Wow. What a trip.

I don't know how many of you reading this were around June 13, 1998, when some innocent newbie posted the horribly typed, badly spelled stab at an excuse of a fanfic that was poorly named HoloDeck. Back then, no one hardly knew me and HoloDeck was just a newbie's fanfic. I'm surprised I survived in waters infested with "Grenorn", "Dark and Kalin", "Interactive Stories", "Primrose's Wish", "Grenorn", "Ma G's Saga", "A Switch in Time" (back then, there *was* no trilogy), and did I mention "Grenorn"? Let's face it, newbie here should have been toast a looong time ago.

Fortunately, I seem to lack the knowledge of when to quit.

If you look above there, all of those fanfics have something in common. They all took place on Albia. Maybe part of the fan appeal was that no one had ever really took the idea of norns on Earth to the levels HoloDeck dared to reach. It had been covered briefly in "Interactive Stories", but that plot line really never played out. Maybe the humans added some odd charm that gave you a "that could be me" sense. Or maybe Blip's pulling more weight then I think. Either way, there's *something* people like about HoloDeck that I can't put my finger on.

Historically, HoloDeck's lasted the longest: 45 episodes (beating out "Bibbelon 5'"s 30 or so) running in a year, a month and three days time. So, I think I deserve a good, long ramble about what I've done here. Hunker down.

The first plot line was where everyone wound up at Disney. Back then, I was just trying to string enough events together so that they all connected and flowed smoothly. It hadn't occurred to me yet that I could always just stop and pick up, but oh well. This part of the series included the famous Tinkerbell rescue scene, where Blip dies. I was tired when I wrote that, so I could *beat* myself for the style I used. But it's still one of my favorite scenes.

For the second plot line, a lot happened. Karr grew up, Jenna became the old norn that we know today, Lydia was born and Kass was introduced. When Lydia first pushed the Deathcap mushroom was by far the most emotionally charged response I'd ever gotten (Useless trivia: Blip's death was second). This also included the "lost episode" of HoloDeck that no one ever saw, where Blip saved Lydia. I might finish that someday, watch for it.

The third was by *far* my favorite to write, but I think the fans thought different. I like fantasy stories, and I wanted to do something like that with HoloDeck. This was a real dream come true, and I was more then happy to write this one. It was one of the more morbid tales; Susan, Katherine, and the Grendel King kicked the bucket. We discovered a lot of background about the characters, like Boggles being Prince Ungle and Kass' childhood. Most of my favorite scenes come from this run, like the "Save Tonight" sequence, Katherine's death and Katherine and Blip in the cell. Also, poke around your hard drive. Bonus points for having Susan's poem saved on there.

For the fourth run, we put the norns back on Earth and onto the farm. I think this was a definite fan favorite. These stories were a colorful account of Katherine's stubborn rivalry with her twin cousin (ha!) Kayla, mixed with a big dose of norn-ness and chicken. That, and lots of barn (b-a-r-n) animals. This may be one of the funnier sequences.

Number five was where everyone got to go to school. It was a challenge trying to think of different ways that everyone could get into trouble, and I don't know how well I pulled it off. However, the part where Lydia, Ben and Boggles write about their days at school was fun, especially since I didn't have to waste time with a spell checker.

The final part, I think all of you know well. It was very, very hard for me to kill Jenna. I know it doesn't sound like a big deal, but she's actually very important to me. She's one of my favorite characters of *all time*, beating out everyone else in the series. I had to go outside and pray a little before coming in and doing it. That was *tough*.

I'd like to add at this point that, if you haven't all ready, go *right now* to http://pinky.wtower.com/mst3k/ and search for the HoloDeck MiSTing by Amanda Van Rhyn in the archive. That's about the funniest thing I've ever read, even though they incorrectly identify it as a self-insertion 'fic. It's not, really.

