The Devil Comes Calling

Posted on Wed Nov 24th, 2021 @ 8:10am by Captain Mattias Richardson [Reece] & Kyle Cragen [Reece] & Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Commander Arrianna Salannis an Vantar & Michael Bishop & Lieutenant Commander Malakai Starr [Taylor] & Sasha Stone [Whavi] & Lieutenant Clara Lawson & 1st Lieutenant Joshua Young [Taylor] & Lieutenant Commander Kara Starr {Kelea-Salik} & Consul Josephine Carlyle-Cragen & Tristi Richardson

Mission: Darkness Rising - A Phoenix Lalor Sub Plot
Location: Rigel X, New Black Watch Base, Cragen's ship
Timeline: MD 28 / 0234 Hours (local)
3317 words - 6.6 OF Standard Post Measure

===In Orbit of Rigel X===

Cragen quietly stalked his bridge. He was so close, he could almost smell his quarry. His ship had been in orbit over Rigel X for nearly twelve hours. The reason why he was still up here, and not planetside, stringing up those Blackwatch fools for stealing from him and destroying his base of operations, was because their location had yet to be identified.

"Bishop, you had better find them soon." He growled menacingly. "If you don't, I will be very upset."

Bishop nodded as he continued to scan the planet's surface in an attempt to find those who had stolen from Cragen and destroyed their base and his labs. "Working on it sir." He replied keeping his voice calm and neutral.

Cragen snarled again, though, he didn't say anything. He knew that Bishop was doing everything possible to fine tune the interrupted beacon. He saw that the search grid had already dropped by half in the last hour. They were now scanning an area five hundred square kilometers in size. It would take a little more time.

Bishop knew Cragen's patience was nearing the breaking point and he desperately wanted to ease the anger coursing through Cragen as he painstakingly scanned the area when suddenly he got a ping from the subcutaneous transponder he had injected in Flossie when she and Blondie first arrived in case they had tried to escape. He double checked the reading before informing Cragen.

===Blackwatch Compound===
Kate was in the middle of preparing the Rising Phoenix for launch when she suddenly stopped. She had suddenly sensed not only Kyle Cragen and Michael Bishop... But... Josie... Her mental bond with Josie sprang to life. That only ment one thing; they were near and close.

She tapped her combadge. "Lily. I sense Josie. Get everyone armed. He's here!!!"

Kate closed her eyes. ~Josie... It's me.. Arrianna. I know you may be somewhere within her mind. Please don't give up, don't ever give up. Don't forget how he tortured you, tortured me... I'm coming for you.~


===In Orbit of Rigel X===

Bishop was now positive of his reading. "Sir, I've located our quarry. It appears they are some distance from the city."

This news caused Cragen to growl angrily. He turned his glare to Bishop. "Assemble a strike team. Big enough that you can sustain a frontal attack long enough, to distact them. They will be expecting a frontal assault. Be prepared for traps and autoguns. It's what I would do." As he started to formulate the attack plan, he actually calmed. It was a bit unnerving to see.

"While you are distracting them, I will take a small team and find a way to infiltrate from the rear. Once I am inside, I'll deactivate the compound's shields. Then they can all be beamed directly into the brig cells!"

Bishop nodded. "At once. If you find Flossie, I ask that she be turned over to me." As he began to assemble a strike team of the finest fighters still on the payroll.

Cragen smirked evily. "We shall see. Now go. And make plenty of noise!" He then turned and left the bridge. He had to get ready.

Bishop remained silent. This was so like Cragen, he asked for everything but was very reluctant to dole out favors. Yet despite it all Bishop remained loyal to the man. He turned and left to join the strike team and lead the attack on those who had caused so much trouble for Cragen and himself.

===Blackwatch Compound===

Upon hearing Kate's message, Mattias and Phoenix sprang from their bed and quickly dressed. "I sure hope this is another false alarm!" He said as he clipped on his gunbelt.

She grabbed her clothes and pulled them on before grabbing her phaser rifle and long sword. "Same"

As the couple moved to leave their room, Mattias pulled Phoenix to him. Looking deep into her eyes, he said, "Whatever happens, be safe, my love."

