O Betazed, Part II (Ground Assault)
Episode Name: O Betazed Part 2 Written By: Raijin Cast: Dakin, Havaris, Haven, Hawkins, Leah, Raijin and Zeel. Produced By: Starfleet Directed By: Raijin Aired On: Mon Feb 25 02:07:35 2002 Stardate: 52194.7
Time: Sun Feb 24 20:04:39 2002
Stardate: 52194.4 (occurs concurrently with O Betazed, Part I)
Dakin shifts his shoulders slightly as he and the rest of the away team arrive on the surface. He hefts his phaser rifle, which is already set to a lethal beam setting. He looks around at the assembled. "Everyone make it okay?"
Leah also hefts her phaser rifle, taking a long look around the nearby area. She replies to Dakin, "Aye, sir."
Hawkins looks about slowly taking in the lay of the land. "Yes sir."
"Here, Sir." Kusto's abrupt reply as he scrambles away from the drop point, towards a sharp outcropping of blasted rock by way of finding cover. "Let's get some readings, people. Where are we?"
Haven has partially disconnected.
Zeel glances about the area, peering across the landscape. "Good question. Is that it over there?" She motions towards the towering rod.
Haven wiggles her feet within her boots, settling herself better in them. She drops her gaze down to her belt to take mental note of location of her gear then hustles forward to take better cover. Her rifle in one hand and tricorder in the other, she beings to scan the area before calling out,"Scanning now, Sir."
Dakin shakes his head. "That's Objective Two, Zeel. First and foremost is Objective One." He points to the cubelike structure. "All right. We're going to try something of a pincer movement on this. Havaris, you'll take Haven and Zeel and approach from the right flank. Leah, Hawkins... you'll go with me on the left flank. Maintain combadge silence unless absolutely necessary. Questions?"
Leah finds herself some cover in a smaller sized crater, then checks the setting of the rifle. To herself, she mutters, "For the Federation." She seems to be gathering herself.
"Just like old times..." Havaris murmurs this with a mixture of amusement and bitterness. "Aye, Sir. Meet you at the middle." Kusto glances over his shoulder, lifting a hand to wag two fingers, gesturing Haven and Zeel over to his position. "I'll take point. Second in line covers the first. Repeat that process. Cover to cover. Keep your minds in the game." A glance to Haven. "Keep your nose on that Tri-Corder. I don't want to walk into an ambush." A nod to both. "Let's move."
Hawkins shakes his head to Dakin, answering his question. And with that he adjusts his phaser rifle in his hands and moves in closer to his team leader.
"Aye, sir," Zeel states gruffly, following along.
Haven moves to Havaris' location and nods as she listens. Taking up the rear position she says just loud enough to be heard, "Stations about a half a kilometer away and she's pumping some serious juice." A quick adjustment to her tricorder and she beings to scan for lifeforms.
Dakin nods to Havaris as he and his half of the team make their way towards the cube, then nods to both Leah and Hawkins. Already starting towards a small patch of cover, his tricorder in one hand scanning, he says to the two, "All right, let's do this quick and go home."
Leah nods to Dakin, the smile she summons for him unseen in the dim light. She holds her phaser rifle like a veteran as she follows after the Security Chief.
Hawkins keeps moving close with his group. With his phaser rifle pressed
tightly against his shoulder he moves along the landscapse constantly sweeping
his area of sight with his rifle.
Havaris doesn't wait for the tricorder scan. If they'd transported into
dangeroud ground, they'd be dead by now. He locks his gaze on Zeel's for a
moment, nods his head, then rolls around his cover, moving low to the ground,
about fifty yards ahead, dropping down into a blast crater, creeping along the
bowl and up to the opposite edge, peeking over down the sight of his rifle
before motioning for Zeel.
Haven maintains partial cover as she keeps her rifle up, waiting for Zeel to
proceed forward. She casts a quick glance at her tricorder again.
Dakin zigzags from one chunk of cover to the other, making sure to have his
rifle, which is balanced by his shoulder strap and hald with one hand, ready to
fire. Once he checks each area for a clear move, he motions to Leah and Hawkins
to follow.
Leah follows quickly, but cautiously, watching where she steps. She keeps one
hand on her rifle while she takes out her tricorder and scans ahead.
GAME: Leah spends a courage point.
Havaris glances over his shoulder at Zeel, makes his 'not happy with you'
face and motions more violently for the fellow to hustle up. His attention
shifts back to the terrain ahead, shaking from side to side.
The fellow in the collegiate sense. Yeah.
Hawkins mimics Dakin's moves up to the point where he joins him. His rifle
never leaves his arm as hr continues to look over the the area.
Zeel struggles up over the landscape, hurrying as best she can loaded down
with the equipment as she is.
Gone is the shy woman that some many have met since Haven's arrival on
station. In her place is an aggressive hardened soldier. She watches closely as
Zeel finally makes it into the crater then follows, taking a slightly different
path to gain the same cover. Coming up behind them, she scans ahead again
wondering briefly if the power emissions from the station are interfering with
her readings.
