Kalen/Taylor Welcome to Athena's Own

||Marine Rec Room
||USS Fenris
||TBD

The marine rec room was a place of retreat that the marines of the Fenris could, in some cases literally, let their hair down. It operated as both a mess hall and a small place for respite when marines clocked off before doing whatever they wanted to do. Apart from replicators and chairs which seemed to grace every lounge in Starfleet there was a couple of pool tables, dart boards and even a sparring mat. Of course the room was rather large which gave it the ability to accommodate these things.

Rather than stay in his office Taylor simply moved his padd-work to the rec room so he could enjoy scenes that didn't include the sight of the opposite bulkhead. While he was checking over readiness reports his current sight of interest was Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath, his adjutant.

The blue-skinned Andorian was eating something that was much like porridge. Taylor had already eaten today but was constantly swapping between coffee and cigarettes to keep him going. Everyone knew about his habit, some even shared it. Those that didn't agree gave the man a wide berth.

"You know the point of an adjutant is to do that sort of work for you." Pointed out Keval who licked the back of his spoon.

"Last adjutant I had was Canadian. He was great at his job and therefore left me nothing to do apart from wander around aimlessly." Replied the lieutenant colonel who sighed heavily.

Keval gave a puzzled look. "What's a Canadian?"

"A human from Canada. I highly recommend you avoid the place. They talk funny, eat funny and are funny. Kind of like Germans"

"Sounds like your race in general…" mused the Andorian with a raised eyebrow.

Taylor just 'mmhmmed' in agreement as his eyes scanned the PADD before him. Another heavy sigh left his lips as he let it drop onto the table. "Lists, reports, lists, reports…bad enough I've got to deal with some new pilot and the inlaws. I mean why does he have to be 'interested in marines' for a start? Couldn't he be like everyone in the fleet and just hate us? That I can deal with."

||Marine Rec Room
||USS Fenris
||TBD

The marine rec room was a place of retreat that the marines of the Fenris could, in some cases literally, let their hair down. It operated as both a mess hall and a small place for respite when marines clocked off before doing whatever they wanted to do. Apart from replicators and chairs which seemed to grace every lounge in Starfleet there was a couple of pool tables, dart boards and even a sparring mat. Of course the room was rather large which gave it the ability to accommodate these things.

Rather than stay in his office Taylor simply moved his padd-work to the rec room so he could enjoy scenes that didn't include the sight of the opposite bulkhead. While he was checking over readiness reports his current sight of interest was Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath, his adjutant.

The blue-skinned Andorian was eating something that was much like porridge. Taylor had already eaten today but was constantly swapping between coffee and cigarettes to keep him going. Everyone knew about his habit, some even shared it. Those that didn't agree gave the man a wide berth.

"You know the point of an adjutant is to do that sort of work for you." Pointed out Keval who licked the back of his spoon.

"Last adjutant I had was Canadian. He was great at his job and therefore left me nothing to do apart from wander around aimlessly." Replied the lieutenant colonel who sighed heavily.

Keval gave a puzzled look. "What's a Canadian?"

"A human from Canada. I highly recommend you avoid the place. They talk funny, eat funny and are funny. Kind of like Germans"

"Sounds like your race in general…" mused the Andorian with a raised eyebrow.

Taylor just 'mmhmmed' in agreement as his eyes scanned the PADD before him. Another heavy sigh left his lips as he let it drop onto the table. "Lists, reports, lists, reports…bad enough I've got to deal with some new pilot and the inlaws. I mean why does he have to be 'interested in marines' for a start? Couldn't he be like everyone in the fleet and just hate us? That I can deal with."

It had been a long day already, but Kalen had made a promise to his captain to try to meet everyone. He had been thinking about visiting the marines for some time, but he seemingly just hadn't been able to get around to it between meeting all these new people and working both on the bridge and in engineering. He wanted to work on honing some skills with them. After all, a little knowledge never hurt and in case he needed it again, this time he would be prepared. He didn't know what to expect when he went into the rec room, but he went through the doors anyway. Upon entering he marveled at just how much was in the room. He knew they were their own group, a core of fighting men. But this was amazing. He spotted the Colonel from his insignia.

"Sir, Lieutenant Kalen Gespard. Thank you for agreeing to see me sir." He waved his hand around at the room, "I know your time is probably precious, and you run a tight ship. Nonetheless, I appreciate it very much." He pondered for a moment before thinking back to his conversation with his captain. "I was curious if there would be any sort of combat tactics I could learn. I have little in the way of experience save what they taught us at the academy." He was impressed by the man, even intimidated. He was dangerous, it was written in his face and in the lines of his body. Kalen wondered what his life had been like to this point to sharpen this man to a cutting edge. "I am helping Lt. Commander Sharpe in the engineering bay with repairs, but with what free time I have, I would like to do everything I can."

||Marine Rec Room
||USS Fenris
||TBD

The marine rec room was a place of retreat that the marines of the Fenris could, in some cases literally, let their hair down. It operated as both a mess hall and a small place for respite when marines clocked off before doing whatever they wanted to do. Apart from replicators and chairs which seemed to grace every lounge in Starfleet there was a couple of pool tables, dart boards and even a sparring mat. Of course the room was rather large which gave it the ability to accommodate these things.

Rather than stay in his office Taylor simply moved his padd-work to the rec room so he could enjoy scenes that didn't include the sight of the opposite bulkhead. While he was checking over readiness reports his current sight of interest was Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath, his adjutant.

The blue-skinned Andorian was eating something that was much like porridge. Taylor had already eaten today but was constantly swapping between coffee and cigarettes to keep him going. Everyone knew about his habit, some even shared it. Those that didn't agree gave the man a wide berth.

"You know the point of an adjutant is to do that sort of work for you." Pointed out Keval who licked the back of his spoon.

"Last adjutant I had was Canadian. He was great at his job and therefore left me nothing to do apart from wander around aimlessly." Replied the lieutenant colonel who sighed heavily.

Keval gave a puzzled look. "What's a Canadian?"

"A human from Canada. I highly recommend you avoid the place. They talk funny, eat funny and are funny. Kind of like Germans"

"Sounds like your race in general…" mused the Andorian with a raised eyebrow.

Taylor just 'mmhmmed' in agreement as his eyes scanned the PADD before him. Another heavy sigh left his lips as he let it drop onto the table. "Lists, reports, lists, reports…bad enough I've got to deal with some new pilot and the inlaws. I mean why does he have to be 'interested in marines' for a start? Couldn't he be like everyone in the fleet and just hate us? That I can deal with."

It had been a long day already, but Kalen had made a promise to his captain to try to meet everyone. He had been thinking about visiting the marines for some time, but he seemingly just hadn't been able to get around to it between meeting all these new people and working both on the bridge and in engineering. He wanted to work on honing some skills with them. After all, a little knowledge never hurt and in case he needed it again, this time he would be prepared. He didn't know what to expect when he went into the rec room, but he went through the doors anyway. Upon entering he marveled at just how much was in the room. He knew they were their own group, a core of fighting men. But this was amazing. He spotted the Colonel from his insignia.

"Sir, Lieutenant Kalen Gespard. Thank you for agreeing to see me sir." He waved his hand around at the room, "I know your time is probably precious, and you run a tight ship. Nonetheless, I appreciate it very much." He pondered for a moment before thinking back to his conversation with his captain. "I was curious if there would be any sort of combat tactics I could learn. I have little in the way of experience save what they taught us at the academy." He was impressed by the man, even intimidated. He was dangerous, it was written in his face and in the lines of his body. Kalen wondered what his life had been like to this point to sharpen this man to a cutting edge. "I am helping Lt. Commander Sharpe in the engineering bay with repairs, but with what free time I have, I would like to do everything I can."

Pilots. Taylor liked pilots for many reasons. First off he figured they were like marines in the fact that they could do a job that no one could just pick up and do without training and experience. Do it well anyway. That created a sense of both animosity and respect for both parties. Besides that he liked them for a more personal reasons. When the transporters are down and marines are fighting and dying their most favourite sound is that of shuttle or fighter engines. They meant air support, supplies or even exfiltration. Taylor just nodded in response and kicked a spare chair away from the table so it became an offer to join him and the Andorian. "Sit." he said in his Scottish accented growl.

"I'm Lieutenant Colonel Taylor Lucas the marine commanding officer in case you forgot my name helm-jockey. This is Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath who is my adjutant. You get two points for helping our CEO and for broadening your horizons. Combat tactics however is a rather broad subject. All a 'tactic' simply is, is a way that a force commander completes an objective. One may use force where another would use subterfuge. I'm not a busy man lieutenant. Training is handled by my officers and NCOs, paperwork by my adjutant. Therefore I have time to teach you whatever particular skill you wish to know."

||Marine Rec Room
||USS Fenris
||TBD

The marine rec room was a place of retreat that the marines of the Fenris could, in some cases literally, let their hair down. It operated as both a mess hall and a small place for respite when marines clocked off before doing whatever they wanted to do. Apart from replicators and chairs which seemed to grace every lounge in Starfleet there was a couple of pool tables, dart boards and even a sparring mat. Of course the room was rather large which gave it the ability to accommodate these things.

Rather than stay in his office Taylor simply moved his padd-work to the rec room so he could enjoy scenes that didn't include the sight of the opposite bulkhead. While he was checking over readiness reports his current sight of interest was Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath, his adjutant.

The blue-skinned Andorian was eating something that was much like porridge. Taylor had already eaten today but was constantly swapping between coffee and cigarettes to keep him going. Everyone knew about his habit, some even shared it. Those that didn't agree gave the man a wide berth.

"You know the point of an adjutant is to do that sort of work for you." Pointed out Keval who licked the back of his spoon.

"Last adjutant I had was Canadian. He was great at his job and therefore left me nothing to do apart from wander around aimlessly." Replied the lieutenant colonel who sighed heavily.

Keval gave a puzzled look. "What's a Canadian?"

"A human from Canada. I highly recommend you avoid the place. They talk funny, eat funny and are funny. Kind of like Germans"

"Sounds like your race in general…" mused the Andorian with a raised eyebrow.

Taylor just 'mmhmmed' in agreement as his eyes scanned the PADD before him. Another heavy sigh left his lips as he let it drop onto the table. "Lists, reports, lists, reports…bad enough I've got to deal with some new pilot and the inlaws. I mean why does he have to be 'interested in marines' for a start? Couldn't he be like everyone in the fleet and just hate us? That I can deal with."

