Command Certification Miller

[Damien Coleman]

== Carryover post Miller ==

Grant was the next person to get geared up, acknowledging the Tactical officer's nod that he was prepared to go, which only left Robin, since Aeryn had already taken care of a weapon for Calleja. Having a means of defence was certainly reassuring to the security chief, although if it came to that, then she had no issue with some hand-to-hand combat if it meant the difference between life and death. They were as prepared as they were going to be before any further thought on the matter was quickly silenced as the ship rocked again. Instinct took over once more as Aeryn reached out to stop herself from falling.

Whatever had caused it, wasn't good in Aeryn's honest opinion, and if anything, it only cemented her belief that they had to get moving. Although Aeryn was soon faced with another decision to make as Galani's voice called out loudly over her comm badge. Since Sickbay was on the way to Engineering, it made sense to the Lieutenant that they called off there, before continuing down a couple of decks, because they couldn't take the injured crewman with them. This train of thought also opened up another avenue, where they split up temporarily, allowing her and Grant to get to Engineering first to assist, leaving Calleja and Robin the opportunity to follow them once they dropped off the Tellarite. Whether this plan worked all depended on what they found on Deck 8, and if the turbolifts were still in action.

There was only one way to find out, as she looked at Grant, Mayfair and Calleja. " This is what we do. We go to Deck 8 first, and depending on what we find, Mayfair and Calleja can drop off our friend at Sickbay, while myself and Grant continue to Engineering to provide back up until they can join us”.

After a small pause for responses, Aeryn continued. “Let’s get to the lift as we need to hurry”.

Aeryn then turned with her weapon ready and headed for the lift, while tapping her badge in order to respond to Galani.

[Miller to Galani, acknowledged, we'll be there asap]

== Tags ==

== GM, response from Galani and is the way to the lift clear ? ==


== Carryover post Calleja ==

"That'll definitely be needed. You'll have to keep his head down while someone elevates his feet."

Mara nodded as Robin outlined what would be necessary.

“‘K,” she said. “I can tilt ‘im if it’ll ‘elp. Just gonna ‘ave ta get ‘im settled.”

She watched on as the CMO treated the patient. Calleja had been through the basic medical training that all Star Fleet officers had to and she’d been proficient enough to pass. But when the real practitioners got going, like Mayfair was now, it might as well have been a different language.

She made her offer to carry the patient, and turned her head as Aeryn was in full flow.

"That won't be an issue, as myself and Grant will take up a defensive position at the front and rear of the team, while you carry our Tellarite friend, and Robin can keep an eye on him. Although once we get to the weapons locker, we'll take as much as we can, so all of us have a weapon."

Mara took the phaser and holster that was offered, clipping the weapon to her belt. She also took a pair of knives, clipping one to her belt next to the phaser and secreting the other in her boot. Boarding actions were often close-up and personal, vicious and dirty fighting in twisting corridors. As long as the wielder could use it properly, a blade was just as important as a gun. And what she could do with a blade was its own gory art form.

There was a message from Engineering, and Calleja recognised Galani’s voice immediately. It certainly seemed to galvanise the COS into action.

"This is what we do. We go to Deck 8 first, and depending on what we find, Mayfair and Calleja can drop off our friend at Sickbay, while myself and Grant continue to Engineering to provide back up until they can join us.”

Mara frowned.

“If yer sure,” she said. In an actual combat situation, she would have outlined her concerns, but she’d seen what her last interjection had done so she kept those to herself for now.

“Robin, make sure ya got a gun, ‘cause yer coverin’ me fo’ once,” Calleja said. “Ya see somethin’ movin’ an’ it ain’t in uniform, treat it like a Breen.”

There was a wolfish grin on Mara’s face as she dropped to one knee. She settled the Tellarite, made sure she was comfortable with the weight, and then rose steadily. For the most part he was level, his head in the crook of her left arm, but she held his legs elevated as Robin had instructed.

His weight was a strain but Calleja was able to pick up the pace, long legs keeping up with Miller as the team moved off.


== Carryover post Grant ==

Even though they were in a high stakes situation, Miles had to commend Miller for keeping a level head. It was obvious a lot was being thrown her way, but she slid into the role of Command quite easily. Miles could only hope that he would be able to do the same down the line.

