Command Certification Mayfair

[Damien Coleman]

== Carryover post by Calleja ==

Things had been going relatively smoothly for Beka as she ran the triage. There had been some nasty burns and cuts that Cartwright and Syrol hadn’t been able to treat with what they had, but her extra experience and training as a front-line emergency specialist had made the difference. She hadn’t been overly tested but that was fine by her. The whole point was to test Robin, not the redhead who was only too happy to play sidekick.

[Doctor Sydesh, can you give tricorders to some of the least-wounded in your area and have them doing active life and movement scans near the exits in your position? We're not expecting any bad guys to come through while the shield is up, but I don't want to take chances.]

“Er… sure, ma’am.” Beka looked around as she replied to Robin, taking mental stock of the equipment they had left. “I can make that work.”

I think.

Truth be told there wasn’t much functional equipment that had survived the fight. She got hold of a few borderline working tricorders, then gently cajoled a couple of wounded engineers to do what they could to get them going again.

There were a whole 4 fully functioning scanners, 1 of which had to be kept for treatment between the 3 medics, so that left another 3 to be handed out. Sydesh was about to do that when a Talaxian came round.

“Doctor. Doctor!” they called. “I need to speak with you.”

“Sure. Syrol?” Beka called the Vulcan over. “Orders from Lt Mayfair. We need 3 of the walking wounded using these tricorders. Watch the perimeter for movement, immediately report if they see anything. Find the fittest we’ve got left.”

Syrol nodded, took the scanners and moved off, and Sydesh dropped to one knee next to the patient.

“What’s up? How are you doing?” she asked, scanning the Talaxian with the surviving tricorder.

== Tags! GM-Damian input on the patient please. ==


== Carryover post by Mayfair ==

Time passed, and no assault. Robin wondered whether the enemy had given up and decided to wait them out or if they were planning something else. And the bombing wasn't regular.

“All set,” the Engineer declared, “I’ll send the spots to target, to your tricorders. Try to be as accurate as possible to save on energy packs, and also decrease the possibility of a full cave-in.”

"Thanks," the nurse said gratefully. "Lt. Miller, stay here and help man the barricade in case they do try an assault again." Robin was confident in Aeryn's ability to keep the situation under control here, especially if they could create a real chokepoint. She turned to the engineer, asking him to step aside with her.

"Let me see your arm," she said, spraying his burn with an analgesic from her hypo. "There, that should help with the pain. Can you pull up a schematic of the building? I don't trust the fact that they aren't trying to break through again. It could be that they're just licking their wounds or have decided that the building simply isn't worth it, but they could also be trying another route of attack. Now that we've got a plan here I'm thinking that we do need to scout the situation. I do not want us to get attacked from a different direction or taken by surprise." She was trying to draw the dejected engineer into the idea of being proactive instead of waiting to be picked off by the enemy. Or at least in the idea of making sure their little fortress really was secure.

== Tag ==
== GM Input: How does the engineer react? And does he have a schematic that Robin can look at to plan a little scouting mission? ==


== Carryover post by Miller ==

Aeryn was well aware that most eyes except those of her friend were now on her, as Robin issued her orders, and the security officer knew without asking that she was now in charge of the barricade. It was an easy role to slip into given her current position and, even if it wasn't, she had been in situations like this before her promotion. Although she took advantage of what silence they did get, which allowed her to focus on what was happening, from the occasional sound of bombardment to the irregular use of artillery, which told the Security Chief a lot. Whoever the enemy was, they didn't seem to be directly targeting them or aiming accurately with their weapons. That did change briefly as the whole building then shook and the lights flickered.

Still Aeryn held her resolve as the minutes ticked by without a sign that they were going to go through with a direct assault on the barricade. The Engineer who had been working on finding a way to bring the building down safely, gave Robin an update which the CMO acknowledged promptly, before Robin thanked him and gave Aeryn the order to stay and help, just in case the enemy changed their minds.

" Acknowledged" Aeryn replied simply, as Robin then took the Engineer to one side.

" Let's keep watch and be ready" Aeryn instructed those left, thinking that they might have to divide the watch into shifts, as time went on.

== Tags ==

== GM response from those with Aeryn? ==



== GM-Coleman replies begin here==

== Sydesh ==

The patient grimaced, obviously in some pain, but there was determination in her expression too. Swallowing down everything she was going through, she cleared her throat to respond. As the building shook from another strike, the Talaxian winced. Realizing that the strike hadn’t brought the shields down, she finally spoke.

“We didn’t know this was going to happen,” she started, looking equally ashamed and somewhat panicked.

“I swear. We didn’t even know that they were here. To us, it all looked abandoned. Scans didn’t find anything, we were cautious, we were really cautious,” the words jumbled out of her mouth, as if they had been pent up for days.

