10455/Drowning Practice

Drowning Practice
Date of Scene:	13 March 2022
Location:	Survival Training - Triskelion
Synopsis:	Aquatic trianing leads to a conversation about battle tactics and the general strengths and weaknesses of the Shi'ar military.
Cast of Characters:	Michael Erickson, Natasha Romanoff, Jessica Drew

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Michael Erickson has posed:
    Wetsuits! That's what Erickson and a couple of agents are wearing at the side of the wave pool, black shorties with the SHIELD logo on the breast. Arranged in a line, the three agents listen as the alien soldier-turned-spy is in the middle of a lecture, though it appears to be the end of whatever lesson they've been soaking up. They're all wet, and while drying, they look exhausted, too. God only knows what an extragalactic commando and saboteur might be in the middle of teaching the future of global security.

    "...the first and most important quality to possess in operations in the Empire, aside of course awareness, is implacability. Assuming the water isn't toxic, or isn't going to dissolve you, you need to be able to operate for long periods of time underwater beyond what your human physiologies will allow. That's why this is so important - we must be able to emerge at any time, to seize upon any opportunity. Supremacy over the mind, and thus over the body, is vital to our mission." He gives the waterlogged agents a firm nod, and a hint of a smile on his otherwise stern face. "Now. Take the evening and rest, you've done a lot of stressful work today and done a good job of it. Dismissed."

    The agents, now breaking to walk off toward the showers, look to one another on the way out. Unsure, perhaps. They seem to have gone through An Episode today. Michael, watching them go, nods once to himself before stooping to collect towels from the edge of the pool.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Having come along while on her way to another set of training, a set of -amazing- looking knives on her belt, Natasha can't help but deftly overhear what's being said by Michael. The 'Empire' gets her amusement, and then her full attention and then going over to watch things. Her debating as to whether to interject but deciding that this is not the time. He is giving instruction and doing so would undermind him in front o fthe trainees, which would undercut his authority and his discipline when he is instilling it into them.
    Training is about learning to listen, being broken down, and bulit up again. That's how military training has been since one human'esque being lifted up a club or a rock and tried to get better at clubbing another human'esque being over the head with it. So Natasha would just watch, going to cross her arms over her chest to listen attentively. Not quite 'blending into the woodwork' but not standing out either.

Jessica Drew has posed:
Would she qualify herself as a bad student? Perhaps. It was all Jessica could do not to flap her fins in the water on the side of the pool, amused at the sound while Erickson drove home the point of the relentless exercises. The Empire's soldiers were not pushovers who would run at the first sign of resistance, they would be implacable adversaries in the field. So, SCAR would have to better.

This was not her first rodeo, having survived being taught by the Taskmaster. Head down concentrating on his words, she glances sideways at the others in the class. She wasn't the only one to have survived harsh training. Her green eyes stop on Agent Romanoff.

Michael Erickson has posed:
    Today, they were being taught to hold their breath underwater. For times longer than they should ever be expected to. While under physical attack by their fellows - or their teacher. Sometimes all at once. It's grueling, frankly, and for some of them, regardless of some of their military backgrounds, well above and beyond what they're used to. Michael is a taskmaster, all right.

    "...I tell you, Jessica," Michel says as he frowns at the damp towels and begins to fold them up. "They're going to have to do a lot better than that. I could beat them all underwater, just through dint of physiology. They need to be able to best at /least/ Shi'ar troops in hand-to-hand combat." He has either not seen Nat as he wraps up and grouses, or he just hasn't decided to cop to seeing her. Probably the latter.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would take a moent to turn to Jessica and give a nod at her. She would remain silent while things went on to not interrupt. Looking over in very, very light amusement as the latest class went through the basics. Natasha had learned things in the best and worst possible way from a young age. That counted for much or for very little, depending upon perspective.

Natasha would mm over at Michael, "Yes, you likely would. Which is why they are trainees and you are being thier instructor. By dint of experience. You ahve seen your own flaws, and their failings. Now you remedy them."

