Survival 101 pt 2

Posted on Mon Sep 26th, 2022 @ 10:13am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Commander Dean House & Lieutenant JG Blake Leone & Lieutenant Commander Bonnie "Bon-Bon" Durnell & Patin

Mission: *CD*
Location: Holodeck

Survival 101 - Day 2

The second day found Patin with a smile on her face as she entered the holodeck to find twice the number of crewmembers as the day before. Apparently Nozzie had arranged a schedule for two hours and assigned certain crewmembers to renew their skill set. She had to hand it to Nozzie, she was organized and efficient.

As the doors closed behind her, she took in some familiar faces but many more fresh ones. She stood, hands behind her back, feet slightly spread apart. "Alright, fresh meat. Yesterday we covered creating fire from nothing. Since we have newcomers we'll start with a recap before moving on to basic food and shelter. Tomorrow, we'll get to the harder stuff, weapons, tactics and fighting. So, try to be here and not injure yourself. Apparently we have to keep the 'safeties' on, whatever that means." She mocked.

"We're not gonna have to kill stuff and eat it are we?" A young Ensign called from the back of the group, looking positively green at the thought of it. "Cos I don't think I'm good for that" there were a few nods of agreement from others in the group.

"Well, I suppose that depends on if you want to survive or not." She paced around the gathered group, pretending to be the authority on the subject as she imagined teachers to be. "Sure you can sometimes find berries and other edible plants, but not always. I've read information that suggests there are planets out there, err here, that thrive with carnivores and not much else."

"But even on the barest of worlds, where there is water, there is life. " She walked over to a shade tree where a small pool of water had formed and knelt down. She pondered the water for a moment before thrusting her hand in and pulling out the longest, slimiest tuberworm any of the younger cadets had ever seen.

Her focus on the worm was steely for a moment before she cocked her head and took a bite. The juices inside squirted out like she was eating an ear of corn. Once she swallowed, she looked back at her students, "Sometimes you've got to do what you've got to do if you want to live." One of the students went pale and fainted.

"Seriously though, worms?" Ensign Vegetarian complained as a worm was dangled in front of her face. Patin took the opportunity to recap the previous lesson. "However, if you can build a fire, cooking it ALWAYS makes it taste better" she tangled the worm around a stick and held it above the fire crackling nearby. "But if the Cardies are near or you're hiding from big honking monsters, no fire means raw it is. Now who knows anything about gutting?"

Two more fainted and the sound of someone being violently ill echoed through the holodeck.

Patin ignored the commotion with a grimace on her face. Never had she seen so many with such weak constitutions. She walked over to the pole she had set up at the water's edge and pulled the gaggle of fish from the lake just as the doors to the holodeck opened.

Rhenora had decided to pop into the slightly more organized and ratified survival training. She walked into the serene setting to find three unconscious crewmembers and one being violently ill in the bushes. She wrinkled her nose and spied Patin happily descaling and gutting fish, most of those around her holding their stomachs and looking green.

"So if you slice it like this, tasty, like this you'll probably die. Like this good, like this…" she spotted Rhenora. "Ah, Noz… er Captain." She quickly corrected with a slime covered finger touch on the bridge of her nose. "Glad you could join us. Here, hold this a moment." She said abruptly as she shoved a half-scaled fish into Rhenora's open hand.

"Now if you hold here, give a firm grip and pull here." She took the tail and ripped the bones out in one swift ripping motion. Bits of fish insides flew backward striking a young female ensign who went pale in the face for a brief moment before rearing her head back and crying.

Patin glared at her, "now what've I told you? There's no crying in fishin'. Tends to scare them away." She could see another crewman coming out of the water holding a large-mouthed fish with whiskers. "Yes, see, you've got it. Less thrashing and more quiet patience catches 'em every time, cept maybe in the bedroom." She chuckled and lightly jabbed Rhenora. "Ain't that right boss?"

"Something like that, although I've never heard romantic interludes being likened to fishing before" Rhenora took the knife and finished descaling the fish before fileting it and handing it back. Seriously, Starfleet needed to add more realism into its survival courses. Dumping people in the forest with rations and knives was too easy. Making them kill and cook their own food however was more realistic.

The rumors of this Patin person doing these survival classes on the holodeck had already gotten around. Particularly given the first one and creating real fires. Obviously that wasn’t a good thing. Even if it was approved, there was the mention of not having the proper safety protocols in place for it.

That meant that Dean was going to come see what the deal was this time. Stepping off of the Turbolift, he nearly ran into what looked to be a new medical department officer. That wasn’t his department so he didn’t know her as of yet. “Excuse me,” stepping slightly to the side before Blake nearly barreled over him. If that was even possible to do.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to run into you literally”, Blake said apologetically. “I hope i didn’t hurt you”. She mentally kicked herself. What a way to introduce myself, she thought. It was beyond awkward to nearly send a crew member onto the floor.

Dean made sure it was the opposite and that she wasn’t the one that ended up on the deck. “It’s fine, and I’m alright. Lieutenant…..?”

“I’m Blake Leone”, Blake said with a smile. “Nice to meet you, sir”. She paused, wondering what else to say. She hadn’t been around a lot of people before the Academy. At the Academy it had been more than a bit awkward to talk to people. She had never really understood most of them. She needed to make an effort to be social. It was vital to be able to communicate.

“Nice to meet you. Are you looking for a certain place?” Dean glanced over her shoulder, or rather over his, in the direction of the holodeck. Back to her afterwards.

“I am looking for the Captain. I am supposed to introduce myself. I’m hoping to meet some of the crew as well”, Blake said with a smile. “I just arrived and things are overwhelming, put mildly”

“I’m willing to bet I know exactly where she is, and on the Bridge or Ready Room is not at all where.” Dean pursed his lips a little. “So then, follow me.” Turning and continuing on the way to the holodeck.

“Thank you, sir. I appreciate your help”, Blake said, grateful for the help. She would’ve been completely lost without this man’s help.

TBC