To The Victor, The Spoils
Posted on Sat Sep 30, 2023 @ 9:48pm by Captain Maritza Soran & Civilian Hydel Turvan
2,507 words; about a 13 minute read
Mission:
Si vis pacem, para bellum
Location: Pangaea
Timeline: Concurrent with let slips the dogs of war part 1
[ON]
Glinn Lisek was ready to call this grid done and dusted. At over three thousand kilometers from the settlement they had taken, he seriously doubt there'd be any survivors to find, and they were just looking for what? Lumps in the landscape? He doubted that they'd find any of those that weren't natural formations this far into the alpine pastures of the mountain range in the middle of the large continent.
His wingman, Gill Galuk, turned into the valley, and he followed, working their way up towards the lake sending glittering scattered light into their eyes as the sun set. He turned his eyes instinctively, which is when he saw it.
"Galuk, do you see that," he swung his aircraft to port, approaching the oval shaped hill, dropping as low as he dared. He was rewarded by seeing that the hill had a door way, three stones, two uprights and a lintel, supporting the dirt of the 'hill.' "Check that hill. I swear I saw a door."
He pulled into a loop while Galuk did his own flyby. "Yes. That is a door." Lisek could hear his wingman's glee over the comm. "What's more, I'm looking at the topograph. There's no hill there."
Lisek gave a short laugh. This would be worth a bonus with any luck. "Glinn Lesek to HQ. We have found a barrow. Its not showing on sensors, but its definitely there. Someone, tell Gull Kyren we've found a fae barrow."
[Cardassian Pangae Forward Operating Base]
"This is Battalion HQ, say again CFC 326, you have located a what?" The Cardassian Comms officer asked incredulously. He had reviewed the maps and scans of the planet surface more times than he cared to during his time on the planet surface. It had been weeks and the various search teams deployed on the surface had not been able to locate the Fae settlement or any indication as to where they were located.
"For all you know it could just be a naturally formed cave." Glinn Lantuva replied in an annoyed tone. He was not about to risk getting his head bit off by Gul Denat for a pointless chase up some dirt hill.
[Alpine Valley, 3400 KM east of settlement]
Lisek thought a rude word about the people crewing the space station. Across his wing he saw Galuk make an exaggerated rude gesture. "We have confirmed visual on a fabricated structure approximately fifty meters long and twenty meters wide. It has a doorway made up of large stones , and is ringed by other large stones standing upright. We cannot pick it up on sensors. External cameras show an empty meadow sir. That's a lot of stone right there, but scanners are reporting zero mass in that space. If that's not a fae thing sir, I'll eat my own underwear with yamok sauce."
[Pangae FOB]
Gul Meran Denat was within the tactical ops when he heard the discussion come over the unit. He quickly made his way over to the communication console.
*COM*
"This is Gul Denat, do not, I say again, do not engage the target. I am dispatching a team to secure and investigate it. I'll task the Warship Rydakah to take up a position just over the site. I want it ready to turn the entire hill into a smoking crater if need be." The Commanding Officer ordered. He was not going to give the Fae or whatever was inside of there an opportunity to take out another Cardassian**
Lisek breathed a sigh of relief. At last someone with brains was getting involved. "Understood, sir. Sending co-ordinates now." He targets the hill, then touched a panel that would send that position back to command. Then, settling into the glow of a job well done, he and Galuk pulled up into a holding pattern to wait for reinforcements, but not daring to get so high that they couldn't watch the long barrow with their actual eyes.
[Pangaea FOB]
Gul Denat was standing at the center tactical display within ops. The display was showing a magnified view of the planet and focusing on the area that the patrol units had just discovered.
"Glinn Makjel will lead 2nd & 3rd Platoon to the area. 3rd Platoon will setup security around the parameter while Glinn Makjel and 2nd Platoon will enter the structure and investigate what it is and what is responsible for it." The senior Cardassian ordered as he zoomed outward and showed the position of the Warship Beldon.
"In the event that structure is just another trap by the Fae or even the Federation, we will obliterate the entire site." He said to the troops gathered in person and virtually.
