Testing the simulators

Posted on Sun Aug 14th, 2016 @ 7:09pm by Lieutenant Commander Tyler Vorran & Lieutenant Yzhara

Mission: Brave New World
Location: Academy Adjunct Flight Simulators
Timeline: 2 days After Arrival 2 08:00hrs

Tyler looked around the empty hologrid of one of the Academy Holodecks used for flight training. Black with a yellow grid pattern and a small arch near the door with an LCARS panel to select the simulations.
Before he runs his students through simulations he wanted to see what was already in the database. He brought up a list of simulations in the system, some seemed pretty basic while others looked intense. One particular program caught his eye and he selected it, the empty hologrid quickly replaced by the cockpit of a runabout. Tyler grinned and sat down at the controls beginning a pre-flight check of the ship's systems.

As Tyler made his way through the pre-flight checks, the holodeck door appeared and opened at the back of the runabout. Lieutenant Yzhara emerged through the opening, her vacant stare not really looking at anything in particular. She cocked her head towards the pilot's seat, her antennae twitching. She didn't immediately recognize the seat's occupant. "This simulation was not authorized. Please identify yourself."

Vorran swiveled around in the chair and stood up startled by the new arrival. "I'm Tyler Vorran the new flight instructor. I was about to run one of the simulations before subjecting the students to it."

Yzhara's eyes widened, though it was an impulse response. "Ah, Commander. I apologize for disturbing you. I didn't realize that you were already on the station. Please, feel free to run through the simulation. The students are supposed to schedule holodeck time, but we sometimes catch them trying to get away with something that's unauthorized. I'm sure you understand why I barged in."

Vorran smiled and extended his hand. "Not a problem Lieutenant. However, since you are here I could use a copilot."

Yzhara grinned and stumbled her way to the copilot's seat, reaching out with her hands to find the console. "Are you sure you want me as a copilot, Commander? I think many of the cadets are afraid to fly with me. Of course I tell them that I can fly just fine as long as they point me in the right direction." She continues to not make eye contact, her vacant stare seemingly gazing at something far beyond the walls of the cockpit.

Vorran smiled. "Its a simulation, they are meant to be crashed. According to the description we'll be navigating an asteroid field while being pursued by a Klingon Bird of Prey."

Vorran noticed that Yzhara appeared to be blind but didn't want to offend her by asking. There are other blind starfleet officers, with advances in medical technology they are able to carry out their duties without issue. The Chief Engineer of the Enterprise is blind if memory served him.

"Just one Bird of Prey? I guess this will be an easy simulation then," Yzhara replied with a smile. Her fingers tapped over the controls, configuring the panel per her preferred settings. "Whenever you're ready."

"If this is too easy we can always spice it up, another reason to run the simulations ourselves first." Vorran replied as he resumed his position in the pilot's seat.

Yzhara smirked to herself. It might take some time for the senior instructor to get used to her strange sense of humor, she though. "We should probably start the cadets off slow. Let's just see how aggressive those klingons are going to be before we start adjusting the difficulty."

"Lets get this party started then. Computer Begin program." Vorran said
The generic starfield was replaced by an asteroid field. Vorran brought the engines up to half impulse and began maneuvering through the field.

Yzhara would have preferred the challenge of going in at full impulse, but then her personal piloting style had always been a bit reckless, though effective. She made no comment, and instead began plotting a course through the asteroid field. The klingons had not yet arrived, so they had some time to get into the thick of it before that part of the course was triggered. "I'm plotting a flight path, Commander. The asteroid field is thick, but more than enough maneuvering room."

"This is where the fun begins then." Tyler said as he maneuvered the runabout around a large asteroid. The ship shuttered as some small pieces of debris struck the shields. The runabout maneuvered through the first section of the field without incident, just as they were rounding another large asteroid a disruptor blast struck the surface of the asteroid in front of them.

"It looks like the Klingons have arrived, the size of this asteroid must have hid their approach." Tyler said as he varied the speed of the runabout to make target acquisition difficult.

"I'm sure the cloaking device helped too," Yzhara replied somewhat sarcastically. She didn't seem to care that she was with a superior officer who she had only just met. "They have us beat in raw speed, but we can out fly them in this asteroid field. If you want to get crazy, I think I have an idea. There's a larger asteroid to port, about thirteen hundred kilometers bearing three zero zero mark zero one seven." A smile formed on her face. "It's hollow."

"Changing course for it now, time to thread the needle." Vorran said as the runabout entered the larger asteroid. The cavern grew narrower as they navigated it. "I'm guessing we have less than a meter on either side?' Vorran said.

"If we had any more space, it wouldn't be any fun," Yzhara replied, her antennae twitching excitedly. The shuttlecraft interior shook from a near miss by the Klingons. "Increasing speed to full impulse."

The runabout navigated the narrow cavern, open space showing on the other side. The runabout shook as it scraped the inside of the cavern. "As soon as we are through we should have a clear path to go to warp, provided the nacelles are still attached when we get through." Vorran said

"You could always let the blind girl fly if it would make you feel better," Yzhara replied with a smile. She adjusted the heading to compensate for the closing cavern. "Sensors indicate that you haven't broken the ship too bad, but I think she may need a fresh coat of paint."

"I think the computer can arrange that once we get through this simulation." Just then Vorran saw a shadow above them as the Klingon Bird of Prey moved to block their path. "Its never easy." Vorran muttered as he maneuvered the runabout out of their firing arc. "A couple tachyon bursts would cause them to reset their shield harmonics. They would be vulnerable to a few well placed phaser hits." Vorran said as the inertial dampener strained.

"They won't be enough to destroy them, but it could be enough to disable them for a moment. I like it," the aenar replied with a grin. She reached over to her side panel to reconfigure the shuttle's deflector. "I'm ready with the tachyon burst. We won't have many shots. You better follow up with the phaser blasts quick."

"I'll make them count." Vorran replied as he maneuvered the runabout into position. The tachyon bursts caused the Klingon ship's shields to flicker and glow as they were disrupted. "Firing phasers!" Vorran said as he fired several shots at the klingon ship. The running lights on the klingon ship flickered as they appeared to have some power fluctuations.

The bird-of-prey backed off in order to get their bearings, giving the runabout time to make a move. Accelerating out of the asteroid and going to warp brought an end to the simulation. The stars out of the shuttle's disappeared from view, replaced by the grid of the holodeck. The computer was nice enough to leave the cockpit alone and not dumping the occupants out onto the floor, a safety feature that Yzhara was thankful for. She stood up from the copilot's seat and stretched. "Not bad," she thought allowed. "I think it should be interesting enough for the students. Don't you agree?"

"Agreed, It will be interesting to see what solutions they come up with as well." Vorran replied as he got up from the pilot's seat.

"I look forward to working with you Lieutenant Yzhara." Vorran said as they exited the holodeck.




Lt. Commander Tyler Vorran
Senior Flight Control Instructor

Lieutenant Yzhara
Associate Flight Control Instructor