SAR

Posted on 04 Jul 2016 @ 9:48pm by Lieutenant Commander Camila Di Pasquale & Commander Jayla Kij

1,678 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Risky Business
Location: Security
Timeline: MD 3 || 1200 Hours

Jayla was slightly nervous. She'd never done SAR training and that last time she'd done hand-to-hand combat practice was the Academy. She had no idea what she was going to be doing, but it was time. So, she walked into the Security office, trying to pretend that she wasn't afraid by smiling around at everyone. "Hi," she said to the nearest person to the door. "I'm looking for Lt. Di Pasquale. We had an appointment for SAR training."

"Lieutenant Di Pasquale is in her office," the Ensign at the duty desk said. "One moment." She pulled up the schedule and looked at it. "Odd, I'm not seeing an appointment in here, but the Chief has been extremely busy lately making plans. Let me see if she's available. What is your name, Commander?"

"Jayla Kij," answered Jayla. She forgot to put it on the schedule? Odd. But, whatever. People got busy, things slipped through the cracks. No biggie.

"One moment, please," the Ensign said and opened a comm. "Lieutenant Di Pasquale? There's a Commander Kij here to see you. She said she had a SAR training appointment, but I don't see it on the schedule."

Camila looked up from her Raktajino at the comm and closed her eyes. I forgot to put Jayla on the schedule she mentally muttered. Not that I haven't been doing a thousand things in the past two days. When did we even talk about that? she wondered. "Send her in, please. Di Pasquale out."

"You can go in now, Commander," the Ensign replied. "Second door on the right."

"Thank you," said Jayla. She went back to the door indicated and walked through when the doors opened. "Forgot to put me on the schedule, eh?" she said, half amused.

Camila gave the Trill woman a wry smile and waved towards the chair across from her desk. "You know how hectic everything has been, Jayla," she said. "Especially coming fresh off the virus from Yolvanda II and now we have to head into a nebula where our best offensive and defensive capabilities are going to be neutralized or nearly so? I forgot. Coffee, tea, a Romulan Ale?"

"Nah, I'm good," answered Jayla. "Yeah, I know how it is. I think Medical is only just now recovering. We're all right though. How's Security?"

"We're running ragged," Camila admitted. "And it won't be over until we take down the Chimera, Cochrane and this theoretical Romulan warbird with the Tholaran device. I've had teams training around the clock ever since our briefing at Unity."

Jayla frown-smiled. "Mm, that sounds horrible," she said. "Do you want to put off my training? I don't mind if you're too busy."

"I'm really sorry that I forgot to schedule a time, but I can get you set up on the Security training room for Jiu Jitsu. I did the same thing for Commander Walsh his first time here."

"Oh, that would be great," answered Jayla. "I did kick boxing for awhile, but I never actually sparred with another person. I don't suppose that'll be any help in learning Jiu Jitsu, would it?"

"As a matter of fact, that's what Commander Walsh is doing," she said. "He's had one lesson in that so far, and one training session for going after enemy personnel. What would you like to do first?"

"I think I'd better go with a lesson, first," Jayla replied. "I don't know if I'm quite ready to go after enemies, yet."

"I'll get you set up with that, then," the ombre haired Security Chief said. "Have you given any thought as to teaching Medical skills to other candidates?" she asked as she tapped at her terminal to put the Trill Doctor in for a training spot for the Jiu Jitsu program.

"Oh, absolutely," answered Jayla with a grin. "First aide is relatively easy and even some of the minor triage stuff isn't too difficult. You know, setting bones and wrapping puncture wounds. That sort of thing."

"It's a lot more than that, Jayla," Camila said. "It's managing trauma patients prior to evacuation and provide emergency medical treatment. Phase I is five weeks of emergency medical technician basic training. Phase II lasts seventeen weeks and provides instruction in minor field surgery, pharmacology, and combat trauma management."

"Wow!" said Jayla, eyes going wide. "I mean, yeah, I can definitely teach them, but I can see why a lot of people drop out. Learning all that in half a year! I was overwhelmed by it and I had nearly two years to learn it!"

