RP Log: Midnight on the Firing Line
| Roleplay Log | |
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Stardate:
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| 2025-05-27 09:24 | |
- Firing Range - Saucer <USS Phoenix NCC-170100-A>
- There are multiple modes of operation for this compartment, depending on the requirements of those using it. One of the more common modes is as an open space where flying targets appear and disappear at will through use of a holographic matrix projected down from the two-deck high ceiling. The number of targets and their speed can be configured through an LCARS panel beside the entry door. A second mode of operation is a more immersive experience where occupants can choose a setting, be it a ship corridor, combat scene, or other immersive setting.
T'Shaav is waiting in the firing range, her gaze inspecting it with no hint of her thoughts.
Ramirez offers a brief and respectful nod to the Vulcan as he enters. "Good evening, sir. Welcome aboard the Phoenix, if no one has welcomed you, yet."
T'Shaav nods. "Thank you, Ensign. I was chief of security on the predecessor of this vessel. So I approve quarterly requalification."
Ramirez nods. "Yes sir. To prepare myself for my duties, I read all of the security logs going back to your stint as Chief of Security, sir." He seems to consider something, his expression neutral. "....I admit, sir, the....focus on security seems somewhat lax these days, compared to then."
"I see," T'Shaav says diplomatically. "That is unfortunate. One hopes your command staff does not permit that to continue. THen, inasmuch as you know of my background, I should request your most challenging requalification test. It has been sometime."
Commander Worthington arrives from Security Armory - Deck 10.
Ramirez nods. "I am certainly happy to provide you with a challenge, sir." He motions to the LCARS panel. "The Starfleet Security Table 12 advanced master qualification is the most difficult engagement scenario I have. Obviously, that will also serve as basic re-qual, sir. I...must warn you, the failure rate for this course of fire is 75%, sir."
Worthington enters the firing range, a phaser now adorning his utility belt. "Good evening," he says as he enters. "Did I hear something about a challenge?"
T'Shaav nods to Ramirez. "Very well, Ensign. We will proceed in the manner you direct." Her gaze flicks to Worthington. "Mr. Ramirez is obliging me in my own phaser requalifications, since I do not have to do so aboard station for it to be valid."
Ramirez looks over, nodding. "Would you care to join, sir? The simulation will run on two lanes as easily as one."
Worthington nods to T'Shaav, then smiles at Ramirez. "Of course," he says, drawing his own phaser. "I don't think either of us have seen each other shoot in years."
T'Shaav notes dryly to Ramirez, "I oversaw his requalifications when he was an ensign." She takes a moment for some basic hand flexing and finger dexterity exercises. "I will begin with whatever weapon you choose, Ensign."
Ramirez nods. "Since the XO has a type-2 handy, I'll draw a type-2 for you, Captain. Please wait here, I'll return presently."
Ramirez re-enters, now festooned with weapons. A Type-2 phaser is holstered on his uniform, and he carries a slung Type-3 rifle, along with a belt carrier of several presumably charged power cells.
Worthington smiles at Ramirez as he comes back in. "She oversaw my qualifications as an ensign, a junior grade lieutenant, a lieutenant," he says, turning to his phaser's settings. "In fact, I've served under her command in some form or other for most of my Starfleet career."
Commander Worthington sets the power level on Type-2 Phaser (51124) (drawn).
T'Shaav waits patiently, still attending to her dexterity exercises. She now lets her hands fall to her sides.
Ramirez pulls the Type-2 phaser from his belt, checks to make sure it is safed, checks the charge, then hands it over to T'Shaav as she limbers up. He holds it out, grip first, the firing emitter safely pointed downrange.
T'Shaav inspects the weapon and nods as she unsafes it. Turning to the range, she waits.
Captain T'Shaav draws Type-2 Phaser (6541).
Worthington turns his attention from his former commanding officer to the target end of the range, his weapon held in a ready position out in front of him.
Ramirez nods to Worthington as he moves to the LCARS panel. "I was explaining to the Captain that I went through all the old security logs, going back to her stint as Chief of Security, after I came aboard. I saw some of your older.....career events as well, XO." He offers a polite smile. And then he turns to the panel. "Computer. Load Master Qual Table 12, Mod 1A-Ramirez on lanes one and two. Set for simultaneous official scoring."
"I recall some of those, Commander," the Vulcan deadpans. She waits, phaser in hand, emitter pointing safely at the deck.
You set the difficulty level on Target Dummy (24891) to 10.
Worthington likewise waits for the program to begin.
From the computer, a soft alto voice says, "Program loaded. Awaiting start command."
