Lieutenant JG Lystra - New meaning to the term Mathlete

[Rameses]

(( Holodeck 2, Deck 11, USS Constitution-B ))

Lystra: Again!

The Boslic announced loudly to Jacob Horne as she stood waiting at the end of the small free running course she’d arranged for him. It was roughly a hundred yards, and one of the simpler arrangements. A straight course designed to look like a polygonal rooftop with various pipes, low walls and other obstructions to traverse. Nothing overly complex, but there were a few gaps in the roof that required the runner to have to choose how to cross it. 

Swinging across on pipes.

Hopping over various chimney-like posts. 

Sliding under a railing then down to a lower ledge, having to run across a slender beam and then wall run up to the other side and pull oneself up. 

Of course, the course changed each time she restarted it. Adding the obstacles only once Jacob got within about fifty feet of them. So he couldn’t memorize the paths and arrangements easily. 

It was also designed to create obstacles that weren’t stable. Some had visual indications if you looked, some didn’t. To show the vagaries of life. Sometimes, you had no idea if the ledge you were about to go out on could actually support your weight. 

The intent to test how quickly he could think, as well as how well he could focus under pressure. He’d asked her to help him do better in a firefight or other intense situation. And she was going to give everything she could to help her friend and colleague. Even if that meant he’d be sore for weeks. 

Horne: A...gain...now?    This...is...harder...than..the...academy. 

Lystra: Because. You can do better. This is only level one of my program. There will be times when you barely have a chance to prepare. Or to formulate a plan and have to make your best guess, your best judgement. Your best choice with whatever data you have available at that moment and hope it’s the right one. 

Horne: Woo...what um..level...was ...the one...I walked...in on...the other day?

Lystra: Ten. ::She said simply:: 

Horne: I see.  And...how many levels...beyond that?

Looking her student over she could see he was perspiring profusely and that was to be expected. She usually headed straight home after a workout to shower. 

Lystra: At the moment, twenty. 

Though Lystra herself hadn’t been able to progress beyond level 22 thus far. In just a year’s time, she’d managed to advance about eight levels, so she couldn’t complain. 

Horne: Huh ::Jacob took a few more deep breaths:: Hoooo.  ::He stood up, leaning over backwards as far as he could to try and stretch out his back which was already tightening up a little bit.  These were new movements to him and he had muscles starting to hurt that he didn't even know he had.:: Ok, back to the starting line.  Any feedback before I go again?

Lystra: Yes. The abrupt changes in the course are designed to make you have to think on your feet to choose the best route. So, consider. How do you approach a scientific problem? 

Horne: ? 

Lystra: Interesting. ::She paced back and forth a few times:: Computer. Make a minor adjustment to the program. A subroutine. When a participant is at the starting line, propose a scientific or mathematical problem to them. And have the routes of the course as they appear, marked with multiple possible answers to the problem. In order. Adjust the difficulty of the course accordingly. Right answers make the route gradually easier. Wrong answers result in the course difficulty increasing exponentially. ::she thought:: And adjust the complexity of the problems based on player performance. 

She looked at Horne and smirked. She could tell that Jacob was not as athletically inclined as herself certainly. But she knew that his biggest muscle was his brain. And the best way to help someone get better at something that challenged them was to incorporate things they excelled at. 

Horne: ? 

The computer chirped and the course seemed to remain the same, but this time at the starting line when Jacob approached would be a fairly simple quantum mechanics problem. ((Feel free to describe the problems if you like. ))

Lystra: Whenever you're ready. 

Horne: ?  

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Lieutenant JG Lystra

Tactical Officer

USS Constitution-B NCC-9012-B

SB118 Podcast Team 

Writer ID: A239410TR0

https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=Lystra