Trouble at the Museum, Part Deux

Posted on Sat Sep 7, 2019 @ 1:53pm by Lieutenant JG Camille Lévesque PhD

2,430 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Plaga Navis
Location: Holodeck, USS Victory
Timeline: Backpost: Shortly before "Bishop Takes Queen"

With all the excitement behind them....at least for the moment T'Mira headed to the holodeck with her new acquisition. She'd been walking the decks unable to sleep thinking about a lot of things when she'd come across Ensign Peters who'd had a cat that had given birth to a lot of kittens not too long ago. They were all Tabby in colour but one. She was a small little thing with intense green eyes and a shiny black fur that put the night sky on Tekaris III to shame. The little cat had a orange collar that had instantly caught T'Mira's eye. She would have walked by her but the cat cast a spell.

Ensign Peters was giving them away so she's picked up the Cat unsure as to why. Now she sat on the holodeck watching the little kitten explore the scene that was Vulcan. The fire planes were beautiful to T'Mira. She missed them very much.

Camille came to the door of the holodeck in a simple short-sleeved top, tight denim pants, and black shoes. She had been hoping for a quiet evening doing something fun in the holodeck; a good way to unstress after the trauma Nicole showed her. But now Nicole was on Golemon with the Captain, Penny, and Zack, and she needed some downtime.

Imagine her surprise when she opened the holodeck door, was suddenly on Vulcan, and a small black kitten with an orange collar came up to her. "Aww!" she said, bending down to gently scratch behind the kitten's ear. "Salut ma petite!"

At the sound of the voice T'Mira turned. She'd hoped for quiet but it would elude her again. She noted that it was her companion from earlier. "Ms. Levesque." She stood and brushed herself off. "My apologies did you have the holodeck booked?"

“Oh, Ms. T’Mira,” Camille said. “Non, I’m sorry, I was just hoping it was vacant. The door was unlocked and I saw this little cutie and couldn’t help but come in and say hello! Didn’t I, petit chou?” By this point, she was talking directly to the cat.

"It is fine. I was just showing Luna what Vulcan was like. The cat is...a new acquisition. I believe humans call it a pulsive buy?" She more asked as the right term did not seem to get to her mind.

The term was half-familiar in Camille's mind. It took her a moment to connect the dots to what she meant. "Ah! un achat impulsif!" she said. "An impulse, or impulsive, buy. And I understand! How can you look at this little face and not want to take it home?" She looked back to T'Mira. "Is this the part of Vulcan where you're from?"

She shook her head. "I was from another region but this...this place always had meaning. The Fire Plains were a connection to Vulcan's past and to the area before the teachings of Surak. It is a place I go when I require time to reflect." The truth was it was a place she went when she was home sick or feeling low.

“It’s beautiful,” commented Camille as she looked out across the landscape. “It’s peaceful but not stagnant. Things are happening, but they bleed into a soothing background. And that it is important historically makes it all the better. I feel the same way about the Canadian North. Peaceful and interesting.” She looked back to T’Mira. “Would you prefer I left you alone? I can come back another time.”

She was tempted to say yes but decided to say no. "Is there a program that you prefer to run?"

Camille shrugged. “Want to continue the Galerian Museum program? We should probably find an effective way out before we start, but it could be fun.”

"That would be interesting. I will take Luna back to my quarters and meet you back here shortly." She hurried out and was back within a few minutes. She studied Camille. "I have a confession to make."

Camille sat waiting in the Vulcan environment, looking at the fascinating geological features. She wondered if the word ‘geology’ applied to non-Earth planets when T’Mira came back. “Oh? What is it?”

"I believe you should know...I find you to be a ...nice person. I enjoyed our museum tour the last time although...we were running for our lives. I am, however, not that fond of your girlfriend. I hope that will not be an issue."

