The Repair Tour: Holodeck

Posted on Wed Apr 17th, 2024 @ 9:15pm by Lieutenant Vincent Cavendish & Lieutenant JG Kahlin

1,832 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Mission 1 - Project Concord
Timeline: Before Mission Start

Lieutenant Junior Grade Kahlin was at the panel outside of the holodeck. While the Concord was a beautiful ship, there were still the things that you had to do to make sure that things worked well. Sickbay worked fine, but she was doing a tour of the holo-emitters. This time, it was checking that the holodeck was fine. The diagnostic had come back fine, but she was now changing some coding in an existing programme in case there were any...hidden problems. And she had to be quick, because the second the personnel had put their foot on the ship, the holodeck had started being booked. She understood. She'd have signed herself up if she had remembered.

"Oh...is there a problem?" the dark haired man spoke with an aristocratic English accent as he slowed by the Holodeck door. He was wearing riding gear, with a traditional, old fashioned cut, tailored jacket and all.

Kahlin looked at him, running her eyes over him before she smiled. "Doing the checks," she said and looked back at what she was doing. "I must be running behind if you are here. Cavendish wasn't it?" She had checked the bookings, just in case.

Vincent looked to her with a small smile and narrowed eyes as he shook his head with a chuckle. "Now, you don't come across as a Betazoid..." he mused, trying to work out how she knew.

"I'm not," Kahlin said before she stood, meeting his eyes. "I made sure I knew who had booked it in case I needed a favour. I am almost done, but need to see the holodeck running for the last bit. I need to use the holodeck while you run your programme."

"Ah, I see," he nodded, straightening up as he gave her a small smile. "Well then, I'd be happy to help, no favours involved," he assured.

Kahlin nodded, motioning to the door. "You start the programme and I'll follow you in," she watched what he was wearing, somewhat confused by it. Perhaps some historical drama.

Vincent gave a swift nod, tapping the controls by the door. When they slid open, they revealed a green landscape of open fields with blue skies overhead. He moved into the small stable, moving to greet a near black horse with a gentle hand. "His name is Apollo and he has the temperament to match."

Kahlin smiled as she walked over, her eyes not even on the rest of it. It was the horse she was looking at. "Strong..." she said, moving closer and studying the horse. "He's beautiful." She reached out, slowly but with confident, letting the horse smell her.

He smiled as he watched, tilting his head as he stroked the side of the strong neck. "You're used to horses," he said as a fact, seeing it easily in how she reacted to the strong animal, even a holographic one.

Kahlin nodded, taking a breath before she rubbed gently between the horse's eyes. "Yes, I am learning. I like horses. I like riding. I see why people would ride them into battle, they're brave in their own way."

"And strong, tough," Vincent nodded softly, watching her with a gentle smile, letting her get to know Apollo. "Loyal. But so many horses died as a cost for that loyalty."

Kahlin's eyes went to him, before she stroked over the neck. "Noble, brave beasts. Loyalty and honour, it is worth dying for," she said quietly. She pulled back, slowly, reluctant.

Vincent watched her with surprise at the response, considering it for a long moment. "That's quite an old fashioned view," he admitted with a soft chuckle. And he should know.

"It's the Klingon way," she said and looked at him, meeting his eyes for a long moment. "Honour is everything. Loyalty to your house, that...is almost everything. A warrior will die happy to have died for honour and loyalty."

"Klingon," he said with surprise, looking her over for a long moment. He remembered a time when Klingons looked quite different indeed, but that was generations ago.

"Human," she said, in answer to the question she saw in his face. "But raised by Klingons since I was a baby. It was all I knew for my childhood."

"How extraordinary," he said softly before he could catch himself. He shook his head at how rude it sounded, a regretful grimace flashing across his features. "I'm sorry, it's really none of my business."

Kahlin smiled, because at least he was honest about it. "I don't mind talking about it. I'm not ashamed of where I am from, even when others expect me to be."

"Humans have had a...tumultuous history with Klingons," he replied quietly, shaking his head as he thought back to those earlier years of Starfleet, when Klingons didn't have their now distinctive ridges. "It's...really rather heart warming, to see them able to become a family unit."

"I was found and taken in," Kahlin said before her expression changed, becoming more thoughtful. "I never knew my birth parents. I was raised Klingon. But, I am human. My parents...thought I would be happier here, in the Federation, than trying to scrape by as a warrior back home."

Vincent smiled softly at that, enjoying listening to her story as he moved up to stroke Apollo firmly down the neck. "And are you?" he asked softly.

