[Galaxy] [ND] 11 Sep 2161 :: New Darwin Colony :: Capt Oliver, Lt Shepard, Maj Karl Mason (npc MACO) :: "White Queen is on her throne"

[Kate Nicholson]

~~~~~ 

[ New Darwin Colony, dirtside, two klicks from the main square ]

The light and humm faded and the five soldiers of the fireteam went
weapons-ready, fanning out to insure a secure perimeter.  It was twilight,
but no flashlights were yet used, even though they were already affixed
alongside the rifle barrels.  The quiet blue haze of a day retreating
brought out the sounds of various alien insects beginning to chirp and buzz
around in the foliage surrounding the lazy clearing where the UEMilitary
special operations team was just inserted via transporter.  Now was only to
wait a short breath as the late additions to the team were beamed from the
Aurora.

Michah Oliver, dressed in black and her pale blonde hair temporarily colored
dark as well, stood patiently on the transporter pad aboard Aurora. "Ready?"
asked Shepard. The slim Captain rolled her shoulders one more time and
nodded, "Ready."  "I'll be right behind you," Reb assured her.

Michah materialized perhaps 10 meters from the fireteam. She crouched
immediately and looked around until she was sure all was clear. Like the
others, her weapon was ready, a small scale rapid fire phased rifle hung
supported by a strap around her shoulder, and a phased pistol was clipped at
her hip. She was no commando, but she had been properly trained, had kept
fit and practiced, and had insisted upon a few refresher hours of review
over the time on Aurora. There were no lights, and she could barely make out
the others from Constitution. "Clear," someone called after a moment, from
closer to her than she had expected. Within moments, another shimmer in the
darkness revealed the dark form of Lt Shepard.

Reb coalesced in a crouch.  As her form solidified, the muzzle of a Fleet
issued  rifle jutted out, sniffing the air like a predator.  She slowly
uncoiled and moved to  Michah's side.  Shepard's face was smeared with
paint, hiding the potential sheen of her skin.  Her auburn hair, now longer,
was tied back into a short ponytail and the whole concealed under a bandana
the same color as her fatigues. Laying a  hand on the Captain's shoulder,
Shepard silently motioned to a nearby clump of plantlife.

>From the shadows of the foliage, a gloved hand waved them over.

Mason was in "full kit" over his MACO fatigues.  Rifle, sidearm, utility
belt, backpack, etc, et al, ad nauseum.  He didn't have Shepard's face
paint, but a black knit "watchcap" topped off the uniform of the day for the
team.  As Oliver and Shepard crouched beside him, he spoke in little more
than a clear whisper.  "We need to establish a foothold in the comm center
to determine the communications status of the safe sites.  We understand
they're been working on re-establishing reliable, secure comms between
themselves, and if so we can coordinate the B-team shuttlepods for maximum
effect in defense and rescue operations. Otherwise we're just there to do as
much damage as possible to enemy capabilities.  If that means destroying
Starfleet equipment to keep it out of Klingon hands, so be it and my
apologies in advance.  Captain Oliver, I request you stay near me at all
times.  I realize that may sound like I intend to babysit, but assure you
I'm not the cute and cuddly type.  I intend to do my fair share alongside my
team, but your safety is a concern and next to me is the /least/ unsafe
place during these initial deployments.  Shepard, you're on point.  Recon in
force. Let's move."

Nodding, Shepard took off in a silent run.  Within moments, she melted into
the shadows.  After a few moments, Bekah slowed her pace.  Staying on the
balls of her feet, she kept moving forward.  Every sense was alert.

"Aye, Major," replied Michah. She had no objections to taking orders from
the officer.

Two kilometers from the colony's primary compound was a good distance away.
But without current intelligence on what was in the perimeter, and any
patrols or scouts outside the perimeter, they couldn't take a chance on the
obvious and blatant act of transporting giving them away and ending the
mission before it really began.  And so they moved fast through the twilight
and came withing sight of the colony proper just as darkness settled.