Dakin hops down into a blast crater and cautiously makes his way to the
opposite edge. Taking a quick second to peer beyond it, he turns to Leah and
Hawkins and beckons them closer. Once they're close, he whispers to Leah,
"Anything?"
Leah looks to Dakin and nods. She whispers, "Life forms, ahead...
Distance, unknown.... we should be able to see them if we look."
Havaris has some ground to make up for since his team is off to a slow start.
So once Zeel's nearly at the lip of the crater, he's over the top, trusting Zeel
to cover Haven's scoot. He risks running more upright, his pack flouncing on his
back with the occasional grimace. Momentum carries him to another crag of rock
which he slams against roughly, peering about the side to check the approach.
Another motion for Zeel to approach. In his wait, he shoulders his rifle and
pulls up his tricorder, adjusting the settings to scan for life signs himself.
Hawkins listens to Leah's repot then he lifts his head to peek over the edge
of the crater and looks for Leah's lifeforms.
Zeel huffs and hurries off to Havaris' side, scanning the area for any
hostiles.
Dakin shakes his head to Leah. "Yeah, assuming they aren't
shrouded." He frowns, a series of thoughts rolling about inside his head.
"Okay. We'd better keep moving. Keep an active scan going. I want to know
when the vole dung hits the fan before it does. Let's go." And with that,
he climbs out of the crater.
Haven watches as Zeel takes off and waits till she is safe before slinging
her tricorder and cresting the lips of the crater. Moving swiftly, she covers
the ground between her and her team. Dropping down behind the crag, she rolls
her shoulders, adjusting her pack before scanning again as she whispers,
"I'm still not getting anything here but it could be interference. I don't
know."
"Aye, sir," is Leah's reply as she follows him out of the crater.
She keeps a hand on her rifle, her other hand on her tricorder. Staring ahead,
however, she sees nothing out of the ordinary.
Havaris gives a few hand signals towards Zeel. Infantry. Uknown number.
Ahead. Flashes his tricorder at the woman, dipping his chin to get the point
across. He reshoulders his rifle, taps Zeel's head twice in a 'keep your head
down fashion', and risks a glance around the corner over the sight of his rifle.
"Lifesigns ahead. Unknown number and distance. I've got point. If I take
fire, it's shoot and scoot all the way." That said, he edges around the
crag and begins moving across the open ground for cover. Head low, legs
straining.
Up and over the edge Hawkins is out of the crater and following his CO all
the while keeping his attention on the route their taking.
Zeel seems a little confused at all the hand singnals before nodding at the
tricorder and hefting up the phaser rifle.
Haven nods accordingly silently cursing her tricorder as she raises her rifle
to her shoulder, preparing to fire it necessary, balancing on the balls of her
feet so she can move quickly when Zeel goes.
Leah has partially disconnected.
Leah let's out a hiss of breath, "They're coming..." With that she
goes for the nearest piece of cover, bringing up her rifle.
Havaris reaches the cover he'd been making for, a jagged edged blast crater,
and scrambles down into it, up to the opposite edge. He risks a glance to his
tricorder, forces himself not to utter a curse, and takes up a defensible
position at the lip of the crater. His trigger hand waves his team forward.
Rapidly. Something's up.
Hawkins moves quickly into a crater as he hears Leah's warning "Which
way are they coming from?" he hisses in a low tone to her.
Zeel mutters an Orion curse under her breath, hurrying over to a defensive
position as well and crouching down, phaser rifle at the ready.
Haven sends a quick thought skyward, to The Prophets, then moves to better
cover behind a larger out cropping of stone. From her position, she can lay down
fire to cover both Zeel and Havaris as the need arises.
Dakin hurries at a low crouching run towards his own piece of cover near
Leah, then sets up his own rifle, ready to fire at whomever decides to impede
them. "Hope to the Prophets it's not Havaris' team we're getting set to
vaporize..."
A team of four Jem'Hadar deshroud in a defensable crater of their own and
begin firing on both teams with polaron rifles.
GAME: Dakin spends a courage point.
Polaron beams flash and slam in to the ground near both teams. The cover of
the craters provides an excellent advantage, defensively. Of course it's going
to make hitting the Jem'Hadar difficult to say the least.
Leah growls and opens fire, taking aim and letting off a blast of her phaser
rifle.
Havaris ducks down quickly as the polaron discharge sizzles over his head. He
heaves a breath, pokes his rifle back over and squeezes off a round, ducking
under the lip again.
Hawkins is left laying in the crater after the blast. but now growling he
pops from his cover and fires a round before dropping to his cover again.
Zeel hunches down in the dirt as the polaron pulses fall around her.
"Maybe we should just throw one of the explosives?" she whispers
harshly, "Then pop up and blast 'em when they're confused?"
Haven rises up from her cover just enough to scan her team, ensuring they are
alright before firing off a few rounds at those firing on them.
Dakin winces as a polaron beam eats into the ground near his and Leah's
position. He brings his rifle to bear on one of his attackers and fires...
