End Game (Part II of III)
Posted on Tue Jun 5, 2018 @ 2:37am by Captain Maritza Soran & Commander Caleb Ryan & Commander Amia Telamon M.D. & Lieutenant Liam Reynolds & Lieutenant Annora Tessaro & Lieutenant Alanna Wells & First Lieutenant Gordon Blue & Civilian Hydel Turvan
2,026 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
Victory Conditions
Location: DS5 Local Space
Timeline: MD08 1300
Previously on End Game
The momentary delay gave the Legate-class vessels the necessary time and distraction to lock on and begin their bombardment on the McBride. The other vessels used the opening salvo to allow them enough time to maneuver into position to release a devastating barrage on the lone vessel.
“Direct hit!” Glinn Dema reported. “They’re beginning to leak coolant from their antimatter containment matrix. Catastrophic core breach is imminent, they’re beginning evacuation procedures. Should we dispatch the Hidekis to engage the escape pods and shuttles?” she asked, ready to finish off the fleeing enemy.
“No. Signal for the other vessels to fall back and regroup with the remainder of the wing,” Gul Veshur ordered. “We will be back for the rest of them at a later time,” she said.
And Now the Continuation
[Deep Space Five Ops]
Maritza watched with bubbling anger as the Cardassians retaliated, and the McBride took fire. "Open hailing frequencies!" she shouted. "Get me the lead Cardassian ship, tell them to stand down, and let us take the Svikiri. Get support craft ready in case McBride has to evacuate."
"Ma'am, radiation levels are rising again on the Svikiri," Brianthe reported. "They may be preparing to attack again."
Maritza nodded. "Mr Blue. Bring the station phasers on line and target Svikiri."
Blue did not hesitate to activate the phaser systems. He brought the system up to the ready as he entered the codes to put targeting under his control. As the Strategic Operations Officer of the deck, he did supersede the Tactical Officer
"Phaser array on line and powered." He brought the Svikiri into the sighting with a roving lock. It took a steady hand to keep the lock active, but not fully focused until the time of firing. "The USS Svikiri is bracketed, waiting orders to fire." With a roaming lock, the target Svikiri would not detect the targeting as yet, not giving away how many guns were pointed towards it.
"Belay that," snapped T'Vel. "We need to take the crew into custody and preserve the ship for the Federation. You cannot destroy it."
"Ma'am!" Maritza protested. "Captain Hayashi just murdered hundreds of Cardassians. Unprovoked."
"Nevertheless, Commander, the order stands."
Blue had his lock on the Svikiri still as a roaming lock and not setting off any alarms yet. The admiral was the voice of total command, but an order from the commanding officer of the station in a combat situation would be a tricky situation. Still, Blue kept the ship targeted while the commanding officers decided which path to follow. "We could lower the shields and allow one of the other ships to target key systems unimpeded," Blue suggested. "I could target all shields and drive them down easily."
"If there was one thing we learnt from watching Svikiri, it is that those shields don't come down easily," Soran replied. "Was that break in something you organised?" Maybe there was information they could use to disable the rogue ship
"Negative, ma'am," Blue confirmed. "I was not involved with the damage done to the project. I have a fire team heading to secure the scene," he continued. "I would suggest Science go over the internal scans five minutes prior to the explosion and see if anyone is scanned in the offices." Blue began making calculations. "I could take down the shielding with what might be called a dirty trick."
Maritza looked to where Brianthe had been watching, jut as aghast as she was. "Go over the scans. Let me know what you find. Mr Blue, how dirty is dirty?
"In boxing it is called a rope a dope." Blue grinned in a sly way. "A dirty trick, but legal by boxing rules," he informed her.
[USS Ararat]
Caleb seethed as he watched the Cardassians open up on the practically defenseless McBride. They didn’t even have a chance to get their shields up.
“Helm, move us into position to cover McBride and assist evacuation procedures,” Caleb said. “Keep us out of range if their core explodes. Solstice, we’re going to need some cover so we can lower our shields and use our transporters,” Caleb requested. Any one of these ship captains outranked him and could take command of this debacle at any time. The Ararat wasn’t powerful enough to do much if the Cardassians decided to attack in force again. Fortunately, it looked like they were backing off.
"Aye, sir," Amia replied, her voice almost hoarse with horror, but her reactions sound and determined, rising to the emergency as a trained doctor automatically did when there were lives at stake. She didn't think about the manoeuvres, they just came to her. In fact, the less she tried to work them out, the better she just pulled them out of her memories and subconscious where they had been stored in the old days when Cade had taught her to fly.
“Challenger, focus fire to take out Svikari’s weapons. Resolute, Manifest Destiny, take down their shields. Koxinga, knock out their engines. Comms, keep trying to hail them.”
A moment later, a grizzled looking Hekaran appeared on screen. "This is Captain Melonar of Challenger. We've discovered some sabotage in our weapons systems. Our shields are still good, so we'll try and run interference for McBride until we can get it fixed. Challenger out."
Caleb spat some colorful Texas curses. He started to change his orders when Liam interrupted.
"Sir," Liam said suddenly, surprised considering the recent comms blackout from them. "The Svikiri is hailing us. In fact, they are hailing everyone."
“On screen!” Caleb barked.
