RP Log: Line Officer Training II: Tilar's Crucible
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| 2026-03-27 16:51 | |
[Hauser's Commbadge] Tilar says, "This is Doctor Tilar."
"I hope so," Hauser says brightly. "Are you very busy?"
[Hauser's Commbadge] Tilar says, "Not right now. Medical has been cleaned up nicely."
You say, "Great! Why don't you join me in Holosuite 2."
[Hauser's Commbadge] Tilar says, "More attempts to dissuade me from my certification?"
Hauser chuckles. "See you soon," she says. "Out."
Lieutenant (jg) Tilar arrives from Holosuites.
Hauser is leaning against the holodeck replica of Phoenix's science station. There is a small smile on her face.
Tilar steps into the holosuite in relatively short order she wasn't too far. She lifts an eyebrow curiously at Hauser as she looks around, recognizing the scenario before refocusing her attention on the other woman. "You're enjoying tormenting me entirely too much," she notes with a small grin of her own.
"I leave that to our Ferengi guests, our Betazoid criminals, and other rifraff taking up oxygen aboard,," Hauser says with a grin. "Don't repeat that. So, I have a video log of your scenario cued up so you can review it and take over at the point you left off. Unless you remember it well enough?"
Tilar gives a snort of amusement at the 'don't repeat that' part. "A recap would probably help," she says with a grin. "It's been a little while since we've had a chance to get back to this. I don't want to miss anything."
Hauser nods. "Very understandable." She taps a control, and a video display starts to run on the main viewscreen. It shows you in the captain's chair and plays the scene through right up to the moment Hauser reenters the scene to interrupt it. Then it goes quiet. After it stops, Hauser asks, "Ready?" She points to the captain's chair.
Tilar watches attentively, eyes shifting from herself to the officers at their stations as she resets her mind in the scenario. When it finishes, she gives a slow nod of her head. "I think so, yes," she agrees before stepping to the Captain's chair and settling herself down again, turning her attention to the Vulcan who suggested there may be more to this situation.
"Computer, resume," Hauser orders. The bridge shimmers, officers animate, controls light up, and Hauser herself is masked by the program so that she's not visible to you. Hauser has apparently given you the last few seconds as a run-in, because the Vulcan at tactical says again, "Captain, we are unable to scan the interior of the vessel. Sensors cannot establish reliable readings through the radiation interference if that is what it is."
"Do you have reason to believe that there's something else going on?" Tilar asks, repeating her own query to continue that trail of thought.
"I do not," the Vulcan says. "Antimatter radiation creates unpredictable sensor interference. But it is not impossible that this is a trap set by the Ferengi for their own purposes." "You just don't like Ferengi," the Denobulan at science teases the Vulcan."
"That doesn't mean he's wrong," Tilar points out to the Denobulan with a small smile. "We lose nothing by being cautious. We've already reinforced the shields to help with mitigating radiation." Her eyes lift back up to the Vulcan officer and she gives him a slight nod. "Let's go to yellow alert, and keep an eye on it. If nothing comes of it, we're still prepared."
The Vulcan touches a section of his screen, and the ship goes to yellow alert. The computer says, "Yellow alert! All decks, set condition yellow!"
Tilar nods as the alert is activated and looks back to the helm. "What's our ETA now?"
"4 minutes, Captain," helm replies.
"When we get there, put us close enough to shuttle people back and forth if transporters won't work, but try not to get so close that we'd get caught in the blast if things go badly," she instructs. Tilar's eyes flick up to Ops. "Notify teams of our ETA. They should be ready to go when we drop out of warp."
Officers acknowledge the orders. The Angellite at ops asks, "You want me to try and raise the Ferengi ship on Coms, Captain?"
"Yes," Tilar says. "Inform them of our ETA and that we have teams available to help evacuate and potentially repair. Repair is dependent on how much time we have, though."
"No response from the Ferengi ship," the ops officer says after a moment. "Their broadcast continues on automatic."
Tilar nods her acknowledgement. "Which means their comms are not working, they can't reach them, or this is a trap." A glance given up to the Vulcan at the last potential conclusion. "Any final suggestions or thoughts before we arrive?"
No one answers you, as people focus on their stations. "Dropping out of warp," helm reports. Helpfully, or perhaps not, the ops officer puts the Ferengi ship on screen. It appears to be a large, crab-shaped vessel of the sort that would be a capital ship in someone else's navy. Display markers show the locations of weapons ports, many, and cargo holds, many, and other key systems based on what Starfleet knows about this class of ship.
