[Galaxy] [ND] 9 Oct 2161 :: Battle for Safe Site #1 :: Austin, Dinaa, Hickey, Rahndi, Mane, Sergeant Major & a lot of Klingons

[Kate Nicholson]

~~~~~

[ Safe Site One  ]

=Gas charge planted at most probable avenue of approach,= Jericho  reported
over the Communicator.

The Sergeant Major was thankful for  the opportunity for an early warning
system, but he just wished it was  more damaging. "What about secondary
approaches?"

=I can speculate  a few, but I'm afraid I'd just be wasting a perfectly good
Darwinian  Cocktail. I'm pretty confident the crab-heads will find this
one.=

"Roger that, return to base."

=Wilco. Snake Three,  out.=

The Sergeant Major turned his dark, tattooed bulk to a ridge  overlooking
the area. "Snake One, what's your situation?"

=Snake  One in position. Killzone looks good.=

"You sure you don't need a  spotter?"

=We couldn't spare one if I did. But I promise to leave you a  couple of
baddies.=

"Be sure you do. Snake Niner, out."

The  Sergeant Major turned to the 'Fleeters and civilians nearby. "Alright,"
he  said as Paxton fell in behind and to the right of him. "You know your
positions, and you know the stakes. If this were /my/ home I'd be mad as
hell to have a bunch of crab-heads stomping through it. But this ain't my
home. /I/ just like eatin' crab." He smiled. "Thanks for inviting me to
dinner." And the smile was gone. "So I'm going to do /my/ part to satiate
my hunger, you just have to do yours to take out the trash.

"For  some of you, this isn't your first dance. For others this will be the
scariest place in the universe. When in doubt, we MACOs are experts in the
application of violence and we're happy to give a few pointers. Just
remember to keep your head down, conserve your ammunition, and that heroes
are the first to die. We don't want heroes, we want survivors. So take  care
of the man and woman next to you, and they'll take care of you. Are  we
understood?"

Carter nodded silently. His eyes were focused on the  disruptor in his hand.
He had talked freely about defending New Darwin,  and had helped organize
the assault on the infirmary, but when the time  came, could he really look
another being in the eye and pull the trigger?  Sure he had wiped out the
patrol in the sciences center with the modified  laser, but he had turned
around and pushed a button. He didn't have to  look them in the face.

His eyes shifted over others, Mane, Kalli',  Varre'... even Hickey, injured
as he was, was doing all he could. But what  about him? If the Klingons were
to breach the perimeter, if the children  were held at the end of a
sharpened sword, what would he do?  He  would do what he must.

Carter's eyes drifted over to Mane. A little  smile crossed her pouty lips
as she meticulously cleaned the Klingon  weapon she had been given. He
doubted he would ever relish combat the way  that she did. But if it came
down to a choice between the Klingons and the  assemblage, he knew what he
would do.

Kalevah was just making his  way back to the group after loading up extra
supplies in his medkit. He  looked forward to the MACO Sgt. Major, his eyes
glaring with intensity.  The Daliwakan corpsman very much had his game face
on. He had noticed that  many of the humans tended to get chatty before a
major event, something  Mears referred to as a "pep talk". It contrasted
most of the Daliwakan  joining in the party, who were standing around with
fierce stares much  like Kale'. Like the Sgt. Major had said, this wasn't
their "first  dance".

As Patrick double checked his equipment again, he wonder why he  had changed
his mind to go with the team that was heading out instead of  staying in the
caveswhere he might be more useful. He had been really to  do this however
some of the Daliwakan who worked in the comms department  had join the party
and he had decided he couldn't sit out this time,  even if he did just want
to get some revenge for his own injuries and  for his team. Patrick had
barely noticed what was being said by the Sgt.  Major, he was too nervous
to, he had barely said a few words to anyone  since their meeting had ended
so suddenly. Looking down at his hands, he  could see his hand start to
shake a bit, something which hadn't happen  to him before, Patrick hoped
this would go away before anyone else saw  it.

Varre¹ walked up to the back of the group, silent, tucking the  phased
