<Camp Rho - A'Thaton/Rahma Outdoor Program Stage #1: Joint Recreation & Training - Holosuite - Deck 13 - Katra Station>
Standing in a campground overlooking a stretch of ocean on one side and the summertime green forests on the other, a gathering of various denizens of Katra station were gathered together. Some people had brought or had the holosuite replicate some recreational ground craft like bicycles and hovercraft; others were dressed in their personal hiking and running gear; others still were in the standard issue Starfleet training clothes. At the head of the congregation standing on a raised blue podium was an athletic lightly tanned human woman with short dyed blue hair with matching hiking attire and a backpack expertly packed resting at her feet; next to her was a Caitian dressed in short-sleeved grey Starfleet training attire with a red stripe across his collorbone marking him a flight or command division crew with the steel-grey backpack tied to his back.
"Good morning everyone!" called out A'Thaton across the gathering.
"Welcome to our outdoor joint recreation & training program. My name is A'Thaton and beside me is my partner Rahma, we'll be your organizers for this event. Our goal here today is to allow all of you to enjoy the program we are gathered to enjoy. Rahma is an expert adventure hiker who has seen as many worlds and vistas as I have across the Federation and beyond.""More than he'd like to admit!" Rahma called out with one flat palm up next to her face to indicate she was speaking to the crowd as an aside; though, loud enough for everyone to hear. Some of the crowd chuckled at her smiling jest.
"As for myself, I am an experienced Starfleet officer who has trained many officers and crew in outdoor survival, exo-planetary overland travel, and have been hiking with Rahma across the galaxy. We each have over 30 years of experience with terrain as presented around you and worst yet." A'Thaton gestured around himself as he spoke.
"This first stage is based on the terrain of the Fundy Heritage Park on Earth; modified to allow for use of vehicles, increased challenge routes, and above all: safety, with or without the filter turned on. Dotted around this park will be live person volunteers as well as holographic assistants to guide you around the course and help you no matter where you are." He gestured with a sweep of his arm behind himself to trigger a map of the park and all its camps in the middle of the air,
"This blinking white dot is where we are: camp Rho, the main camp that links with the other base camps around the park." He then turned to address the crowd.
"Each base camp will have one of these maps that our volunteers can help you access. But, once you're away from camp the program will not pull up the map. You are expected to either use the PADDs or plastic maps while on the trails for the best immersive experience." He looked at his fellow Starfleet grey shirts with their team leaders.
"Team leaders, I will be your liaison for all the Starfleet training routes. Any orienteering or guidance you need, I will provide. I can also adjust some parameters for your exercises." Rahma spoke up,
"Everyone else here for just a bit of challenge or enjoy one of Earth's most beautiful parks, I'll be your civil liaison, we have lots of volunteers with blue arm bands who will coordinate with me if you need help with something. If you want to take on one of the difficult trails please come speak with me and I can brief you on what to expect. This may be Earth, but this place has challenged Humans and visitors alike: so please, do not underestimate the terrain! You want to have a challenge I will give it to you, but understand I'm here to help you get the best out of your visit today!"A'Thaton gestured to the gathering of wheeled and ground-effect vehicles hovering near them.
"For those using vehicles, I expect all of you to follow the signs posted, the warnings on your vehicles, as well as any directions by the road marshals. This is a shared program with people on-foot and slower moving vehicles. Enjoy yourselves but please be safe!"A'Thaton looked over at Rahma and leaned over to her,
"I think that's everything?""The next stage?" She said with a raised eyebrow and a grin.
The Caitain clapped his paws together and nodded,
"Right! So this is the first stage we'll be doing for the next twenty-four hours. A full day/night Earth cycle. This stage is the easiest of them all. Next week will be stage two where we'll be going on much more difficult and challenging terrain on Vulcan. Stage three is based on the Starfleet Academy survival training course, with some unique twists thrown in based on Rahma's and my own experiences in our adventures. I suggest those of you who are new to this type of program: feel out if this is something you enjoy and can safely do. Later stages will involve very challenging atmospheres and much more unforgiving terrain. If you feel upto stage two by the end of today, come see me or Rahma for sign-ups. If you want to sign up for stage three on week three, you will need a note from a medical professional as well as a consult with either myself or Rahma to make sure you are upto the challenge. Alright, that's it for us, get out there and push yourselves...""...but don't hurt yourselves!" Rahma finished as she waved with A'Thaton to the crowd: some people clapping, others staring blankly at the strange ritual the couple had for starting a program.
<Camp Rho - Fundy Heritage Park - Earth>After stepping off the podium, A'Thaton and Rahma quickly got to talking with their respective groups. The two of them had ran the program for years on the Yeager and at various starports across the Federation and always enjoyed putting the event on. At first it was just a little program for the two of them to enjoy when they couldn't get planetside, but over the years the program evolved into a larger event that drew curious civil hikers as well as some Starfleet training instructors. Each time there were those who had played the program before but never had the hosts themselves in-person to organize it; there were those curious to see what all the fuss was about; and there were those who kept wondering when the murder mystery was going to happen. In the first, A'Thaton and Rahma were happy to share new updates, some tricks and techniques to getting through the program or learn about modifications other people had done; for the second, they worked through what Earth was, what the park was like, what activities were available, and assured that anyone of any skill level was welcome in the first stage; the last group had to be told, repeatedly, that there was no big scary wizard on the horizon, no murders, no strange beasties: it was just a recreational outdoor simulation that was also used for training purposes.
Eventually the questions stopped and the crowd of people began to fan out across the holographic forest and hills: seeking waterfalls, beachfronts, and some racing to the nearest high difficulty routes. A'Thaton and Rahma smiled at each other after giving each other a brief hug.
"I think you rushed the bit." "I didn't, I was making up for you going to slow!" "Oh? I was slow was I?" they teased each other about their opening performance for the crowd: a bit they ended up doing every time they opened the event. Even with the holographic versions of themselves, the program was designed to run through the orientation bit unless the user specifically asked to skip it: at which point holo-A'Thaton and holo-Rahma teased the user for not wanting advice (just to make sure they meant to skip the orientation.) But at last, it was just the pair of them looking over the last few people who were still hanging about Camp Rho: some just doing last minute preparations before going out into the trails; others who had just been waiting for the crowd to thin out before approaching the pair.