It had been a long day already, but Kalen had made a promise to his captain to try to meet everyone. He had been thinking about visiting the marines for some time, but he seemingly just hadn't been able to get around to it between meeting all these new people and working both on the bridge and in engineering. He wanted to work on honing some skills with them. After all, a little knowledge never hurt and in case he needed it again, this time he would be prepared. He didn't know what to expect when he went into the rec room, but he went through the doors anyway. Upon entering he marveled at just how much was in the room. He knew they were their own group, a core of fighting men. But this was amazing. He spotted the Colonel from his insignia.

"Sir, Lieutenant Kalen Gespard. Thank you for agreeing to see me sir." He waved his hand around at the room, "I know your time is probably precious, and you run a tight ship. Nonetheless, I appreciate it very much." He pondered for a moment before thinking back to his conversation with his captain. "I was curious if there would be any sort of combat tactics I could learn. I have little in the way of experience save what they taught us at the academy." He was impressed by the man, even intimidated. He was dangerous, it was written in his face and in the lines of his body. Kalen wondered what his life had been like to this point to sharpen this man to a cutting edge. "I am helping Lt. Commander Sharpe in the engineering bay with repairs, but with what free time I have, I would like to do everything I can."

Pilots. Taylor liked pilots for many reasons. First off he figured they were like marines in the fact that they could do a job that no one could just pick up and do without training and experience. Do it well anyway. That created a sense of both animosity and respect for both parties. Besides that he liked them for a more personal reasons. When the transporters are down and marines are fighting and dying their most favourite sound is that of shuttle or fighter engines. They meant air support, supplies or even exfiltration. Taylor just nodded in response and kicked a spare chair away from the table so it became an offer to join him and the Andorian. "Sit." he said in his Scottish accented growl.

"I'm Lieutenant Colonel Taylor Lucas the marine commanding officer in case you forgot my name helm-jockey. This is Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath who is my adjutant. You get two points for helping our CEO and for broadening your horizons. Combat tactics however is a rather broad subject. All a 'tactic' simply is, is a way that a force commander completes an objective. One may use force where another would use subterfuge. I'm not a busy man lieutenant. Training is handled by my officers and NCOs, paperwork by my adjutant. Therefore I have time to teach you whatever particular skill you wish to know."

The man was straightforward and blunt, Kalen liked that. Pussyfooting around things wasn't his style and it clearly wasn't Taylor's. He nodded and sat down, joining the two at the table. He thought for a moment at how he wanted to phrase his request before deciding that it was indeed not his style to beat around the bush. "Colonel Lucas, our ship came under attack before I was commissioned for the helm of her. I've experienced this before, on my last assignment. I want to learn how to be able to fight if it comes to it. I'm not trying to be a hero. No offense to you and your men, but heroes tend to end up in an early grave. I just want to be able to protect my ship if she needs it. I want to be able to protect my family sir." He thought for a moment before continuing.

"The training they gave us in the Academy was so rudimentary to be next to useless. I know how to fire a phaser and knock a man out if he has absolutely no idea what he is doing in a fight. But I was looking to improve upon those skills. I am a fair shot, or at least I was back in training. I guess what I want to learn is the difference in those two times. When to use force, and when to use subterfuge. In this time, one can never be prepared enough to expect every outcome. But I would like to be more skilled so I can be more prepared." He thought that was succinct enough for what he was looking for. Kalen had no foundation to work upon to specialize in any sort of combat. He wanted to build that foundation first before he tried anything beyond that. He knew in his heart that Kalen would never be a fighter or a marine like Taylor was. But he could at least be a member of a security team who knew enough to defend and combat an invasion or to go on a combat oriented away mission. That at the end of the day was his goal.

||Marine Rec Room
||USS Fenris
||TBD

The marine rec room was a place of retreat that the marines of the Fenris could, in some cases literally, let their hair down. It operated as both a mess hall and a small place for respite when marines clocked off before doing whatever they wanted to do. Apart from replicators and chairs which seemed to grace every lounge in Starfleet there was a couple of pool tables, dart boards and even a sparring mat. Of course the room was rather large which gave it the ability to accommodate these things.

Rather than stay in his office Taylor simply moved his padd-work to the rec room so he could enjoy scenes that didn't include the sight of the opposite bulkhead. While he was checking over readiness reports his current sight of interest was Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath, his adjutant.

The blue-skinned Andorian was eating something that was much like porridge. Taylor had already eaten today but was constantly swapping between coffee and cigarettes to keep him going. Everyone knew about his habit, some even shared it. Those that didn't agree gave the man a wide berth.

"You know the point of an adjutant is to do that sort of work for you." Pointed out Keval who licked the back of his spoon.

"Last adjutant I had was Canadian. He was great at his job and therefore left me nothing to do apart from wander around aimlessly." Replied the lieutenant colonel who sighed heavily.

Keval gave a puzzled look. "What's a Canadian?"

"A human from Canada. I highly recommend you avoid the place. They talk funny, eat funny and are funny. Kind of like Germans"

"Sounds like your race in general…" mused the Andorian with a raised eyebrow.

Taylor just 'mmhmmed' in agreement as his eyes scanned the PADD before him. Another heavy sigh left his lips as he let it drop onto the table. "Lists, reports, lists, reports…bad enough I've got to deal with some new pilot and the inlaws. I mean why does he have to be 'interested in marines' for a start? Couldn't he be like everyone in the fleet and just hate us? That I can deal with."

It had been a long day already, but Kalen had made a promise to his captain to try to meet everyone. He had been thinking about visiting the marines for some time, but he seemingly just hadn't been able to get around to it between meeting all these new people and working both on the bridge and in engineering. He wanted to work on honing some skills with them. After all, a little knowledge never hurt and in case he needed it again, this time he would be prepared. He didn't know what to expect when he went into the rec room, but he went through the doors anyway. Upon entering he marveled at just how much was in the room. He knew they were their own group, a core of fighting men. But this was amazing. He spotted the Colonel from his insignia.

"Sir, Lieutenant Kalen Gespard. Thank you for agreeing to see me sir." He waved his hand around at the room, "I know your time is probably precious, and you run a tight ship. Nonetheless, I appreciate it very much." He pondered for a moment before thinking back to his conversation with his captain. "I was curious if there would be any sort of combat tactics I could learn. I have little in the way of experience save what they taught us at the academy." He was impressed by the man, even intimidated. He was dangerous, it was written in his face and in the lines of his body. Kalen wondered what his life had been like to this point to sharpen this man to a cutting edge. "I am helping Lt. Commander Sharpe in the engineering bay with repairs, but with what free time I have, I would like to do everything I can."

Pilots. Taylor liked pilots for many reasons. First off he figured they were like marines in the fact that they could do a job that no one could just pick up and do without training and experience. Do it well anyway. That created a sense of both animosity and respect for both parties. Besides that he liked them for a more personal reasons. When the transporters are down and marines are fighting and dying their most favourite sound is that of shuttle or fighter engines. They meant air support, supplies or even exfiltration. Taylor just nodded in response and kicked a spare chair away from the table so it became an offer to join him and the Andorian. "Sit." he said in his Scottish accented growl.

"I'm Lieutenant Colonel Taylor Lucas the marine commanding officer in case you forgot my name helm-jockey. This is Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath who is my adjutant. You get two points for helping our CEO and for broadening your horizons. Combat tactics however is a rather broad subject. All a 'tactic' simply is, is a way that a force commander completes an objective. One may use force where another would use subterfuge. I'm not a busy man lieutenant. Training is handled by my officers and NCOs, paperwork by my adjutant. Therefore I have time to teach you whatever particular skill you wish to know."

The man was straightforward and blunt, Kalen liked that. Pussyfooting around things wasn't his style and it clearly wasn't Taylor's. He nodded and sat down, joining the two at the table. He thought for a moment at how he wanted to phrase his request before deciding that it was indeed not his style to beat around the bush. "Colonel Lucas, our ship came under attack before I was commissioned for the helm of her. I've experienced this before, on my last assignment. I want to learn how to be able to fight if it comes to it. I'm not trying to be a hero. No offense to you and your men, but heroes tend to end up in an early grave. I just want to be able to protect my ship if she needs it. I want to be able to protect my family sir." He thought for a moment before continuing.

"The training they gave us in the Academy was so rudimentary to be next to useless. I know how to fire a phaser and knock a man out if he has absolutely no idea what he is doing in a fight. But I was looking to improve upon those skills. I am a fair shot, or at least I was back in training. I guess what I want to learn is the difference in those two times. When to use force, and when to use subterfuge. In this time, one can never be prepared enough to expect every outcome. But I would like to be more skilled so I can be more prepared." He thought that was succinct enough for what he was looking for. Kalen had no foundation to work upon to specialize in any sort of combat. He wanted to build that foundation first before he tried anything beyond that. He knew in his heart that Kalen would never be a fighter or a marine like Taylor was. But he could at least be a member of a security team who knew enough to defend and combat an invasion or to go on a combat oriented away mission. That at the end of the day was his goal.

"Well, you already have my approval for wanting to protect your crew mates." said the marine who leaned back in his chair. "No training I can give you can prepare for any forms of combat. That comes with experience and you've got that. All it takes is instinct. There isn't two tables of situations that come under when to go all out with the phaser and when to hold back. But sure I can teach you some tricks that I've picked up over the years."

Nodding to the Andorian Taylor stood up from his chair and tucked it under the table. With his hand resting against holster as he nodded towards the door. "Come on, let's see if we can teach you how to shoot. Might be a shit hot pilot but if I know Starfleet training ain't hell when it comes to combat. You want to have the big kid toys then you've come to the right place lieutenant. Take a step into our world."

||Marine Rec Room
||USS Fenris
||TBD

The marine rec room was a place of retreat that the marines of the Fenris could, in some cases literally, let their hair down. It operated as both a mess hall and a small place for respite when marines clocked off before doing whatever they wanted to do. Apart from replicators and chairs which seemed to grace every lounge in Starfleet there was a couple of pool tables, dart boards and even a sparring mat. Of course the room was rather large which gave it the ability to accommodate these things.

Rather than stay in his office Taylor simply moved his padd-work to the rec room so he could enjoy scenes that didn't include the sight of the opposite bulkhead. While he was checking over readiness reports his current sight of interest was Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath, his adjutant.

The blue-skinned Andorian was eating something that was much like porridge. Taylor had already eaten today but was constantly swapping between coffee and cigarettes to keep him going. Everyone knew about his habit, some even shared it. Those that didn't agree gave the man a wide berth.

"You know the point of an adjutant is to do that sort of work for you." Pointed out Keval who licked the back of his spoon.

