Fan Fiction/Memorial Day Defensive 2013/Serendipty MRL LP Mission
Approximately 0300 local on Miramak somewhere near the northern polar axis a quiet humming noise disturbed the pitch blackened desert sands. From the approximate north the night was barely disturbed as the sound whispered along a dried rocky river wash and approached the extreme western edge of a huge oasis located in a rocky area covered in lush vegetation and low hills. Nothing was to be seen as the dried river bed gave way to a shallow stream that turned into a 80-to-90 meter wide river that twisted through canyons between the hills. Now an observer would have been able to pick out a cloud of mist traveling upstream, if there had been enough light to see. Just before reaching a moderate sized lake the trail of mist diverted into a branching watery canyon and disappeared at the end, along with the noise. Nothing else seemed to disturb the darkened night.
Minutes passed until it became 10 then 20 minutes. "Well, did we get in unnoticed?" asked the man in the Captains chair.
One by one the sensor stations quietly reported in the negative... no signs of detection or increased activity in the detectable area. Sensor drones had been deployed along the path of approach and stealthily moved to programmed observation points that would not betray the resting place of the ship.
At 30 minutes the Ships Engineer reported "Scans clear. Cloak is disengaged and systems are powered down to minimal emissions. We are ready Captain. Conditions outside are Earth normal with a slightly lessened gravity and dryer atmosphere, notwithstanding the water."
Terry 'Ronin' Sandeen gave the order "OK. Pop the hatch and lets get going. XO, you have the conn. Keep her ready to go on a moments notice. If we are not back or contact you in 18 hours I want you to leave the emergency survival gear behind and leave as scheduled."
"Just be back, CAP"
The hatch opened on a light-less void. Activating battle suit low light optics Terry could see that Serendipity had landed inside a large cavern at the end of the canyon. Loose vegetation hung down and had filled the opening behind the ships entry. The water here shallowed and tapered to a damp pebbled beach. Old signs of previous use showed vessels had been here before.
"OK" whispered Terry over the comm "Odd and Evens. Two squads. Angel, Nova, Sheriff, and Thing One with me. Big Red will lead Black Cloud, Knuckles, Marshall, and Thing Two." He quietly suppressed a chuckle to himself. Two MCE Engineers would double as combat engineers for this mission and he had given them the Thing nicknames. "The back door emergency entry to the listening post is supposed to be deeper inside the cavern. Big Red, your squad leads the way." Both Thing One and Two each pushed a gravity sled loaded with equipment. (note: see wiki computer entry for SEALS Team Three Section 3-1 for assigned personnel duties and position)
The cavern soon tapered down to several branching passages. Everywhere the rock structure was water worn into smooth graceful shapes and rounded boulders of various sizes. Tricorder scans showed the passages generally followed the same direction and crossed and diverged several times along the way. Some changed in elevation and were partially flooded. Some abruptly ended. Others tapered down to become too small to allow passage and were ruled out. Each squad selected one of the most likely paths hoping to find the entry to the Listening Post.
After almost an hour and a half of searching, Big Red called "Ronin. Found something. You need to see this." It took almost ten minutes for the Odd squad to meet up. "Over there."
This section of tunnel was fairly wide, varying to about four meters. Blocking the path ahead was a recent blockage of stone debris. Sticking out of that debris were two bodies. Angel, the team Doctor verified the bodies cause of death and identified them as former Maquis colonists of Romulan species by using the Maquis database. "Rocks killed them. Seems to be the path we seek."
Thing One scanned the debris and announced "It appears to be clear about five meters on the other side. We should be able to clear this blockage in about two hours without getting noisy and attracting seismic attention." He shared a glance with Thing Two to confirm and then looked to Terry for approval. He nodded.
The SEALS took turns providing sentry duty while the others assisted with clearing the tunnel. Angel scanned and bagged the two bodies along with one other found completely covered behind the first two. All three were armed and appeared to have been fleeing something. Everyone worked to remove the smaller stone debris and used the gravity sleds to move larger blocks. Eventually the path was cleared to the other side.
Taking scans, Angel reported intermittent readings ahead. Possibly weak life signs. Big Red took the lead along with Sheriff and Marshall who had heavier weapons. The tunnel stayed about the same width as before the blockage as it twisted and turned another kilometer or so. Abruptly the path ended at locked hatch doorway. Thing Two opened an access panel and found it still had power. After about 14 minutes using his tricorder he overrode the the security and cycled the hatch open. Life sign readings became stronger.
