action/video; @b.crusher | ota!

[dancingmd]

a. action
[Beverly walks down this same street almost every day, on her way to and from work. From that coffeeshop on the corner to the weird little knick knack shop full of bits and bobs from across the multiverse, the sights have become very familiar to her. Which is maybe why this particular door showed up on this particular street. Or maybe it's all a coincidence. It's hard to say sometimes, in the Quarantine.

The door in question would not be a particularly remarkable one save for a unique symbol etched in the center of it. Even so, she easily might have missed it - hell, maybe she already has before today. But now that she's seen it, there's absolutely no chance she won't be investigating. The door opens easily and she lets out a surprised gasp when she sees what's inside.]

Oh!

b. network; video
Good evening everyone! For those of you who don't know me, I'm Beverly Crusher - and I found something a bit... unexpected today. [She grins.] A good sort of unexpected, though. Something from my home world that I'd like to share with you all.

[Here she carefully balances her phone against the wall so that it more or less shows both her and the room she's in. It's not readily apparent what sort of room it is as there is nothing in it and no windows or doors, only black walls, floors, and ceiling criss-crossed with glowing yellow grid-lines.]

Now, I know it doesn't look like much but! [She dances over to the middle of the room. She's really excited you guys!!!] Computer! Play File Dixon Hill, The Big Goodbye.

[Immediately, the room around her changes into a street scene from 1930s San Francisco. A figure wearing a fedora bumps into her. "Sorry, ma'am!" he says as he tips her hat and continues on his way, though not without first giving her an odd look - she is after all dressed in odd clothing for the era.]

It's a holodeck! Or well... I suppose since we're not on a ship it ought to be called a holosuite instead, but in any case, it's a holographic projection system that creates a virtual reality. There are only a few scenarios loaded onto the computer right now, but I plan on making more - with ideas and suggestions from you! I want this to be a collaborative creative project that we can all have fun with! There'll be a link below the video for more information and feel free to contact me with any questions you have!

[She gives a little cheerful wave goodbye before reaching down to turn off the video stream.]

ooc: And here is the info page for all holodeck related activities!

Comments

[dancingmd]

Now... I don't know if some of the data simply got lost in the transfer through the portal or what but right now there are only a couple of programs loaded, though I'm working on that.

[She considers him for a moment.]

I have no doubt you'd be interested in seeing my ship but I think the Dixon Hill program might be a better demonstration of the holodeck's capabilities.

[buildsomething]

[One of Tony's eyebrows lifts at the mention of a ship, but he just gestures for her to go ahead. Honestly, he'll take whatever he can get at this point.]

How many programs does this thing usually have?

[dancingmd]

[She shrugs.]

Hundreds. Thousands, maybe. I've never exactly counted.

[buildsomething]

[The other eyebrow joins the first in obvious surprise. Okay, that's not quite what he was expecting.]

That's one hell of a memory storage.

[dancingmd]

Things do change in a few hundred years, you know.

[buildsomething]

[It pulls a huff of a laugh from him.]

I'd sure as hell hope so. So show me what you've got.

[dancingmd]

Computer. Play "Dixon Hill: The Long Dark Tunnel."

[There's a small answering chirp from the computer, acknowledgement of the command. Then the environment changes around them, almost instantaneously. They're now in a bar from the 1940s, the smoky darkness hiding some of the seediness of the place. In the window, the name of the bar can be read, albeit backwards: Rex's Bar. A few patrons sip their drinks, listen to music, smoke cigarettes. Most look up at Tony and Beverly's "entry" and exchange looks over their glasses at the strange attire of the newcomers.

Beverly leans over and whispers:]

Sorry. I ought to have warned you that they'll react to us as anyone from this era would if we just showed up looking like this.

[buildsomething]

[Even knowing what to expect, Tony still startles a little when it all appears. He finds himself staring around in something like fascination before the apology registers and he actually takes a look at the faces staring back at them. Huh.]

How much touch feedback is there? I mean is everything solid? Solidish?

[dancingmd]

Very solid - virtually indistinguishable from the real thing, other than when the safety protocols come into play.