Jessica Drew has posed:
Jess exchanges nods with Natasha who likely felt her earlier glance. The Red Room, she knew from hearsay.

"We'll get there," she replies without hesitation. "Training programs exist for deep diving and building endurance. We could hire a coach or study their methods. I think human physiology can allow people to stay under for up to twenty-four minutes but that is without moving. I don't know the record for being active underwater."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "I have ten times human stamina," Michael notes to Jessica. "So do most of my people. I don't expect them to be able to match that - they couldn't - but I need them to be able to match them in close combat. It's entirely possible. Then, at that point, they'll /truly/ be terrifying to the average combatant found out there."

    With towels folded over his arm, Michael looks from Jessica to Nat. "Agent Romanoff," he notes, inclining his head slightly. "You have the right of it, naturally. But we will get there."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would note at Michael, "Also doesn't your species have a far more enhanced physiology as far as musculature and skeletal structure than humans for the norm?" She would be making a quick assumption here that wouldn't necessarily have been accurate, but Shi'Ar were evolved to some degree from birds so it was possible.
    Natasha would look to Jessica, "It's part of training. They all need to be able to perform basic tasks for field duties. Not all will need such extensive ones as a focus for training. Those would be more specialist oriented."

Jessica Drew has posed:
"We have at least two on our team that would be matches to the average Shi'ar combatant, in my estimation. Among humans, there are not many people who can out do Agent Romanoff or Agent May." Gesturing at herself, she says in a low voice, "I might survive because of my mutations."

She pauses, finally letting herself flop the fin in a small pool of water splashed on the pool deck. "I don't know how long I can stay under but more to the point," acknowledging Natasha with a nod, "we've got a lot of training ahead of us."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "We can lift a ton in earth-normal gravity," Michael clarifies for Nat. "And strike with equivalent strength. There's a reason my people conquered our home galaxy." A beat. "Human agents aren't going to be able to match my people physically in a test of raw strength. The goal is to equip them with sufficient training and tactics that it won't be necessary. Then they can mop the floor with the vast majority of people they meet."

    He crosses to put the damp towels in a bin. "But I chose the candidates to do just that. This unit will be the terror of any offworld threat that dares raise a hand to this planet. I shall ensure it."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would shrug, "At the point we try and engage your species in a fight on their terms, we've lost the battle anyways. You'd always defeat us in the end by expenditure of resources if it was decided it was important enough and that you were willing to take teh casualties to do it. We can't match you in close quarters, so we don't want to ever engage you in that. You dictate the terms of the fight to your enemy and force them to engage in a way that plays to your own strengths and to tehir weaknesses."

She would nod to Jessica, "I'm still far from the upper echelons of combatants. In any thing in the world, there will alwys be someone better. Strongest, faster, more skilled.. People have specialties for a reason. You identify them and you help focus thier training there."

Jessica Drew has posed:
"Agent Romanoff makes a cogent point. Most of us have above average skills in combat but we won't be able to compete in terms of strength. So, we count on you to find out what we each do well and sharpen those abilities."

Turning to Natasha with a faint smile, "Still there are not many who have your abilities and training, Senior Agent. I'm glad you are along with us on this ride."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "As I said," Michael replies on his way back. "The plan is to beat them with training and tactics over raw power." A tight smile is flashed at them both as he returns. "Well, then. Were you here to speak to one of us, Agent Romanoff, or just passing by? I rarely see you in the Triskelion."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would shrug, "I was handing in a report on another circumstance and was coming here to do some training for something else. I saw yourself and Agent Drew present so indulged in curiousity. And for the Shi'Ar where would you say the weakest point in their soldiery is in the rank and file amongst the platoon and company level?"

Jessica Drew has posed:
Jessica's glance flashes from Natasha to Michael, eager for his answer. Balancing like a stork, she removes a fin and lets it fall to the floor, then repeats it for the other foot. "Good question. Do they have any weak points?"

