Tactical Optimization

Posted on Monday April 12th, 2021 @ 6:21pm by Lieutenant Commander Calvin Hirsch & Gunnery Sergeant Maximilian Pfaffenheim

1,237 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Shakedown Cruise
Location: Marines Deck - Offices
Timeline: Current

[ON:]

Lieutenant Hirsch had not wandered on to the Marines Deck of the Poseidon yet. The whole deck in itself was a different sort of mandate within the Federation. Security however had similar operations and goals of service within the Federation. As such, Calvin thought it would be a good idea to check in with the Staff Sergeant.

Checking through the decks Calvin was impressed with the tight operations on the vessel. He had learned that there was a whole separated sectional of training rooms and departmental offices. Finding his way to the office of the Staff Sergeant, he had knocked on the door, and decided to use the chime.

Pfaffenheim, meanwhile, had been busily filling out his weekly mountain of paperwork. Supply management, commendations, training reports... one of the low-ranking Marines had made it to Lance Corporal, and there was paperwork for that as well. Nevertheless, he had gotten to it as quickly as possible, and gotten most of it done by the time someone activated the chime of his office door. "Come in.", he simply said towards the door, not looking up much from his last PADD, expecting it to be one of his Marines coming to ask something.

Hearing a voice from within Calvin had entered the room casually, carrying along with him a few padds and his silver stainless steel mug of coffee. Today he was covering a lot of ground as Security and Tactical issues were concerned.

"Lieutenant Hirsch?", the Staff Sergeant half-asked as he looked up from the form he was filling out, and quickly saluted the new Chief of Security, almost knocking over a coffee mug in the process. "Please, sir, have a seat.", he continued, pointing towards a not-so-comfy looking chair in front of the desk. It was still there from the last lectures he had to give to two of his soldiers.

"Staff Sergeant Pfaffenheim, Sir." Hirsch had entered pleased to meet the Marine. "Again, it is good to meet you. I hope I'm not catching you at a bad time?" He had cocked his head aside seeing as the man almost knocked his mug of coffee to the side. Hirsch thought nothing of it, he did literally drop in.

"No, Lieutenant.", Max responded slightly confused as to why a Lieutenant would address him with 'Sir'; after all, technically his rank only put him on the same level as a Starfleet Warrant Officer. Nevertheless, he did his best to recover quickly: "Just in the middle of some paperwork, that's all. What can I do for you?"

"Thank you." Hirsch had taken the seat that looked to be a recent ad-hoc to the man's office. "I just wanted to take time to sit down and touch base. I don't know how close Security was working with the Marine Unit onboard, however, I would like to get a feel for your routine, your scheduling of officers. I assume it is all in the ships data management files." Calvin continued. "While the Poseidon is a mid-sized cruiser of her class, Security and Marine matters both have similar focus and mandate, if not separate chains."

Max thought for a moment. This topic again. Ever since his assignment to the Poseidon, the Staff Sergeant had mostly kept his own reservations about Security to himself; though it wasn't really about the Security themselves, and more the way many Starfleet captains kept employing them. "Our primary area of collaboration was patrol and general ship security.", he began. "Defensively, so to speak. A number of Marines are deployed to assist in guarding especially important areas, while the other squads are training, sleeping or on standby."

Hirsch leaned back into his seat, he watched the Staff Sergeant taking in his command duties, his part of mandated leadership of the Marines onboard the Poseidon. Hirsch had full knowledge of the ins and outs of Marine and Specialized Units.

"Your command, your sole structure is within your Marine unit." Calvin stated. "In regards to future considerations, we are a small ship. We will be guarding, using tactical advantage to protect Poseidon together, in those regards. I am just here to open a channel. A dialogue." Hirsch did not look away from the Staff Sergeant.

"I see.", Pfaffenheim responded, holding Hirsch's gaze and mixing in just a bit of his second-best Staff Sergeant glare - if the Lieutenant wanted to test him a little, he'd return the favor. "We already instituted cooperative trainings in regards to ship defense, that proved their worth during the last battle. Simply put then, I propose we continue these, but I stand by my belief that on a tactical level, we should not mix Security and Marines unnecessarily. Both Security and the Corps train differently and employ different tactics; I'm sure you'll agree that mixing up squads would be too disruptive."

"Certainly. Sir, that was not my intent of the dialogue I request. Seeing that you have already had cooperative training drills in the past, I would like to review them, personally." He did not flinch in those regards. He felt he had best keep his professional nature in check, and not bust around another man's office. The last thing he had wanted to have the Staff Sergeant thinking he was treading on his water. "I respect your chain of command, and would not want to disrupt the purpose and reasoning of the Marine units onboard, nor could I." He acknowledged. "I am here to learn and to cooperate and to seek camaraderie between the two departments, if not from our levels for communication." He was happy to have learned what the Staff Sergeant had told him.

"Of course, of course. I believe the department has the records in their database, including evals, though if not I can send them your way. They were primarily holodeck sims, the programs used are mainly variations of SMC Beta 08 and SSD Tactical Rho 23; should be listed as well. We thought it wise to run scenarios from both departments. The results of our last engagement speak for their effectiveness, I believe.", Pfaffenheim replied, satisfied as well with the Lieutenant's answer. "Now, we did also run some pertaining to offensive boarding actions, though opinions diverge in that area as to how...", he continued, pausing for a moment to phrase the rest of the sentence, "...well, how joint action in such a scenario should be structured."

"Well." Hirsch, had contemplated. "We don't have to build the ship in one day." He had winked. Hirsch thought it be best that he let the Staff Sergeant get back to his work, as he did not want to delay the Marine any longer than he had by dropping in. "How about we have another meeting in a week or so? I can take a look at the training reports, and perhaps a few ideas might come in mind?" As he said that he had got up from his seat and extended his hand to Pfaffenheim. "Sir. It has been a pleasure to meet you. Call me Calvin if you like. One on one basis, I like." Hirsch offered in sincerity.

Pfaffenheim took the hand and shook it firmly. "Certainly, another meeting is a good idea; I will also be able to convene with my squad leaders on further ideas. Thank you for dropping by, Lieutenant."

[OFF]

Staff Sergeant Maximillian Pfaffenheim
First Sergeant, Marine Detachment
USS Poseidon

&

Lieutenant Calvin Hirsch
Chief of Security
USS Poseidon

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