Camille shrugged. “Je comprends. Nobody is friends with everybody. I know she can be...abrasive. I can tell you that she’s one of the kindest souls you’ll ever meet, but just because you’re my friend doesn’t mean you need to be hers too.” She smiled widely. “And thank you for the compliment. Now, shall we begin the program?”

T'Mira gave a nod and relaxed just a little. Humans tended to be very protective of their mates the fact that this one understood T'Mira's ... she didn't really dislike the doctor. The word was weary. T'Mira was weary of the doctor and it had to do with her own past more so then the doctor. She waited for the program to start and when it did things started out quietly as they had the first time.

The museum shimmered to life around them, revealing another battlefield. Ruins of civilization were visible in the distance. An advanced society once lived here, but war destroyed them completely. Camille couldn’t get a sense of the architecture, but she knew it wasn’t anything from Earth’s history.

Groups of humanoids appeared to either side of the battlefield. The grass was a dull brown, and Camille expected it was about to be stained the colour of the blood of whomever these humanoids were. She lifted her glasses to squint at one of the warring tribes, but couldn't make much out. She put her glasses back on and realized where they were. “T’Mira, have you ever heard of a planet called Cheron? It was the decisive battle of the war between Earth and Romulus. And we’re about to witness its native species go extinct, almost fifty thousand years ago.”

"Fascinating. I have a theory."

"Oh?" Camille asked nervously as the two warring armies came closer. Their forms were easier to recognize now. Humanoids. Black on one half, white on the other. Each army consistent within itself but opposite to the other.

"Those participants who have created this program should have been in therapy." She delivered in a deadpan voice.

Camille couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh. "I think you're right, T'Mira. But I'll be honest I was hoping your insight would be slightly more helpful than that. We need to get away from this battle."

She raised an eyebrow. "I see. Well stay behind me. I will ensure you are not injured." The last thing she wanted was the good doctor to blame her. She did control the hypos.

Camille nodded and stayed close as arrows began to fly across the battlefield. Most landed far from where they were, but the armies drew closer, and it wouldn't be long before their weapons became truly threatening.

"Shall we try and find a fast exit?" Just then an arrow highlighting the direction they should walk in appeared. "Interesting....that points in the direction where the arrows are coming." She motioned to a little cave. "Do you wish to wait out the battle or try go for the exit?"

“Exit!” Camille yelled. “Exit! Exit!”

"Excellent." She looked around. "Over there. If we go to the cave area and stick to the rock formation we'll be able to avoid the battle. This exhibit feels different. It is not actively trying to hurt us."

“T’Mira, why did I think it was a good idea to come back here?”

A rare smile played on T'Mira's lips. "Perhaps an adventurous spirit. It seems that...this event is less interactive. Perhaps there is a pattern to this museum."

“There should be,” Camille agreed. “Some solution to let us experience the history of the galaxy without dying. Surely this museum would have closed if it were deadly in real life.”

They walked a little ways and had to take cover a time or two but the exit was in sight. As they crouched by a rock T'Mira turned. "We will need to run. Allow me to go first if we encounter issues I will be better able to keep you safe."

Camille nodded. “I can protect myself too though. I recognized the poison gas at Ypres. We could have died choking. Or at least I could have. I appreciate the help, but please don’t think of me as a glass doll.”

T'Mira gave a nod. "My apologies."

“She doesn’t realize it, but Nicole is helping me grow a spine,” Camille said with a smile. “Actually you are too. A year ago I would have turned off the museum and run away, but now I want to see this through.”

"It is vital that we confront our fears. It is the only way that logic can prevail and we can see that we are stronger then they are." It wasn't lost on her that she needed this advice as much as her companion. They managed to get just a few feet from the next exhibit before they were noticed. T'Mira turned as something went sailing past her. "I believe the appropriate term is run!"

“Agreed! Let’s get to the next exhibit! It might be safer!” Not that Camille believed that, but she preferred the chance of safety to imminent death at the hands of Cheronians so blinded by hate that they were about to annihilate themselves.

