Star Trek: Theurgy

Day 26 [1400 hrs.] My Favourite Martians

July 19, 2020, 02:02:17 AM

[ LT Daniel Havenborn | Deck 08, Holodeck 01 | USS Theurgy, Vector 2 ] Attn: @Brutus

Daniel was two hours off his shift, he had messaged Commander Stark and had invited her to join him on the holodeck if she had some time.  Daniel had activated the Mars holo-program and made a slight addition, adding the MCV Khan in orbit of the planet.  If someone were to view the ship from the outside they’d see it in it’s splendiferous glory, however the ship’s interior was really only  single deck.  An observation room and a transporter room, although the MCV Khan in his sandbox program didn’t have a transporter, his people didn’t use personnel transporters, at least as far as he knew, that could have changed in recent years however.  He watched as the planet rotated below him, his homeland was cresting over the horizon and he smiled.

He often wondered what it would be like to return home, an impossibility at present but who knows what the future held, Fate was a fickle mistress.  Unlike most of his people, who revered the Great Khan and the other Augments, Daniel held a belief in Fate.  Fate was what ruled the cosmos, sometimes she was kind and gentle, other times she was harsh and cruel.  Recently she had been kind but Daniel knew that could change in a heartbeat.  He stared down at holo-recreation of his world and smiled, this was one of the few programs that he didn’t share with too many people, he could count on one hand the number of people he’d brought here.  Krissy, Meony, Uriah, and Riley.  It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his other friends, it was more so that this was very personal to him and he wanted to keep it special.  He figured that this was something that both he and Commander Stark could enjoy together being that they were both Martians.

Although they had entirely different upbringings and came from entirely different cultures, Daniel considered all Martians to be friends to some degree, they all shared this red planet after all he thought to himself.  He pulled his editing PADD out from its pocket and tapped a few buttons, he decided that he wanted to add a different feature, he removed the transporter pads and added in an atmospheric shuttle, he set up a program so that when the shuttle controls were activated it would change the setting to just above the Olympus Mons the single highest natural point on the planet.  Now all he needed to do was to wait for his fellow Martian to arrive.

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #1 – July 20, 2020, 03:12:22 AM

 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Holodeck 01 | Deck 08 | Vecotr 01 | USS Theurgy]Attn: @Havenborn  
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Natalie was still technically on shift when the call came in, requesting her presence in holodeck. If she had the time. The time. Well, that was the question. She'd taken the call and after a moments hesitation, she shrugged and responded that she would be there. She'd worked late the evening before, and things were slightly more quiet after almost four weeks in the Aldean System. Which wasn't to say that there weren't things she could do. But she had stome staff to dump some of the extra Ops work on. And as the ships Second Officer, there was an argument to be made that checking in with various members of the crew - such as one of the flight leaders of the Lone Wolves. 

And the fact of the matter was, she was curious, plain and simple. As a general rule, she didn't get invited to the holodeck all that often. Lt. Havenborn was known to be something of an aficionado when it came to holography as a past time. That was something the Ops Chief could respect. He was one of the few officers that had come aboard the Theurgy that she had known prior, from the Academy. He had graduated a year ahead of her, and while the man was not as close a companion to her as Vanya had been, but as a fellow Martian, there had been that connection as well. Homesickness was a very real thing, and if Natalie were being fully honest with herself, there was a bit of that at play now.

A week prior, she had talked of her family, of her father, with Commander Ducote. She'd spent a few days of leave on the planet, sailing. That had dredged up more memories. The shore leave had been a beautiful experience that she treasured but at the same time, she'd spent most every day since then thinking of her father, and wondering how he was holding up back on Mars. However tenuous, Havenborn represented a connection to her home. In the end that was what won her over, and had her standing in front of the door to Holodeck one a short while later, punching up the access codes. 

The doors slid aside with their expected hiss, shunting apart. She stepped through the arch and onto what looked to be a ship, of a design she didn't recognize.  But she did recognize the planet below, on the other side of the view port, and her breath came up short at the sight of it. A deep,  bright longing hit her in the pit of her stomach, and even though she knew that it was just a hologram the affect was all too real. 

Home.

Oh, they weren't over the lake she'd grown up on and she couldn't see Bradbury point from this vantage, but that was irrelevant. It was Mars. Her homeworld. She walked forward to stare out at the red planet, a hand on the glass. "I'm not sure what I expected when you invited me down here, Lieutenant, but I think congratulations are in order. It certainly wasn't this."

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #2 – July 22, 2020, 07:36:09 AM

[ LT Daniel Havenborn | Deck 08, Holodeck 01 | USS Theurgy, Vector 2 ] Attn: @Brutus

Daniel heard the unmistakable sound of the holodeck doors opening but didn’t turn around at first, his homeland was directly in view and he could clearly see both of the domes, Ouranos and Daedalus, each one was home to roughly a million citizens.  The Anti-Matter Missile Range was also visible, sitting in between the two domes, it was the Neo-ECON’s primary defense against any sort of invasion, its military forces being second.  He turned his head towards the female voice as she spoke and smiled to see Commander Stark with her hand on the glass.  “I aim to please Commander; it may only be a hologram but it’s the closest we can get without physically going home.”  Daniel said.  “Would you like to visit our homeworld?”  He asked as he motioned towards the atmospheric shuttle sitting nearby.

Daniel had been staring at the world for some time now and was actually feeling a little anxious and nervous to show her how accurately and detailed the planet was.  For him it was almost as if he was really there and sometimes he forgot that it was all an elaborate illusion.  He always felt a certain amount of pride when it came to his holo-creations but this was the one holo-creation that he was most proud of, many hours had gone into the creation of this program alone compared to the others, he made damned sure that the planet was complete.