As they finished getting their gear, a call came in from Engineering from Galani. Someone found a way to reach them, and let them know Engineering was under attack. That confirmed the intruder alert being real. Now the decision came on what was next.

As Mayfair and Calleja got their Engineer ready for transport, Miller gave the plan going forward. Since it was on the way, they would stop by Sickbay to drop off Mayfair, Calleja, and their Engineer, while Miles and Miller would continue to Engineering to give them back up. A solid plan, given their limited personnel.

Miles definitely hoped they could find more of the crew along the way, but was prepared to make due with what they had. He took position in the flank as they made their way to the turbolift.

==Tag==


== Carryover post Mayfair ==

More bad news, engineering was under attack. They had to go, and they had to go now. Aeryn ordered

“Robin, make sure ya got a gun, ‘cause yer coverin’ me fo’ once,” Calleja said. “Ya see somethin’ movin’ an’ it ain’t in uniform, treat it like a Breen.”

Robin nodded, an unwelcome grim memory and the smell of burned flesh suddenly plowing forward in her Augment brain. I really wish she hadn't said that.

But she focused on the work. She accepted it, especially since Mara would be doing the vast majority of the heavy lifting of her patient. If the Amazonian security officer hadn't been here there was no way the nurse would have been able to move the engineer. Holodeck simulation or not, if there was a threat to herself, her patient, or her comrades she wouldn't hesitate. She took a Type-2 phaser, and put it on setting 4. "Understood. Ready to go." Robin was absolutely impressed that Mara didn't need help even with the awkward carry that Robin had required for a shock patient. She took a place next to the Bandaran, paying close attention to her enhanced senses.

"Lieutenant Miller, should we follow once the patient is in Sickbay? My staff can handle the patient once we get him there." And it was true; Robin had a full medical staff of extremely competent doctors and nurses, and Aeryn would definitely need Mara with her... and she wasn't about to let the three of them run off into danger without a medic to patch them up.

== Tags ==



== GM-Coleman replies begin here ==

== Miller ==

There was only one response from Galani,

[You’d better hurry yer asses…]


== All ==

As the group moved forward, there was an eeriness that settled in. Corridors were blanketed in shadows, as the emergency lighting didn’t fully illuminate everything. Worse still was the absence of crew. Of course, many had yet to come back aboard, having not been fully recalled from shore leave. However, there was a distinct lack of personnel who were from Support or Engineering departments; many of whom still had duty shifts despite shore leave.

Making it to the lift, there was no sign of the intruders on the deck. The turbolift doors opened, and an empty car awaited the group.

Once they arrived on deck eight, they could hear the sounds of a firefight. The corridors were pitch black, with the emergency lighting having been disengaged or damaged somehow. Faint screams could be heard in both directions from the lift, and the ship once again shook. A light scent of burnt flesh lingered…

[Aeryn Miller]

Aeryn was as sure as she would be, although her plan would be subject to change, depending on what they found on Deck 8. Considering the emergency that they were now facing, Aeryn wasn't so concrete in formulating a plan that would carry them through to the end, preferring to adapt where necessary, because ultimately this was about ensuring that her team survived and that they got the ship back, from whoever or whatever had dared to attack them. When Robin then asked if her and Calleja should follow them to Engineering, once her patient was in Sickbay, Aeryn knew what the answer would be. In fact, it was something that she had factored in while making her decision.

" Yes" she replied, knowing that those in Sickbay would be able to take good care of the Crewman, allowing Robin to accompany the team, because she wasn't going to go into this without a medic. The response from Galani spurred Aeryn on towards the lift, with focus and intent shining like a beacon within her mind, especially with how eerie everything was. The last thing the security chief wanted was to let the shadows play tricks on her, or let her imagination run too far ahead, with the lack of crew present. She could only help so many at one time, and yet that didn't completely stop her from sending a silent prayer that those who should be there from Support and Engineering would be kept safe until she finished helping Galani.

There was, however, some good news, since the group hadn't engaged any intruders, as the lift doors opened to reveal the empty car waiting for them. Once inside, Aeryn allowed herself a few moments of silent solitude and contemplation, giving her the time to put her emotions in check. A ritual that was sorely needed at this point, because when the doors opened again, to reveal what awaited them on Deck 8, Aeryn knew what she had to do. The sound of weapons fire being exchanged, the faint screams coming from both directions in the darkness, coupled with the ship shaking and the faint lingering smell of burnt flesh, clung to Aeryn as she was forced to make a much tougher decision.