pistol into her belt on the left. On the right was another holster  bearing
the projectile hand gun Sam Fisher had taught her to use and  with which she
had killed the vol¹sha killing wolf. She did not want to  meet anyone¹s
eyes. Though she was not ashamed of her tears, she did not  want others to
misinterpret them. They were for her children. How she  hated to leave them
at this time. They needed their mother. They needed  their father. She was
both, so it was up to her to both see to their  comfort in their fear and to
their personal protection.

The  Sergeant Major nodded. "Then let's roll."

"Aye." Carter said quietly.  As the group filed out of the cave, Mane all
but disappeared into the  dense forest. "Figures." He said to himself. The
woman was never much of a  team player.

Carter moved forward, sticking close as he could to Kalli'  as the Daliwakan
picked her way carefully through the foliage. He knew he  wasn't as stealthy
as the alien linguist, but he tried to mimic her  footfalls to make as
little noise as possible.

Kalevah pressed  forward even more, getting as close to running point as the
MACOs would  allow him. Being a resident of the colony, he was serving as a
guide  through the forest for them. Hito and Mears were near the back of the
troupe, and would be waiting to respond to any injuries.

Staying in the  middle of the group, just behind Carter and Kalevah in the
front, Patrick  couldn't help looking from side to side trying to see if
this might be  anything out there. As one of the least experience people
here, he didn't  even know what he was meant to be looking for to help. At
that point  Patrick start to think he should have listern to Dotto advice
and remained  in the caves, however common sense was overrules by his need
to do  something more than what he had done so far injuries not with
standing.

Varre¹ took up a position in the rear of the group; the ³six²  Fisher had
always called it. She was not sure why it was position number  six, but she
knew she was responsible to pay attention the area behind  them. Do not let
the hunted Klingons become the hunters. She was able to  drop back and scout
behind them and quickly catch back up to the group  without getting lost.
She had good eyes in the forest and silent feet.  She pushed the children to
the back of her mind. She did not want to  pollute thoughts of them with
thoughts of what she wanted to do to the  invading, despicable Klingons.


[ Elsewhere... ]

The  Sergeant Major held up his hand, a gesture for all behind him to stop.
He  looked around the foliage encircling them, then turned to wave them down
lower to the ground.

Patrick had been so busy looking around, that he  didn't notice the person
in front of him stop. Before Patrick could said  anything the Dali, who he
had walked into, put his finger to his lips. Now  taking notice of what was
happening, Patrick saw everyone had stopped and  the Sergeant Major was
waving towards. Seeing everyone doing the same  thing of going to the
ground, Patrick quickly follow them in getting lower  to the ground. Patrick
was unsure if this meant the Klingons were close or  not, but his stomach
started to go in knots at just the thought of going  up against them again.

Carter crouched behind an old moss-covered log.  His senses tensed as he
tried to find some sign of what the MACO had  spotted. He breathed in
quietly as he made a quick check of the rest of  the group. The gentleman in
him made him constantly look for the women,  even though in his head he knew
that they were far better at this than he  was.

He leaned over the log and squinted, looking for any sign of  movement, or a
flash of red hair. Of course, there was none. "What the  hell does that
crazy bitch have planned." He whispered to himself as he  awaited
instructions.

The Sergeant Major pulled his communicator.  "Snake Niner to Snake One," he
said quietly.

=Go for Snake  One.=

"We've reached the next checkpoint. Do you have good news, or are  you going
to send us around the planet?"

=How about twenty-plus  crab-heads creeping up to the gas charge?=

"They're moving slow.  Jericho was sure they'd have hit it long before now."

=They don't seem  to move too well in the foliage, but they'll hit gas in
another three  minutes, give or take. Then probably scatter to the creek on