The Jem'Hadar duck as various beams of phased energy pound the surface near
their position, but stand back up and release another salvo of polaron beams.
"On it." Havaris mutters aside to Zeel. When in doubt? Lob a
grenade. It's not like they're going to get the drop on the Jemmies. He tugs a
grenade from his belt, primes the charge with his thumb, counts in his head, and
pops up only so long as it takes for him to lob the thing into the opposing
crater. Drops back down onto his back, grinning aside at Zeel. Yes, grinning.
"Boom."
Leah pops from cover once again, takes quick aim and squeezes the trigger.
She drops back down afterwards.
BOOM! The once deep crater is now an even deeper crater. The Jem'Hadar are no
more.
What a mess.
Hawkins ducks at the loud BOOM as he crawls into his hole. "What was
that!?"
Zeel grins back at Havaris before her features suddenly contort into an
expression of intense pain, a polaron blast clipping her shoulder. With a yelp
and a long, loud string of Orion curses, the green skinned woman, clutches her
blackened and bleeding shoulder, gritting her teeth and hissing. Zeel then
tosses a glare over the rim of the crater at the pieces of Jem Hadar; if looks
could kill, hers would have leveled a major city.
Haven hearing the stratifying BOOM erupt ahead of her, she uses the time to
sprint forward then drop into the crater with her team. She lands in time to see
Zeel reel from the hit she took. Slinging her rifle for the moment, she pulls
out her medical tricorder and does a quick scan as she kneels beside her.
Dakin looks over the blackened crater and the Jem'hadar chunks that litter
it. "Okay, so much for the element of surprise. They know we're here, so I
think we can dispense with the black-bag routine for the most part. All right,
double-time to the cube. Leah, keep a scan going." He climbs out of the
crater, then waits for Leah and Hawkins to follow suit.
Hawkins gets up from his hole in the ground and looks to Dakin "Sir.
Ready when you are.
Letting her phaser rifle sling over her shoulder, Leah climbs out of the
crater, holding her tricorder out in front of her like a talisman. She spares
the Jem'Hadar's crater a few glances, muttering a curse as she nears it.
Havaris frowns as Zeel is clipped. That's about it. He edges closer to her
side and examines the wound briefly, once more patting her on the head.
"You'll live." He slides away, returning to his position, edging up
over the lip to keep a look out for Jem'hadar. Scanning with the tricorder,
waiting on Haven to tend to Zeel. "Make it quick. We gotta move."
Zeel slips her hand away from the wound and winces, letting Haven go to work.
She smirks and passes a look to Havaris, "Yeah, much to quite a few
people's disappointment."
Haven swiftly tends to the wound then nods, "It'll hold.. for now."
She shoves the tricorder deep into her pouch then takes up her rifle again.
"Ready when you are, Boss."
Dakin continues to zigzag in and out of cover as before the brief skirmish,
but his pace is much more rapid than before. Still, his evasive pattern remains
a constant. Find cover. Check. Motion to Hawkins and Leah. Repeat.
Leah pauses at a piece of cover, waiting for Dakin's motion before
continuing. She glances at her tricorder and gives the negative sign, no one
else around.
Two Jem'Hadar burst out of the building ahead to see what all the noise is.
They visibly scan the area and notice the plume of smoke. Running towards it,
they don't seem to have noticed either team.
"Nice work, Haven." Havaris notes it without the benefit of a
glance. "Whoa. Heads down. Two coming." Kusto edges up a little
higher, drawing a niiiiice bead on the first one. "Coooome to Kusto,
milkblood... That's right." When he feels he's got this shot made, he lets
a burst go from his rifle.
Leah pauses at a piece of cover, waiting for Dakin's motion before
continuing. Glancing ahead she notes the Jem'Hadar and grabs her rifle, aiming
and squeezing off a blast at one of the approaching creatures.
Hawkins waits for Dakin's signal before moving. As he does the ringing in his
ears slowly disapates.
GAME: Havaris spends a courage point.
GAME: Leah spends a courage point.
Leah's target takes a bolt of phased energy in the chest and collapses in a
heap. His compatriot ducks as he comes under fire and retreats back towards the
building for cover. Someone's going to have to shoot fast...
Zeel tests her arm lightly, rocking it back and forth before nodding one and
offering Heaven a smile. She then peeks over the ridge again and, seeing one
Jem'Hadar still alive, takes a shot with her own rifle.
Haven tucks her rifle against her shoulder and pops up o take a shot at a
Jemmie hen slides back down again.
GAME: Zeel spends a courage point.
Zeel's blast slams in to the door by the Jem'Hadar, causing him to duck and
run harder, but not hard enough. He takes Haven's blast in the back and falls
down never to get up again.
Dakin starts to train his rifle on the fleeing Jem'Hadar but pauses as a
phaser beam takes him out. He smiles slightly, knowing likely where it came
from. He turns around to Leah. "Any more resistance?"
"There may be more inside... I can't get a good reading from here."
