Station Break: signal interference

[hard_talker]

[Mark is curled up in a beanbag chair, reading a pulpy sci-fi novel from the library, when he's interrupted by a knock on the door. marking his place, he sets the book aside, and gets up to let his visitor in.... and finds one Emergency Medical Hologram.]

I hope I’m not disturbing anything, but since I’m unable to partake in my favourite hobby, I thought I would devote my time to trying to make sure this holodeck project goes smoothly.

I hope you’re not busy. I have a few ideas.

[Mark looks from the EMH to his PADD, and grins. Next to the broadcasts, working on the deck is becoming a favorite pastime, after all] Yeah, sure, Doc. … But wait, what’s the problem with your hobby?

[The Doc moves to walk in, looking disgruntled.] Let's say the castle decided to lobotomise that portion of my program.

... Sounds like you found your loss, alright. ... Sucks. I've got a friend who lost a hobby, too: he can't play music. It really ripped him up. .... You need to talk about it?

[The PADD the Doctor is holding clatters to the floor as the image of the man seems to fade erratically a few times before solidifying.]

...There seems to be something wrong with my--

[He doesn’t get the chance to finish as he completely disappears for a moment, before re-appearing. He’s wearing different clothes, and his hair is a bit more messy, but otherwise he looks exactly the same.]

...This isn’t my holo-program.

[Mark’s eyes widen and he tilts his head a little] Isn’t it? Cuz aside from the duds, you still look like you.... I mean - I figure you’d know, but... I’m havin’ a little trouble seein’ the difference.

((OOC: Loss Start for the EMH! A note from his mun: From this point on, the EMH is off-duty for all medical issues, but will still reply to filters. All responses for the EMH will come from a_11. The mun says he is very sorry. Me? I suspect sarcasm.))

Comments

[a_11]

Well, it certainly doesn't look like my holo-lab on Jupiter Station, unless someone's been doing some remodeling without my authorisation.

[Why, yes. Deep sarcasm.]

The last thing I remember was deactivating myself to perform an overlay of my matrix over Voyager's EMH's. What am I doing back here?

[hard_talker]

Back here?

[rut ro. he winces. welp, time to go into loss coping mode] I don't know who you think you are, right now, but about ten seconds ago you were the Voyager EMH. And this is Paradisa, aka Castle Wonderfuck. And I'm Mark. I was helping you build a holodeck...

[a_11]

[Looking around, he tuts slightly.]

Can't say much about the décor.

[He sighs.]

And where is the EMH? If our matricies have seperated, he may go back into a cascade failure.

[A pause.]

And kindly transfer my program back to my diagnostic station. I'll need the tools there.

[hard_talker]

[everyone's got an opinion about his room, man. ugh. he frowns] I dunno what a cascade failure is, and I hate to break it to you, but ... you're the EMH, and ... there isn't a diagnostic station. You're not on Voyager, you're in Paradisa. There's some kind of holographic hub, I guess, but the EMH never told me where it was. Prob'ly in his room somewhere...

[a_11]

[An eyebrow raise. You're not making a lot of sense.]

So, my program has been transferred to another holo-environment?

[Because he doesn't know about the Mobile Emitter on his shoulder.]

[hard_talker]

It ain't a holographic environment, it's a castle. [he sighs] You don't have ... memory banks you can check back on for this? Or did Wonderfuck wipe all that just to make my life fun?

[a_11]

Talking to oneself is a clear sign of madness. And mumbling is rude.

[Said rather uptightly.]

If I'm not in a holo-environment, and you don't have a holodeck, how is my image being projected?

[hard_talker]

Nobody ever said I was sane. And it's got somethin' to do with that. [he points to the Doctor's shoulder] You - well, the EMH - told me it's got a remote point somewhere in a safe location, and it lets you go anywhere in the castle.

[a_11]

[A look at his shoulder, and a frown as he reaches up and touches the Mobile Emitter on his shoulder.]

Do you have a Tricorder?

[hard_talker]

I don't, no, but there might be one in the Clinic. If you wished one up, I mean.

[a_11]

If there's one in a clinic, it'll be a medical tricorder.

[That's said irritably, as he messes with the object on his left shoulder.]

Fascinating. This seems to be a mobile holographic emitter... I have no doubt that this houses the EMH's entire program...

[hard_talker]

Yeah, that was what he called it. Like I said, I dunno where the other half of it is, he kept that a secret.

[a_11]

I think it's a fully contained unit... But I'd have to examine it to be sure.

[A slight glance at Mark.]

Looks like your story might have some credibility after all.

[hard_talker]

Dude. [he raises an eyebrow at him, insulted] I might be a loudmouth, but that doesn't mean I'm a liar.

[a_11]

Lying and perception of truth are two different things entirely, young man.

[His eyes catch the PADD on the floor, and he bends down to pick it up.]

I see you have an interest in holo-technology

[hard_talker]

Yeah, I was gonna help y-- the Doctor build somethin' called a holodeck. It's what he came to talk to me about before ... before you happened, I guess.

[a_11]

Yes, and the reasons why I "happened" are completely impossible.

[He's scanning the PADD.]

Not bad. Obviously, he included engineering subroutines since I last checked his program. [And he doesn't seem happy about that.] They're flawed, but you can't trust a doctor to do an engineer's work.

[hard_talker]

Not even a program can be perfect, man. [he shrugs]

[a_11]

That's exactly what I said when I found all this junk clogging up his matrix.

[hard_talker]

Okay, see, I'm not seein' how more knowledge can be considered "junk", just because it ain't medical.