Taking a Little Trip...

Posted on Sun Nov 27th, 2016 @ 8:43pm by Colonel Damian Highsmith M.Eng & Lieutenant Colonel Eleanor Redpath J.D. & Captain Luke Smith & Lieutenant JG Michael Emerson

Mission: Bad Moon Rising
Location: Boarding Team Prep Room, Deck 8
Timeline: 25 Minutes following 'What The Hell is That?'

ON:

Damian sat on the bench in the Boarding Prep Room, pulling on a pair of magnetic boots to seal off his matte gray EVA suit. Standing up, he tapped a button on his cuff and felt his suit tighten as the seals engaged. As he continued to check over his equipment, his mind raced at a million miles an hour at the potential for disaster- this rescue mission could end badly as many had before with more casualties coming out than there were going in. Damian couldn't help but think of Anchorage and the people who had been killed because he had failed to account for all of the variables. Clenching his fist, he took a breath and tried to steel himself for the mission ahead but couldn't shake the unmistakable feeling of dread that was spreading through him.

Michael Emerson meanwhile was nearby as he was checking over his helmet and his suits displays, he had put his legs on first then his boots then the chest piece. "Yep... all one hundred over one hundred." as he selected his other items he would need, he then slipped his pack onto his back, where he knew it would catch on the magnetic strips there which would hold anything that came within contact, he lifted one demolitions sequencer charge. "Yep... This is going to hurt... a lot."

"Here you go." Came the gentle dulcet tones of Petty Officer Second Class Kelly Shaddock who turned towards him while she handed him a rifle.

"Thanks Kelly..." he turned to the rest of the detail. “Is everyone ready?" Emerson inquired as he slid his rifle onto his back, just next to his pack.

Damian turned around to address the Lieutenant and Petty Officer. "We're a few members short of a full Away Team but it'll have to do for now. If anyone joins us before we go skids up, then they can come along. He said, exiting into the massive elevator that led to the shuttle bay.

Lee stepped on board, "Someone called me? Just thought I'd help myself to this mission." Lee said jokingly as he knew that he was required for the mission.

"I hope there'll be some pluses when we get out there and see what went on." Lee keeping on the positive but he knew that was going to be some carnage and nothing much left behind but clues.

=====Five Minutes Later in Runabout Odin=====

"=/\= Smith to ops.....corporal, all hands aboard the Odin, ready to go. =/\="

"=/\= Shuttlecraft Odin is cleared for departure. Opening bay doors in 5.....4......3......2......1......force fields activated." The alert klaxon had sounded and the yellow halogen beacons started rotating. Shuttle bay operations in progress, the shuttle bay doors remained closed and the force field at the exit had erected. The bay doors slowly opened to reveal the stars outside.

"=/\= Ready to go =/\=" The corporal announced.

"=/\= Thanks corporal =/\="

Damian's hands danced across the console as he began powering up essential systems on the Arrow Class runabout. Feeling the deck plates begin to vibrate ever so subtly, Damian waited for the rest of the team to join him before he decided to seal the doors sealed the doors and gun the engines into the black the surrounding space. He had been joined by Gunner McLachlan and two of his Marines, who would providing tactical support in the event that things got hairy.

"Emerson, I need you to help me run a preflight. Check interlock."

Emerson nodded. "Checking it now...” he responded.

"Connect dynotherms."

Emerson tapped the display twice. "Check..." he responded simply

"Last but not least, lock infracells and prepare for takeoff." Damian pulled back on the stick and caused the runabout to lift sharply, flicking a couple of switches to adjust the thrusters, he pressed forward and the ship shot out into the inky blackness of space....

==== Runabout Odin, 25 Minutes Later ======

Michael Emerson was seated in the co-pilots chair while Kelly was seated behind him and to his right. "Approaching the target." Emerson said softly.

Damian let out a whistle and his jaw hung open. The segment of the starbase was a charred hulk that reminded him of a piece of increasingly rotted fruit. There were random spurts of flame as burning compartments explosively decompressed and released their contents into space. Fighting the urge to exclaim, Damian opened a channel to the Hammersley. "This is Charlie- Eight-Two to X-Ray- Eight-Two, can you hear us?" he asked as he turned to Michael.