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #3 – July 23, 2020, 11:30:16 PM

[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Holodeck 01 | Deck 08 | Vecotr 01 | USS Theurgy]Attn:

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Havenborn was right, of course; as nice as Aldea was, it wasn't home, and they weren't likely to see the red, red dirt of home for some time yet. If at all. It was true for almost everyone else on this ship of the damned. Even if  - when, she reminded herself, she had to keep up the illusion of confidence - they drove out the parasitic infestation of the all consuming darkness that threatened the fabric of reality (melodramatic much, Nat?) there was a greater than not chance that the crew of the Theurgy would still end up on some penal colony removed from the rest of the Federation, never allowed to return home. There was a lot of blood on their hands - innocent blood, of their fellow officers whom though they were executing lawful orders.

A well done hologram of Mars was as close to home as home was likely to get, for Natalie Stark. She glanced at the lieutenant again, prying her eyes from the vision before her to look at the man that had created it, and gave a little nod of agreement with his words. She followed his gesture and looked out, to see the shuttle waiting in the not too far distance. She should go back to her desk and do some paperwork, but she'd already justified this in her head. Clasping her hands behind her back, she bit off a glib retort (something along the lines of 'well since I'm here already' flashed across her mind, and was readily dismissed) and instead settled for simple truth. "I would like that yes. Thank you for inviting me along, Lieutenant."

There was something oddly formal in the exchange between the two, but then again, she had heard through ships scuttle butt that the pilot took more than a little pride and stock in the concept of rank in general. Not a bad thing at all. Many cultures revered such status symbols. So she could be formal enough as long as he was, she decided. So she let him take the lead, nodding in the direction of the ship, and fell instep with him, perhaps half a stride back, making no attempt to hide her curiosity about all of this. She was shorter than he, and when she looked over at him, she had to glance upward a bit, nothing new there though. Natalie was below average height for women that grew up on Earth, let alone one with less g's such as Mars. She might have been tall for a human that came from one of the higher-g settled worlds out in the galaxy, but she lacked a certain stout build associated with those specimens of humanity.

In short, she was short, and spent a lot of time looking up.

"You've programmed all of this yourself?" She asked, not quite willing to assume the answer was yes, even knowing the fighter pilot had a reputation for holography as a pastime.

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #4 – July 30, 2020, 07:23:54 AM

[ LT Daniel Havenborn | Deck 08, Holodeck 01 | USS Theurgy, Vector 2 ] Attn: @Brutus

The world continued to rotate in front of them, slowly his homeland crossed by and slowly but surely the Utopia Colony and the Utopia Plantia Fleet Yards rolled into view, from orbit they could also see the space-based Fleet Yards, several dozen starships in orbit of the UPFY, eventually other Martian colonies came into view, then lakes and rivers, and other sparsely assorted greenery.  Mars still had sandstorms from time to time, but they were far rarer nowadays.  Daniel nodded to her as she thanked him for the invite.  “My pleasure Commander, we share that beautiful red world out there and if anyone can appreciate its beauty it’s a fellow Martian.”  Daniel replied.

As she fell in step behind him he lead her towards the atmospheric shuttle, it was a custom designed vehicle that he had programmed specifically for tours around the planet, there were times back on the Resolve when he and Krissy would steal an hour away in this simulation and spend time with each other, the amount of sex they had in said shuttle however had been quite numerous that he had lost count.  He hadn’t used the aero-vehicle since the Resolve had been destroyed so it was going to be kind of odd to be in it without her.

As she asked her question he nodded.  “For the most part yes.  I filled in the blanks that the computer archives didn’t add in originally.”  Daniel said.  “It is as complete as I could possibly make it, I’ve put hours of research and implement into making it incredibly detailed down to the last micron.”  Daniel said, it may have been a slight exaggeration on his part but he was proud and if anyone doubted it, he’d tell them to prove him wrong.

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #5 – August 03, 2020, 09:21:34 PM

[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Holodeck 01 | Deck 08 | Vecotr 01 | USS Theurgy]Attn: @Havenborn 

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The shorter of the two Martains found her gaze floating over to the dockyards in orbit, the spanning facility that reached out around the complex untold miles below, full of scaffolding and wire, cradling various starships and the support personnel that were assigned to build and repair them. Utopia Planitia, one of the largest fleet yards for all of the Federation. Larger than the yards at 40 Eridani A, or even the Antares yard, though not by much.  A sort of good natured rivalry existed between the two yards, and the ship development teams at both would often purpose varying designs for the Starfleet Fleet Design Bureau to approve for prototyping.

And somewhere out there, well, not out there exactly, but at the real yards, above the real Mars, Natalie's father toiled away, slowly approaching retirement age, now utterly alone, his daughter off in the far reaches of space, nestled away in a system in the beta quadrant. Federation criminal and traitor. She closed her eyes and let out a low puff of air and buried all the nasty, recrimination thoughts that followed up, and instead allowed herself to appreciate the image of home that the Lieutenant had offered her. He hadn't known the pangs would hit her like that. Though she knew he had some family down there, (assumed really, not so much knowing - she'd never really asked). In any event, hiding in her head would be rude.

"Yeah. I think you have to live there to truly appreciate it. Even if only for a little while. The red dust gets into your soul," she agreed, her tone soft. Retrospective was not what Natalie had intended to be this afternoon, but here she was, doing just that. She let a small smile grace her lips. Daniel had the right of it, she concluded.  She was blissfully unaware of the history behind the program that the fighter pilot had created, nor the line of thought currently bouncing around in her hosts head. She simply followed, and admired the work and design from a professional stand point. Again, she thought of how smoothly it all ran, and she strode up into the shuttle with relative ease.

Save for the fact that she knew the situation to be entirely projected within the confines of holodeck 01, it was possible to think this the real thing. Not the easiest feat to accomplish, even with modern holography. Not when the set of eyes taking in the work had years of training and experience with such systems. Though not for the first time was the young woman reminded of the fact that she'd yet to make it through her full third decade of life.