Phoenix kissed him deeply. "You too Love"

He returned the kiss with equal passion. Then, reluctantly, he released his hold on her so they could hurry to their respective locations. Mattias made a bee-line to the armory and quickly donned his battle armor, powering up the systems as another team member entered the room behind him.

Malakai entered, grabbed a pulse rifle and a phaser. He already had a satchel draped across his chest containing several different types of explosives. "I have Kara in Sickbay. She's well protected there and has a phaser and her bat'leth."

"What about the kid?" Mattias was referring to Tristi, as he finished the start up sequence on his armor. Standing, he turned to face his brother-in-law. "She should be with Kara as well!"

Malakai looked over at Mattias "I'm not sure." He confessed.

Sasha entered groggy eyed but alert. She had time to strap a blade to her thigh before leaving her quarter but also held a phaser in her right hand.
"I can grab her and bring her to Kara." Sasha offered.

Looking over at her, Mattias grinned and nodded. "Thanks, Sasha!" He then looked over at Malakai. "Ready, Bro?" He asked as he activated the internal control to close and seal his helmet.

Sasha nodded curtly and turned around and quickly headed back to the rooms to search for Tristi.

Malakai nodded. He checked his explosives. "Ready. Let's do this. Time to take this bastard down."

Mattias chuckled. Malakai was always so calm and level. Well, unless Kara was involved. Then he tended get a bit testy. "Lead the way, Boss."

Malakai gave a grim smile, "It's payback time. Time to bring Josie home and be reunited with Kate. Let's not disappoint."

In the medbay Kara was feeling nervous, very nervous, what if Cragen found the base? Could sense her presence? She knew very little about El Aurians. She kept her phaser and her Bat’leth nearby just in case she needed to use them.

As Malakai and Mattias left the armory, Malakai ordered, "Pull up your sensors, where are we weakest? That's where we will be hit. So we have to let them in and slam the door behind them. I can set up a blast to close the door, all we need is to hold the front door."

Nodding inside his helmet, Mattias did as ordered. "Looks like there are three possibilities. Well, two actually. The one road in and out of here, which I'm sure they would realize will be heavily fortified. The second is an aerial and sniping attack from one of the nearby peaks. And the third, well, if they're part mountain goat, is from below the compound, up the face of the cliff we are on."

Malakai considered the possibilities. "Two is out, they'd be concerned with hitting their own troops. I agree one would be foolhardy so that leaves them coming up the face of the mountain, with aerial support. I can rig a charge to be triggered remotely to bring the whole side of the mountain down on them

Mattias stopped and turned to Malakai, opening his helmet as he responded. "Uh, as we are currently on said side of the mountain, perhaps that's not a good idea? We don't want to risk the structural integrity of this place. Maybe we do a quick install of a couple auto guns, to scan the edge. Besides, it would take longer for them to come up that way, than the other two ways."

Malakai grinned at Mattias. "What's the matter Mattias? Don't have any confidence in my placement of the charges? We'll do an install of auto guns. I think four should be enough."

Mattias returned the grin. "Oh, it has nothing to do with confidence in your skill. It's confidence in this mountain top. We don't know what your firecrackers will do to the strata."

Malakai chuckled, "Ye of little faith. Don't you think I took that into consideration? But have it your way. we'll hold on placing charges here,"

Meanwhile Josh had gotten to the armory, grabbed a pulse rifle, along with a phaser and waited for Anna to show.

>>tag Anna

Kate stopped a moment as she proceeded to one of the defensive locations. "Mattias.. I need to see to something. I'll return soon."

Looking back at Kate as she hurried away, the Marine replied. "Well, don't take too long, Malakai and I might not leave you any targets!"

===

Meanwhile Bishop was assembling both his ground forces and aerial support for the attack. "We will attack here." He pointed to the side of the mountain. "The ground forces will have aerial support. The defenses are weak here. We can overwhelm them."


===


Sasha banged on Tristi's door with a tight fist, "Tristi, it's Sasha. Are you in there?!" She shouted at the closed door.

Tristi came out looking worried. "I am."

"I don't have all the details but I need to get you to a safer location." She took Trisit's hand in hers and pulled her down the hall towards the medbay running but her eyes shifting constantly down each dark hallway.

Tristi followed in silence.

===

Meanwhile in Medbay Kara was hoping she and Tristi were in the best place, both for safety and security. She was nervous about Cragen being anywhere near, especially knowing she was one of his descendants.

