A Day at the Range

Posted on Mon Nov 21, 2016 @ 1:32am by Lieutenant JG Lucia Cusack & Ensign Michael Donovan

Mission: An Orion to Die For
Location: Armory, Phaser Range
Timeline: MD 2 || 1300 hours

Lucia had found herself working in the armoury after finishing her lunch break. It had been interesting aboard the Triumphant so far for her and now she was starting to feel that the move away from her last assignment was good for herself, Martha and Elsie. So far Lucia had only met a few of her colleagues in Security - one of whom was Michael Donovan. She noticed he was stood on the other side of the armoury so Lucia decided to go up to him.

"Hey Michael. How are you this afternoon?" Lucia asked.

Michael had been in the armory for about thirty minutes already. Lunch was a good break, but he still had work to do in there. This ship was huge and the armory was no different. There were lots of state-of-the-art weapons, some of which he had just been trained on in the Academy. He was checking a phaser rifle that had gotten turned in as 'broken' by a Science officer who had been training on the range when he heard a familiar voice behind him. He turned to see the brunette Lucia Cusack.

"Oh, hey Lucia. I'm doing pretty good," Michael replied. "Just trying to figure out what 'broken' means. How are things with you?"

Lucia looked down at the rifle Michael was working on which to her initially looked perfectly serviceable. She had admittedly broken a couple of phaser rifles herself - most notably was one she used as a club against an attacker which resulted in the rifle almost snapping completely in half.

Lucia smiled. "Can't complain. What do we have here?"

"Eh, some Science officer brought it in. He had been practicing on the range, he said. Suddenly it wouldn't fire, he said. Called it broken and that Security should keep up better on their new weapons. I thought about braining him with it and then showing him that it was broken." Michael laughed. "Anyway, I'm getting ready to check the obvious stuff first, power cell and the like. Hopefully it's an easy fix and won't require a breakdown."

Lucia giggled. "I'm sure it's fine. We've had these weapons for a few days so I doubt it's anything serious. Hey - once we're done here why don't we go and have a go on the firing range? I haven't had a proper go of one of these things yet"

"Agreed," he said. "I don't think there's anything wrong with it, either. Too new. I just don't want to put my thumbprint to the PADD saying that it is without checking first. Besides, I think that the problem was operator error. And our corrective action is to remove and replace phaser actuator." He started laughing again. "But yeah, I'll have a go on the range with you." He removed the power cell from the rifle and looked around the workstation for another one.

Lucia watched Michael as he partially disassembled the rifle and agreed that it was more than likely operator error rather than being the fault of the Security department. Looking around the workstation that Michael was working at Lucia saw the replacement power cell and lifted it up.

Lucia smiled. "Get this fitted and then we can get some practice. You can try this one to see if it's working"

Michael grinned and took the power cell. "Thanks," he said, fitting it into place. Getting the rest of it put back together was as easy as it was taking it apart. "So, I get test out my own handiwork, eh. That works for me." He looked over to the locker just down the aisle from the workstation. "Let's get you one now, Lucia," he said to the dark-haired woman.

Lucia looked over at the locker and made her way over to it. She browsed the selection of weapons on offer for a few moments before reaching out and taking one of the rifles. Lucia preferred the phaser rifles compared to the smaller phasers as the could double up as a club if the weapon ran out of charge or otherwise failed.

"I'll take this one...shall we make a move?" Lucia said.

"Sure," Michael replied. "C'mon." He headed out the door of the armory and waited for Lucia to exit before he secured the door. He slipped the strap over his shoulder as they headed down the few corridors that take them from the Main Armory to the Phaser Range. "So, this is my first assignment. Not a bad one for right out of Academy as far as I'm concerned. How about you, Lucia? Where were you assigned before here?" Michael was never one for silent trips anywhere. He always tried to make conversation.

Lucia kept the rifle in her right hand and followed Michael down to the phaser range. She was used to the weight of the weapons now so they didn't feel as heavy as they looked - at least to Lucia anyway.

"I was in the Gamma Quadrant before here. Saw some sights out there and have a few stories to tell too...I never thought I'd fire on somebody wearing the same uniform as me in anger...but I did. That's something that I will remember for the rest of my life" Lucia replied.

"Ohh, I'm sorry to hear about that," said Michael. "Do you have any stories from the Gamma Quadrant that don't have anything to do with the uniform? Like, what was shore leave like on some of those planets?"

Lucia shook her head. "It was a group called The Consortium. They wanted us out of the Gamma Quadrant...it was a tough time for us all but we got through it. My wife would be better explaining it further because she was a department head back then so she knew more than I did"

"That's too bad," Michael said, as they rounded a bend. This ship was huge. "Groups like that make it hard to enjoy yourself in a new place. But...that's all behind in the Gamma Quadrant now. Heh, at least, I hope so. So you're married? I don't remember you mentioning your wife before." He glanced over to Lucia and smiled. "That's awesome. What department does she work in?"

Lucia nodded. "Yeah. It's all behind us now and we moved on with things as they were before we got there. Yeah we've been married for four years now - she's the Chief Tactical Officer. She was my department head when we first got together and here we are...I couldn't be happier. We have an adopted daughter too"

"Four years and an adopted daughter, that's great, Lucia. Chief Tactical Officer Cusack...I don't believe I've met her yet. But then again, it'll probably be a long time before I meet a good portion of the crew," said Michael. "How does that work out? Your wife being your department head?"

Lucia smiled and thought of her married life for a moment or two before she replied. She was enjoying her afternoon so far and it was just about to get better.

"Yeah I can't complain...we're all happy. As for my wife being my department head it didn't make any difference really. She didn't give me any special treatment but it could be a bit awkward at times - but now she isn't my department head it makes things a lot less awkward with our work lives and our married lives" Lucia replied.

