"That could be," Beverly admits slowly. "What I think is that the environment is the simulation. Even here in this second version, there's a lot about it that can't be easily explained. I don't think the people are simulations. We'd have noticed a lot of inconsistencies and malfunctions a long time ago if that were the case."

A lot of that is just reassurance for both of them. Beverly knows full well that she can't confirm the clone or hologram theory without her Starfleet technology, but even if she had that, the sad fact of the matter is that those could be holograms, too, programmed to display what the Observers wanted them to. So, until proven otherwise, she will just continue to assume that the environment around them is the only simulation.