Morbid much, Nat? Just enjoy yourself, she silently chided.

"It shows," she replied as she stood inside the ship now, smiling back and up at him over her shoulder. "I was just now thinking that, if I didn't know better, I'd be convinced this were the genuine article. Not an easy trick at all."  High praise indeed from the senior officer in charge of keeping such systems up and running. She ran her hands lightly over one of the support struts in the small craft as she let Daniel get the shuttles systems up and running. This was his show after all, and she would let him take point.

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #6 – August 20, 2020, 03:23:15 AM

[ LT Daniel Havenborn | Deck 08, Holodeck 01 | USS Theurgy, Vector 2 ] Attn: @Brutus

Daniel nodded.  “I agree Commander.”  Daniel said.  “I’ve been to other planets and none of them have ever been able to compare to the beauty that is Mars.  Although Aldea is the closest I’ve ever seen.”  Daniel stated.  The few visits he’d taken to the planet below had reminded him of their homeworld almost every time, within the city it reminded him of his homeland but parts of the planet reminded him more of Mars in general.  He enjoyed seeing the small smile cross her lips as she strode over to the atmospheric shuttle.  He tagged along behind her and as he listened to the compliment that she gave him.  “Thank you Commander.”  He said with a slight smile of his own, taking pride in his hard work.

As they stood in the shuttle he walked over to a console and tapped on it a few times.  The scenery changed immediately, the quiet hum of engines was audible and the view changed from the orbital docks to the view of the Olympus Mons, the tallest point on Mars, the extinct volcano being a landmark that all Martians would recognize.  Back before Mars became a Federation world, his people used to fly sorties around the Mons.  The world around them looked incredible as far as Daniel was concerned, he stood there staring at the marvel he had created.  Sometimes even he was amazed at what he was able to do, not that he’d ever admit that to anyone.  He tapped the console again and set a course for the shuttle to head towards Bradbury Point, known to his people as Lake Cassini, being some of the first settlers to Mars his people had their own names for many of the planet’s geological features, most came from antiquity, ancient Earth names that were just easier to keep in place, others had been changed though he doubted that the Federation would recognize their names.

At the height they were at they were already passing by Uranius Tholus, one of active volcanoes on Mars, he had programmed the planet to act accordingly in it’s timing as well, although for this occasion he decided to activate the volcano early to provide some entertainment.  Uranius Tholus erupted throwing flame and ash into the air and putting on quite the show.  “You were raised near the Lake Cassini colony correct Commander?”  Daniel asked, he knew the answer was yes but sometimes it was better to not be a, what did Uriah call it, ‘knowledge-all’, something like that.

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #7 – August 21, 2020, 04:59:59 AM

 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Holodeck 01 | Deck 08 | Vecotr 01 | USS Theurgy]Attn: @Havenborn  
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Allowing herself to consider their current safe harbor, Nat began to compare and contrast Aldea to Mars. While it wasn't as red as the world of her birth, and the gravity was a bit more noticeably stronger than her homeworld, there were far more similarities than differences. The Nodding thoughtfully, Natalie mused aloud, "I hadn't really but that into context, but there is a lot like home around here. Oh, the atmosphere is considerably thicker. And I think there might be a bit more water. But..I can see what you mean."

Not for nothing was Lt. Havenborn a well renown fighter pilot. The man possessed a ready skill at the conn of the small vessel. True, an observation shuttle, a little orbital hopper like this, was not at all the same sort of animal as the fighter the other Martian usually flew, and yes, this was a holographic program, a recreation of the real thing. He could have simply programmed the flight and been tapping out something to make it appear like he was in control, but he didn't strike Natalie as the time. So when he began to pilot the hologram out of whatever docking station they were in and down into a descending orbit across the Martian frontier, Natalie allowed herself to be impressed with the smooth deployment and gentle arching path he chose. Narry a hiccup to be heard, such as it was.

The largest volcano in the entirety fo the Sol system came into view, the landmark to beat all landmarks on Mars. She smiled, having hiked around part of the base of that giant volcano. It was almost impossible to appreciate it the towering size, a wall of ancient lava encrusted rock that stretched into the sky and past he horizon. From orbit, it was clearly massive, even at such a distant remove. She always used to laugh at academy students that would brag about the Rockies. The Rockies didn't have diddly on Olympus Mons. It was an odd fact to take pride in, but Natalie supposed that was just natural. Everyone still thought of Mars as nothing much beyond red dust, and while there was plenty of that, the world had its own stark beauty to it. She allowed herself the briefest of smiles at her own reflective pun as they continued their trek around the planet. 

Momentarily awed by the atmosphere darkening explosion of heat and smoke from another Martian volcano, Natalie had to take a moment to replay what Daniel had said. Again, this was a simulation, nothing more, and she was well aware of that, but the effect was intense all the same. The shuttle was far too high above the surface of the planet to be impacted by the eruption at that point, but it was powerful thing to behind, and for a small moment Natalie could almost forget that she was not in a fragile shuttle but a computer simulation of one.

A shiver ran down her back all the same. 

Recovering, and responding, Natalie gave a slow nod. "Yes, I am. Born and raised in the cliff dwellings near the coast of the lake. Bradbury Point was what we called it, where I grew up. One of those early, old settlements. Heck of a view out over the lake from the 'rooftop' deck. If you can call it a roof when there's more stone above you still." She flashed him a little smile and an equally small shrug. Be it ever so humble... 

"I used to go sailing on the lake all the time. Could get somewhat choppy, but over all it would make for a pleasant afternoon. What about you?" she remembered to ask questions in turn, and not just sit there and make things a one sided effort. "Did you ever visit the lake?" It was a rather large body of water for a planet that only had so much surface water to go around.  "Did you grow up anywhere near it?

