<blockquote><div><cite>Theron wrote:</cite>"For a student you sure have a pretty sound grasp of tactics."</div></blockquote><br/>"Yes, well... perhaps 'tactics' is too strong a word," Alyssa suggests. "All academy field researchers are trained in basic security procedures, but the majority are designed to avoid confrontations. I'm not sure how useful my knowledge will be in a combat situation."<br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Theron wrote:</cite>"Maybe we can get her to do the same to these supposed raiders. I'm sure a pixie buzzing about and poking them in the eyes would be a great distraction."</div></blockquote><br/>Alyssa nods thoughtfully at Theron's suggestion- unlike the Shepherd himself, she seems to be considering the idea quite seriously.<br/><br/>"A distraction... yes, that might work! You said that the cougar was signaling with a hand mirror, correct? What if we were to do the same?" She pauses her explanation long enough to extract a palm-sized mirror of her own from a side pocket. "Miss Twilah could carry this over open water, and try to signal the other vessel. We don't know their code, of course, but even a nonsensical message might buy us time while they try to decipher its meaning. It might even lead them off course."<br/><br/>"We should inform the captain of our plan as well," she adds. "It won't do for our plans to catch our own ship off guard." Alyssa casts a glance around the deck in search of a crew member to pass on her message- experience has taught her that a warning from a subordinate is more likely to be heeded than one from an outsider.