Tinkering on the Holodeck

Posted on Sun May 24th, 2020 @ 6:27am by Captain Jack Solomon & Lieutenant JG Matthew Plumeri

1,852 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 106 – Stalemate
Location: Starbase 23 - Holodeck 17
Timeline: MD04 - 1800

[ON:]

A VINTAGE GARAGE CIRCA 2350

LTJG. Matthew Plumeri had just had some back pay transferred into his Starfleet Federation Account. 600 Federation Credits for time served onboard Galileo. And so, as a normal person would do in a similar situation, he bought a used repulse bike. The technical term was a repulsorlift sov (single occupant vehicle). Some people referred to them as 'hoverbikes'. Forget about the bell on the handlebars and playing cards in the spokes. This was a bad boy motorcycle.

Matt saw it for sale on the Promenade. It was a Rinaldi Valiant repulsorlift anti-grav motorcycle. Powered for dual-core repulse lift engines, atmospheric life-support, it was for off-roading, mountain biking, mud-slinging, down in the dirt FUN! And, it was all Plumeri's. The was one, teensy, tiny, little problem.

It didn't work.

This was going to be a labour of love to get it all working again. Matt had borrowed a holodeck program of a complete support garage. And even though he didn't know much about how to get it working, he was determined to get it operational and go "mudding" at the earliest opportunity. The holographic garage had all the tools he needed. It was wood-panelled, plenty of bright sunshine coming through. It looked like the garage was set on Earth, somewhere in Colorado. A nice spring or early summer day. Complete with neon signs for "Rinaldi Repulsorlift Motorsports" and "STELLAR" anti-grav shock mounts. There were other old timey signs from ages ago for motor oil, Kawasaki and BMW motorbikes.

Plumeri needed help though. They say that it takes seven communication calls to find the person you really want to talk too. Matt did it in just one call. He reached out, on a hunch, that Commander Jack Solomon could at least point him in the right direction. He invited Jack to Holodeck 17 to see his new machine and, if need be, tell him how bad of shape it was in.

Having officially checked in and reported to the brass regarding his trip back from Deep Space Six, Jack was off duty for a few hours and now that he'd been able to spend some time with Deela, he was making his way around the station and getting his bearing around his "new" home.

Upon hearing the comm call from Lt jg Plumeri, he headed down to Holodeck 17 and made his way inside to find what looked like a workshop with several machines of varying descriptions and states waiting in there. Once he made his way inside, he called out for the Lieutenant, seeing a young man pop his head up from behind what looked like a Repulsor Bike.

"Lt jg Plumeri, I presume?" he asked.

Peeking from around the bike, Matt stood up to greet the Commander, "Commander Solomon? Yes, sir, I'm Matt Plumeri. Today is my lucky day Commander. I saw this baby here on the Promenade a few days ago. I wanted to get it but couldn't afford the creds you know?" Matt was a little dirty. Dressed in jeans and a white t-shirt, dust, dirt, mud and grease were on his hands and shirt. On his face was a happy grin, "Well sir, I got some back pay and....it's not every day one of these Rinaldi Valiant's are up for sale. I purchased it. I want to work on it and...I don't have the first clue on how to fix it. A couple of crew from 400 said you were the man to talk to." Matthew went to a big metal bucket and pulled out to glass bottles of iced cold beer. Popped the top off of one and offered it to Jack.

Jack took the beer and happily took a small swig before nodding to Plumeri. "Pleasure to meet you, Matt, I'm Jack...and having a background in Engineering, Ops and historicals, I'm actually quite chuffed that others put my name forward," he said. Looking at the vehicle before them, he pointed slightly with the bottle.

"So, what plans do you have for this and how can I help?" he asked.

Matthew popped the lid off of his and took a long drink, "Ahhh! WHEW! That's an adult beverage right there! Pleased to meet you too Jack. Well, sir, I was just doing an inspection. The body, the engine mounts, the instruments. Basically, I think she needs a complete rebuild. But dang dude....look at her. Take this down to the surface of Kaleb IV? Woo hoo! Got my weekends already planned out you know? Camping trips and all that. I've ridden repulse bikes before when I was just a kid. Nothing nice as a Rinaldi though. Can you...take a look? Help me rebuild it? Tell me what parts I need and where I can get them?" He took a long swig again he was thirsty. His 'adam's apple' up and down as he swallowed. "Mmmm...you ride yeah man?"

"Its been quite a while since I've ridden something like this," Jack admitted as he made a more intense inspection of the bike and started to recognise some areas that could be improved upon to made more reliable with some parts being changed.