There was terror in her eyes as she was about to speak again, her blood pressure and pulse rising,

“But they were still here. They are still here.”

Then her eyes rolled back as she passed out again.


== Mayfair ==

The Engineer followed her, and audibly sighed when the contents of the hypo kicked in. Even then, he still looked wired and ready, even if some of the edge was taken off. He nodded as he listened to Robin, understanding in his eyes in what she was trying to get at.

“Sure, we have a preliminary scan from when we came in, and whatever the Talaxians could give us. It isn’t a perfect layout though…”

Grabbing a PADD, the Engineer pulled up a schematic of the building, and stood to Robin’s shoulder so she could see with him.

“Here we are on the ground level. You’ll see that there are five sublevels, not all of them the same size or height. We only have layouts for the first two sublevels,” his fingers touched the surface of the PADD, showing those areas.

“Some of it looks like office spaces, maintenance closets, and some storage areas on sublevel one.”

“Sublevel two is much the same, though with more storage.”

“Sublevel three is where we get fuzzier,” the layout was incomplete, with only sections closest to the stairwell being shown clearly.

“It looks like some lab areas, and again storage spaces. We think there is some interference from the fusion generator on sublevel five. I had a quick visual look down there when we first came in, and the genny looks fine, and it seemed to have sufficient fuel…” he paused.

“But I didn’t really get a good look on levels three or four. Once we knew that the generator was on five, I was ordered to prioritize looking after that. When that was done, I had to fall back to the barricade.”

The Engineer showed the rest of the scans to Robin, showing that there was almost no information about sublevels four or five, both having too much interference for tricorders to properly map in those areas.



== Miller ==

Most barely acknowledged the order. However, they also did follow it, pulling up tricorders or checking their energy cells in their phasers. It was clear that the barricade team was beyond exhausted, and their morale was at a breaking point. One or two of the faces did have a certain grim determination, and they’d likely fight the hardest, but even they were out of gas.

There were a few more hits to the building, one of which sounded and felt like a direct hit as the whole place, floor included, shook. One of the people on the barricade raised a hand, pulling everyone’s attention to them… there was movement on the tricorder.

“Unh, movement ahead. Not close to the explosives yet. I think maybe even outside the building? Scan isn’t very clear.”

[Robin Mayfair]

There was a massive hit and the building shook... but held. As the Engineer brought up each scan Robin committed it to memory. It wasn't a great amount of information but it was better than nothing. The layouts for levels 1 and 2 were fairly mundane offices and storage. There was little to no chance there would be anything useful there. Maybe they could scare up some medical supplies from first aid cabinets and the like. Level three had labs and yet more storage. And the scans were of much poorer quality going lower until there was next to nothing for levels 5 and 5. Most important was the fusion generator on five.

It clicked. The generator. If I were them being held up by the shields, that's where I'd strike. Either blow it and take out the building, or shut it off and their bombardment can reduce it to rubble. That may be why they haven't struck again. 

She wasn't sure what to do. The defenders were in no shape to mount a scouting expedition into the tunnels to root out enemies that might or might not be there based on nothing but a guess on her part. Scans hadn't shown any connections to anywhere else, so there might not have been a way to even get into the sublevels. She couldn't steal anyone from the defenders, either. If they broke through while she was leading a team scouting the sublevels then the wounded would be slaughtered. 

How am I supposed to make a decision based on zero information without a team? 

But the truth was there was one person who was expendable: herself. Beka could cover the medical responsibilities, Aeryn was well-trained and fresh for a fight if they tried to break through. Both would be needed up top. The engineer was ready to do something, and would be needed to check on the reactor. And Robin was fresh as well, and perhaps her enhanced senses and reflexes would prove useful. 

"OK, we really need to check below. I want to make sure they're not making a stab at the reactor or trying to flank us, and we also need to look for any useful supplies. And maybe we can find a way out, too, though I'm just guessing on that one. I could use you, because what I know about reactors amounts to first-year Academy training. If you think there's anyone in the remaining defenders who might be up for it let me know, but otherwise it'll just be the two of us." 

== GM Input: How does the Engineer respond? ==

[Aeryn Miller]

Aeryn hadn't been expecting much of a response, given how weary and exhausted the others would be, especially with how much they had been through so far, and yet it didn't stop anyone from following her order. Tricorders were pulled up, checks were made on the phaser energy cells and Aeryn appreciated the effort that was put into it, and the look of grim determination on a couple of faces, despite the obvious exhaustion that the defence team were suffering from. She might be a fresh source of energy, but she wasn't infallible and Aeryn readied herself to do what was necessary to ensure success.

The hits to the building could have shaken Aeryn's resolve but her experience and desire to keep everyone safe pushed through, remaining steadfast as they suffered a more direct hit. Hackles raised briefly, while preventing herself from falling, before her attention was diverted to one of the people fighting alongside her, who signalled for the barricade team to listen. The enemy were getting closer and while the building was holding for now, Aeryn knew that it could change, even more so with the information that was then provided.

