Training with the Doc

Posted on Mon Sep 17th, 2018 @ 11:47pm by Lieutenant Asa Dael & Ensign Raymond McBain

Mission: Holographic Horrors
Location: holodeck
Timeline: 72683.675

McBain was already in his armor and working out having arrived a solid half hour ahead of time for just that purpose. He had not trained in armor for a while and even though the old training was fresh, he felt the need to make the extra effort. After all he had to look like he knew what he was doing in front of Asa. He did not want their confidence shaken by seeing him make some dumb mistake. He was rappelling down a cliff face when he heard the door open. He ended the program immediately and had the basic obstacle course reload as he went to th door.

Asa greeted the ensign with a smile, "Wow, I hope that's the advance course." The doctor was already wearing their armor as well, and began to jog in place lightly to get the blood flowing. They were already limber from their morning stretching routine, but a little cardio never hurt.

"So what's on tap today, McBain?"

"I suggest we begin with a quick refresher, run the basic course twice. That will remind your muscles memory of the suits enhancements. After that we will run the course with active targets till you are comfortable with the results. Third step as I mentioned was adding non-hostiles to the mix to teach your mind to recognize threats and non-threats." The course was waiting and McBain waved his arm with a slight bow "youth before experience."

Asa gave him a wink and took off. The creek passed without incident, and they cleared the hated hurdles with minimal grazing to the thighs. Opting for caution over speed, Asa climbed the wall taking full advantage of the finger holes, climbed over and used the finger holes to get down as well. With a final sprint the doctor crossed the finish line and turned to face McBain.

McBain had followed just a step behind them noting how well they moved. "I do believe you are in good enough shape to go right back through the course." He laughed as he took two steps backwards "do you feel the need for speed?" The next step he spun and sprinted away toward the ravines on this side of the wall. He had not reversed the course this time, adding a small additional challenge!

Asa followed quickly, easily clearing the ravine and hurdles, feeling more confident with each step. They were closing on McBain when they nearly came to a halt.

Just as he made a jump halfway up the wall it began raining, hard. McBain never missed a beat as he caught hold even in the rain and scrambled up and over the wall without hesitation. He did it like the rain never happened. Unknown to Asa, McBain was berating himself as he had forgot to reset the parameters to basic for the course. The rain had caught him off guard but than he was used to the bad weather training conditions. He would apologize to them when they finished the course. He did not want them to think he was not to be trusted. Although there was no good excuse for being negligent!

Asa shook themself and took a step to test the slipperiness of the ground. Having calibrated their mental parameters to that, they started up the wall. It was less secure feeling than before, but not completely unmanageable. The doctor let memories of playing in the rain come into their mind and embraced the feeling of enjoying the wet.

I hope this suit doesn't short out and fry me, but of course they had planned for that during the design phase. OK Asa, just act like you are playing at home and getting wet on purpose to annoy the elders. You got this. The doctors internal pep talk seemed to be working, and they cleared the wall with ease, even finding a weak smile by the time they were back on solid ground.

The final stretch turned back into the kind of run they enjoyed, and Asa grabbed a stray branch on the way. Upon coming up behind McBain, the doctor used the brandished the branch as an impromptu baton, cheekily running past him and holding it up as if a sign of victory upon finishing.

"What else you got, Ensign?" they asked.

McBain laughed at their antics but once asked about what else he became serious. "I do apologize for this rain, the more advanced programs throw in extreme weather conditions. He reset the program and the rain stopped "I guess the good side is you got to see how little weather affects you in these suits? Okay now you are warmed up and ready, this time with targets. Don't anticipate as the program is random so you might not get the same guards as yesterday. The main thing is to stay focused, completing the course is your ultimate goal. Ignoring the guards will get you 'end game-d' so that is not a winning strategy. Ready?"

“As ancient Earthers used to say, Bring It On Like Donkey Kong,” Asa replied, readying themselves into a runners starting stance.

Nearing the first ravine a remote drone flew into view at head height. It altered course and began racing straight at them! A cover shifted revealing a barrel of some sort of weapon, it was most definitely a threat.