"Last adjutant I had was Canadian. He was great at his job and therefore left me nothing to do apart from wander around aimlessly." Replied the lieutenant colonel who sighed heavily.

Keval gave a puzzled look. "What's a Canadian?"

"A human from Canada. I highly recommend you avoid the place. They talk funny, eat funny and are funny. Kind of like Germans"

"Sounds like your race in general…" mused the Andorian with a raised eyebrow.

Taylor just 'mmhmmed' in agreement as his eyes scanned the PADD before him. Another heavy sigh left his lips as he let it drop onto the table. "Lists, reports, lists, reports…bad enough I've got to deal with some new pilot and the inlaws. I mean why does he have to be 'interested in marines' for a start? Couldn't he be like everyone in the fleet and just hate us? That I can deal with."

It had been a long day already, but Kalen had made a promise to his captain to try to meet everyone. He had been thinking about visiting the marines for some time, but he seemingly just hadn't been able to get around to it between meeting all these new people and working both on the bridge and in engineering. He wanted to work on honing some skills with them. After all, a little knowledge never hurt and in case he needed it again, this time he would be prepared. He didn't know what to expect when he went into the rec room, but he went through the doors anyway. Upon entering he marveled at just how much was in the room. He knew they were their own group, a core of fighting men. But this was amazing. He spotted the Colonel from his insignia.

"Sir, Lieutenant Kalen Gespard. Thank you for agreeing to see me sir." He waved his hand around at the room, "I know your time is probably precious, and you run a tight ship. Nonetheless, I appreciate it very much." He pondered for a moment before thinking back to his conversation with his captain. "I was curious if there would be any sort of combat tactics I could learn. I have little in the way of experience save what they taught us at the academy." He was impressed by the man, even intimidated. He was dangerous, it was written in his face and in the lines of his body. Kalen wondered what his life had been like to this point to sharpen this man to a cutting edge. "I am helping Lt. Commander Sharpe in the engineering bay with repairs, but with what free time I have, I would like to do everything I can."

Pilots. Taylor liked pilots for many reasons. First off he figured they were like marines in the fact that they could do a job that no one could just pick up and do without training and experience. Do it well anyway. That created a sense of both animosity and respect for both parties. Besides that he liked them for a more personal reasons. When the transporters are down and marines are fighting and dying their most favourite sound is that of shuttle or fighter engines. They meant air support, supplies or even exfiltration. Taylor just nodded in response and kicked a spare chair away from the table so it became an offer to join him and the Andorian. "Sit." he said in his Scottish accented growl.

"I'm Lieutenant Colonel Taylor Lucas the marine commanding officer in case you forgot my name helm-jockey. This is Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath who is my adjutant. You get two points for helping our CEO and for broadening your horizons. Combat tactics however is a rather broad subject. All a 'tactic' simply is, is a way that a force commander completes an objective. One may use force where another would use subterfuge. I'm not a busy man lieutenant. Training is handled by my officers and NCOs, paperwork by my adjutant. Therefore I have time to teach you whatever particular skill you wish to know."

The man was straightforward and blunt, Kalen liked that. Pussyfooting around things wasn't his style and it clearly wasn't Taylor's. He nodded and sat down, joining the two at the table. He thought for a moment at how he wanted to phrase his request before deciding that it was indeed not his style to beat around the bush. "Colonel Lucas, our ship came under attack before I was commissioned for the helm of her. I've experienced this before, on my last assignment. I want to learn how to be able to fight if it comes to it. I'm not trying to be a hero. No offense to you and your men, but heroes tend to end up in an early grave. I just want to be able to protect my ship if she needs it. I want to be able to protect my family sir." He thought for a moment before continuing.

"The training they gave us in the Academy was so rudimentary to be next to useless. I know how to fire a phaser and knock a man out if he has absolutely no idea what he is doing in a fight. But I was looking to improve upon those skills. I am a fair shot, or at least I was back in training. I guess what I want to learn is the difference in those two times. When to use force, and when to use subterfuge. In this time, one can never be prepared enough to expect every outcome. But I would like to be more skilled so I can be more prepared." He thought that was succinct enough for what he was looking for. Kalen had no foundation to work upon to specialize in any sort of combat. He wanted to build that foundation first before he tried anything beyond that. He knew in his heart that Kalen would never be a fighter or a marine like Taylor was. But he could at least be a member of a security team who knew enough to defend and combat an invasion or to go on a combat oriented away mission. That at the end of the day was his goal.

"Well, you already have my approval for wanting to protect your crew mates." said the marine who leaned back in his chair. "No training I can give you can prepare for any forms of combat. That comes with experience and you've got that. All it takes is instinct. There isn't two tables of situations that come under when to go all out with the phaser and when to hold back. But sure I can teach you some tricks that I've picked up over the years."

Nodding to the Andorian Taylor stood up from his chair and tucked it under the table. With his hand resting against holster as he nodded towards the door. "Come on, let's see if we can teach you how to shoot. Might be a shit hot pilot but if I know Starfleet training ain't hell when it comes to combat. You want to have the big kid toys then you've come to the right place lieutenant. Take a step into our world."

He chuckled softly and nodded, "I can understand that. Instinct isn't something that can be taught. And you can imagine more combat scenarios then I can probably even imagine. But I won't let you down if it is within the realm of possibility of me not doing so Colonel. Thank you for your time." He got up and tucked his chair in as well, looking over his shoulder at the rec room once more. He could get to know these men, get to like them. But he didn't think he could ever truly be one of them. But it wouldn't stop him from getting any sort of training he could to be ready for the next time he needed it.

He watched the man's nuances, how he moved and how he rest his hand on his phaser, ready for anything. He wondered if that would ever be his instinctual reaction, to grab for his gun in case he needed it. He followed him towards the door, "Alright. Sounds like an excellent start." He thought about the first time he had learned to shoot. But that made no difference now, his teacher was far superior now than the man who had taught him originally could hope to be.

||Marine Rec Room
||USS Fenris
||TBD

The marine rec room was a place of retreat that the marines of the Fenris could, in some cases literally, let their hair down. It operated as both a mess hall and a small place for respite when marines clocked off before doing whatever they wanted to do. Apart from replicators and chairs which seemed to grace every lounge in Starfleet there was a couple of pool tables, dart boards and even a sparring mat. Of course the room was rather large which gave it the ability to accommodate these things.

Rather than stay in his office Taylor simply moved his padd-work to the rec room so he could enjoy scenes that didn't include the sight of the opposite bulkhead. While he was checking over readiness reports his current sight of interest was Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath, his adjutant.

The blue-skinned Andorian was eating something that was much like porridge. Taylor had already eaten today but was constantly swapping between coffee and cigarettes to keep him going. Everyone knew about his habit, some even shared it. Those that didn't agree gave the man a wide berth.

"You know the point of an adjutant is to do that sort of work for you." Pointed out Keval who licked the back of his spoon.

"Last adjutant I had was Canadian. He was great at his job and therefore left me nothing to do apart from wander around aimlessly." Replied the lieutenant colonel who sighed heavily.

Keval gave a puzzled look. "What's a Canadian?"

"A human from Canada. I highly recommend you avoid the place. They talk funny, eat funny and are funny. Kind of like Germans"

"Sounds like your race in general…" mused the Andorian with a raised eyebrow.

Taylor just 'mmhmmed' in agreement as his eyes scanned the PADD before him. Another heavy sigh left his lips as he let it drop onto the table. "Lists, reports, lists, reports…bad enough I've got to deal with some new pilot and the inlaws. I mean why does he have to be 'interested in marines' for a start? Couldn't he be like everyone in the fleet and just hate us? That I can deal with."

It had been a long day already, but Kalen had made a promise to his captain to try to meet everyone. He had been thinking about visiting the marines for some time, but he seemingly just hadn't been able to get around to it between meeting all these new people and working both on the bridge and in engineering. He wanted to work on honing some skills with them. After all, a little knowledge never hurt and in case he needed it again, this time he would be prepared. He didn't know what to expect when he went into the rec room, but he went through the doors anyway. Upon entering he marveled at just how much was in the room. He knew they were their own group, a core of fighting men. But this was amazing. He spotted the Colonel from his insignia.

"Sir, Lieutenant Kalen Gespard. Thank you for agreeing to see me sir." He waved his hand around at the room, "I know your time is probably precious, and you run a tight ship. Nonetheless, I appreciate it very much." He pondered for a moment before thinking back to his conversation with his captain. "I was curious if there would be any sort of combat tactics I could learn. I have little in the way of experience save what they taught us at the academy." He was impressed by the man, even intimidated. He was dangerous, it was written in his face and in the lines of his body. Kalen wondered what his life had been like to this point to sharpen this man to a cutting edge. "I am helping Lt. Commander Sharpe in the engineering bay with repairs, but with what free time I have, I would like to do everything I can."

Pilots. Taylor liked pilots for many reasons. First off he figured they were like marines in the fact that they could do a job that no one could just pick up and do without training and experience. Do it well anyway. That created a sense of both animosity and respect for both parties. Besides that he liked them for a more personal reasons. When the transporters are down and marines are fighting and dying their most favourite sound is that of shuttle or fighter engines. They meant air support, supplies or even exfiltration. Taylor just nodded in response and kicked a spare chair away from the table so it became an offer to join him and the Andorian. "Sit." he said in his Scottish accented growl.

"I'm Lieutenant Colonel Taylor Lucas the marine commanding officer in case you forgot my name helm-jockey. This is Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath who is my adjutant. You get two points for helping our CEO and for broadening your horizons. Combat tactics however is a rather broad subject. All a 'tactic' simply is, is a way that a force commander completes an objective. One may use force where another would use subterfuge. I'm not a busy man lieutenant. Training is handled by my officers and NCOs, paperwork by my adjutant. Therefore I have time to teach you whatever particular skill you wish to know."

The man was straightforward and blunt, Kalen liked that. Pussyfooting around things wasn't his style and it clearly wasn't Taylor's. He nodded and sat down, joining the two at the table. He thought for a moment at how he wanted to phrase his request before deciding that it was indeed not his style to beat around the bush. "Colonel Lucas, our ship came under attack before I was commissioned for the helm of her. I've experienced this before, on my last assignment. I want to learn how to be able to fight if it comes to it. I'm not trying to be a hero. No offense to you and your men, but heroes tend to end up in an early grave. I just want to be able to protect my ship if she needs it. I want to be able to protect my family sir." He thought for a moment before continuing.

