From Hell's Grasp they Flee

Posted on Fri Jun 24th, 2022 @ 1:26am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Remal Kajun

Mission: *CD*
Location: Bajor
Timeline: Backpost

"It's Harderaut all over again!" Patin yelled as she took cover behind a pile of large rocks. Half a dozen or more armed civilians fired down from the hover-transport with a clear line of sight.

They needed to get into the open, away from the tunnels and large rock formations so the transporter could get a lock. The problem was the Trackers were attempting to pick them off from their hovercraft.

“ We need to take down that hovercraft,” Zio shouted, trying to aim for the vehicle’s thrusters. Her kids were doing the same, using their own means of devised weaponry. The boy was proving to be a good shot as one of the attackers fell over the side of the transport and landed with a hard thud.

They were pinned down, but they could utilize the terrain. Remal didn’t have a weapon, but he did have a keen eye. “Spread out in a circle, keep moving. They’re a sitting target, we are not.” He offered to the resistance fighters.

Zio gave Rhenora a disdainful look, “I really hope you’re worth all of this. We had peace.” She spoke out of misplaced anger and blame before making to move off with her kids to the left flank. She kept her head down with Rhenora right behind her.

“ I didn’t choose for this to happen!” Rhenora retorted, taking her own emotion out on the hovercraft as she moved “ I didn’t choose for the Prophets to pick us, it just happened!” It was as though the years of visions, both dark and otherwise, the constant threat of being followed, hunted even, were starting to take their toll. All she really wanted to do was live her life with her husband in peace.

Taking the right flank, Patin fired a shot or two, then ran, then fired before stopping behind some good cover. Remal almost bumped into her, she had stopped so fast. As she laid out something on the ground she muttered to Remal, “I take it you trust this Zio chick, but you should know, I owe her nothing. Also, you should duck.” She lit the contents of a turpin cloth, placed it into an animal skinned bag with some other ingredients, flipped it around and tossed it into the air.

The bag soared up then burst into a small flame before exploding into a shockwave which bounced and echoed off the rock walls of the grotto. Remal watched on as the transport shook violently, causing the people within to lose balance. It was just enough that another phaser blast took out another attacker shortly after. “I truly hope you and her never cross.” He smirked before ducking and moving off again.

It was the moment of balance in the battle, a tipping point almost. With the occupants of the hovercraft now struggling to keep the vehicle in the air and themselves within it, the weapons fire favoured those on the ground. Rhenora’s hand weapon was getting low on charge, so she carefully aimed each time, trying to get the most bang for the fading buck. One shot pierced an engine, sending coolant in a thin stream leaching from the hole. Another hit one of the occupants, sending him spiraling out of the craft and onto the ground below. There was no way he could have survived.

With maybe two left, the transport occupants realized theirs was the losing tactic, but failure would mean something far worse. One of the men shouted down at his targets, “We just want the ma. Giver her to us and this ends now!” He was hunkered down behind the railing of the craft, hiding.

“Over my dead body!” Rhenora shouted back, adding another shot with her words. She tapped her communicator, there was a moment of static, a word, then more static. Just a few more meters into the open and they’d be able to beam out of this mess.

Zio’s boy had found a well hidden spot in a tall scrub and was aiming his rifle at the transport. Remal couldn’t see from where he was standing and neither could Patin, but Zio could. She motioned to her boy, who fired one shot. It struck the stabilizer strut of the barge which began to tilt downward. And then it fell, smoking, into the moss covered rock field below. The last thing they heard was two men screaming for their life as the transport burst into flame upon impact.

Remal, however, left the safety of the rock cover and found himself rushing towards the wreckage. The doctor within himself always fighting to save those he could. Patin, in shock, watched him scurry away. The rest of them could not stop him either as they were on the other side of the burning fires, which were spreading, quickly engulfing the oxygen within the area. Still, if there was a life to be saved, he was going to try and save it.

“ Remal!” The words were of concern - this was their opportunity to escape, both Patin and Zio watched in horror as Remal went to save those that had been trying to shoot them down. Rhen knew better, he was a healer, he had to help. But there was one way to have said cake and eat it too. Moving 100 metres further into the clearing she tapped her combadge, called the authorities, and requested all agencies in relation to a hovercraft crash. Once the professionals were on site, she’d beam their own team out and to safety.

He pushed aside a deck plate. Fire erupted from beneath. There was movement, there had to be. He pressed on, muttering, “Such a waste.” This was akin to spilling Bajoran blood on Bajoran soil. The beginnings of a civil war if left unchecked. And he was bound and determined not to be on the side which started it all. Another piece of debris. Still nothing. Through the fires it was impossible to see the tears in his eyes.

Finally he heard a voice which snapped him back to reality. The light of his life was calling his name. His bright star was looking for him as he was searching for life among the wreckage. Resolve failed him as he stopped. Looking on through the fires she was there, looking back. On the other side of the chaos, just beyond reach. Was this real or just another vision sent by the Prophets he questioned of himself. ‘Both’ came the answer from within. It was a warning to himself, from himself.

With renewed focus, instead of searching for a dead enemy, he instead began making his way through the fire and flames towards the light that was his reason for being.

Within minutes, fire suppression shuttles began arriving. They sprayed foam and water down upon the fire and surrounding area in an effort to keep it from spreading. There were going to be a lot of questions tonight.

Half of Rhenora wanted to run, to vanish into thin air as the authorities blanketed the area. Medics, firefighters and the local constables worked seamlessly together to prevent the fire from spreading and to save what lives they could. The constables made a beeline for the rag tag group by the rocks, questions in their eyes.

“ You were a witness to the crash?” One of them started, looking across all of them.

“ They were hunting us, we protected ourselves,” Zio said simply.

“Who was hunting you?” They responded before beginning a line of questioning that the group really couldn’t answer. There was nothing definitive other than…

“There is a group, they follow the Pah’ Wraiths. Perhaps you should start there.” Zio’s daughter shouted.

While allegations and such flew around, Patin walked over to Zio’s kids, trying to stay out of the limelight. She nudged the young boy and smiled, “Nice shot kid. Couldn't have done better myself.”

Remal assessed the situation then looked at Rhenora. “We are going to need an exit before things go South. I’m still not sure who is friendly here and who isn’t.”

“ We either answer the questions now or they hunt us down later” Rhenora admitted sagely. Although she herself wanted nothing more than to be out of the place.

“ The village has converted to the Pagh Wraiths, and were hunting those who did not follow their ethos. We were here to assist our friend, and now we’re leaving” Rhenora said forcefully, having a bad feeling in her gut.

Two more constables walked up. “That is one tall tale. A whole village you say? Well, from the looks of it, anyone who may have disagreed with your story is lying in a field of ash right now. I’m afraid we are going to have to detain you, indefinitely.” One of them said as he made to grab for Rhenora’s arm.

Just as he spoke, weapons fire erupted from the mountain behind them, the villagers had come to finish what the Trackers had started but failed to complete.

“ Time to leave!” Patin shouted, and made a beeline for cover again. As the constables hunkered down behind the rocks, Rhenora called for an emergency beam out, and her team of six, including Zio, kids and Patin all vanished into sparkling air. Minutes later arriving on a long range transport pad on board DS9.

TBC