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #8 – September 03, 2020, 12:34:14 PM

[ LT Daniel Havenborn | Deck 08, Holodeck 01 | USS Theurgy, Vector 2 ] Attn: @Brutus

Daniel nodded his head in agreement to her comments on the comparison of Aldea and Mars.  “Did you spend much time on Aldea?”  He asked.  After his first romantic interaction with Amelya had them visit the planet he’d gone back a few more times.  He had enjoyed spending time on the planet far more than he thought he would have, though he was sure that the company he was in was the primary reason for that.

As she recounted her life growing up on the planet he thought back to his own upbringing.  As she asked if he had ever visited Lake Cassini he shook his head.  “No, travel outside of the territory was restricted to vendors who were given passes for trade and for military patrol sorties.”  He said.  “Everything I learned about Mars either came from classrooms or personal research.”  Daniel added.  “I grew up in Ouranos Dome, District Zero-Eight on the Daedalia Planum.  What little free time I had was spent with friends or my fiancée, we typically didn’t leave Ouranos Dome unless there was a trip to the fringe towns or to Daedalus Dome or to pay homage to the Memorial of the Khans; although we did tour the Anti-Matter Missile Range once.”  Daniel stated.

Daniel continued to pilot the craft making slight attitude adjustments and course corrections.  For some reason the shuttle wanted to continually auto correct towards Lake Pastuer instead.  He’d have to look at the program later to see what the issue was, for now it was alright he just needed to keep making adjustments as needed.  “We’ll be over Lake Cassini in a few moments, would you like me to take us lower?”  He asked her.

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #9 – September 08, 2020, 07:29:01 PM

 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Holodeck 01 | Deck 08 | Vecotr 01 | USS Theurgy]Attn: @Havenborn  
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Once again turning away from the visage of her homeworld, Natalie looked to Daniel and felt a smile flow over her face. She tilted her head slightly, and her eyebrows rose gently as she gave him a nod of agreement. "I actually got ordered on a 48 hour leave about 10 days ago. Kicked off the ship for two days for my own good. And, it was good," she replied, something of an understatement. She thought back to the trip, sailing the oceans of Aldea with...well. Her smile depends quite a bit, and she tugged at the sleeve of her uniform jacket, glancing back down again at Mars unfolding below them, growing ever closer. "I spent the time sailing, actually. Like I used to do back home. It was an enlightening experience and very cathartic. I didn't realize how much I needed a few days away, not trying to hold everything together, until I was there."

She had one more excursion planned, after hours one day later in the week, to pick up a few souvenirs, little knick-nacks and the like. Just something to add to her office to remember her little sailing adventure. To go along with the sketch she'd been working on. Though that was staying in her quarters. She didn't think it would be quite appropriate to hang that up in her office. One of the boat she'd sailed on however...now that was an idea, and she'd have to check the holo's she'd taken of the ship for some reference points ,but the idea was promising.

Natalie was aware, on some level at least, that the Lieutenants childhood was very much a different experience than her own. She had grown up on the parts of Mars that were considerably more open, a part of a less reclusive society. She knew, in passing at least, about the place he'd been raised, the people that lived there, and so, when he spoke of Khan, she managed to repress the natural shiver that usually accompanied such utterances of that particular name. In the annals of the Federation, that was not a name to truck with lightly.  She did not, however, know he had a fiance. That got her eyebrows rising up more than a bit, but she was unsure how to broach the subject. Instead, she said, "One Martian to another, if we all get out of this alive and get to actually return home, I'll show you the lake itself, and the old cliff dwellings where I grew up. I saw the ancient settlements in the deserts of Earth that my home was based on, but biased as I am, I think our Martian ones put the old Earth dwellings to shame."

Glancing back down, and again remembering sailing on Aldea just over a week before, Natalie gave a nod. "Yes please. I would enjoy that quite a bit." She wanted to compare and contrast the waters of home - holographic though they might be - with the waters she most recently voyaged upon. There was something poetic about it.  

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #10 – September 16, 2020, 08:20:26 AM

[ LT Daniel Havenborn | Deck 08, Holodeck 01 | USS Theurgy, Vector 2 ] Attn: @Brutus

Daniel listened to her as she told him of her mandatory shore leave.  He understood what it felt like to be issued mandatory leave; Captain Kendrick had once ordered him to take a few days off after a particularly horrible week of combat sorties.  Once the fighting had ended he had been slapped with a 48 hour leave, he could go anywhere on the ship except for the hangar bay.  Daniel had spent most of that time with Krissy in the holodeck.  “It sounds like you enjoyed yourself as well.”  Daniel said.  “Before we arrived here I didn’t think any world could compare to the beauty that is our homeworld.”

Daniel nodded as she offered to show him the lake if they were ever cleared of their traitorous status.  “If we ever do get cleared I would enjoy that Commander.”  He said, it was a shame that he’d never be able to show her what the domes were like.  “I’d offer to return the favor but I am unable to ever return to my homeland and that’s not likely to ever change.”  He stated as he began to plot the new course down towards the holographic planet.  In a few moments they’d be over the lake itself, and Daniel was looking forward to seeing her reaction to it. 

He’d visited nearly every region in his reconstruction of the planet so he knew what the region was like, but here he had another Martian, someone who could give him criticism on his work.  “Lake Cassini, Commander.”  He said as he slowed the shuttle down to a tenth of their original speed so that she could take it all in.