One of the 2nd Platoon Gil's leaned towards another, and muttered with a dark humour. "Better hope its not a trap then,"
As 3rd platoon began materializing around the barrow, a pale deer like creature, the delicate tines of its antlers glowing slightly, sprang from the treeline and racing past the first surprised troopers, skittering and scrabbling down the slope of the pasture towards the lake, making a panicked helter-skelter dash for the barrow
At the last moment, it veered, stumbling and sliding without grace into the barrow itself, falling over itself to as the long legs shortened and rearranged themselves, hopping impatiently from one foot to another as tree roots withdrew and revealed a passage way beneath. Still halfway between hart and humanoid, the Fae was shedding its animal form as it ran, the tunnel opening up in front to slow for its liking.
By the time enough of an arch had formed to pass through, Cobweb was once again in its true form and she dashed into the chamber beneath the barrow "Majesty, Majesty!-"
Maritza was where the fae had left her, sedated against the pain of her broken arm. The fae shook her, counting on the pain to rouse her, and it did. "Get dressed, Majesty" cobweb hissed, throwing what remained of Maritza's uniform into her lap. "We don't have long. The Conqueror's troops are here. We must flee!"
The trill looked blearily at the fae, then blinked suddenly as the words broke through the haze of sedative in her head. Then she scrambled into her jacket, "Go where?"
"Away, away!" Cobweb hopped around her, pushing her up to her feet. "If they find you, you'll be dragged to his majesty and executed, and then all will have been for naught!"
Maritza stumbled towards the archway of tree roots, cobweb jostling her along. "How many?"
"Enough!" Cobweb snapped. "We must be swift, there is a trod nearby. If we can make it, all will be well. Hurry, hurry!"
The tunnel was barely big enough for Cobweb, and Maritza had to bend double to get through it, to emerge inside the barrow, covered in dirt. But a glance to the exit chilled her. There were dozens of Cardassians heading right for the barrow entrance.
"CONTACT! CONTACT!" Shouted one of the first Cardassian Troopers just as 2nd Platoon began to cross over the knoll and set their eyes on the opening of the the confined space.
"HOLD FIRE" Shouted Glinn Makjel shouted to the subordinate Cardassians as he raised his fist and slowly made his way to the front of the two Platoons.
"Identify yourself and surrender, we have you surrounded and are prepared to use all necessary force." Glinn Makjel said as he shouted towards the entrance of the structure. He could not make out the shadowed figures, but he could tell that they were two Humanoids.
"Surrender peaceful and I assure you that you will not be harmed by either me nor my men." The Glinn added, his fist still raised, signaling to his men to remain ready, but do not engage as of yet.
Maritza looked down to Cobweb, but the creature was gone. Instead, a hare like creature, long ears laid flat against its head gave her a baleful look, and then burrowed back into the earth, the dirt of the tunnel she emerged from collapsing over it. The barrow only had one entrance. There was no where to go but out of the frying pan. Maritza huffed a breath. All things must end, as philosophers of a hundred worlds all claimed.
She stepped forward into the little light getting into the entrance of the barrow, mind going a thousand kilometers an hour trying to figure how to get out of this. Dozens of enemy soldiers, all armed. She could make a run for it. But she couldn't run faster than a phaser beam. They must have craft to land all the men. But they were all far beyond the line of men. She raised her hands in the universal gesture for surrender. "I'm Captain Maritza Soran, commander of DS5."
Glinn Makjel smirked slightly as he looked from the woman and to his men and back towards her. "That's a lie. Maritza Soran was killed on Deep Space Five shortly after we took control. Evidently some terrorist trill named Hex had gotten ahold of her." The Cardassian Officer replied. ***
"Now state your true name." He said as he stepped towards her and aimed his weapon directly at her.
Declared dead. The Deception had worked better than she hoped, then. "Well, as I'm not Maritza Soran, I might as well be going." She gestured to where Makjel was blocking the exit, indicating he should move. "Would you be so kind?"
"This planet is under the jurisdiction of the Cardassian Empire. That Starfleet uniform indicates that you are an illegal combatant. You have two choices: Surrender and be taken in for questioning, or I can just shoot you and save myself the paperwork." He said mirthlessly.
The silence that had come over the area was broken by a frantic com dispatch.
*COM* "This is Warship Rydakah, we breaking orbit from Pangaea to engage the Klingon fleet that has just entered the area. I SAY AGAIN A Klingon invasion fleet has just entered sector space. We are breaking orbit to engage the enemy." The voice over the comm unit stated.
