Escort Mission, (Part 1)

Posted on Thu Sep 12, 2019 @ 9:14pm by Captain Maritza Soran & Commander Caleb Ryan & Lieutenant Annora Tessaro & Civilian Jason Haines

2,605 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Doors of Perception
Location: Risa, but not as we know it.
Timeline: MD11 1730~1900

Previously on Return Journey

The five uncomfortable minutes finished. "Very good. Mr. Ryan, carry on."

Caleb moved away to let the security team form around ch’Zath and his people. “Eyes open, ears sharp,” he whispered to Annora as he passed. This was the hardest part of the job, sending people into danger like this.

And now the continuation

They emerged into the cool air of a shadowed mountain valley, the floor thick with tightly tufted moss and a scrabble of stones that gave way to grass a few feet further down on the slope. They were in the centre of a circle of rough hewn stones.

And they were surrounded.

Maybe three dozen Vulcans, more than a few with long hair and neatly trimmed beards, dressed in practical body armour in dark shades of grey were pointing phasers at them.

Damn, Jason thought.

He hated being right. The next time the Commander had a plan he didn't like, he was going to speak up, insubordinate or not. He looked over the circle. It wasn't like their portal, but it did the same job. He knew what he would have to do given being outnumbered two to one. Then what? Regardless, if he didn't, Temporal would most likely want to step in.

"I told you we should have brought more pizzas, Commander," Jason quipped. "Somebody let the party slip."

He then started quietly muttering the words to an old song, "...head like a hole, black as your soul, I'd rather die than give you control..."

Caleb held up his hand and looked for the Vulcan in charge. “Ah trust ya’ll got our message, an’ know the terms if ya’ll want your Inspector Sovok ta return safely,” he said.

While waiting for the Vulcans response, Jason noted that Tarik wasn't immediately visible. He started scanning the Vulcans for what might be rank designations to identify a leader of the group.

There was movement at the back of the ring of soldiers, and then they parted to let Tarik walk to the front. "Stand down. These are the Starfleeters." He sneered the words. Then he looked at ch'Zath. "This is a temporary advantage, not a victory," he warned

Standing to the Commander's right, Annora let him do the talking. Considering their guests weren't currently armed, the Vulcans had them grossly outnumbered. If the shooting started, she was confident her team would go down fighting, but would lose just the same. While grateful the Vulcans currently appeared to be following the guidelines, she wasn't about to let down her guard.

Interesting, Jason thought, noting how Tarik had been hiding out behind all his troops. Given that, he wondered if the rest of the compliment was deployed that way, lowest rank to the front. Bringing one empty hand up slowly, Jason scratched his neck. He discreetly pulled one of his bugged rank pips off and then slowly returned his hands to his waist so no one got an itchy trigger finger.

Thomas glared at Tarik, but did not say anything. He knew they were outnumbered and starting something here would just get them killed.

“Good ta see ya, Tarik,” Caleb said.

Ch’Zath looked like he was about to retort back, and Caleb stepped on his foot.

“Give us a moment, and we’ll be on our way,” Caleb said. He turned to ch’Zath. “Which way?” he whispered.

Ch’Zath glanced around to get his bearings. “West. To the mountains,” he murmured. “We have a holdout there.”

“Fair enough,” Caleb replied quietly. Caleb looked to the others, giving a few basic tactical hand signs that everyone should have learned at the Academy to indicate they were traveling west. Caleb judged the position of the sun and turned to Tarik. “We’ll be back by sunset, and then our hands are clear of all this an’ it’s ya’ll’s problem,” he informed Tarik.

Jason followed the directions, taking a rear guard position. There were better people to be on point, and as an intelligence officer, in general the rear guard position gave him more time to analyze an area and situation.

Once they were into the grass, shielding his motion with his body, Jason let the tracker pip fall into the grass. He hadn't wanted it to clatter on the stone or potentially break. Leaving this here would give them a better chance to get back, as they would be coming back without escort, and it would be easy to get lost. He opened his tricorder just to make sure it was transmitting.

The ring of Vulcans parted, leaving the way free to head out into the hills. Tarik nodded his head. "Sunset. We will look forward to it." His tone said the exact opposite.