"Saying that you have a sound piece of kit here, with some work and some modifications, I'm sure that we can make sue your weekends go to plan," Jack explained. He stood up before taking a swig of his bottle and walking over to join Matt.

"I'm very happy to work on this with you, I see no issue there, however, it's going to be off duty, in our own time and when we can devote to it? Being the Chief Engineer of 400, I'm sure that my time will be taken up with our fleet whilst we're lodging here on 23, however, I'm sure we can work a few miracles with this beauty," he said, looking over at Matt.

Plumeri, wiping his hands on a towel, "Oh yeah, this is a side project. I'm in no hurry and there's no deadline. Just something I can do, I mean we can do with our hands. Most of what I do is academic. Theoretical. This though..." he looked at the bike, "this is fun. Work that...that you have something to show for it after we're done. Hey?" Matt crossed his arms and asked, "What about you? Do you have one? A repulse bike I mean? If not...why not we build one from scratch you know?"

"I'll hold off on having one of these just yet," Jack confirmed. "Let's get your bike up and running first before we start looking to get me on one of these...that's part two of this project." Whilst he liked the idea of having a go at a repulsor bike again, he wasn't sure he was ready yet to go riding on one again.

"Ok, so, shall we get started on this then? I'm sure I can get some parts replicated if need be from the Industrial replicators on board. Perk of being a Senior officer whilst on board," Jack offered.

AND THREE HOURS LATER

Jack was true to his word - and more. He explained everything in a thorough and informative way. At no time did Matt feel like Jack was "dumbing things down" for him. Even though there were spots in mechanical engineering that Matthew had no experience in. Solomon simply explained it another way until Plumeri understood. From stem to stern, top to bottom Jack went over the repulsorlift motorbike and Matt made careful notes and images on a PaDD.

Being on the holodeck, they could instantly model suggested parts and alternative parts, weighing the potential benefits and shortcomings of each idea. For example, Matt expressed his desire to go 'camping' with the bike out in the wilderness of Kelab IV. And Solomon would then explain an ideal amount of storage needed. That was when Matt realized that yeah - sure - you *could* make this into a bike with that kind of storage and you will have to sacrifice range and speed. Ideas like that they hashed about. Until it was decided that this repulsorlift would be good for off-road adventures. Fast, a decent amount of range before the plasma fuel cells would need a recharge, lighter alloys, and a more powerful engine. Fast and sturdy, light and agile. Tough as a mudder. Now that they both had gone over the details and understood how things were supposed to work, they started working on taking it all apart, right down to the body frame. Every single part and piece was catalogued and cleaned. Commander Solomon showed Matthew the part, how it worked and how to get it clean and working or replaced.

But three hours was a long time. Boxes were replicated, storage boxes for the parts. Everything had a tag, everything had been looked at. Put into storage and moved over to Matt's temporary ship home the Endeavor, they would have to continue working on another day.

"Jack, let me buy you dinner huh? For all the help you've given me today. I know what everything does and I know what needs to be worked on. You gotta let me do something for you man?" Matt said as the rustic garage, the bright sunny, Colorado day and the fields and mountains outside vanished and were replaced by the familiar lines of the holodeck.

Jack smiled as he mopped away some sweat on his forehead. "You know what, I'll take you up on that," he said. "Its been a long day and we've both worked hard and earned it." putting down his rag nearby, Jack picked up his duty uniform, which now needed a good cleaning.

"So, where do you have in mind? I'm open to suggestions as dinner is on you," he said to Matt.

Matt tossed him a hot face towel for his hands and finishing off his own face said, "MMmm...I've got a craving for a nice, thick burger and some dark beer" Plumeri said as his used his hands to hold an imaginary burger in one hand, and a mug of beer in the other. "Not the replimat though, no, this has to be good" he snapped his fingers, "I know. There's a place near Raekwon Vox's art store...I forgot the name. The place with all the stuff on the walls..bah! You know it?" Matt offered him a fist bump as they left the holodeck.

Jack accepted the hot towel and cleaned himself off. The idea of a Burger and a beer resounded quite nicely with him. He returned the fist bump back.

"Now that I can agree on, let's go and enjoy a burger and a beer, its been a long day," he said as they both left the holodeck and made their way to the Promenade.

[OFF:]

LTJG. Matthew Plumeri
Science Officer/Historian
(Proud Owner of a Rinaldi Repulsorlift Motorbike)
USS Endeavor
NCC-72802

&

CMDR. Jack Solomon
Chief Engineer SB400
Commanding Officer
USS Ark Royal
NCC-24891

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