Left Behind - Non-Marines (Part I)

Posted on Thu Oct 28, 2021 @ 2:54am by Lieutenant Alanna Wells & Lieutenant JG Brianthe Oaxaca & R'gelis Stadi & Tannis Tarkelion & Captain Tam "Demon" Haican & Civilian Jason Haines & Civilian Sabina Haican & Shea & Civilian Aleczandra Naqiis-Ryan

2,221 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Si vis pacem, para bellum
Location: Pangaea
Timeline: MD 04 0600

Forest

It was getting dark again. Aleczandra was getting tired. Juheni was having a hard time holding on to control. She looked over at Shay, who still carried the silver case with the precious vials of neurochemicals that could keep him in control. But they were limited. Best not use them.

Shay wisely had ceased asking questions of his blood-covered girlfriend.

“I think we’ve lost them,” Zandy said with a tired sigh, stopping and listening to the depths of the forest around them. “We should stop and rest, come up with a plan.”

They found a hollow, and Zandra gathered some boughs to form a camouflage lean to for the night. She didn’t dare start a fire, not until she was sure they had evaded the Cardassians, so they settled for ration bars and water. There was a small stream nearby, so she could refill the canteens and drop in some purification tablets.

Shay nearly collapsed with exhaustion, falling instantly asleep. Aleczandra cleaned and sharpened her knives before replacing them in their wrist sheaths. She washed some of the blood off in the stream. She considered what to do. They were well supplied, at least for now. They were closer to the colony than to the portal complex, both of which she had to assume had been or were being attacked by the Cardassians. But she might find others in the area that she could ditch the boy toy on. She smirked. She wasn’t done killing Cardassians.

Don’t worry, Zandy, Juheni promised. I’ll keep you safe. I’ll get you revenge for your father.

You don’t know Caleb is dead, Mika scolded.

Dead or captured, Kinony added.

They wouldn’t be able to take the station! Aleczandra protested. Daddy will come for me.

They brought a small army, Juheni reminded. I think they would bring enough to deal with the station.

Juheni let himself fade, and Aleczandra fell back into the grass as her personalities rearranged themselves. Juheni would be back to save her if he was needed.

---

Bag End, AKA Alanna's Cabin

It was getting dark. Time to go out and see who was left behind and who needed a rescue. "Are we all going, or are some staying behind?" Alanna asked as everyone gathered on the main floor.

"Two of us will go back to the Romulan Quarter," R'gelis said. "We will be in a good position to help from there."

Alanna nodded. With Jason's input, they'd decided that setting up camp in the woods would be a bad idea for now. Later, they'd revisit the idea. "Tannis, are you coming with us?"

The Romulan shook her head. "I will stay here in case there is trouble."

"Okay. Just remember, if anyone comes close, do nothing. They won't be able to find the entrance if they don't know there is one." At least it had proven successful so far. The tech was sound. "Okay." She turned to Jason and Tam. "Ready?"

Tam double-checked his weapon, then looked up at Alanna and nodded. "I'm ready to go. And, don't worry, I'm feeling less anxious now that I've rested and slept."

"Remember," Jason said, adjusting the bandage under the black pants he had replicated. Having worn shorts for so long, the confinement was uncomfortable, especially with the wound. "This is all recon and rescue, for now. We don't engage the Cardassians or we will put people in more danger. It's also night time, so be mindful of the natives. All the fighting will have made the local creatures either retreat or have increased any aggressive tendencies they may have already."

Alanna nodded. "There was a predator that attacked the colony a year ago. It may still be around. We don't know what else may be out there."

"I'll stay here with Tannis," Bri said. "I can help settle people as you find them. I assume we can put larger groups in the woods, as long as they don't light any fires."

Jason nodded and said, "If we do get a lot of people, we can configure tricorders to mask their presences to a degree. Keeping the tricorders powered may become an issue, but we'll deal with that when it becomes an issue. Also, even though communications are blocked right now, that may change. If it does, assume all communications are being monitored. Don't use your real names, as we need to assume that the Cardassians have a complete list of colony staff and Starfleet names, which can draw attention to us. You can call me BB."

"BB, huh?" Alanna said. "I guess you can call me Arwen." With Brianthe's help, her hair was now a light brown. With the light tan she'd developed over the past few weeks she hoped to not be as recognizable as she would have been as a blonde.

Jason gave a shrug and replied, "Beach bum."

"I'll be Willow," Bri said.

"Call me..." Tam considered a name briefly. Then he looked down at Sabina, standing next to him and, having a revelation, gave her a sad, knowing, smile. "Call me, Mister Huffles."

The room was quiet as everyone stared at Tam, possibly wondering if he had lost his mind. Sighing, he indicated the teddy bear that Sabina was clutching tightly. "That bear...belonged to my son, Revin. Mister Huffles, as he named it, would go everywhere with him." He choked up a bit, but cleared his throat and managed to continue, "When he was taken from us, my beautiful daughter took it and has kept it with her ever since. So..." he cleared his throat again. "Since we are doing this, if my daughter hears reports of our actions, she will know I'm safe if I am referred to as Mister Huffles." He looked around the group, wondering if they had a problem with this. Not that he cared, as it was more for Sabina than anyone else.

Brianthe was closest to Tam. Instinctively, she gave him a hug. "That's a great idea."

"Hey, this is all about safety," Alanna said kindly. "Use what works best for you and your daughter."

Jason listened to Tam's explanation for the name and then smiled. It was a good name for an individual who seemed by all appearances to be a good father. He gave Tam a thumbs up.

