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Side Sim: USS Hermes - En route to Starbase 157

Posted July 12, 2020, 1:50 p.m. by Ensign Thollin bav Crirv (Engineer) (Jared Kurz)

Posted by Ensign Thollin bav Crirv (Engineer) in Side Sim: USS Hermes - En route to Starbase 157
As Thollin bit into the apple it made a satisfying crunch. Simultaneously his mouth was filled with a surprising amount of liquid. The flesh felt slightly grainy, but it was the perfect balance of sweet tartness and it was positively packed with juice. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the richness as he slowly chewed. A giggle made him realize that he’d been snorting contentedly as he ate.
“I’m glad you like it!” Ida said with a smile.
“This,” Thollin said, “Is surprisingly good.” He looked at the small sphere in his hand. It’s dull red skin was speckled and unremarkable looking. The flesh was a bright, honeyed white, and a drop of sweet nectar clung to the edge where he had bitten into it. He took another bite, relishing it, and emitted another series of contented noises. A stream of fluid ran down into his beard.
“Dr. Faraday and I have spent years trying to get the perfect combination of crispness, juiciness, tartness, and sweetness. We grow them in our arboretum.”
Thollin stopped and fixed his small dark eyes on hers intently.
“These aren’t hydroponic?” The apple was already half gone and his appreciation for it had only grown with each tender mouthful.
“Yes,” Ida laughed. “Come this way.” He followed her, trying to resist the urge to eat the apple too quickly.

–Thollin, Eng.

“It’s taken years to graft all of the varieties together to make apples with the right balance. I can share the replicator pattern with you,” Ida said as Thollin finished munching the apple’s core. He smacked his lips in satisfaction.
“Replicators aren’t as good at duplicating the flavours and textures,” he replied.
“T’Val would say that’s illogical, but I know exactly what you mean. Replicated food just doesn’t taste as good as something organic. And I have to admit, it’s even better when it’s grown yourself.” The door to the arboretum opened. A computer chirped merrily, and Thollin drew a deep breath filled with the scent of moist earth and green, growing things. To either side of the door the trunks of trees reached up, spreading their canopies of leaves above them. The door whispered shut as he stepped fully into the room. He stopped and looked around in appreciation. This wasn’t the small room with potted plants he’d been expecting, but rather was a carefully designed and fully landscaped area. A series of steps led down into what could only be described as a park, with a wooden footbridge crossing a small bubbling stream.
“Nice simulation,” he said as he followed her down the steps toward the bridge.
“Actually, very little of this is simulated,” she replied as they stepped out from under the canopy and into sunlight. “The daylight is of course, and the sky. But everything else is as real as you and I.” Thollin’s eyes had grown wide in astonishment. As they crossed the bridge a glint of silver drew his eye to the water.
“And the fish,” he added.
“No,” she answered. “They’re real. And we have dozens of birds that live here too.” Thollin stopped and marvelled at the colourful variety of fish swimming about in the pool. He listened and realized what he had thought was the chirping of a computer was actually birdsong, from several different species that he was unfamiliar with. Across the bridge the path split in two, creating a loop around the arboretum. A well manicured lawn stretched out to their left, with a few trees growing along a pathway of white stones. A dense stand of trees grew to their right, and the other side of the path disappeared into them.

–Thollin, Eng.


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