Under hate-filled, angry gazes they started to move out, deeper into the hills, As they were climbing to start with, it was clear that the Vulcans were not attempting to follow them. Yet.

Once they were away from the site, Jason went up to Commander Ryan and said, "Can I speak with you, aside?"

Caleb stepped out of the line and waved it to keep going. They wanted to give the refugees as much a lead as possible, and they had only about half an hour before the escort needed to circle back.

“What is it, Lieutenant?” Caleb asked quietly, still waking, but about ten yards to the side.

Speaking quietly, Jason replied, "I've got a bad feeling about this whole deal. More than just healthy paranoia. That Tarik fellow is just a slimy opportunist, but his boss is pure evil. You can tell just looking in his eyes."

He paused and said, "That was a full command sized platoon we were met with and every squad was a fire team. I wouldn't be surprised if they have a probe or spotters tracking us. When we go back, we'll be outnumbered three to one. And if they decide to go through the portal before we get back, the Marines there and the others are outnumbered two to one. My gut is telling me that things are going to get complicated here pretty soon, sir."

"It was far easier than I was expecting," Sh'vet murmured as they walked briskly. "Sovok may be relatively important here, but I didn't think that would be enough to save us."

“We’ll be extra careful.” Caleb pulled out his tricorder and scanned the hills up ahead. Then he directed them off the path they were traveling.

“Where are you going?” ch’Zath demanded.

“These hills contain deposits of trivanium silicate,” Caleb said. “If they’re tracking us, it’ll scatter their sensors, makin’ it more difficult.” He did scan the sky for any drones or probes. “Ah don’t suppose we can get a signal back through the portal ta warn the Marines?” he asked Jason.

Jason took his tricorder out and tried to make a connection to detect any Federation comm signals and didn't get any readings. He tapped his badge and it gave the chirp to indicate no signal.

"No signal here," Jason replied with a frown. "I know what I'll be working on when we get back. Guess all we can do is move forward and keep our eyes peeled and each other's butts covered."

"If they haven't found the ship, we have a signal booster on our shuttle," Isilde said. She turned to check the blind Betazoid. "How's it going?"

"I’m starting to tell the blurs apart. I think I can run if you need me to."

Isilde turned back the Shavias. "I hope we won't need to."

"I can carry her," Thomas grunted as they moved along, keeping his eyes peeled.

Annora listened to the discussion of what might be waiting for them on the return trip. While she had a bit more confidence in those on the other side of the portal, she understood the concern.
"Let's get them to the shuttle then assess the situation from there. If they do try to break through, I'm sure Gunny Boyd has considered the possibility and deployed the Marines accordingly."

“How far away is the shuttle yet?” Caleb asked Shavias, eyeing the sun in the sky. It was getting close to the point they were going to have to turn back if they wanted to reach the portal by sunset.

“Not far. Three clicks,” Shavias said.

“We should make it in the next hour then,” Caleb noted. “Let’s pick up the pace a bit.”

They started to move faster, and were quickly moving into the thicker forest of the higher mountains, where the trees were were shorter and not so dense and the vines from further down gave way to leaf litter that deadened a lot of sound. There were no signs of obvious pursuit. Far to the south a speck flashing red running lights crossed the horizon with no signs of even knowing they were there.

"So far so good," Sh'vet murmured. "We're just over that ridge. There's a natural hollow that is big enough for a small shuttle."

And ambush, Jason thought, looking about, on guard. It was hard to believe that the Vulcans would not have been able to detect the shuttle. He didn't say anything though. He had told the Commander his thoughts, and now they would just have to see.

Fifteen minutes more trudging and they were cresting the top of the ridge and looking down on the tiny shuttle covered in camouflage netting. It was sleeker than familiar Vulcan design, hints of Romulan design, but not really either. Big enough for four, maybe six.

Jason was skeptical. He couldn't see a reason that the Vulcans would not have traced them, or at least attempt to. Once they went down in the ridge, they would be extremely vulnerable.

Thomas said, "I'll go down and check to make sure it hasn't been tampered with. I'll give you a wave if it is clear."

Not waiting for anyone, the large man started down the ridge to the shuttle, keeping his eyes peeled for any problems, Vulcan or otherwise. The pointy-eared bastards weren't the only thing dangerous in the wild.

