Christmas Adventure: Back to "Vaughan Mills Mall." PT I

Posted on Tue Dec 7th, 2021 @ 8:39pm by Lieutenant Commander Brandon Pratt

1,888 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Christmas Vacation
Location: Holodeck, Christmas Shopping
Timeline: Christmas Vacation

[ON]

USS Myogi, Holodeck
Christmas Vacation
Holodeck Program: Christmas Adventure: Back to "Vaughan Mills Mall."

Deep into a Christmas Adventure: Back to "Vaughan Mills Mall." the 'authentic' Christmas experience from Earth 2008 as Pratt had come to understand it. Program of Earth excessive culture in the 20th century. Centered a period around shopping in a large suburban mall in the year of our lord 2008. The year the Holodeck Christmas Adventure program. Also, subtitled "Shop Till You Drop!"

Having had the chance to get suited up, wearing a coat and pants, Brandon had checked his silver wristwatch. He wore his classic grey cotton-sleeved sweatshirt and khaki shorts in the winter. Just cause it helped regulate his internal temperature, as he always felt too warm—a snug scarf and flashy sunglasses. The truth was, Pratt didn't know many people, so it's not as if he thought he had to do a lot. It was just the chance to experience some new RPG Older Holiday Holodeck program for the fun of it.

The Christmas shopping program set Pratt in the Holodeck in 2008, the 22nd. The subdivided houses are each plugged into a hydroelectric, nuclear energy grid and coal spewing energy to energize the beautiful lights adorning each home in the winding streets.

Brandon, of course, was there for the fun vehicles, the food, the touted shopping of unique gifts the Program accredited. He hopefully could find some things for his Friends and Family both off the ship. Brandon also thought to himself, maybe something a bit special for Victoria. Pratt had come to know Aries well enough and enjoyed what they had. Whatever it was had started between Aries and kept it to themselves.

In his 2008 Toyota combustion engine SUV Sequoia model, Brandon had exited onto the street. He felt like a hulk, which had exhilarated Brandon. He broadly grinned. This was an actual Engineers vehicle! Pratt was already enjoying the Program.

Attending to the operations of the motor vehicle, he clicked on the signals as egressed out of his executive Airport Hill gated community home. The double garage, two baths, three bedrooms with a master bedroom ensuite. A large pool in the backyard, but it could not be used as it was December, and it was in the upper Toronto climate.

Brandon even had a family, a generic wife for the sociological and AI program derivatives had compiled each Family Member's heuristics forming the Holodeck programs interaction between "a Family" and Brandon Pratt, the program "participant."

It was exciting to participate since Brandon had enjoyed this period in Earth's history. The combustion engine had many prolific models, shapes, interests, and capabilities. From an engineer's standpoint, Pratt loved to drive them.

Brandon displayed curious artifacts in his pant slacks. Something which would be akin to a crude bartering series of cards, paper monetary transactional notes, and a double set of car and house keys on a ring set to his combustion model mode of transportation, on a simple set of serries of interlinked pathways known as the Highway.

Last Christmas by Wham had played in his vehicle speakers. It was such a fantastic classical Christmas carol, did they call it?

Having traveled down the roadway, he followed the flowing traffic. "My Lord, this is incredible. I don't understand how you get to a place and then get. Yes-" Pratt paused as he flagged his waving hand as he changed lanes in the slow collector's lanes of the express. "Yes, No. No, my turn." He revved the V8 into Park as he paused the other chars to be intimidated.

Darkness was on the horizon as condos lit afire with cold pink skies in the background. Slowly and slowly, the bright headlights of the oncoming traffic lanes to the left blinded him.

"Jesus Christmas!" Brandon watched the traffic from the rear mirror, eyeing side to side, matching speeds, and remembering how to try and pilot a vehicle. "Turn on left drive, sir Carrington drive, on to Bellview. Stay on the right-"The Female Voiced Auto-Pilot led Pratt to the shopping to look at gifts. This already was exhausting! "Oh my god, this is insane!" Pratt finally had made it off the express and into the large parking lots situated around the large mass of box stores, department chains, odd names, foods, movies, entertainment, and even a chance to have a photo with Santa!

"No way!!" Brandon had wondered. "I'll bring my holographic family with me? "It won't look that weird!" Brandon had chewed on his bubble gum as he tried to quit for Victoria.

Just then, there was an open car spot in the sizeable honeycombed vehicle-lined lot, a rare thing this time of the year. Pratt had known the points he could score by winning that spot. "Auto Pilot PARK!" Pratt had commanded in his driver's seat, looking at the steering wheel, the dashboard of the Toyota Sequoia not doing anything. "No. No. Not yours-"Pratt watched as a lady had gently driven up to the stall, as he then decided to take his claim, the Sequoia cutting off the Lady in the 2007 Hyundai Elantra Sedan, silver on silver 'Lady Driven,' it would have read.

