But Can You Dance to It?
Posted on Tue Oct 20th, 2026 @ 1:41pm by Commander Jonathan Grayson & Captain Shran dh'Klar & Lieutenant Commander Callie Raven-Grayson & Lieutenant James Phoenix
1,779 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
Creatures of the Night
Location: Holodeck
Timeline: After Welcome to the End of Your Life
Phoenix had finished his command simulation, now it was Callie's turn to step into the breech and show she could make command decisions.
Sufficient time had passed and now it was Callie's turn.
Jon checked the program, The hall was rented, the orchestra engaged. It's now time to see if Callie could dance. This was going to be an experience like no other she had ever faced. An experience that brought others to their knees.
James had completed his simulation now it was Callie's time to show she could handle big moments.
He stood at the holodeck arch. "Callie, your exam will begin when you enter the holodeck. Good luck."
:Computer run Grayson Command exam scene two." He announced and the doors parted to reveal a scene from hell. The Washington bridge was in shambles, Emergency lights flashed, automatic forcefields had snapped on to protect those parts of the bridge that hat been blown away and exposed to the icy cold of space.
The Washington had received a distress call from the Kobayashi Maru, a civilian transport that had strayed into the Romulan Neutral Zone. Callie was in the center seat. "Shields down to 33 percent. Warp drive offline. Phasers are also offline; Ship's destruction will occur in two minutes unless quantum torpedo currently lodged in launcher is deactivated." Five bird of preys hovered around the Washington like jackals ready to tear it apart.
Bodies were strewn all over, medics giving aid to those they could help. Jon's body lay next to the helm unconscious, a large gash to his forehead seeped blood down his face. Shran and Deanna were nowhere to be seen. L'Rissa was at helm, Ibarra at Ops, and the enemy was bearing down.
Callie’s heart sank as she stood looking at the simulation, she wasn’t even sure where to start. It’s not like she’d ever faced being in command on the bridge even in an emergency. She forced herself not to look at Jon’s unconscious body that was lying on the ground nearby.
“Do we have anyone down there who can get to that launcher in time?”
Ayana was at tactical. "All tactical officers in the area are down, and damage control teams are busy with damage to the core and power transfer systems."
The ship rocked as another volley of disruptor blasts struck the shields. "Hull breach, Deck 5, section 24. Damage control dispatched, emergency forcefields holding" Ibarra informed.
"Orders?" questioned L'Rissa.
Callie knew she had little choice. With most people down, or busy it was just her and those on the bridge. She kept a clear head by running around the thought that this was just a simulation. “Ibarra, take whoever you need and get down there. See if you can get that torpedo dislodged in time.”
"It should be me you send down there. I can disarm it if need be, and if not, shift the explosion to minimize the damage" Ayana interjected.
"Ma'am?" Ibarra questioned.
Callie silently cursed herself, she couldn’t afford silly mistakes. “Ibara, you’re an Operations Officer you’re more than qualified to assist.” Callie added before looking at Ayana. “Ayana get going, and take Ibarra with you.”
The two officers left their posts and exited the bridge. The ship shook again as more weapons fire impacted the ship. The situation was dire, and the remaining bridge crew all looked to Callie.
Callie watched the others go before turning her attention to the job at hand. “Reroute whatever power we spare to firming up our shields if it’s possible, it might give us a little extra time. L’Rissa do we have any power available to open the shuttle bay doors? I have an idea that will require a shuttle, and provided we don’t explode first, a torpedo on overload.”
"Rerouting power to shields" Kuzma said, now at Ops.
"We do, ma'am, for now" L'Rissa purred as the ship once again shook from weapons fire.
“Alright” Callie nodded. “As much as I hate using more power, we need a torpedo transported into a shuttle and get that shuttle launched, problem is the blast would catch us as well even if it got clear of the ship…” she paused. “Damn! Forget the shuttle idea it wouldn’t get clear of us before they’d blow it to hell. I want a spread of torpedo’s transported out on a very short timer, I’m hoping it’ll take our company and give us some breathing space.”
"I'm afraid that doing that would likely destroy us as well ma'am" Kuzma noted. "Our shields simply couldn't protect us from impacts that close. Also, we don't transporters are down."
“Just our luck.” Callie added with a wry smile. “Any change on that stuck torpedo?”
Real Jon watched as Callie dealt with her command exercise. He was impressed with her thought process as she ran through different possible solutions. The main thing was for her not to get discouraged or lose her perspective.