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #11 – September 18, 2020, 12:47:59 AM

 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Holodeck 01 | Deck 08 | Vecotr 01 | USS Theurgy]Attn: @Havenborn  
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Considering how Daniel had just been talking about a fiance left behind somewhere on Mars, Natalie decided that it might be gauche of her to gush about how good the trip had been. Especially considering that she had spent the duration of it in the company of another. And, save for the moments where she'd been making a fool of herself (there had been more than  a few) the entire trip had been not only relaxing and refreshing, as she was sure Commander Ducote had intended, but it had been an enlightening experience as well. So instead, she decided to comment on the beauty of Aldea, in agreement with the fighter pilot. "Its no Mars, but I'm glad that I have been able to take some time to explore it, even if only a little. There is a vibrancy to the planet, a life that seems to beat and pulse among its people in a way that I didn't know I needed to experience again."

She spared him a glance over her shoulder as he spoke about not being allowed home, reaffirming her thoughts regarding the aforementioned fiance. Unsure of what exactly to say on that subject, Natalie shrugged a bit. "Well Lieutenant, that's their loss, and our gain." That seemed like the kind of thing a superior officer aught to say to a junior one, in any event. It was likely as not true as well. Havenborn had proven himself a valuable addition to the crew, on numerous occasions. There was no better flattery than the truth, Natalie was sure of that much at least.  And since she could do very little indeed to deal with Daniels apparent exile, she'd just have to remind him that he was valued here. Having done so, she turned her attention back to the surface of Mars, as it continued to sweep closer and closer. 

Natalie wasn't sure when exactly she'd planted her hand on the view port, or when the fingers had spread wide. Nor was sure exactly at what point she had leaned forward, with her nose scant centimetres from the clear pane. Eyebrows shot up high as they came in on the far side of the lake, swooping down past the high cliff wall, with the slowly rotating wind fans, towering constructions high above the Martian soil that generated power for a smattering of villages around the lake that had once been the Casini crater. The winds of Mars were an almost constant affair, even if the atmosphere itself was still rather thin. She could see the ripples across the deep blue lake, stained nearly purple by some of the local soil. The faint rays of a distant sun shown on the surface, as did a shadowed reflection thrown out slightly in front of the ship she was in, distorted by the ever shifting water below. 

In a word, it was breathtaking. 

For a long moment, Natalie said nothing at all, and then quietly she found herself murmuring, "Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home." There was no hiding, nor denying, the pure longing in her voice and expression.

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #12 – September 29, 2020, 06:49:04 AM

[ LT Daniel Havenborn | Deck 08, Holodeck 01 | USS Theurgy, Vector 2 ] Attn: @Brutus

Daniel nodded at her comment, he was glad that she saw the beauty of Aldea in its comparison to their shared homeworld.  “Indeed there is, I spent a couple of hours planetside with Lieutenant Rez as well as some other friends.”  Daniel said turning his face away from her, hoping she didn’t see the sadness that was in his eyes.  Amelya was still a sore subject for him, and it wouldn’t be proper for him to show weakness in front of a superior officer and a fellow Martian.  He pretended that something else had caught his attention.

Daniel turned back and nodded at her.  In many ways he did enjoy his service in Starfleet, there were some things that were lacking in his opinion but there was nothing he could do to change them so he tried not to worry about it.  “Thank you Commander.”  He said.  It was nice knowing that at the very least she could appreciate the situation he was in being from the same homeworld.  Everyone on Mars knew at least a little about his homeland thanks to those who were allowed to conduct trade, or those Starfleet officers that were part of the Diplomatic and Intelligence departments.

As they neared the holographic re-creation of Lake Cassini, or Lake Bradbury as she would call it, he watched as she put her hand on the view port.  When she finally spoke he smiled and located a landing point.  The shuttle landed with a soft thump and the door opened, he pulled a control PADD out from a storage area and made some quick adjustments.  People materialized and went about their daily lives, they were scripted of course and bore no resemblance to any living being, their faces had been randomized by the Resolve’s computer two years ago.  Daniel stood up and walked towards the exit.  “Care to show me around Commander?”  Daniel asked.

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #13 – September 29, 2020, 08:30:10 PM

 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Holodeck 01 | Deck 08 | Vecotr 01 | USS Theurgy]Attn: @Havenborn  
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There was a hint of something swiftly suppressed in Havenborns voice that tickled at the back of Natalie's mind, when he spoke about his trip down to the planet. She knew Dr. Rez - once called Duv - and Daniel had both come off of ships that had encountered the Theurgy shortly before their destruction. She wondered if they'd bonded over that, or if the two Lieutenants had known each other prior to their current posting. Nat did note that he mentioned Rez, but none of the others, but at the time didn't really feel a need, or way, to follow up without being awkward or prying. 

In any event, she was soon distracted, and shortly there after, the ship was landing on the shores of her home and she felt her breath catching again. Reminding herself that this was simply a holo-program, and not the real thing helped to ease some of the shock, but only just. It was clear that Havenborn had done a magnificent job with all of the technical work on this, and she ahd to wondered how he found the time. Between routine patrols, and all the various maintenance and paperwork involved with being a fighter squadron, the off hours of training, and apparently finding time to visit Aldea, she had to wonder if this was something he had somehow managed to pull off of the Resolve before it had been destroyed.

She was stalling, of course. Faced with the sudden ability to walk around the land she grew up, but knowing that none of the people there were real was....disconcerting. She wanted it. She needed it, but at the same time it wasn't real. Swallowing, she turned and looked out the now open door, saw the random figures moving about, following the path down to the lake shore, or further up into the township, she felt a deep, palpable yearning. She licked at her lips, and took a deep breath, adjusting the fit of her jack, fiddling with her sleeves - stalling.

"Very well, Lieutenant," she said, a smile forming on her face that, despite being small, was not strained or forced or anything of that nature. She tucked her hands behind her back, gripping one in the other, and set off, walking past the taller man, and down the exit ramp, into the achingly familiar, thing, bracing air of Mars, with the breeze rolling int off of Lake Casini. It was like stepping back in time, to the moment before she was posted to the Theurgy, if the nearly two years of service aboard had not yet happened. The scene unfolding tugged at her heartstrings, and for a long moment she simply stood still in the dusty grass, breathing deep the air of home.

