Staging area Part two

Posted on Tue Mar 29th, 2022 @ 8:37pm by Captain Maia Sterling & Ambassador Amanda Blake & Lieutenant Commander Sheena Toran-Blake & Lieutenant Commander Robert Hendon & Lieutenant Commander Havri Belbre & Lieutenant Isabelle Raal & Captain Karyn Somers & Lieutenant Marina Tanger

Mission: The Riixian Insurection
Location: 2nd Moon of Betazed
Timeline: 239502.27

Captains Log Stardate 235902.27

LCdr Toran has safely made it to the staging area on the 2nd moon of Betazed. Our assault teams under the command of Lt Karyn Somers and Lt Angelina Brannon have taken an elite marine force of the 95th rifles to take out a bio-genic weapon and rescue commander Toran's parents. As the moon had an extremely thin atmosphere and all residences are either underground or surrounded by pressure domes, I have authorized the biomechanical battlesuits for use in this mission. We have the authorization of the Betazed government for this assault. Civilian casualties must be kept to a minimum but the destruction of that biogenic weapon is of paramount importance. Lt Somers will lead that assault. Lt Brannon will lead the assault on the Caliphate headquarters to capture disable or destroy the psionic amplifier so that the caliphate won't be able to control the minds of the betazed ruling council.

[ON]

Maia watched from the bridge of the Leto as both runabouts launched from the shuttle bay. She would rather have led this assault mission herself but she and Lt Tanger had to deal with the diplomatic part of the mission on Betazed herself. She had every confidence in her officers to carry out the mission at hand. They knew the stakes and were well briefed.

"Helm set a course for Betazed, full impulse power, and prepare for a standard orbit," Maia ordered.

"Aye Captain."

Robert was on the bridge. He would now be on stand by upon the ship. He could have gone with the others. But felt it would be better to stay on the Leto. If anyone was hurt their injuries would need treating fast. Especially with the weapons their advisories had. A field medic could only do so much when biochemicals were involved.

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The surface of the 2nd moon was thin and filled with gaseous cyclohexane, not breathable by humanoids, Nation falls itself was a purple falls that was composed of mostly nitrogen cobalt and liquid methane. there was plant life, a small jungle of reeds and cattails. the surface seemed solid enough but it was a bit marshy. Sensors showed automated defences and infantry around the missile silo launch complex. The caliphate headquarters was inside a pressure dome. 2 levels beneath the surface was where Sheena's parents were as well as a giant focusing lens for the psionic weapon. There was security everywhere. So far your arrival doesn't seem to have been noticed as all efforts seemed to be directed elsewhere.

Brannon had come ahead to scout the position and see where she could best do her destruction on the Caliphate weapon. She knew she wanted to keep civilian casualties lower and doing a recon by herself let her see what was going on and formulate a plan. She went to a location and hid out to avoid detection. She did not want them to know she was there yet.

She stayed out of sight once the recon was done. And waited for the others to arrive.

Sheena sensed Brannon as she arrived. Quietly she and her group revealed themselves to her, "Glad you made it. Lt. Brannon. We have been waiting for you to arrive. Unfortunately, time is not on our side. They have moved their time schedule up. Also, both my parents are, regardless of what is said or thought, my parents are in critical shape. We need to move swiftly and quietly to avoid any further advancement of their timetable," Sheena said to the lieutenant. The news was shocking, to say the least, but the rebels had to have gotten wind of something to make them move up their scheduled mission. That raised a red flag, could there be a mole or traitor in the camp?

Suddenly all hell broke loose as 30 Caliphate gorillas decided to attack our positions, phaser fire was everywhere, rocks and trees were vaporized. PFC Dahlgren fired back taking a position behind a large rock and started firing carefully aimed shots at the enemy, He took out five in rapid order...

Sheena said, "Oh hell...." and dived for cover.

Sitting calmly behind cover and only flinched a little when the firing started "are we shooting?!" Karyn asked and took position and aimed and fired ten times, each one a hit, the fire coming from the gorillas had lessened as they dived for better cover, Karyn looked at her Rifles "okay guys pick your shots carefully, all Fleet Officers fire at will, make them keep their heads down" Karyn said and joined in shooting again.

Brannon joined them, As they arrived everything went bad. She took cover and returned fire on the. "Toran, they know we are here and now we are pinned down. I am going to try to disable the weapon with my telepathy from here. Once it is out of commission it takes their advantage away from them."

She returned fire and began her probe on the weapon and was in about 20 seconds. Once in she began to do her plan. In a few more seconds she was locked on and proceeded. As she continued the weapon was in her control. She activated the self-destruct unit hidden inside of it. In about 90 seconds it began to smoke the Caliphate tried to stop it but it suddenly flashed and went off for good.

We need to get close enough to allow the Marines to blow it up and prevent it from ever being used again. The entrance is at 4 o'clock of our position now." As she said this she felt weak and had to sit down to rest.

"Yeah, I see the opening, we need to neutralize these suckers first, I am not eager to lose anyone on this mission EL-tee," she said to Brannon and continued to fire at the enemy.

Brannon replied, "Understood Commander." As she tossed 2 stun grenades as they exploded several Caliphates fell down where they were standing. She returned fire and hit 2 others that tried to help them. I figure the odds are in our favour now. 2/3 of them are down now. Like to move now. Perhaps LT Somers and her marines can open us a way to the entrance.

Private Dahlgren launched a photonic grenade that took out 2/3's of the incoming caliphate guerillas. His corporal ordered a charge that took out the rest of them while they were dazed and confused. After that, they regrouped with their squad and waited for instructions.