Tam grinned slightly and nodded to Jason in return. He then looked at the group and asked, "So, what next?"

"Now, I think it would be wise to make a staging area or two to tell people to go to." Jason said. "This way we can make sure they weren't followed. Although anyone following would most likely be Cardassians, it could be that there are others who decide that helping the Cardassians would work in their favor. I know of at least one."

"I can't emphasize this enough," Alanna said. "This place has to be protected. If we have R'gelis in the Romulan Quarter, he can steer people to one of the staging areas. Maybe north of the colony, in the woods." She looked to Jason for his opinion.

"We also have to keep you from the Cardassians," Brianthe said. "You know too much."

"I don't know enough," Alanna countered. "But I have no intention of being caught. I'll stick to the shuttle and to Jason. I'll be safe enough."

"I'll head over to the Federation and Klingon sectors and try to funnel people out that want to stay and build a resistance. I think that we should keep this place hidden from all, except perhaps those that are unable to fight, due to injury or no training, and still wish to contribute to the resistance." He looked down at his uniform, then back up. "Of course, I'll need civilian clothes. A starfighter uniform does make me stand out a bit."

"There's a replicator. I think it can handle one set of civilian clothes," Alanna said.

Tam nodded a thanks, then, after giving Sabina a gentle squeeze of her shoulders, he moved off to the replicator in question. After the clothes were built, he picked them up and moved to the nearest room to change. Not for his modesty, but for the rest of the group. As a Betazoid, he had no issue being nude around others. He came back out a few minutes later, wearing a pair of tan cargo pants, brown boots with a belt to match, and a sage green button-up, long-sleeve shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and secured in place with a thin strap that was attached to the inside of the sleeve on one end and a button on the outside of the sleeve on the other. He finished off the ensemble with a wide-brimmed straw hat to keep the suns off his face.

Stepping back to the group, he spread his arms wide. "Do I look like a civilian that would be here on the planet?"

"You definitely look Federation, but that can't be helped. I think the only way you wouldn't stand out is if you looked Romulan or Ferengi," Alanna said. "Or if you're a beach bum, like Jason." She gave Jason a smile. She didn't mind his look at all, but he definitely didn't look like he belonged on DS5.

Tam shrugged. "After the combat history I've had, it'll be difficult to make myself look totally civilian. I'll just have to be careful."

"After a few days, you'll look like a native," Alanna assured him.

"Your clothes are too clean for everything that has gone on," Jason said. Although he hadn't been a deep cover operative, he did have training in not standing out. "When we get outside, rub some dirt on your clothing and a few smudges on your face. Make sure to be loose when moving about. When in officer mode, those of us from Starfleet tend to have a certain look and feel that cries out Starfleet."

"Or, in my case, scientist," Alanna added. "We have our own special form of geekiness that makes us stand out."

Tam looked at the group and said, "So less of this..." he walked a straight line as the strong, confident starfighter pilot that he was.

When he reached the other end of the room he turned, facing the group again. "And more of this..." Slouching his shoulders, tilting to his left a little, changing the confident look in his eyes and face, to one of uncertainty, fatigue, and fear, then started to walk the same line back, a slight hitch in his step. He nervously gripped and wrung his hands as he glanced around skittishly.

Reaching Sabina, he gave her a fatherly wink and turned back to the group again. Standing back up straight, he asked, "How was that?"

"We're all going to die," the teenager said, completely deadpan.

"You might be right, if we have to count on his acting," Brianthe replied to Sabina, tongue-in-cheek. She turned to Tam. "The idea is to not draw attention. So, somewhere between the two should work."

Tam gave Sabina a look of mock shock, then turned his gaze to Brianthe. "Hey! No fair with the double-team!" He then smiled, something he hadn't truly done since this nightmare had begun. Pulling Sabina into an embrace, he quietly whispered into her ear, "I swear on all we have lost that I will be careful out there." He then relaxed his hold enough so that he could look her directly in her eyes and directed a message to her mind. I am very proud of how strong and brave you have become, Sabina. I love you, Little Miss. He used the nickname he had given her when she was younger and had been helping her mother care for her newborn baby brother, Revin.

She hugged him back, clinging for a second longer than needed. Don't die. That's all I want. Don't leave me. "Dad!" she complained aloud, in the tone of the existentially cynical teenagers used across the galaxy.

Tam smiled to himself, knowing her outburst was mostly for show.

The three Romulans came to join them. "I'll stay here for now," Tannis said. "Until we have a second camp. The others will return to the Romulan Quarter."

Looking around the group, Tam felt the time had come. "We should probably leave in staggered times. Less of a chance of getting detected." Glancing to Alanna, he added, "Unless you are offering your cloaked taxi service to deposit us where needed?"

"There's one problem with that," Alanna said. "If you walk, you won't get there until morning. We'll need to take the shuttle. The problem will be not being noticed as we drop people off."

(To be continued...)

Lieutenant Alanna Wells
Chief Science Officer & Rabble Rouse

Lieutenant JG Brianthe Oaxaca
Assistant Chief Science Officer

Tannis Tarkelion
Romulan Scientist
NPC by Alanna Wells

R'gelis Stadi
Romulan Scientist
NPC by Alanna Wells

Jason Haines
DS5's Resident Beach Bum

Aleczandra Ryan
Civilian
NPC Caleb Ryan

Captain Tam Haican
CAG
327th Starfighter Group
The Guardians

Shea
Civilian
Deep Space 5
NPC by Marisa Soran

Sabina Haican
Civilian child
Deep Spaace 5
NPC by Marisa Soran

 

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