round 12 Ensign John Valdivia: Old hobby

[+ Salkath]

((Valdivia's quarters, USS Darwin-A))

:: Valdivia had been resting in his bed for some time. Odd as it might be, ono of the worst parts of his experience being phased had been being unable to rest leaning on a wall or bed or chair or anything. Lying on the floor at most, and yet it was just thanks to the artificial gravity, the floor didn't hold him per se. So being able to rest on something was something he needed. First the chairs at Natural Selections, and then his bed. But as his body rested, his mind could not, so he started thinking. ::

:: Soon enough, though, he realized the problems he was thinking about were supposed to be left to rest during shore leave. Furthermore, most of them would become problems for someone else once they were assigned a new mission. ::

Valdivia: oO Because we will be assigned a new mission, right? I knew the Darwin was just called as a response to the Prometheus incident, but... I like it here, we will keep working as an active ship, right? Oo

:: As his mind approached there, it grew even more restless. He finally decided he had to do something else. But what? ::

Valdivia: oO I wonder... if my programs will still work... I have not loaded them on a holodeck since the academy, holodeck protocols ought to have changed a bit. Oo

((Holodeck, USS Darwin-A))

Valdivia: Computer, load random generated scenario. Class M planet, tropical latitude, rainforest.

:: He waited a bit as the computer ran the automated protocols to create a random rainforest. The trees started appearing around him. It was raining. ::

Valdivia: Computer, I hate you. ::apologetic beep.:: No rain. Change weather to sunny.

:: That was better. Shortly, the forest was created as far as he could see. That part was the computer's creation. Now began his part. ::

Valdivia: Computer, start programmer mode. Don't freeze the scene.

:: A digital panel appeared next to him, with orders he could choose to change the forest around him. Selecting and object and changing it's size, position, color... modifying the terrain, adding actors... ::

Valdivia: Computer, load tool set Valdivia003, motion control.

:: A gaunlet of his own design appeared around his right hand. That allowed to run the same commands the panel could run, but with gestures. Grabbing the air in an object's direction selected it, and he could manually change it's position, enlarge it, modify a specific part...::

:: Just for practice, he started modifying things. Pulling his hand up created a small mound, and moving two fingers in front of him moved a tree around until he found a nice place for it. He grabbed the air and pulled, creating a new long branch on a tree, and opening the palm widened the branch to a small platform. ::

Valdivia: It has been some time since I last did this... Computer, set gravity to 0.6G.

:: He jumped a couple of times to let his body get used to the lowered gravity, took a deep breat, and started running. He ran towards the tree, and using it to push himself up he jumped a couple of meters up. A gesture with his fingers made a new branch appear for him to grab, and using it to pull himself even further he landed on the wooden platform he had created shortly before. ::

Valdivia: oO This is the taller tree around here. Let's climb it. Oo

:: A quick gesture up with his hand moved the platform, launching himself up flying. His smile broadened as he felt the air on his face, and as he felt himself starting to slow down, another gesture created a set of stairs in front of him, so he ran up on the stairs that appeared as he climbed them. As he arrived to the end of the stairs, he prepared of one of his favorite tricks, that required some precision. As he ran towards the end, his fingers drew a tornado, he finally jumped from the platform and the air under him started to blow up, pulling him up towards the top of the tree. ::

Valdivia: oO Just a little push... Oo

:: Either he had miscalculated or the gravity was a bit too high, but he didn't reach the top, his hand missed by an inch and he started falling. With a broad smile, he turned around to look at the rapidly approaching ground. ::

Valdivia: Hello, ground!

:: He knew even if he fell, the safety protocols would prevent any harm. But ending his adventure crashing on the ground was not that funny. Looking around, he found the computer had created a lake when generating the forest. Crossing his fingers, he deleted the tree, and with a sweep of the hand he moved the lake to right under him. With a final gesture, he made the lake deeper and deeper, to make sure he would not abruptly find the ground underneath. He finished all this barely a few meters above the surface and prepared for a refreshing dive. He dove several meters under the water. It was cold, but not too much. Cool enough for a refreshing experience. ::

Valdivia: I don't understand how people can use the holodeck without using programmer mode. They don't know what they are missing.

:: He used to do this, as a kid in Luna, and at the beginning of his academy years, but he hadn't come to a holodeck in some time. Not alone, at least. With his fingers, he moved the sun towards the horizon, creating a beautiful setting sun scene. He relaxed on the water for a bit. ::

Valdivia: To think how frequently I did this as a child... I wonder how Camelot is doing.

:: He even had a program on which he was a powerful mage, Merlin, and his programmer privileges were his powers. Typical teenager fantasy, he believed, although on second thought it might not be so typical. ::

Valdivia: I will visit it. But another day. One more dive, and I should head to sickbay. Doctor Manius should have already visited everyone else who has phased.

:: His fingers started to slowly draw a whirlpool around him, and as he started moving with the flow of water, he started pushing up, the whirlpool climbing up and pushing him towards the sky. Once he was high enough, he looked down, and when he closed his fist, the ascending whirlpool disappeared, leaving him to start flying down to a final dive. ::

Valdivia: As far as I know... there is no program that let's you fly. It would be quite hard to control. But maybe...

:: He had to force himself to remember the time. ::

Valdivia: Another time, perhaps. Computer, close program. Delete all memory caché.

:: Once the familiar black and yellow grid appeared, he walked towards sickbay. ::

Ensign John Valdivia

Science Officer

USS Darwin-A