Leah replies with a smile, then motions towards the doors. "There's too
many of their guards out of action now for them not to have noticed,
though."
Havaris smiles brightly. "Nice -shot-, Zeel!" The Bajoran glances
down into the crater and motions his team up and moving. "Next cover point.
I think I saw phaser fire from our right. That'll be Dakin's team." Kusto's
up and over, jogging to the next cover point.
Hawkins waits for the word on what to do from his CO. "Sir do we go in?
Clear the rest out? Or wait out here?"
"Uh, thanks, but I don't think I'm the one who hit him..." Zeel
states with a crooked smile, but Havaris has already up and left. The Orion
struggles to her feet and then follows along behind him.
Haven blinks in total amazement at the Jemmie going down from her shot then
shakes it off seeing Zeel take off. Once she arrives safely at Havaris' side,
she scoots along behind her and drops down beside them.
Dakin grits his teeth, speaking to Hawkins as he keeps his attention focused
on the building. "We're going in. Get a grenade ready, each of you... if
there're more in there, we're going to give them a very loud wake-up call. Move
out." He then makes his way in a zigzag formation towards the building.
Leah takes a zig-zagging route to the building as well, slinging her rifle as
she pulls out a grenade. Once the grenade is in hand, she keeps her eyes
focussed forward, her other hand holding her tricorder.
Havaris has the same idea as Dakin. "I'm going for the door. Cover
me." That said, he moves at a full run towards the door, rifle pumping to
and fro in his arms. He comes up flush, back to the wall beside the doorway,
glancing to the side at Dakin. "Think there's likely to be any civillians
in there, Sir?" He glances back to his team, motioning them to stay put and
cover him. He's sort of exposed there.
Hawkins allows his rifle to hang loose as he takes out a gernade and hands it
to Dakin "Here sir. I was never good with these. I perfer phasers." As
he smiles to the CO he takes hold of his rifle again and readies himself.
Zeel looks up and down the door for a moment, "This is a military
installation, right? They're not expecting an attack, right? Doesn't seem to me
that they'd have any civvies inside."
Haven shrugs her shoulders as she balances her rifle in her hand with her
elbow on her raised knee. "I don't know but I wouldn't put it past them to
be sure."
Dakin frowns. "They could be using the Betazoids for slave labor... I
don't think we want to chance too big an entrance if that's the case." He
thinks for a minute. "Set the grenades for stun effect. If there are
civilians in there, we don't want to risk fatalities." He immediately sets
to work adjusting the yield on his grenade.
Leah adjusts the yield on her grenade, then holds it, ready to lob. She looks
over at the other members of the team, glad to see everyone is still in one
piece.
"If I may, Sir? When the grenade goes, your team sweeps right oblique,
we'll go left. I've got one wounded and the medic. So I'll take point on my
team." Havaris glances back to his team and motions them forward.
"Check the corners, check your targets. Zeel? How's your arm?"
Hawkins readies himself and his rifle to go in. "Ready when you are
sir."
"It's workable, sir," Zeel replies, moving her arm in
demonstration, "I'll be fine for the rest of the mission I think,
sir."
Haven notices Havaris wave and pushes to her feet, moving forward to join the
team.
Dakin sighs and hands Havaris his grenade. "Okay. Kusto, Morgan, I'm
going to try and get this door open. Once you have a wide enough berth, fire in
the hole." He takes a deep breath then pries the faceplate off the keypad
and starts to try and reroute some of the internal mechanisms.
GAME: Dakin spends a courage point.
The doors refuse to cooperate and remain closed despite Dakin's efforts.
Leah watches Dakin work and shakes her head slightly. She coughs and steps
forward, working the internal mechanisms.
Havaris leans against the wall, shouldering his rifle, tossing the grenade
lightly between his palms. Casual, more or less, if a touch anxious. "Are
you going to tear off the panel and yank at the wires again?" He's teasing.
Morale, or something. His attention shifts back to Zeel. "Don't play hero,
Zeel. If that arm gets to be too much, we'll rotate you back. Got it?"
GAME: Leah spends a courage point.
Still no luck with that door. Blasted Jem'Hadar coding.
Hawkins watches one by one try to open the door. But as it dosent open
"Sirs can I try?" he says but before he can get an answer he looks
into the panel and tries to get it to open himself.
"Sir?" Zeel pipes up, "Why don't you let me try? I'm trained
in engineering now, y'know." She looks to Havaris and nods once,
"Understood. Don't worry. The medical treatment seems quite fine."
Haven keeps a watch out for anymore Jemmies as the other barter over the door
and who does what.
GAME: Zeel spends a courage point.
Dakin nods to Zeel. "Sure, take a shot at it, Zeel. I'm saying right
now, though, we don't get it open in the next five minutes..." He cranks
his rifle up to setting 14. "Damn subtlety to the Pah-Wraiths."
Some things take an engineer's touch. A spark, a zap, and the door hisses
open.