Ramirez looks between the two officers. "Captain, XO. You are about to begin hand phaser master qualification. The course of fire includes 8 engagement scenarios that become progressively more difficult. You will be evaluated on the following criteria: accuracy, energy on target per shot, and time to shoot after the stage begins. Red targets are valid. Green targets are friendly. Yellow targets are unknown. You may commence fire on a stage after you hear the beep. Any questions?"
"None," T'Shaav replies.
Worthington nods to Ramirez. "No questions," he echos.
Ramirez looks up, nodding. "Lane 1, Lane 2. Take position."
T'Shaav walks over to lane 1, evaluating the setup with an unreadable expression. "Ready," she states.
Worthington takes aim on lane 2, prepping to engage.
"Computer. Silent scoring. Begin simulation."
Each lane shows an identical scene. There are 5 Jem'hadar soldiers with their typical kit. Three of them are barely visible. Two of them seem to be preparing to charge with knives.
With no warning, a loud *BEEP* fills the room, and all five targets have a red outline. The three rifle-bearing soldiers take aim; the melee guys rush up the lane.
T'Shaav's hand comes up so quickly that the motion appears casual. She fires first at the three riflemen, then turns her attention to the last two. As she fires, she also moves, feet working, twisting her body to make herself harder to engage.
As the phaser fire ceases, the carnage is definitely not what either officer is likely used to. T'Shaav has more success than Worthington. Three of her shots hit the simulated Jem'hadar soldiers: one in cover, ands the two charging.
Worthington has less success: Only one of his shots connects with a soldier, crouching professionally in cover. The target is obliterated, but Worthington is overwhelmed by weapons fire and charging melee combatants.
The computer's alto voice issues from the ceiling: "Stage 1 completed."
The targets disappear, and are replaced by four targets on each lane. All of them are yellow. None appear armed. All are indeterminate humanoid figures intended to represent no particular species. There is a loud *BEEP.* They meander about.
The Vulcan captain holds her fire, evaluating. She is aware that someone else has come in, but she does not take her gaze off the targets.
Worthington likewise evaluates the targets in his lane, considering. His head cocks just slightly to one side as the door opens, though he doesn't turn.
Just like that, two of the targets on each lane turn red, and two stay yellow. The red targets draw some sort of hand weapon from simulated clothing, and grapple the yellow target in front of them into a chokehold. They begin drawing a bead on each shooter, effectively using the yellow 'targets' as cover.
Raising an eyebrow, the Vulcan ex security chief takes more careful aim, aiming to shoot down the aggressors without stunning the hostages, or whatever they are.
Worthington takes aim and attempts to shoot the two aggressors, standing and extending one arm to get a better vantage.
Ki'Vek slithers into the bay, taking up a spot near the door in silence.
As the phaser fire ceases, T'Shaav has fired three times, yielding only one hit. The living humanoid target turns its disruptor on the hostage, executing it with a horrific shriek of agony.
Worthington has much better success in this stage -- both targets are vaporized.
"Stage 2 completed."
Each lane resets, and one target appears. It's red, before the lane even signals that the stage has begun. But...it disappears in a polymorphic shield, becoming nearly impossible to see, except for a slight flaw in the cloaking every couple of seconds.
The targets are initially invisible. Then:
\*BEEP*
Nothing seems to happen....except, both targets suddenly pop out of the cloak screen less than five feet from each shooter.
T'Shaav visually tracks the cloaking ripples, having inferred some manner of personal cloaking or shrouding. When the cloak drops, she fires.
Worthington attempts to track the targets as well, turning sharply to engage when the target appears, half expecting it to shout, "victory is life," or something like that. He fires.
Ki'Vek coils up and gets comfortable, twining her long arms together in front of her narrow chest as she watches.
Both targets explode into simulated bits as they are hit.
"Stage 3 completed."
Each lane resets, and this one seems to be straightforward.....or is it? Six yellow humanoid shapes begin walking menacingly up each lane towards each shooter. They sort of cycle back and forth, but there is no indication of who is hostile and who isn't. When they are roughly halfway up the lane, there is a 'BEEP!*
Each stays yellow for a long while, until the little crowd is no more than ten feet away. Only then does one target flicker red and begin drawing a small disruptor.
T'Shaav takes a moment to speak to Ki'vek as the computer resets. "Greetings, Captain." her eyes still on the yellows she says, "I have asked for a challenging phaser test situation, and Ensign Ramirez has," she shoots, "obliged," she finishes
Worthington doesn't talk, he focuses on the hostile target amidst the crowd of neutrals. He takes aim, and fires.
Ki'Vek only nods and continues to observe.
Both shooters continue to give a masterclass on complex target engagement. As the 'enemy' reveals itself to each lane, both shooters fire, both hit.
The lane resets as the computer's voice says: "Stage 4 completed."
