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Day 07 [1000 hrs.] Game On, Theurgy

[ Lt Sabrina Lail | Holodeck 01 | Deck 08 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Ellen Fitz  
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Stardate: 57671.76, April 25th, 2381, Day 07 [1000 hrs]: GAME ON, THEURGY

As Sabrina strolled down the corridors of Deck Eight towards holodeck one she twiddle a red isolinear chip between the fingers of her right hand. On the chip itself, it was labeled “MARANO-LAIL TRAINING PROGRAM EPSILON.” Although she tried to hide it from the sights of a few passing members of the crew, she was certain they saw glimpses of the chip. Fortunately, Lail knew they didn’t know the contents of the chip; especially so recently to the loss of so many that some parts may have been construed as a slap in the face to their memories. It was why she chose such a time and such an obscure holodeck to make the modifications required for the wargames she had been planning for next week although she still needed to speak with Lieutenant Commander Cross to coordinate Tactical.

What if I get some of the Lone Wolves to participate? Sabrina thought to herself as she arrived at holodeck one. She tapped a few buttons on the LCARS display and the heavy duranium doors slid open to her revealing the holodeck. Stepping in, Sabrina remained in the arch as she located the holodeck’s primary interface tray and tapped on it so it would slide open. “Just what I was looking for,” Sabrina said under her breath as she inserted the isolinear chip into the holodeck’s memory buffer input.

Sabrina thought about which scenario to start with until she realized that the program was still adapted for the USS Oneida. “Thea, load the entire holomatrix into the memory buffers and reformat the matrix for editing.”

“Standby. Holoprogram loaded and reformatted to accept new data input,” Thea’s voice could be heard over the intercom.

“Modify all instances of the Oneida into the USS Theurgy. Scale the difficulty level to match and convert all hostile ships into appropriate Romulan vessels,” Sabrina said.

“Working. Modifications complete,” Thea’s voice stated.

“Let’s start with the most difficult scenario. Thea, load program Marano-Lail Epsilon two-one-four and render environment in objective mode,” Sabrina requested.

The hologrid slowly morphed to render the Theurgy’s bridge severely damaged with critical systems failing and the viewscreen opened to space; cluttered with warbirds and Stalkers in view. It was in the middle of the simulation having gone badly; exactly where Lail wanted it. “Thea, freeze program,” Lail said. Beeps signified that the program had been paused. “Damn, I don’t remember it going this wrong the last time this scenario was run,” Sabrina uttered to herself, “but here we are,” she continued.

Sabrina looked around the shattered holographic bridge and even though it was a simulation there was something eerily sickening about seeing her new workplace in such shambles so close to all the recent events that even the brunette had to step out of the holodeck, leaning her back against the adjacent wall as she took a deep breath. We have done this a hundred times, Aurora — what makes Theurgy any different of a ship? It’s just another vessel in a long line that has gone through our simulations. Sabrina thought.

The brunette recomposed herself and prepared to reenter the holodeck to begin making further modifications. Simulation Marano-Lail Epsilon two-one-four was for all intents and purposes, an unwinnable scenario. It was no Kobayashi Maru but the overwhelming numbers and sheer outclassed a ship was meant the vessel stood very little odds of success. It was more about putting the skills from the other training simulations to use rather than winning and to date, she wasn’t aware of any crew that had successfully completed two-one-four.

As Lail was about to return to the holodeck she saw a tall man approaching. Realizing the holodeck doors were wide open she wondered how well this was going to go as the figure which appeared to be Lieutenant Commander Cross got closer. Of course, the Chief CONN Officer was hoping to speak to him about the wargames but not with a half-destroyed simulated Theurgy bridge as a backdrop.

Re: Day 07 [1000 hrs.] Game On, Theurgy

Reply #1 –
[Lt. Cmdr. Cross | Holodeck 01 | Deck 08 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Hope

His eyes scanning the contents of the data PADD held in his prosthetic hand, Cross glanced up occasionally to nod to passersby. Though he was still coming to terms with the changes in his own emotional makeup since the Savi had fucked with him, Cross had enough training from his rescuers and mentors after the Cardassian camp to remember that it didn’t sit well with most to be ignored entirely by a commanding officer.