Maritza couldn't help looking up, even though there was no way to see a ship in space from the ground. "Charg." she smiled. Always riding to her rescue. And if the Klingons were here, the federation couldn't be far behind. Close enough to be worth running again. Better that some junior officer shot her here, than give Turvan the satisfaction and use it against her crew. The Cardassians were distracted enough: she rammed her knee into Makjel's groin, and shoved past him at a run.
"hhggnn...." Glinn Makjel groaned as he fell to his knees and slumped over on his side as the Trill ran past him and out of the structure.
"G---g----get her!" He shouted through a hoarse whisper as he gripped his crotch in pain and clawed for the woman's feet as she ran past him.
The gathering of Cardassian Trooper saw the spectacle taking place and withheld their laughs as they saw the Company Commander fall over the the Starfleet woman take off running. The closest Trooper raised his disruptor and trained it on Soran as she continued to run away from the group. He fired two shots, each hitting her in the back and knocking her forward into the ground.
"HALT!" The Cardassian Gil said rather unnecessarily, seeing as how he had already shot the woman before uttering the command. "I don't like to repeat myself." He said with a smirk as he holstered his weapon as two other Cardassian troopers raced over to help up Glinn Makjel.
*COM* "Gil Taksheer to HQ, we have found a Starfleet combatant at the site of the knoll. Female, Trill, appears to be a senior officer of the security or command division. She's attacked Glinn Makjel, but she appears to be. . ." He paused as he looked as saw the Trill moving about as she tried to regain her footing. ". . .she's still alive. Shall I proceed to execute?" He asked, withdrawing his weapon again, but this time setting the disruptor to its deadly setting.
Gul Denat's attention was locked in on the tactical display as it showed the arrival of the Federation invaders and their Klingon dogs. On another screen he could see the positioning of the Cardassian and Xi'Cadian vessels assigned to take up defense positioning of DS5. The Cardassian/Xi'Cadian vessels that were not defending DS5 were stationed just outside the conflict zone awaiting word to jump into the fight.
But at the moment he was distracted by the description given of the Starfleet belligerent: The only female Trill that he was aware of within the senior staff was Captain Soran. If she was on the planet surface, then that means she had somehow made it from the station and onto the planet past Cardassian forces.
*COM* "Sir, shall I go ahead and execut---" The Gil repeated.
*COM* "Bring her here, alive. Gul Denat out." The Ground Commander said sternly as he closed the communication line with a frustrated slam of his fist on a nearby console.
Gil Taksheer looked around at the nearby Troopers and signaled for them to surround her as he walked over to grab her. "On your feet, Trill." He said as he grabbed one of the Trill's arms and hefted her back to her feet.
Maritza couldn't hold back the sharp cry as she was wrenched up. The first shot had got her about three fingers below the ribs, taken out a fingers width chunk of intestines , probably her liver too, and for a moment white pain washed over her, breaking her out in a cold sweat. The second shot would have gone through her heart if she hadn't already been falling. It had carved a burning line across her shoulder that throbbed in counterpoint. "You can't shoot," she gasped out, trying to summon bravado through the radiating pain. "Klingon's wouldn't have missed."
"And you run like a typical Starfleeter. . .why don't you just face your death with some semblance of courage." Gil Taksheer said without any sympathy to the injured belligerent as he checked her for any weapons.
*COM* "2nd Platoon to HQ, we've captured the belligerent, prepare a medical bay to treat any possible injuries." He said as he prepared himself for the transfer. As he looked up in the sky he could see the faint streaks through the upper atmosphere as Cardassian fighters engaged the initial Klingon invaders. The bright spots that he would occasionally see indicated that the battle was already become more fierce.
"We'll see what Gul Denat has planned for you. . ." Glinn Makjel said as he made his way over to the main group and prepared to be beamed out.
*COM* "Energize*
** = https://ds5.org.uk/index.php/sim/viewpost/1788
*** = https://ds5.org.uk/index.php/sim/viewpost/1735
Gul Meran Denat
Operational Commander Pangaea
Cardassian Empire
Glinn Makjel
Company Commander
Cardassian Empire
Captain Maritza Soran
CO
DS5
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