Stage 5 is a much more complicated setting. Downrange on each lane, a smoking shuttlecraft is simulated, clearly crashed, and recently. At the exit door of each shuttle, an Andorian in a yellow Starfleet uniform, outlined in green, takes cover and tries to engage two assailants at long range in cover with a type-1 phaser. To say the shots are ineffectual is an understatement.
Both targets are at the far end of effective range for a hand phaser, in cover, prone, and on the far side of a friendly.
\*BEEP!*
T'Shaav drops to a commando crawl, moving towards the shuttle. Assuming a dynamic computer control, She gestures to the Andorians, a standard Starfleet hand signal to indicate she herself is Starfleet and incoming so that she doesn't get shot. She aims for one unfriendly with her type II as she comes to the corner of the shuttle.
Dropping behind the shuttle, she crawls to the other corner, snaps her phaser around and fires, her body protecting the Andorian nearest her.
Worthington drops down behind the shuttle in his lane, gesturing for his andorian to hit the deck, then firing over the prone andorian at the two targets.
T'Shaav's tactics and accuracy come together in a confluence of competent tactical acumen. Both of her shots land, vaporizing the assailants effectively. Worthington adopts more dynamic tactics, moving up and firing more quickly. His first shot hits, melting an attacker. The second shot hits a large rock, turning glowing red, but doing no damage to the target behind.
"Stage 5 completed."
Stage 6 appears to be upping the ante, as it were. The point of view is pretty clearly from the perspective of an assaulter using an assault parachute. Each shooter is looking down towards the ground.
The target is obvious. A single large humanoid surrounded by a crowd of yellow markers, like he's walking in a crowd. The scenario is obvious -- the target needs to be hit from a moving aerial platform while walking in a crowd of neutrals. The target and the neutrals, to simulate high winds, flutter around.
\*BEEP*
Taking a moment to assess her rate and angle of descent, her rate and direction of drift, the size of the target below, and his own direction, speed, and evasive actions,
Worthington would adopt a face to earth position in this instance, but artificial gravity throws him off slightly. Compromising, he opts to kneel over to take aim at his target before firing.
Ki'Vek nods slowly to herself.
T'Shaav correctly estimates with skill, and her shot connects, vcaporing the red target with no trouble. Worthington, alas, has much more trouble, and doesn't /quite/ judge it correctly. His shot gows wide.
"Stage 6 completed."
Stage 7 is set in absolute darkness. The lights go to nothing on each lane. There is a loud *BEEP*
Eeerily, nothing is happening....
Now standing again on the ground, T'Shaav moves to her toes, phaser up, listening.
Worthington likewise listens, standing completely still.
T'Shaav and Worthington both hear a soft scrape, close and just a little left.
And then, the lights come on. Each shooter is confronted by a looming juvenile Hur'q, swinging its massive insectoid arms out them.
Worthington takes aim, not to mention a few steps back, when confronted by the large insectoid creature, attempting to get out of its reach. He stops, spreads his feet, takes aim, and fires.
The Vulcan has never seen a Hur'q, not alive, not dead, likely not even a picture. She doesn't know what she's looking at, only that it is her target. Counting on her Vulcan strength to stand her in good stead at least for a moment, she reflexively grabs one swinging Hur'q arm in her free hand, changing its momentum as she fires with her other hand.
Worthington's first shot is rushed, going wide. But on the second, the scary Hur'q is killed. T'Shaav's is similarly successful in killing her target.
"Stage 7 completed."
The lane resets. The lights go dark.
And when they come back up, a familiar scene greets the shooters: the bridge of the Phoenix.
Except, it is wreckage. Most of the stations are smoking ruins. Bridge crew -- Counselor Telula, Lieutenant Castillo, Lieutenant Alue, Ensign Blake, Ensign Ramirez -- are scattered around the smoking ruin. Several of them are in literal pieces from horrific and fatal wounds.
Each shooter takes cover in the center chair. From the forward passage, aft passage, break room, ready room, and XO's office comes a hulking Borg drone. Each is outlined in red.
\*BEEP*
Worthington ducks down below the level of teer two, aiming up at the target that has the higher ground than him first, then switching his focus down toward teer one, where he can shoot down on the drones coming in from that part of the bridge.
Knowing that she can move faster than the bulky Borg drones, T'Shaav moves, darting behind stations, crouching behind chairs. Shie fires at each borg in turn. After each shot, she takes a moment to reset the frequency modulation of her weapon to something radically, and hopefully sufficiently randomly, different from the one before.
T'Shaav tries to shoot Target Dummy (24891) with Type-2 Phaser (6541) but misses.
Both shooters manage to kill four of five assailants. In the end, a lumbering borg drone comes up to each and virtually assimilates them both.
"Stage 8 completed."
"Captain T'Shaav: final score: 45. Pass.
Commander Worthington, J.: -7. Fail.
Ramirez nods, and calls out: "Computer. Log scores. Mark both evaluated shooters as qualification complete."