She couldn't send Calleja, Robin and the injured Engineer into that, and as for those in trouble, she could only come back when they were better equipped to offer assistance or if she could somehow muster up extra numbers to help. It was with a solemn heart that Aeryn addressed those with her. " We're all going to Engineering, there's nothing that we can do here, at least without more people and equipment" she began. " As for our injured friend, Robin do what you can to make him comfortable, as we'll need to find a safe space for him, until we get the ship back".

== Tags ==

== GM input, are there any issues with getting to Engineering? ==

[Miles Grant]

There had not been any sign of hostiles on their way to the turbolift. That had been a good sign, but Miles knew better than to rest on laurels. There was no telling what they would encounter beyond this point.

Miles stayed at the ready as they traversed the few decks before the reached Deck 8, where Sickbay was located. He knew the plan going in was to get Mayfair, Calleja, and their Engineer to Sickbay, and so they could set up a triage. He brought his weapon up when the doors opened.

Fortunately, there was nothing currently on the other side of the door, but it was better to be prepared than be caught unawares. It didn't take long after they had reached the deck for the sounds to reach them. The sounds of a firefight. Miles' initial thought was to join in the defense and drive any intruders off. Then they would have more firepower and protection.

And then Miller spoke. At first, her words made Miles feel a sense of betrayal. How could she just leave the crew here? They needed to intervene. But, as she continued her explanation, it made sense. As much as he hated it, it made sense. Engineering was also experiencing intruders. They might not have the firepower to hold off hostiles like those here did.

On top of that, if hostiles took Engineering, they could easily control most, if not all, of the Artemis. And then it might not matter if they had stopped a few of the intruders.

He didn't like it. It left the taste of bile in his mouth, but he reluctantly followed to return to the turbolift to continue their journey to Engineering.

==Tag all==

[Damien Coleman]

== All ==

The turbolift’s journey was short, being only three decks away from the intended destination. When the door to the car finally opened, a somewhat similar situation waited for the group. Darkness invited them in, with the corridors plunged into pitch black, any of the lighting damaged or disabled. What was lacking were the screams and smell of burnt flesh that they had left behind on deck eight. Instead there was an eerie silence that carried through the corridors, which also spoke to a problem. The turbolift hadn’t taken them all the way to its usual destination just outside of main engineering; it had come up short.

They were a slight jaunt away from where they could access the lower level of their destination. Why the turbolift had chosen to bring them slightly further away might become apparent to some in the group: someone in engineering was looking out for them. Which was odd, because in most simulations, an error would simply bring the team into whatever immediate danger loomed. Those more sensitive in senses would feel that danger too. Something or some things were on that same deck with them.

After a few moments, the sounds of shouting, phaser fire, and something else could be heard. In the end it would be obvious that engineering was being breached.

[Robin Mayfair]

Aeryn had made a decision, and although Robin wasn't happy about it she understood. Sickbay wasn't a viable option anymore. And if Engineering was taken the whole thing was over. The enemy could blow the ship or cut life support.

"We're all going to Engineering, there's nothing that we can do here, at least without more people and equipment," the Security Chief said. " As for our injured friend, Robin do what you can to make him comfortable, as we'll need to find a safe space for him, until we get the ship back".

Robin swallowed. "Aye, Sir." Her patient was as stable as he was going to get until they could get him proper medical care. And this had been part of her Academy training, an unpleasant part that the young nurse had struggled with. They needed someplace safe for him. As they headed for the turbolift she spied a door for one of the crew quarters. It was locked, and voice authorization wasn't working, but the CMO pulled open a panel next to it and inserted her little-used medical keycard. In an emergency she was authorized to open nearly any door on the Artemis. She tapped in a quick code and the door slid open. There wasn't much inside but there was a bed.

"Set him down there, Lieutenant," she said to Mara. She pulled back the sheets for the Bandaran, stacked every pillow nearby to elevate his feet, then covered the Tellarite to keep him warm. She gave him a sedative to keep his bodily functions stable. It would only last a few hours, but either they would have won by then or it wouldn't matter.