"The training they gave us in the Academy was so rudimentary to be next to useless. I know how to fire a phaser and knock a man out if he has absolutely no idea what he is doing in a fight. But I was looking to improve upon those skills. I am a fair shot, or at least I was back in training. I guess what I want to learn is the difference in those two times. When to use force, and when to use subterfuge. In this time, one can never be prepared enough to expect every outcome. But I would like to be more skilled so I can be more prepared." He thought that was succinct enough for what he was looking for. Kalen had no foundation to work upon to specialize in any sort of combat. He wanted to build that foundation first before he tried anything beyond that. He knew in his heart that Kalen would never be a fighter or a marine like Taylor was. But he could at least be a member of a security team who knew enough to defend and combat an invasion or to go on a combat oriented away mission. That at the end of the day was his goal.

"Well, you already have my approval for wanting to protect your crew mates." said the marine who leaned back in his chair. "No training I can give you can prepare for any forms of combat. That comes with experience and you've got that. All it takes is instinct. There isn't two tables of situations that come under when to go all out with the phaser and when to hold back. But sure I can teach you some tricks that I've picked up over the years."

Nodding to the Andorian Taylor stood up from his chair and tucked it under the table. With his hand resting against holster as he nodded towards the door. "Come on, let's see if we can teach you how to shoot. Might be a shit hot pilot but if I know Starfleet training ain't hell when it comes to combat. You want to have the big kid toys then you've come to the right place lieutenant. Take a step into our world."

He chuckled softly and nodded, "I can understand that. Instinct isn't something that can be taught. And you can imagine more combat scenarios then I can probably even imagine. But I won't let you down if it is within the realm of possibility of me not doing so Colonel. Thank you for your time." He got up and tucked his chair in as well, looking over his shoulder at the rec room once more. He could get to know these men, get to like them. But he didn't think he could ever truly be one of them. But it wouldn't stop him from getting any sort of training he could to be ready for the next time he needed it.

He watched the man's nuances, how he moved and how he rest his hand on his phaser, ready for anything. He wondered if that would ever be his instinctual reaction, to grab for his gun in case he needed it. He followed him towards the door, "Alright. Sounds like an excellent start." He thought about the first time he had learned to shoot. But that made no difference now, his teacher was far superior now than the man who had taught him originally could hope to be.

Without another word Taylor led Kalen out of the rec room and towards the firing range. It was more or less a holosuite that allowed different targets to be presented at different ranges. Anything from close-quarter battle specialists to snipers could hone their skills. "Computer, single Jem'hadar warrior. General infantry. Fifty metres" ordered Taylor.

His request generated a Jem'hadar soldier which was one of the common troops he had fought against during the Dominion War. A pang of hate rippled through him but Taylor reminded himself that it was merely a hologram. The Dominion were tucked away safely away in the Gamma Quadrant. Taylor took out his pistol and offered it the pilot. "Type-IIM. Marine side arm. Same power cell as a standard hand phaser has a bit more kick. Give it a go."

||Marine Rec Room
||USS Fenris
||TBD

The marine rec room was a place of retreat that the marines of the Fenris could, in some cases literally, let their hair down. It operated as both a mess hall and a small place for respite when marines clocked off before doing whatever they wanted to do. Apart from replicators and chairs which seemed to grace every lounge in Starfleet there was a couple of pool tables, dart boards and even a sparring mat. Of course the room was rather large which gave it the ability to accommodate these things.

Rather than stay in his office Taylor simply moved his padd-work to the rec room so he could enjoy scenes that didn't include the sight of the opposite bulkhead. While he was checking over readiness reports his current sight of interest was Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath, his adjutant.

The blue-skinned Andorian was eating something that was much like porridge. Taylor had already eaten today but was constantly swapping between coffee and cigarettes to keep him going. Everyone knew about his habit, some even shared it. Those that didn't agree gave the man a wide berth.

"You know the point of an adjutant is to do that sort of work for you." Pointed out Keval who licked the back of his spoon.

"Last adjutant I had was Canadian. He was great at his job and therefore left me nothing to do apart from wander around aimlessly." Replied the lieutenant colonel who sighed heavily.

Keval gave a puzzled look. "What's a Canadian?"

"A human from Canada. I highly recommend you avoid the place. They talk funny, eat funny and are funny. Kind of like Germans"

"Sounds like your race in general…" mused the Andorian with a raised eyebrow.

Taylor just 'mmhmmed' in agreement as his eyes scanned the PADD before him. Another heavy sigh left his lips as he let it drop onto the table. "Lists, reports, lists, reports…bad enough I've got to deal with some new pilot and the inlaws. I mean why does he have to be 'interested in marines' for a start? Couldn't he be like everyone in the fleet and just hate us? That I can deal with."

It had been a long day already, but Kalen had made a promise to his captain to try to meet everyone. He had been thinking about visiting the marines for some time, but he seemingly just hadn't been able to get around to it between meeting all these new people and working both on the bridge and in engineering. He wanted to work on honing some skills with them. After all, a little knowledge never hurt and in case he needed it again, this time he would be prepared. He didn't know what to expect when he went into the rec room, but he went through the doors anyway. Upon entering he marveled at just how much was in the room. He knew they were their own group, a core of fighting men. But this was amazing. He spotted the Colonel from his insignia.

"Sir, Lieutenant Kalen Gespard. Thank you for agreeing to see me sir." He waved his hand around at the room, "I know your time is probably precious, and you run a tight ship. Nonetheless, I appreciate it very much." He pondered for a moment before thinking back to his conversation with his captain. "I was curious if there would be any sort of combat tactics I could learn. I have little in the way of experience save what they taught us at the academy." He was impressed by the man, even intimidated. He was dangerous, it was written in his face and in the lines of his body. Kalen wondered what his life had been like to this point to sharpen this man to a cutting edge. "I am helping Lt. Commander Sharpe in the engineering bay with repairs, but with what free time I have, I would like to do everything I can."

Pilots. Taylor liked pilots for many reasons. First off he figured they were like marines in the fact that they could do a job that no one could just pick up and do without training and experience. Do it well anyway. That created a sense of both animosity and respect for both parties. Besides that he liked them for a more personal reasons. When the transporters are down and marines are fighting and dying their most favourite sound is that of shuttle or fighter engines. They meant air support, supplies or even exfiltration. Taylor just nodded in response and kicked a spare chair away from the table so it became an offer to join him and the Andorian. "Sit." he said in his Scottish accented growl.

"I'm Lieutenant Colonel Taylor Lucas the marine commanding officer in case you forgot my name helm-jockey. This is Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath who is my adjutant. You get two points for helping our CEO and for broadening your horizons. Combat tactics however is a rather broad subject. All a 'tactic' simply is, is a way that a force commander completes an objective. One may use force where another would use subterfuge. I'm not a busy man lieutenant. Training is handled by my officers and NCOs, paperwork by my adjutant. Therefore I have time to teach you whatever particular skill you wish to know."

The man was straightforward and blunt, Kalen liked that. Pussyfooting around things wasn't his style and it clearly wasn't Taylor's. He nodded and sat down, joining the two at the table. He thought for a moment at how he wanted to phrase his request before deciding that it was indeed not his style to beat around the bush. "Colonel Lucas, our ship came under attack before I was commissioned for the helm of her. I've experienced this before, on my last assignment. I want to learn how to be able to fight if it comes to it. I'm not trying to be a hero. No offense to you and your men, but heroes tend to end up in an early grave. I just want to be able to protect my ship if she needs it. I want to be able to protect my family sir." He thought for a moment before continuing.

"The training they gave us in the Academy was so rudimentary to be next to useless. I know how to fire a phaser and knock a man out if he has absolutely no idea what he is doing in a fight. But I was looking to improve upon those skills. I am a fair shot, or at least I was back in training. I guess what I want to learn is the difference in those two times. When to use force, and when to use subterfuge. In this time, one can never be prepared enough to expect every outcome. But I would like to be more skilled so I can be more prepared." He thought that was succinct enough for what he was looking for. Kalen had no foundation to work upon to specialize in any sort of combat. He wanted to build that foundation first before he tried anything beyond that. He knew in his heart that Kalen would never be a fighter or a marine like Taylor was. But he could at least be a member of a security team who knew enough to defend and combat an invasion or to go on a combat oriented away mission. That at the end of the day was his goal.

"Well, you already have my approval for wanting to protect your crew mates." said the marine who leaned back in his chair. "No training I can give you can prepare for any forms of combat. That comes with experience and you've got that. All it takes is instinct. There isn't two tables of situations that come under when to go all out with the phaser and when to hold back. But sure I can teach you some tricks that I've picked up over the years."

Nodding to the Andorian Taylor stood up from his chair and tucked it under the table. With his hand resting against holster as he nodded towards the door. "Come on, let's see if we can teach you how to shoot. Might be a shit hot pilot but if I know Starfleet training ain't hell when it comes to combat. You want to have the big kid toys then you've come to the right place lieutenant. Take a step into our world."

He chuckled softly and nodded, "I can understand that. Instinct isn't something that can be taught. And you can imagine more combat scenarios then I can probably even imagine. But I won't let you down if it is within the realm of possibility of me not doing so Colonel. Thank you for your time." He got up and tucked his chair in as well, looking over his shoulder at the rec room once more. He could get to know these men, get to like them. But he didn't think he could ever truly be one of them. But it wouldn't stop him from getting any sort of training he could to be ready for the next time he needed it.

He watched the man's nuances, how he moved and how he rest his hand on his phaser, ready for anything. He wondered if that would ever be his instinctual reaction, to grab for his gun in case he needed it. He followed him towards the door, "Alright. Sounds like an excellent start." He thought about the first time he had learned to shoot. But that made no difference now, his teacher was far superior now than the man who had taught him originally could hope to be.

Without another word Taylor led Kalen out of the rec room and towards the firing range. It was more or less a holosuite that allowed different targets to be presented at different ranges. Anything from close-quarter battle specialists to snipers could hone their skills. "Computer, single Jem'hadar warrior. General infantry. Fifty metres" ordered Taylor.

His request generated a Jem'hadar soldier which was one of the common troops he had fought against during the Dominion War. A pang of hate rippled through him but Taylor reminded himself that it was merely a hologram. The Dominion were tucked away safely away in the Gamma Quadrant. Taylor took out his pistol and offered it the pilot. "Type-IIM. Marine side arm. Same power cell as a standard hand phaser has a bit more kick. Give it a go."