Mason pulled a set of compact, tactical binoculars from his belt. Peering
through he felt the vibration from his communicator.  Removing it from his
belt while still surveying the target area, he answered quietly, "Raven
Niner."

=Raven Three,= replied the other end.  =I've got single sentries in twenty
meter intervals just inside the perimeter.=

"They don't seem comfortable outside the established structures," Mason
thought out loud for Oliver's benefit.  "At least not at night. Explains why
we didn't see any patrols on the way here."

Michah spoke softly. ³I think they are rightfully very wary of the forest
after dark. These people, human and Dali, are very adept in the woods, where
the Klingons are rather like wild boars.²

=Raven Two to Raven Niner,= the communicator softly announced a female
voice.

"Raven Niner."

=I've got two sentries outside the primary command and control center.=

"Raven Niner to Pathfinder," Mason said to Shepard.

=Pathfinder,= she soto-voiced into her pick up.  She winced at even that low
a sound.  Her natural instincts were to go in silently, minimal Comms
traffic.  She found herself missing her old squad.  Back before her last
'shift' in careers.

"What's the status on alternate access points?"


[ elsewhere ]

"East and South access to underground are free and clear," Shepard reported.
"No sign of the infirmary escapees, yet."  She was nearing her objective.
Slowly, silently, she slid her rifle around behind her and tightened the
sling down.  For this part, Reb needed to be able to maneuver more than she
needed firepower.

Shepard slinked forward.  She felt, more than heard, something.  Opening her
eyes as wide as she could, Reb started a slow scan of her surroundings.  She
focused her attention on the peripheral edge of her sight.  By a quirk of
evolution, the areas of the human retina around the focal point were far
better at night vision.


[ temporary command post ]

Mason lowered the binoculars and looked at Oliver.  "Once we're inside, it's
imperative that you secure the entrance to the access tunnel.  With only a
few sentries outside, it's likely that the majority of the enemy force is
hunkered down in any or all of these buildings.  If things go south, we'll
be quickly overrun unless you have our egress open for us. I know you
already know the plan, Captain, but I want to be sure you understand the
importance of your role in it."

"Aye, Major. Understood," replied the Captain.

Mason nodded, lifted his communicator.  "Raven Niner to Raven Team: standby
to infiltrate."

=Raven One, in position.=

=Raven Two, in position.=

=Raven Three, in position.=

=Raven Four, in position.=


[ elsewhere ]

Rebekah's comm cue came up and she let it pass.  Something was close and the
last thing she wanted to do was speak and give away her position. She shift,
one hand going to her belt.  Options, options.  Her pistol would be too
loud.  Knife?  Against a Klingon, that'd be just what one would want.  Hand
to hand?  Reb was likely a good head shorter than any of the warriors she
encounter.  Lighter too.

=Pathfinder, report.=  Her comm said in her ear.  She ignored it as her hand
closed on the hilt of a MACO specialty.  The shock stick. =Pathfinder,= the
Major's voice asked again as Reb's thumb worked the control stud on the
weapon.  Eyes narrowing, the source of her /feeling/ shifted in the shadows
to her right.

Before her comm buzzed again, Reb pressed the transmit stud with her free
hand.  =Pathfinder, go,= Shepard whispered, a predatory grin forming on her
face.


[ temporary command post ]

Mason handed the binoculars to Oliver and raised his rifle to make use of
the scope.  "Execute."


[ elsewhere ]

As the Major's order died in her ear, Reb heard the shoosh of a blade
clearing its sheath.  Typical, the Lieutenant thought as she rolled to the
side, Klingons think first with their blades.  A double 'shik' was the next
sound that registered.  Part of Shepard's mind sorted it as the sub blades
of a d'k'tag dagger deploying.  Good, she thought, short blade, not one of
those twisted, super-paperclip, swords these guys liked.  The shadow rounded
toward her, looming large.

The figure charged, resolving into a snarling, fanged face beneath a heavily
ridged forehead.  Seeing only a smallish, Human female, the Warrior's face
split with a grin of his own.  This target was hardly worth his time, his
sneering face seemed to say.