"Remind me again why I continue to take your orders?" Havaris
murmurs that to Dakin as Zeel gets the door to spark open. His thumb presses the
primer on the stun grenade and his sidearms it low to the ground at an angle,
such that it bounces and skips quite a bit, lessening the chance of a catch and
a return volley. "Fire in the hole!" Once thrown, he's back around the
doorway, back to the wall, hands over his hears, face pinched in expectation.
BOOM! Not as loud a boom but a boom nonetheless.
Leah slips her grenade back into her pack, taking up her rifle instead and
moving into a position next to the door. She waits for the explosion, then moves
cautiously inside.
Hawkins grins at the sound of the boom. Once again he takes hold of his rifle
and gets ready for the onslaught.
Zeel can't help but smirk as the door slides open, the Orion stepping back
and wiggling her fingers in front of her face, winking impishly, "Sometimes
things take a gentler touch..." She readies her weapon again as the stun
grenade goes off.
Haven sends an approving nod Zeel's way as she swings around to face the
door, her rifle up and ready.
Dakin hefts his rifle up with both hands then makes his way inside as well,
muttering to Havaris, "A subject for another time and place,
Lieutenant." He sidles his way along the opposite side of the dorr from
where Leah entered. "In case I've forgotten to say so, Zeel, welcome
back."
The entryway seems clear...sort of. Two Jem'Hadar lay in the middle of the
floor, stunned but rubbing their heads and slowly regaining their senses. Made
of hardy stuff those ones are. There are also three Betazoids in the room lying
completely stunned.
Leah quickly lowers the setting to heavy stun on her phaser rifle, then takes
aim at one of the stunned Jem'Hadar's, firing at it. Rather loudly, she says,
"You deserve worse."
Havaris rounds into the room, his rifle at the ready. With Leah on the other,
Kusto paces forward, puts his foot over the creature's throat. "She's
right." No remorse as he fires directly into its face at a rather brutal
point blank range.
The two Jem'Hadar collapse. One is stunned heavily and won't be waking up for
awhile. The other...not so lucky.
As the smoke clears, the details of the room become more apparent. There are
various control panels against the walls of this room and stairs leading up to a
second floor. No other entrances or exits are visible within the room.
Hawkins moves in and looks about. "How many are we looking for
sir?" he says to Dakin softly, just incase there was some more Jem's about
somewhere else. But as he watches Havaris's ruthlessness he cant help but to
grin slightly.
Zeel quirks an eyebrow as the Jem'Hadar are shot point blank and unarmed.
"I'm pretty sure that's against regs," she mutters to herself as she
steps further inside and peers about curiously. Immediately, she makes her way
towards the control panels, inspecting them.
Haven follows Zeel within, casting a brief glance at the shoot fired. Seeing
Betazoids down, she slings her rifle, trusting her team to watch out for her and
goes to her knees as she pulls her medical tricorder out and begins to to scan
them.
Wincing at Havaris' point-blank shot, Leah nevertheless moves to the stairs,
climbing the first few steps. Rifle trained upwards, she halts and waits for
instruction.
Dakin looks around the place before speaking. "Haven, see if you can get
the civilians up and ready to move with us. Zeel, check those consoles for the
best way to permanently put this facility out of commission. Havaris, you and
Hawkins take up a position at the entrance. Leah, you and I are going to see
what's upstairs... tricorder telling you anything?"
Havaris shoulders his weapon as he stares down at his greusome handiwork. He
steps off what's left of the neck and glances back to Zeel. "So report
me." As Dakin issues orders, Havaris nods his head simply, motioning
Hawkins to join him near the door. He leans against the doorway lightly, peering
out onto the ruined landscape, scanning for the enemy. "Good luck,
Sir."
Leah speaks up from the stairs, "No Jem'Hadar are upstairs...,"
after glancing at her tricorder.
Hawkins does as ordered, move to outside and takes up position near the door.
As he take up a kneeling down position he starts scanning the area with his
rifle.
Zeel peers at the consoles and taps her chin thoughtfully. "This is
interesting, sir. Apparently, Betazoids _do_ work here. The consoles are in
Federation Standard in addition to the goobedlygook the Dominion uses." She
grins impishly and looks over her shoulder, "Hey, anyone speak
Jem'Hardarian? I have a plan..."
Dakin looks over towards Zeel as he follows Leah up the stairs. "Don't
know that any of us speak their language, which isn't to say you could try to
reconfigure one of our combadge translators to do the work for us." He
looks back up towards Leah, and the second floor that awaits them.
As Leah climbs the stairs, a figure jumps out from behind a corner and sends
a snap kick hurtling at her head...
Havaris is quite unaware of the battle about to erupt at his back, and is
regardless rather obligated to guard the rear. He lifts his tricorder which --
hopefully -- continues to detect life signs, checking for them.
Whack! The foot of whoever attempted to kick Leah plants itself straight on
her nose. Getting kicked in the face is bad enough. Getting kicked on steps is
bad. Leah falls back in to the waiting arms of Dakin. Well we hope he's waiting
to catch her.
Hawkins turns and looks in the door after hearing the coomtion from within.
