A Blueshield is a member of a specially trained branch of NanoTrasen employees dispatched from Central Command to protect the Captain, Heads of Staff, and Centcom VIPs. This is a Karma unlocked job which costs 30 Points.
The Man In Blue
Welcome, Blueshield. You have been given special training by the boys over at Central Command, and been dispatched to serve as the personal bodyguard of everyone with access to Command Comms.
Well, you have some work cut out for you.
Most of your time will be spent shadowing those you have been assigned to protect, making sure that they're alive and well, and generally staring at a crew monitor to make sure they're still on sensors. Your job is to keep everyone in Command, as well as CentCom VIPs, alive.
One very important detail of your job is that you are not Security. Do not let your Security (and Detective) access fool you. Your ID lets you reach every single Command Office on the station, not just the Head of Security. You should not be concerned with the goings-on at Security, nor should you be doing their job for them. You are not a Security Officer with a private office and snazzy outfit. You are a bodyguard.
With this information in mind, it's time to begin.
Preparation
As you would expect, you will be looking after members of the Chain of Command during the shift. You begin in your office wearing a Blueshield's Uniform, and Blueshield Armor (functionally the same as Security Armor, only with a Blue signet on it). In your bag you have a box of Death Alarm Implants, your Advanced Stun Revolver, and a Crew Pinpointer:
- The Death Alarm Implants will go off if the implanted person dies, triggering a message on the Common Comms channel that will state "X has died in Y". As you can imagine, this is incredibly useful. Except in situations that the person hits the EMP or Ion technology;
- The Advanced Stun Revolver is your main weapon. It can fire either Taser or Laser rounds (5 and 10 rounds maximum, respectively), and can be recharged at any recharger. Beyond useful when handling threats to Command, and quick to provide a lethal alternative if required;
- The Crew Pinpointer shows the location of a selected crewmember's relative to your position.
In your office you can come into possession of several useful things:
- A Security Belt, with complimentary Seclite;
- A Stunbaton, Flash, Flashbang and a single pair of cuffs;
- Spare Armor;
- An Advanced First Aid Kit, containing two Burn Kits, three Trauma Kits, one Emergency Autoinjector and one pair of splints. Useful only for minor bruising or, in the case of the injector, respiratory failure;
- Alternative clothing. This includes two berets, dress shoes and the Blueshield coat, which offers two extra inventory slots;
- The Blue Zippo, a unique Zippo lighter
One of your first acts should be to notify the Heads of Staff of your presence and request them to meet you at the Bridge, or any other handy location, for implantation. This way, you can quickly administer implants before everyone gets busy and preoccupied. Be warned, though, that you don't have enough implants for every member of the senior staff, so prioritization is key. Additionally, all Heads of Staff have a right to refuse implantation, though you should always attempt to convince them otherwise if they are high-ranked/important enough, such as the Captain or Magistrate.
Protection Detail
After your preparation is complete, it is up to you how you will go about your objectives, so long as you pursue them. You may choose to accompany the Captain on his ventures for the entire round, or you may decide that you wish to keep a vigil on the Head of Personnel or any other Head of Staff. You may also decide to not attach yourself to any particular head and instead choose to keep a constant rotation on each one, including even the NanoTrasen Representative, by constantly checking up on their workplaces. Alternatively, you can use either a Portable Crew Monitor or the Crew Monitoring Computer in the Bridge, to keep constant track of all of Command. Regular Comms check-ups are also a useful tool.
One of the most important things to consider, and one that is highly stressed about the Blueshield job, is that you have no authority over the fellow crew. You may have a pair of cuffs, but you should only apprehend someone if they have directly impacted/attacked a member of Command or a Centcom VIP. Afterwards, you must take them to the proper authorities for processing.
You are not a vigilante. Until an emergency occurs, the role of Blueshield is heavily roleplay based and, much like the Representative, you should serve as an adviser regarding Command's decisions. How you go about interacting with Command is entirely up to you, but you should always leave them feeling safe.
Additionally, as the Blueshield, you must prioritize. In an emergency, you may have to make harsh decisions, and you may need to let people die. When it comes down to an emergency, your immediate charges take precedence, so don't hesitate to let an Officer die if that means you can safely get away with, for example, the Head of Personnel. Chain of Command is also important to take into consideration. The Captain is more crucial to your mission than anyone else, with the Head of Personnel and other senior staff as less crucial, though still extremely important. The NanoTrasen Representative and Magistrate also fall under your purview, though they are of less consequence than any of your other charges.
Due to the status of your job, it is important to know the basics of treating injuries. See the Guide to Medicine for more details. Remember, you have an advanced first aid kit in your locker.
Relation with Security
You don't have any formal relations with the Security team. You may have Security access, but that's only so you can reach the Head of Security's office if required. You may decide to coordinate with Security forces in investigations if there is evidence of a threat against Command personnel, but this should not deviate you from your physical vanguard. You have a pair of handcuffs in your office, but this does not make you obligated to carry out Space Law. The apprehension of criminals is their job, not yours, and your handcuffs should be used to neutralize threats to the Command staff, only for your prize to be handed off to the Warden so you can get right back to protection detail as soon as possible.