CUV Traxell
"We're receiving a hail from a Starfleet vessel as well as the station," the Communication officer reported from his station.
"Ignore them," Gul Veshur responded. She was in no mood to hear the Starfleet attempt to talk their way out of this dishonorable and unprovoked attack.
"Ma'am, it is the Svikari. It appears to be hailing all of the vessels in the area," the Communication officer reported in an obvious stunned tone.
This caught Gul Veshur off-guard. The Cardassian thought for several moments before looking towards the viewscreen and ordering, "Put the murderous bastards on the screen."
Across the multiple vessels, the calm face of Captain Hayashi appeared on screen. "I am Hayashi Tetsuro, formerly of Starfleet, but now I represent the forces of the Free Earth movement. No longer will Humans bow to the Federation, or tolerate those races who endanger them. Cardassian vessels, you have one minute to turn tail and run back to Cardassia, or I will destroy the rest of you."
Gul Veshur remained standing on the bridge of the Traxell. "Those are brave words from a man who turned tail and ran away after performing such an act of cowardice. I'm not sure what elaborate scheme you have decided to hatch with your Federation comrades, but I assure you that you will not be the only one to suffer the consequences of your actions today," she replied.
"Perhaps your time would be better spent providing aid to your crippled vessel," she said, indicating the McBride that continued to inch closer and closer to catastrophic explosion.
Hayashi gave a brief nod. "As you wish. Mr Aldrich, target another Cardassian vessel.”
"For a Human, your poker face leaves much to be desired," Gul Veshur said dismissively to the Human on her screen. She knew that at the current distance it would take at least fifty-eight seconds for the vessel to travel to a close enough distance to open fire again. It would be more than enough time for the fleet to maneuver into a counter-position.
USS Ararat
"Free Earth?" Alanna thought. This was not good. Not good at all.
Then she remembered her computer worm. "Commander," she said, turning to Caleb. "I have limited access to the Svikiri's Astrometrics lab. I could send an EM pulse through their passive long range scanners and into the computer, but I don't know if it's too little, too late."
“Do it!” Caleb ordered. He would deal with whatever this Free Earth movement was later. “Challenger, keep assisting McBride,,” he ordered. Could he rely on the other Federation vessels, or were they compromised, as well? How real was the Challenger’s supposed sabotaged weapons?
Alanna nodded and sent a shut down order through the Svikiri’s astrometrics. It would take about two minutes to see if it would work at all.
“All other ships, form up between the Svikari and the Cardassian ships. Blockade formation. Hayashi will not get another shot at those vessels!” He switched channels. “Hayashi, this is yer last chance. Power down shields an’ weapons an’ stand down! Turn yerself in. No one else needs ta die. An’ make no mistake. Those deaths on the McBride are on your head!”
Caleb looked at Liam. “Can we managed to broadcast all over the ship?” he asked. “Hayashi cannot have the support of the entire crew in this! We’re going to need those loyal to the Federation to take action.”
"Agreed, and yes we can," Liam nodded. "Starting recording now, sir." He pressed some buttons opening the comm link.
“This is Commander Caleb Ryan of Deep Space Five in command of the USS Ararat to all loyal Starfleet officers an’ crew aboard the USS Svikari. Captain Hayashi is in violation of Starfleet orders an’ taken traitorous actions against the interests of the Federation. He has been removed from command. We are attempting to stop him, an’ do not wish ta risk destroying your vessel as we do so. Please aid us by taking Hayashi inta custody an’ powerin’ down weapons an’ shields.”
Just who the 'Free Earth' folks were, Annora wasn't sure. However, based upon their recent actions and statement, she had a pretty good idea. She wondered if they were somehow connected to the Raddon corporation and their brand of xenophobia.
"Sir, does this change the rules of engagement? Do we treat them as a hostile vessel and go in guns a blazin’?"
“If they refuse to stand down, yes,” Caleb said darkly. “We’re preventin’ a war here.”
Alanna caught the name Raddon from someone on the bridge. Raddon Corporation? More information for later. Right now, she had to see if she could send a signal to the Svikiri. There was a flicker on her sensors from the ship, but she didn't know if it were enough, or if it were even the start of something.
Deep Space Five
Blue used the signal to get a finer focus of the station's targeting system. He now had a scalpel type targeting for a sledgehammer style power to pound the shielding.
"Permission to fire, ma'am. I have a precise solution on the Svikiri, and with the power of the station phasers and burst fire torpedoes those shields will come down like hitting glass with a sledgehammer," Blue said from the Strategic Operations panel as assurance. "I did it before, ma'am, with less power."
"On their reserve shields, not the wall itself," she reminded him. "Fire."
"Firing the Rope a Dope pattern," Blue confirmed.
To Be Continued
Commander Maritza Soran
CO
Deep Space Face
Captain Hayashi Tetsuro
CO
USS Svikiri
Lieutenant Annora Tessaro
Asst. Chief Security/Tactical Officer
DS5
Lieutenant Alanna Wells
Chief Science Officer
Lieutenant Liam Reynolds
Chief Counselor
Cmdr Amia Telamon
Chief Medical Officer, DS5
Gul Veshur
CO
CUV Traxell
Cmdr Caleb Ryan
XO
DS5
First Lieutenant Gordon Blue
Marine Commander
DS5
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