He followed Taylor into the suite and watched as the Jem'hadar sprang from thin air. Kalen hadn't been old enough to be involved in the Dominion War, but only by just a hair. He knew many of the crew had been involved in it however and wondered to himself why Taylor had chosen this foe, whom he must have fought frequently. Maybe he just liked to shoot them, after all the damage they had caused and the lives they had taken, he couldn't blame Taylor.

He took the pistol in his hand and took his aim. Fifty meters wasn't the most remarkable shot in the world, but he wondered if it was a test. Well if it was he intended to pass it. He listened to the explanation of the firearm and nodded. He focused on his adversary and took his aim carefully. It wasn't moving, so he sucked in a short breath and pulled the trigger. He hit the Jem'hadar in his center of mass, though he didn't know if he actually would have damaged it if it were real. He had no idea what it's anatomy was like. He was just happy that he had hit it. He didn't want to disappoint. He let out his breath evenly, waiting for whatever came next.

||Marine Rec Room
||USS Fenris
||TBD

The marine rec room was a place of retreat that the marines of the Fenris could, in some cases literally, let their hair down. It operated as both a mess hall and a small place for respite when marines clocked off before doing whatever they wanted to do. Apart from replicators and chairs which seemed to grace every lounge in Starfleet there was a couple of pool tables, dart boards and even a sparring mat. Of course the room was rather large which gave it the ability to accommodate these things.

Rather than stay in his office Taylor simply moved his padd-work to the rec room so he could enjoy scenes that didn't include the sight of the opposite bulkhead. While he was checking over readiness reports his current sight of interest was Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath, his adjutant.

The blue-skinned Andorian was eating something that was much like porridge. Taylor had already eaten today but was constantly swapping between coffee and cigarettes to keep him going. Everyone knew about his habit, some even shared it. Those that didn't agree gave the man a wide berth.

"You know the point of an adjutant is to do that sort of work for you." Pointed out Keval who licked the back of his spoon.

"Last adjutant I had was Canadian. He was great at his job and therefore left me nothing to do apart from wander around aimlessly." Replied the lieutenant colonel who sighed heavily.

Keval gave a puzzled look. "What's a Canadian?"

"A human from Canada. I highly recommend you avoid the place. They talk funny, eat funny and are funny. Kind of like Germans"

"Sounds like your race in general…" mused the Andorian with a raised eyebrow.

Taylor just 'mmhmmed' in agreement as his eyes scanned the PADD before him. Another heavy sigh left his lips as he let it drop onto the table. "Lists, reports, lists, reports…bad enough I've got to deal with some new pilot and the inlaws. I mean why does he have to be 'interested in marines' for a start? Couldn't he be like everyone in the fleet and just hate us? That I can deal with."

It had been a long day already, but Kalen had made a promise to his captain to try to meet everyone. He had been thinking about visiting the marines for some time, but he seemingly just hadn't been able to get around to it between meeting all these new people and working both on the bridge and in engineering. He wanted to work on honing some skills with them. After all, a little knowledge never hurt and in case he needed it again, this time he would be prepared. He didn't know what to expect when he went into the rec room, but he went through the doors anyway. Upon entering he marveled at just how much was in the room. He knew they were their own group, a core of fighting men. But this was amazing. He spotted the Colonel from his insignia.

"Sir, Lieutenant Kalen Gespard. Thank you for agreeing to see me sir." He waved his hand around at the room, "I know your time is probably precious, and you run a tight ship. Nonetheless, I appreciate it very much." He pondered for a moment before thinking back to his conversation with his captain. "I was curious if there would be any sort of combat tactics I could learn. I have little in the way of experience save what they taught us at the academy." He was impressed by the man, even intimidated. He was dangerous, it was written in his face and in the lines of his body. Kalen wondered what his life had been like to this point to sharpen this man to a cutting edge. "I am helping Lt. Commander Sharpe in the engineering bay with repairs, but with what free time I have, I would like to do everything I can."

Pilots. Taylor liked pilots for many reasons. First off he figured they were like marines in the fact that they could do a job that no one could just pick up and do without training and experience. Do it well anyway. That created a sense of both animosity and respect for both parties. Besides that he liked them for a more personal reasons. When the transporters are down and marines are fighting and dying their most favourite sound is that of shuttle or fighter engines. They meant air support, supplies or even exfiltration. Taylor just nodded in response and kicked a spare chair away from the table so it became an offer to join him and the Andorian. "Sit." he said in his Scottish accented growl.

"I'm Lieutenant Colonel Taylor Lucas the marine commanding officer in case you forgot my name helm-jockey. This is Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath who is my adjutant. You get two points for helping our CEO and for broadening your horizons. Combat tactics however is a rather broad subject. All a 'tactic' simply is, is a way that a force commander completes an objective. One may use force where another would use subterfuge. I'm not a busy man lieutenant. Training is handled by my officers and NCOs, paperwork by my adjutant. Therefore I have time to teach you whatever particular skill you wish to know."

The man was straightforward and blunt, Kalen liked that. Pussyfooting around things wasn't his style and it clearly wasn't Taylor's. He nodded and sat down, joining the two at the table. He thought for a moment at how he wanted to phrase his request before deciding that it was indeed not his style to beat around the bush. "Colonel Lucas, our ship came under attack before I was commissioned for the helm of her. I've experienced this before, on my last assignment. I want to learn how to be able to fight if it comes to it. I'm not trying to be a hero. No offense to you and your men, but heroes tend to end up in an early grave. I just want to be able to protect my ship if she needs it. I want to be able to protect my family sir." He thought for a moment before continuing.

"The training they gave us in the Academy was so rudimentary to be next to useless. I know how to fire a phaser and knock a man out if he has absolutely no idea what he is doing in a fight. But I was looking to improve upon those skills. I am a fair shot, or at least I was back in training. I guess what I want to learn is the difference in those two times. When to use force, and when to use subterfuge. In this time, one can never be prepared enough to expect every outcome. But I would like to be more skilled so I can be more prepared." He thought that was succinct enough for what he was looking for. Kalen had no foundation to work upon to specialize in any sort of combat. He wanted to build that foundation first before he tried anything beyond that. He knew in his heart that Kalen would never be a fighter or a marine like Taylor was. But he could at least be a member of a security team who knew enough to defend and combat an invasion or to go on a combat oriented away mission. That at the end of the day was his goal.

"Well, you already have my approval for wanting to protect your crew mates." said the marine who leaned back in his chair. "No training I can give you can prepare for any forms of combat. That comes with experience and you've got that. All it takes is instinct. There isn't two tables of situations that come under when to go all out with the phaser and when to hold back. But sure I can teach you some tricks that I've picked up over the years."

Nodding to the Andorian Taylor stood up from his chair and tucked it under the table. With his hand resting against holster as he nodded towards the door. "Come on, let's see if we can teach you how to shoot. Might be a shit hot pilot but if I know Starfleet training ain't hell when it comes to combat. You want to have the big kid toys then you've come to the right place lieutenant. Take a step into our world."

He chuckled softly and nodded, "I can understand that. Instinct isn't something that can be taught. And you can imagine more combat scenarios then I can probably even imagine. But I won't let you down if it is within the realm of possibility of me not doing so Colonel. Thank you for your time." He got up and tucked his chair in as well, looking over his shoulder at the rec room once more. He could get to know these men, get to like them. But he didn't think he could ever truly be one of them. But it wouldn't stop him from getting any sort of training he could to be ready for the next time he needed it.

He watched the man's nuances, how he moved and how he rest his hand on his phaser, ready for anything. He wondered if that would ever be his instinctual reaction, to grab for his gun in case he needed it. He followed him towards the door, "Alright. Sounds like an excellent start." He thought about the first time he had learned to shoot. But that made no difference now, his teacher was far superior now than the man who had taught him originally could hope to be.

Without another word Taylor led Kalen out of the rec room and towards the firing range. It was more or less a holosuite that allowed different targets to be presented at different ranges. Anything from close-quarter battle specialists to snipers could hone their skills. "Computer, single Jem'hadar warrior. General infantry. Fifty metres" ordered Taylor.

His request generated a Jem'hadar soldier which was one of the common troops he had fought against during the Dominion War. A pang of hate rippled through him but Taylor reminded himself that it was merely a hologram. The Dominion were tucked away safely away in the Gamma Quadrant. Taylor took out his pistol and offered it the pilot. "Type-IIM. Marine side arm. Same power cell as a standard hand phaser has a bit more kick. Give it a go."

He followed Taylor into the suite and watched as the Jem'hadar sprang from thin air. Kalen hadn't been old enough to be involved in the Dominion War, but only by just a hair. He knew many of the crew had been involved in it however and wondered to himself why Taylor had chosen this foe, whom he must have fought frequently. Maybe he just liked to shoot them, after all the damage they had caused and the lives they had taken, he couldn't blame Taylor.

He took the pistol in his hand and took his aim. Fifty meters wasn't the most remarkable shot in the world, but he wondered if it was a test. Well if it was he intended to pass it. He listened to the explanation of the firearm and nodded. He focused on his adversary and took his aim carefully. It wasn't moving, so he sucked in a short breath and pulled the trigger. He hit the Jem'hadar in his center of mass, though he didn't know if he actually would have damaged it if it were real. He had no idea what it's anatomy was like. He was just happy that he had hit it. He didn't want to disappoint. He let out his breath evenly, waiting for whatever came next.

Taylor gave a small nod of a approval and a facial expression that said 'not bad' as he saw the phaser pulse make its impact. Kalen obviously had the basics instilled within him from basic training at the academy but there were a few mistakes he was making. "There's no gunpowder in a phaser." Said Taylor who was very much stating the obvious. "No gunpowder means no backwards force known as 'recoil' if you've studied early Earth weapons. Every reaction has an equal and opposite reaction but in phasers and other energy weapons there is no recoil. You were holding your breath which either means you were preparing to compensate or you were about to 'snipe' from fifty metres."

He took the pistol gently from the man's grasp and holstered it. "Another thing; time. This pistol has a charge capacity of forty shots on a lethal setting. Ammo is not a problem so if you miss just fire again. Need to remember that the target won't just be standing there during the real thing but don't rush and cock it up."

The marine drew his weapon and brought it to bear against the hologram. Taylor needed but a fraction of a moment to line up the sights before giving a triple-tap to the Jem'hadar's chest. "You try." He said offering the pistol once more.

||Marine Rec Room
||USS Fenris
||TBD

The marine rec room was a place of retreat that the marines of the Fenris could, in some cases literally, let their hair down. It operated as both a mess hall and a small place for respite when marines clocked off before doing whatever they wanted to do. Apart from replicators and chairs which seemed to grace every lounge in Starfleet there was a couple of pool tables, dart boards and even a sparring mat. Of course the room was rather large which gave it the ability to accommodate these things.

