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--></style></head><body lang=EN-US style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Mission: Lights, Camera….Action?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Day: 1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Stardate: 2446.01.01/2025.06.30<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(Toronto, Canada – Anna & Sarah’s Apartment - 2O/CEO, Lt. Cmdr. Keira Merek / Anna Hegilsdottir- 0720)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Keira took a little longer in the shower than she usually did. Partly because the hot water cascading down felt good, it was relaxing. Secondly, she was stalling. It gave her time to figure out what her next move was. Was it just her or were other members of the crew similarly trapped? She had tried the usual holodeck commands, they regrettably did not work. That didn’t rule out a holographic scenario, just meant that she wasn’t in a friendly holographic system. If this isn’t a simulation, how did she get here? She is very obviously in a <i>human </i>body, her blush when coming out of a hot shower was not the usual shade of green. No visible trace of Romulan genetics were present. In a body they tried very skillfully to <i>look</i> like me. So was this a consciousness transfer, like in the briefing she was given for the fugitive that took over the holodeck before? This place was meant to look like a city on Earth, from the North American Continent that Keira was unfamiliar with. She’d have to look into how to get around in the city. Do I have access to personal conveyance? The technology looks a few levels at least more primative than Federation Standard. Definitely pre-warp. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>~Does the Prime Directive apply?~<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Keira shivered at that last thought. The Prime Directive could very well tie her hands of the quickest and most efficient ways to get back to where she belonged. Also is this an alternate reality or part of her own past? She needed to collect more information to be sure, before she could act overtly.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>~I guess I have to play along, at least until I figure out what’s going on.~<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>She came out of the bathroom dressed in what seemed to pass for athletic attire. Black leggings with baby blue trim on the sides and a matching sports bra underneath what seemed to be a martial arts shirt because it said: “Five Finger Death Punch”. At least her human counter part has a martial arts background.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Shower relax you, babe?” the brunette asked, looking at Keira.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>~ Oh, she’s talking to me. ~ Keira nodded.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Now, about breakfast..” Sarah asked.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“What would you like?” Keira asked.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Surprise me.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Okay.” Keira said. Luckily the apartment had a fairly open floor plan the kitchen was off the living space which was in sight of everything else.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>~No replicators I’m guessing.~<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>There was a rectangular appliance that to Keira looked like a food storage device. She opened it and was greeted with a swath of cold but not freezing air. Keira searched through the cold storage appliance searching for things that she was familiar with.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>~Eggs, I can work with those.~ She took them out and placed them on the counter top. “What is turkey bacon?” Keira asked, it doesn’t look like it comes from a turkey.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sarah laughed, “you always have the same argument about how turkey bacon isn’t bacon. I’m trying to be more Kosher, and so that means cutting out pork products. One less thing for my parents to bug me about.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“What about dairy?” Keira asked, genuinely unfamiliar with the rules to which she was referring.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Simplest is not paired with a meat product.” Sarah answered simply.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“So which would you rather have now? Cheese or meat?” Keira asked.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sarah thought for a moment, “Cheese, please.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Keira avoided the package of meat that didn’t look like meat and grabbed a block of what looked and smelled like cheddar, an approximately 2 liter volume plastic container of half gone white liquid she hoped was milk, a package of stick butter and placed them all on the counter. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“What about vegetables?” Keira asked.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“All good,” Sarah grinned, “You’ve never cooked for me before. You’ve always ordered out.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“I’m full of surprises.” Keira said simply from behind the cold storage door. She pulled out a green bell pepper and a small onion.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Where’d you learn to cook?” Sarah asked now she was sitting on a stool gazing at Keira.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Carraya IV.” Keira said reflexively with out thinking.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“What?” Sarah asked. “Is that from your character’s ROM-OO-LAN back story?”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>~ Fvadt, I <i> really </i>need to read up on this Anna’s history.~<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Sorry.” Keira said sheepishly. “I guess I’m still prepping for tomorrow. I mean back home, and it’s Romulan.” <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Okay, okay.” Sarah said putting her hands up in a surrender gesture.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Keira took the chef’s knife out of the knife block, a cursory glance let her know it was a bit better than the one she found at Ravok’s Alaska cabin. “Bowls? Where do <i>we </i>keep them?”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sarah pointed to one of the cabinets. “Usually you just keep opening them until you find them.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Opening the indicated door Keira found a neat stack of bowls, she grabbed two and placed them on the counter. Keira then started chopping the veggies. She wasn’t a professional chef, but being familiar with blades, she wasn’t clumsy either. The pepper was diced in a handful of seconds. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Sarah,” Keira said while she went on to dealing with the onion. “Suppose I did have amnesia.” Keira latched on to that idea and ran with it. She didn’t know how much time it would buy her, if any, but the alternatives were not getting this person’s help or telling her the truth.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sarah’s dreamy eyed gaze fell into a concerned look, “You’re serious. What do you remember?”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Suppose I remember the show, and little else?” Keira said. This was the first time Keira, as Trip would say threw a “ Hail Mary” and tested the waters in a single move.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Wow, um….” Sarah started as Keira hand grated cheese into one of the bowls. “We should go see a doctor…”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“No doctors.” Keira said firmly last thing she needed was some upstart medical professional finding a trace amount of Romulan DNA or copper based blood and it was over, or they have her committed. Also a horrible outcome. Last thing she needed was someone drilling holes in her head or something equally barbaric. Besides, none of these doctors will <i>ever</i> be as good as Dr. Kittie.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Well,” Sarah was momentarily distracted by Keira’s culinary skills, “we could try and jog your memory.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>A sizzle was heard as three pats of butter hit the frying pan. “What would that entail?” Keira asked.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“I’d show you things from your past and hopefully seeing them would help you regain your memory.” Sarah explained.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Good,” Keira said, while whisking an egg with a fork, “where do we start?”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“That shirt, “ Sarah began, “why did you pick it?”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Oh,” Keira said looking down, “the martial arts shirt?” Keira not missing a beat dumped egg mixture into a hot buttered skillet.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“The what?” Sarah said looking confused.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Five Finger Death Punch is obviously a martial arts move. Moves were given ostentatious names beginning in the 1960s and 70s as parts of martial arts from the eastern hemisphere cultures began intermingling into world wide mainstream popular culture during that time period.” Keira said matter of factly.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“HA HA HA HA HA HA!” Sarah laughed so hard she almost fell off of the breakfast island stool. She was barely able to control herself from falling, “No, babe.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“What did I say?” Keira asked.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“You’ve missed a lot, we have a lot to go over.” Sarah said.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(Reply none)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(Posted by Todd)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“<span style='color:black'>The only way to defeat fear is to tell it 'No'." No - we will not take shortcuts on the path to righteousness. No - we will not break the rules that protect us from our basest instincts. No - we will not allow desperation to destroy moral authority.” - Michael Burnham, Star Trek: Discovery</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“No, I’m from Iowa, I only work in outer space.” – Adm. James T. Kirk, “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Todd Holladay<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>SGT, IA ARNG (Retired)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div id="DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2"><br />
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