Ideally, they needed a clearer scan, otherwise they might set off the explosives too early and risk a more serious breach by the enemy. As prepared as she was, Aeryn decided to defer to Robin before she did anything that could potentially jeopardise the defence line. " Robin, scans have detected movement, but they aren't very clear", she began as she addressed her friend.

" They maybe just outside the building but not close to the explosives. I'll see if we can get a clearer scan before we set them off".

== Tags ==

== GM input. Is it possible to get a clearer scan of the enemy's exact position? ==

[Damien Coleman]

== Mayfair ==

The engineer grimly nodded, accepting that going with Robin was the best course of action, even though he very clearly didn’t relish the idea. When Mayfair asked who might be best to come with them, the engineer scanned over whoever was left at the barricade. A moment or two passed before he spoke.

“If you want my honest opinion sir?” he said, “And this might countermand your previous orders.”

Waiting for even the hint of a ‘please continue’ from Robin, the engineer then spoke his mind,

“I think it should be you three that showed up, and me. No one here is in any real shape to fight, and if we encounter anything down there, we’ll need fresh eyes and bodies. I know there are patients that the doc needs to patch up, but they aren’t going to get much better even with that help. Not really anyway…” he trailed off, seemingly unsure of his own reasoning.

“All I know is that we have to be careful down there; if we do encounter these things on the bottom level, well, the reactor doesn’t play nicely with phaser fire. We have to be extra careful around it, or we’ll cause a meltdown,” there was a waver in his voice, “or worse.”



== Miller ==

Aeryn would be able to configure her tricorder to do a more narrow scan. Instead of getting a broad field of view, she’d be able to get more range and clarity. It wouldn’t take long, and the results would quickly appear. There was enemy movement that she could detect, but it was located out of the primary perimeter of the building. It was possible that the shield prevented them from coming in, or perhaps, provided some kind of field that distorted scans and made it harder to detect anyone inside.

However, as Miller moved the tricorder manually to scan, she would be able to count at least two enemies that were inside the perimeter. Near the entrance to the building, they were hidden behind cover and were probably the sharpshooters aiming at the barricade. They did not move, staying quiet and stationary. If they were snipers, they were well trained.

[Beka Sydesh]

Beka listened closely as the Talaxian spoke. If she’d had enough pain medication, the doctor would have done something to ease the poor woman’s suffering, but they were having to ration what they had.

“We didn’t know this was going to happen,” she started. There was a tremor of panic in her voice, and something else. Shame maybe?

“I swear. We didn’t even know that they were here. To us, it all looked abandoned. Scans didn’t find anything, we were cautious, we were really cautious.” Now that she’d started to speak the words tumbled out of her mouth in a constant stream, as if a dam had burst. There was a terror in her eyes but now that she’d started, the patient was apparently determined to finish.

“But they were still here. They are still here.”

When the woman lapsed into unconsciousness, the frown was etched deeply onto Beka’s face. Whatever this was, it looked like the Talaxians had brought it on themselves.

I have to report this. Although I don’t know where Robin is. Still on the inspection tour, I think?

The redhead made sure her patient was stable before taking a few steps away and tapping her commbadge.

“Sydesh to Mayfair. Robin, can you talk? Away from the Talaxians? I’ve just had one give what she thought was a deathbed confession that I think you need to hear.”

Beka paused until her friend gave her the OK.

“So she said something about there being something or someone here. The Talaxians thought this place was abandoned, but it isn’t. The words she used were… ‘they were still here. They are still here.” She did a very passable impression of the urgency in the Talaxian’s voice. “They disturbed something and now we’re all paying the price. You love your 20th century references. She’s basically saying they’ve gone too deep in Moria and woken up the Balrog. So if we want to know who we’re fighting, we need to get the Talaxians to talk I think.”

[Robin Mayfair]

“If you want my honest opinion sir?” he said, “And this might countermand your previous orders.”

"Honest opinions are welcome. This isn't the time to worry about that," Robin said grimly.

“I think it should be you three that showed up, and me. No one here is in any real shape to fight, and if we encounter anything down there, we’ll need fresh eyes and bodies. I know there are patients that the doc needs to patch up, but they aren’t going to get much better even with that help. Not really anyway…” he trailed off, seemingly unsure of his own reasoning.

Robin considered. He made a valid point, though not one she necessarily agreed with. This wasn't his field, it was hers and Beka's. There were walking wounded there who might very well be able to be patched up enough to assist. Still, she had asked for input and she wasn't about to dismiss it. She listened as the engineer finished.

“All I know is that we have to be careful down there; if we do encounter these things on the bottom level, well, the reactor doesn’t play nicely with phaser fire. We have to be extra careful around it, or we’ll cause a meltdown,” there was a waver in his voice, “or worse.”