your ten  o'clock. It's a clearing they've already been to.=

"Roger that. Go hot.  Snake Niner, out."

The Sergeant Major motioned to the group's left,  towards the creek. It was
one of several possible ambush points they  talked about, and the enemy
profile thus far didn't merit any change to  the basic plan. So off they
went...


[ Creek Ambush Point  ]

As he waited in the undergrowth, Patrick wondered if he or the people
around him might stay be alive after the upcoming ambush they had  planned,
he hoped they  all be ok however if history showed anything, the battle-plan
never survived  the first encounter with the enemy. Without realizing it,
Patrick's hand  started to shake again. Grabbing his firearm tightly, with
both hands to try  to stop the shaking, Patrick said a silent prayer first
the first time in a  long while just to get some extra help even if it it
might not  happen.

A bead of sweat ran lazily down  Carter's cheek as he crouched in the
underbrush waiting for the Klingons.  How many of them would he have to
kill, he thought to himself, how many of  us would have to die?

He shifted nervously, his hands suddenly cold,  even in such a warm
environment. Impatiently he waited. In his mind he  could see the Klingons
marching ever closer.

Suddenly, an  explosion punctured the silence of the still Darwinian forest.
Birds took  to the air in droves and wildlife cackled and ran as a yellowish
fog began  to fill the spaces between the trees, but dissipated once it
reached the  open air over the waters of the narrow creek. The Darwinian sun
shown down  on the sparkling waters as one after another the Klingon force
stepped  into the open, coughing violently and trying to clear their blurred
eyes.

The Sergeant Major's order to open fire was simple and  unmistakable: he
opened fire.

At the sound of the Major firing,  Patrick try to stop his hand shaking so
he could actually fire his weapons  at the Klingons. Shutting his eyes as he
took his first shot, Patrick had  no idea if he was really hitting his
target or not, for the moment he just  hope he was doing some good with what
he was trying to do. Patrick wondered  to himself if any of his ancestor had
even felt like this, it wasn't nice  what he was feeling that was for sure.

The Klingons were basically unable to see. However, they could determine
which direction the energy weapon  fire was coming from. They began to
wildly return fire, if not aiming to  actually hit their attackers, then
just to drive them into deeper cover and  buy themselves time to recover
from the gas bomb. Luckily, the Sergeant  Major¹s team was well hidden
behind the stout trees.

There were 13  Klingons that eventually stumbled into the clearing or within
firing range.  Only four eventually dropped completely unconscious as a
result of the  anesthetic gas. However the others were at a distinct
disadvantage. The  remaining 8 of the Klingon squad had dropped back upwind
of the gas and swung  around to come at the clearing from the Team¹s 3
o¹clock.

Varre¹  recognized what was happening and tapped her communicator, ³Snake
Nine, they  are circling to your right. 5 or 6 I thinking. I dropping back
and around.² As  she ducked behind the root ball of an uprooted tumbled
tree, she caught sight  of Mane to her left. The woman waved her closer.
³Mane is with me, too,² she  added.

There was no answer. She assumed the worst, that he was in a  position where
he could not respond, and turned her attention to the red-head.

"This is the plan," Mane said, crouching behind a deadfall as Varre'  made
her way over. The survivor never took her eyes from the Klingons as she
spoke. "The two of us are better at moving through this growth than most of
the rest of these people, military included. Our main force is dug in pretty
well here. While the Klingons are busy dealing with them, the two of us can
circle around and catch them on the flank."

The demi-augment finally  turned her head slightly to regard the little
Shireev. "Look, I know we don't  like each other, and I'm not really sure if
you fully understand me, but this  is as much MY home as it is yours. I'm
not going to let a bunch of ugly,  lumpy-headed aliens take it over without
showing them how I  feel."

³Mane, I no not liking you. You thinking all wrong about Lutent  Austin and
me. That¹s all,² Varre¹ said and then realized this was really not  the
