Crowd Control

Posted on 06/15/2021 @ 12:40pm by Lieutenant Kaylee Serra & Colonel Jack Patton & Master Sergeant Robert Schiano & Lance Corporal Brian Zapata & Private 1st Class Raasur

1,999 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: The Mirror’s Edge
Location: Promenade
Timeline: Current

ON

Utter pandemonium had broken loose on the promenade. The shaking of the station from the explosion wasn't something to be ignored. Lights had flickered due to it, and there was also the chaos that had come about from the EMP blast to bring the nanites under control. The security section that was there to work with those in the promenade had sent out an alert needing help as they were having to deal with disgruntled patrons, others that were panicked. In circumstances such as this, some people go into a crazy mindset, as in deciding to do some looting of stores in the Promenade.

A mob had grown outside of the security area, and definitely things were becoming rather tenuous.

"Yellow alert in Promenade Section, we need help!" came the call, being sent to both security and marines. They didn't want to call it red alert but still, yellow alert was bad enough.

"We want some answers!" "Where is my little one, I can't find her!" "Why are things acting messed up, I was trapped in the turbo lift for a couple of hours!"

Were some of the things being shouted!

Kaylee arrived seeing the press of people and was worried, and there were signs that it could get ugly.

Craig nudged his way to the front of the crowd. As acting chief of security, he figured he should try to establish control of the situation as a voice of authority. "I'm Lieutenant Samson, Chief of Station Security. We understand many of you are concerned about recent events and we will address issues in the order of their severity. Now, how many of you have been separated from relatives? Please give me a show of hands." Craig was never the best at press conferences and the like, so he hoped that addressing the crowd's concerns head on would reduce tensions. The last thing they needed at this point was full-on pandemonium.

A few raised their hands, others just murmured in disgust.

From the Throneroom Jack had monitored what happened on the Promenade and received the call for back up. He ordered Brina on Ready two status along with Crow and his team. Jack took Meatball, Puumba, and The Reaper with him. "Best to show up with a little muscle." He said as he stepped into the hallway and affixed his beret to his head.

Moments later the group showed up on the Promenade. Meatball, Puumba, and Reaper were in full riot gear. The Tellarite Puumba looked the most menacing and Jack hoped that it would make people think twice before starting something violent. He approached the two Lieutenants with his team on his back. "Report!"

Oh no, Craig thought as he saw the marines arrive on the Promenade, Riot gear is only going to rile them up more...

Just as Kaylee opened her mouth to speak, some distance away there was yelling, and screams of anger. "Hey get back here with that! You didn't pay!"

Then sounds of other shouts.

Kaylee could only just shake her head. There was a mob here, and now robberies were happening.

Craig signaled for Kaylee and a few other security officers to find the source of the commotion. Thankfully it had distracted from the arrival of the marines, hopefully giving them time to join the security formation in front of the offices without being too noticeable.

Kaylee nodded and took off at a jog to get to where the commotion, with the other security following after.

A few raised their hands, "We are looking for missing relatives!" several shouted.

Others took a look at the the marines who had come to do back up sidled a few steps away from them.

"When will you get things back up and running!" said another. "You didn't answer my question!"

===Further into the promenade===
Kaylee arrived where the cries of outrage were. She spied people raiding a clothing store. Another that had alcoholic drinks.

With a loud voice Kaylee bellowed, "This is security cease and desist!" also her reaching out and blocking a man from running out of the store which had alcohol. "Get those items back in the store now!" Several just dropped their bundles and took off running.

A couple of them were stopped in their tracks, by the security team. Kaylee tackled one, and got him detained.

Kaylee hauled the man up and headed towards security just as they neared the area where the other group was, Kaylee was slammed from behind knocking her forward into another bystander. Her prisoner made a break for it. Kaylee got up from the ground turned to apologize for knocking the other person to the ground when she had to block a punch straight for her face.

====Promenade Security====

The man that got away from Kaylee, was running, was passing the group of people and thought he could hide himself in there. He lifted up his arm and added to the chaos there. " Give us answers now!" he shouted.

Craig noticed Kaylee chasing a man, with a host of security officers trailing a few meters back. He motioned for some others to cut the man off before he reached the end of the crowd.

Jack gave a quick silent order to Reaper and Puumba. The two Marines hurried off in the direction of Kaylee and the others. They managed to cut the would be robber off at the proverbial pass. The man ran directly into the chests of the two large Marines. Flarn snarled and if one did not know any better one might have thought that the Tellarite was going to eat the man. Zapata smirked and leveled his rifle. "The way I see it you can either pay for the goods or go to a nice cell in the brig. Your third option... you do not want to do because it involves you running more and me chasing you more and me getting angry. I do not think you would like that option." As he finished speaking Kaylee and the others arrived. "I think you should chose now..." Brian added.