The approach to the camouflaged shuttle seemed clear of any traps or disturbances. They'd only been gone a few days, and it had rained, leaving the ground soft, but not muddy.

Not seeing any tracks in the mud nor anything else amiss, Thomas gave the all clear sign. He then took an overwatch position to cover his friends’ descent.

Caleb and Shavias motioned the others down. He pulled out his binoculars and watched the progress of Thomas down into the valley, occasionally handing them over to Shavias. Nothing appeared threatening, and Thomas waved the all clear.

“Okay, proceed carefully,” Caleb told the others. “Eyes peeled. Head on a swivel.” He pushed up to his feet again and slowly and carefully started down the incline, followed by the Andorian rebel leader.

As he had been doing, Jason brought up the rear, wanting to be able to see any troubles and cover the team in front. He quickly scanned with his tricorder before going. Although he was pleased that they had gotten this far with no issues, it still seemed too easy given what the Andorian and his team were supposed to have done in addition to escaping.

While the others headed down towards the shuttle, Annora dropped back to where Jason was walking several paces behind the SRU team.

"I appreciate your help, but you seem to be tempting Fate a bit too much. Let my people take the rear. It's their job. We don't need you dying a second time." She wasn't going to make it an order, at least not yet.

"Lieutenant," Jason said, "I haven't trained enough with your team to be in the middle with them. I'll throw off their spacing and their timing. Plus, we should all be hanging back and not be tempting fate so much. We've gotten them here. No one said we had to hold their hands while they get on their shuttle."

"For future reference, a preferred location would be next to the Commander or behind our friends, but in front of the security team. I really think the real test will be the return trip. A coordinated strike on the away team and those in the caves would give them the best chance for success. Would make it near impossible for either side to render assistance to the other." She wasn't sure the Vulcans could communicate with each other, but that was what she would try to do if the shoe was on the other foot.

"For future reference, I hope I will have worked with your teams long enough to stand next to them, the next time something like this happens," Jason replied. "And I agree, I'm worried about the return trip myself."

Jason took out his tricorder and scanned the area again, not detecting any major life forms except the team and the Andorian rebels.

Sh'vet narrowed her eyes. "Well, this isn't suspicious at all." She turned to her companions. "Let’s get this done before they decide to come after us."

Thomas nodded and enter the code to the shuttle doors and said, "I'll clear the netting."

Caleb turned to the security team as Shavias and his band of rebels went about securing their shuttle. “Tessaro, Haines, Ah want another route back ta the portal,” he told them. “We’ll move faster without the rebels, so longer is fine. Ah just want ta not make it easy for the Vulcans ta find us until we’re on top of them.”

Pulling out his tricorder, Jason said, "Aye, sir." He moved it so Annora could see.

"That little dot is the portal. I left a bug there so we could find our way back should things go sour," Jason said. "There is a route with more cover, but it is rougher terrain, so I am not sure if can get back there by sunset as we told the Vulcans we would be."

"On it, sir."

Studying the route suggested by Jason, Annora compared it with what she knew of Risa from their own universe.

"It looks different without all the hotels and resorts, but it appears geologically Risa is still Risa. We can head the direction, but should be careful not to travel too far south. Don't want to get bogged down in the jungle."

She pointed to a spot about halfway on Jason's route. "If we turn northeast here, we can skirt the cliffs near Suraya Bay. Not the most direct route, but hopefully that will play in our favor."

"Sounds like a plan then," Jason said with a nod. "Sending a copy of the route to your tricorder. I'll sure be glad to get out of here."

Jason then heard the bell ring in his head again that he had heard earlier. He looked about nervously, checking the surroundings.

Double checking the route, Annora got Commander Ryan's attention. "We have a route, sir. Ready to move out when you are."

“Let’s go,” Caleb said, waving his hand to get everyone’s attention, and they headed off in the direction Annora indicated.

Which was when there was a whistling sound, and the shuttle exploded.

To Be Continued...

Lieutenant (jg) Jason Haines
Chief Intelligence Officer
DS5

Lieutenant (jg) Alanna Wells
Chief Science Officer

Lieutenant (jg) Annora Tessaro
Chief Security Officer

Commander Caleb Ryan
Executive Officer

NPCs by Cmdr Soran

 

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