Asa called over their shoulder, “You take low, I’ll take high,” while taking aim at the drone. Asa serpentine while locking their vision on the target and drawing a phaser. With a steady breath, and a steady hand, the doctor fired. The drone whined and crashed in the forest, and Asa jumped over it and the ravine in a single jump.

"Who said I was running the course?" McBain called after them. "You on your own here Doc!"

The hedges began to crackle with electrical current as soon as the drone crashed. They would have to clear the hedge rows or be stunned. In the distance the barking guard dogs could be heard but they were pretty far off if the sound was any indication.

Asa decided to ignore the dogs and keep running. The threat under cover had not appeared yet, and they made mental note of its location and kept going, clearing the hedges with a wide berth of the arc of energy.

The wall was almost the same but a Guard moved in on either side of them trying to catch up and pull them back down. They had a slight lead and the guards were not in powered armor so the advantage was their's'

Dael reached for a hidden knife along the seam to the chest plate and ducked behind a tree, quickly throwing a blade at each guard. They made a wounding shot, not a killing one, but each blade was coated in a powerful anesthetic, so the guards quickly went down. If they had been real, they would have woken with a killer headache and dry mouth, but as it stood, they simply fell.

They climbed the wall in five smooth steps, allowing gravity to handle their fall to the other side with a tuck and roll, and began towards the last ravine.

On the other side of the ravine was a door to a bunker. It was a thick heavy blast door and it was locked. Behind them the guard-dogs were closing in and the sound of booted running feet of the handlers was getting audible! Shoot out here without cover might not be such a good idea?

Their comm unit buzzed, followed by McBain's voice. =^=Right glove is a compartment with lock picks. Right belt front are a couple pouches, a couple smoke grenades and a flare. I suggest a smoke grenade to distract the dogs and give you some cover. Than pick the locks and get inside the bunker. Easy as a walk in the park." Since this was the holodeck he could modify things a bit to help show how useful many common items were.

Lock picks? I never learned to pick an analog lock? What the heck??

"Roger that," Asa replied, throwing a smoke grenade closer to the climbing wall. They began fumbling with the lock pick tool with no success. "Uh, any tips here? Never done this before..."

=^=Say 'open sesemee." McBain closed the link before he laughed. In this basic program the door would click unlocked but they would have to open it with just the muscles they had, with the armor enhancements true, but it was a heavy chore anyway you sliced it. The dogs were yapping and confused by the sulfur smell of the grenade so they had a few minutes. McBain reassured them "once through the door you can catch your breath before going the course again."

"Humans are all saidsts... " Asa grumbled to themself, and tried the handle on the door. The damn thing opened. Not easily, and the diminutive doctor practically bounced off the door in the effort, but they were in.

Asa walked through the empty bunker with phaser drawn to the other side of the long structure and exited, checking the way was clear before proceeding. Once outside they took off towards the finish line.

McBain was there waiting for her, his normal pleasant smile on his face. "So lock picks and grenades should be added to your equipment carried. We will work on picking locks if you like. The grenades though are useful for many purposes. Marking an LZ, marking a target for air support, as well being used for a diversion and cover to escape."

McBain sat down with one smooth folding motion. Looking up at them he tilted his head "so tell me Asa what do you think thus far. Enough of a challenge? Do you feel more confident in the armor. You are certainly moving well in it. Still is there anything you think I need to do to better help you."

"I'm a nerd, McBain. I like to study what I need to do before I attempt it. Do you have any recommended reading or video lessons to prepare me? I will be practicing lock picking in my quarters. If I can navigate around arteries in a Ferengei brain, I'm sure I can get that eventually. And yes, the armour is starting to feel natural. Practice makes perfect I guess. "

"The various levels have increasingly difficult problems. Those are part of the program. So it was my fault to leave the scene on a higher level on the first run but the bunker door was not my doing. I just happen to know many of the cheats the designers put in there. McBain took a PaDD and made several entries. I don't have any locks for you to practice on but these holodeck programs will help with lock picking, disabling electronics and security, methods of evasion, spotting and disabling physical traps, and how to summon an evac with flares and smoke." McBain shrugged "you did ask for training materials. Hopefully we will be together and I can get you through most of the problems." His smile grew "but we can not count on that so best be prepared."

