Admiral Harrington stood in the center of the handwavily designated clearing. She was not, however, wearing the formal black-and-gold of her Manticoran uniform. Somewhere along the way, she had unearthed a pair of digital-print BDU pants, combat boots, a tee-shirt, and a tactical vest. Nimitz hovered in his usual position on her shoulder, eyes attentive.
Around the clearing, several areas have been set up. Everything from fully-pitched tents to small piles of refuse are visible. Two carafes rested on a folding table nearby, with reuseable mugs. One contained coffee, the other, hot chocolate. If anyone wanted more than that, they were on their own.
"Good morning," she said. "I know it’s a bit early for some of you, so we’ll start things slowly. We’ll start by going around and allowing everyone to introduce themselves."
All introductions aside a few moments later, Honor settled in to lecture mode. "This class, as you may have guessed, is going to provide an overview of outdoorsmanship while providing a testing ground for your leadership abilities. Opportunities will not always present themselves, so be on the lookout for your time to shine.
"That being said, we’ll be taking a look at some very basic information as well. Such as today," she continued. "Today, we’ll be discussing the seven principles of ‘Leave No Trace.’"
Honor reached behind her and powered up a display device. An
image appeared and hovered over the ground. "Leave No Trace is a program, started in ... 1987 ... as an outgrowth of preservation concerns by the United States Forestry Service, the United States National Park Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. It is now a far-reaching program, spanning much farther than I believe was ever intended.
"There are seven basic tenets to Leave No Trace:
Plan Ahead and PrepareTravel and Camp on Durable Surfaces Dispose of Waste Properly (Pack It In, Pack It Out) Leave What You Find Minimize Campfire Impacts Respect Wildlife Be Considerate of Other Visitors..."
She continued the lecture,
hitting the high points and moving through the material as quickly as she dared while still getting the point across.
"Behind me, you will see six stations that Andrew, Mac, and I have set up. You’ll now be divided up into two groups. One person from each group will be the recorder," Honor said, holding up two minicomps and styluses. Her left arm might not have straightened as far as her right. "Each recorder will make notes on the discussions in group. Once you’ve completed the circuit of the stations, we’ll meet again for a few minutes to discuss the results.
"Directions are given at each station. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask."
She passed out the group assignments, eyeing each new student warily. "All right. You have your assignments. Let's be about it, ladies and gentlemen."
With that, they were loose. Hopefully they were wise enough to know they were being watched.
Group 1
Peter Pevensie
Pip Bernadette
Liz Weir
Alanna Trebond
Dean Winchester
Tim Desmond
Group 2
Bel/Cole Turner
Ainsley Hayes
Anders
Sawyer Ford
Peter Parker
Pippi Longstocking
[OCD-ness achieved. Have at!
Also, may or may not be able to post on Wednesday night every week. I will, however, get the 'shops up as quickly as possible.]