Legs coiled beneath her, Shepard balanced herself with one hand in front of
her.  Her other was concealed behind her back, half hidden by her pack and
slung rifle.  Blue eyes stared into the black of the monster bearing down on
her.  Neither blinked.  For an instant, Reb saw the alien realize its
intended prey was holding firm.  The problem with mass, is the inertia it
brought with it.  The Klingon had committed himself to his lunge.  In an
instant, Reb's small form was swamped by the charging alien.

Shnak.   Zat!!!

Training.  Physiology.  Bulk.  On the surface, the Klingon had all the
advantages in a fair fight.  But, in a fight where life was at stake, there
was no such thing as /fair./  Reb had flatten and rolled as the Klingon came
over her.  Her shift had forced the alien further forward, over balancing
him.  The realization he had miss was lost as the alien's brain suddenly
overloaded.

Reb shifted, shoving the shock baton's tip into the warrior's abdomen with
as much strength as she could.  The device wasn't like a knife, it wouldn't
penetrate the alien's armor.  Then again, it didn't have to. In fact, the
armor helped.  It carried the weapon's voltage, spreading it over the body,
shocking the Klingon into insensibility.

Her target flopped onto the ground, muscles twitching as the baton's power
cell ran dry.  She threw her weight into it, digging it deeper. After what
seemed like an eternity, she pulled back.  Reb made a quick spin to check
her surroundings.  Her hands automatically ejected the spent cell from the
baton and slid in a fresh one from her gear.

Sliding the baton back into its scabbard and keyed her comm. "Pathfinder.
One down.  Oscar Mike."


[ temporary command post ]

=Raven Three, target down.=

=Raven One, sentry neutralized.  Moving in.=

=Raven Two, target is tango uniform.=  There was a smug air to this voice.

=Raven Four, alpha mike foxtrot.=  A definitive statement.

Mason watched the door guards in front of the C&C as two of his men
proceeded from one completed task to their next.  The encounters were short
and sweet.

Prior to the horrors of her visit to the Klingon ship, Michah might have
been much more alarmed by the cold violence of this mission. But her
memories were too fresh, and too bloody, to find this sudden strike as
anything but warranted. She knew the kind of future they all faced if these
hulking demons were allowed to gain control, or if they were to go into some
kind of killing frenzy knowing their defeat was imminent.

=Raven One, command and control sentries neutralized.=

"Roger that," Mason said into his comm as he stood.  "Raven Team, breech the
C&C.  Pathfinder, lead the way.  I'll secure our six."

A series of acknowledgments came over the radio as Mason and Oliver trekked
the last few hundred meters in through the dark and deserted colony.  Mason
was constantly shifting his field of vision, though his rifle remained
steady in front of them.

The silence was imposing and heavy. Even the night creatures seemed to be
holding their breath, waiting and watching. Michah followed her orders,
sticking close to Mason, like a dancer. The man seemed to radiate a kind of
energy that caught her in the slip-stream and kept them precisely in sync.

When they reached the command and control center, the door was still open.
All was quiet inside.  Mason turned and knelt, indicating for Oliver to find
cover.   Then his comm quietly announced, =Raven One to Raven Niner.  All
Clear.=

Mason nodded to Oliver, giving the OK to move in.  He gave one last scan of
the outside as his team began to hurry back out and retrieve the bodies of
the dispatched Klingons.  "Raven Niner to Ops," he said into his
communicator.

=Ops,= replied Ibarra on the Constitution.

"Command and control center is secured.  White Queen is on her throne."


-----
Capt Michah Oliver
Starfleet Commanding Officer
New Darwin Colony 
&
Lt Rebekah Shepard
Chief of Colony Security
New Darwin Colony
&
Maj Karl Mason
2nd Expeditionary Team, MACO
ESS Constitution




-- -It does not do to leave a live dragon out of our calculations if you
live near him. JRR Tolkien