He reset and they were back at the beginning. "Up for another go at the just hostile targets?" McBain's expression became a bit sheepish "I might as well warn you the first three levels are designed for not using all the gadgets in the armor. Somethings are built in and as the program gets harder we use more and more of the armor's assets. Before you go on a mission I will explaining and showing you how to activate all the suits toys. Right now the standard training guide views all the armor's abilities at once is overwhelming." His normal smile returned "you will get to play soon though, never fear."

"Sure sounds like a plan. I have time for one more run today. Should we do this with variable targets instead?"

McBain frowned, "I will leave the decision up to you, if you think you are ready to up the difficulty that much already. One thing I want you to think about before I do though. Can you handle shooting civilians by mistake. I know it is only the holodeck but it will appear real. I have seen very tough people get rattled by 'killing' a kid." McBain made eye contact "what say you Asa?"

Asa took a breath. "I don't think we have the luxury of time here. The Hera will be underway any moment now, and I have to be ready. Lets give it a shot."

McBain smiled at them with an understanding expression. "When the need is great the great stand to." He did some reprogramming and sighed "things move faster at this level. Keep in mind getting through the course is your goal. This program is a test level scenario. Once you move toward the ravine it begins." McBain laughed softly "break a leg Doc."

The ravine was a hundred yards off. The hedges were replaced by foot high chain link fences as if defining yards behind homes. The wall was an office building with windows, four stories high. Explosions were happening at random places and times as a mortar barrage was inbound. People were everywhere, some running, others huddled in groups. A Sniper revealed his presence in a window on the third floor, he was searching the crowd for a target. Drones were flying in just above head height and they were also searching. This was an active war zone!

The doctor threw a smoke grenade and serpentined under a nearby tree, took aim, and shot directly above the sniper, causing the roof o e him to fall, incapacitating him.

They took off at a quick trot a jumped over one of the fences in an easy leap, darting out of sight once landing.

Asa took out the two nearest drones and ran toward the four story building and looking for ingress. They reminded themself it wasnt real as the sound of crying children assaulted their ears.

The building loomed large, but so did the guards in the doors. With a quick draw of the sedative tipped knives, Asa threw the weapons, managing to at least graze each guard. Within a 60 count they were pacified. The doctor entered the building quickly and radioed McBain , "We have any maps for the best way through this thing?"

=^=Use your tricorder to detect guards and traps. Should be on outer right or left forearm. I would say go down the stairs to your left, move through the generator room to deflect their detection. Go out the freight elevator at the rear of the building. However there are various guards and traps whichever method you decide on." There was a civilian engineer/maintenance-person down there but that was fewer non-hostiles than any other route he could see. Force field enclosure traps were a possible threat, but null-energy grenades could take those down. McBain watched them move on, they were a quick learner. They were going to be an asset to the team.

Asa drew their recorder and did a quick scan. There were two guards halfway down the hall, but the doctors slender short frame was an asset and allowed them to duck down the stairs quickly and evade detection. Once at the bottom, the doctor released two fog capsules and ran through the now obscured interior.

Upon reaching the heart of the facility, Asa located and flipped the switch for the communication channel the hostiles were using to further confuse their coordination. They ran to the farthest part of the compound and took the stairs to the first floor.

Upon exiting the stairwell, Asa used their amplified strength to throw a table down the hallway and block the attackers line of sight while they made an exit.

Once cleared of the building, Asa ran towards the finish line, phaser drawn.

McBain was waiting with a wide smile "well done, that Asa is what a blown mission escape might look like. "Well now you have seen about everything. The rest you will need to just get familiar with and work on. Having said that if you ever want to train with me just let me know. As you know word is we are going back on mission soon so time might become an issue." He shrugged "we should have team training sessions though so you get to see how a team synchronizes to be most effective. Those will be scheduled by our Bosses though. So Asa had enough for this session?"

"I think so, I at least know a bit of what I don't know, right ?"

"It is more than that Asa. You know how to move, you have seen some of the types of events you might need to deal with. You have learned a great deal in my opinion. A lot of the next step is however just you getting familiar and proficient with the tools in your suit. You have all that information but if you run into a snag just give me a holler." McBain laughed, "you are going to be just fine Asa. Try not to second guess yourself too much.