=^=Ibarra to bridge. Ayana is completing the disarming of the torpedo now. =^=
“Thank you Ibarra, that’s good news.” Callie just had to hope the simulation wasn’t going to throw up more issues with that for her attention. “Alright people we need to get these guys firing at one another instead of us, ideas?”
Suddenly, intruder alert sounded. Moments later, five Klingons materialized. The Klingons rushed at everyone. Kuzma was instantly hit by a disruptor blast and fell to the right of her station. L'Rissa leapt from her position at the helm and engaged the Klingon that had just fired on Kuzma. Three Klingons rushed towards the rear of the bridge to engage those there, and one, bat'leth raised high rushed towards Callie.
Callie cursed, this was her worse nightmare she had no clue what to do. This was a no win situation whichever way she looked at it. “Stop!” She looked around, she had to think of her crew and keeping as many of them alive as possible. “We surrender!”
The Klingon continued to charge at her. As it swung the bat'leth at her head, a phaser blast hit the Klingon, knocking him into Callie's regular spot on the bridge. L'Rissa ran to her side, "You alright ma'am? Guess you forgot that Klingons don't take prisoners."
“No, I didn’t but it was worth a try.” Callie added with a brief smile as she took her seat, taking a moment to look around before her thoughts went to her children, who aboard the real ship would still be onboard. It was a no win situation, and the whole idea of the simulation was to see what you were willing to sacrifice. She looked up. “Do we have enough power to boost our speed to ram the nearest Klingon ship?”
"Low warp is available" L'Rissa purred.
Callie paused to look around her eyes resting on the fake Jon for a moment. “Right…” she looked forward. “Set course for the nearest Klingon cruiser we can destroy before they can destroy us.” She took the centre seat. “Hit it when ready.”
Jon had seen enough. "Alright. computer end simulation." An instant later the bridge disappeared into nothingness leaving them standing in an empty holodeck.
"Callie you and James go to my ready room. I'll be right there have to compile scores." He fibbed. He already knew the results for both Callie and James.
"Aye sir" James felt his heart sink to his stomach. Did he fail? After sacrificing the simulated Ash? He wouldn't have been surprised if he did, as he could have gone with Aiden, but that would have destroyed what he perceived as the point of the command test: to face fear head on and sacrifice what he held most dear. And in this case that was Ashlynn. Perhaps he wasn't supposed to know that right away, but having served on the Washington long enough mixed with the Alpha Three mission, he had dealt with dire scenarios before. Thus, he knew that ordering a loved one to die was necessary, even if the chances were low.
Callie nodded. Heading on her way to the ready room with James. “I don’t know about you James, but I only got through that by remembering it was a simulation. I’m not sure whether I’d be able to face it that way for real. I hate no win scenarios.
Jon heard Callie's comment. It was good she remembered this was a simulation but she needed to face the fact that no win scenarios did exist and needed to be dealt with.
"No win scenarios are the reason why I'm even on the Washington" James chuckled before getting serious. "But, I feel ya. I fear that I'd struggle to sacrifice Ash over myself in the real scenario. I never want to have to make that call" he said quietly as they continued walking.
Jon entered a few minutes later with PaDDs in hand. His face betrayed nothing. "The exam is over, any thoughts?" he asked holding off on giving the pair their test results.
Callie had already taken a seat. She wondered if she’d truly done enough or whether she’d failed her test. No doubt she’d find out soon enough. “Just the usual ones, did we do enough to pass?”
Jon looked at the PaDDs in hands and then to Callie and James. "Well your actions were a bit out there....but I am pleased to say that yes, you both passed. Congratulations and well done to you both."
Callie sat gobsmacked for a moment before she stood up and gave Jon a big hug. “Thank you!!” She quickly recomposed herself before looking at James. “Congratulations James!”
Jon grinned at Callie's spontaneous hug. "You are welcome Callie, you too James. You both did very well."
Callie’s smile practically shone, though she’d need to talk to Jon about it later at home just to clear her own head.
Ibarra's voice came over the comm, =^=Bridge to Grayson. Commander, we are detecting a vessel in a decaying orbit around the local moon, likely a derelict. Requesting your presence on the bridge. =^=
"Roger Ibarra." Jon looked at Callie and James, "We'll continue this talk later. Congratulations again." As he got up and headed to the bridge.
“I don’t know about you, but that’s where I’m heading too.” Callie added with a warm smile as she stood to leave the room.
James hadn't processed that he'd passed quiet yet; he'd zoned out a bit too. He snapped out of it. "Yeah I should probably assist Imik at tactical" he said, following suit.
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