Tristi was silent, curled against the wall.

“Are you Okay?” Kara offered a smile as she walked over to Tristi. “I’m sorry I’m not much company am I?”

"Its ok. I will stay out of the way." The teenager replied.

===

Suddenly, the sound of weapons fire could be heard outside. There was a mix of directed energy blasts, grenades exploding and even an occasional scream of pain from one of the attackers as he or she was shot down.

===
(Twenty minutes later)

Kate came over the coms. "Lily, Malakai. I have captured Cragen."

Mattias perked up, hearing this. Looking over at Malakai, he asked, incredulously, "What did she just say?"

"Sounded like she said had captured Cragen." Malakai replied. "That can't be right can it?"

Mattias shrugged, well, shrugged as much as he could in his armor, as he replied. "I'm not sure. Kate hasn't struck me as someone who makes things up. Since she called you, you better go see. I've got this."

Malakai nodded, "Me neither. Alright, I'll be back so don't go getting any ideas of having fun while I'm gone." He said half seriously. With that he turned and headed to Kate's location to find out just what was going on.

Mattias grinned from behind his sealed helmet. He then turned an fired two of the small rockets that were loaded into his suit's left gauntlet. The pair of microrockets quickly shot out after their target, an enemy aerial trooper, this one a small Ferengi. Both microrockets found their target easily and turned the enemy into a cloud of green mist.

====Another part of the compound===

Lily sat crouched by a wall and took pot shots where she could taking out the incoming enemies.

At first, several fell to her expertly placed shots. Then, as if on cue, they halted their advance and started to fall back. A few tossed smoke and flare grenades, to hide their retreat.

=== Medical Bay ===

The door opened and Kate pushed a hovercart in with an unconscious Kyle Cragen on it. She looked at Kara. "I need him alive... for now... " She helped get him onto a biobed and began to strap down his limbs. "Keep him restrained."

Kara stood staring at Cragen for a moment before shaking off her surprise and concern at his presence. She nodded as she looked at Kate. “Is he wounded, or just unconscious?”

As if to answer unbidden, Cragen groaned softly, as his brow furrowed and he rolled his head from one side to the other slowly.

Malakai burst into the room just then, was about to say something, stopped as he saw Cragen on the biobed. "Well I will be damned. You did it, Kate." Admiration in his voice.

"I have done nothing." Kate noted. "As long as he is here, in our custody, I will use his life for Josie's. He is my bargaining chip, and because I respect Lily, I'll use him to complete your mission as well. As long as we have him. Bishop will reconsider any action that results in his master's death." Kate mentioned. "But Bishop will not be idle for long... An enforcer he is, but a mastermind he is not." Kate mentioned. "Cragen does not favor creativity in his servants. Regardless, I will have my partner back even if I have to tear Bishop and his ship apart."

Kara looked at Cragen, his sudden stirring had her frozen in place as she looked at him, her mind was still reeling from learning she was one of his progeny.

"Easy Kara, he isn't going to hurt you. Especially not with all of us here to toast his ass." Malakai said firmly as he moved to stand next to Kara and offer her some support.

Over the comms each of the team wore, Mattias's voice could be heard. "Uh, guys? What's happening down there? Our unwelcomed guests seem to be pulling back! Is everyone alright down there?!"

Kara took a deep breath before answering her brother’s call. “That’s probably because we have Cragen in Sickbay.”

There was a pause, before Mattias spoke again, concern in his voice. "Is everyone alright?!"

"Everyone is fine, Mattias, relax." Malakai answered his brother in law. "Come on down here."

"I'll be down in a bit. Gonna stay up here for a while, make sure they don't try anything funny out there."

"Alright suit yourself. Holler if any of them try anything and we'll all come running." Malakai replied still not quite believing they, well Kate, had captured Cragen.

"You got it." Mattias closed the channel and then set his suit's active sensors on full power. He was going to make sure nothing happened. His family would be protected, even if it cost him his life.


*Cragen's ship*

Bishop stood on the bridge of Cragen's ship. His boss Kyle Cragen had been captured and was in the hands of those who want Sephine back. For his part, Bishop had Sephine locked in her quarters until he figured what to do with her. he was sure a demand would be made for her. However he needed to hear the terms of such a demand. In the mean time, he kept both ground and aerial forces on alert. To launch a counter strike if and when the time came.