"Well, Lieutenant what's the plan?" The Gunny asked.

"Well, I am all for advancing with caution on the entrance. The sooner we can get inside and put the weapon out of commission, the faster we can end the threat and effect extraction of my parents," Sheena said looking at Somers.

Considering the option "slight modification to that I and my rifles will go in first, we have the specialist training, what I need you to do if you will Commander?" she said looking at Toran.

"The entrance is 50 feet away. I suggest we move quickly as they differently know we are here now and coming. I am weak but am able to be effective in a fight. I say let's get them while we can." Replied Brannon.

Again looking at Toran "is locate a terminal and download any data in the Caliphates databanks, but remember the moment we get in there our time will be a limited one and expect stiff opposition in there, I will assign Rifleman Dahlgren and two others to you, I will take the rest to the power core and plant explosives, but Commander I am sure Intelligence would be happy if we could get the data from their computers" she said.

"Of course, that goes without saying. We will get the downloads and then my parents. If you concur," Sheena said looking at Somers. Getting the necessary downloads was another priority that had to be attended to apart from her parents. Besides, it was on the way to getting her parents anyhow.

Karyn Smiled "great, let my group go first, we will let you know when to move forward," she said and signalled her to mean to get ready and then signalled her team forward.

"So we are going to get the Commander's parents and knock out the Psionic weapon first then take out the biogenic weapon?" Private Dahlgren asked.

Brannon replied, "I already disabled the weapon with my telepathic powers. But we need to destroy it to prevent it from ever being used again. This is too dangerous a weapon to level behind. Their telepathic powers will be lower and give us a better chance to succeed. They will ni=ot be able to blow out the backs of our heads anymore."

"What do you need to destroy it, Lieutenant?"

Brannon replied, "I figure a small explosive charge on it will totally destroy it. And with it permanently disabled at the present time we do have an advantage. I am using my telepathic powers and monitoring them. The Caliphate depends on its telepathic powers to operate as a unit. They are confused about what to do now as we speak. We differently have an advantage now. Let's get your parents out of here and I will get the psionic weapon with the explosives.

I only need petty officer Davis for my side of it, Commander.

Her team got halfway and had to take cover as a lone sentry walked by Karyn quietly drew her Commando knife a large and old fashioned one given to her by her Sister on her last birthday, now she silently stood up behind the sentry and clamped her hand over his mouth and gave him a Sicilian necktie, the guard simply crumpled lifeless with throat oozing blood as Karyn dragged the body into the brush.

Then signalling her Rifles to move forward and luckily they did not encounter anyone else and made it to the entrance, after making sure opening the door would not set anything off one of the rifles opened the door.

Like all the Rifles Karyn had a Sub-dermal communications device implanted behind her ear when she had a combat suit on the suit would tap into the signal so she tapped the side of her helmet =/\= Somers to Toran, it is safe to move forward =/\= she quietly said.

"It's safe to move Somers. Proceed on the mission." Sheena said.

After moving up half a click your forward observer spots trouble.

=/\= Dahlgren to Lt Somers, I've spotted three armoured hovercraft heading out way ETA is about 3 minutes, as the crow flies. Bogies are at 175 Mk 2 distance 12 clicks. =/\=

=/\= Affirmative, my team is moving into the building, requesting radio silence to avoid detection, Somers out =/\= she said and closed the link and looked at her team and proceeded into the building, she was surprised at the noxious atmosphere of the planet they were on. With that her team proceeded into the facility, her Rifles knowing what to do, behind them came the Commanders team she paused and turned to look at the Commander, as both had full helmets on Karyn grabbed the Commander by her helmet and clunked their visors together, she dare not use comms so this old fashioned way would have to suffice, she just hoped the sound would pass over.

"Okay commander," she said loudly " you go do what you got to do and I will do what I got to do, we meet back at the LZ nod your head if you can hear and understand?" Somers asked hoping the sound of her elevated voice would penetrate the Commanders suit.

Nodding that she understood, Sheena hunkered down to wait.

As the two teams split up the alarms went off, she turned to face the commander and activated her comms =/\= Okay, let's be quick about this Commander, they know we are here =/\=Karyn said and did not quite make out what Toran said.

"Damn it! Cat's out the bag!" Sheena muttered, watching Lt. Somers.

Karyn sighed heavily "okay Rifles let's go, remember to pick your shots, head to the bio lab, be ready to download any data we might find and plant some explosives," she said to her team as they moved forward, and was almost immediately attacked, but being expert shots their attackers did not the last long and were taken out PDQ, with that they arrived at the lab where the bioweapon was, some of the rifles guarded the doors, while others planted bombs, all were wondering why this area was not better guarded, once again she activated her Comms =/\= Somers to Toran, if you have finished where you are, I could use some help here, there are some important looking computer files that my knowledge of such systems cannot account for, but from what is here Commander it would be nice if someone could download them by getting past the facilities firewalls =/\= Somers said.

=/\=On our way Lt. Somers=/\= Turning to her group she gave the sign to move to the Lieutenant's position to lend a hand.

[OFF] Part 2

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A post by:

Captain Maia A Sterling
Commanding Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916

Lt. Cmdr. Sheena Toran
Executive Officer
USS Leto NCC - 80916

1st Lt Karyn Somers
Marine Executive Officer
USS Leto NCC - 80916

Lieutenant Angelina Brannon
Chief Security Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916

Lt. Cmdr Dr Robert Hendon
Chief Medical Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916