The Easy Way or...

Posted on Sun Sep 24th, 2023 @ 3:51pm by Lieutenant Commander Bonnie "Bon-Bon" Durnell & Patin & Commander Dean House & Lieutenant Commander Thriss Kla'ren & Lieutenant Chester "Duo" Maxwell & Lieutenant T'Ka O’Drisscol & Lieutenant JG S’Ers-a Kelek t’LyrZor, Maa t'Lyr'Zor & Lieutenant JG Montgomery Vala & Lieutenant JG Ghemora & 1st Lieutenant Kate Score & Lieutenant JG Blake Leone & Ensign Syrik & Lieutenant Thomas Haldeman & Lieutenant Alison Haldeman & Senior Chief Petty Officer Ronson Mitchell

Mission: Repairs and Retribution
Location: USS Sunfire
Timeline: Current-ish

Ronson couldn't help but stiffen just slightly at Patin's deliberate cutting remark. Understandable given the Bajoran's Resistance roots and her close ties with both the Sunfire's Captain and Remal. Patin however wasn't used to moderating her mouth for the good of the crew and interstellar relations though. He cleared his throat and hoped it would break the tension building on the bridge.

"Sir! I'm reading power failures in the shielded area - this may be our people trying to escape!" He shouted urgently as the scans he had been running on the prison/mining facility changed dramatically.

Vala grit his teeth a little at the tension in the room. He couldn't help but think about his early years in the Federation, when being called a range of slurs was just part of existing in his new home. Still, the Captain and others were prisoners. It was bound to make people angry. He tapped his console a few times. "Commander, given a few moments I can probably calibrate sensors to mask a transporter beam if you want to capitalise on this opportunity and remain relatively inconspicuous."

Ghemora showed no reaction to the numerous looks and comments that came her way. This wasn't the first time she'd garnered such attention, and even Patin's slur was mild compared to what she'd suffered during her years on Earth and especially during her Academy years. Despite it all, she'd never reported anyone or raised a complaint, knowing it wasn't a reflection of her but of the people she'd come from.

Taking note of the sudden developments, there wasn't time to delay as Ghemora stepped forward, "Commander, we should move quickly to mobilize an Away or Assault team. Cardassian technology is inferior to Starfleet, and may allow us to beam past their security shields if we hurry."

Stepping over to the aft console, the Cardassian used her access to retrieve some data she then sent over to Vala before turning back to the whole of the Bridge. "Mister Vala, that should help expedite your calibrations." It was information on the common frequencies used for Cardassian security shielding.

Vala flicked his eyes over the data, pursing his lips slightly. "Thank you, Lieutenant." His fingers skittered over his console. "A masked transport will be possible in a matter of moments."

"If we wish to beam down one Assault Team to distract, we may be able to beam a small covert-action team to search for our people. Intel has half a dozen or so Holo-Projection Masking Halos that could disguise members as Cardassians, though it's only an illusion. The chaos of an attack should allow the team to move about the facility with little interference. Engineering should be able to replicate a small contingent of Cardassian-style rifles as well." Ghemora was speaking quickly and with clear confident determination in her voice.

Time was of the essence and an opening had been presented, but there was still one piece of intel the Chief felt was important for the crew to know. "I have been studying and reviewing intercepted Comms. While I have not had the time to research her history, it is known that a 'Lady Maccet' has recently either claimed or been appointed Administrator of this system. Does that name have any meaning to you? Maybe pointing to why she would wish to capture the Command Team?"

"Maccet was the name of the Gul who tried to poison the crew and kill Captain Kaylen." Bonnie offered. "Commander Savar, in a blood-fever rage killed Maccet and set off a quadrant-wide incident. They, we, uh, were supposed to go to trial on Cardassia but got waylaid by some dinosaurs..." She could feel too many eyes on her, "Um, it's a long story." She finished and then turned back to her console.

Patin stared at Dean, "What's it gonna be, the easy way, or my way?" She finished with a grin and a pat of her vest pockets.

"If you're going to send down a rescue team. you will still need someone to protect your rear and that's the Sunfire. We can cause enough disruptions for an away team to beam in locate and rescue Captain Kaylen, Commander Savar, Lieutenant Vali and Chief Remal and beam back out." Tom directed his comments to House from his station.

"Even if that's all good. I'd like to know later how you got intel equipment on board without me knowing about it. That's neither here nor there at this point." Dean puffed out a breath, "Yes, I want the team read, and I guess if you have those holo-helmets, we can try it. However, that may not even be necessary. Whatever happened that opened the shield up, we can simply scan for their life signs. Nora is pregnant, which means, the nearest other two to her signature would be the rest of them. We can possibly beam them up and get the hell out of here. If not, then we go with plan B."