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "Arrogance, for one," Michael replies, looking between the two women. "A reliance on technology despite their physical capacities. We do extremely poorly in the cold, too. Many invasions have been stymied, at least for a time, by defenders who kept fortifications or boltholes in polar regions." Michael shrugs, then. "But the Empire uses many different client species in their militaries. I use my people as the baseline, but there are certainly stronger."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would nod at Michael, "Fair. In many human militaries low and mid level leaderships can often have issues. They can be bottom heavy, where there are not sufficiently trained cadres of Non Commissioned Officers which leads to lower discipline and morale at the smaller unit level, or top down, where leadership in higher echelons gives no room for flexibility on the battlefield and micromanages."

Jessica Drew has posed:
"Agent Romanoff, seems to have experience with the problems of command in the field," she nods with satisfaction to the agent. "So you or rather they have cold weather troops or troops that are naturally aquatic? That pushes humans into using technology to counter their innate abilities. How do you see us meeting those troops in the field?"

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "A combination of technology and training." With a grunt he sits down at the edge of the pool by Jessica, slipping his feet under the water. "Discipline is /not/ a weak point of Imperial forces, but with such a wide variety of troop species, how that discipline is enforced can be sometimes interesting. After thousands of years, however, even with the Empire's policy of allowing client states their own culture without interference, most have settled into cultural patterns of the Shi'ar." He gestures between the two women now. "Agent Drew has often compared my people to the Romans, especially in the Imperial period. It is a very apt comparison, save for the slaving."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would nod, "Overdiscipline is a weakness. It limits the ability of troops to adapt, and can make them predictable. IF they will keep on going for an objective no matter the cost, they get bogged down and lack as much ability to adapt. YOu let them get focused on an objective, and then cut off communications or connections to senior leadership, and they're likely going to continue their assault no matter the casualties."

Jessica Drew has posed:
"In other words, we have to have enough discipline to think out of the box?" Jessica flashes a quick smile at Natasha. Sobering, she reflects aloud, "I have a lot to learn in terms of military thinking and philosophy. I was trained to work solo or undercover. It's only since I've been in SHIELD have I had any training in a unit."

"So much of what he has told me about Shi'ar values around honor and family reminded me of what little I know of Rome under the Caesars."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "Solu," Michael says, nodding to Jessica. "I think it's a bit of an oversimplication on your end, Agent Romanoff, but you're not very far from the mark. Now my unit, and other reconnaisance units like it, were very different. We operated on our own, often far from the front lines - special forces, you would call them. A bit more ritualized than that, perhaps, but I have come to understand than most units across the galaxy have their rituals. Flexibility and unusual tactics were vital. Of course, that only has become compounded in importance to me since I was removed from frontline duty and put into the intelligence cadres. I have a great deal more to share now."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would nod, "Of course, it's a vast oversimplification. But it's a rough guideline that's useful for visualization purposes. All armed forces have weaknesses inherent to their structures. You're best served by figuring them out and manipulating them to your advantage. That goes for any conflict, no matter the scale nor technology."

Jessica Drew has posed:
Looking determined, Jessica nods several times, "I have a lot to learn before I can start comparing military forces and tactics across the galaxy. But being flexible and possessing the right 'toolkit' in terms of training and preparedness makes sense to me."

Reaching for her towel from a nearby chair, "I have a meeting in a half an hour and need to get ready. So if you'll excuse me, agents. Thank you for the training, Erickson." She nods to them both. Fins in one hand, towel in the other she heads toward the exit.

Michael Erickson has posed:
    As she departs, Michael looks after Jessica - then returns his attention to Natasha. "I've got a meeting myself," he affirms, moving to get to his feet. "And then a debrief with Agent Drew. Let's meet again soon, shall we? I have some questions about the Widows, and yourself. I'm happy to answer in kind, of course."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would nod at Michael, "Oh? Of the Widows?" That does confirm a cuople of things she had heard.. "I will tell you what I find reasonable given the questions. I make no promises as to my level of elaboration upon them."

Michael Erickson has posed:
    "I'll keep that in mind," he agrees, and sloshes out the door.