(Snip)

“The program didn’t respond to being shut down” he observed, then pushed himself to his feet, holding out his hand to Jasmine to join him. “Computer, Exit” he said, and waited for the door to appear.

Lt Cmdr Wynter
CE

Balian shook his head, “Negative Guns, Winning is the only option” Then the Captain squatted down and refastened his sandals tighter. “There were no Jungles on Mars, this program therefore is designed as some sort of puzzle. Do you owe this Carisi, wait like Denver Iron Heart, tongue can cut Battle Hull Carisi, the admiral?” The Captain asked.

Captain Balian Ibn Barazan

Jasmine let out a large laugh. “Are you sure you are not talking about Sara his wife?” Waving him off with a grin she continued. “Paris did say when she gave it to me that I would never look at a holodeck program the same again. So you think this is like one of those locked room type games,” she asked Balian.

“Well every lock has a key. We just find the key right to turn it off?” Jasmine asked.

Lt. Jasmine Wynter, CMO

He didn’t quite get the Captain’s reference, though he was never one for plays or movies since they didn’t have many things like that growing up in the colony he lived at. He remained silent and kept watch on the surroundings since it was clear that something was definitely wrong with this program. Who knows what dangers they could face or if the safeties were even on. He spotted a nicely sized branch one of the nearby trees and jumped up, grabbing it and hanging, pulling himself up a bit and jerking downwards with his whole body until the branch broke off. It wasn’t too thick of a branch so he used his foot to break it to length around a good seven feet or so. He sat listening to the others and the environment, watching using a rock in between his feet to round off one of the ends that he broke off while sharpening the other. He felt naked without a weapon in an unknown situation, it paid to have anything to help in case it needed it. Even if it was just to feel more secure. Your state of mind was more than half the battle when it came down to it.

Ensign Mike Gareth (Security)

“Well, if we can’t turn it off… maybe we have to just finish it. So how does this story finish?” Jack said, curious as to what the end goal of all of this even was. “If we know how to get to the end we can finish this off here and now.”

Creed, XO

“There is no story,” Jasmine said giving Creed a perplexed expression. “It was just a boring, dull trip to Mars to see that ancient alien artifact no different than going to the Grand Canyon in North America or The Living Mountains of Izar Prime. Paris even gave me tips on what hotel to stay at and where we should eat dinner. Jack....I don’t think there is an end. I think we are simply supposed to wander this damn forest,” she said a bit exasperated.

“Without coffee and in flip flops,” she held up a foot before slapping her neck killing another biting insect. “Ugh who actually programs mosquitos,” Celina grumbled. “Blah blah blah ecosystem necessity but we are not on land but a computer program. Why do they think we need realism to this extent,” she slapped her leg squashing another carnivorous insectoid. “I am losing like a pint of blood every ten seconds.”

Off in the distance, when people were not speaking, the group could hear the faint sound of drums. It was a low bass that added to the sounds of the jungle and not detracted from it. The deep whisper of voices might also be heard above the din of bird caws, animal growls, and insects buzzing. The drum beats direction was obviously due east but they group could see nothing past three feet in front of them due to the lush vegetation.

Lt. Celina Rodriguez, CTO

Balian heard the drums, and the voices, “The insects might be the least of our concerned.” The Captain nodded eastward. “We have company.” The golden haired man seemed unperturbed that they could not leave the program, at least as of yet. Though he might send a little note to the Carisi’s about sending illicit programs to members of Starfleet and having them loaded into the computers. Sara liked him, Denver, well Denver didn’t really like anyone, but they had played cards a few times in the past, and a couple rounds of golf, when Sara had been playing match maker with Balian and Denver’s youngest sister.

Fleet Captain Balian Ibn Barazan, CO

Max looked around him and then up at the tree’s. “Maybe someone should climb one of these and see what’s out there, I mean we can’t see a thing in this jungle.” Then he looked at Jasmine and the group and smiled slightly. “I met this interesting fellow not long ago, unique creature really. He looked just like a Monkey of some kind from Earth but was sentient and could speak. He was actually a Doctor in Starfleet, had the uniform and everything. If we had him here I bet he could have scaled one of these tree’s in an instant, what was the mans name? Pogo or something, Lieutenant Bubbles, to be precise.”

Lt Cmdr Wynter
CE

“When did you meet a doctor I don’t know about,” Jasmine looked a Max with one eyebrow raised. It was not that she doubted him but her mind wandered to when he had the chance. They had spent just about every waking minute together since before the wedding and after. Shaking it off she looked at her husband. “Well just don’t break a leg,” she said. “You promised me a honeymoon and this is not my idea of a romantic getaway.” Walking up to him she took a private moment even if everyone was around them. “I mean it okay. I am not sure the safety’s are on and you are not one Lt. Bubbles,” she said softly looking at him.

“It was before we came to the Manny that I met Lieutenant Bubbles” Max told her, taking her hand softly and twisting his fingers between hers for a moment. “He was undergoing Starfleet familiarization, I think. There weren’t many of his kind in Starfleet apparently and don’t worry Jaz, I won’t break anything, I’m an Engineer remember? Didn’t I make your hairdryer work 10 times better with that simple turbo-charger I put in?”

Lt. Jasmine Wynter, CMO

“Don’t you get any ideas,” Celina said crossing her arms and looking at Jack. She knew his off-duty side which was vastly different from his on duty one.

Lt. Celina Rodriguez, CTO

“I promise that when we are out of the Holodeck and we have our next Off Duty days together, we can go somewhere special and avoid that damn EMH your mother got us. I’ll be careful okey, and you promise me you will do the same.” Max slung his pack off his back and handed it to Jaz, then grinned and kissed her quickly but firmly, giving her waist a slight squeeze before turning and starting to climb up the nearest tree that looked like it could support his weight at the top.

Lt Cmdr Wynter
CE

“He is so going to break his neck,” Jasmine mumbled but nodded encouragingly as Max climbed the tree and cleared the canopy. Looking out among the leaves and fronds he would see a clearing. Large and vast with several stone buildings scattered about. The largest of the stone pyramids has people all over it. From this distance, they would look like ants. Colorful flags fluttered on the tiered steps mainly in reds, greens, and golds. The low sound the group could hear was explained from the murmur of the crowds and the beat from the large drums surrounding the open areas. The top of the main pyramid had several people on it with large head dressing. Details could not be specific but they could look almost like cloth or feathers spreading around the people’s faces and trailing half was down their back. A large red carpet or cloth ran down the steps of the temple.

https://imgur.com/tPuSFIn View from the trees

“Hey guys,” Celina said moving off into the trees towards the sound of the drums. “I think I see,” was the last thing the group heard from the CTO and the last thing they saw was the image of her head disappearing among the fronds. The sound of loose rocks followed a skuffling sound as Celina slid down the side of a sloping cliff whose edge was hidden under the thick foliage.

“Cee,” Jasmine said running towards the sound of her friend obviously falling somewhere.

Lt. Jasmine Wynter, CMO