him. It was just as T’Mara shouted for the computer to freeze program that Jahok and came to face the outstretched claws of a large and unerringly silence predator. From T’Mara and ISAC’s perspective it would seem he had no reaction to his near and potentially fatal encounter within a holodeck program. Jahok had reacted with widening of eyes and the cold fury of a Klingon preparing for sudden battle. His body tensed, ready to move and attack at a moments notice.

Then he took a deep and steadying breath and forced himself to relax.

“The le-metya. Apex predator in this region. Third leading cause of death for Vulcan youths doing the Kahs-Wan. 150 kilograms. Top speed, about 50 kilometers per hour which is considerably faster than most humanoids,” she said. She paused at the extended claws. “Feet well adapted to running silently on sand. Claws that evolved not only to rip flesh but also have a powerful toxin… at least to creatures from the Vulcan ecosystem. It’s preferred attack mode is to approach undetected to within range and then slam into the prey at max speed, stunning or possibly breaking a leg while clawing the victim to damage leg muscles and inject the toxin.”

She stopped and faced the Klingon while resting her hand on the airborne green and yellow cat-like creature. “If you came to play this scenario, I can get out of the way and then have the computer continue the le-metya’s attack. I think you’d do well,” she said. She moved away from the le-metya and approached him. “If you came to see me then logic dictates that I should introduce myself. I am Ltjg T’Mara Michaels, Chief Science Officer.”

LtJg T’Mara Michaels, CSO

After a while ISAC approached them “I am terribly sorry to be intruding but it seems there is a system glitch I was supposed to be in The hollow matrix in Sickbay well my projector recharges somehow I get sent here. I tried to ask the computer to provide an arch but it will not respond to me and without my projector I cannot leave here” he said as he stood there no one knows why he looks like a plague doctor the person who programmed him wasn’t very sociable.

Dr. ISAC
Lt. ISAC MH (ACMO)

Well. That didn’t explain why ISAC was here, and at the moment Jahok didn’t particularly care. Science and Medical can pick the problem apart themselves and figure out a solution on their own time. That was not the issue Jahok came into the program to address. When Jahok spoke it was with reproach, “I did, in fact, came to see you Lt. Are you aware that an alert is sent to my office whenever the safety protocols within the holodeck are disengaged? Why have you put yourself in unnecessary danger. You could have been this le-matya’s prey and your name added to the very statistic you quoted to me. Though I suspect you would receive special recognition as the first vulcan to die from a simulated le-matya in a holodeck program that has safety protocols to prevent such untimely demise.”

Jahok was angry, but he kept it contained and controlled.

Lt Jahok COS/RTF Comdr

“Obviously, I was not aware of that though I do see the logic behind it,” T’Mara said. T’Mara debated only for a moment whether to smile at the Klingon. A smiling Vulcan always to put people off-balance. Instead she opted for a slight bow. “My apologies for the inconvenience this has undoubtedly caused you. I promise you that it will not happen again. As for the question ‘why?’ I noted that the ship had a Kahs-Wan holodeck program and I thought it would be worthwhile to see how accurately it portrayed Vulcan. The mortality rate for the survival ritual is not high though there seems to be little point to it if there is no danger.”

She paused and glanced at the black garbed individual. Since he mentioned “his projector” and “sickbay” she was forced to conclude that he was holographic.

“As for our holographic friend, I must admit that I have no idea why he has been projected into this simulation. Perhaps it is a flaw that we should report to Engineering,” she said before turning back to the Klingon. “If you would like, and if you are certain that it would result in the loss of the EMH, I will gladly terminate the program. Unless, of course, you would like to try your hand with the le-matya.”

LtJg T’Mara Michaels, CSO

ISAC looked at the CSO “ I am not an EMH and I do not appreciate being talked about when I’m standing right here. I am serving on this vessel as a doctor not an MH but a MH and just so you know I am a guy not your standard hologram so I would appreciate it if you give me a little bit more respect” he said sharply.

Dr.ISAC
Lt. ISAC MH (ACMO)


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