New Confrontations

Posted on 08 May 2016 @ 12:56am by Lieutenant Colonel Cassandra Blackburn
Edited on on 08 May 2016 @ 12:59am

1,205 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Errand of Mercy
Location: USS Redemption, Holodeck
Timeline: ED2

ON:

Cass Blackburn was not certain of her mind when she had left her meeting with the Captain. She had expected to be lectured on morality, duty, and loyalty, just like she had been a thousand times on Luna. Instead, she found had received sympathy and understanding. In truth, she had wanted to argue with the Captain but he wouldn't play ball. It unsettled her.

She had returned to her quarters, still as empty as when she'd left them, and paced for a while trying to decide what to do. Eventually, she replicated a set of combat fatigues and equipment. The body armour felt heavier than she remembered and the helmet was uncomfortable as ever; the optical eye piece still gave her a headache. She was not as physically fit as she once was. Grunting under the weight of the gear, she made her way through the ship to a holodeck, where she ejected a pair of annoyed Ensigns playing field sports. She selected the standard outdoor shooting range program and ordered the computer to provide a compression rifle and sidearm.

Fifteen minutes later, whilst she was stood frustrated on the firing point, she heard the holodeck doors opening behind her. She turned her head to see Lieutenant Roberts gingerly approaching her.

"Uh, hi Ma'am" He said. She kept her back to him, lining up a shot on a humanoid target which appeared a hundred meters away. "There's actually a real firing range on board. Not sure if you knew..."

"Prefer to be outside. Even if it isn't real" She said, squeezing the trigger. The rifle belched its ball of plasma, going wide of the target and thumping into the sand bank which formed the butt of the range. She grimaced - this was her fourth missed shot.

"Missed shot. Wide, left two" barked the computer, as if Blackburn hadn't see where it had gone.

"I'm out of date on my range qualifications, if you must know." She said, turning to face Roberts. "What do you want?"

"If it's a qualification shoot, then it has to be done in full combat order" Roberts said, noticing the helmet and armour dumped at the side of the firing point. "And also at 600 meters..." He trailed off when he saw Blackburn's angry face. He coughed to himself as Blackburn turned back towards the target. "Ma'am, I was wondering if you'd like to meet the Troops, I mean they're not all here, but those that are..." He trailed off again as the compression rifle fired again, this time the shot hit the wooden mantel in front of the target, throwing holographic soil over the targets and into the sand bank behind.

"Missed shot. Short, bottom ten. Safety violation." Said the computer. Blackburn turned to see if Roberts was still there; he didn't say anything as she glared at him. After a few moments she turned back towards the firing point. Roberts found some courage from somewhere.

"Ma'am, I think it would be good for the Troops if you spoke to them." He said, as forcefully as he dared.

She screwed her face up, firing another shot. It went wide to the left again. She fired again, this time glancing the top of the target. Her anger at the target, at her situation, and at Roberts naivety, manifested itself. Pulling the trigger again and again, she stepped over the firing point onto the grass of the range, walking quickly towards the target as she fired. "Danger! Range violation" Objected the computer. She fired rapidly now, as quickly as she could pull the trigger, the shots landing on and all around the target. It began to disintegrate and sand flew from the embankments. After a few moments the compression rifle stopped firing, the power cells depleted. She continued her charge, letting the rifle fall to her side on its sling and drawing her sidearm. She sent the short beams of light into the target, which had now fallen apart and caught fire. Storming up to what was left of the frame, she screamed in rage as she kicked it down.

After a few moments of heavy breathing, she wiped the sweat off her face and pushed her hair out of her eyes. She walked back towards Roberts, holstering the hand phaser and pushing the rifle round onto her back. "Danger! Multiple range safety violations" Protested the computer.

"You see, Lieutenant" Blackburn said as she approached the shocked and appalled Roberts. "The thing I learned on Thorlarus III is that in this enlightened age of guided plasma and antimatter munitions, personal shields, mega-tonnage ordnance, and enhanced electronic warfare, it's still just all about bad people hurting each other as badly as they can. All this - " She waved at the range with her equipment strewed over it, and the smoldering remains of the target. "All this is crap."

Roberts was pale. He shuffled his weight between his feet, not sure what to say or do.

"Go on." Said Blackburn, waving at the door, thereby giving the Lieutenant an escape from the situation. He slightly nodded at her and walked out of the holodeck, not saying a word. As she watched him leave, she noticed another man stood next to the doors. She hadn't heard him come in. She sighed when she recognised Sergeant Major Bourne. She hadn't seen him since the Thorlarus mission and was not aware he was still with the ship. He made no effort to hide the disdain on his face.

"Hard on the young Officer" He growled.

She scoffed."All I did was tell him the truth." She paused. "He'll learn it sooner or later. And you're one to talk." She turned to pick up her armour, still laid on the firing point. The smell of smoke drifted through the air from the target. Bourne didn't reply, but stood in his rigid way, frowning. Blackburn messed about with her kit for a few moments before looking up at him. "I know what you're thinking, William. But I am not the person to lead these kids -" Bourne cut her off.

"You're not." He said. She stopped and stared at him. "But you are what we have. And they deserve more than you pissing about being a wimp. Ma'am." Bourne never changed his expression as he spoke. Furious, she dumped her armour back on the floor, angry more at herself then at him.

"I am anything, but that." She said threateningly through her teeth. Bourne was unfazed.

"Disagree, Ma'am." He replied, equally menacingly. "You're scared of you."

She didn't reply. They stared at each other, no words being said but communicating nonetheless.

"Fine." She eventually hissed at him. She broke eye contact to pick up her armour again.

"I'll assemble the Company at 0800 for your inspection. Ma'am." Bourne placed heavy emphasis on the last word. He turned and left the holodeck, carrying himself in the firm, confident manner he had always had. He never raised his voice - he had no need to. Blackburn shook her head and stared at the simulated sky for a few minutes to calm herself down.

"Computer. End program" She said, walking out of the door.

OFF

OOC:

Edited - Added post title. Apologies.

 

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