"It's the most brutal eighteen month course that has ever been designed," Camila said. "We went from one part of the planet to another to starbases to other planets to train for Search and Rescue. Anyone who graduates from SAR training is considered to be among the best. There have been classes which haven't graduated a single sentient."

Jayla grinned again. "Does that mean some non-sentients graduated?" she asked cheekily.

Camila frowned. "Jayla, it's a very serious, very demanding course and I have a feeling that you won't be grinning much by the end of it. I'm SAR certified and I don't plan on letting friendship or anything else get in the way of making sure that every last person who steps up for SAR training is going to get that training. If that means I have to kick someone out for not being serious, I will. I busted my ass and so did everyone else who completed it."

"Sorry," Jayla said, still grinning. "But, I was half serious. I mean, it seems like the sort of thing a professor in the academy would have said in order to trick us. You know, like some dogs graduated or something."

"I'm not an Academy professor and I am not joking, Jayla," she said. "I am a graduate of Search and Rescue training and anyone who has ever taken that course loses some of their sense of humor by the end of it. I'm not saying that you can't do it, but if you go into it grinning like you do and thinking you're going to sail through it, you'll find yourself left with only teaching other candidates what to do for the medical aspect. Are you prepared for that?"

"Yes, sir," Jayla assured her, still grinning. "Sorry, sometimes the grinning is a stress reaction. I can't control it. I grin when I'm happy, frightened, worried, overworked. It actually takes quite a lot to make me not grin."

"You'll be frowning by the time it's over," Camila told her honestly. "I've seen grown men cry at the end of the night after a hard day. I'm not ashamed to admit that I wanted to drop out more than few times myself. Fortunately, this course is only to improve and cross train officers on the ship and not the full course."

"I believe you," she said. "I frowned an awful lot while fighting that virus. I image this is going to be harder."

"Just as long as you're sure," Camila said. "I really don't like wasting my time if someone isn't serious. Captain Geisler gave me the go ahead to make a SAR team and I'm going to do just that, even if I have to break a few people in the process."

"I'm sure," Jayla promised. "I'll try to control the cheek from now on," she added with a grin.

Camila nodded and pulled up the basic moves for White Belt and adjusted the terminal so Jayla could see it. "We all need to start somewhere, and this is where we begin," she said. "Just remember, the first step is often the hardest. The white belt syllabus is a gentle introduction for all students. Included are a couple of strikes, punches and kicks, and of course some blocks for strikes. You'll also learn a couple of basic throws to use against some strikes."

The screen began to show the moves for Front Snap Punch, Front Snap Kick, High Parry, Low Parry, Side Breakfall, Forward Roll, Escape Wrist Grab, Escape Front Strangle, Escape Back Strangle, Straight Arm-Lock,
Body Drop and One Hold Down.

"We have interactive training dummies which learn as you progress and when you've mastered all the moves of the White Belt without the dummy getting a hit on you, then we move up to Red Belt," Camila said as the terminal showed the basic moves. "That should take about two months. Questions before I get you set up with one?"

"Two months, wow," said Jayla, only vaguely surprised. "I can't think of any questions, though."

"Then let's go get you set up with a combat mech, then," Camila said as she transferred the files for the White Belt training to Jayla's library. "We'll see where your level is at and take it from there."

Jayla grinned, eager to get started. "Lead the way."

An hour later, a bruised and sore Jayla with a bloody lip emerged from the training room. "Two months!" she muttered, stretching her back. "I'll be lucky to finish in two years!"

Camila laughed. "Oh come on, it's not that bad," she said. "You did okay in making sure the floor was clean. You'll get better. It was only your first time. No one is perfect when they start out. Now go get yourself healed and I'll see you next week if we're all still alive."

Jayla grinned. "I have a feeling we will be," she said. "Especially if I have anything to do with it. Anyway, thanks for all your help. If I manage to make it through this part of training, I'll owe you a drink. Maybe 3."

"Just get me a bottle of Romulan Ale and we'll call it even," Camila said with a laugh. "Now off with you."

"Deal!" Jayla laughed. "See you later," she added, heading towards the door. She was going to have to go to Sick Bay before she did anything else.

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