Once he was as secure as he could be made in the circumstances she nodded to Mara and smiled. "Thanks. Ready to go?" It was a rhetorical question, because the Security officer seemed to be born ready.

The lift didn't go to its original destination, though the Augment wasn't sure why. Something made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She wasn't always aware of what her enhanced senses were telling her consciously, but the dark corridor gave her a primitive sense of danger. She couldn't see much further than the rest of the team (since even her eyes needed some light, just less of it), but she knew something was wrong. "Lieutenant," she whispered to Aeryn, "We're not alone."

But before she could figure anything out screams came from ahead. The situation in Engineering sounded dire.

== Tags ==

[Aeryn Miller]

Aeryn knew that her decision to avoid Sickbay altogether and continue on to Engineering without helping those on deck 8 might not sit well with the rest of her team. Even Aeryn herself was struggling at the thought of abandoning them, but she just had to compartmentalise those emotions and feelings if they were going to stand any chance of stopping the intruders from taking over Engineering. From there they could take control of everything, make the crew suffer even more or worse, and Aeryn wasn't going to let them succeed if she had any say about it. Personal thoughts and feelings about what had transpired could be saved for later, as Robin acknowledged her order, and found a suitable safe spot for the injured Tellarite.

Not having to worry about him, allowed Aeryn a moment of temporary respite, preferring not to think too much about leaving him at the mercy of the intruders. Then again, Robin had taken the necessary steps to ensure his safety, and that's all the security chief could ask for, as everyone reconvened and the lift took them to their next destination. Almost immediately, Aeryn realised that they were facing a similar situation that had greeted them on Deck 8, with a few minor differences, including the lack of screams and no lingering smell of burnt flesh. The eerie silence spoke volumes to Aeryn, indicating that the lift hadn't taken them all the way to Engineering. Rather than focus on it negatively, Aeryn had a feeling that someone was looking out for them, and she had a shrewd idea as to who that was. If she was right, then this wasn't like a normal simulation, otherwise the four of them wouldn't have been given the opportunity to put the element of surprise into effect.

Regardless of that, they had to be smart about this, and not give away their position too soon. Spurred on by the shouting, phaser fire, and something else that she couldn't quite figure out yet, Aeryn and the others had to help stop Engineering from being breached. The redhead was about to quietly issue orders when Robin informed her that they weren't alone on the deck. This wasn't the first time that Aeryn had appreciated her friend's augmented abilities and no doubt they would be very useful as they travelled the short distance to the lower level.

" Thanks Robin, keep a listen out in case they decide to surprise us" she whispered back, not wanting to take any chances. There was still the matter of navigating the dark, but at least they had a way of doing that, along with practising caution.

" Okay, everyone, activate your flashlights, and proceed with caution. Be prepared to engage once we reach Engineering".

Again, this was all said in a whisper, as Aeryn raised her weapon and proceeded forward, ignoring the way her heart seemed to claw at her chest, thanks to the adrenaline still coursing through her veins.

== Tags ==

== GM input. Can we navigate the distance between where the lift stopped and the lower level safely? And if so, what do we find when we get there? ==

[Damien Coleman]

Moving through the corridors, there was phaser fire still ahead along with even more shouting. As they rounded one of the curves of the deck, eyes unaided by the flashlights would pick up something odd on the ground. A very soft, sickly pale green light encapsulated something.

As they drew closer, or once someone shone a torch on it, a Starfleet uniform could be made out. It looked to have been a security officer laying on the ground in an unnatural way. As the group got close enough to inspect, it seemed that the officer was stuck in some sort of stasis field. A slightly larger than hand sized, hexa-pronged metallic object clamped onto the lower abdomen seemed to be the source. Any medical tricorder scans would confirm that the officer was alive, and that the field served two functions: put people into a deep state of stasis, but also created a shield that protected the person as well as the device. There was no way for them to easily remove the device with the shield operating. Mayfair would be able to postulate that even if they did, the officer would have trouble waking, and would take several minutes to become cognizant.

Whatever time they would get to spend with the downed officer would be short. There was movement further down the corridor, near to where access to main engineering was. Then, Robin would be able to hear another major problem. Not only was there movement ahead of the group, but movement from where they came. They were being pincered. And there were no flashlights being used by whoever, or whatever, was moving.

