Teaching the Basics

Jon lay prone between a tree and a bush on a hill. Behind him, a small ditch. In front of him about 200 yards, a Jem'Hadar weapons facility. His only advantage, it was night. Ensign Jack Truman lay right next to him. The first, of hopefully many recruits that would make up the new Marine squad onboard the Leviathan.

Jon looked through a pair of binoculars rigged for night vision straight ahead.

"What do you see ?" Jack whispered. He was dressed in the standard Starfleet Marine issue night combat suit, a black stocking cap, and black combat boots. Jon wore the same. Both men were armed with a Federation Mark 2 projectile weapon, (one of the few bullet guns actually used by the Federation.) The only reason for this being that if they were to fire a phaser, the light of the beam of energy coming from it would be easily seen.

"Two guards stationed at the door. Jem'Hadar. Each armed with a standard Jem'Hadar phaser rifle. Another is located in a guard tower on top the building. A rapid fire phaser cannon is mounted on there. There's also a sensor net in front of the door." He handed his apprentice the binoculars, and then Jack began to look their objective over.

"I assume you know how to use a Federation Mark 2 projectile weapon ?" Jon asked. Picking up his weapon, and affixing a scope onto the top of it.

"Um... no sir." Jack placed the binoculars next to the bush.

"Watch closely." Jon affixed a clip of 50 rounds onto an open port on the side of the gun. Then, he pulled back the top round release chamber. "All that simple. Now, switch yours over to the 'semiautomatic' function. You're only getting two clips. Use them wisely. Aim for the head or the heart." Jon affixed a tubular device onto the end of the barrel of the gun. "Get the binoculars, and watch that guard."

"Yes sir." Jack picked up the binoculars, and then looked up at the guard. Suddenly, a whole appeared in the side of the guards head. His lifeless body fell to the floor in the lookout tower. "Ah !"

"Shut up !" Jon whispered loudly. "If you can't handle that, you're not going to be able to handle what you'll see as a Marine. Deal with it, and move on." Jon reaffixed his aim on the two guards standing watch. With two shots, the two guards dropped to the ground like sacks of meat. He then shot out the light that hung over the door. "We move."

Jon stood, and ran towards the door, full sprint, carrying his gun in his arm. Jack rose, and chased after him. As soon as Jack arrived, he bent over and began to catch his breath. "Quiet !" Jon whispered out again. "If you are heard, you'll end up dead. Get the sensor array deflection device out of your backpack."

"What ?" Jack asked, looking up.

Jon spun Jack around, and reached into his backpack, pulling out a small device. Taking it, he pressed a button which opened up four little attachment legs. He put the device over one of the emitters on the sensor net. Slowly, the device started to whir, lowering a glass panel. The glass panel quickly lowered itself in front of the laser grid, and and the beam was then contained in this glass fixture. Then Jon took a small box off of his beLieutenant Opening it, it revealed a small keyboard, and an electrical chord.

Walking over to what appeared to be the security code access panel, Jon looked it over. It would require some sort of access keycard. He reached into a pocket, and pulled out a flat piece of plastic. Affixing the chord to the card, he slid it into the panel, and waited. Jon then caught Jack's attention, and pointed for him to set himself up on the other side of the door, looking for any type of enemy interference. Jack nodded, and got down on one knee, lifting his gun up to aim, and scanned the area.

After a few moments, the small box beeped, and the doors opened. "Go, now !" Jack turned, and moved forward towards the doors. Looking in, he took a step forward. No one. He then signaled it was clear to move in, and Jon followed close behind. "Affix your night vision eye wear." Garek slipped on a pair of what looked like sunglasses. The room turned from very dark, to a light red. A white blob appeared at the end of the corridor. It was sitting down.

"What is it ?" Jack whispered, making his way over towards Jon.

"It's a guard. Probably asleep." He tapped a button on his small computer device, and the doors to the complex closed. He then closed the device, and affixed it back to his beLieutenant "Watch my back, I'm moving forward."