Especially with the recent turn of events and his own promotion, Cross felt the added responsibility to maintain a healthy amount of interaction with those he might have to command in an emergency situation if the vectors had to be separated. Not that he felt the need to become friends with everyone he met or memorize the names of everyone he might command. But he’d only be fucking himself over if he expected people to blindly follow him just become of the pips on his uniform. Every species he’d encountered thus far was relational to a degree, hence his intentional head nods and half-smiles as he moved down the corridor.

Sensing someone in the corridor up ahead, Cross looked up to see one of the new transfers from the Oneida. He worked through the name list in his head until he settled on what he felt was the right one.

“Lieutenant Lail.” He addressed her as he came to a stop adjacent to where she stood.

There was something in her expression that bid him pause in his own course. Cross noted the holodeck doors were open in his peripherals, and, turning to glance inside, he stiffened. In the time it took for him to inhale sharply, Cross saw the faces of friends lost in recent battles, felt the rumble of the Allegiant as it escaped Praxis, and felt the sickly humidity of the Azurite Station on his skin. Turning a curious expression back to Lail, Cross raised a single eyebrow in question.

Re: Day 07 [1000 hrs.] Game On, Theurgy

Reply #2 –
[ Lt Sabrina Lail | Holodeck 01 | Deck 08 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Ellen Fitz  
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Sabrina witnessed what appeared to be flashbacks in Commander Cross’ expressionisms at the glance of what was rendered on the holodeck. She gave pause when it was over and he raised an eyebrow to question her with a curious expression on his face. The brunette’s brown eyes didn’t move off the pale blue eyes of Cross. Lail knew how immensely fucked up the scenario was for a crew that had just gone through what this one had and how she might be construed to have made someone like Commander Cross witness the state the holographic bridge was in but while it gave her pause to expose him to something like where the holodeck was frozen, he was the Chief Tactical Officer and could have the responsibilities of leading the women and men of the Theurgy into a battle with damage just like on the holodeck. Nevertheless, Sabrina took pity on what may possibly be going through Cross’ mind.

“Thea, access the saved configuration file for Marano-Lail Epsilon 2-1-4 and reset mission parameters to default,” Sabrina stated, while still looking into Cross’ eyes.

“Parameters reset complete,” Thea’s voice could be heard over the intercom.

The holographic projection morphed once more, this time into the Theurgy’s bridge undamaged although the Romulan warbirds and the Stalkers remained visible — this time through a viewscreen.

“Your questions will be answered, Commander,” the brunette said as she broke eye contact and turned partway on her heel, letting her chestnut brown hair freely fly and land back into place as she extended an arm to lead Cross onto the holodeck.

Sabrina stopped at the interior LCARS display and began tapping a multitude of buttons to bring up the holomatrix’s program display. The display lit up several programs: “MARANO-LAIL ALPHA 172,” “MARANO-LAIL BETA 057,” “MARANO-LAIL DELTA 108,” and the currently running  “MARANO-LAIL EPSILON 214.”

“An old friend and I used to come up with tactical scenarios and maneuvers; frankly that’s how the Oneida survived its encounter with the Romulans, an unorthodox tactical maneuver that we came up with at Starfleet Command,” Lail stated factually. “This is a complex holomatrix containing several scenarios,” she continued.

“Why is this important you may be wondering? The new crewmen. They can either have their trial by fire or on the holodeck,” Lail said. “I may not have been here long, in fact, it has been just a week, but I don’t want to see people lose their lives over the fact it takes a CONN officer a few extra seconds to work with Tactical to point this ship in the right direction,” Sabrina said adamantly.

Lail gestured for Commander Cross to step closer to her to see the contents of each program. Sabrina folded her arms. “Well Cross, is your department up to having wargames?” Sabrina asked. “I’ll leave the scenario selection up to you but we’ll definitely do Epsilon two-one-four at the end. It’s a test of the skills learned by completing the other scenarios,” Lail stated. Of course, what Sabrina neglected to reveal was two-one-four has been an unwinnable scenario.

“Maybe we can even get some of the Lone Wolves involved,” Lail said.

Sabrina paused so that Commander Cross could take in the information she was providing and react to the flurry of it let alone she realized she didn’t give Cross any real opportunity to address the fact she was running a program with an almost destroyed Theurgy.

Re: Day 07 [1000 hrs.] Game On, Theurgy

Reply #3 –
[Lt. Cmdr. Cross | Holodeck 01 | Deck 08 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Hope

Cross quietly followed the Oneida’s transfer onto the holodeck, giving her the space and time to explain the method behind what had appeared to be holographic madness. Clasping his hands together behind his back, Cross stood next to the lieutenant as she explained her history of war gaming on the Oneida. It was a sound enough reason, and Cross applauded the woman for following through with her strategic habit even so soon after her transfer to the Theurgy.