[Mara Calleja]

Mara stood impassively at the back of the turbolift as it travelled to deck 8. She had one or two regrets about being so quick to volunteer to carry the patient as he was heavy, but it all came down to practicalities. A little discomfort for her vs having to knock up a stretcher and essentially lose 2 members of the team if it came to a fight before they’d dropped off the patient.

The biggest problem the Lieutenant was having was engaging. Even as the lift doors opened and the group were pitched into blackness, complete with screaming and the smell of burnt flesh, she didn’t feel anything. Her face didn’t so much as flicker and she made no attempt to take cover, knowing full well that nobody was actually in any danger. If she could have shrugged she would have.

Don’ know wha’s wrong wi’ me. I should be full on into this. Tactical combat is wha’ I do an’ I’m f*ckin’ good a’ it. Bu’... I dunno, it all jus’ feels a bit… corny? I still feel Aeryn is makin’ mistakes bu’ I don’ wanna tell ‘er ‘cause when I did, it looked like I crushed ‘er. An’ this is major fo’ ‘er. I ain’t go’ any skin in th’ game bu’ she does.

She couldn’t shake the funk she was in even as Miller came full circle and said that they were going to have to find somewhere to stow the wounded engineer. That same suggestion of Calleja’s that had raised eyebrows was now going to be the way forward.

As the group retreated back towards the turbolift, Robin detoured to open a set of crew quarters. Mara nodded in approval at the improvisation as she followed the CMO in.

"Set him down there, Lieutenant," she said, opening the bed.

Carefully, the Bandaran lowered the Tellarite down, aiming his legs onto the pile of pillows. She straightened up and stretched out her back as Mayfair rapidly stabilised his condition as best she could.

"Thanks. Ready to go?" Robin asked?

“Yeah, I guess.” Mara shrugged. “If ya know any secrets ta gettin’ immersed prop’ly inta holodeck sims, then please share. ‘Cause I’m strugglin’ ‘ere,” she admitted before following the medic back to the lift.

As they travelled back down, the Security officer still couldn’t get her head straight. At least the blank expression had become one of frustration, as that at least she cared about. She felt like she was failing a friend and that never sat right with Calleja. At some point she was going to have to figure this out, because in the not too distant future it would be her running the gauntlet of one of these simulations. And right now that would not end well for her.

Mara drew her phaser and her knife as they advanced out of the lift again. The vast majority of her combat experience was in bloody, messy fights like this, and she knew better than most to be ready for the enemy to appear with precious little warning.

I so ‘ope tha’ somethin’ pops up. Maybe a good proper fight will get me goin’. I got opinions on killin’ people. ‘Olograms, no’ so much. I can f*ckin’ rip through ‘em all day.

Her detachment continued as the group came up to the strangely pinned Security officer on the floor. Calleja looked him over, concluded he was far beyond anything she could do, and stepped past him to take point. As the others analysed the fallen man, the Bandaran was silent, turning her head to the side. She zoned out the familiar voices and closed her eyes for a moment to really focus on what she could hear.

It didn’t take long to identify movement coming from both directions. And whatever was out there, they didn’t need flashlights to give away their location, but even in the gloom the former gang rat could make out movement in both directions.

Mara took a step back and gently rested her hand on Aeryn’s shoulder to get the other woman’s attention.

“We’re bein’ flanked,” she said calmly. “They’re in front o’ us an’ comin’ aroun’ behind too. Ya want my recommendation? We strike ‘ard an’ ‘eavy into th’ ones behind us ‘fore they expect it. Keep th’ rest o’ ‘em in front o’ us an’ our retreat lines clear. They ain’t usin’ flashlights to see so they must be tuned in to the dark. So I say we use flashlights as a weapon to disorient ‘em, an’ if anyone grabbed any flash bombs from tha’ cache, now would be a good time fo’ ‘em.”

Her piece said, Calleja went back to watching for movement. She had a sense for what was going on and was watching closely for anything that would say an attack was coming.

