Riot

Posted on Tue Dec 25th, 2018 @ 4:10pm by Senior Chief Petty Officer Fernando De La Rosa [Taylor]

Mission: Season 2: Episode 3: Determination is not always a good thing
Location: Cortic
2632 words - 5.3 OF Standard Post Measure

Colonel vel-Cro, the Andorian woman in charge of Cortic's Home Guard, had taken command of the city from the civil authorities as soon as the state of emergency had been declared. She was one of three full time Home Guard officers, who were in charge of planning operations, maintaining supplies, running training exercises and similar affairs and she felt right in her element at the moment.

That didn't mean she was actually happy. Like any other sane person, she was much happier when the preparations made weren't actually needed. There was one human phrase most Andorians subscribed to: Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum. Loosely translated, who desires peace should prepare for war. Not that this was warfare, but it was little better.

From her hover chair, she had all the command and control functions she needed and was directing the efforts of those Home Guard personnel who weren't on search and rescue or camp maintenance duty. She had full confidence in Captain Anderson, talkative, gregarious and pompous as he was, to run that side of things. He was competent, at least, and that was all she asked.

"vel-Cro to Starfleet forces", she said into her chair microphone. "There is a large disturbance near the main market. Phasers are being fired, I'm having my teams block off streets but our sensors aren't working right. We could use some professional help." She didn't trust her Home Guard, mostly trained for civil defence duties, to fight a battle.

Fernando and Anya had finished up their work at the main camp. Force field projectors were in place and functioning. They would both protect the camp and funnel the crowd into two easy to manage and maintain checkpoints. Anya's trench should serve as a passive defense against any mob. They heard Colonel vor-Cro ask for assistance from the Starfleet security forces. He looked at Anya, "That is close to us Anya. Let us go and lend a hand, see if we can take care of the problem."

"Yes, let's get into a real fight", Anya agreed. "Watch out for ambushes, okay? I don't want to make a habit of getting shot in the butt." She checked if she still had a full charge for her phaser as well as her tricoder, which she wanted more as a companion in most fights than a phaser rifle, and moved out. "These Home Guard, they're a funny lot, aren't they?"

Fernando was checking his phaser as well. All was good on that front. He had a full charge though unlike his partner he wished he had phaser rifle but that wasn't to be. He looked at her, "Yes, a real fight. We will show the locals how professionals handle this sort of problem." He looked around and then back at her, "You good to go?"

"Aye, I just hope I can rely on my tricorder at close range." Anya preferred to shoot from behind cover, based on where sensors told her the targets were.

As they approached the market area, the Andorian woman in the hoverchair came floating down towards them from her high vantage point at the top of a building. "I'm Colonel vel-Cro, Cortic Home Guard", she introduced herself. "Just the two of you?"

"I hope so too Anya." Fernando replied as a woman in a hover chair floated down to meet and introduce herself. Fernando looked at Anya, then glanced behind her before looking at the Colonel and replying simply, "Just the two of us Colonel."

"I'd expected more of a squad, but perhaps those civilians aren't as dangerous after all", vel-Cro said. "They're taking apart the market, looking for food as the replicators are out in most of the city. I'm not worried about them damaging equipment, but there's fights among them for some of the things they find. We need to convince them their best option is to come out peacefully and go to a shelter. But I'm not expecting people fighting for scraps to have reason enough to see that. I'd like a second option."

"Just us. No squad." Fernando repeated. "There may not be a second option Colonel. These people are desperate. They feel the government has let them down, failed them. They see you and your Home Guard as the enemy." He continued "And since they're desperate. Desperate people do desperate things. One of which is they stop to think rationally."

"That's why I called for your help", vel-Cro said. "I'm going to fly in, speak to them from above, try to calm them down. Failing that, exits have been blocked off and they can't escape to cause more harm elsewhere. But we'll have to bring them in and I don't want casualties if they can be avoided."

"If you can herd them one way, we can take them out. Your people can provide cover fire?" Anya asked. "They'll be safe enough, can't expect weekend soldiers to fight in a melee."

Colonel vel-Cro frowned but held her tongue. Anya was right, they were weekend soldiers. She suspected most of them had joined up because it was a fun thing to do every now and then. "They're not an army. I can't expect them to stand and hold. An officer needs to know the limitations of those under her command."

