Birthintine's Day

Posted on Sunday, 14 February 2021 - 9:46am by Lieutenant JG Adrianna Eberhardt & Crewman Leopold Eberhardt

Mission: Operation: Trail of Tears

Adrianna was on her way to the holodeck. She'd managed to convince those booked to shift their slot as it wasn't 'just' a valentine's day-- it was her birthday and the couple's first valentine's and their first as an engaged couple. They'd been reluctant but had backed down eventually, even without Adrianna’s 'pursuasive' techniques.

She waited in the holo with a PaDD, waiting for Leopold. She still hadn't decided on the programme, but had narrowed it to three and was going to let him choose.

It was strange being in a holodeck without a programme running. It seemed to echo and creak. The grey toned walls seemed to tower, though they weren't much taller than the usual ceilings of the ship's floors. Adrianna found herself lost in thought about how depressing, eirie and all round scary a inactive holo was. Her thoughts started to delve to when their holo had gone wrong on the station and how scared she'd been at the air raid. She could almost hear the siren ringing in her ears as memories flashed by.

She jumped out of her skin at the opening of the holodeck doors and smiled to her fiancé. "Alles Liebe zum Valentinstag," she greeted and translated to standard in case her pronunciation had meant she'd spoken nonsense or insulted his mother, "happy valentines day."

"Happy Valentine's Day, my love," replied Leopold happy to see her. "I have been doing some research on this holiday from Earth. It is a strange one with roots as a Christian feast day honoring a 'Saint' yet by the 20th century it became extremely commercialized to the point that I think the Ferengi could admire it," noted Leopold.

He was not quite done nerding out though. "However, what may be of more disturbing interest to you is that the day also happened to share the date with an event during Earth's prohibition era, a massacre in Chicago involving mobsters." He looked at her. "Also, it is your birthday which is very fitting of you. Saints, feasts, romance, and mafia massacres."

Adrianna nodded, she was unsure if she should be impressed or not. "Well, I am in it for the romance," she chuckled, "I believe that the romantic holiday, I share my birthday with, make me a sucker for love." She handed him a PaDD, "I have a few options. Lights festival, dinner on top of a highrise, picnic near a log cabin. People also used to say that the northern lights were romantic, but I've not seen snow before, but I hear it's cold."

"Better replicate yourself some winter attire, love," he said touching his index finger to the tip of her nose. "I think all of that sounds perfect, and I cannot think of a better experience than watching you in snow."

Adrianna smiled, "you have snow where you're from?" she replicated a thick coat, gloves, scarf and hat, putting them on. She then replicated the same for Leopold. She held the coat to help him into it.

"In certain regions," he replied. "Ekos has some continents with mountain ridges. The higher elevations more commonly see snowfall. My parents took me to some places as a child where the snow gets fairly heavy."

Adrianna nodded, "you will be my guide in terms of snow then. I've seen it in pictures but not actually experienced it." She loaded up the programme. They were inside a log cabin, north of the Arctic circle, perhaps near Tromso. The flames of a log burner cracked and danced as it heated up the room.

It was dark outside, and a clear night as the moon illuminated a path through a window. Adrianna stepped towards the window and looked out. "it's pretty."

"No more than you are," Leopold asserted. "So, you aren't used to snow, but you faired better than me when it came to ice. I remember falling right on my ass."

Adrianna grinned and stepped back over to him. He always knew what to say and he was so cheesy that it made her beam with delight. Adrianna looked confused, "ice?"

"Nothing," he replied shaking his head. "I think It was a dream I had once. I fell on my ass in it and there was snow and ice," explained Leopold. "I would love to see it come true...minus my falling on my ass of course."

"Would it be wrong of me to say I hope it does come true, falling and all?" she teased, stifling a giggle. She walked to the door, "maybe you should go first and tell me if it feels real."

He smiled at her. "What sort of guy would I be if I didn't make sure things were safe for you. I would take a coat off my back and place it over a puddle if required. Fortunately for me, you are not that delicate."

Leopold did venture out first, however, and it was as he imagined. It was a beautiful sight. He turned back to look at the woman. "Safe my lady," he said assuring her.

Adrianna chuckled, "I'm a hard person to those who don't know me. You know me though." She stepped out, her feet crunched on the snow below her feet. It felt strange, but oddly satisfying to tread in virgin snow. Her eyes looked around, admiring the snow, "wow. After we're done with the northern lights, we must make it snow, so I can see it." The woman felt like a child, but she was in awe.

"Could make it snow with the northern lights," he teased. "I suspect that would be a beautiful scene. Snow is actually very pretty especially soft and freshly fallen under moonlight."

"Computer, display the northern lights," she asked, "and make it snow." Adrianna had been walking towards Leopold whilst commanding the computer but at the sight of a snow flake and green waves, dancing slowly across the sky, she froze, looking straight up. The Italian was stunned to silence, her jaw going a little slack, but the corners of her mouth hinting at joy.

"Computer, clear skies and drop Holodeck temperature to negative ten celsius," instructed Leopold. He looked at the woman and took her hand. "I'll keep you warm."

Adrianna’s brown eyes went to Leopold. She was confused. Stepping close, she put her arms round him, "Negative ten? Why?" Adrianna looked back to the sky. It was stunning. She understood why so many photographers on earth wanted to capture this and why so many people had it on their bucket lists.

"You can't go half way with this experience," he teased. "I known enough about earth to know without the climate and weather control devices, it gets severely cold in the North American continent." He chuckled. "I think the cold adds to the freeze your ass off beauty of it."

Adrianna snuggled into him, closer, "your logic is sound... I don't like it. You better keep me warm. I don't plan of dying of hypo-hippo-hypan... Freezing to death anytime soon, especially on the most romantic day of the year, and my birthday." She kissed him softly.

"Don't worry, state of the art Holodeck," he replied. "The internal sensors on newer starships monitor bio signatures in the event safeties are taken off or fail. If you start to reach concerning levels, it will trigger a medical alert and activate the EMH," he said with a smile. "I will make sure you don't get to that point."

"Gawd you're such a nerd," she groaned, teasing him, "would you like me to play the nerd next and tell you why this happens on Earth, or do you want to have a nerd-gasm all on your own?"

"By all means, tell me. I want you to make me nerd-gasm and later I'll make us both..." replied with a sneaky little smirk as he leaned in and kissed her ear.

Adrianna giggled, oh, she'd take him up on that offer later. The woman looked to his eyes and grinned before explaining, "When the solar wind from our sun gets past the magnetic field and travels towards the Earth, it runs into the atmosphere. As it tries to enter, the protons and electrons from the solar wind hit the particles in the Earth's atmosphere. This energy gets released with by using what they are best at: light. So we get these light shows near the two strongest magnetic points, magnetic North and south. I think the colours are to do with radiation levels or a chemical reaction with the air..." She tried to think," no, I think that's all I've got. That do it for you?"

Leopold chuckled and grabbed Adrianna's hand, placing her hand strategically. It was crude but effective. "What do you think?"

Adrianna blushed, "well..." She giggled a little, "I guess it did, but I can't imagine you want to do this in minus ten temperatures." She pulled at his hand, "perhaps back to the cabin?"

"Yes," he said agreeing to the arrangements. "Minus 10 would be...not very conducive to a pleasant evening, and shrinkage would be a factor. Best we get back into the cabin, maybe next to the fireplace."

Adrianna kissed him softly, leading the way, "so glad you're my valentine."

"Valentine... Birthday...Happy Birthintine's Day, sweetheart."