Rather than stay in his office Taylor simply moved his padd-work to the rec room so he could enjoy scenes that didn't include the sight of the opposite bulkhead. While he was checking over readiness reports his current sight of interest was Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath, his adjutant.

The blue-skinned Andorian was eating something that was much like porridge. Taylor had already eaten today but was constantly swapping between coffee and cigarettes to keep him going. Everyone knew about his habit, some even shared it. Those that didn't agree gave the man a wide berth.

"You know the point of an adjutant is to do that sort of work for you." Pointed out Keval who licked the back of his spoon.

"Last adjutant I had was Canadian. He was great at his job and therefore left me nothing to do apart from wander around aimlessly." Replied the lieutenant colonel who sighed heavily.

Keval gave a puzzled look. "What's a Canadian?"

"A human from Canada. I highly recommend you avoid the place. They talk funny, eat funny and are funny. Kind of like Germans"

"Sounds like your race in general…" mused the Andorian with a raised eyebrow.

Taylor just 'mmhmmed' in agreement as his eyes scanned the PADD before him. Another heavy sigh left his lips as he let it drop onto the table. "Lists, reports, lists, reports…bad enough I've got to deal with some new pilot and the inlaws. I mean why does he have to be 'interested in marines' for a start? Couldn't he be like everyone in the fleet and just hate us? That I can deal with."

It had been a long day already, but Kalen had made a promise to his captain to try to meet everyone. He had been thinking about visiting the marines for some time, but he seemingly just hadn't been able to get around to it between meeting all these new people and working both on the bridge and in engineering. He wanted to work on honing some skills with them. After all, a little knowledge never hurt and in case he needed it again, this time he would be prepared. He didn't know what to expect when he went into the rec room, but he went through the doors anyway. Upon entering he marveled at just how much was in the room. He knew they were their own group, a core of fighting men. But this was amazing. He spotted the Colonel from his insignia.

"Sir, Lieutenant Kalen Gespard. Thank you for agreeing to see me sir." He waved his hand around at the room, "I know your time is probably precious, and you run a tight ship. Nonetheless, I appreciate it very much." He pondered for a moment before thinking back to his conversation with his captain. "I was curious if there would be any sort of combat tactics I could learn. I have little in the way of experience save what they taught us at the academy." He was impressed by the man, even intimidated. He was dangerous, it was written in his face and in the lines of his body. Kalen wondered what his life had been like to this point to sharpen this man to a cutting edge. "I am helping Lt. Commander Sharpe in the engineering bay with repairs, but with what free time I have, I would like to do everything I can."

Pilots. Taylor liked pilots for many reasons. First off he figured they were like marines in the fact that they could do a job that no one could just pick up and do without training and experience. Do it well anyway. That created a sense of both animosity and respect for both parties. Besides that he liked them for a more personal reasons. When the transporters are down and marines are fighting and dying their most favourite sound is that of shuttle or fighter engines. They meant air support, supplies or even exfiltration. Taylor just nodded in response and kicked a spare chair away from the table so it became an offer to join him and the Andorian. "Sit." he said in his Scottish accented growl.

"I'm Lieutenant Colonel Taylor Lucas the marine commanding officer in case you forgot my name helm-jockey. This is Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath who is my adjutant. You get two points for helping our CEO and for broadening your horizons. Combat tactics however is a rather broad subject. All a 'tactic' simply is, is a way that a force commander completes an objective. One may use force where another would use subterfuge. I'm not a busy man lieutenant. Training is handled by my officers and NCOs, paperwork by my adjutant. Therefore I have time to teach you whatever particular skill you wish to know."

The man was straightforward and blunt, Kalen liked that. Pussyfooting around things wasn't his style and it clearly wasn't Taylor's. He nodded and sat down, joining the two at the table. He thought for a moment at how he wanted to phrase his request before deciding that it was indeed not his style to beat around the bush. "Colonel Lucas, our ship came under attack before I was commissioned for the helm of her. I've experienced this before, on my last assignment. I want to learn how to be able to fight if it comes to it. I'm not trying to be a hero. No offense to you and your men, but heroes tend to end up in an early grave. I just want to be able to protect my ship if she needs it. I want to be able to protect my family sir." He thought for a moment before continuing.

"The training they gave us in the Academy was so rudimentary to be next to useless. I know how to fire a phaser and knock a man out if he has absolutely no idea what he is doing in a fight. But I was looking to improve upon those skills. I am a fair shot, or at least I was back in training. I guess what I want to learn is the difference in those two times. When to use force, and when to use subterfuge. In this time, one can never be prepared enough to expect every outcome. But I would like to be more skilled so I can be more prepared." He thought that was succinct enough for what he was looking for. Kalen had no foundation to work upon to specialize in any sort of combat. He wanted to build that foundation first before he tried anything beyond that. He knew in his heart that Kalen would never be a fighter or a marine like Taylor was. But he could at least be a member of a security team who knew enough to defend and combat an invasion or to go on a combat oriented away mission. That at the end of the day was his goal.

"Well, you already have my approval for wanting to protect your crew mates." said the marine who leaned back in his chair. "No training I can give you can prepare for any forms of combat. That comes with experience and you've got that. All it takes is instinct. There isn't two tables of situations that come under when to go all out with the phaser and when to hold back. But sure I can teach you some tricks that I've picked up over the years."

Nodding to the Andorian Taylor stood up from his chair and tucked it under the table. With his hand resting against holster as he nodded towards the door. "Come on, let's see if we can teach you how to shoot. Might be a shit hot pilot but if I know Starfleet training ain't hell when it comes to combat. You want to have the big kid toys then you've come to the right place lieutenant. Take a step into our world."

He chuckled softly and nodded, "I can understand that. Instinct isn't something that can be taught. And you can imagine more combat scenarios then I can probably even imagine. But I won't let you down if it is within the realm of possibility of me not doing so Colonel. Thank you for your time." He got up and tucked his chair in as well, looking over his shoulder at the rec room once more. He could get to know these men, get to like them. But he didn't think he could ever truly be one of them. But it wouldn't stop him from getting any sort of training he could to be ready for the next time he needed it.

He watched the man's nuances, how he moved and how he rest his hand on his phaser, ready for anything. He wondered if that would ever be his instinctual reaction, to grab for his gun in case he needed it. He followed him towards the door, "Alright. Sounds like an excellent start." He thought about the first time he had learned to shoot. But that made no difference now, his teacher was far superior now than the man who had taught him originally could hope to be.

Without another word Taylor led Kalen out of the rec room and towards the firing range. It was more or less a holosuite that allowed different targets to be presented at different ranges. Anything from close-quarter battle specialists to snipers could hone their skills. "Computer, single Jem'hadar warrior. General infantry. Fifty metres" ordered Taylor.

His request generated a Jem'hadar soldier which was one of the common troops he had fought against during the Dominion War. A pang of hate rippled through him but Taylor reminded himself that it was merely a hologram. The Dominion were tucked away safely away in the Gamma Quadrant. Taylor took out his pistol and offered it the pilot. "Type-IIM. Marine side arm. Same power cell as a standard hand phaser has a bit more kick. Give it a go."

He followed Taylor into the suite and watched as the Jem'hadar sprang from thin air. Kalen hadn't been old enough to be involved in the Dominion War, but only by just a hair. He knew many of the crew had been involved in it however and wondered to himself why Taylor had chosen this foe, whom he must have fought frequently. Maybe he just liked to shoot them, after all the damage they had caused and the lives they had taken, he couldn't blame Taylor.

He took the pistol in his hand and took his aim. Fifty meters wasn't the most remarkable shot in the world, but he wondered if it was a test. Well if it was he intended to pass it. He listened to the explanation of the firearm and nodded. He focused on his adversary and took his aim carefully. It wasn't moving, so he sucked in a short breath and pulled the trigger. He hit the Jem'hadar in his center of mass, though he didn't know if he actually would have damaged it if it were real. He had no idea what it's anatomy was like. He was just happy that he had hit it. He didn't want to disappoint. He let out his breath evenly, waiting for whatever came next.

Taylor gave a small nod of a approval and a facial expression that said 'not bad' as he saw the phaser pulse make its impact. Kalen obviously had the basics instilled within him from basic training at the academy but there were a few mistakes he was making. "There's no gunpowder in a phaser." Said Taylor who was very much stating the obvious. "No gunpowder means no backwards force known as 'recoil' if you've studied early Earth weapons. Every reaction has an equal and opposite reaction but in phasers and other energy weapons there is no recoil. You were holding your breath which either means you were preparing to compensate or you were about to 'snipe' from fifty metres."

He took the pistol gently from the man's grasp and holstered it. "Another thing; time. This pistol has a charge capacity of forty shots on a lethal setting. Ammo is not a problem so if you miss just fire again. Need to remember that the target won't just be standing there during the real thing but don't rush and cock it up."

The marine drew his weapon and brought it to bear against the hologram. Taylor needed but a fraction of a moment to line up the sights before giving a triple-tap to the Jem'hadar's chest. "You try." He said offering the pistol once more.

He took the weapon in his hand and thought about the advice he had been given by Taylor. He had of course studied history, but the breathing was just how he had been taught. It was one of those things that had just stuck with. Maybe the man who had been their Gunnery instructor had been a sniper at one point in his life.

He watched as Taylor took the weapon and quickly fired off three shots. He took care to try to notice and pay attention how the man stood and how quickly and efficiently he took care of his enemy. He took the pistol back in his hand and tried his best to take the advice he was given. Don't rush things, he thought. You will get that good only with practice. He took aim and fired three shots into the torso of the Jem'hadar. They weren't grouped well, but precision would come with time. And still the target wasn't moving, he was in no threat of danger. He knew how much adrenaline could affect one's judgement, and a sweat soaked palm could cause a phaser to slip even with a good grip. But he was sure all these things would be taught to him with time.

||Marine Rec Room
||USS Fenris
||TBD

The marine rec room was a place of retreat that the marines of the Fenris could, in some cases literally, let their hair down. It operated as both a mess hall and a small place for respite when marines clocked off before doing whatever they wanted to do. Apart from replicators and chairs which seemed to grace every lounge in Starfleet there was a couple of pool tables, dart boards and even a sparring mat. Of course the room was rather large which gave it the ability to accommodate these things.

Rather than stay in his office Taylor simply moved his padd-work to the rec room so he could enjoy scenes that didn't include the sight of the opposite bulkhead. While he was checking over readiness reports his current sight of interest was Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath, his adjutant.

