Posted by Lieutenant Maria Beckett (Chief of Security) in Survival Basics/Refresher - Side Sim [Open]

Posted by Ensign Amoni Zacharya-Alars (Aza) (Security officer) in Survival Basics/Refresher - Side Sim [Open]

Posted by Lieutenant Maria Beckett (Chief of Security) in Survival Basics/Refresher - Side Sim [Open]
Posted by… suppressed (15) by the Post Ghost! 👻
The USS Memorial, a combat ship in her own right, expected to go into dangerous territory all around, meant that her crew had to be at their best level of preparation. In that regard, it meant that each member had to be self-reliant, but also to help others when things went wrong. Knowing what to do when things went wrong could mean the difference between life and death.

So it was that Lieutenant Beckett put up a class/course available for anyone: Basic Wilderness Survival. It was a course taught at the academy but was an elective for most. Pilots went through a variant of it. It was a bit more popular among the security or tactical types. But it was useful for anyone to know.

The class was scheduled to be planetside, for three days, in temperate climate conditions. Students were expected to bring a number of items:

• A cutting tool, four to six inches in length, made of high carbon steel or equivalent, with a 90° spine or surface
• A container for boiling water in. Preferably metal. Steel or titanium were recommended.
• Cordage for making bindings and lashings
• One to three sources of ignition and combustion - Matches, lighters, ferrocerium rods, freznel or magnifying lenses, all were encouraged.
• Cover - Something to build a micro climate with, and cut the effects of sun and wind. A tent was a great idea, but something as simple as a tarp would serve well. An emergency space blanket is recommended for all attendees.
• Candling - Something to see by in the dark, for those that required more light in night or dark conditions. Flashlights, chem lights, head lamps, were all acceptable examples
• Cargo tape - A roll of an adhesive tape designed to stand up to a decent amount of wear and tear. Duct tape, or its nearest equivalents.
• Compass - A military grade compass. While very low-tech and primitive was recommended.
• Cotton bandana - A couple of them, or other natural fiber material, the larger the better
• Canvas/sail needle - Or other similar sturdy thin metal spike used for repair/sewing, suitable for punching through strong materials. Must be able ot pull a string or other line through said material.

Additionally it was recommended to bring a couple changes of socks, for those species that used them. Along with a lighter and heavier layer of outer wear for adjusting to weather conditions.

Those wishing to go were to rendezvous just outside of the main shuttle bay at 06:00 hours.

Fifteen before the appointed hour, Lieutenant Beckett dragged her carcass to just outside the door. In the last hour she’d packed her gear into an efficient bag, thrown on a shell layer, snagged a light breakfast, and made her way down.

“And now we wait.”

---

((I thought this would be a fun little sidesim for anybody who wants to come along. It’s a great chance to get away, meet people, or even introduce a new Nameless ensign and get to know them. And maybe we might learn something new along the way.

Lt Beckett, COS/CIO
Sam H.

Aza heard the call for training. She threw her Starfleet issued crossbows backpack on the bed and begin filling it with the items she needed. She placed a small pocket knife in there, then she searched her quarters for all the others. In the end the only thing she did not have was matches, lighters, ferrocerium rods, freznel or magnifying lenses. She tied a brightly colored blue and yellow bandana around her forehead, clipped a fanny pack around her waist and then slipped her backpack before she left her room.
She was munching on a banana ss she approached the main shuttle bay she saw the Lieutenant waiting. “Heya, Lieutenant Beckett.” She looked around, “No one else is here. Wouldn’t be awesome if it were just the two of us planetside?” She patted her backpack. “I have almost everything I need expect for a source of combustion.”

Aza, Security

“It might well be, but let’s see if any more show up. We’re a bit early. AS for the stuff you didn’t get, go get it. You have replicator access.” She shook her head. “And when we’re all assembled, there will be a gear check. Extras will be left here.” Her tone was stern and immobile on that last part. This would be an interesting few days. It was no vacation, but with a little know-how, it wasn’t going to be miserable either.