Michael was listening to Lucia describe what it had been like and what it was like now. "Less awkward is a good thing, especially at home." As they rounded the next bend, the entrance to the phaser range came into view. "Well, congratulations on being married, Lucia. I hope you and your wife daughter continue to be happy. I like my off-duty life too much to settle down in a marriage right now. Too much fun." He grinned sideways at his companion. Though there was one girl that seemed to enjoy the off-duty life like he did.

"Thanks Michael. I never thought I would but I guess good things come to those who wait. I was hoping to live my life a bit more but I didn't really want to risk losing Martha so I decided to listen to my heart. We still get to have some time to be ourselves though" Lucia replied.

Lucia reached the phaser range and opened the doors for them both. Once inside she looked over at her colleague and smiled.

"What shall we do? Entirely up to you" Lucia asked.

Michael grinned again. "Well, we could always do the normal phaser range things...orbs that return fire and so on. But I think we might be able to get something more interactive. Holographic opponents that move and fire back, leaving only a stinging sensation. And have friendlies interspersed, Starfleet officers or civilians. That way it tests all of our actions and reactions rather than just one or two."

Lucia nodded and smiled as she listened. It had been a little longer than she liked since her last practice session on the phaser range but now she was going to more than make up for it. She placed her rifle down gently for a moment before replying.

"I like your thinking. Let's go for the holographic opponents that shoot back...the orbs don't shoot back so it makes things more interesting" Lucia said.

Michael nodded, "Alright, holographic targets it is. Computer, phaser range training program with holographic targets. And let's make it Level Four." He turned to Lucia. "Didn't think it would hurt to have a few friendlies interspersed."

After Michael had instructed the computer of their desired program Lucia reached down and collected her rifle and adjusted it to the correct setting for their target practice.

"Now that will make it more interesting...are we ready?" Lucia asked.

Michael grinned and said, "Yeah. If you're ready Lucia, let's show 'em who's boss."

Lucia raised her rifle and pointed it ready to fire at the enemy targets. She had found a way to work out who was a friend and who was a foe - but Martha had advised her that it wouldn't always work - especially as when Martha ran security drills they were never the same as the previous one.

"Let's do this. Computer...begin" Lucia said.

Almost instantly, it seemed, the targets started firing. Michael dodged a shot and raised his phaser rifle. The enemy target did the same thing he did but ducked behind a holographic pillar. "Well crap, this isn't going to be as easy as I thought." He quickly moved his rifle over and took aim again.

Lucia aimed and took out a target before she had to take cover when two of the holographic opponents took aim and fired at her. It was an interesting start - the opponents were already on the front foot but Lucia never found she enjoyed a target practice session if it was too easy.

"Nope. Then again when's anything fun if it's easy?" Lucia replied.

Michael laughed as a bolt energy flew by him. "You've got that right, Lucia." He took aim with his phaser rifle and watched as the holographic enemy disappeared. He immediately moved to the next target, but pulled back when he saw that is was a civilian. The next one to pop up was a civilian, too. Then suddenly, he caught movement just out of his field of vision to the left and dropped to one knee. The shot went over his head and returned fire, taking out the enemy. "Oh yeah! That's what I'm talking about!"

Lucia looked around either side of the pillar to see where her next target was coming from. As she turned to face her right she was surprised how close the opponent had appeared to her position. She quickly turned around and using the pillar as a shield she aimed and fired. The opponent disappeared and was immediately followed by a tricky shot - a civilian right in front of an advancing enemy.

"Get out of the way..." Lucia muttered.

She decided the best way was to just take the shot - and she did. Moments later the enemy behind the civilian disappeared.

"Now I'm having fun!" Lucia said.

Michael glanced back over to Lucia when she called out. He smiled. She really did seem to be enjoying herself...shooting holographic enemies. He chuckled a little bit as he realized that women in Security seemed to be the only ones that had this much fun shooting enemies. A stinging shot to his chest brought him back to reality. "OUCH!" he screamed, rubbing his chest. "Now where the hell did you go, you little...ahhh...." Michael saw him dash into a building. He raised his rifle and scanned the first floor windows. Nothing. Second floor. Nothing. And on the third floor, he saw the weapon appear around the casement of a window. A few seconds later and the hologram was no more. "That'll teach him!"

Lucia was enjoying herself rather a lot. She kept her eye out for enemies - keeping cover behind the pillar and taking a shot whenever the holographic opponents were either looking away or reading their shot. Lucia's reflexes were what helped her have her consistently high accuracy rate - in fact her accuracy rate was higher than both her father and brother who were both security officers at the start of their careers just like Lucia was.

"Oh this is too easy" Lucia commented.

Michael ran from the container he was hiding behind to a pillar next to the one where Lucia was. "Not a bad day at the range, if you ask me," he called out. "And this phaser rifle seems to be just fine. Whaddya say, call it or increase it? I'm game for either one."

"I think we should turn it up - but we should go down to the holodeck and do a proper training session. I've neglected my target practice lately so I think I could do with some time on the higher level. What do you think?" Lucia said.

"I like that idea," said Michael. "I'm always game for a higher level of training. Keeps up the challenge and all that."

"Agreed. Let's go" Lucia replied.

Lucia deactivated her rifle and the program before heading out towards the holodeck. This was going to be fun - she hadn't had a proper training program on the holodeck for a while so she was definitely looking forward to it.

Michael fell in step behind Lucia until they were in the corridor heading for the holodeck. A higher level plus an interactive environment...couldn't get any better than that. Unless it was actual combat.

"This is going to be fun. Time for some real action" Lucia commented.