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #14 – October 06, 2020, 08:45:19 AM

[ LT Daniel Havenborn | Deck 08, Holodeck 01 | USS Theurgy, Vector 2 ] Attn: @Brutus

Daniel tapped the console, making sure that the shuttle would stay put when he left it, not only did it add to the scenery it also acted as the primary means of exiting the program.  He had programmed the usual arch that appeared when one want to exit or enter to only appear in certain areas and one of those areas was the shuttle and if it was gone the nearest arch location was a few miles away.  Once he was certain that the shuttle was stable he got up and followed the Lieutenant Commander out into the area.  Sometimes he was impressed by how well he had managed to replicate the little things, like the thin air.

Daniel took a deep breath as he stood in the small town square next to Commander Stark.  “So this is where you were raised.  It looks lovely.”  Daniel said as he admired the landscape.  Much of this area had come from public records and he hadn’t done much touch up work or modifications.  It was exactly as it was according to the public records of Mars circa 2378.  He nodded along as she pointed out specific locations.  The architecture of this city was much more different than he was used to, it seemed to blend into the landscape rather than his homeland which had sculpted the land to their needs.

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #15 – October 06, 2020, 05:34:49 PM

[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Holodeck 01 | Deck 08 | Vecotr 01 | USS Theurgy]Attn: @Havenborn 
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Drawing a deep breath again, as she adjusted, she rolled her shoulders and planted her hands on her hips. She'd managed to walk a few paces but then stopped, turning in a slow cirlce once more. It really was like home. Not quite perfect - she didn't see the Cooperman's, whom were almost always out around these parts. There was an overlook just there, to the east, off the main path down to the lake, where the elderly couple would spend hours happily watching people down on the shore. But for all of that was missing, it did not detract from the moment, the beauty of home.  Sweet, perfect home.

Trapping her hands behind her back, letting them rest on her rump, she spun back and smiled at Daniel again. The cliffside settlement (town really, too small to be a proper city, and by design) spanned out above them, with open air markets and some fabricated housing between the two cliff walls, where most of the community lived. She couldn't make out her own cliff side dwelling from here, with its small front 'yard' - more of a mix of a patio and balcony - facing out toward the lake. The angle was wrong. Still she nodded in agreement with his words.

"Yes. Its a vibrant little lakeside community. Two different groups landed on opposite sides of the valley and started to build the settlement together. Makes for an interesting mix of cultures. Native American stylistically, as well as some of what they called Tex Mex," she gave a bit of a shrug, "And some mid Atlantic mixed in. They meshed really well early on and its resulted in this wonderful little community." She blushed and ducked her head slightly, feeling like a teenager again now that she was home. "I uh...Martian pride is a real thing, huh?".

She'd gotten a bit carried away, but oh well. It was nice to be home, even if it wasn't real. She tilted her head up the path ahead, into the town proper, and set off. "We've got the original dedication plaque in what became the town square, along with one of the first landing modules that had been deployed ahead of the colony convoys. Lot of supplies and automated rovers and the like were launched years in advance of the colony ships. Those could move faster than the people - less worry about inertial stress." Yes, she was excited. Natalie rarely had the opportunity to show off about her home, the place she had grown up. She'd taken Vanya to Mars at one point during one of their summer break sessions at the Academy, but beyond that, it was simple conversation over drinks or dinner with various colleagues (Lt. Commander Cross, and Commander Ducote came most recently to mind, having had similar discussions with each during the 'get to know the new officers' phase of things early on in their stay at Aldea).

This was different. Daniel came from the same planet, and there was that connection, which made the tour both easier and harder all at once.

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #16 – November 05, 2020, 11:45:42 AM

[ LT Daniel Havenborn | Deck 08, Holodeck 01 | USS Theurgy, Vector 2 ] Attn: @Brutus

Daniel smiled as she gave him a tour of her homeland.  He was enjoying the stroll through the town as she pointed out specific locations.  The style he was familiar with mostly because of his research, there were other cities on the planet that shared the same architectural style.  When she mentioned Martian Pride he smiled.  “It really is, I always take great pride in my homeland, and of our shared homeworld.”  He said as she continued the tour.

Daniel listened as she continued, showing him the town square and dedication plaque.  “That sounds a lot like of when my ancestors landed here, I suppose that was the standard way of colonizing back before warp drive was standardized.”  Daniel said, he was enjoyed listening to her talk about each specific place, she spoke with such passion even though it was just a simulation, even he could be fooled into thinking it was real at some points.

“What about the building in which you grew up in?”  He asked now curious about which one of these domiciles she had grown up in.  He also felt the need to show her his homeland once they were done here, he was curious as to what she would think seeing as most of the population of Mars likely had no idea what it looked like inside the domes.

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #17 – November 07, 2020, 09:24:59 PM

 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Holodeck 01 | Deck 08 | Vecotr 01 | USS Theurgy]Attn: @Havenborn
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"Easier to ship goods ahead than ship them with all the poeple. You could send that sort of thing at higher velocities too, and allowed for less than optimal launch windows when the goods could take the stress better than the people or animals could. They didn't even have full impulse back then,  because of a lack of inertial dampeners." She ran the numbers in her head. "On closest approach its something like 15 minutes at full impulse, and it took those early colonists months and months to make it to Mars, but their gear got there way ahead of them." Natalie couldn't really fathom that reality that the first early settlers had to endure. Still, a shared common point between how she and Daniel grew up, despite differing cultures on the same planet was nice.

The same homeworld, and seeing it all again for the first time in years. Home.