"Scans?" Tilar asks, looking around the bridge between a few of the stations. "Life signs, engine status, so on... things that we couldn't get on long range. Mobilize rescue and repair teams prepare for launch. Ops, try to hail them again."
The Vulcan, the Denobulan, and the Angelite work together for about 60 seconds. Shuttlebay reports in that runabouts are unclamped and standing by for launch orders. "Lifesign count is indeterminate, Captain. The ship shows damage to propulsion, life support," the Denobulan turns to your engineer who adds, "A fair amount of internal damage consistent with some kind of explosion. No dammage to the hull or the weapons or the other external parts of the ship."
Tilar frowns slightly. "Odd. Do you think your teams could stabilize it before critical failure?" While waiting for a response, she gives a look over to Ops. "Security teams first to sweep. The rest of the rescue teams will follow. Hold for now."
"Maybe," the engineer says, frowning and twisting a lock of her hair around her finger. "Antimatter radiation is very carrosive. It can dissolve biomatter and it can break down equipment if it's exposed long enough. Anyone who goes over there needs to suit up." The Vulcan turns to you. "You wish security teams to board the vessel first, Captain. They will need to exchange places with medical teams now aboard the runabouts. Estimated time 3.1 minutes, if you confirm the order."
"Do it," Tilar says with a nod to the Vulcan. "We have no idea what's going on in there, and I'm not going to send my medics in without ensuring there's nothing else going on." Then she points over to the engineer. "Suit up. Go in with medical if you can, behind them if you can't. If there's too much risk or you don't think you can pull it off, pivot to evac."
The Vulcan nods and leaves the bridge after turning his station over to his first-year ensign, an Andorian. The engineer also leaves the bridge after summoning a replacement. About 3, ok maybe 3.1 minutes later, the Angelite at ops informs you, "Runabouts Mississippi, Danube, and Nile report swapping out medical for security teams in hazzard suits. They have cleared the Phoenix, Captain. 60 seconds to docking with the Ferengi vessel."
"Keep comms open with team leads," Tilar tells the Angelite with a nod. "I want to know what's happening over there. One way for now I don't want to interrupt them with bridge chatter. Monitor for any changes on the Ferengi vessel."
The ops officer acknowledges. "Runabouts beginning landing sequence, raising the security cheif." He touches his screen and frowns. "Captain, I can't raise the chief or the other team leads. We don't have uplink status with the runabouts now that they're aboard the Ferengi vessel."
"Cause?" Tilar asks. "Are they being actively jammed, or is the radiation interfering?"
"I ... don't know," the ops officer says. The young engineer appears to check from her own station. "It could be the radiation, Ma'am. I mean, I won't say jamming's impossible, because it would look something like this, but antimatter radiation would play hell with even short-range comm signals."
Tilar nods slowly as she processes that information. "Give the security team 5 minutes to clear the immediate area, then send the first wave of medical in. Have at least one armed officer available, and let them know that comms are out. Find some way to establish contact with us, but if they don't feel that they're able to successfully repair or evacuate the crew, bring everyone back home." She looks between ops and engineering. "Are you able to cut through whatever interference is in play?"
"Negative," the engineer says. "I can't get through the interference." The ops officer nods. "Confirmed." Time ticks slowly by. The Andorian's antennae swivel towards you. "Our last two runabouts are ready to launch with medical and security personnel aboard," she says. No contact from the teams aboard."
"That's okay. For now," Tilar says to the Andorian. "They know now that we're out of contact, and they have their orders. Now we have to wait for them to do their jobs while we do ours." Her fingertips tap slightly against the side of her chair, thoughtful. "Keep an eye on the status of the engine to see if it shows any sign of repair. Continue trying to open comms with the Ferengi vessel. Watch the area for any signs of ambush."
The remaining two runabouts launch, progress to the Ferengi vessel, and contact is lost as it was with your first 3 runabouts. Your XO arrives on the bridge. Where he was, who knows. Maybe Hauser forgot to make you one, or he was taking a leak. He's a grumpy Tellarite, not unlike Crass. "We don't have any damned runabouts and we've got over 20 people over there," he grouses, arriving beside you at his station.
"Yep, sure do," Tilar says, eyes shifting sideways over towards the Tellarite. "The runabouts are with those people. If they need to get out fast, they can. Do you have something useful to add?"
