Post 273: Castle on the Holodeck

Stardate:70701.1900
Title: Castle on the Holodeck
Author: Salvek
Scene: Holodeck Four/T'Ana beach house program #118
Time: Concurrent with "Where The Boys Are"

"What are those?" Kellyn exclaimed. She watched in awe as Salvek slid his sunglasses over the points of his ears and brought them to rest on his nose. Each lens was about four inches in diameter, covering most of his face. "I mean, the knee length white and black striped shorts and matching sleeveless bathing top were understandable for one as conservative as yourself, but...THOSE."

"I designed these myself. The light is quite overwhelming, even if artificial. I feel this design provides maximum protection from the ambient light while still allowing a full array of visible wavelengths to be experienced."

"But.... they are so....HUGE!"

"What is the point of wearing them if they provide insufficient protection?" He asked with all due sincerity.

Kellyn decided to let the issue drop, feeling it was futile to try to discuss the subtleties of style versus function at this time. "Here." She shoved a castle shaped pail in his hand and pointed towards the beach and Arie. "I'm going to get a snack."

Salvek made his way down to where Arie was playing with Sunshine. "Come daughter. I shall instruct you in the proper construction of novelty sand structures."

Arie stared at him blankly. Unable to make heads or tails of that particular sentence.

He extended the hand with the pail and shovel. "We shall build a castle together."

"Yay!" She exclaimed. She tossed her stick towards TC Blane and Sunshine chased it back to her master. Arie plopped down in the sand with Salvek. "What first Osa-mekh?"

"First we must fill the pail with sand.... and then......"

"OK!!!" She exclaimed, not letting him finish. Arie filled the pail with wet sand, flipped it over, and the castle shaped glob promptly fell apart and flopped over. "What happened?"

"You did not let me finish. First you must achieve the mixture of sand and water, to provide rigidity to the structure." Salvek took several scoops of sand, and mixed it with just enough water to stiffen it up, without making it too soggy.

"Thanks Osa-mekh!!!" Arie flipped it over, and it once again fell apart. "That didn't work either. Aren't you the chief engineer?"

Salvek lifted his sunglasses and gave the girl a quick glare. Realizing what she had said, she quickly apologized. He replaced the sunglasses.

"For the record I am acting first officer. Your mother is chief engineer."

"Of course Osa-mekh."

"Again you did not let me finish." After mixing the sand, you need to pack it down tight in the container. This will provide stability and greater density to the structure, to allow sufficient resistance to the elements."

Salvek once again filled the pail, and used the shovel to tightly pack the sand down.

"Now, daughter." Arie flipped the pail over and at last the first piece of the castle was formed. He handed her the shovel, and watched as the girl assembled her own section, and flipped it next to the first.

"Create a perimeter, six sections by six sections, as a foundation, and we will build up from there." Arie half listened, and plopped the third segment on top of the first two to create a mini-pyramid. "Wait, we need to build the perimeter before we can..."

"SALVEK!!!" Came Kellyn's voice from up by the house. "It looks great doesn't it?"

"But the perimeter,"

"It looks GREAT Salvek."

Kellyn knew somewhere beneath the dinner plates Salvek called sunglasses there was an eyebrow raised in contemplation. After a moment, and realization what she meant, he finally turned to Arie. "It looks great, daughter."

"Help me pack the sand Osa-mekh, it's hard to do."

Salvek assisted and soon their castle was growing in size. Six by six on the bottom, five by five on the second level, and so forth. As they worked on the third level, TC Blane called across the holodeck to Salvek.

"Commander! A word with you please."

"Continue." He told Arie. He walked over to where TC laying on a towel, surrounded by several of his crewmates doing the same. "How may I help you Mr. Blane?"

"The guys are getting a card tournament going later. I'd like to see what you've got." Salvek noted a twinge of suspicion in the man's voice.

"What is the game?"

"Fereginar Hold-em. No limit."

"The stakes?"

"Pride." TC said, staring out into the water.

"I have no need of pride. But, as I am under orders to "relax", I will accept your invitation."

"HEY! CLOUD BOY!" Salvek heard the voice of Fox Margolis behind him. Salvek turned to see that the shadow cast by his oversized glasses formed a perfect circle around her face.

"You're blocking my sun, I'm not going to tan evenly."

"But Lieutenant T'Ana has disabled the," Salvek began, and Blane cut him off with a whistle. Again Salvek snapped back around.

"No." Blane mouthed the word to Salvek, as he snickered. It was clear Blane did not want her to know that the UV rays had been disabled, and Fox would not tan no matter how long she laid on the beach.

"Disabled what?" she asked, sounding annoyed.

"Disabled the chronometers. She wants us to stay here as long as we like, so you'll have plenty of time to get sun." TC said. He nodded at Salvek. "See you tonight Commander."

Salvek could feel a weary gaze upon him as he made his way back to where Arie was. He was not entirely sure what Blane's motivation was in inviting him, but later tonight, the cards would tell.

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Commander Salvek
Active First Officer, Castle builder
USS Independence