== Sorry for falling behind! I think that’s me up to date… I checked with GM-Aaron to make sure it was OK for Mara to have picked up on the pincer movement. Safe to say, she's been here before! ==

[Robin Mayfair]

“If ya know any secrets ta gettin’ immersed prop’ly inta holodeck sims, then please share. ‘Cause I’m strugglin’ ‘ere,” Mara admitted as they left the Tellarite. Robin gave him a regretful glance back and sealed the door.

"Sorry, I wish I had something to tell you, she whispered. "Holodeck simulations..."

If that's actually what this is.

"Mess with even my senses. Everything seems so real. I feel like I should be able to tell the difference, but I can't. So I just throw myself into it as best I can."

After Robin let Aeryn know they weren't alone she responded "Thanks Robin, keep a listen out in case they decide to surprise us."

"Will do, Sir."

"Okay, everyone, activate your flashlights, and proceed with caution. Be prepared to engage once we reach Engineering."

As the team snuck through the darkened corridors Robin's eyes began to adjust... just in time to see a crew member sprawled in the corridor. He had a hexa-pronged metallic object attached to his lower torso. He was alive, but a scan indicated that the device was shielding him. Robin had no way of removing the object. She scanned the device itself in the hopes of figuring out what it was. Robin informed the team that the crewman wouldn't be in any shape to move even if she could get the device off.

Things were going from bad to worse. There was movement ahead and behind, vague figures in the shadows outside of flashlight range that her sensitive eyes could pick out, though details eluded her. She could hear the enemy as well. The team was being efficiently flanked. Mara had picked up on it, listening intently. Robin was impressed. The Bandaran's experience in combat was serving her well.

“We’re bein’ flanked,” Mara said calmly. “They’re in front o’ us an’ comin’ aroun’ behind too. Ya want my recommendation? We strike ‘ard an’ ‘eavy into th’ ones behind us ‘fore they expect it. Keep th’ rest o’ ‘em in front o’ us an’ our retreat lines clear. They ain’t usin’ flashlights to see so they must be tuned in to the dark. So I say we use flashlights as a weapon to disorient ‘em, an’ if anyone grabbed any flash bombs from tha’ cache, now would be a good time fo’ ‘em.”

Oh God, no, Robin thought. If one of those things goes off anywhere near me I'll be out of the fight instantly. Enhanced senses came with a downside... the Augment was extremely vulnerable to loud noises and bright lights. A flashbang would turn her into a gibbering mess, unable to hear or see and in intense pain.

"If you need to use one, give me warning, OK?" she whispered to Aeryn and Mara. The best she could do would be to find cover, slam her eyes shut, cover her ears, and hope she was far enough away that she could avoid the worst of it. But maybe the enemy shared that vulnerability too... if they didn't need flashlights then the sensory overload would perhaps be enough to disable them and allow the team to take them by surprise.

== GM Input: Is Robin able to figure anything out from her scan of the device on the crew member's torso? What it's doing, what sort of technology it is, etc.? Does it look Borg? ==
== Tags ==

[Miles Grant]

The trip to Engineering had been shorter than Miles had anticipated, and it seemed for good reason. They didn't come out into Engineering proper, but rather the upper overlook, with a short "catwalk" away from Main Engineering.

Miles wasn't sure why, but there had to have been a reason. Regardless, they began to act, with Miller giving more orders in advancing, as well as having their injured Engineer, who had been stabilized for the time being, set down so they could continue.

It became apparent something was very wrong here, and he didn't need his touch empathy to tell him that. They slowly advance along, but the problems became more apparent the further they proceeded.

He thought he heard discussion between Mayfair and Calleja regarding simulations, but paid it no heed as they came upon the apparently placed in stasis Security crewmember. It didn't take long to realize there was little they could do for them, even if there time had more or less run out by the predicament they found themselves in shortly after finding the Security Officer.

As Calleja so profoundly put things into perspective, they were now in the middle of a pincer. Somehow, someway, something had gotten the drop on them and came up from the rear. From where they had just come from. Miles wasn't sure how, but he remained focused as Calleja came up with a rudimentary plan to deal with their current situation.

Whereas it was not overall strategic, it had it's merits, especially given their limited numbers and options. And time. Time was not their friend to plan a better or more sound tactic. There was little else he could add save for one recommendation.

"Aside from hitting them hard to our rear guard," he stated, "once we get enough of a push, at least one of us needs to turn back and focus on the front to prepare for whatever may come from that direction."