One last note, and this is going to sound brick stupid. If I was as smart as Katherine (something I've kicked myself over: what possessed me to make a character smarter then I am!?), and if I had the skill and resources and a little robot, I'd make the HoloDeck without a second thought. Sure, Katherine got in a scrape or several, sure the norns give her constant grief, but didn't they have some good times, too? And didn't everyone learn a nice lesson? Besides, I'd keep it turned off. After all those accidents with the HoloDeck, you really have to question Katherine's intelligence, or at least her good sense.

Now, the moment you've all been waiting for:

Credits

The HoloDeck Series, by Bean, is mine. I suppose you can say it's Copyrighted 1998. Everything that's not mine (and we'll get to that in a moment) is not mine, do not sue me.

The HoloDeck, from Star Trek, is not associated in anyway with this fiction. I just used the name, which is not mine, and do not sue me.

Norns, Grendels, Ettins, Albia, the game Creatures, and so on, is the work of Cyberlife Ltd. Note to Cyberlife: Thank you for not suing me over the Ettins.

Toby Simpson is not associated with me in any way, and does not have a relative named Jasper. Jack Zuckerman doesn't really work at Cyberlife, he's a fictitious creation of mine.

Disneyland, Tinkerbell, Goofy, Donald, Epcot, MGM, Magic Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon, Animal Kingdom, Mickey's Toon Land, Tinkerbell's Castle, and any other wonderful landmark that I mentioned and am missing is Disney's creation, not mine, no disrespect is meant to them, don't sue. (Geez, I messed with Disney. Why don't I just go tick off God, it would have the same effect...)

No disrespect is meant to any insane asylum.

"Grenorn" is by Alyssa, thefews@primenet.com

"Arlington Sketches", the song that inspired most of HoloDeck 19-28, is by Eliot Del Borgo, not me.

"Save Tonight", the song that everyone sings in the campfire sort of scene, is by Eagle Eye Cherry.

Whatever that show was that had the twin cousins was not mine, and it really didn't inspire me to write the farm scenes. Just thought I'd cover my butt.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 is not mine, again, it's from the twisted mines of Best Brains Incorporated. Keep it up, dudes.

School is good, and no disrespect to it was meant.

Banjo Kazooie, GameBoy, and anything else I'm missing is from Nintendo. Play it loud, if I can still say that and all.

Any relation these characters have to anyone, living or dead, is for the most part coincidental, with the minor exception of Blip and Toby Simpson. I admit, I got the idea for Blip from a Disney movie, and Toby's, well, Toby.

Special thanks:

To spellchecker. You would *not* believe how many times per episode it saves my butt.

To Uncle Charlie, for helping me get this computer.

To Mom and Dad, mainly for life but also for that trip to Disneyland last summer. You have no idea how much that helped.

To Cyberlife, for such a butt-kicking game.

To Disney, you know why.

To the little kids of Miss Elliott's room, for giving me something to model Lydia, Ben and Boggles off of.

To booze. It's been a plot point in more then one HoloDeck, that's for sure.

To Eliot Del Borgo, for "Arlington Sketches".

To Eagle Eye Cherry for "Save Tonight".

To L. D. Johnson who wrote the lyrics down for me to "Save Tonight" at least twice.

To Nitte. I figured she just needed a good mention.

To the geniuses up at BBI. I needed that.

To Amanda Van Rhyn, for the HoloDeck MiSTing. I *really* needed that.

To K., G., and C., who made me sit up all those nights discussing HoloDeck. (While we're on the subject, Blip does not have friendly conversations with the blender.)

To Alyssa and Pinstar.

To the fans. You people are the *greatest*.

And finally, to Katherine, Blip, Susan, both Jacks, Karr, that stray grendel, the asylum thugs, Katherine's mom, Toby Simpson, the ron norn that beat Katherine up, Jasper and his henchmen, Nitte, Ellen, Kass, Lydia, all the grendel guards, The Norn Reaper/Greaper, Poio, Sohcahtoa, Gregory, Rokoko, The Grendel King, Ben, Boggles, Kayla, Milo, Uncle Paul, Katherine's dad, Eric, Ms. Gulrie, and a *big* thanks to Jenna for putting up with me. You're the best cast I've ever had.

Now:

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