The Telarite snorts, wrinkling his snout. "It's a lot of eggs in one basket. I hope nobody drops it." He settles into his station, hoof-like hands actuating his own displays. "Silence gets on my damned nerves," he grumbles after a little more of it passes by.
"It is," Tilar agrees with a nod. "But we have safeties in place for them, and they know what they're doing." Her eyes shift over to engineering. "Any signs of repair yet?"
"Captain," the Andorian's antennae stiffen up. "One of the runabouts is leaving the Ferengi vessel. On screen, Ma'am." The screen shows a runabout tearing off from the Ferengi vessel on an eratic course that's heading more or less the right way.
"Who's on that runabout?" Tilar asks, looking over to the Andorian. "Tractor them if it looks like they need it."
"They are out of tractor range," the Andorian says. The comms pannel erupts into life at that moment, and the face of your most junior nurse appears. Just weeks out of the academy. She is the only one in the cockpit, and she appears to be speaking through pannic. "Captain, get outa here. It's a trap, security chief dead. It's," But she doesn't get to finish her report. A ball of orange white light detaches from the Ferengi vessel, a torpedo that impacs the runabout, blasting it to atoms. Your Telarite XO pounds his furry fist on his console. "Who in the hells!" But as he speaks, your ops officer is simultaneously reporting, not that you need it, that the Ferengi vessel has destroyed your runabout.
"Red alert," Tilar says, voice raising in volume, but not panic. "Try to get a transporter lock on our people. Tell them to get out of there using whatever means they have at their disposal. Take out their weapons. If they look like they're going to run, take out their engines."
The Telarite pounds the alert toggle, and the bridge goes to red alert. Several events happen so close together that it might as well be all at once. You hear your Andorian tactical officer report, "Captain, the Ferengi vessel has raised its shields." As you receive that report, space around you begins to ripple with the signature visual tell of cloak dissipation effects. "Captain," ops reports, "ships decloaking to port and starboard. They're ... Cardassian, sir." But even as the last word leaves the Angellite's mouth, the three Cardassian heavy cruisers are moving into a triangle formation to surround the Phoenix, and each one is simultaneously launching torpedoes at the Phoenix at point-blank range.
"Cardassian?" Tilar blinks in confusion and surprise. "Brace for impact. Evasive maneuvers. Keep trying to get a lock on our people, but prepare to run. Try to hail the Cardassians, though I don't expect them to answer."
Phoenix is hit from three directions at once, just as the Cardassian ships anticipated, though she is able to evade one or two of the torpedoes as the helm kics the ship down and away in an evasive corkscrew spiral. "I didn't think the Cardassians had cloaks!" Your engineer calls out. "They do now," your Telarite snarls. "Damage to primary deflector array, hull breach on decks 7 and 8." Your tactical officer answers your order about transporter locks. "Captain, we won't be able to beam our people out while we have our shields up or while that Ferengi ship has its shields up, which, it does."
"Target Ferengi shields. Get a lock on our people. Get those shields down using whatever we have," Tilar says. "I want to at least TRY to get our people out of there. Keep hailing the Cardassians. Irritate them until they answer me. We'll deal with our shields later, if it becomes an option on the table. Put the Ferengi vessel between us and the Cardassiansthey probably don't want to hit their own trap."
"You hope," the Telarite snarls. He's working over his station though, doing his job. The Phoenix swings around the Ferengi vessel as ordered. Two Cardassian vessels move with you, flanking you, bracketing you with sustained torpedo and phaser fire as you move. "Heavy damage to propulsion," your engineer reports. Meanwhile, Phoenix's weapons go to work on the Ferengi's shields, but it will take time, and it's not helped by the fact that the Ferengi ship isn't just going to sit there and take it. It also starts shooting, and while its weapons aren't as formidable as a trio of Cardassian capital ships, they're not toothless. The Telarite looks at you. "They're not trying to destroy us," he barks. "They're trying to cripple us."
"Reinforce shields around propulsion and plot a course away from here. We might have to run," Tilar says, looking over towards her Tellarite XO. "The Phoenix is a solid vessel. I'm not surprised they're trying to take it. Suggestions?"
The next strike cripples a good portion of Phoenix's weapons array. "If we reinforce the shields around propulsion, we will leave other systems vulnerable," the Telarite says. "We have lost long-range sensors, short-range is degraded. But we still have communications." Your ops officer cuts in. "Captain, the Cardassians are responding to hails. On screen?"