place for this discussion. ³Let¹s be fighting together,  okay?²

Mane's powerful green eyes looked the Shireev full in the face,  reading her
expression. The red-haired huntress' features softened momentarily  as she
put a steadying hand on Varre's shoulder. "They won't get near the
children." She said softly, then pulled her hand back, drawing a line across
her throat with her thumb. "I give you my word."

³I will not live to be  seeing them be hurt. I be dead by then,² she
promised in return.

---- 

// Elsewhere //

>From his own position, Kalevah was  taking steady aim with his phase pistol.
>From the moment they left the safe  site he had been quiet and fiercely
focused. His face was calm as he took  careful aim and squeezed the trigger
each time. It was only his inexperience  with the firearm and the hectic
motion of the Klingons that kept him from  felling more than one of them.

He barely even registered the disruptor  beams striking all around his
position until the MACO crouched next to him  suddenly screamed out in pain.
The wounded soldier's cry managed to snap the  Daliwakan out of vengeance
mode.

"My arm!!" the corporal groaned  through clenched teeth as Kale' holstered
his pistol and pulled out his  medkit.

Kalevah said, "You are being lucky. It is only grazing you and  not giving
you full blast."

"I'll keep that in mind..."

"You  would be being dust now if it hit you full," Kale' emphasized as he
gave him a  hypospray. "Just remember to duck."

The corporal grinned, despite the  situation, and gave a nod as Kale' helped
him back to his  feet.

-----

Meanwhile, the small force of Klingons had managed  to make Carter keep his
head down. A Daliwakan man beside him had been hit,  and writhed on the
forest floor clutching his shoulder. Carter thought he  recognized him as a
one of the cleaning personnel from the labs.

Staying low, Carter made his way to the man, who had begun screaming
something in Daliwakan. Dropping his disruptor, the scientist tried to pull
the man's hand away from the site of the wound so he could asses the damage.
"Shhh... quiet." He said, as the man fought with him. He could only imagine
the pain the man was in.

Suddenly, the foliage beside them erupted as  a bolt from one of the Klingon
disruptors struck a tree near Carter's head.  Instinctively, he threw
himself on the man to protect him, catching a  multitude of splinters to his
back. The man beneath him continued to scream.

"It's alrahght, " He said, wincing against his own pain now. He knew  it was
minor compared to what this man must be feeling. "Just stay calm... let  me
have a look." Still the man fought as Carter tried to pry his hand from his
wound. "Frak it!" He finally said, "Ah wish Ah understood your damn
language!" 

It was about that moment when Kalevah came along, creeping through the
underbrush to avoid the Klingon disruptors. "Vah hiirko. Me vah see." The
Daliwakan's screaming didn't subside until Kalevah gave him a sedative via
hypospray.

A few more disruptor blasts rained around the site while  Kale' administered
an antiradiation med and painkiller to stabilize the  patient. He then
looked at Carter, who was sitting by watching him. "Is good  idea to be
shooting Klingons right now, Lieutenant."

Carter  blinked once, then ducked as another blast of focused energy passed
by his  head. "Yes, sorry corpsman." He said as he brought up his disruptor
and  returned fire. "Ah must have lost mah head for a minute. Carry on,
Ah'll try  and give you cover."

The musician-turned-scientist began firing  controlled shots at the
regrouped aliens, attempting to suppress them so that  the Daliwakan medic
could move on to more serious cases.

As Patrick continued to fire with a  bit more confidence now, he was shaken
by a Dali to his left had taken a hit.  Patrick expected to hear his screams
of pain but when he heard nothing,  Patrick looked to see what the Dali,
someone who had worked with him in the  Comms department, was dead. The Dali
wasn't making any sound whatsoever, no  screams of pain or cries of help,
just nothing, which sicken Patrick and made  him want to vomit. Trying his
best not to, Patrick tried to turn his attention  back to hitting the
Klingons, something made hard by the tears in his eyes  from both the death
and the screams which were happening all around  him.