Humanity had a plethora of old sayings, dating back centuries prior to the invention of space flight, or even properly functioning plumbing, depending on the adage in question. Natalie was not sure of the origins of the one that came readily to mind just now, as she stood looking at the town in which she'd grown up, re-created in holographic glory. 'You can never go home again', or so it went. And she thought, not for the first time, that she understood it better now than she had before. A similar feeling had taken a hold of her when she'd returned to Mars after some time at the Academy, and how different Bradbury Point, and everyone that lived in it, had seemed compared to how she remembered it. Things had changed, and she was unable to ignore those changes and pretend that they did not exist. The grey in her fathers hair, mostly, had been the biggest shocker, but there were other, smaller things. 

As she walked around the township with Daniel tucked in along side of her, that same feeling wsa present now, only more so, perhaps because of the nagging knowledge in the back of her mind that what she was witnessing now was a holographic creation based on files and memories years out of date, and at the same time more akin to what she remembered of her homeworld in days probably likely to be the actual case had she come back to Mars in the flesh and blood, and not through an out of date recreation of the world. Beautifully done as it was, Nat could almost believe she'd come back.

Almost.

The settlement was on the eastern shore of the lake that had once been naught by an empty red crater, and Natalie het her gaze drift north from their stand point, along the shore line. She raised a hand up, shading her eyes, and spotted the general neighborhood. "Up that way, along the far canyon wall where the valley opens up into the crater lake. We have a lake view from the top of the dwelling." And then she set off, moving at a steady, easy clip, working her way along the shops toward the cross street that would lead them out of the valley itself and up the long switchbacks of the cliff dwelling residencies that had swept out and up from the original landing site.

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #18 – November 13, 2020, 11:51:19 AM

[ LT Daniel Havenborn | Deck 08, Holodeck 01 | USS Theurgy, Vector 2 ] Attn: @Brutus

“Indeed.  I remember listening to the stories of the domes being constructed, even after the Federation had terraformed it my people kept the domes for privacy and isolation.”  Daniel said.  The early ECON remnants had pooled together their resources to settle a portion of Mars, their hope was that if they had laid claim to part of Mars they could eventually lay claim to the entire planet and eventually rise up against Earth; obviously that never happened Daniel thought to himself.  He often wondered what his life would have been like had his people succeeded.

As she pointed out where she had grown up Daniel was about to reach for his PADD to transport them up there but then suddenly she set off moving a fairly quick pace to which Daniel had no problem catching up to her.  “Are there any improvements that I can make?  I’m always looking to keep the recreation up to date as much as possible, I had intended to download the latest cartographical information from the Starfleet Database when the Resolve docked at Starbase 84, but I didn’t get the time to do that.  Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated Commander.”  Daniel said as he kept pace with her, downloading the data was going to be his first stop but Fate as it turned out had other plans for him, she often was fickle in that regard.

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #19 – November 18, 2020, 08:14:21 PM

 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Holodeck 01 | Deck 08 | Vecotr 01 | USS Theurgy]Attn: @Havenborn  
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Whatever they may wish to think or claim, humanities initial forays into the stars were not as peaceful as they wanted. Space had been militarized by the start of World War Three, and the use of orbital bombardment platforms, something that had been tried once before in the 1960s and failed then, had been devastating. There had been combat missions between special forces of the major factions on the Moon, and when Mars was originally colonized, things were heated. The Fundamental Declarations of the Martian Colonies had come from a struggle to bet recognized as their own world. She had learned in school a little bit about Daniels people and their origins, and how mars had got along over the early years. Their isolationist tendencies were strong, even today. "The domes might be a hold over to an earlier time but they seem to fit your peoples needs well enough."

"If i see anything that stands out I'll be sure to make a note of it Lieutenant. I'd be more than happy to offer up some personal files later to help with the project." She surprised herself by the offer, having not realized she intended to make it until she spoke of it. "Some of those files are quite old however, for what it is worth. The last time I was in the SOL system, needless to say, I didn't get much of a chance to go home and take some new scans." She'd had a small virtual chat with her father and then the Theurgy was beating a trail out of the system as fast as they could, having uncovered the conspiracy and infestation in the upper echelon of Starfleet itself. Not a lot of time to roam the streets of home. 

A thought crossed her mind, and she added, "We do now have back door channels into the Federation info net. The next time we do a file resynch, I could probably add in a request for updated data on Mars." She walked and talked, pondering the options available to them.  "From an intelligence standpoint it would be good to know what was going on within the Utopia Planita, come to think of it." 

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #20 – December 02, 2020, 11:01:24 AM

[ LT Daniel Havenborn | Deck 08, Holodeck 01 | USS Theurgy, Vector 2 ] Attn: @Brutus

“That they do indeed, my people do like their privacy and having served in Starfleet for several years now I can understand why they choose isolation over knowing what’s out there.  There are sometimes that I wish I could turn back the clock and tell my younger self how good he had it, then there are other times that I remind myself of the amazing friends and opportunities that I’ve had since leaving my homeland.”  Daniel said.

“Thank you Commander that would be most helpful.”  Daniel replied.  “I’ll take any type of data that I can input to help make the world as realistic as possible.”  Daniel said as he listened to her talk about the last time she had been home.  The last time he had been on the real Mars was when he had left.  There was nothing for him on the planet anymore as he had been exiled from his homeland.  Although now he had wished he had spent some time exploring other parts of the planet.

Daniel nodded as she mentioned the new back door channels that they had.  "If you could also find out any information on my homeland that would be helpful as well.”  Daniel said.