"Weekend Warriors." Fernando mumbled under his breath. "Not asking them to stand and hold Colonel, we're asking for them to give us cover fire. They can do that can't they?" He challenged. "Anya's right, if you can provide cover fire, we can work our way in and persuade the looters that this action doesn't do them any good."

"Yes, they can do that", vel-Cro agreed. She grabbed the manual chair control and a force field shimmered into existence. "I'll be providing cover from above, too, make them keep their heads down. I don't want to shoot down to eliminate cover as I might kill someone." She grumbled. "Some of them might deserve it, but I might not hit those."

Fernando glanced at Anya, "Let's do this." He said simply. All the while thinking it would have been nice if they had portable force field projectors. But they didn't and there was no point in crying over it. "Let's see if we can ID the ringleaders, if we can take them out or convince them to give up. It will make this all so much simpler."

Anya nodded. "Most of them will just drop to the floor the moment the first shot is fired. We'll have to worry about those who don't. Once they're in custody, we'll lead the others to camp, is what I'm thinking."

"Make it so", vel-Cro said, having adopted one of Starfleet's most iconic phrases. She used her joystick and the hover chair sped up and away at surprising speed, moving in between buildings with agility expected of combat craft. She had obviously made some extensive modifications to her chair, to remain effective in action despite having lost her legs.

She approached the market from up top, using a loudspeaker to amplify her voice. "Attention, citizens. This is Colonel vel-Cro of the Home Guard." Most knew who she was but not her voice. "We have established relief camps outside the city, safe from earthquakes and fires, with enough food for everybody. Lay down your arms and make an orderly exit along Maxwell Street. You and your families will be cared for."

The Colonel's statement was met with cries of "Liar! You're in their pocket!" Then phaser shots rang out striking the force field but not injuring the Colonel.

Fernando looked at Anya, "They have phasers. Great." in a voice that showed his displeasure at this revelation. "And I thought this was going to be easy."

"Are these things ever easy?" Anya smirked. "Bloody civilians, we can't even hurt them... badly."

"Don't make me come down there", vel-Cro said, trying to intimidate them into surrendering. She fired off a couple of phaser pulses from the emitters mounted where her feet would have been, had she had them. They were set to stun and didn't even hit anybody, she hoped they'd have an effect regardless. A button push later and everywhere but Maxwell street had phaser fire pouring forward. There were but a handful of Home Guard stationed at every exit, behind makeshift barricades, but they clearly indicated to the rioters what their field of fire was, and where it wasn't safe to tread.

Fernando rechecked his phaser, making sure it was on stun. "Maybe not." He agreed "But we can give them one hell of a headache." He looked up at the Colonel's flying chair. "Her damn fools are going to get someone killed. I thought they were trying to prevent a firefight."

"They started it..." Anya grumbled. "Let's finish it." She moved out, using a wall for cover. She set her tricorder to scan for where the phasers were, rather than the people. There were too many people, but fewer weapons. She held her phaser around a corner and aimed for one of the bright spots on her sensor, the fired. Someone made a very satisfying thump hitting the floor.

A voice rang out, "They shot Flam! Take cover!" Fernando came up on Anya's side. "Nice shooting. Can you tell if they're all holed up in one place? If they are we can isolate them hopefully let them see how pointless this is."

Anya showed him her tricorder readings. "Have a look", she said as more shots were fired, this time in both directions. Air support was strong, and the next shots vel-Cro fired hit their mark, dropping several people to the floor. Others were running for cover inside the market stands, currently unattended.

Fernando looked at the tricorder readings ans swore softly. "Can you get a building floor plan? If we can come at them from below, surprise them, we can end this."

As he spoke a deep voice shouted, "This Jac Legg. We know how the government works! You promise help but never deliver! We'll be left to starve and die."

"You're a Federation citizen, you stupid oaf!" Anya shouted. "You've spent too much time in comfort to know how to deal with two days without a shower and a feast? Well, probably not too worried about the shower part by the smell of things!" Then, in a lower voice. "You want to burn a way through the ground to get into a cellar?"