Beckett, CoS/Instructor

“Yes, sir!” she said as she hurried to the replicator. As she started to replicate the combustible items she said, “I must admit I am nervous. This seems like it’s going to be quite an adventure but I am looking forward to sharpening my survival skills.” She said with a determined smile. “I hope one day I will be able to lead an away team on a mission. That is my current aspiration. However, I know I have a lot to learn before I get to that point. I am excited to learn cordage. I have read about this but have never done it.”

Aza, Security

“Well, in that case, if we have time, I’ll cover finding and making it. But for now, we’re bringing our own. One of the biggest uses is going to be for shelter making and the like. There’s so much to cover on this whole topic. And yeah, we could do it on a holodeck. And it would be great training. But I kinda wanna get off the ship for a while, and some of the best training is doing it for real, but in relative safety. But the Memorial won’t be terribly far away.” She flashed Aza a small smile.

“Oh, I am glad we are not doing this in a holodeck. Do you think we will run into some indigenous local wildlife?” Aza was looking forward to it. She didn’t seek out danger but she wanted the experience of being in battle or defending herself from some vicious alien species. That would look awesome on her Starfleet resume.

“I’m not really sure you really want this to be a hunting trip,” Maria replied with a wry smile. “But there might be a thing or two to worry about. You never know with wild animals. As for intelligent life, well… there’s the Prime Directive to consider.”

Though she was going to be teaching, she found herself looking forward to getting off the ship. And if it was just the two of them, then.. well, that was fine. It just meant that they could progress faster, and Aza would get plenty of one-on-one time. Plenty of dirt time. “If it’s just the two of us, and you want to go for it, we might be able to et you up to Intermediate certification. It’s a lot to cram in a weekend though.”

Beckett

“Really?” Aza said with a big smile. “That is awesome Lieutenant. I also want you to know that I am interested in getting further training to enhance my piloting skills. I had to take a few years break from Starfleet but now I am back and I am ready to learn what I need to know to be a comparable security officer.”

Aza, Security

Maria nodded. “Well, we should shoot for competent first. But this particular class is department agnostic.” She cast her gaze about and checked her chrono. “We’ll give them a few more minutes. But in the meantime, let’s get a head start on some things. Come into the bay.” Taking a moment she moved through the heavy double doors. Stopping at the panel, she took a moment to override the standard close mechanic. Of course safety interlocks would kick in if there was a serious decompression in the launch bay. Open hatches on a ship were a problem for obvious reason, but they could be left open when necessary. In this case, she didn’t want others from the class showing up and thinking that it had been canceled because they were in the bay.

“Alright, back to boot camp. get out your tarp or cover, folded to about the size of a towel. Everything you brought with you goes on it. All your gear on the deck. We’ll make sure you have the Ten C’s, and one or two comfort items, but nothing that’s going to shortcut the training.”

Beckett

Aza hurried and gathered all her items. She couldn’t help but smile as she prepared. Hopefully she was still smiling after it was all over. The comfort items she chose a dark chocolate candy bar and a hand warmer. “Lieutenant will we beam down or will we be taking a shuttle? If we are to take a shuttle, would you mind if I pilot it to the surface?”

Aza, Security

“I would but we’re getting dropped off. I originally was going to make this also a scenario training. But first I figure the basics I want my people to have. Eventually I’m going to put our fighter pilots and flight crews through SERE school,” she mused. “If war breaks out or we’re up against hostile forces, they’ll need those skills. AS well as land navigation and a whole bunch of stuff.” She smiled faintly. “I can still make it a 72 hour scenario though and turn a survival situation into just unfortunate camping. With skill and a basic kit like what we’re bringing.” The faint smile turned into a momentary grin.

Beckett

“Oh, okay.” Lieutenant Beckett could hear the disappointment in her voice. “Sorry, I feel like I should know but, what is SERE school?” The thought of being a fighter pilot intrigued her. She wondered if this was really coming from one of the personalities her symbiont or if it was really her thought. “When we make it planetside are we ever going to split up? Or do we stick together the whole time?”

Aza, Security

“Ohhh no. I’m your instructor for this, so no. You’re stuck with me. But this also means that you get some good one-on-one training. As for SERE, that is Survival Evasion Resistence and Escape.” She shook her head as her gaze went distant for a moment. “SERE is … People often come back from SERE School a bit messed up in the head. But… it can prove to be invaluable training. Especially for when things go really wrong.”