Eleanor Redpath could not resist the smirk that came across her face as she heard the Colonel report in. "Like a canary in a mine, Colonel. We hear you loud and clear. Please make sure you return to us in one piece. I do not want to have to fill out all the paperwork in regards to a crew death least not that of the Commanding Officer" she replied. "What can we do for you?" she asked.

"Start running scans of the structure and isolate life signs if we can." Damian ordered as he reached down for his helmet. Pulling it on, he connected the seals and a single tube that would supply his oxygen. Tapping the other button on his wrist, he felt the seal tighten around his neck and a Heads Up Display appear on his visor.

Emerson tapped his com. "Blue Team, mount up." he commented quietly before he pulled on his helmet and sealed it shut against the rest of his armor.
"Colonel." Emerson opened a private channel to Highsmith. "Mind if I speak my thoughts?" he inquired of the older man before him.

Damian's hands tightened around the sticks as he brought the runabout on a slow approach to the piece of the starbase, attempting to keep a safe distance. "By all means, Lieutenant. I'm listening." he said, pressing the stick forward and activating the autopilot.

"Sir... This could be a trap... The Borg attacked us with six cubes... When they had all but finished the job, they simply stopped attacking and ran... I also question why they left us as survivors...” he regarded the Colonel. "The base could be bait in a trap... however I am not saying we should leave people... I just feel some extra caution is warranted... If I know Plataea... She's already said more or less the same thing to Colonel Redpath...”

Damian thought for a moment. "You're right, it could be a trap and we could be killed or assimilated the moment we float in there but what if it isn't? What if we leave and abandon those people in there to die from suffocation because we didn't think it was safe? To quote Kirk 'Risk is our business'. Think about that for the next ten seconds." he said, slightly annoyed at what he perceived as cowardice.

Emerson regarded the skipper. "My father said the same thing... and for the record... I never said leave anyone behind...” Emerson got more annoyed as he spoke. "You must so little of me to think that I would abandon my friends." he turned his head. "Blue Team, with me!" he snapped angrily. "We have people to save...”

"Right time to go ladies." Lee said as he donned his helmet, checked his waist belt was secure, grappling hook was attached. Tricorder in hand and a few other standardized items as per away team protocol available.

"Prep for decompression and EVA. It's about to get a little cold in here." Damian said in a cold tone as he moved towards the slowly opening aft hatch that was leaving them exposed to space. Disengaging his magnetic boots, Damian launched himself towards the first massive slagged opening and felt himself float in. He sensed his feet touching the deck and he re-engaged his boots on the uneven metal outcropping and waited for everyone else to land.

As the last man landed, Damian spoke over the channel. "Blue Team, you'll be taking the lower decks. Red Team, we'll be taking the mids. Tag all civilians with emergency transport beacons and lead them to an available beam out point. If any terminals are operations, download what data you can and set the self-destruct on them if possible. Once you reach your designated structural junctures, set your charges and get the hell out of there. If you encounter hostiles, do what you can but if it's the Borg- you run. I don't want any dead heroes today, now let's move. "

Petty Officer Second Class Kelly Shaddock and Petty Officer First Class Frederic Ellsworth, both nodded. "Understood sir." as Emerson landed on the base. "Alright... Blue team with me... Let's find a way into the base." he commented as he activated his magnetic locks on his boots, this secured him to the base, all of his team did likewise before they began moving slowly towards their destination.

Shaddock spotted an airlock. "Blue Lead, Two... Airlock at my two o'clock."

"Good eyes Two" Emerson responded before he began moving in the direction, he smiled as he activated the display but somehow it still had power to the area, so he opened the outer doors. "Everyone, inside... there is no reason to assume it won't lock as soon as the doors close." Emerson responded.

His team entered and moments later they were inside the base. "Alright... Let's do this, sweep each section and look for wounded and live people first, worry about the dead another time." Emerson knew it was harsh but he had to take care of the living first as the dead were beyond his help at this point in time. "Kelly, you got the point. Lead on... Fred, you are rear guard."

"Copy!"

"Understood Chief." came the responses as Kelly Shaddock started the three of them off.