"What's going on in there?" he says to himself.
Zeel nods once to Dakin, smiling wryly, "That might work. This is what
I'm thinking... we can send a message with this equipment sending most of the
guards at the secondary target on a false attack vector, then just stroll in,
blow it, and stroll out. By the time they figured out what went wrong, we're
home free and the liberation force is on the way." She blinks and looks
towards the stars as Leah falls.
Haven nods as she stuffs her tricorder back in her pocket and opens her
medkit. "They are only stunned but I'm on it." She pulls a hypospray
free of the kit and loads several doses of Coradrenaline into it. She quickly
moves from one victim to the other, injecting the powerful stimulant into each
of their systems. Once done, she returns to her kit and packs it all up as she
says, "I hope like hell they speak standard." Rising to her feet, she
looks around taking a count of all the team and sees Leah fall. She starts to
move in her direction.
Dakin calls out almost plaintively, "MORGAN!!" Dakin moves to
cradle her with one arm as she falls backwards into him while at the same time
bringing his rifle to bear on the figure and squeezing the trigger. "Son of
a..!!" he growls angrily as he fires...
Leah falls back from the attack, phaser rifle falling from her hands and
clattering down the stairs. Luckily she's caught, but she is a lot of dead
weight considering she doesn't have her feet planted firmly any more.
Dakin's phaser blast connects with the shadowed form. The figure falls
forward, revealing it to be a Betazoid male in civilian clothes and a heavy burn
mark on his chest. Apparently a case of mistaken identity both way. But at what
cost?
Havaris motions Hawkins back towards the stairs. "Go. Check it
out." He crouches down inside the door, covering the rear as best as he
can. "When they're up, Haven, get them into a corner on the doorside wall.
Instruct them to be perfectly silent. If they start anything? Stun them
again."
Hawkins does as hes told by Havaris and goes check out the stairs. as he
takes the corner he looks up the stairwell "Lieutenant Dakin are you
alright?"
Haven has partially disconnected.
Zeel blinks at the body of the fallen civvie and glances sidelong at Dakin.
She doesn't say anything, though, opting instead to continue studying the
consoles.
Haven kicks it into a run, sliding to a stop at the side of the civvie.
Quickly she yanks her med tricorder out and scans him though she has already
presumed him dead.
Dakin looks with wide, horrified eyes as he cradles Morgan with his free arm.
"No... Prophets, no..." The arm carrying the rifle drops down, the
emitter thudding against the step.
It wasn't meant to be. As hard as Haven works, the damage done to the
Betazoid's broken body is too great. His life is ended. At the top of the
stairs, a Betazoid voice cries out, "Don't shoot! We surrender!"
Leah has partially disconnected.
Leah 's eyes flutter as she maintains a grip of consciouness. She, obviously,
can't see the blood dripping from her wounded nose, but, she can sure as hell
feel it.
"Hawkins! Back to your post." Whatever happened up there Havaris
doesn't seem to care. He's sticking to the door. A glance is spared to the three
Betazoids in the room, motioning them towards the near corner where he can keep
an eye on them. "Stay quiet and stay there.""
The three Betazoids look confused for a moment, but seeing Havaris in his
Starfleet combat uniform shakes them out of their confusion. They nod and glance
at each other nervously.
Hawkins moves up the stairs until hes directly behind Dakin and Leah
"Sir." he places a hand on the mans shoulder. As he looks to Leah he
looks her over he then looks the Lieutenant "Sir take her down she may need
medical attention." as he wait he looks back up the stairs "United
Federation of Planets. We're here to help. Please stay calm. Were not going to
hurt you." as Hawkins starts back down after hearing the order he decides
to take off his rifle only to drape it over the Lieutenant's shoulder. Only to
pick up the Lieutenant's rifle for his own. "Im coming sir."
"Pull yourself together, Lieutenant!" Zeel snaps sharply to Dakin,
looking over her shoulder at him, "You can agonize over your mistake when
our mission is done." She readies her weapon again turning to the stairs
and aiming carefully. Just in case those aren't Betazoids. "Okay, come
down, nice and slow, hands in the air. We're not going to hurt you." She
passes a sidelong look to the three Betazoids, "Hey, can any of you speak
Jem'Hadar? Pick up enough of the lingo while in close proximity?"
Haven bows her head for a long second, sending the man off to the next life
the comes to her feet in a rush. Spinning around, she moves away from the stairs
and out of the way of any fire. Glancing over at Leah, she asks quickly,
"Look at me. You all right?"
Dakin shakes the cobwebs loose then glances sidelong to Morgan with slightly
saddened eyes. Those eyes then crease as he speaks to Haven, "Once you've
seen to Leah, Ensign, check the ones upstairs for any sort of injuries."
The three Betazoids against the wall shrug and shake their heads at Zeel
while the people upstairs slowly descend. Each one is Betazoid and each has
their hands up in the air. "S-starfleet," the woman at the front of
the line asks while descending.