Jon moved quickly and silently like a predatory animal going to attack its prey. Coming up on the guard quickly, Jon slipped behind him, placed on hand on the Jem'Hadar's chin, on the back of its head, and have a hard twist of the head to the right. Cracking could be heard from the soldier's neck, and then, his body slumped.

He motioned for Jack to come forward. Jon lifted his weapon once again, and looked around. Nothing. "This way." He moved down the hall. Jack stood there, looking at the dead soldier. "Let's go." Jon grabbed Jack's arm, and pulled him.

"Amazing," Jack said, lifting his Mark 2 upward.

"Taking another person's life in war is not a pleasant experience. I don't want to be there doing it, and they don't want to be there receiving it. Killing shall not be referred to as 'amazing', is that clear?"

"Yes sir." Jack replied.

Finally, the two reached upon their destination. A weapons supply room. No guard was on duty, making their job a little bit easier. "Stay here, and touch nothing." Jon moved forward towards the door, and examined it, looking in-between the handles and such. Jack plastered himself against a wall, keeping an eye out for any other Jem'Hadar. Jon pulled another tool out of a small holster on his upper arm. It was a small, pencil like device. Pressing a button on the tube, a small blue cutting laser came out of the end. Jon began tracing an outline of the lock on the door.

After a few moments, a metal clank was heard against the floor of the armory. The locking mechanism had fallen out of the door, and onto the floor. Jon turned off the laser, and placed it back in it's pocket. Picking up his Mark 2, he moved forward again. Making a quick visual scan of the area, he saw nothing. He then waved his hand over at Jack, Truman moved forward, and into the room, taking up position on the other side of the door. The two then made their way to the other side of the room, and crouched down behind a few crates labeled "explosives".

Reaching into his own backpack, Jon pulled out a cylindrical looking device about the size of a drinking glass in the Mess Hall. There was a plunger like base on one end of the cylinder, and an LCD display counter and red button on the top. "This is a standard Federation Marine proton grenade. Highly explosive demolitions device." Picking up the explosive, he showed it to Jack. Pressing the red button activates the device. Turning it clockwise and counterclockwise adjusts the time on the timer. Pressing the button again activates it. On the other side, there is a magnetic applicator device. Attach the plunger on the base to the wall, and tap this button here, and it sticks to the wall. Any questions?" Jack shook his head. "Good. Take two of these, and look for any crates labeled 'explosives' like this one."

"Sure thing." Jack took two of the devices out of his own backpack, and made his way across the room. Jon looked down at his own, and activated it. He then placed a finger on the ear piece of his communications device. Then speaking into a small microphone coming down from the ear piece, he said, "Set the time for two minutes."

Jack, setting up two other grenades, he did the same with his own communications device. "Two minutes. That's not alot of time."

"I don't plan on staying for a lot of time. Finish up." Jon then went back to arming his grenades. He affixed one to an explosives crate, another to an electrical circuit breaker on the wall. "You done?" he asked through the comm unit.

"All set over here," Jack's reply came.

"Then let's blow this joint." Jon ran towards the door full speed, his Mark 2 lifted, and ready to fire. Jack followed suit right behind him.

Making their way to the top of the hill they were originally started off at, Jon jumped into the ditch. Jack followed close behind. Then, a large, earth shaking boom was heard. They turned, to see the facility they were tasked to destroy reduced to a pile of rubble.

"Computer, end simulation," Jon said, standing up. The hillside they were on turned into the familiar black and yellow grid.

"So, how did I do?" Jack asked, removing the backpack from his shoulders.

"We might make a Marine out of you yet Ensign." Jon grinned, and then exited the holodeck.

*I can see it now* Jack thought to himself. *Private Jack Truman SF Marine Corps. How sweet it is.* He smiled, and removed the stocking cap he was wearing. Then, he cleaned up the rest of his supplies, and made his way back to his own quarters.