~~~

Varre¹ and Mane working  carefully, slipped through the forest in quiet
feet, fanned out just enough  that they would not both be vulnerable to the
same enemy fire. The crept  forward. Varre¹ knew it was imperative that any
shot she fire be a kill shot.  That the beast just went down and perhaps
...perhaps the others would not  realize where the shot had originated.

She stopped suddenly,  frozen in a crouch. Two Klingons with their backs to
the little Daliwakan  woman huddled behind a fallen log, overgrown with
underbrush. She could  understand them. They were angry at having been told
to hold the rear  position. A tactic that left them out of the heat of the
battle other than a  few random shots to provide cover for the comrades to
move ahead. 

Varre¹ pulled the projectile weapon from its holster, settling the  phase
pistol into the holster on her other hip. Using both hands, she sighted  the
pistol through the brush and squeezed the trigger. The Klingon hovered
lifeless in position for a moment, and before he hit the ground, his
companion  also lay dead, sprawled half on top of him. Two shots, two dead.
She held  completely still, ready to re-aim at anything that moved. The
sounds of battle  beyond continued unabated, but no one came looking for the
two on the  six.

Without a sound, Mane drew the three-pronged dagger that she had  taken from
the earlier Klingon patrol and slipped through the underbrush  closer to
where the remaining three Klingons were pinned down. Her pretty lips  pulled
back into a savage smile as she saw them at a disadvantage.

In the space of a  heartbeat, the red-maned huntress crouched and sprang
into the center of the  group, knife flashing ahead of her. One Klingon
immediately clutched his  throat as a spray of purple blood splashed over
the savage woman. 

Mane herself was still moving, her reflexes  carrying her with the speed of
a cobra. Her hand darted out towards a second  alien, but this one managed
to bring his weapon up just in time to block the  downward knife stroke,
sending his disruptor careening into the brush. The  second turned finally
just a fraction too late, and Mane caught him full in  the chest with a side
kick, driving the air from him and sending him  sprawling.

By now, the first Klingon had recovered,  drawing his own dagger. His lips
parted, revealing a pointed toothed smile.  This was what he really wanted.
Close up combat with a weaker opponent. If the  human wished to throw her
life away, he would be glad to help.

The energy beams had ceased flying now as  Mane and the Klingon circled each
other like roman gladiators, each probing  for a weakness in the others
defenses. Stone faced, the blood spattered woman  struck first, feinting to
the alien's weak side. He was too smart to fall for  it however and
sidestepped, bringing his hand around to connect with the back  of the
huntress' head, brining stars to her vision.

Mane staggered back as the Klingon began to  sense weakness in his prey. He
opened his mouth in a primal scream and lunged  forward, driving the dagger
before him. Though momentarily stunned, Mane still  had her reflexes. She
drew back her hand and let fly, a glint of metal flashed  through the air as
the Klingon crashed into her, his momentum sending them  both to the ground,
Manes weapon stuck deeply into the alien's thick  forehead.

There was a new rustle off to Manes left as  she realized that the third
Klingon must be recovered by now. Frantically she  worked to free herself
from the weight of the alien warrior on top of her as  the second spotted
her. Smiling, he raised his pistol and pointed it at Mane's  face. Still
trapped beneath the warrior, and now unarmed, her savage green  eyes grew
big as saucers as she counted down her last moments of life.

She could see the Klingon's finger  tightening slowly on the trigger. The
sound of the discharge made her start...  then suddenly there was nothing.
No pain, no sound... nothing. Mane opened her  eyes to see the alien lying
on the forest floor. From up in the ambush  position  Carter began to make
his way down to her, his hand still  holding the pistol that had felled the
big warrior.

Mane smiled as she kicked the lifeless  corpse off of her and stood to
review the damage. She nodded satisfactorily.  They had done well. No
Klingons were left standing... the battle was  over.
~~~

Lt. (jg) Carter Austin
Chief Science Officer
New Darwin Colony
&
Elizabeth Mane Walker (NPC apb  Leo)
Survivor and Huntress
& 
Lt Patrick Hickey 
Chief Comms Officer
New Darwin Colony
&
Adavarre' Rahndi, Shireev
New Darwin Colony 
& 
CPO Kalevah Dinaa
Corpsman / Senior Enlisted Advisor
New Darwin Colony
&
MACO's 
(apb Robert)