[buildsomething]

Impressive.

[He runs his fingers gently over the nearest chair, just to see for himself. Not that he doubts her, exactly, some things just have to be experienced.]

Now I really want a look behind the curtain.

[dancingmd]

You sure? It's about to get a little more exciting...

[buildsomething]

More exciting?

[He glances at Beverly out of the corners of his eyes, though from the slight smile playing over his mouth, it's pretty clear that he's teasing.]

They're not about to start shooting, are they?

[dancingmd]

Well...

[As if on cue (it is a story she has played before, after all), there's the sound of gunshots and glass shattering behind them. Even though she knows it won't hurt them, still Beverly ducks and drags Tony with her behind the counter. It's all part of the game.

Through the chaos, the shooters drive away, tires squealing, while a couple of bar patrons run out after them. Others huddle around a figure in the middle whose been shot.]

[buildsomething]

[Tony nearly jolts out of his skin when the gunfire starts, though luckily it doesn't take too much effort to remind himself that none of it is real. He still finds himself taking a moment to slow his breathing as he leans back against the counter where Beverly had pulled him.]

You do this kind of thing for fun?

[It's accompanied by a breathless kind of laugh. The future must be a hell of a thing.]

[dancingmd]

Well, I'm in it more for the mystery-solving aspect. And the costumes.

[Suddenly she gives him a worried look.]

It's not too much is it? We an stop at any time. All you have to do is tell the computer to end the program.

[buildsomething]

[He shoots her a slightly wry smile and shakes his head.]

I'm good. Just surprised me.

[dancingmd]

I know the feeling - this is new technology for us, you know. A program this extensive… it’s only been in the past five years or so that we’ve been able to do it.

sorry, hit the dropdown by accident

[buildsomething]

Well, I guess I don't feel quite that far behind then.

[He flicks her a grin, then shifts a little to try and peer back at the rest of the room.]

So what now?

np! we all do it at some point or another

[dancingmd]

Depends. [She climbs to her feet.] If you wa-

[She's interrupted by one of the other patrons calling out to them. "Hey, Dix, you just gonna stay behind the counter all day?"

Right. Since she initiated the program, they think she's Dixon Hill, a role she's not used to taking on. She forgot that Dixon was immediately supposed to start investigating or else the other characters would get antsy.]

Computer, pause program.

[Everyone immediately freezes, creating a rather morbid tableau of men in various states of distress and anger surrounding their shot friend.]

Anyway, as I was saying - depends on if you want to actually run through the story or not.

[buildsomething]

[Taking the cue, Tony climbs to his feet after here, though he can't help but give the frozen room a slightly weird look. Okay, so it's a lot more unsettling when it looks realistic. Good to know.]

Maybe some other time? I really would like to get a look under the hood.

[So he's a little more fascinated by the workings than he is by the story. Sue him.]

[dancingmd]

[She frowns slightly, confused by the expression.]

Under the hood?

[She can guess at its meaning but -]

Oh! Like the hood of a car?

[buildsomething]

Oh yeah, sorry.

[So cars apparently not a thing in the future. Good to know.]

But yes, I'd love to see how it all works.

[dancingmd]

[Nodding, she calls for the computer to end the program, then pulls up the computer's schematics and programing up on the console off to the side of the room.]

Hmm... hold on.

[With adjustments, she's able to project the schematics so they're a little easier to read.]

ooc: I have no idea of the details of the tech here askldfj other than that it's photons and force fields so feel free to handwave a bit

hah no problem, I handwave all the tech stuff

[buildsomething]

[And just like that, everything is forgotten as Tony leans in to peer intently at it all. Some of it is actually a little bit beyond him, which is a fascinating new concept -- he wonders if he can manage to talk Beverly into letting him take a print-out home. This is definitely stuff he would happily spend hours studying.]

Damn. [It's muttered more to himself though the sound of his own voice seems to remind him that there is someone else in the room. He blinks to shake himself out of his own thoughts, and flicks Beverly a quick smile.] Sorry. I get caught up.

[dancingmd]

It's all right. [She smiles fondly.] My son does the same thing, when he's working on a project.