The Cerritos answers the call

“It’ll be great to get away to visit Risa again,” Captain Freeman said as she eased into her Captain’s seat. She set down a PADD that was just handed to her, turning it off.

“I can’t wait to work on my triceps, did you know this is the first time they are holding the Surfing Triathlon in twenty years after nearly all the participants of that year almost drowned,” Ransom said from his chair.

“There's only one thing I’m going to do,” Dr T’ana purred as she smirked at Shaxs who only grinned back and gave a sort of cat pawing gesture.

“Don’t forget that we first have to deliver the dilithium crystals and attend the symposium on the new bridge officer management protocols.” Captain Freeman reminded them. The bridge groaned.

“Ugh, they’re making us go through another one?! Wasn’t the last inspector enough?” Ransom complained.

“Buenamigo caused an inquiry and a change in protocol, they found that he broke procedure and that there were a few Romulan Infiltrators among his staff.”

“More of them? Wasn’t there just that Vice Admiral who was found to be a Romulan and a cult leader?” Shaxs asked while gripping his station tightly.

“I believe so, good thing they caught her before she could blow up the Utopia Planitia shipyards.” Bridge crew nodded in agreement and the bridge soon returned to a comfortable quiet.

*chime* “Umm Captain? We are receiving what looks like a distress call but I don’t recognize the signature and they appear to be having a strange engine emission,” Ensign Barnes reported as she reviewed the information output.

“On screen.” On the viewscreen, the bridge crew of the Cerritos saw a green skinned female of an unknown species. She had two long tentacle-like growths on the top back of her head and she had some ring shaped patches of lighter green, here and there. The female had leaned back in surprise as soon as the viewscreen turned on as if she did not expect it to.

“Greetings, I am Captain Freeman of the Federation Starship Cerritos, we heard your distress call, how may we assist,” Freeman asked as she stood up and walked towards the viewscreen with her arms behind her back. The green woman raised what would have been an eyebrow but soon formed a response.

“I’m just going to cut to the chase,” the woman replied while reaching out and clicking was heard. “I’m Captain Hera Syndulla of the Winged Heart, our problem is that the owner of the ship took his family, servants, and much of the crew into the holodeck and now they’re trapped inside with a malfunction.”

“Have your engineers been able to find the problem?” Freeman inquired tentatively.

“The people who know the systems best are stuck inside the Holodeck,” Hera replied before clarifying. “The remaining engineers haven’t been able to find the problem though they suspect a virus or sabotage from the previous owner’s ex-wife. Long story.”

“Well, okay then, I think we’ll be able to send over a team to assist, though may I ask why exactly it constitutes an emergency?” Freeman asked as a simple holodeck malfunction usually didn’t mean a big enough emergency to warrant a distress call.

“The owner told me to say that it's a ‘enemy jumble’ type of malfunction with the safeties malfunctioning,” Hera explained, causing Freeman and some of the bridge crew to nod in understanding. Having swarms of holographic enemies attacking with no safety net was no joke. “There are also two pregnant women inside though I feel I should mention that the engineer reported that they are being ignored by the hostile holograms who focused on James.”

“Okay thank you for the information, we will be there soon.” Freeman said before gesturing for Barnes to cut the feed. “Plot a course.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Ransom shook his head, “Yikes, I can’t even imagine the terror those ladies must be going through.”

“I wonder what kind of enemies they are having to fight off if they are ignoring the pregnant women,” Shaxs said out loud.

“Let’s get there before they are no longer ignored.” Freeman said grimly.

“Another smoothie Miss Gardner?” Asked a black and white man in a 1920s style suit and hat as he held out a tray with a tall cup of mango smoothie with bits of blueberry. Aelita took the offered smoothie and smiled at the man. Aelita took a sip and sighed happily at both the taste of the smoothie and the ministrations of the Vulcan girl kneeling behind her and braiding her hair.

“Thank you Al,” Aelita said, causing the holographic Al Capone to tip his hat before going back to pointing his Tommy gun at the door. Aelita was in a room full of cushions, scented candles, and a smoothie bar. A Vulcan girl was calmly playing a harp in a corner.

“This mulape fruit is perfectly tart,” Starfire said as she threw another of the fruits in her mouth while two other Vulcan girls worked on combing and braiding her long red hair. The happy scene was interrupted by the room’s door opening and a snarling xenomorph-clown hybrid tried to claw its way inside only for it to pause and back away only to get shot by Al Capone.

“And stay out you dirty animal.” Al Capone kicked the carcass out of the room and looked around before closing the door.

“I thought that one was supposed to be mine, partner,” asked a cowboy who twirled around his revolvers.

“I have the fastest gun in the east ‘partnar’,” Al Capone mocked. While the gangster and cowboy glared at each other, Katara and Kate got back to their conversation.

“Do you think James and the others are alright out there?” Kate asked while brushing the skirt edge of her maid outfit. Katara was waterbending a pool of spilled juice and soda from when the holo ship shook a bit ago. Several of the blue outfit-wearing Vulcan girls were waving tricorders over Katara and the waterbended water.

“Do not worry, once our mate helps the others with their Pon-Farr, they will return to their regular selves and will assist them in managing the current disaster,” a tiara wearing Vulcan assured her. The Vulcan girl looked a bit flushed and had her uniform only partially buttoned and put on. The tiara was very lopsided and had a little bit of a white substance on it.

Aelita paused in the middle of taking a drink and gained a slightly concerned look. “There are a lot of Vulcan girls out there.”

“And the Bajoran pilgrims, Klingon opera singers, and Betazed noble women,” the girl playing a harp reminded her, not missing a step in her song. “Not to mention the various anomalies and creatures running around.” Noticing the panic growing on Aelita’s face, Starfire decided to interject.

“Do not worry my higbork pink wife,” Starfire said as she reached over and patted Aelita’s free arm. “This is not James’ worst holodeck malfunction. He has faced and easily survived worse problems without a scratch except those he wanted to receive.” Starfire’s smile turned sly near the end of the statement while Aelita’s face broke into a roll of her eyes.

“You should have seen the scratches I left on him when he gave me this,” Aelita said as she rubbed her stomach. Starfire and Aelita share a laugh while some of the Vulcan girls whisper to each other.

“They appear to be under the assumption that this is a holodeck malfunction.”

“Fascinating.”