"Very diplomatic Anya." He chuckled. "Not really. I'd rather find an access point where we can come up below them. If we can then we can get the Colonel and her troops to concentrate their fire on the front of the building and we sneak in from below."

"Lead on", Anya said. "I'll guard your rear for a change."

"Colonel. Anya and I are going to come at the rioters from below. Have your people fire on the front of the building." He looked back at Anya, "Let's go." As he darted off between some piles of garbage and debris.

"I'll make them keep their heads down", vel-Cro confirmed, manoeuvring her chair into Maxwell street to close off that gap for anyone who was going to come out with phasers firing.

Anya followed Fernando, wondering how long it would take for people used to a comfortable and secure life to completely lose it. She'd have thought it would take a week at least, but apparently that wasn't the case. "Pity we can't get a transporter lock down here."

"If wishes were horses, Anya." Fernando replied as they moved along. "Something else is going on here. This is more than just being hungry." He continued along until he found a door partially open. "Here." He said.

"Someone inciting them to riot against their own government?" Anya wondered. In a proper democracy, that was almost unheard of. She'd read in history books, those countries which pretended to be democracies but were in truth run by wealthy interest groups paying the politicians to decide in their favour, that occasionally the people had been fed up enough to riot, and sometimes actually effect change. But in the Federation? This was indeed strange. "I guess we can ask them once we've got them in custody."

"Indeed we shall Anya." Fernando said in agreement then stopped. "Listen....." Voices could be heard, One saying. "We have to be strong! Stay united. Force the government to face up to the truth." He looked at Anya, "Interesting, is it not?"

Then another voice spoke, "They will kill us all before they admit any wrongdoing."

"Pic Pockett, grow a pair. We keep this up the Federation will look into our complaints."

"If they don't kill us."

Just then a barrage of phaser fire could be heard.

"What have those people been told?" Anya wondered. "Okay, scanners say they're all near the wall by the front door. They're expecting someone to come in." She chuckled softly. "Stupid fucks, we'd have collapsed the wall or even the entire building if we wanted to kill them. Have they completely lost the capacity for rational thought?"

"That's it exactly, Anya, they have lost the ability for rational thought." Fernando replied. "Not mention they're scared shitless and to say they don't trust their government is an understatement."

"Okay, so how do you want to take them?" Anya asked. "Barge in, continued beam and spray the wall?" It was simple but it might work, especially if they hadn't been smart enough to barricade themselves in from any other angle but up front.

"I think that's the safest and best way to go Anya. We can't waste time trying to decide who might shoot us, especially not as afraid, and angry as they are. We have our phasers on stun. They might have theirs on kill. I'm not willing to take that chance. Not when our lives are at stake. I don't want us lying on the floor and one of these dipshits saying, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to!"

"Agreed." Anya liked how they both thought alike. "We make a pretty good team, you and I. All right, I'm taking the left. Three, two, one..." And she popped up and immediately strafed the wall with her barrage.

Fernando nodded. "Yes we do. Perhaps they will continue to pair us together." As Anya popped into the room, Fernando was right beside her, showering the right of the room with constant phaser fire. The whole thing lasted a few seconds, then it was over and the rioters lay in a heap before them. Fernando kneeled beside one of the bodies. "They are all out."

"Let's tie them up", Anya said. She was a fan of doing that. It beat having to watch them as they came to, to lead them to where they'd be going.

Outside, the Home Guard was advancing on the building, dragging with them the few rioters who had been stunned outside. "Nice shooting", the Colonel said. "You've got enough holding cells for all of them?"

Fernando shared a look with Anya before focusing his attention on the Colonel. "Yes." He replied simply.

"Where shall we bring them so you can take them aboard?" she asked. "When this is over, we can try them here. But for now, we haven't got the facilities to hold them."

"Back to the main camp. We'll transport them to Elysium from there and keep them there." Fernando answered coolly.

"You heard the petty officer, move them out", vel-Cro ordered. One duty she didn't mind shirking, she wasn't equipped to move people forcefully. She hovered closer to the two Starfleet NCOs and said quietly, "You've been a good example to them. Maybe next time, if there is one, they'll be able to handle it without your help."

"One can only hope Colonel." Fernando answered.