"And if we lose engines, they will take the ship," Tilar tells her XO. "I don't like either option." She looks over to the ops officer and nods. "Yes, on-screen."
"Reinforcing shield geometry around propulsion," the Telarite says, acknowledging your order. The ship heaves as weapons fire chews through weaker shields in other sections, damage rports flood in faster, and your ops officer's console explodes, sending the now dying Angellite to the deck. He did not have time to open the channel.
"Get him to sickbay," Tilar orders, pointing to the officer on deck and moving her fingers over her chair console to activate the viewscreen herself. "Do we have a course out of here? Finger over the button."
"We do, but we've lost most of our deflector. So forget slipstream. Warp drive is degrading. I could make warp 4," helm reports. The screen comes to life. As it does, weapons fire slackens. Not completely, but ratcheting down to the level of a bee sting meant to keep things as they are. On screen, a rather handsome-looking Cardassian officer sits in the command chair. He speaks in an urbane, cultured voice that suggests years of command authority and generally getting what he wants. "Captain Tilar. That is a fine ship you have. I would hate to see any more misfortunes befall her today." So far, he has not identified himself.
Tilar's eyes focus on the screen in front of her, and she places a smile on her face. "It is rather beautiful, isn't it? I would offer you a tour, but it needs a bit of cleanup first," she says, tone overly pleasant for the situation. "Care to identify yourself and explain why you're ruining my carpets?"
The Cardassian smiles, tilting his head in a slight gesture of appreciation at your reply. "Of course. I would not have you think me uncivil. I am Legate Talek, commander of the Cardassian 7th order. "I would be delighted to talk with you and explain the whole situation. But first, lower your shields and prepare for my arrival. Otherwise," and he lets the sentence remain incomplete. Your XO uses his console to send a message to you. 'Buy time. Get him to give us time.'
Tilar's eyes flick to the console briefly, fingertips tapping on one side in silent response as her gaze returns to the viewscreen. "Legate Talek. A pleasure. We've sustained some damage to our systems, unfortunately, so it's going to take us a bit of time to make everything presentable for you." She pushes herself up onto her feet, hands clasping loosely behind her as she steps forward and further onto the screen. "While my personnel are handling a bit of cleanup, perhaps you would do me the honor of giving me a bit more background on this situation so that I know how to receive you."
"A bit transparent, Captain," Talek says. "You will lower your shields and prepare to be boarded. I would prefer your cooperation, but I can proceed without it, and possibly, though it would pain me to do so, without your lovely self. I give you, because I am a patient man, 2 minutes, for you to decide."
Tilar moves to spread her hands before her in a 'you got me' sort of gesture. "Would you have appreciated me if I didn't try?" she asks with a small smile. "It would certainly help to know what the problem is, though, so that there's no futher conflict between us. We were responding to a call for aid, and responded with personnel equipped to handle that situation. You don't seem to require any aid yourself. If you do, we'd be happy to provide it. I happen to be a trained physician if you have people in need of medical care."
The Cardassian on the screen doesn't respond, and the teltail on your chair arm shows that he muted the channel after he finished speaking. He is still visually present, watching with interest tainted by a faint trace of cultured boredom. Your XO confirms the mute and barks. "We need to send a mayday, five minutes ago on the Starfleet frequency. If Spacedock can send anyone." "If they can get here in time," the Denobulan science officer says.
"Orders, Captain?" The helmsman asks. "I can hit the button if you say the word. Buy us some space." "We still have people over there," the engineer chimes in.
Tilar turns to look back towards the bridge, eyes skimming over the crew as each puts their voice in. The Tellarite gets a vaguely annoyed look. "You told me to buy time. What were you doing in that time?" She puffs out a small breath. "Yes, we have people over there. But right now, we are limited to warp 4." A glance is given to the engineer to confirm this. "They would catch us, even if we ran. We can send the mayday, and Spacedock may send someone, but it will take them time to get here. Either way, we need time that we don't have. So we need to make some time for ourselves. Give me ideas. Quickly."
The Telarite gives you asnaggle-toothed smile. "I sent it while you were flirting," he grouses. "Captain, incoming signal from Spacedock," your junior ops officer reports from an undamaged station. "On screen now," she says, not waiting for the instruction. The screen splits in half. Talek remains on the viewscreen, but relegated to one quadrant of it. The rest fills with the office of the chief of Starfleet Operations. Admiral Somyk's gaze takes in the state of your bridge in less than one of your own heartbeats. "Report, Captain," he instructs calmly.
