Into the Fire

Posted on Thu Oct 3rd, 2024 @ 9:41pm by Lieutenant Commander Deanna Celes & Commander Jonathan Grayson & Commander Samantha Howard & Lieutenant Commander Callie Raven-Grayson & Lieutenant Imik S'Niohun & Lieutenant Inara Senn & Lieutenant JG Kate Kono & Lieutenant JG James Phoenix

Mission: The Gambit
Location: USS Washington

The Washington sped towards Veloz Prime. They were nearing the system and red alert had already been activated. "Approaching the Veloz system commander" L'Rissa purred from the conn.

"Very good L'Rissa. Place us in a high-altitude orbit if you please. Sensors showing anything out of the ordinary? Jon asked.

Deanna wanted to answer, but she wasn't at Ops currently. She looked to Lt Ibarra who was at the station. The young woman was capable enough, Deanna has made certain of that. "Not detecting anything out of the ordinary as of yet sir. I'll have a clearer scan once we pass the asteroid belt in 3 minutes" she replied. "I can detect high levels of cobalt diselenide in the atmosphere, so no Cardassian or reptilian species could be on the planet without an environmental suit, or they'd be dead within 3 minutes."

"Got to hand it to the Maquis, they weren't playing around" Deanna quipped, trying to break the obvious tension.

"Some may call the Maquis terrorists, but hindsight is always 20/20." Inara noted.

"I never considered them terrorists" Deanna responded, "just misguided. They never had a chance to get what they wanted. Had they attempted their supposed solution of declaring themselves independent states, they simply would've made it easier for the Cardassians to come in and wipe them out before the Dominion arrived. Now the StarFleet officers that joined the Maquis, that is a different story. They were traitors."


[Armory, USS Washington]


As the Washington approached Veloz Prime. Phoenix made sure his team was prepared. He was already outfitted in his tactical jacket, with the addition of a tactical helmet just like the rest of his team. The helmets weren't used often, but Ayana ordered the swat protocol, and thus the tactical helmet was required. Two of his team members had energy shields in the event that they had no cover. There was the possibility of breach, but fusing the controls was good enough and it wasn't known what they'd be walking into.

"Alright listen up" he barked. "Lieutenant Hillis has ordered SWAT protocols. There is a high possibility that we'll need to breach or that we'll need to use those shields. We also don't know what we're transporting into."

Inara was busy making some modifications to some stun charges. "Understood."

James watched his people finish getting ready. "We need to stay frosty. We don't know what we're walking into as I said. But we're doing this for the Captain. It's going to get heated, but danger is our middle name" he smirked at his own line. "Let's do this."

He turned to look at Inara as is officers exited the armory for the transporter room. "Ma'am, I take it you're tagging along?"

"Yeah, gotta make sure the captain lives through this. Got a little surprise for anyone hanging around the beam-in site. We used to put these together in the war, as the Jem'hadar had a habit of tossing grenades whenever they heard or saw a beam in. Take a stun grenade, combine it with a tricorder, put it on the transporter pad, and beam it down first. Anyone within the immediate vicinity will be zonked out."


Bridge

"Very good, Keep me posted and keep scanning both the planet and the atmosphere." Jon ordered.

Dr Sam Howard had arrived on the bridge a few minutes ago, taking up a multi-purpose station at the rear of the bridge. She wanted to stay handy and abreast of the situation. If the found the captain, he would most likely need medical aid. Not to mention those trying to rescue him getting shot at.

"Passing through the asteroid belt now commander" L'Rissa mentioned from the Conn.

"Detecting sensor arrays on a few of the larger asteroids, likely an early warning system" Lt Ibarra said from Ops.

"Send coordinates to those sensor platforms to tactical" Deanna ordered. "Imik, take them out with phasers. Ibarra, boost power to the deflector."

"Once we're in orbit an away team will beam down to the planet. It will consist of me, Imik, Phoenix, Kate, Sam and Inara." Jon stated as he rose from the command seat and headed for the lift.

"Jon" Deanna started as she rose from her seat in what would normally be his XO spot, and she glanced at Callie for a moment before continuing to speak, "I know you normally lead the away teams, but you are the captain right now. Your place is in that chair" she said as she pointed at the captain's chair. "I'm more than capable of leading the away team. Besides, I'll have Sam" she said with a smile as she glanced over at Sam.

Callie nodded in agreement as she looked towards Jon and Deanna. “I have to concur Sir; you are acting Captain your place is on the bridge.”

Jon stood motionless, his face a carefully controlled mask, as he looked between Deanna and Callie. He wanted to protest and argue but damn, Deanna and Callie were right, and he knew when to give in. He nodded his head in a resigned fashion. "You are both right and I know you are more than capable Deanna." He admitted. " I'd do the same with Shran" he sighed, "Alright Deanna, assemble your away team. Callie I'm going to need you here on the bridge with me."