*Black Watch Compound*

In the med bay, Cragen finally started to come to. The first thing he noticed was that he was restrained. Then, he saw the faces around him. "So, you think you've won," he said in a quiet tone.

Kara walked up alongside the bed. “Does it have to be a case of winning or losing?” She looked at Cragen as she ran a scan with her tricorder. “How are you feeling?”

Kate suddenly punched him in the head. "Make sure he lives, Kara." Kate glared at him. Some sadness appeared In her eye as she looked at Cragen. Arri, Flossie, and the overwhelming hatred of Kate at war inside one woman.

Cragen took the blow with crying out. He turned his head and spit the broken tooth and some blood out. He then turned back to look at the two women who had addressed him first. "Ah, my dear Flossi. Is that all you have? For if it is, we are going to be here a very long time." He then cast his eyes on Kara. "And you. I thought there was a familiar feel to you when you came into my club. My progeny, one time lier, now my doctor. How quaint."

He then cast his eyes over the rest of the group. "Ah, if it's not muscles in a suit," he said dismissively to Malakai. Then he looked at each of the rest of those assembled directly in the eye, bever flinching away from their stairs. "Now what?"

Kate drew a rag from somewhere and tied it into Cragen's mouth tight, as tight as hers was. "It is not necessary for you to talk. You are a resource.... You will eventually tell me where to find Josie.. or so help me. I will make you experience ever moment of pain you ever inflicted on me and my mate. That should not be a concept too difficult for you to understand, and before you brag in some self-righteous tirade.. Know this. You made me along with Flossi. You better hope the woman I love is still in there somewhere or by the ascendants, I will avenge her. Be silent and shut your moth." Kate slapped him again. She turned to leave. "Make sure the gag stays, Malakai. Tighten it if he talks. As tight as my gag was."

Through the gag, Cragen was actually...chuckling? He did not fear what paltry excuse for pain that Flossi, or Kate, or whatever she called herself, had in mind. He had been tortured by experts, thought dead, only to come back and take his vengeance more times than he could count now. Pain was no longer a fear. It was a tool, a tool he was an expert in using.

Kara sighed she had no choice but to treat Cragen and making his injuries worse left her with more work to do. “I need to treat him, how do I do that with a gag in his mouth?”

Cragen gave the group a look of impotent anger. He knew he was caught. However, he also knew that, eventually, someone would make a mistake, and he would find a way to escape.

"Strap him down, cuff him, put a collar around his neck. But his gag is not coming off." Kate mentioned. "You can treat the rest of him restrained."

Kara sighed and nodded, then looked at Cragen. “I’ll take a look at those injuries for you.”

Through the gag, Cragen grunted softly. He then closed his eyes and started to meditate.

**Mattias's shooting location**

Still seeing no approaching enemy, Mattias's suit sensors, on full active scan, could see that they weren't gone thought. From the various peaks nearby, he could still detect enemy forces, seemingly waiting for something. He activated his comm unit. "Lily, I'm seeing about a half dozen possible sniper positions aimed down at us from the surrounding peaks. They're clearly waiting for something."

"So do we give them a target?" she replied through the comm.

Even in the heat of battle, Mattias couldn't help himself. "Sure," he grinned, almost calling her, Your Highness, but didn't as he wasn't sure their comm lines were still secure. "Why don't you mosey on out there and give 'em a strip show. Any that gawk at you, I'll kill."

"Not quite what I had in mind." the dry reply came. "But I have no problem being a moving target"

"Don't you fuckin' dare, Dearest." Mattias growled slightly. "I'd melt this whole planet down if even one hair on your head was harmed." He hoped that she could see past his earlier bad joke and hear the sincerity in his words.

"Hmm ok so how do we spring their trap then?"

Mattias didn't have an answer for her. Instead, he said, "Maybe you should go see our new guest instead. I'll set up some more autoguns and then come in too."

A sigh wafted over the comm. "Yeah go see the homicidal maniac." she muttered.

"Be good, and I'll give you a present later, Dearest." Mattias couldn't help but grin at that. Then he set to work, getting more autoguns in position and online.


~OFF~