Drawing in a deep breath, the Chief checked her chrono. “Five more minutes, then this ship is leaving port.”

Lt Beckett, COS/CIO/CAG

“I am ready Lieutenant. I am surprised no one else showed up.” She said as she looked around. “Maybe I don’t know what I have signed up for.” she said with a laugh. “Hopefully everyone is not like, “That rookie is a fool. Lieutenant Beckett is going to put her through the wringer.”

Aza, Security

“Maybe one on one, but the basics are something even kids can handle on a weekend,” she muttered. “On a ship with only two hundred fifty crew, I suspect everyone is probably stuck. Maybe. Then again Maize handles a lot of the automation. Still the Memorial-class is kind of cramped. You’d think people would want to get out, get some fresh air, stretch their legs for a weekend.”

Aza nodded in agreement. She had seen it as an opportunity to get off the ship and go planetside on a planet she hadn’t set foot on before. There was a longing sense of adventure in her that she needed to fulfill and it is why she’d chosen to be a security officer, if she’d failed at security in the academy she would have gone into the science academy as a backup.

She sighed. “Alright, well… I’m calling it. Let’s go.” Turning, she lead Aza deeper into the bay where a Longevity-class runabout rested on it’s belly. It’s markings labeled it as Brevity NCC-10081. Moving to the port boarding hatch she slipped inside and tossed her pack into the general use or common area of the runabout. It was casual and an after thought as she made her way into the cockpit and took a seat.

Bringing up the displays a smile plastered across her face. Fingers danced across the console as the reactor thrummed to life. With Aza inside, the hatches sealed. =^=Brevity ready for departure, Control.=^=

A moment later a gruff male voice came back. =^=Brevity, Control. Acknowledged. Clear for departure, see you soon.=^=
=^=Ay-firm. Brevity out.=^=

With a few inputs, the runabout lifted off the deck smooth as glass and glided forward, through the containment field and out into naked space. The smile was back on the Lieutenant’s face as she brought the runabout around, then lined up on a distant point. An instant later the Memorial vanished as they warped away.

“Alright, that’s got us under way,” she mused. “Few hours until we’re there.” Standing up, she headed back for the common area. The table was already folded down, and on it was a drawing pad and some pencils, and her pack rested next to the chair, on the floor, closest to the pad. Sitting down, she slowly flipped through the pages of sketches and drawings, smiling at a few, and for a moment looking terribly lonely at a few others. Finally settling on a blank page she picked up a pencil and started drawing circles, one after the other. Over and over and over and over. At first all the same size, starting out wobbly and unsteady but as she went they smoothed out, became more and more symmetrical and rapidly so.

Maria

Aza watched Maria fidget with the drawing pad and flip through the pages. Then she watched her as she picked up the pencils and began drawing the circles. “Lieutenant, what are you doing? What are the circles for?”

Aza, Security

Aware Aza was watching her, she had the faintest smile, just for a moment. At the question she smiled again. “It’s been a while since I’ve done any drawing or sketching. This is a pretty basic exercise I’m doing. Like… playing scales on an instrument. It’s helping me get out some of the ‘bad ink’. Or rather calibrate my control again and rebuilding muscle memory. If you’ve done it enough it comes back quickly. Like a warm-up.”

She paused for a moment. “It’s considered quite difficult to draw a perfect circle freehand. But if you practice it enough… ” She let the evidence speak for itself. “It helps for building line confidence and line weight too. You can also draw deformed shapes to practice in a similar manner, as you need to be able to replicate the shapes you see as you construct various forms. So it’s all good practice.”

She drew a few more, whipping through a few that were almost perfect, and certainly steady. She turned out a few ovals, and a few egg shapes as well. “Centuries ago, I forget who, but someone asked Leonardo DaVinci to prove his skill as an artist. He thought about it for a moment, picked up a utensil to write with and just drew a perfect circle, and then walked out. Nobody else present could manage it.” The image of one of the historical greats dropping a mic like that drew out another smile.

“The trick as well gets you away from the fear of making mistakes and encourages just trying again. But not getting stuck on success either. The idea is to be able to repeat it. Wanna try?”