"I will see what sort of signatures we can get through the surface." Vala's fingers once again skittered over his console. "It may take a moment for a 'best case' analysis of what's in the unshielded zone." He scrutinised the screen. "There's definitely something alive down there..."

Staying stone-faced at both the Commander's question and his incorrect description of her department's tech, Ghemora only offered a nod and an, "Aye, Sir," before turning back to the aft wall console to send down the necessary specs for the Cardassian Uniforms and Rifles to the fabrication department. With no other information to give and the call to be ready, the Cardassian headed back for the turbolift, calling out, "Deck Three," just before the doors swished closed. Not knowing how long she would have, she needed to get to her office and prepare the 'Halos' for if 'Plan B' proved necessary…

“We can adjust that scan for two pregnant women Commander” Alison offered a polite smile. “Our Chief Counsellor is also pregnant. Plus we should be able to scan for different biosignatures, a Betazoid and a Vulcan should be easy enough to locate.”

Score stood ready at tactical to move to the Marine Weapon Lockers and get suited up for the Rescue.

"You would think, Lieutenant." Vala responded, glancing at Lieutenant Haldeman before looking back to his console. "But as the facility is underground I am not getting particularly clear readings." He pinned a finger to the screen. "I have something here that could be a pregnant individual, but all biosignatures are reading the same." He looked over to the rest of the bridge crew. "An insertion may be more certain."

"Sir, given what we know about Cardassians and their prisoners, I recommend sending Dr Wilson on any away teams" Ronson advised, his gut clenching a little as he spoke. Would they be bringing back their friends, or their bodies?

"I'm still showing power fluctuations in the transport shield. They are likely trying to repair it." Bonnie piped up as another blip on her screen lit up. "I'm also detecting a communication from the surface. Maybe a call for help? If the prison is on lockdown alert, they've likely called for reinforcements. Scanning long range sensors for enemy vessels." She announced timidly knowing it wasn't really her place, and that she was just trying to help.

"It's time to go." Patin declared. "Can we get a transporter through that shield and still get us back up again?" She was looking at the bridge crew, the ones who always seemed to have all the answers. "Because I'm heading to the transporter room, alone if I have to."

"Your odds of success would be quite low if you were to go alone." Ah yes, the inevitable Vulcan statement of the obvious. She looked over towards the other members on the bridge who had been spitballing ideas on how best to retrieve their missing crew members. "Decisive action is required. Of this I do agree with crewman Patin. All should be adequately armed, and any...additional technologies that could give us a tactical advantage should be utilized."

Sera looked down at the sensor readings that other stations had been compiling, and she brought up the schematics upon on holographic sensors so that all could see. "I am postulating here, but this area here is reading a far larger amount of power usage - perhaps a form of command center? As we cannot get a solid lock on the biological life-signs of our crew members perhaps it would be logical to start there. With the shielding currently down, we could beam in to the area here which is but a short distance from this hub - but out of the way, which might give element of surprise," Sera paused, gesturing with her hand at a specific area, "And then storm this position...if my postulation is correct - this area will have personnel and computers to further direct our task?"

She didn't quite like how her voice lilted up in a mild questioning tone, but what was done was done.

Ronson waited on a knife's edge, what course of action would the Captain decide? He had already paged sickbay and informed Dr Wilson that they were assembling away teams.

"You, missy, are not going anywhere alone." Dean pointed at Patin and then around the Bridge. "However, this ruse isn't going to last forever. Since we have that plan, along with Ghemora's tech. Screw plan A. So you and Durnell will assemble a team. Use that opening we have. Transport in at the colder areas. That should be prisoner cells."

Bonnie squeaked as her name was called, "Me?" And then she stood and cleared her throat, "Um, yes, yes sir." Bashfully she moved over to where Patin was standing, or slightly behind while attempting to comprehend why a computer nerd would be sent into the fray happening on the planet below. Her eyes watched Dean with a look of 'why'.

Patin could sense Bonnie's apprehension but didn't say anything there that would belittle the poor thing. She would have her moment. Instead, she focused on the away team, "You, with the pointy ears," She pointed a Sera. "You, with the green eyes and pointy ears," She pointed at Vala. "Let's see, you with the cool tattoos and that one that knew something about weapons, you're with me."

She turned to leave, almost running over Bonnie, before quickly turning back. "Oh, and that Doctor Sarah. Might need her in a pinch." Then she moved off towards the lift, grabbing Bonnie and ushering her up and off the bridge with her. The rest fell in line.

TBC