Fight's On....

Posted on Sun Mar 17th, 2019 @ 8:33am by Captain Gary Taylor & Lieutenant JG Gallia Norris & Lieutenant Commander Turak & Senior Chief Petty Officer Fernando De La Rosa [Taylor]

Mission: Season 2: Episode 3: Determination is not always a good thing
Location: Cortic VI
Timeline: after Recovery
1457 words - 2.9 OF Standard Post Measure

Liorga arrived in under the promised five minutes, finding Taylor, Brett, Gallia, and an assortment of others there, waiting to hear from her what exactly they were doing and why. She wasn't nervous about going into what would, no doubt, quickly turn into a shooting solution, though addressing all these senior officers wasn't precisely a thrill, "Okay, I don't guess I have to tell you that I've managed, with Cdr. Holmes' help, to escape from my captors." Liorga began, "But the job isn't over, ladies and gentlemen, it's only just beginning. There are other captives in there, other women, some of them merely children. Women we have to free from a scumbag criminal for the sake of their lives."

"Don't see what this has to do with us." A Home Guard soldier spoke up from the back.

"Quiet!" Anderson barked. "Take that man's name, Sergeant."

"This criminal has somehow gotten his hands on advanced weaponry. TR-116's, gun drones, and who knows what else. Oh, and not to mention he's got a cannon that can knock ships from the sky." Liorga fired back, "See what this has to do with us now?"

The Home Guard didn't reply, quickly going quiet.

"So whaddaya want us to do, Li?" Gallia asked, "Just name it."

"Right." Anje cosigned, "We're all in."

"And if we absolutely, positively have to take the engineers into combat with us", Anya said. "I'd like to volunteer to cover them. Having them get shot will be no good at all."

Liorga was tempted to tell her soon to be former roomie that she'd been in shooting situations since before the younger woman was a twinkle in her mom's eye, but simply said, "Good, we're going to need people watching our backs."

The news that Anya was coming along did nothing for Sami Justice's mood, but she was determined to go on this mission, no matter what. Maybe when I get to DS9 I'll try and pick up a dabo girl, she thought, just got to survive first.

Turak spoke up and said, "while I only have limited experience with fending off pirates who boarded one of my parent's freighter ships, we were successful. I will volunteer to assist the engineers with security."

Gary listened to all the different voices. "Enough. The Home Guard will tasked with rescuing the hostages. Lt. Commander Brett, Chief Liorga, Petty officers Neeze and De La Rosa along with Lt. Norris and myself will take out the Windchime. Neeze and De La Rosa will provide cover fire. Chief Liorga will go with Lt. Norris. Commander Brett and I will take out the Windchime."

"What about me, Sir?" Mona asked.

Gary looked at the Marine, "Mona, yes, I almost forgot." He admitted. "You are the opening move. You will get inside the enemy's camp and through your cameras relay the layout especially where the hostages are being detained. Mr. Turak will be your driver."

"Sir, you should know that the windchime is up and running." Liorga informed him, "I could tell by the sounds it made, they echoed in the hallway." She remembered them from the war, she'd had to repair one under heavy Cardassian fire once, the day she had to shoot that kid...

"You know about these things, Li?" Gallia asked, more than a little shocked by this and wondering now exactly how old Liorga really was.

"I've dealt with them prior." Liorga nodded, "Though I doubt I know them as well as Cdr. Taylor does."

Gary listened in silence as Liorga gave him the news the Windchime was up and running. "Alright. This latest information doesn't change our plans. It just means we have to move quickly before they can fire the damn thing and bring a ship down."

Anje had studied the design of the 'Windchime' in great depth, though she'd never seen one in person, she'd only ever seen it firing in war footage, but she knew it was frightening, "We should advise all the rescue vessels to pull back outside of it's maximum range and delay rescue operations until we've taken it down."

"Make it so Anje. We don't need these clown to figure out how to fire it and bring down a starship or two."

A little confused, Turak asked Commander Taylor, "Sir, what will I be driving? I would like to keep our presence a secret for as long as possible."

"Mr. Turak you and Mona will be in whatever passes as a ground vehicle. I'm afraid stealth is out of the question for you. We want the bad guys to be focused on you while the rest of us rescue the hostages and take the Windchime down."

"I'm hoping they'll buy my story of being a nurse sent to immunise them against the disease I'll have to learn the name of", Mona said. "They might not let us in, but the sentries might at least be occupied long enough with arguing why they can't let us in, and trying to get us to leave without causing suspicion, to allow our team access. That is, provided they don't already believe their position compromised. If they are, they'll probably open fire the moment we approach. And with the argo dune buggies being as shit as they are, what with their lack of shielding or armour or some such, you'll need to be ready to high-tail it out of there at a moment's notice. I don't want to die of rapid lead poisoning."

"They're using titanium ammunition, Mona", Anya corrected her.

"That doesn't sound a lot more appealing. I'll leave the getting shot to you, if that's all the same", Mona smirked.

"Don't sweat it Mona." Gary replied, "You will be fine. We'll have you covered."

"Good thing Fernando knows where to aim", Mona smirked.

Turak added, "I am an excellent driver of land vehicles, however, ensure that you have snipers strategically placed.... When do we leave?"

Gary ignored the comment about the snipers, this wasn't his first rodeo instead he said. "Patience Mr. Turak, shortly."

"No offense, sirs, but getting a move on would be for the best." Liorga interjected, "Those girls don't have much time."

"I know Chief." Gary answered, "We're just about ready. Just need to decide the best and least conspicuous way to take these guys down as well as the Windchime." He thought of his conversation with the Admiral, "Get some grenades and give them to Commander Brett as well as everyone who is going get yourself some ballistic weapons and ammo."

"Right." Liorga nodded, turning to the assemblage, "Okay, people, we all heard the man, we got girls to rescue and we're burning daylight. Come on, assholes and elbows, let's go!"

Sami, along with others, began to get it in gear immediately, including Gallia, "Holy crap, L.T., Chief lit a fire under you, too?" She laughed.

"I've been lookin' for ma invite to this fight since it started." Gallia replied, "Though she did make me wanna move my ass a bit, aye."

Anje turned her attention to Gary, "Okay, so grenades and bullets, guess it's on now, huh?"

"And everyone should take a combat knife", Anya suggested.

Gary nodded, "Yes. It is most definitely on now." He looked at his little team, "Fernando I want you to watch Mona and Turak. Anya you'll cover the Home Guard. Anje, Gallia and I will take care of the Windchime. After we're done, drinks are on me in the Elysium lounge."

Mona headed out first, looking for the vehicle they would be using, climbing aboard. It was already marked with the medical insignia, and there were boxes of medical supplies in the back. She figured it might fool them long enough to be a little distracted.

Anya followed, heading towards the other vehicle that would take them close to the site. The team of Home Guard joined her. They were all veterans, and knew the drill.

Before leaving the tent, Turak grabbed a pistol, a short barrel rifle, and a combat knife as suggested. After seeing the vehicle that Mona was eyeing, he hopped in and started it up. He told Mona, "Jump in, time is of the essence."

"Please keep your weapons out of sight", Mona said. She had hers in the medkit she was carrying. "We're supposed to make them think we're not a threat."

Turak responded, "I will have them all well concealed, they won't even know they are present."

"That's the principle of concealment, is it not?" Mona quipped.

"Shall we," Turak said, after concealing his weapons and signaling to the vehicle.

"Step on it", Mona said.

"Gladly," Turak said as he stretched the proverbial legs of the medical vehicle and headed towards their destination.