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #21 – December 07, 2020, 09:45:51 PM

 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Holodeck 01 | Deck 08 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy]Attn: @Havenborn  
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A small smile graced Natalie's lips at Daniels confession, about the isolationist policies of his people, and desires to go back and set his younger self straight. She'd certainly had a time or two when she wished she could tell her former self some great insight she'd had in the year since she'd been that younger woman. Or smack some sense into the Natalie of Yesteryear. There had even been a moment or two, shortly after Jupiter Station, where she wished she could go back and convince her younger self to take a different posting, instead of joining the Theurgy. Ignorance might very well have been bliss in that circumstance. 

But no. They were serving a higher calling, and someone had to save the universe. Apparently she was one of those someones. Scary as that thought might be. Downright terrifying, if I'm honest. But that was a train of logic for another time, and another place. Besides, time travel was restricted for a reason. She need not look anywhere past Sarresh Morali to understand that.

"I think they call that growth, Lieutenant. God knows there have been moments that I've wanted to do the same thing to my younger self." Thoughts of time travel set aside, memories of home seemed to be more in order, and she let herself pretend, as they slowly headed into the cliff district, that she was back home. Pausing however, she turned her head in another direction. She couldn't see the domes of Daniels home from where she lived. The lake cliff side valley and lake looked out in the wrong direction, for one, and the domes were half a planet away for another, but all the same she turned in their general direct, as if she could summon up the image herself. 

"I'll be happy to follow up on that as well. It will be my pleasure " And surprisingly enough, she did look forward to it.

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #22 – December 31, 2020, 10:33:32 AM

[ LT Daniel Havenborn | Deck 08, Holodeck 01 | USS Theurgy, Vector 2 ] Attn: @Brutus

Daniel nodded as Commander Stark commented on his growth as a person.  He was really enjoying her being here and being able to share this moment together, he had had some doubts earlier that she might not show up but he was glad that she had.  Sharing this recreation with her was far more satisfying than sharing it with Uriah or Meony or Derik, not that he didn’t like bringing his close friends here but with Commander Stark it was different, she actually grew up here and she had the same passion for the planet as he did.  “Thank you Commander.”  Daniel replied.

He noticed where she was looking and he smiled, she was looking in the direction of his homeland.  “When we’re done here would you like to see the domes?”  He asked her, he was fine if she said no, his homeland could be fairly intimidating to some people.  Although he was sure that the domes and what they represented didn’t intimidate her at all.  He remembered the first time that he had shown the domes to Uriah, the sheer scale of them had shocked him the most.  They were an impressive sight, one that could be seen from orbit without the use of sensors.

Re: Day 26 [1400 Hours] My Favorite Martians

Reply #23 – January 05, 2021, 02:47:38 AM

[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Holodeck 01 | Deck 08 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy]Attn: @Havenborn 
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Daniels thoughts were not terribly different from Natalie's as she led him closer to the cliff dwellings district, that looked out upon the lake shore line, where Natalie had grown up. Not that the Ops Chief could know his thoughts, but she too was glad that she had taken him up on the invitation. In truth it was not one she'd ever expected to have, and she knew there were a million other things that also needed her attention. But taking a few minutes, an hour like this, was probably quite beneficial to her mental health. She'd run that one by Counselor Hathev the next time she was in the woman's office for their regular sessions.

Shielding her eyes for a moment, she looked up, and up at the approaching cliff wall, smiling when she found what she was looking for. "There is a lift, about two blocks to the east that we can use to ascend the levels of the cliff district without wearing a hole in our shoes." There were, of course, switchbacks and even ladders and stair cases that would get from one level of dwelling to the next as well. More and more options had been added into the structure as the years had gone by and the small outpost had grown into a full fledged community. Bradbury Point still wasn't as large as some of the Cities on Luna, or Earth, but it was one of the more sizable settlements on Mars. Especially if one didn't count the sprawling fleet yards of Utopia Planita as a city in its own right.

Or the covered domes of the Neo-Econ encampment. Those almost mythical colonies set up in the settling dust of the last world war, a collection of isolationist territories that saw themselves as separate and apart from the rest of the Martian Commonwealth. Massive was an understatement.

Again pondering the notion of the dome covered enclave that the Lieutenant had grown up in, Natalie had to admit to herself that she possessed a more than reasonable fascination with the settlements. They were never a place she had been allowed to visit when she had been growing up, for a multitude of reasons, and tugged at her own, innate curiosity. Giving into that temptation was shockingly easy as she favored Daniel with a brilliant smile. "I'd be more than delighted."

Re: Day 26 [1400 hrs.] My Favourite Martians

Reply #24 – January 26, 2021, 09:47:38 AM

[ LT Daniel Havenborn | Deck 08, Holodeck 01 | USS Theurgy, Vector 2 ] Attn: @Brutus

As they came into view of the residential area he had to marvel at the ingenuity of the original colonists.  Where as his ancestors had crafted the land to suit their needs, Commander Stark’s ancestors had built their colony with the land.  Although they likely had the benefit of the United Earth’s terraforming program, something that hadn’t been fully implemented when the domes were constructed.  Daniel nodded hearing that there was a lift nearby.  “That would be fine with me.”  Daniel stated as he followed her towards the lift.  He was quite enjoying the sights he was seeing here as they continued their way through the town.

Hearing her words of agreement Daniel nodded again.  “I look forward to showing you my home Commander.”  Daniel said.  He had intimate knowledge of the domes, likely more so than any Intelligence Officer had, having been privy during his education and training to some of the military secrets that was otherwise kept from the general public.  His father, who had started his career as a Ground Forces officer had worked his way up the ranks to Marshal serving as the executive officer of the Castellan Prefect, he remembered listening to his father talk endlessly for hours about the domes and their secrets.  Although Daniel was sure that those secrets might not be accurate anymore since his father had made sure that he couldn’t return home ever again.

As the two of them approached the lift Daniel motioned for Commander Stark to enter first, she was the superior officer after all and it was only fitting since this part of Mars was her home.