They made it to the exit and into a darkened room. The computer voice chirped. "This is a non interactive exhibit and as such the arc cannot be called to end the program. Total exhibit time twenty minutes."

T'Mira turned to Camille. They could see one another but the rest of the room was shrouded in darkness. "I assume that the fact that this is non interactive could bode well."

“I’m not so sure,” Camille said. “Every room has tried, or at least seemed to try, to kill us. Just because this one isn’t interactive doesn’t mean it won’t try to affect us in some other way. Soyez vigilantes.”

"A logical deduction.." Before she could say more the voice started again. "Welcome to one of the universes mysteries." The lights lit up and showed a small planet surrounded by five moons hovering over the ground. The position of the stars and the way the galaxy was laid out was familiar, more then that it was burned into T'Mira's mind.

The computerized voice continued, "This is Centori Prime, home of the Vidari. It is the ...."

T'Mira, who'd gone pale as paper shuddered and finished in tune with the computer, "Fourth planet from the Centori sun." She backed up slowly on shaky legs. "Computer end program."

"Unable to comply."

"Computer exit!"

"Unable to comply"

She shook her head. The Vidari were not commonly known to Starfleet. In fact only Intel knew about them but the Galerians, the makers of this program were a bit more advanced. They actually had a trade relationship with the monsters who lived there. She backed up a little beginning to sweat.

The image shifted and they found themselves on a deserted street with sleek black structures and buildings that were well over 30 stories high all perfect squares and round domes. "No. I cannot be here!" She began to shake a little more.

"Whoa, easy," Camille said softly. She took the taller woman's shoulders in her hands and tried to keep her steady. "It's okay. Remember that it's a holodeck program, and as you said, non-interactive so it probably can't hurt us. What is it? Who are the Vidari?" She was very confused. Despite her backgrounds in astronomy and exobiology, she had never come across either Centori Prime or the Vidari.

"Starfleet ..." She took a few steadying breaths. "Starfleet has forbidden contact. There is a information probe there to warn people off. They are a savage race." She managed to get her breathing under control a little but she was calling on all her Vulcan strength.

The lights went up and the scene shifted to inside a building. There it was still dark but a clicking mechanical sound started. "Hall of Assimilation," she said a mili second before the computer continued.

"You are now in the hall of assimilation. The Vidari are a species similar to the Borg who rely on nanno technology to add genetic enrichment to their species."

T'Mira still shook.

The computer continued. "You have reached an exit point. Do you wish to continue with the Vidari exhibit."

"END PROGRAM!" T'Mira shouted.

The program ended and she collapsed on her knees with relief. Her Vulcan decorum left the room about the same time it returned to the yellowed grid pattern of the holodeck.

Camille couldn't support the Vulcan woman's weight, but kept her hands on her arms as she fell to her knees. "It's okay. The program is over." She got bolder and wrapped her arms around T'Mira's shoulders, giving her a comforting hug. "You've been there, haven't you? You've seen the Vidari."

She was never one to be touched but allowed the embrace finding a comfort for it. "I was there." It took several moments before she pulled back. "I apologise." She said sounding a bit more Vulcan.

"No need to apologize, T'Mira," Camille said. "People are permitted to feel vulnerable every now and then. And I'm glad I could be there for you. That's what friends do, right?"

"Yes." Or so she'd been told. She didn't have many friends.

"Vient-en," Camile said, gesturing to the door. "The away team should be finished on Golemon in an hour. Let's get lunch first."

She gave a nod. "Agreed." She studied the woman and instantly knew that this was a person she could trust. "Thank you for not pressing for more answers."

"Of course," Camille replied. "It's either classified or deeply personal. I wouldn't press you unless you wanted to talk. Now let's go."

T'Mira smiled, "I like you more then your girlfriend." She said honestly.

Camille grinned. “I’ll take that as a compliment,” she said as they walked out of the holodeck.

 

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