T'Shaav pulls the power cell from her weapon. "Ensign. Thank you for your assistance," she says.
T'Shaav removes Power Cell (6542) from Type-2 Phaser (6541) (drawn).
Captain T'Shaav holsters Type-2 Phaser (6541).
Ramirez reaches a hand out. "Captain T'Shaav. Please let me congratulate you on an excellent performance. As I explained, only 25% of people attempting qualification earn Master qualification. Outstanding shooting, sir."
Worthington smiles at T'Shaav. "Good to see you still keep your skills sharp captain," he says, holstering his own weapon.
Commander Worthington holsters Type-2 Phaser (51124).
Ki'Vek watches the end of the exercise, still in silence
T'Shaav doesn't shake. Because she doesn't, but she offers a Vulcan salute. "Thank you, Ensign Ramirez." SHe passes across the items. "Captain Ki'vek. I trust you are well?"
Ramirez looks to Worthington. "XO. Please don't let it get you down. You were one hit away from passing the single most difficult qualification I have. You are still re-qualified for hand phasers, sir." Instead of a shake, he takes the phaser with a polite smile. "Sorry, sir. I forgot about the Vulcan handshake thing. Please forgive me."
Worthington nods to Ramirez, then turns to Ki'Vek. "Welcome to the Phoenix," he says. "It is good to see you, captain."
"Quite well. Thank you, Captain," Ki'Vek says to T'Shaav. She then turns her attention to Worthington as she uncoils herself and moves toward him a bit. "Commander, I hope you will forgive my arriving unannounced. Your crew they have recently learned of the discharge of their Captain. I didn't want them to conjecture whether or not my arrival here it is a sign that I have been assigned to take Captain Shulon's place." She offers a nod of acknowledgement to Ensign Ramirez.
T'Shaav feels free to tease the snake a little. "I do not think you would wish the assignment, given as many projects as you are personally overseeing, Captain," she notes.
Ramirez looks over, offering a polite nod. "Good evening, Captain Ki'Vek. Pleasure to see you again, sir." He grins. "So! Captain T'Shaav. I have a Type-3 phaser for you. I'm afraid I haven't yet put together quite as challenging a scenario for Type-3 quals. We were.....busy, the past few months."
Worthington smiles to Ki'Vek. "That was, unfortunate, to say the least," he says. "I hope you are well. Was hoping to find Gordon at some point. No idea who to talk to in order to track him down these days."
"My last information was that Commander LePage was on a civilian transport bound for Risa," replies the snake. To T'Shaav she adds, "Were I to be assigned to Phoenix, I have no doubt that I would first be forced to hand over my current projects to others."
"Which would displease you," T'Shaav says. "As you personally developed many of them." She turns to Ramirez. "Captain Ki'vek is an engineer of considerable inventiveness."
Ramirez looks between the officers, frowning in thought as he seems to realize he is...definitely out of place in this crowd. He grows silent, at least, until he is directly addressed. "Oh, yes, Captain. I had the good fortune to have a long conversation with Captain Ki'Vek about the nature of her work on Antares. Frankly, I find doctrine and technical development to be fascinating." He shrugs. "Alas...I'm nothing more than a tactical officer and fighter pilot. I'm not much use in an engineering setting."
Worthington smiles to Ramirez, then glances to Ki'Vek. "I'll have to try my hand at the comms network then, see what I can find," he says. "What sort of projects keep you busy these days?"
T'Shaav says, "Gentle-beings, you will need to excuse me. Starfleet and other traffic in system is increasing. Captain, Commander, Ensign."
Captain T'Shaav goes Out.
Ki'Vek waves one leathery hand. "We have most recently completed a retrofit of the Buran class, a design of which I believe you yourself are quite fond." This is said to Worthington, but she then gives Ramirez another nod. "When last we met, Ensign, I was under the impression that you had additional interests about which you wanted to ask. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to spend the time to address those questions as I had intended."
Ramirez looks to Ki'Vek, shaking his head. "Sir, it's no problem. Your time is precious." He shrugs. "Maybe some other time."
Worthington smiles. "I still remember the namesake, USS Buran," he says. "And you're right, captain. I do have some fondness for that class of ship." He nods to Ramirez. "Perhaps you both should take some time to talk." He gestures around. "Though maybe, somewhere more comfortable than the main security firing range." He pauses. "What brings you to Emissary Station anyway?"
Ramirez checks the chronometer, and frowns. "I actually need to meet someone, Captain. But if you're free tomorrow...? I'm currently on leave. I'd love to have a conversation."
Ki'Vek nods to Ramirez. "Quite so. I should be in port for another day or two."
Ramirez nods. "I'll comm you tomorrow, then, sir." He nods to both officers, and heads out.