Leah blinks lazily at Haven, then nods slowly, wincing. "Hurts... But
I'm not dead." She tries to get to her feet, eyes moving back to Dakin
again... perhaps she didn't quite catch the death of the betazoid man.
Havaris remains quietly at his post, scanning over the sight of his rifle,
occasional glances at his tricorder for lifesigns.
Hawkins slowly walks back to his post at the door. "Anything out there
sir?" he askes Havaris as he kneels down next to the other CO.
Zeel nods once, lowering her weapon, "Yes we are, Ma'am. Don't worry,
you're safe with us." Relatively. The Orion then hurries up the stairs,
calling back, "Those consoles down there are just communications and
regulatory stuff. I'm going to look up here for the power grid controls or
something else I can use to blow this place."
The woman at the front of the party leads four other Betazoids down and
stands at attention. "Ensign Kelmpa reporting for duty, sir. Former post,
Betazed Starfleet Command Center Engineering. Current posting, well, this
thing." She motions around at the building. "Are you here to free us,
sir?"
Haven frowns at the response from Leah and sighs, pulling her med tricorder
free and scans her quickly.
Once he's sure that Leah's injuries aren't serious and that she's able to
stand on her own, he gently releases her and starts up the steps after Zeel. As
the Betazoid woman speaks, he replies, "That's correct, Ensign. Lt. Dakin
Rann, head of security, Station 419. Don't worry... we'll get you out of
here." A short pause follows before he says, like it matters worth a damn,
"I'm sorry." He calls down to Havaris without looking towards him,
"Kusto! Get these people ready to move! I want all of us out of here before
this place blows!"
Kelmpa blinks and a large smile spreads on her face. "You're going to
destroy this node? Wonderful! I know this thing inside and out, how can I
help!?"
Leah settles on the stairs when Dakin releases her and waits for treatment.
"What happened?" She looks to Haven for the answer.
"All's quiet, Hawkins. Stay sharp, stay in the game." If Havaris is
aware that a civillian was just killed? He's not showing it. His focus is the
two radial inches at the end of his rifle sight. Once his final scan of the
terrain is complete and Dakin's orders are issued, Kusto rises to his feet.
"Watch the door, Hawkins." He calls out loudly, "Aye, Sir!"
And with that, turns to the assembled Betazoids. "Lt. JG Havaris Kusto,
Starfleet Security, Assistant Chief of Security, Station 419, Dulcais Sector. If
you would all form into an orderly pair of lines, I'm going to lead you out of
here and towards some cover. Can any of you handle a phaser?"
All the Betazoids save Kelmpa shake their heads as each is a civilian,
apparently, with no combat training or experience.
Hawkins watches the horizon as he look scans the horizon with his 'new'
rifle.
Zeel pauses mid step and looks over her shoulder at Kelmpa. "You
do?" she asks curiously, smile spreading over her face, "Do you know
where the main power control panel is?" A pause, "You can't, by any
chance, speak Jem'Hadar, can you? Or know how to send a message on a secure
channel so they won't think anything's a trap?"
Haven looking from her tricorder to Leah, she says, "Your nose is broken
but that's an easy fix just not right now." Glancing at the dead Betazoid,
she sighs and looks back at Leah, "Cone on, get to your feet. We need to
move on out of here."
Dakin approaches Zeel as he removes his programmable charge from its
container on his pack. "Zeel, have Ensign Kelmpa show you what you need,
then set this device for a five-minute delay and attach it to wherever it'll do
the right amount of damage." He then hands it to the Orion, then makes his
way down the stairs with the others.
Kelmpa shakes her head, boggled by Zeel's questions. "Underground where
none of us can reach without escort, only the cuss words, and no, I'm not very
good at communications." Staring at the explosive charge, she nods and
says, "But if you set that by the coolant system upstairs and overode the
emergency shutdown this place would blow sky high."
Leah nods and stands once more, using the nearest wall to steady herself.
Once she's back to the ground floor again, she gives Dakin a worried look, then
moves on to Hawkins. "Not at all like I imagined Betazed."
"Ensign Kelmpa." Havaris says it simply, drawing out his hold-out
phaser, underhanding it towards the woman. "Just in case. I think you'll be
needed here." He then glances to the others. "Right, people. Nice and
orderly, keep your heads down and your mouths shut. Everyone that's not vital to
the detonation, cover our flanks as we move. Move out." That said, Kusto
turns on a heel and begins moving out across the landscape again, heading for a
crater at a rather safe distance.
Kelmpa takes the phaser, nods, and leads Zeel upstairs.
Everyone else follows Havaris.
Hawkins smiles upon hearing her "Yeah. Ill make sure to send a message
to the tourism board." a hint of humor in his voice as he continues survey
the area. As the orders are given he speaks "Lieutenant Havaris. Request
permission to wait for Zeel sir."
Zeel nods and winks, hefting the explosive. "Right. Let's do it,
then." And up the stairs she goes, to install the coolant bomb of doom.