Deanna nodded. She looked over at Sam and Imik, "Sam, Imik, you'll be with me." She looked to Jon, "I'll take Kate and Inara as well. Ayana has apparently had Phoenix and a tactical team ready, so they'll come as well. We won't be caught unprepared. I would suggest only going into orbit long enough to transport us. Romulan and Cardassian tactics would dictate that they engage you the moment they have the advantage. The Cardassians will be easier to deal with of course." She stopped herself. She was babbling, and Jon knew how to handle a combat situation. She hadn't felt this nervous about a mission in years. "If the captain is down there, we'll find him and bring him home."

Jon gave Deanna a tight smile. "Deanna, breathe. Time for you to get frosty. Maintain your focus, watch your back. I know you will be good Deanna and we'll be here waiting for all of you."

Imik had been scanning the planet with her sensors, upon hearing her name she simply bobbed her head and adjusted her Ojnas blaster on her hip.

Deanna nodded determinedly. "I've got this" she said with a smile. She entered the turbolift, "Let's go ladies."


Transporter Room

Inara entered. "Okay Chief." She noted. "This is what we're going to do. We may be beaming into a hot LZ." She put her device on the center pad. "Beam my little surprise down first, and then ten seconds later, beam the insertion team. Whoever's in the area should be nice and stunned when we beam in. Next, we hold the area for the next team."

Kate brought along her trusty sniper rifle and her holographic decoys just in case she needed them. She adjusted her helmet strap so it wouldn't fall off and slipped a few extra PADDs in her left pocket next to her trauma kit so that she could use it for Intel gathering.

"What's the terrain like down there?" Kate asked while working a map with one hand as she waited next to the transport pad. Being a sniper in situations like thus, she was prepared to spend most of her time out of the fight and feeding intelligence to the team once she found a good hidey hole, just as she did last time.

"Variable terrain for a class-M planet" Deanna answered as she entered the transporter room with Phoenix and his tactical team. "It was a Cardassian colony world, and the Maquis settled it briefly after poisoning the atmosphere. Not to worry, perfect safe for us. Nobody has set foot on the planet since the Jem'Hadar turned it into a graveyard. If we encounter Cardassians down there, they'll have to be in environmental suits, which means they'll be at a tactical disadvantage. I'd be more concerned about encountering Romulans though. Oh, and careful what you fire at, as we may encounter Iconian ruins. We will be transporting down to a remote mountain area, a small valley inside the Q'tral mountains."

"My scans of the planet showed some sort of a facility some 600 yards from our beam in site, parts of it are shielded." Imik looked at Deanna as she spoke, being placed as senior Officer Imik made all reports directly to her. "Some of the facility is underground, so could prove hazardous to enter and check."

"So, they've found an Iconian ruin." Deanna looked as if she was considering something. "This is a Federation world. You see a Romulan or Cardassian, take them down. Precise fire. And while we are here for the captain, we do not give any indication that we know him unless he is being held captive. He is on a black op, he may be undercover."


Bridge

Callie was sitting in her seat keeping her senses trained on the away team, the strength of emotion Deanna was giving off was easy to pick up on. She looked towards Jon. “So far so good I think.”

Jon nodded, "Very good Callie, keep informed of any changes please. Especially Deanna. She's a bundle of nervous energy." He observed as he looked around the bridge. Ayana was at tactical. She was solid and dependable. She wouldn't get rattled by anything that came their way. L'Rissa was at helm, and he knew she could pilot the Washington through a maze without scratching the hull. Lt. Ibarra was at Ops and he knew she had to be better than just good for Deanna to turn the station over to her. Down is Sickbay, Shon was holding down the fort and he knew without a doubt that it was in excellent hands and could handle anything that came their way. "Heads up everyone. Be ready for anything and everything."

"Sir, I don't believe we are alone" Lt Ibarra said from Ops. "They are still cloaked, but they are too close to the planet, and it is causing slight disturbances. I'm thinking at least 3 ships are in a high-altitude orbit right now."

"Confirmed sir" Ayana said at tactical. Can't be sure, but the sensor echo looks Cardassian. If Deanna is correct, were likely to fight Cardassians up here, and the Romulans will remain under cloak until tactically prudent to join the fight. She seems to have some experience and insight regarding the Romulan commander."

"Keep an eye on them Lt. Ibarra. Don't give any sign that we know they are here. Good tactical decision Ayana. Send your pawns out to fight and let your opponent tire himself before you make an appearance." Jon replied "Ayana, when we engage. Make every shot count. No prolong battles if we can help it."

"Quantum torpedoes loaded, phasers at the ready. Doesn't matter who they are, I'll smoke them like a brisket at a Texas barbeque" Ayana said with a smile.

"That will be perfect." Jon replied with a wicked grin of his own.

TBC