Maria

Aza observed intently as Lieutenant Beckett explained the concept of the drawing practice, captivated by her skill and determination. The concept of using basic exercises to improve artistic abilities made sense to Aza, who had always admired those with artistic talent. The person’s mention of playing scales on an instrument resonated with Aza....in some way. Perhaps.one of her symbionts had learned to play the piano and understood the importance of practicing fundamental techniques.

As the Lieutenant continued to draw, producing circles, ovals, and egg shapes, Aza couldn’t help but be amazed. She wasnt sure who Leonardo Da Vinci’s was but whoever he was added to the intrigue. It was inspiring to think that such a simple exercise could demonstrate such profound artistic skill. Aza considered the invitation to try the exercise because the explanation of how it helped overcome the fear of making mistakes resonated deeply. Aza had sometimes struggled with the fear of failure and the paralyzing perfectionism that accompanied it. The idea of focusing on the process and repetition rather than fixating on achieving immediate success sounded both liberating and empowering.
With a shy smile, Aza reached out for a drawing utensil and a blank sheet of paper. “I’d love to give it a try,” Aza replied, a hint of enthusiasm in her voice. She hesitated for a moment, feeling the weight of expectations, but then reminded herself of the encouraging words. “Even if I don’t get it right the first time, it’s about the practice, right?”

Taking a deep breath, Aza steadied their hand and began to draw. The first attempt was far from perfect, but they persevered, drawing circle after circle, gradually feeling more comfortable and gaining confidence with each stroke. The fear of failure started to fade away as Aza embraced the process, focusing on the continuous improvement rather than the end result.

Aza, Security

Maria gave Aza a smile that brightened up her normally serious expression. After a decade of developing a professional ‘poker face’ it was nice to drop it when she could afford to. But more than that, it was just nice to see Aza give it a try. And as she improved, pass after pass, each one better, steadier than the last she nodded in approval. “Looking good.”

When Aza had reached a point that she was able to draw several perfect circles, or near-perfect in a row, she tilted her head. “Wanna add another level of complexity?”

“Draw a large circle. Or oval. Or other shape, then inside that, draw smaller circles, around the edge. Fill the interior.. Like you might see a cut-away or cross section of a plant’s stalks. Drawing a circle all the same size is good. Being able to control the sizes builds further skill, as you calibrate when to draw with your shoulder, your elbow, or your wrist, or fingers. And how much to use in combination.”

She picked up a fresh sheet, making a circle that filled almost the entire thing, then drew six larger circles inside, then began drawing smaller sets of circles inside each one. they were a little wobbly at first, but quickly she found her footing in each set. Then she filled another one of the larger circles, with each layer being more steady than the previous version. At the same time, a pattern and texture began to emerge in the process, orderly but also somewhat organic looking.

“I’ve got some more basic exercises, but as we go, we’re building a lot of fundamental skills,” she murmured as she worked on her fifth large circle. “Another way to look at this is learning kata. And then bunkai or application. Until you’re able to start sparring. And it’s always good to go back to your basics, your first principles and refresh from time to time. And sometimes, as you grow in skill and experience, and learn from others, you find hidden things in the kata. Hidden bunkai.” She flashed Aza another smile.

She’d never really made the connection between art and music, and also martial arts al at once, but looking at it in almost meditative state, the similarities were clear. Though also vastly different. All linked together by the principles of practice and self-discipline.

Maria

Aza continued to work on the exercise, finding herself both challenged and engaged by the layers of complexity Maria introduced. As Aza carefully drew the circles and smaller patterns within, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment with each improved attempt. The comparison to martial arts kata and the idea of hidden meanings resonated deeply with Aza’s love for learning and discovering new perspectives.

“Thank you,” Aza replied with genuine gratitude, looking up from her drawing to meet Maria’s gaze. “I never thought about these connections before, how the principles of practice and discipline apply across different domains. It’s fascinating to see how they intertwine.” Aza’s voice held a hint of excitement and curiosity. As Aza continued to refine her technique, she occasionally stole glances at Maria’s work, fascinated by the way the circles and patterns came together to form something both orderly and artistic.

Aza, Security