The blue-skinned Andorian was eating something that was much like porridge. Taylor had already eaten today but was constantly swapping between coffee and cigarettes to keep him going. Everyone knew about his habit, some even shared it. Those that didn't agree gave the man a wide berth.

"You know the point of an adjutant is to do that sort of work for you." Pointed out Keval who licked the back of his spoon.

"Last adjutant I had was Canadian. He was great at his job and therefore left me nothing to do apart from wander around aimlessly." Replied the lieutenant colonel who sighed heavily.

Keval gave a puzzled look. "What's a Canadian?"

"A human from Canada. I highly recommend you avoid the place. They talk funny, eat funny and are funny. Kind of like Germans"

"Sounds like your race in general…" mused the Andorian with a raised eyebrow.

Taylor just 'mmhmmed' in agreement as his eyes scanned the PADD before him. Another heavy sigh left his lips as he let it drop onto the table. "Lists, reports, lists, reports…bad enough I've got to deal with some new pilot and the inlaws. I mean why does he have to be 'interested in marines' for a start? Couldn't he be like everyone in the fleet and just hate us? That I can deal with."

It had been a long day already, but Kalen had made a promise to his captain to try to meet everyone. He had been thinking about visiting the marines for some time, but he seemingly just hadn't been able to get around to it between meeting all these new people and working both on the bridge and in engineering. He wanted to work on honing some skills with them. After all, a little knowledge never hurt and in case he needed it again, this time he would be prepared. He didn't know what to expect when he went into the rec room, but he went through the doors anyway. Upon entering he marveled at just how much was in the room. He knew they were their own group, a core of fighting men. But this was amazing. He spotted the Colonel from his insignia.

"Sir, Lieutenant Kalen Gespard. Thank you for agreeing to see me sir." He waved his hand around at the room, "I know your time is probably precious, and you run a tight ship. Nonetheless, I appreciate it very much." He pondered for a moment before thinking back to his conversation with his captain. "I was curious if there would be any sort of combat tactics I could learn. I have little in the way of experience save what they taught us at the academy." He was impressed by the man, even intimidated. He was dangerous, it was written in his face and in the lines of his body. Kalen wondered what his life had been like to this point to sharpen this man to a cutting edge. "I am helping Lt. Commander Sharpe in the engineering bay with repairs, but with what free time I have, I would like to do everything I can."

Pilots. Taylor liked pilots for many reasons. First off he figured they were like marines in the fact that they could do a job that no one could just pick up and do without training and experience. Do it well anyway. That created a sense of both animosity and respect for both parties. Besides that he liked them for a more personal reasons. When the transporters are down and marines are fighting and dying their most favourite sound is that of shuttle or fighter engines. They meant air support, supplies or even exfiltration. Taylor just nodded in response and kicked a spare chair away from the table so it became an offer to join him and the Andorian. "Sit." he said in his Scottish accented growl.

"I'm Lieutenant Colonel Taylor Lucas the marine commanding officer in case you forgot my name helm-jockey. This is Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath who is my adjutant. You get two points for helping our CEO and for broadening your horizons. Combat tactics however is a rather broad subject. All a 'tactic' simply is, is a way that a force commander completes an objective. One may use force where another would use subterfuge. I'm not a busy man lieutenant. Training is handled by my officers and NCOs, paperwork by my adjutant. Therefore I have time to teach you whatever particular skill you wish to know."

The man was straightforward and blunt, Kalen liked that. Pussyfooting around things wasn't his style and it clearly wasn't Taylor's. He nodded and sat down, joining the two at the table. He thought for a moment at how he wanted to phrase his request before deciding that it was indeed not his style to beat around the bush. "Colonel Lucas, our ship came under attack before I was commissioned for the helm of her. I've experienced this before, on my last assignment. I want to learn how to be able to fight if it comes to it. I'm not trying to be a hero. No offense to you and your men, but heroes tend to end up in an early grave. I just want to be able to protect my ship if she needs it. I want to be able to protect my family sir." He thought for a moment before continuing.

"The training they gave us in the Academy was so rudimentary to be next to useless. I know how to fire a phaser and knock a man out if he has absolutely no idea what he is doing in a fight. But I was looking to improve upon those skills. I am a fair shot, or at least I was back in training. I guess what I want to learn is the difference in those two times. When to use force, and when to use subterfuge. In this time, one can never be prepared enough to expect every outcome. But I would like to be more skilled so I can be more prepared." He thought that was succinct enough for what he was looking for. Kalen had no foundation to work upon to specialize in any sort of combat. He wanted to build that foundation first before he tried anything beyond that. He knew in his heart that Kalen would never be a fighter or a marine like Taylor was. But he could at least be a member of a security team who knew enough to defend and combat an invasion or to go on a combat oriented away mission. That at the end of the day was his goal.

"Well, you already have my approval for wanting to protect your crew mates." said the marine who leaned back in his chair. "No training I can give you can prepare for any forms of combat. That comes with experience and you've got that. All it takes is instinct. There isn't two tables of situations that come under when to go all out with the phaser and when to hold back. But sure I can teach you some tricks that I've picked up over the years."

Nodding to the Andorian Taylor stood up from his chair and tucked it under the table. With his hand resting against holster as he nodded towards the door. "Come on, let's see if we can teach you how to shoot. Might be a shit hot pilot but if I know Starfleet training ain't hell when it comes to combat. You want to have the big kid toys then you've come to the right place lieutenant. Take a step into our world."

He chuckled softly and nodded, "I can understand that. Instinct isn't something that can be taught. And you can imagine more combat scenarios then I can probably even imagine. But I won't let you down if it is within the realm of possibility of me not doing so Colonel. Thank you for your time." He got up and tucked his chair in as well, looking over his shoulder at the rec room once more. He could get to know these men, get to like them. But he didn't think he could ever truly be one of them. But it wouldn't stop him from getting any sort of training he could to be ready for the next time he needed it.

He watched the man's nuances, how he moved and how he rest his hand on his phaser, ready for anything. He wondered if that would ever be his instinctual reaction, to grab for his gun in case he needed it. He followed him towards the door, "Alright. Sounds like an excellent start." He thought about the first time he had learned to shoot. But that made no difference now, his teacher was far superior now than the man who had taught him originally could hope to be.

Without another word Taylor led Kalen out of the rec room and towards the firing range. It was more or less a holosuite that allowed different targets to be presented at different ranges. Anything from close-quarter battle specialists to snipers could hone their skills. "Computer, single Jem'hadar warrior. General infantry. Fifty metres" ordered Taylor.

His request generated a Jem'hadar soldier which was one of the common troops he had fought against during the Dominion War. A pang of hate rippled through him but Taylor reminded himself that it was merely a hologram. The Dominion were tucked away safely away in the Gamma Quadrant. Taylor took out his pistol and offered it the pilot. "Type-IIM. Marine side arm. Same power cell as a standard hand phaser has a bit more kick. Give it a go."

He followed Taylor into the suite and watched as the Jem'hadar sprang from thin air. Kalen hadn't been old enough to be involved in the Dominion War, but only by just a hair. He knew many of the crew had been involved in it however and wondered to himself why Taylor had chosen this foe, whom he must have fought frequently. Maybe he just liked to shoot them, after all the damage they had caused and the lives they had taken, he couldn't blame Taylor.

He took the pistol in his hand and took his aim. Fifty meters wasn't the most remarkable shot in the world, but he wondered if it was a test. Well if it was he intended to pass it. He listened to the explanation of the firearm and nodded. He focused on his adversary and took his aim carefully. It wasn't moving, so he sucked in a short breath and pulled the trigger. He hit the Jem'hadar in his center of mass, though he didn't know if he actually would have damaged it if it were real. He had no idea what it's anatomy was like. He was just happy that he had hit it. He didn't want to disappoint. He let out his breath evenly, waiting for whatever came next.

Taylor gave a small nod of a approval and a facial expression that said 'not bad' as he saw the phaser pulse make its impact. Kalen obviously had the basics instilled within him from basic training at the academy but there were a few mistakes he was making. "There's no gunpowder in a phaser." Said Taylor who was very much stating the obvious. "No gunpowder means no backwards force known as 'recoil' if you've studied early Earth weapons. Every reaction has an equal and opposite reaction but in phasers and other energy weapons there is no recoil. You were holding your breath which either means you were preparing to compensate or you were about to 'snipe' from fifty metres."

He took the pistol gently from the man's grasp and holstered it. "Another thing; time. This pistol has a charge capacity of forty shots on a lethal setting. Ammo is not a problem so if you miss just fire again. Need to remember that the target won't just be standing there during the real thing but don't rush and cock it up."

The marine drew his weapon and brought it to bear against the hologram. Taylor needed but a fraction of a moment to line up the sights before giving a triple-tap to the Jem'hadar's chest. "You try." He said offering the pistol once more.

He took the weapon in his hand and thought about the advice he had been given by Taylor. He had of course studied history, but the breathing was just how he had been taught. It was one of those things that had just stuck with. Maybe the man who had been their Gunnery instructor had been a sniper at one point in his life.

He watched as Taylor took the weapon and quickly fired off three shots. He took care to try to notice and pay attention how the man stood and how quickly and efficiently he took care of his enemy. He took the pistol back in his hand and tried his best to take the advice he was given. Don't rush things, he thought. You will get that good only with practice. He took aim and fired three shots into the torso of the Jem'hadar. They weren't grouped well, but precision would come with time. And still the target wasn't moving, he was in no threat of danger. He knew how much adrenaline could affect one's judgement, and a sweat soaked palm could cause a phaser to slip even with a good grip. But he was sure all these things would be taught to him with time.

"Excellent." said Taylor with a smile. "You've got the basics down to a tee so all you need to do is practice more and more. Get yourself to the quarter master and sign out that phaser. If you want to take part in a more combat centric role you best have the gear shouldn't you?" went on the marine who decided he best get a new phaser pistol out of the armoury. Taylor then put on his old Scottish sergeant's voice that he often had to use many moons ago. "Well what are you waiting for? A written invitation? Bolt!"

||Marine Rec Room
||USS Fenris
||TBD

The marine rec room was a place of retreat that the marines of the Fenris could, in some cases literally, let their hair down. It operated as both a mess hall and a small place for respite when marines clocked off before doing whatever they wanted to do. Apart from replicators and chairs which seemed to grace every lounge in Starfleet there was a couple of pool tables, dart boards and even a sparring mat. Of course the room was rather large which gave it the ability to accommodate these things.