“Have you contacted any of the other department heads with this war gaming prospect?” Cross asked as his eyes moved over the holographic projection of the bridge, then back over the selection of programs Lail had cued up. “If what I just saw resulted from Epsilon two one four, then I would recommend that more than just the Lone Wolves be brought in, but representatives from all major departments. With a potential no-win scenario,” Cross gave Lail a side glance, half a sardonic smile touching his lips, "which I believe is what I was just looking at, we need to have more heads involved in scheming up strategic solutions.”

Cross gave an approving nod after another moment of looking through the programs before returning his full attention to Lail. “You are thinking in the right direction, lieutenant, and I commend you for that initiative. My department will be involved in these war games, and you have the green light from me to contact whomever you see fit to also be involved. I will convey this concept to the first officer and the captain to arrange a time. In the meantime, is there anything else you’d like to show me?” Cross blinked and drew his head back a touch, annoyed with himself at how the question sounded. “Anything in particular with the program?”

Re: Day 07 [1000 hrs.] Game On, Theurgy

Reply #4 –
[ Lt Sabrina Lail | Holodeck 01 | Deck 08 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Ellen Fitz  
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Sabrina paused for a moment, bringing her right hand up to her chin as she pondered the concept Lieutenant Commander Cross was presenting. Aside from Tactical, some of the Lone Wolves, and her department, she never considered Theurgy ready for war games on such a scale. “No, I haven’t,” Lail told the Commander. “It was honestly not considered but it’s a good idea,” Sabrina continued as she rested her right arm to her side once more. Sabrina noted the glance given by Cross, the half sardonic smile across his features as he analyzed what he saw and put together that it came from Epsilon two-one-four as he realized it was a potential no-win scenario and couldn’t help but slightly smirk; it impressed her that the Chief Tactical Officer picked up on the feint so quickly where most do not.

“There is something you need to know about the programs,” Sabrina stated. “They all look like scenarios that lead to the worst-case in Epsilon two-one-four but when we developed these at Starfleet Command, Aurora and I did make them all winnable — the programs adapt and it’s up to whoever is in command to make that one decisive decision at the critical moment that will turn the tide. It's just no one has, yet,” Lail continued.

Sabrina turned to face the man she had been discussing the war games with. “Commander, you’ve discussed department heads but there is someone I have in mind if she’s willing as she might give the much-needed advantage: Ensign Henshaw. She runs Mission Ops and we’re going to need that in a war game of this magnitude. Plus, no other ship I know of has had a Mission Ops.”

Lail didn’t usher Cross as she asked, “is there anything else, Commander?” not pleased with how crass it sounded as she genuinely was open to anything he had to offer.


OOC: Feel free to put a -FIN in this with your next reply unless there is something open to discuss. Sabrina will stay on the holodeck modifying the holomatrix.

Re: Day 07 [1000 hrs.] Game On, Theurgy

Reply #5 –
[Lt. Cmdr. Cross | Holodeck 01 | Deck 08 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Hope

Cross nodded at Lail’s explanation of the program’s purpose. Hy did not believe there was such a thing as a no-win scenario and appreciated that Lail appeared to believe the same thing as displayed in her programming.

“That sort of programming is what we need right now. Something that challenges us to grow beyond preconceived notions of command and problem-solving, Lieutenant. I would be the last to criticize the ideals of Starfleet, the true un-Infested Starfleet, but I will also admit that many of us have been trained so well that we may have to break a few habits if we’re going to win against the Infested who have infiltrated the ranks of our peers.”

Cross cocked his head at an angle when Lail mentioned Ensign Henshaw. He could see the logic of including Henshaw and others like her, and so gave a quick nod of agreement and approval.

“I concur with your assessment, Lieutenant. By all means, solicit her feedback and participation and report when everything is set in place for these games to occur.” Cross was quick to shake his head at Lail’s added question. “I don’t believe so, Lieutenant. Carry on, and thank you. It isn’t easy being the pragmatic problem-solver when there has been great loss around you. But keep on with this mindset, and we all stand to benefit.”

Cross gave Lail a polite nod before exiting the holodeck and leaving her to planning sessions.

-FIN-
 
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