Craig was almost panting as he caught up to the stopped thief. Back in investigations, he mostly sat behind a desk, so chasing after suspects was a bit out of character for. It seemed the marines had managed to apprehend them.

"He's all yours Lieutenant." Reaper said with smile. Flarn for his part just stood there and looked angry.

"Thank you." Kaylee said with a smile grateful for the help

The fleeing people were brought up short by the supporting security and marines.

Jack fired a quick burst from his phaser on the lowest setting at the ceiling. This was done to get everyone's attention and it seemed that worked rather quickly. When the crowd quieted down he spoke. "Now everyone I know that we are all worried and that we all have questions. However, this incident does not preclude you from acting in an orderly fashion. I will answer questions starting now. So if you would line up I can get to you one at a time. If you decide to act out of turn or try to do something crazy such as steal you will be dealt with extreme prejudice. I hope this is all understood."

Craig felt a bit uncomfortable of the marines' approach to handling security incidents. Admittedly, the thought crossed his mind that it could have been because he felt a bit usurped in his role as security chief. The situation seemed to have calmed down without any violence, but he made a note to talk to Jack about the role of marines in station security once things settled down.

Kaylee caught her breath, and also giving a bit of a look at Samson, she could tell he wasn't happy, and she closed her eyes for just a moment or two. There may end up being a bit of a discussion between the two men. She really hoped that they could come to an agreement. Kaylee remembered some problems that had come up whilst she had worked security at an Exploration Command. The security and the marines had some rivalry going on but they also had learned to work together.

Then it hit her, Major Patton wasn't just the Marine Commanding Officer, he was also the Second Officer, Chief Strategic Operations. He was well within his rights in that role, of calling the shots.

Kaylee sidled up to Samson, "You know, the Major is stepping into his role as Strategic Operations for Poseidon. I can tell you aren't happy with this situation. How about we get two lines formed and then the complaints and concerns can be taken care of a lot more quickly?"

"Sure, that sounds like good idea," Craig answered, looking around to make sure nobody else important was listening, "We still may need to have a talk with the marines about their tactics. They seem a bit more appropriate for the battlefield than with a group of rowdy, but non-violent, civilians." Turning to the crowd, he belted out "Form two lines, people! We understand your concerns and want to get them addressed as quickly as possible."

The people decided to be cooperative, with the showing of both Security and the Marines they felt they needed to simmer down.

"Well one other thing to add, Lieutenant Samson, with what I was catching emotion wise, the crowd's irritation was ramping up. With both you and Patton showing a united front, it does make everyone a bit more calmer. And I could sense that some were wanting to escalate things a bit further. Therefore, a blast towards the ceiling helped to squash that sort of idea. And he." nodding her head towards the guy she had been pursuing. and was now in custody, "he was trying to rev up the mob again."

Jack ordered his team to the periphery and changed his hats as it were. He was no longer the Marine CO, now he was going to have to do something that he did enjoy, he was going to have to be diplomatic and put on his hat as Second Officer. He modulated his voice to sound as genial as he could. "Folks I know this has been a trying episode, it has been trying on all of us. However, we are working to resolve it as quickly as possible." He called out and then leaned toward the first person in line.

Kaylee smiled at Samson then towards Patton. "See its already working." and stepped away to help the other security get people into orderly lines so that both Samson and Patton can see to the complaints and concerns.

Craig took up position at the front of one of the lines. Things seemed to have calmed down a bit for now.

With both men working together along with security and the marines it seemed that the complaints solutions were coming together. It made Kaylee's heart happy to see good was happening. She continued to go around speaking with the people then she had to go get the report of the store owner about robberies and help to get the paperwork started for the loss.

In truth this was the part of the job that Jack truly disliked. He was a Marine and not made to be a help desk however, here he was. If nothing else he was an officer of the Corps and as such went and did what the Corps needed him to do. Jack smiled inwardly as he thought that Harrington was going to owe him some scotch after this.

END

Major Jack Patton
CO The Kingsmen
Chief Strategic Operations Officer
Second Officer
Poseidon Station

Master Sergeant Robert Schiano
First Sergeant/EVAC Specialist
The Kingsmen
Poseidon Station

Lance Corporal Brian Zapata
Rifleman
The Kingsman
Poseidon Station

Private First Class Flarn
Rifleman
The Kingsmen
Poseidon Station

Lieutenant Craig Samson Jr
Chief of Station Security
Poseidon Station

Lieutenant Kaylee Serra
Security
Poseidon Station

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