"You're just jealous I wasn't flirting with you," Tilar tells her XO with a smirk before turning to look at the screen as Spacedock appears. "We responded to a distress signal from a Ferengi vessel. After sending personnel
over, three Cardassian cruisers decloaked and opened fire. They are insisting we lower our shields so that they can board us. Maximum warp at this time is warp 4, and our personnel are still on the Ferengi vesselwe haven't been able to retrieve them at this time."
Somyk's face gives nothing away--it never does. "Enterprise and Confucius were dispatched 101 seconds ago at slip velocity. Captain, your orders are to prevent the capture of the Phoenix by any means necessary. The Cardassians shall not gain access to her systems or design schematics. Understood?"
"Understood Admiral," Tilar says with a slight nod of her head before turning to look back at the bridge crew. "All hands, prepare for boarding action. Lock down critical systems." She flicks her eyes over towards her XO, looking thoughtful. "Set up one of the conference rooms as though we're receiving a foreign dignitary of some kind. Let's buy time for backup to arrive."
Your XO responds, "Captain, we should run. Make the Cardassians chase us. It's harder to shoot at a moving target at warp."
"And how long would it take for them to intercept us? And then they're pissed off and likely to approach with more force," Tilar both asks and points out. "Would we viably be able to rendezvous with the Enterprise and Confucius before the Cardassians caught up with us?"
"I don't know," your XO responds. "long-range sensors are down. We have no good options," he snarls, pounding his fist on the chair. Somyk is still on screen, not contributing or interfering. "Captain," Talek says, coming back to life on his side of the screen. "Your two minutes are over, my dear. What will it be?"
"Then do what I said," Tilar tells the snarly Tellarite flatly, voice raising just slightly so that it carries to Talek on the screen. Then she's turning back to the viewscreen and smoothing her hands over the front of her uniform, clearing her throat and planting that smile back on her face. "Apologies, Legate. There was some disagreement that I had to handle. I'm having a conference room prepared for your arrival so that we can discuss this like civilized people. Can you tell me how many of your crew you intend to bring with you so that I can have my own crew prepared?"
The cardassian smiles. "We will transport enforcement details to your key areas. Your crew will step away from their stations. Scanners and sidearms will be set aside. Any resistance will result in unpleasantness, and you have had enough of that. Now, lower your shields."
Tilar turns and heads back to her chair, settling herself down and tapping a few commands on her console. By all appearances, she is complying. Bridge crew will receive a message first: The moment they are aboard, engage warp to intercept approaching Starfleet vessels. "Standby Legate. I'm ensuring my crew have received appropriate instruction before your arrival." The rest of the ship? Maintain system locks. Maintain arms, but act defensively.
Security dispatch to critical locations. Do not grant system access to any invading personnel. Prepare for release of anesthezine gas in critical locations. Configurations complete, she gives a nod of her head to tactical. "It should be working for you now. Lower shields."
As the shields lower, sensors register incoming transports. Cardassian troops materialize in engineering, in deflector control, in computer control, upwards through the ship, and a team of three appear on the bridge. Notably, the legate is not among them. These are young, tough-looking soldiers of lower rank. Your crew are acting in tandum. Tactical reinstates what's left of the shields while helm pushes the button, sending the Phoenix into warp on the best course the helmsman could think of on short notice, back twards spacedock from whence the reinforcements came. Looking annoyed with you, Talek closes the channel. Somyk now fills the screen, watching. Meanwhile, firerights erupt all over the ship, including right here. Your Telarite XO has already drawn a weapon and is shooting it out with the Cardassians as your other officers break weapons out of the arms locker to join in.
Tilar ignores the Legate as the ship jumps to warp and looks down at the list of locations. While her bridge crew manage the intruders, she reaches over to begin the release of gas in the critical locations, bridge excluded. It will likely gas the crew as well, but more people are going to stay alive. And it's possible that at least some of the crew would have had an opportunity to retrieve masks.
The gas spreads through the environmental systems, somewhat damaged in the firefight. As its diffusion spreads, reports of firefights taper off as Starfleet crew and Cardassian hostiles alike lose consciousness. Since you've excluded the bridge, things go on here as before. Your Telarite XO goes down, a hole burned through his chest, his fur smoking, a phaser still in his hand. One of the three Cardassian boarders is also down.