That was always the biggest issue with being caught in a pincer: figuring out how to defend yourself or attack on two fronts. Miles turned to Miller to check what her plan was, ready to follow.

==Tag all==

[Aeryn Miller]

Aeryn had seen some true horrors in her relatively short life and what the team had witnessed and endured so far, would likely come a close second. However, as they rounded the curve of the corridor and the scene that was laid out in front of them, Aeryn felt sick to her stomach. To see a member of the crew and particularly someone from her department, laid in an unnatural position trapped by some kind of stasis field, shook the resolve that the security chief had been trying to maintain ever since they had left deck 8. The source of the stasis field was something that the redhead had never seen before, although she didn't have to think too much as to who had done such a thing.

In the back of her mind, Aeryn couldn't shake the notion that this had been done deliberately, to force potential victims to stop and try to render assistance and to prevent anyone from continuing forward. Another factor to consider was when Robin then gave them an update on the trapped security officer and how the shield operated. Even if they did manage to free them, they would be left with the same problems as before, and if anything, it made Aeryn more angry at those responsible for inflicting such torment. Thankfully, the officer wasn't aware of their fate, but still, it left Aeryn torn before Mara alerted her to a bigger problem.

A problem that could leave all four of them incapacitated unless they were smart about it, a problem to solve before it was too late. Aeryn listened as Mara then gave her recommendation as to how to deal with it, appreciating one of the Bandaran's many strengths, as Robin interjected and asked for a warning should they detonate a flash bomb. Given their limited time before the intruders attacked and the fact that they couldn't go anywhere, at least not yet, there were a couple of options for Aeryn to consider quickly, as Grant then added to what had been offered up as a potential plan.

" You won't have to worry about the flash bombs as we don't have any" Aeryn reassured her friend, realising her mistake in not grabbing any from the weapons locker, although considering the rush and the impending ambush, she wasn't about to chastise herself right now. " We're just going to have to improvise with the flashlights, and potentially the stasis field as we know it acts like a shield. Calleja, Grant, you take care of those coming from the rear, while myself and Robin deal with those from the front".

Splitting up into pairs made sense as she couldn't leave one person to deal with those coming from the other direction, plus they had an advantage with both Robin and Mara. " If that doesn't work or there's too many of them, then we fall back into the access hatch and use the maintenance shafts to get to Engineering".

Now they had to get into position, because this plan was either going to succeed or it wasn't, and yet she wasn't about to let Engineering fall or any of her team suffer because of these intruders.

== Tags ==

== Over to you GM :-) ==

[Mara Calleja]

"If you need to use one, give me warning, OK?" Robin whispered.

Mara frowned for a moment and then realisation dawned. She hadn’t even thought of the effect a flash bomb would have on the CMO’s enhanced senses. She nodded.

“I will,” the Lieutenant replied softly.

She listened in as Aeryn outlined a plan, and again found herself frowning. Strong as the Bandaran was, she wasn’t keen on rushing into a fight against an unknown enemy with a Tactical officer at her back. She was even less happy about the idea of Miller leading Mayfair on the attack in the other direction.

I wanna say somethin’ bu’ I can’t. It’s Aeryn’s show. She calls th’ shots. Nobody is actually gonna get ‘urt so I gotta shut up an’ get on wi’ it.

Calleja bit her tongue and looked down the corridor where her quarry lurked in the darkness. Her eyes were already starting to adjust and she could see the shapes more clearly.

“Ya ready then flyboy?” she asked Grant with a half-smile.

== OK then GM. What have we got? ==

[Miles Grant]

Miller quickly informed that they wouldn't have the flash grenades that might have been helpful in this situation. She did, however, come up with a plan to engage if necessary, and where to retreat if they found themselves in an untenable situation.

With their orders, Miles took his position beside Calleja as they prepared for the inevitable. He steadied his breathing as he prepped his weapon, before Calleja spoke, checking his readiness, while also addressing him with the nickname that had quickly attached itself to him ever since the mission to rescue the Captain.

He didn't mind it, but was a little surprised it had caught traction as quickly and as prominently as it had. Nevertheless, he nodded before responding.

"Ready," he stated, for everyone's benefit, focusing down on his sights.

==Tag==