The right man for the job

Posted on Sun Jun 28th, 2020 @ 12:15am by Ensign River Lokaa & Lieutenant Commander Turak

Mission: Season 3: Episode 4: Cause and Effect
Location: Main Security Office
Timeline: MD 10
1352 words - 2.7 OF Standard Post Measure

Today River had a goal, to speak to Lieutenant Commander Turak someone whom she understood had some experience at being a Tactical officer something she aspired to be. Walking into the security office she scanned the room and found the Vulcan amongst the other gold-colored shirts and walked towards him avoiding two other officers who were playfully fighting.

"Good morning Sir, I don't think we've met before I am Ensign Lokaa and I have been hoping to seek your tutorage if you'd be willing to spare the time sir." She asked standing near him her hands behind her back.

Looking up from his console where he was double checking the arsenal inventory numbers versus his own counts, Turak said, "Ensign, it is great to meet you and have you aboard in security. I'm not certain if I have a lot of tutorage to pass on, but I'm willing to help where I can. Did you want to start out with something specific?"

Not disheartened by his lack of experience in teaching she said "Well, I was hoping to get some training in regards to becoming a tactical officer. Its something I hoped to achieve at the academy but its highly specialised and I had to start off as a security officer first." Explained River looking to the Commander with confidence.

Seeing that perhaps the Ensign hadn't picked up on his humor, he felt an explanation was needed. "Ensign, I am not certain you are aware of how I was raised. For certain, I am a Vulcan, however, I wasn't raised to accept only logic into my life. My parents and myself are what is known as Vulcan's without logic.... Unfortunately, my previous statement was what supposed to be a bit of a joke, but I fear it didn't quite come through that way." He paused, "Trust me, everyone on this crew has become very well versed in their jobs - not the least of which is the security and tactical crew. I too graduated the Academy as a security officer, but due to the demands of the job, I have become well versed in weapons of all kinds, infiltrating enemy strongholds and retrieving targets, and shields. I believe that you'll be an expert in no time due to being assigned to the Elysium - we see action quite often." He looked around the room and then back to the Ensign, "So, where should we start first?"

River mentally kicked herself for not picking up on his humor, she was still trying to work that out for herself. "Well..." Was the only word that left her lips she didn't know where to start, for her this was her start. Ask the guy who knows about the thing she wants to learn about. "I hoped you would have that answer, sir." She looked at him nervously her previous confidence and demeanor wavering in his presence.

"I believe warfare would be the best place to start, so that you will understand the bigger picture," Turak commented. "Tell me, when is a battle won?"

"A battle is won when one opposing force archives its objective before the other or forces the other to abandon theirs. Which can be done before or without any violence, and before the physical battle takes place. For example a well supplied and maintained force will overcome one that is not, or a force which seeks to weaken its enemy by diminishing its supply source, its morale and even its cohesion by sabotage or other means. In essence the battle can be won before it begins. " An easy question thought River, Elasian were a warrior race and war was something she knew well.

"Good, I see that the Academy is still a quality institution," Turak said with a smile. "However, I would also add in there that you don't just defeat the opposing force, violence or not, you also need to take into account the civilian population. You need to ensure that long after you are gone, that they have the same goals as your forces did. I guess we might win battles in the military sense, but we also need to win the hearts and minds of those we leave behind."

"I haven't ever thought of that concept, back on Elas the people we conquer never complain" River explained innocently, though then again 90% of them were men and were un the control of their Biochemical tears. "How do you win the battle of hearts and mind? Do we bribe them? Offer them riches?" It was clear that while she was a good security officer a leader and politician she was not.

“Though I’m no ambassador, history has shown that a population that is allowed to pick its own destiny is a happy one - and since that is generally our goal, we try to introduce that concept to them,” said Turak.

"What if people dont know what they want?" River countered, she wasn't objecting the notion but more she jusy couldn't comprehend it. "People will moan and find wrong doing in every leadership, surley a firm hand is better?"

"I've never seen a population that didn't decide its own fate yet, however, I understand where you're train of thought is going. If this was the case, the Federation diplomat corps would request permission to be their temporary leaders. Then they would try to educate the masses as much as possible on the different forms of government and show them that they ultimately need to decide what their own future will be. We then insist that we can't hold their hands forever," Turak paused, and then said, "I guess in extreme cases, we would leave a security force in place, but only as protection - this scenario would make them adopt some form of government and a vision for their future."

She nodded accepting his teaching before then asking, "You would be a well-loved ruler on Elas, that or dead but how does this help me being a tactical officer onboard a starship?" River had enjoyed the philosophical lesson in how battles are won but starshios6didnt have feelings.

"It'll help you plan the outcome of a battle that you intend to fight." Turak paused and smiled wryly, "I know it seems a little arrogant that we already know when we will win, but when facing a less capable vessel that couldn't, as humans say, hold a candle to the Elysium, it isn't hard to know what the outcome will be." With a finger up to stop any incoming comments, Turak continued, "and before you say anything about that, we can and always do predict the outcome, the maneuvers, the weapons, the shield harmonics, etc, of the enemy and use them to our advantage. Nobody is perfect, of course, but that's why we have computer models. Back to your real question: how does this help you as a tactical officer? Simple, we need to know how much show of force we need to show, that way they will be afraid enough to stop long enough to let the diplomats work out a peaceful solution."

River did have questions but as the Vulcan fired through his lesson they were snuffed out, she has left half a gasp when he finally finished. "So a good tactical officer is one who doesn't need of fire a shot at all, but is ready at all times?" She said finally with a quizzical tone.

Smiling, Turak said, "that is the preferable way - end it before it begins."

"Ok" She said biting the inside of her cheek, "But failing all of that I still think I'm going to need to shoot some things" She was half-joking, she had come here for a tactical lesson and though she had learned a lot about self-control and other methods her job would be to conduct violence to those who the captain ordered.

"All else fails, I'll be the one who shoots first. But let's hope it doesn't come to that," Turak responded.


LTCDR Turak
Assistant Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Elysium

Ens River Lokaa
Security/Tactical Officer
USS Elysium