Tilar pulls her own phaser now, joining in the firefight. "GIVE UP NOW!" she yells over at the intruders, cringing slightly at the officer that's fallen nearby. While she returns fire, one hand moves to set a timer on the release of gas on the bridge and she shouts the time so the crew have an idea of what's going on, but the intruders likely will not. "Thirty seconds!" And in that time, she moves to retrieve a rebreather for herself.
The firefight continues, and your engineer, who bears a suspicious resemblance to an engineer in your real Starfleet life, takes out another intruder before dying, herself. As the gas diffuses into the bridge, the Cardassians, one wounded, one not, collapse, overtaken by the gas. So do your own crew, those who do not have rebreathers. As the bridge quiets into stillness, a voice says from right beside you, "Not bad, Captain, not bad." The holodeck shimmers. Bodies, weapons, gas traces, and Somyk on screen--disappear as the bridge resets and falls still. Jessica Hauser is standing beside you, having moved with you more or less around the bridge while you could not see her.
Tilar blinks a couple times as the holodeck shifts and shimmers, and the simulation comes to an end. Slowly, carefully, the Trill woman rises up onto her feet and jumps a bit when Hauser speaks beside her. There might be a little bit of adrenaline still as she blinks over at the other woman before giving her a small smile. "Thanks," she says. "I feel like I missed a whole lot of things in there, but I was trying to prevent as much loss of life as possible while getting an upper hand."
Hauser smiles back. "I know you were," she says quietly. "There was going to be no clean win, Vi. Everything you could have done was going to cost something. Different tradeoffs, but something."
"Well then I feel less bad," Tilar says with a quiet laugh, shaking her hands out at her sides to get some of the frenetic energy out of her system. "I don't think you'd have thrown me at something too easy. It defeats the purpose of these tests and lessons and so on."
Hauser nods. "You followed Somyk's orders, denied the Phoenix to the enemy, bought time, saved as many lives as you could, and maintained command cohesion under imminent threat and without any good options. That's as much as I could have expected." She smiles.
Tilar listens to the feedback and nods to Hauser, eyebrows rising just slightly. "That's the good, I suppose. What's the bad? As in, what should I have done differently? Or is this one of those scenarios where you wanted to see what I would do?"
"I'd say, you tell me, but I'll have mercy on you." She smiles. "If I'd been in the chair, I would have sent that mayday a few minutes earlier. You didn't once give orders about communicating with anyone until your XO mentioned it. I don't say it would have gotten you a clean outcome, but it might have changed the geometry of the situation a bit in your favor."
The Trill doctor makes a face at Hauser when she suggests that Tilar should think of the 'bad' on her own. But she doesn't protest or argue the feedback, nodding her understanding. "That makes sense," she agrees. "I think I got too focused on the problem in front of me and didn't think externally."
Hauser nods. "It happens. And it could have happened to a seasoned commander in the same situation. Remember what I told you before? Command equals decision under constraint. A commander desperately needs three things: time, information, and resources, and she usually doesn't have at least one. In this case, you didn't have enough of any of them, but you still had to act." A beat. "And you did."
Tilar gives Hauser another smile, seeming to appreciate the feedback that she's getting. "Thanks. I think my training as a physician helps a bit with thattriage is a similar process." She takes a deep breath, exhaling the last bit of her nerves and nodding. "I'm glad I didn't fail that little assessment entirely."
"No, you did fine. Which is why I'm going to send a letter certifying that lieutenant JG Viari Tilar has completed line officer field certification training." She grins.
Tilar blinks in surprise, eyebrows hitching up. "Oh that was my FINAL exam?" she asks, not quite gawking at Hauser, but that was clearly not something she was expecting. Then she gives Hauser a bright smile, spine straightening with pride. "Thank you, Commander. For all of it. Not that I'm going to stop asking you for advice, but I know this process takes time."
Hauser smiles. "O, honey, it doesn't just take time. It never stops." A beat. "You proved you were ready for it to be your final exam based on your choices you made while taking it. Besides, would it have been any easier if I'd told you it was your final exam?"
Tilar thinks about that for a moment before shaking her head. "No," she admits. "Honestly, it probably would have been harder. And if I'd done terribly, then it's better I didn't know so that I wasn't too discouraged from continuing to learn. Which, knowing you, would likely have been the case." She grins over at the other woman. "You're too nice sometimes."
You say, "Computer, end program."
A computer generated voice says, "Ending program..."
The currently running holoprogram terminates, and the black and yellow grid of the holodeck reappears.