What's worse than a reactor meltdown? Never mind, I don't want to know.

"Understood. Our plan should work to keep the enemy tied up, assuming they assault at all. But I'm not going to pull Lt. Sydesh if she's up to her elbows in a patient. We'll at very least take Lt. Miller with us." 

Robin's combadge beeped, and Beka's voice came over it. Speak of the redheaded devil and it shall appear, Robin thought with a bit of amusement. Very short-lived amusement. 

[Robin, can you talk? Away from the Talaxians? I’ve just had one give what she thought was a deathbed confession that I think you need to hear.]

"Confirmed. One second." That really didn't sound good. The concern in her friend's voice was evidence. The young Lieutenant motioned the engineer to join her away from the defenders. "OK, go."

[So she said something about there being something or someone here. The Talaxians thought this place was abandoned, but it isn’t. The words she used were… 'they were still here. They are still here.' They disturbed something and now we’re all paying the price. You love your 20th century references. She’s basically saying they’ve gone too deep in Moria and woken up the Balrog. So if we want to know who we’re fighting, we need to get the Talaxians to talk I think.]

Robin had a quick vision of trying to fight a balrog with phasers. That changed things... maybe. If they could get some useful information out of the Talaxians maybe they could figure out what the aliens wanted and find a more peaceful solution to the whole mess. Assuming they weren't just some uncovered horrors bent on killing everyone, which was a possibility that Robin's fiction-filled mind immediately jumped to.

A balrog, maybe... or the servants of Cthulhu. 

"Understood, and agreed. Heading your way, and I'll call Aeryn back. See if you can find out if any of the Talaxians are leaders or would have knowledge of this. We need to have a friendly chat." She briefly considered trying to get information out of the defenders at the corridor, then decided against it. Even if any of them knew anything they were needed for the defense and bringing it up would damage morale at the barricade. The Star Fleet officers wouldn't be happy to hear that the Talaxians had started the whole mess, even if it was an accident. It was better to see if there were any of the wounded who knew what was really going on.

She tapped her badge. "Mayfair to Miller. Would you meet us back at the triage station? We have some new information and are working on a possibly stupid plan." She gave a resigned smile to the engineer, who by this point probably thought the purple-haired nurse was nuts, and said to him "You wouldn't happen to know of any of the Talaxians who are leaders, would you? Looks like there might be a reason for all of this madness, and I'd like to find out what it is before we do anything else." 

== Tags ==

== GM Input: Does the engineer know any of the Talaxians who would be leaders? ==

[Aeryn Miller]

When it came to knowing as much as you could about the enemy, Aeryn liked to think that she was quite adept at doing so. Of course, they could be unpredictable, but that was when you had to think fast and adapt, if you had any chance of getting out of a situation with as few casualties as possible. The scenario that they now found themselves in wasn't going to stop Aeryn from cutting corners or making assumptions, as the security chief focused on configuring her tricorder, in order to do a more narrow and detailed scan. Luckily, it didn't take long as the information was fed back to her, confirming that there was enemy movement, however it was outside of the primary perimeter, which could be explained by a couple of reasons.

One, the shield was preventing them from coming in, and two, there was some kind of field causing a distortion, therefore interfering with the scan, making it harder to detect anyone inside. Deciding to switch to a manual scan due to possible interference, Aeryn was able to count at least two enemies inside the perimeter, specifically near the building's entrance and hiding behind cover. The way that they didn't move and remained stationary, told Aeryn that these may be the sharpshooters and if they were snipers, then they were more well trained than she thought.

She was about to inform Robin of this when her friend contacted her, asking Aeryn to meet them back at the triage station and why. Aeryn wasn't too surprised to hear about a possible stupid plan as she responded to the CMO. " Sure, however, I need to make you aware that we have two of the enemy inside the perimeter, more specifically at the entrance of the building, they're hiding, but it looks like they're our sharpshooters/snipers".

While Aeryn was happy to rejoin the others, she decided it was best to tell Robin this information now, rather than risk waiting until she had gone back to the triage station.

== Tags ==

[Beka Sydesh]

[Understood, and agreed. Heading your way, and I'll call Aeryn back. See if you can find out if any of the Talaxians are leaders or would have knowledge of this. We need to have a friendly chat.]

“Understood. I’ll break out the thumbscrews. Sydesh out.”

Beka was only half-joking as she spoke. The Talaxian had given her plenty of questions but precious few answers.

The redhead caught Syrol’s eye and beckoned the Vulcan over.

“Bit of a random question,” the doctor started. “But I need to find one of the Talaxian leaders, see what they know about this mess we’re in. Have you observed any of them that might be in charge? Even just someone the rest of them look up to. That will help.”

== GM input please - anyone in charge that can be… convinced to talk? ==