Beyond, the passage started to look more like a facility. Quietly the team moved through the tunnels and checked rooms as they went. Most were supplies and survival stocks. Eventually they located a room with five bodies dumped on the floor. They seemed to be more colonists. All were dead and showed signs of torture. Just beyond the passage branched three ways. The team split between the three. The right path ended in another store room. The center ended in a complex of six sets of living quarters all trashed and empty of persons. From there the passage eventually joined the left at an apparent operations center.
Suddenly things got intense. Four Breens had their backs to the SEALS working to disassemble equipment. Giving the hand signals, Terry signaled his team to attack. He led the way pulling an ancient folded steel Japanese samurai sword from his back and beheading the closest Breen. The other three didn't have any better chance as the remainder of the team dispatched them with equal silence. A quick search revealed no more enemy. The front hatch to the facility was melted into slag and led off into another tunnel which looked more heavily used. Terry directed the engineers to set multiple booby trapped charges in the main tunnel. Enough to completely seal it if anyone assaulted the facility from that direction. They laid out the four Breen inside the melted front hatch and left the Team 3 calling cards--Aces and Eights.
Nova and Black Cloud set about salvaging any equipment and data stores they could find. Some items that should have been there were missing, but a good bit of data was recoverable. Hidden computer cores were located apparently untouched and removed or down-loaded and destroyed.
In an adjoining room was a small medical facility. In a stasis chamber they found another colonist who had also been tortured but was barely still alive. Angel determined that the chamber would be best transported with the patient still in stasis using one of the gravity sleds.
Finally remote explosive charges were hidden in the operations room sufficient to destroy all remaining equipment twice over. Time to go. The team had just over eight hours to return to the ship before it left without them.
The team moved quickly back-tracking their path in. They closed the back door hatch and scrambled the circuits. At the location of the original cave blockage they placed more remote explosives to reseal the path. After seven hours of difficult travel they arrived back where they had left Serendipity.
"Mother Hen needs her chicks" Terry used short range comm to the ship. The hatch opened without reply. Something is wrong, Terry thought as he made hand signs to his team. They carefully approached the ship.
Terry switched comm channels, “Serendipity Computer Private... status intruders.” “Captain. We apparently have one unknown person on the bridge along with the XO. All other crew are confined to quarters.” “Computer Private... risk assessment?” “Unknown Captain. Thus far there has been no injury.” “Computer Private... weapons? Anything else I should know tactically?” “Unknown has an energy pistol of some sort and an apparent slug -thrower rifle. Other items may be explosives. He is wearing body armour and a helmet with a respirator, Captain.” “Computer... Lock down all systems except lighting and life support. Only allow comms with my Team, the XO, and the Unknown. Inform me via private comms if any parameters change the tactical situation.” “Open comms to the bridge. This is Captain Sandeen. I know you are on the bridge. So far my crew is unharmed. Who are you and what do you want?”
“I am R’lmus ir-Thieurrull tr’Letant, formerly of this colony. I require passage off this cursed planet and a shuttle once we are safely far away. I will not allow myself to be imprisoned and am prepared to die first. I have the means to destroy this ship if need be.”
Angel held her PADD for Terry to read. A Maquis Rihanssu by that name was a colonist here and the security tag says he was assigned to the LP as a sensor operator.
“Perhaps we can help you, but first, why do you find it necessary to threaten us. What are you afraid of? You were in the Listening Post when the attack came, yes?”
“I allowed myself to be tricked by greed with the promise of a fortune for my mate and I to live somewhere... pleasant. Away from constant war. This colony was a lie,” as his voice softened and showed weakening. A long pause passed before, “Instead they lied... They never intended to let us leave. My beloved was killed in front of me. My friends and fellow Rihanssu... All dead because of me....” his voice drifted off. Silence followed.
“Captain” said the computer “The subject has fallen unconscious. He seems to be wounded.”
“I believe it is safe to enter Captain, however I will need assistance” said the XO.
Terry quickly dispatched his team to sweep the ship for any surprises and release the crew. He signalled Angel to follow him to the bridge. The XO was tied with straps to a chair and was quickly freed.
