The Reason Why we do not Just Shoot at Things Willy-Nilly

Posted on Thu Jan 30th, 2025 @ 10:29am by Captain Shran dh'Klar & Lieutenant Inara Senn

Mission: Training Cruise
Location: Holodeck 3 - Inara Training Sim One

Inara entered the holosim with Belor. She smirked as she looked at a female superior officer frozen as the holoprogram was waiting.

"Okay Cadet. This is not exactly going to be one of your normal training sims, and it will teach you something about non-corporeal life forms, and bad decisions. This applies directly to you. You're going to be ordered to shoot at things you do not understand, particularly by officers that do not know if they can kill said beings." Inara smirked at the cadet.

"Now, they may be able to be killed and therefore contribute to beginning an interstellar war. Or you may not be able to kill them, and they might be a Greek god. Remember, when you decide what to do with the unknown, you should stand by your decision. Computer, begin program."

Lt. Carmicheal spoke to Belor. "Cadet, shoot it!!!!"

Iliana looked at it and then back at Inara, "I'm afraid that this program requires context before I participate. I will add, I have no problem firing a phaser at a creature. And I recognize the material you are using to a degree. Looks like something that happened on the Enterprise under the command of Capt. Kirk. Encountering a creature that was thought to be a mythological figure seems fascinating."

"Oh yes Cadet. The choice here is fear. Do you fire your phaser and follow orders that may result in the first shots of an interstellar war, or do you do what scientists are supposed to do. You're not a soldier kid, and believe me, sending a scientist to war is a terrible thing. Also, you don't know if you can kill this thing, or if your weapon can save anyone. They've told you to follow orders, drummed it into you at the academy. Welcome to the real word. You are going to explore. You are going to act when you're told to shoot something that could have the capacity to destroy the ship. And you're going to know when shooting something is not always the correct decision. And there's not always context." Inara mentioned. "And then later on you're going to realize after four years of war if you should have used the tricorder."

"I think you have an incorrect perspective lieutenant" Iliana said directly. "You are my superior officer, and I value your rank and your opinion, but I think you have a mindset that I have seen by many who fought in the war. You are correct, as a scientist, war is not something I should be preparing for. But you forget that we wear this uniform, and it is part of our duty by wearing this uniform to be prepared for everything, including war. Si vis pacem, para bellum."

"By the holy four goddesses. They're quoting Latin to these pimple-faced, impressionable, and hormone infested kids." Inara mentioned. "Let me tell you the reality. YOU WILL never be prepared for war, and now that we have this out of the way." Inara tapped her PaDD. A Greek shrine was created with a single man that had a young woman as a hostage. "Speaking of James T. Kirk. You're going to be dealing with these fascinating types of individuals. Care to take your hand in convincing a god to let one of your peers go? You will have an away team, and it will be up to you if this is the divine, or just another life form." Inara mentioned. These tests she had lined up were unorthodox. Inara was going to teach Belor everything she did not know.

Iliana let out a sigh. "Computer, resume program" she said in a slightly frustrated voice. "So, Apollo?" she questioned. She took up her phaser and fired, hitting and killing the hostage. She looked back at Inara, "You did take into consideration that I am a Cardassian, right? We don't believe in gods, even when we have encountered them, if you believe the Bajoran Prophets are gods. The Bajorans certainly do." She had a slight grin on her face, "Have you ever encountered such a creature? They say the gods that once existed on Earth do in fact exist. Sounds fascinating to me. Not scientific but fascinating nonetheless."

Inara walked up to her. "It's not about if you are a Cardassian or not, Cadet. We're done here, For homework, you are to write a thesis about the Starfleet Code of Conduct." Inara left the holodeck. "With referances on why your actions right now are against every fiber of justice." She walked out. She was not happy.

'Good goddesses almighty. Does Starfleet think they can get a Starfleet Officer like this to understand morality? Looks like we have red squad back alright and they're just as brash as ever, she walked to Deanna's office to discuss with her how she was going to fail this woman.