"Happy?" Kahlin held his eyes, clearly thinking about it. "I don't know. I like my job. I find a lot of Starfleet rituals boring and unnecessary, I find it annoying when no one can challenge anyone. However, less violence, which...is nice. Means you can just get the job done without having to fight for the authority."

"Let's face it, there's plenty of other things to fight in life," Vincent laughed softly in agreement to what she said, patting the snorting horse's nose. "Why don't you get up and have a ride?"

She looked at him with surprise before she smiled, nodding as she touched the horse's neck. "Are you sure?" she asked, taking a deeper breath.

"Of course," he motioned to them with a small smile, even taking a step back to give her space. "I can ride with another horse, he's got a good temperament, he'll see you right."

She smiled, nodding eagerly, and for a moment she looked a bit younger. She moved to the horse, putting her head close to its. "We'll ride like the wind, Apollo," she whispered before she stroked her cheek against the horse. A moment later she moved, gently taking a hold of the saddle. She swung herself up, looking at Vincent.

Vincent grinned at the spark in her eyes, nodding with approval as he moved to the chestnut brown horse close by, stroking his neck on sheer instinct before pulling himself up. "Come on, Willow, let's give them a run for their money..."

Khalin laughed as she watched him, relaxed on the horse as she shifted. "Ready when you are," she told him, her eyes shining. Getting ready for the hunt.

"Then let's fly," Vincent grinned, tapping Willow as he pushed forward, the horse bolting off at his command. He lifted from his saddle spurring the horse on into the open fields without fear.

Khalin smiled as she urged the horse on, the speed making her breath catch. She spurred the horse on but gave it the freedom to run without her pulling. Instead, she trusted the animal, holographic or not, to run. For them to be one spirit in that moment.

Vincent watched with a grin, proud of the steed for carrying her so well. He might be holographic, but he'd painstakingly programmed him to be as accurate to the real Apollo as possible. He would have reared by now if he didn't trust her.

"Run like the wind," Khalin breathed and closed her eyes, smiling as she let the horse catch up with Vincent. She trusted the holographic animal. A warrior. She opened her eyes suddenly, seeing the stream ahead. "We can fly."

Vincent laughed softly as he caught up with her, guiding the horse to gallop alongside them. "Well that woke you up!" he called across to her, a bit of good natured ribbing.

She laughed, throwing her head back as she closed her eyes. "I am alive! As are you!" she called out and opened her eyes. "Feel it and breathe it."

"You ride well!" he called, clearly impressed as he shook his head with a grin, the wind whipping his long, dark hair back from his face. "You're a natural!"

She looked at him before she chuckled as the horse eased down to a gentle trot. "I took to it quickly. The good thing about being human is that the horse doesn't see you as a predator."

Vincent matched their pace easily, smiling with curiosity as he watched her. "Is that what it's like for Klingons?"

She nodded as she looked at him, before throwing her head back as she closed her eyes, enjoying the moment. "They are the top of the food chain, and see themselves as the top of the universe's foodchain. Only thing that separates us from a beast is our code of honour. And our bravery."

"That must be why Apollo has taken to you," Vincent laughed warmly, shaking his head as he watched them fondly, seeing how different she looked from the woman who had entered. "He respects bravery."

"He is a fine horse," Khalin said and looked at him, searching his eyes. "He deserves to be respected as such. Is...the programming based off a real horse?"

“Yes,” Vincent replied as softly as he could considering the distance between them. He looked straight ahead rather than in her direction with the more personal memory it evoked. “Over…400 years ago now.”

She considered the length of time, a frown coming to her. "A fine horse," She said as she stopped, reluctantly. She stroked the neck for a moment, clearly thinking.

Vincent matched her pace, watching her with a small knowing smile. He could almost sense the wheels turning in her mind. "What is it?" he finally asked with a chuckle.

Khalin looked at him, her eyes meeting his. "I want to do this again. Here, this programme. And I know I now must return to my duties, when I would rather...do this."

"Then you must use this programme whenever you wish," Vincent assured her firmly, nodding with it, as if to indicate the decision was final.

She looked at him with surprise, emotions flickering across her face as she processed the kindness of the offer. She looked away, frowning slightly, before it was as if she made up her mind. She looked back at him and gave him an almost soft smile. "Thank you. I...do appreciate that."

Vincent nodded with a grin, his horse turning impatiently on the spot. "Come, I'll race you back," he challenged before starting off at a gallop.

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