Trask plays the dating game

Kari looked up at my with a raised eyebrow, "What do you propose?"

I smiled, "Well, I think in order to test the holo program I need a control subject." I pointed at Kari. She nodded as I continued on, "I propose I do a blind test to see if I can tell the difference between you and your hologram. If I can't, I'll let you have one of me."

Kari took a moment to respond, then asked, "And if you pick me?"

"I keep your hologram at no charge."

Kari paced the floor, her face was tense in thought. She looked at her construct, possibly debating whether or not she did a good enough job on it, then at me, maybe wondering how I would test the two. Finally she came to her decision. She prides herself in her work, being very hands on and controlling in what she does. This situation must have been very uncomfortable for her.

"Alright," she said, "You're on."

I smiled. "Great! Computer!" The blip of the computer registering my voice command cam up, "I will leave the holodeck and then return. When I do, I want Ensign Kari and Hologram Kari to be marked separately with an identifier."

The computer blipped again, "Acknowledged."

I left the room, turned around and went back in. The holodeck was still the black room with orange grid pattern. Standing in the center were the two Karis. The one on my left had a projected number '1' hovering over her head, the one on my right was '2'. They both looked at each other, then to me. "Now what?" both asked simultaneously.

"Now I simply ask you some questions," I replied. I turned to the first Kari, "Number one; when did we first meet?"

Kari 1 smiled, "Crew orientation, Earth Space Dock, you came directly from the academy, I was reembarking after a week of shore leave to visit family. I remember you were so green, weighed down with carry on bags that you couldn't sit down without something spilling over."

I chuckled and nodded, then looked to Kari 2, "Now, when was the first time you saw me naked?"

I was hoping the blunt change of questioning would solicit a reaction, but Kari 2 remained straight faced when she responded, "Ami's birthday party. It was the first time for a lot of things that night..." she did make an impish grin at that remark. I grinned to.

Kari 1 interjected, "Unless you count the holo recordings...."

"Holo recordings?"

Kari 2 looked a little flustered, "Well, yeah... Ensign LaSalle showed us a small clip of you before we agreed to let you in on the party..."

I knew she had a camera installed in my room!

I waited until I felt my cheeks cool down again before I looked to Kari 1, "You were eager to offer up that information. Was that a ploy to convince me you're the real Kari because you knew something the other one didn't?"

"I knew, I just didn't recall at the time..." offered Kari 2.

"That is a completely human thing to do." I stated in my best attempt at a Vulcan impression.

Kari 1 snorted derisively. I turned to her. She smirked and said, "We can go around this all day, but my mind has been scanned and embedded into the hologram program. Any response you get out of her would be the same response I would give. So, are you going to take your pick or just give up and let me have one of you?"

I felt like I could figure out which was which with a little more testing, but I also had my suspicions already.