A Hologram to Kill

[Annabelle O'Halloran 0]

 

Velan Observatory certainly kept itself busy, Anna thought absently; as she scrolled through data detailing the various cosmic events it had been witness to. She stifled a yawn, and kept looking. She'd been at it for a couple of hours and when finished perusing, would have to compile a report to give to Commander Ridire. Giving her back an experimental stretch, she touched the crystal globe that sat in a place of honor on her office desk and watched as the hologram inside exploded into a profusion of colors. It was called Nova Starburst and Will had surprised her with it a couple of months ago. She smiled at the memory and that naturally led to her thinking of more recent memories, and before too long, she was daydreaming as she watched the colors explode over and over again.

 

Wade yawned a bit as he headed down the corridor towards the science department. No matter how many times he tried to convince himself that he was just tired because of all the refitting and maintenance work they had done while the Reaent was in space dock. No matter how hard he tried however, he couldn't deny the truth of the matter, no matter how much he tried to ignore it. Stepping over to a well-known office, he knocked twice on the open door and poked his head inside. "Hey, you busy?"

 

Looking away from the pretty object, Anna grinned at Wade and tapped her work screen, answering, "Well, if you consider looking over data that incorporates scans that reflect 12 billion years of history for the surrounding galaxies, then yes, I guess I'm busy."

 

Wade looked disappointed for a moment, looking down at his shoes before nodding. "Ahh, I see. You do sound terribly busy then, I won't bother you then." He turned, moving to head out the door while hiding a grin.

 

Rolling her eyes, Anna easily recognized Wade's flair for the dramatic at work and called him back. "Hello, stop right there. Come back and tell me what's on your mind. It's hard to digest 12 billion years in one sitting anyway," she joked. Actually, the scans taken by Velan of the surrounding galaxies were intricate, wonderful things that she was now storing for Astrometrics to study more thoroughly when they had the leisure time.

 

Wade smirked, immediately turning back and taking a seat in the chair in front of her desk, propping his feet up on her desk. He looked curiously at the translucent object she was holding and tilted his head, asking, "What's that you got there. One of the lost crystal skulls? Oh wait, no, what did they call those crystals in the old Tolkien novels?"

 

Anna raised an eyebrow, giving Wade a pointed look as he put his feet on her desk. She protectively moved the crystal globe to a safer location. "No, it's not a crystal skull or a replica of a Fëanorian lamp, Wade. It's a hologram that's a depiction of a star going nova." She eyed him for a second, and finally, breaking first, said, "Well??"

 

"Well, what?" Wade grinned for a moment, scratching his goatee. "Oh, right. I remember what I came here for. I've been writing this hologram program for a while; I think I have all the kinks worked out on it. Was just wondering if you'd like to come and join me."

 

Instantly intrigued, Anna leaned forward, her curiosity flaring. "Really? Some sort of engineering exercise? Oh! Something to do with you meeting Captain Spock?"

 

Wade laughed, switching his feet a bit before handing her a PADD. "Are you familiar with James Bond?"

 

"Shaken not stirred, right? Doesn't sound like he had much of a libido," Anna muttered, taking the padd. "I really don't know more than that about him...some fictional character. I didn't grow up on Earth so I'm not too familiar with common themes from old time entertainment sources." Anne smiled, shrugging as she activated the padd. "Tolkien is different, of course. Someone gave me a copy of The Hobbit in the Academy and I fell in love."

 

"Yup, that's exactly right. Drove fancy sports cars around, drank martini's wore a tux. Sounds to me like it'd be a welcome break from fighting Scots." Wade paused for a moment. He knew he had been spending a bit too much time in the holodeck. "I mean replacing plasma coils."

 

"Uh-huh, replacing plasma coils." Anna decided not to comment on the 'fighting Scots' comment. She had no idea what it meant and Wade would no doubt take her through some long, bloody history to tell her. The Irish history forced on her as a child had been bad enough. "Fancy sports cars? This is circa 1973?" Anna continued to read through. "World domination?"

 

"Oh yeah, it's got it all. Cars, world domination, sexy..." Wade trailed off for a moment before continuing. "Cars."

 

"Cars." Anna looked a little confused. "Cars?" She read on. "Oh, sexy and dangerous females, I see the attraction." She eyed him over the top of the padd. "So, ok...what do I do while you drink martinis, get seduced by seductive vixens and drive around in a car while trying to keep this world domination thing from happening?"

 

"Oh no, the attraction is about fighting the bad guys and saving the world. Even if it is all imaginary," he said with a grin. "I was thinking maybe you could be my side kick, my compatriot, my voice of reason in those times when I'm stoned on holographic martinis."

 

Anna's eyes fell on a character description. "You want me to be the voice of reason and not the dangerously seductive vixen? You do little for my confidence level, Wade."

 

Wade laughed, getting a sly grin. "Well, that's if you want to be the dangerously seductive vixen. But I'm sure Lieutenant Tomlinson wouldn't appreciate that." Wade scratched his chin, looking a bit curious. "That is what I heard, right? You and Will are an item now?"

 

"Yes, as a matter of fact," Anna answered with a smile that only just avoided being smug with her current happiness. "I just wanted to know I could have been the dangerously seductive vixen." She leaned back, thinking, "As the voice of reason, I also get to be armed, right? I mean I would think your sidekick will need to be ready at a moment's notice to kick butt as well as pay your bar bill?"

 

"Oh, you bet." He said with a grin. "The program calls for you to save my butt a couple of times and you'll be armed to the teeth to do it."

 

"Ok, count me in!" Anna agreed with enthusiasm. "Who else are you going to get? From what I'm seeing you have programmed all the characters except for four: yours--the super secret agent and me--the sidekick. That still leaves the dangerously seductive vixen and the megalomaniac villain intent on world domination roles to be filled."

 

"Well, I was sort of hoping you could talk your head shrink friend into coming along, and was going to see if the chief was interesting in joining us. I think I can get Tayjer to play the part of a crazed villain."

 

"My 'head shrink' friend?" Anna gave him an exasperated look. "That would be Dr. Caroline Curtis and...You know...I think she'd be on board with it." Anna leaned back in her chair and started to chuckle. "Oh, this is going to be too much fun."

Edited April 25, 2010 by Annabelle O'Halloran