Commander Mandukhar “Duck” Solos watched as Angel examined the unconscious Romulan as he reported to the Captain, “Sorry Sir. He took us by surprise. When we first saw him coming out of the tunnels... well his picture was ID’d by the computer as being a colonist.” He lowered his head, shaking it in shame.
“Stop right there Duck. Things happen. This one turned out OK. Now get to work getting us ready to get off this rock.” Terry turned to Angel, “How is he? Can you patch him up?” Without waiting for an answer he called a security detail.
Angel was busy scanning, medicating, and regenerating wounds. “He’ll live but will need a while in sickbay” she pushed the words out as she went from wound to treatment to the next. “He took several nasty hits with polaron disruptors. I also think he was in that cave-in we found, probably in front... he got out before we found it. That would account for the cracked ribs I’m finding. I’m guessing he hid in one of the side tunnels when we were digging the debris out. There is some sort of personal low-level cloaking generator wired into his armour, I think, anyway. Can we beam him to sickbay now?”
Terry turned to the security detail who had arrived. “Search this fellows clothing and possessions. Give him a clean jumpsuit. Secure his gear and keep him under double guard until otherwise ordered.” Then, “Computer, emergency transport for four to sickbay.” Sandeen out.
As soon as it turned dark outside, Terry sat in the command chair. “Scans and sensors?” “Some chatter but nothing close” was the reply. “Ok Science, standby with the remote drones for my command.” Terry had a nagging feeling. Why wasn’t there any fuss over the missing Breen they left behind? Surely they would have been missed by now... “Activate cloak. Engineering, ready with the detonators. Weapons ready phasers and torpedoes. Comm, be ready to send that tight burst as soon as we are clear. XO, ahead slow but be ready to gun it. Engage!”
Serendipity quietly began to hum once again as they slipped back out of the cavern entrance the way they had come. Suddenly the sensor tech spoke up, with an edge to her voice, “Captain... something BIG just started to move. I think it is a Breen warship-class and it is not very far away.
“How quick can you get us to warp, XO? Yesterday?” “Detonators activate!” as distant rumblings echoed from the hill behind them. “Activate the Screamers!” Somewhere on the eastern direction from the hill they had just left, a widely scattered number of contacts started to broadcast on all channels. The remote drones were creating a diversion and confusion to add to the sound and feel of the LP detonations as they slipped into their end-of-life purpose.
Getting an unknown feeling in the back of his mind, Terry called, “Engineering. Activate the Breen energy drain countermeasures at the first sign of the slightest dip in power.” “Yes Captain. On it.” replied Chief Engineer Lt Commander Katrina Gregs.
Somehow in all the confusion Serendipity retraced her inward path and made it into the dry creek bed before sighting the enemy. A Breen fighter seemed to be looking but was having trouble seeing through Serendipitys cloak. Moments later the bulk of a Breen Warship class rose slowly over the hills behind.
Almost immediately several things happened. Serendipitys cloak failed. Chief Engineer Gregs reported “Countermeasures active and working.” Terry ordered “Photon Torpedoes, fire a full brace at the warship. Now!”
By now the XO was sending the ship towards the outer atmosphere with remarkable speed. The Breen warship, damage unknown, was dropping back to where it came from amongst the hills surrounding the destroyed colony. Now as they neared the edge of space they saw why. Two Breen Warships and a group of fighters were heading their way.
Serendipity fired photon torpedoes and phasers as quickly as she could over and over. Just when it seemed she would be overtaken, other ships arrived behind the Breen and started to pepper their tails. Eight raiders of patrol, intercept, and attack variants decloaked along with two Peregrine fighters, all from VP-16, who then managed to divert attention of the Breen allowing Serendipity time to reach the minimum safe distance to warp out.
“Thanks for arriving in the nick of time. I don’t want to think what may have happened without you”, Terry found time to transmit.
A lucky hit or two disabled the engines of one Breen warship while the other took heavy damage and was pushed to back off. LF-5 Batsu Maru took a direct warship blast from a heavy Polaron Beam and was apparently disabled when she was hit by multiple Photon Torpedoes and Disruptor blasts. She disappeared off the sensors. Both of the Peregrines were lost as well. In response, the last group of Photon Torpedoes from the Maquis ships were all aimed at the disabled Breen warship, launched just before each raider warped away.
Some distance away, the cloaked LF-9 Eureka Maru recorded a huge linked-series of explosions in orbit over the northern pole.