"Mine!" Brandon let the V8 Engine roar in the park as he revved her, as the Hyundai Sonata had backed off. The lady in the blond hair was looking …

"What!? What was that look." Brandon pops his bubble gum as he repositions the oversized, overpowered SUV into the stalls of the place of gifts and fun. "Shop till You Drop!"

Pratt narrowed his eyes, reading the slogan on the outer sides of the parking garage walls. "Why would you want to drop? Then you couldn't shop!? That doesn't make any sense whatsoever?" Pratt, confused, remembered that the things in his wallet would be vital to getting his gifts for friends and family. There were a few items, but more to enjoy the Holodeck Cheer as Fun.

Pratt looked in the combustion vehicle before securing his location and logged In on a paper pad his mileage. He got out and Zippered his hoodie upward. It was chilly. With his breath, he could see the coldness of the seasonal air.

Walking through, Brandon had noticed the metal brass and glass entranceway from the car garages into doors. A warm, pleasantly sounding mall interior full of people. Lots of people, it had seemed. They were doing things as well. They were… "It's capitalism! That's what it is called. Of course." Brandon clasped his hands together, recalling his Federation History Lectures of the Intense Period of Capitalisation and Expansion. Brandon's eyes searched the people and devices as he slowly entered the main entrance and noticed the mall map. "The schematics of this. Wow. That is a lot of space for things. I can't imagine what they do when they get tired of all of this… Stuff?" He asked nobody in particular.

"I need to find something interesting."

"What are you looking for?" One merchant had asked. Her gold name plated, plaque on her seemed like it was a communicator. How crude it was that the device had its name plastered on them. 'I'm Morgan. What can I help you find? I work down at the Orange Julius in the food court. "You look like you not from around here, you lost or something?" The mid 20s food court worker from Orange Julius noticed that the Program's interactive nature applied.

"Hello, Morgan." Pratt had turned, bemused that there would be a proprietor so soon, so quick. There were a lot of workers and people in the mall. You could tell the balance in the society and the lack of inequality of humanity as a whole. "I'm here to find some Holiday gifts for some friends and family. I just successfully parked my combustion vehicle."

"Well. This Month we are selling gift cards." Morgan ran her hand through her cell phone as if she wasn't there paying attention. "They are rechargeable, and you can also get two free large coupons for Orange Julius Original Vanilla and Orange Juice blend to treat," Morgan stressed in ritual.

Pratt was so confused. What did that mean? Was that a command, or was it an advertisement?
He took a moment, pausing. He swallowed and nodded. "I will take that under advisement. Thank you to your Orange Julius, though."

Wandering through the halls, he has seen Santa and took a picture with his virtual family. They had been replicated at the mall to be with Brandon. At the Santa Pavillion in the center court of the Malls Levels and a large Tree in the middle. "That tree. That is so fake. How can they pass that off as a real tree?"

Enter now with your JCP Penny Rewards Card, and then I can give you Sir, Today. Another 15% off of your purchase. Signing up with JCP Rewards is associated with his total sales that visit. Holding his bunch of bags of things and thoughtfulness, he had taken into account.

"No, thank you…." He eyed the Cashier up and downward. "Why do you need to know my data for a 15% off reward. What's the kickback? That doesn't seem right. And what will you do with this all?! Nonsense, You can take that plastic dystopian card reader and stuff it. "I will be using a Debt Card."

Brandon's stomach had begun to growl. He had needed to eat, and the food court was back a few halls and then into a central court full of trees and vendors of food that was suspect. Though, Pratt's stomach had growled.

"And will you be insuring your jewelry purchase?" Asked the Customer Associate in the Men's Department.

"I don't see the relevance. If it breaks, I can... Honestly, make it better." Brandon scoffed and grunted cockily. He looked at his wristwatch. His silver wristwatch told him his shopping experience had already taken up 3 hours.

"I understand."

"Now you insert the card portion with the chip portion and enter your banking code, and information on all Program related purchases will be deducted from current market federation credit sources.

"Oh, ok. That took a while. I can barely read this LCD crystal diode screen. What is it the Middle Ages?" The Chief engineer was learning the credit and usage system of the secured financial system.

He was shuffling out through the mall with many things in bags from different stores, scents, and some things that were great and cool. Pratt was wearing his newly purchased time period NHL Hockey Cap from the Maple Leafs. Brandon was sitting, surrounded by gift bags, at the cafeteria table. He was dressed in his hoodie and relaxing shopping pair of cotton joggers.

His pretend AI Wife had gone off doing her shopping, and so did the kids. Too bad Brandon was only in the AI program for as long as he was to shop and use its merchant technology on the Holodeck. He had likened the holodeck market of goods much more interactive and fast to be sent to other repo terminals at replicators on Earth, etc., for his Parents Gifts and other things.

Pratt sniffed the Cinnabon's fresh baked smells as well as the Mrs fields. "Kick It to the AI. I am going to go get me some Food!"

[OFF]

Lieutenant Brandon Pratt
Chief Engineer
USS Myogi

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