Rather than stay in his office Taylor simply moved his padd-work to the rec room so he could enjoy scenes that didn't include the sight of the opposite bulkhead. While he was checking over readiness reports his current sight of interest was Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath, his adjutant.

The blue-skinned Andorian was eating something that was much like porridge. Taylor had already eaten today but was constantly swapping between coffee and cigarettes to keep him going. Everyone knew about his habit, some even shared it. Those that didn't agree gave the man a wide berth.

"You know the point of an adjutant is to do that sort of work for you." Pointed out Keval who licked the back of his spoon.

"Last adjutant I had was Canadian. He was great at his job and therefore left me nothing to do apart from wander around aimlessly." Replied the lieutenant colonel who sighed heavily.

Keval gave a puzzled look. "What's a Canadian?"

"A human from Canada. I highly recommend you avoid the place. They talk funny, eat funny and are funny. Kind of like Germans"

"Sounds like your race in general…" mused the Andorian with a raised eyebrow.

Taylor just 'mmhmmed' in agreement as his eyes scanned the PADD before him. Another heavy sigh left his lips as he let it drop onto the table. "Lists, reports, lists, reports…bad enough I've got to deal with some new pilot and the inlaws. I mean why does he have to be 'interested in marines' for a start? Couldn't he be like everyone in the fleet and just hate us? That I can deal with."

It had been a long day already, but Kalen had made a promise to his captain to try to meet everyone. He had been thinking about visiting the marines for some time, but he seemingly just hadn't been able to get around to it between meeting all these new people and working both on the bridge and in engineering. He wanted to work on honing some skills with them. After all, a little knowledge never hurt and in case he needed it again, this time he would be prepared. He didn't know what to expect when he went into the rec room, but he went through the doors anyway. Upon entering he marveled at just how much was in the room. He knew they were their own group, a core of fighting men. But this was amazing. He spotted the Colonel from his insignia.

"Sir, Lieutenant Kalen Gespard. Thank you for agreeing to see me sir." He waved his hand around at the room, "I know your time is probably precious, and you run a tight ship. Nonetheless, I appreciate it very much." He pondered for a moment before thinking back to his conversation with his captain. "I was curious if there would be any sort of combat tactics I could learn. I have little in the way of experience save what they taught us at the academy." He was impressed by the man, even intimidated. He was dangerous, it was written in his face and in the lines of his body. Kalen wondered what his life had been like to this point to sharpen this man to a cutting edge. "I am helping Lt. Commander Sharpe in the engineering bay with repairs, but with what free time I have, I would like to do everything I can."

Pilots. Taylor liked pilots for many reasons. First off he figured they were like marines in the fact that they could do a job that no one could just pick up and do without training and experience. Do it well anyway. That created a sense of both animosity and respect for both parties. Besides that he liked them for a more personal reasons. When the transporters are down and marines are fighting and dying their most favourite sound is that of shuttle or fighter engines. They meant air support, supplies or even exfiltration. Taylor just nodded in response and kicked a spare chair away from the table so it became an offer to join him and the Andorian. "Sit." he said in his Scottish accented growl.

"I'm Lieutenant Colonel Taylor Lucas the marine commanding officer in case you forgot my name helm-jockey. This is Marine Captain Keval th'Zarath who is my adjutant. You get two points for helping our CEO and for broadening your horizons. Combat tactics however is a rather broad subject. All a 'tactic' simply is, is a way that a force commander completes an objective. One may use force where another would use subterfuge. I'm not a busy man lieutenant. Training is handled by my officers and NCOs, paperwork by my adjutant. Therefore I have time to teach you whatever particular skill you wish to know."

The man was straightforward and blunt, Kalen liked that. Pussyfooting around things wasn't his style and it clearly wasn't Taylor's. He nodded and sat down, joining the two at the table. He thought for a moment at how he wanted to phrase his request before deciding that it was indeed not his style to beat around the bush. "Colonel Lucas, our ship came under attack before I was commissioned for the helm of her. I've experienced this before, on my last assignment. I want to learn how to be able to fight if it comes to it. I'm not trying to be a hero. No offense to you and your men, but heroes tend to end up in an early grave. I just want to be able to protect my ship if she needs it. I want to be able to protect my family sir." He thought for a moment before continuing.

"The training they gave us in the Academy was so rudimentary to be next to useless. I know how to fire a phaser and knock a man out if he has absolutely no idea what he is doing in a fight. But I was looking to improve upon those skills. I am a fair shot, or at least I was back in training. I guess what I want to learn is the difference in those two times. When to use force, and when to use subterfuge. In this time, one can never be prepared enough to expect every outcome. But I would like to be more skilled so I can be more prepared." He thought that was succinct enough for what he was looking for. Kalen had no foundation to work upon to specialize in any sort of combat. He wanted to build that foundation first before he tried anything beyond that. He knew in his heart that Kalen would never be a fighter or a marine like Taylor was. But he could at least be a member of a security team who knew enough to defend and combat an invasion or to go on a combat oriented away mission. That at the end of the day was his goal.

"Well, you already have my approval for wanting to protect your crew mates." said the marine who leaned back in his chair. "No training I can give you can prepare for any forms of combat. That comes with experience and you've got that. All it takes is instinct. There isn't two tables of situations that come under when to go all out with the phaser and when to hold back. But sure I can teach you some tricks that I've picked up over the years."

Nodding to the Andorian Taylor stood up from his chair and tucked it under the table. With his hand resting against holster as he nodded towards the door. "Come on, let's see if we can teach you how to shoot. Might be a shit hot pilot but if I know Starfleet training ain't hell when it comes to combat. You want to have the big kid toys then you've come to the right place lieutenant. Take a step into our world."

He chuckled softly and nodded, "I can understand that. Instinct isn't something that can be taught. And you can imagine more combat scenarios then I can probably even imagine. But I won't let you down if it is within the realm of possibility of me not doing so Colonel. Thank you for your time." He got up and tucked his chair in as well, looking over his shoulder at the rec room once more. He could get to know these men, get to like them. But he didn't think he could ever truly be one of them. But it wouldn't stop him from getting any sort of training he could to be ready for the next time he needed it.

He watched the man's nuances, how he moved and how he rest his hand on his phaser, ready for anything. He wondered if that would ever be his instinctual reaction, to grab for his gun in case he needed it. He followed him towards the door, "Alright. Sounds like an excellent start." He thought about the first time he had learned to shoot. But that made no difference now, his teacher was far superior now than the man who had taught him originally could hope to be.

Without another word Taylor led Kalen out of the rec room and towards the firing range. It was more or less a holosuite that allowed different targets to be presented at different ranges. Anything from close-quarter battle specialists to snipers could hone their skills. "Computer, single Jem'hadar warrior. General infantry. Fifty metres" ordered Taylor.

His request generated a Jem'hadar soldier which was one of the common troops he had fought against during the Dominion War. A pang of hate rippled through him but Taylor reminded himself that it was merely a hologram. The Dominion were tucked away safely away in the Gamma Quadrant. Taylor took out his pistol and offered it the pilot. "Type-IIM. Marine side arm. Same power cell as a standard hand phaser has a bit more kick. Give it a go."

He followed Taylor into the suite and watched as the Jem'hadar sprang from thin air. Kalen hadn't been old enough to be involved in the Dominion War, but only by just a hair. He knew many of the crew had been involved in it however and wondered to himself why Taylor had chosen this foe, whom he must have fought frequently. Maybe he just liked to shoot them, after all the damage they had caused and the lives they had taken, he couldn't blame Taylor.

He took the pistol in his hand and took his aim. Fifty meters wasn't the most remarkable shot in the world, but he wondered if it was a test. Well if it was he intended to pass it. He listened to the explanation of the firearm and nodded. He focused on his adversary and took his aim carefully. It wasn't moving, so he sucked in a short breath and pulled the trigger. He hit the Jem'hadar in his center of mass, though he didn't know if he actually would have damaged it if it were real. He had no idea what it's anatomy was like. He was just happy that he had hit it. He didn't want to disappoint. He let out his breath evenly, waiting for whatever came next.

Taylor gave a small nod of a approval and a facial expression that said 'not bad' as he saw the phaser pulse make its impact. Kalen obviously had the basics instilled within him from basic training at the academy but there were a few mistakes he was making. "There's no gunpowder in a phaser." Said Taylor who was very much stating the obvious. "No gunpowder means no backwards force known as 'recoil' if you've studied early Earth weapons. Every reaction has an equal and opposite reaction but in phasers and other energy weapons there is no recoil. You were holding your breath which either means you were preparing to compensate or you were about to 'snipe' from fifty metres."

He took the pistol gently from the man's grasp and holstered it. "Another thing; time. This pistol has a charge capacity of forty shots on a lethal setting. Ammo is not a problem so if you miss just fire again. Need to remember that the target won't just be standing there during the real thing but don't rush and cock it up."

The marine drew his weapon and brought it to bear against the hologram. Taylor needed but a fraction of a moment to line up the sights before giving a triple-tap to the Jem'hadar's chest. "You try." He said offering the pistol once more.

He took the weapon in his hand and thought about the advice he had been given by Taylor. He had of course studied history, but the breathing was just how he had been taught. It was one of those things that had just stuck with. Maybe the man who had been their Gunnery instructor had been a sniper at one point in his life.

He watched as Taylor took the weapon and quickly fired off three shots. He took care to try to notice and pay attention how the man stood and how quickly and efficiently he took care of his enemy. He took the pistol back in his hand and tried his best to take the advice he was given. Don't rush things, he thought. You will get that good only with practice. He took aim and fired three shots into the torso of the Jem'hadar. They weren't grouped well, but precision would come with time. And still the target wasn't moving, he was in no threat of danger. He knew how much adrenaline could affect one's judgement, and a sweat soaked palm could cause a phaser to slip even with a good grip. But he was sure all these things would be taught to him with time.

"Excellent." said Taylor with a smile. "You've got the basics down to a tee so all you need to do is practice more and more. Get yourself to the quarter master and sign out that phaser. If you want to take part in a more combat centric role you best have the gear shouldn't you?" went on the marine who decided he best get a new phaser pistol out of the armoury. Taylor then put on his old Scottish sergeant's voice that he often had to use many moons ago. "Well what are you waiting for? A written invitation? Bolt!"

He did as he was ordered, moving quickly. He signed out a phaser to practice with on his spare time and went back to the business of his adequately busy day. He smiled softly, and thought to himself. Well that had gone pretty excellently. He would find time somehow between duties, engineering and phasers to have a life, he promised himself.

Alright! All done?

(Yup)