Training Woes

Posted on Sat Apr 26th, 2025 @ 2:44pm by Lieutenant Jaina Zalla & Ensign Matt Connor

1,000 words; about a 5 minute read

The air in the holodeck was hot, as the security simulation that had been created for training had been created by a very detail oriented person. Jaina was actually breathing hard as she led the security team through the training scenario, which was a recreation of the ship being attacked by Jem'Hadar. The scenario had been labeled as extremely difficult, which had caught her eye. However, she was beginning to question her choice as the holographic ship rocked from another explosion. From up ahead, a pack of three Jem'Hadar came running down the corridor. Jaina took aim with her hand phaser, firing but to not affect. Dropping the phaser, she grappled with the first one to reach her.

Matt had followed along with the training exercise mostly because he had been bored. After an hour in the holodeck, he had decided that bored was better. The holographic phasers were no longer working, but he still had his phaser rifle because it made for a decent club. He whacked one JemHadar with the stock of his rifle, actually making the guy fall. Of course his buddy grabbed Matt and punched him hard. Dropping the rifle, Matt struggled with the JemHadar for a moment, then dropped to the deck, panting hard.

Jaina had actually managed to hold her own for a few moments before she dropped to the deck. The moment she did, the hot air and holographic ship dissolved and was replaced by the blank walls of the holodeck. The cool air of the ship actually felt nice. Rolling over to sit up, she glanced around to see that the entire team were picking themselves up from the floor. With a sigh, she stood and brushed herself off.

"Can anyone offer any other ways we could have handled the scenario differently?" she asked.

"Not fuck with the JemHadar in the first place?" Matt replied as he stood up slowly. "Besides, aren't they in the Gamma Quadrant?"

Jaina smiled mildly. "They are, but we might encounter an alien species that's stronger and more aggressive than the Jem'Hadar. And this was the scenario on the easy setting."

"Then we're totally screwed," Matt said. "Look, Lieutenant, Eclipse is a Nova class ship. We're not meant to be encountering situations like that."

"Eclipse is a Starfleet vessel, which means we have to be prepared for anything," Jaina said. She appreciated the ensign's input, but sometimes he seemed to be a little too much of a complainer. She hoped it didn't lead to problems later on. "Ok, the next training scenario I'll go easy on you guys. Don't forget to log your gym and PT times."

"Oh damn, I forgot," Matt said with a groan.

Jaina smiled again. She had set up a somewhat strict training schedule for security personnel. It included a minimum of one hour a day in the ship's gym plus PT exercises. The goal had been to keep the security team in shape. "Well, make sure you get it logged," she said. "Regular morning briefing tomorrow at 0700 hours. Oh, and I need a volunteer to help with basic firearm qualifications for the medical and science staff tomorrow afternoon."

"I'll volunteer," Matt said quickly. Training with medical and science meant more time with some of the hotties in those departments and a higher chance to try to score a date or two. It also meant he got to skip those afternoon patrols that essentially meant mindlessly walking from one end of the ship to the other for a few hours.

"I'll see you here at 1400 hours then," Jaina said with a smile. "Everyone else, be sure to check the after action training report before you log out at the end of shift. Dismissed."

Matt lingered around for a moment as everyone else filed out, then turned to the chief as the holodeck doors slid closed. "Ma'am, can I ask a question?"

Jaina nodded as she regarded him. He was the highest ranking security officer she had, having been out of the academy longer than the rest of the security department. But there were some times that she questioned his attitude, and it helped her understand why he hadn't been promoted yet. "Go ahead," she replied.

"I get the training you're having us do, and it makes sense," Matt started. "But is there a reason why you're pushing us all so hard?"

"I want the officers in my department to be ready for anything," Jaina replied. "The Eclipse is a small ship, and we're hopefully not going to encounter any serious trouble, but we're Starfleet officers on an exploration frigate. We're also a small crew and by default one of the smallest departments, but we're in charge of the safety of our shipmates. That means when trouble arises, we've got to work harder to protect everyone."

"Got it," Matt said with a nod. "Guess I just needed to hear it out loud. I do want to add that some of the guys have been complaining that you're throwing us at the most difficult scenarios."

"Right now, I am," Jaina admitted. "I want everyone to learn how to work together as a team to overcome situations, and to understand that we won't always win every situation we get in. Sometimes, it's easier to run away than to stick it out."

"Hope the captain feels the same," Matt said.

"That's part of my job, to help her understand that side of things," Jaina said. Glancing at the time, she nodded. "Alright, it's almost end of shift. Don't forget to file your evaluation report on your team."

"Got it," Matt said. "We all died heroes of the Federation, fighting bravely against the forces of the Dominion," he added as he walked out of the holodeck.

Jaina sighed as she lingered in the holodeck for a moment. Finally, she shook her head and decided that she needed to have a talk with a higher power on a growing problem. With a sigh, she started off towards the bridge.

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