Haven stowing her gear, she squats beside the dead man. Taking his hands in
her she leans back, using her body as leverage to lift his upper body off the
floor. Once done, she wedges her shoulder above his groin area letting his torso
drape down her back. Wiggling her shoulder a bit to get it in the right
position, she takes a deep breath and pushes up, using her leg muscles exhaling
slowly as she rises to her feet. After gaining her feet, she bumps the body a
bit, settling him better on her shoulder in a fireman lift. Turning to the door,
she follows the others out.
Dakin swings the phaser rifle on his arm back to firing position and, doing a
last check to make sure everyone who doesn't need to be here isn't, makes his
way out of the building after Kusto and the others.
Kelmpa heads up the stairs and points Zeel to a glowing blue tube.
"That's the coolant chamber, and that," she says and points to the
console beside it, "is what you need to overide so this place goes
up."
Leah takes out her type-2 phaser and sets it on a high intensity setting,
following along with Havaris as quick as she dares.
Havaris turns about. "Denied, Ensign. Move out. Cover the civvies.
Kelmpa's got her back." Back about, pacing ahead of the group.
Hawkins has partially disconnected.
Hawkins waits till the last civilian is out the door before following them.
though close to the group the yound ensign continues to look over his shoulder
incase of a threat would follow them.
Zeel nods twice, setting the explosive down carefully and moving towards the
console, examining it curiously, "Got any experience in demolitions,
Ensign?"
Haven trudges along behind the others keeping her eyes moving from the
placement of her feet and the group in front of her. Her steps a bit slow as the
dead weight on her shoulder drags at her.
Raijin holds her hands up and shakes her head. "Not me, sir. Might not
need any, though." She opens up a hatch on the side of the tube and says,
"This is where we insert the coolant rods, but that should fit
nicely."
"Warning. Emergency overides disengaged."
Leah motions vaguely in the direction of the other structures in the
vicinity, "The next objective is that way, isn't it sirs?"
Havaris leads his pack of civillians, flanked by the other Starfleet
operatives, towards the cover he'd selected, the blast crater some distance from
the compound. He steps carefully over the rim, aiding the civvies into the
crater, directing them to cover their heads and ears on the lee of the crater's
surface. It's an agonizingly slow process, of course, and leaves him terribly
exposed with his weapon shouldered. But there you have it.
Hawkins helps the last civialian into the crater before turning and looking
back to the installation.
"Pity. Neither have I. Oh, well, there's a first time for
everything," Zeel replies with a sardonic smile. She quickly taps on the
panel which gives an acknowledging beep and nods with a grunt, "There we
go." Now turning to the coolant conduit and the open access panel, Zeel
hefts up the bomb and begins to set it, "Okay, Kelmpa...? Just in case...
get out now."
Haven grunts to herself as she crests the lip of the crater and tumbles
awkwardly down the other side, barely able to stay on her feet, "Ooooh some
help here..."
Dakin hops down into the crater with the rest of them. Tapping his combadge
and eyeing the installation cursorily, he says with an already haggard voice,
"Dakin to Zeel. What's your status?" As he sees Haven, he heads over
to assist her in with the rest of them.
Kelmpa draws the phaser given to her and follows Zeel out of the compound.
Leah settles down inside the crater, glancing over at Haven. When she sees
the woman's burden, she looks away, biting her lower lip.
Havaris gets the last of the gathering into the crater and slinks down
himself, lying on his back with his weapon across his chest. He crosses his legs
at the ankles, rests his head back onto a folded arm, and ... relaxes a bit.
Hawkins moves to Haven "Here let me help. Ill take them." and as he
waits to take the burden off her shoulers he keeps looking the way they came
from.
Zeel taps her combage to reply, "We're about to blow it... NOW!"
Witha deft motion, Zeel sets the timer and tosses it into the access panel,
waving her hands, "Go! Go!"
Haven lefts Hawkins help ease the man to the ground then drops to her
haunches letting out a long slow breath. She flashes Hawkins a quick smile,
"Thanks."
Dakin's brow creases as the message from Zeel comes over his combadge.
"Acknowledged, Zeel, now get out of there!" He calls out to the
assembled as he hunkers into the wall of the crater. "Everyone down!
NOW!!"
Kelmpa dashes out of the entrance and heads for the crater, ducking down with
the rest of the team.
Leah covers her ears and closes her eyes, her phaser next to her in the
crater.
Havaris rolls over onto his front, covering up his head with his hands.
Hawkins give Haven the same smile "Welcome. Now get down.
Close on the Betazoid Ensign's heels is Zeel, running quite quickly and
jumping behind the crater.
Haven doesn't need to be told twice as she hits the dirt, flat on her back
and covers her ears.
An explosion echos out from the compound, followed by warning klaxons. Less
than five minutes later the ground erupts as an antimatter breach tears at the
compound and surrounding area. Up above, the sky flickers as the shield goes
down. Bits of dirt rain from the skies while white hot fires burn in a deep pit
where the shield generator was. The planetary shield is down, but now the
Jem'Hadar know exactly where to look for the intruders.
