Posted by Ensign Thollin bav Crirv (Engineer) in Side Sim: USS Hermes - En route to Starbase 157
The apple trees stood in a small grove, with a little waterfall gurgling nearby.
“The texture was like… Sand. What was that fruit?” Thollin gestured with his hands as he tried to remember the human fruit that was wider at the bottom and narrower at the top. Ida couldn’t help but see the similarity in his own rotund figure, and smiled a grin that lit up her face.
“A pear?” she suggested.
“It is,” he said with a nod. “I will take your replicator pattern.”
“I’ll make sure to get it to you. I also have a few more apples from the last harvest. I’ll happily share them with you.”
“I would appreciate that,” he said.
“I know you would. I haven’t seen someone who appreciated our apples as much. It was the best compliment!” Thollin snorted, which she knew was a thank you. Her communicator suddenly chirped. She tapped it and her eyes lost a bit of their sparkle. “I have to report for duty in half an hour. It’s been great catching up with you.”
“I’ll still be onboard for a few more days,” Thollin reminded her.
“Yes. Please, come and visit here as often as you like. Maybe we can get together for lunch tomorrow?”
“That would be nice,” he answered with a nod. She waved and turned down the path, leaving Thollin standing by the trees. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. The Vulcan had called it a ‘healing garden,’ and Thollin did feel more at ease. He resolved to come back to relax, maybe with a good book.

The grass was cool and soft, and felt pleasant under his bare feet. Thollin looked up at the sky and closed his eyes, feeling the sunlight on his face and enjoying the sound of the birds singing. He took a deep breath of the fresh, clean air. Then he turned back toward the trees and walked slowly into the shade. On the grass next to the smooth trunk of one particular tree lay his boots and a PADD. The display was full of Tellarite characters, the collected works of Gral. He lowered himself onto the grass and leaned back against the tree. He then picked up the PADD and continued reading. The sun moved languidly through the afternoon sky and he read through several chapters. Then he heard the change in the ship’s background noise as they dropped out of warp.
=/\= Bridge to Ensign Thollin. =/\= He tapped his communicator,
“Thollin here.”
=/\= We’re approaching Starbase 157. We’ll be docking in ten minutes. =/\=
“Understood,” he snorted. “Thollin out.” He tapped the badge again and lowered the PADD into his lap. Twenty-eight days to travel to this station, but at last report there was still no word from the Athena. Perhaps he’d be able to convince the station’s operations department to let him fix their atmospheric recyclers? At least it would give him something to do to help pass the time. He pulled on his boots, then stood and stretched his arms, taking another deep breath of the fresh air. Then he took one last look around the arboretum. He was going to miss this place…
‘There’s always the holodeck,’ he mused. But deep down he knew it wouldn’t be the same. Simulated forests and replicated apples just weren’t any substitute for the real thing.

–Thollin, Eng.