The dangers of silence Part Two
Posted on Tue Mar 12th, 2019 @ 2:05am by Major Charlena Dilucca & Captain Xalanth & Commander Thorrin & Lieutenant Kimoni Jexen & Lieutenant JG T'para & Flight Lieutenant Sandy "Ghost" Shannon
2,686 words; about a 13 minute read
Mission:
[ USS Shanghai] S1E8 Light of the past.
Location: On the Planet
Timeline: MD001 14:22
It didn't take long after she got the message for T'para to change into her away team EVA suit and make her way down into the ships shuttle bay where two shuttles were already waiting.
She felt nervous as she took a seat in the shuttle not seeing her mate in his red armor. Though Starfleet had rules against married couples being on away missions the two had always worked fine together. It wasn't going to be the same without him watching her back.
Charlie walked up to the shuttle in her suit. She tapped T'Para on her shoulder. "Lieutenant, ready to role?" She smiled.
" Ready as always Major." T'para said as the pair of them boarded the shuttle along with the four security personnel. They just Jexen and they could get going.
Kimoni entered the shuttle bay suited up with a small science kit slung over her shoulder. She nodded to the away team as she took her spot on the shuttle.
"Does anyone know what we can expect over there?" She asked as she settled in her seat.
"Expect anything and everything, lieutenant, be on your toes. Leave nothing to chance," Charlie replied.
Tag
=========Flight Deck========
Sandy was checking the pilot rosters of her squadrons when one of the mechanics called to her. "Captain.....we found a problem here. One of the phase coils are damaged. It looks like wear and tear but I'm not sure. Could you take a look", the mechanic said. Walking over to the fighter, "Sure thing", Sandy said and looked to where he indicated. "Oh brother, this is not good....pull it and replicate a new one. Take this to engneering and have them look at it. Scan it and make sure it is only wear and tear and nothing else, understood?", she added. "Understood Captain", said the mechanic and went about his job
Once her fighter was serviced, Sandy flew back out and retook her position flying along with the rest of her squadron over the planet. "Ghost Leader to Ghost Squadron 2 Leader, shuttle is about to leave. Stay with the shuttle once it is in flight", she said. Again, the usual acknowledging clicks came back. Sandy thought again about going to have a look see at the incoming contact, but somethong in her gut told her not to so she stayed with the rest of her flight.
As the away team took there seats the back of the shuttle closed as it began to move. T'para breathed in as the faint change in noise that occurred as they left the shuttle bay and entered into deep space. Leaning back she relaxed her muscles as the shuttle sped towards the planet.
Outside the Shanghai began bombarding the planet with probes to attempt to break up the storm.
Back inside the shuttle T'para looked at the Major and the lieutenant. " So ma'am any idea what could have happened. " She asked the commanding officer.
"I can't afford to speculate, lieutenant," Charlie replied. "But something is not right. And my instincts tell me we should be extremely careful."
It was long before the shuttle had entered the upper atmosphere. The effect of the storm was almost instantaneous as the shuttle was being thrown from side to side. If not for the skilled pilots at the helm the shuttle would have had to turn back, but it pressed on using the inbuilt computer to navigate the storm.
" Major the hanger is ahead. The doors are open and something inside." the pilot called as they approached the hanger. The lights from the front of the shuttle burst into life eliminating through the pouring rain. Only one ship was in the hanger that was true, but the sight of it caused everyone to jump.
It was smaller than the others they had encountered, but it was unmistakably a crescent ship. Most likely an assault craft for landing troops.
"Ensign," Charlie said to the pilot, "any lifesigns?"
" Um no life signs detected Ma'am. The ship appears to be powered down in a dormant state." The pilot said from the cockpit.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Xalanth had been listening to the conversation and his reptilian brain was already forming a picture in his head.
" Major Dilucca secure the hanger if possible. Commander Thorrin take your team down and see if you can salvage the crescent ship. An intact one could be a great benefit to us. Captain Shannon can your fighters get closer to the incoming ship. I bet you it's a crescent ship wondering what's happened to its away team."
"I knew it! Damn! Understood sir.", leaving her com open so the captain could hear her orders. "Ghost Leader to Squadrons 4 and 5, scramble, scramble, this is no drill! Ghost Squadron 4 enhance CAP on Mother, Squadron 5, take over Ghost Squadron 3's position. Squadron 3 form up on Ghost Leader, we are going hunting. Weapons hot. Follow my lead, we are going to investigate the incoming contact. Ghost Squadron 2 leader, you have lead till I get back. Ghosts. 1 and 3 let's rock and roll", Sandy said as she turned, both squadrons followed her lead.
Turning to the bridge his command was simple. " Ship battle stations."
Thorrin was at a loss up until now. It seemed that there was not much for an XO to do and that sort of made Thorrin a might twitchy. However, when the command for battle stations was given Thorrin knew his job then. "Shields up, Red Alert ready all weapons. Helm standby for evasive. Strategic Ops prepare a shooting solution." With a few taps of the console next to his seat Thorrin opened a shipwide comm channel. "Attention all personnel this is the XO. All hands to battle stations. Fighters to Alert Status One, Marines to Defense Conditions." Without closing the channel he switched gears. "Sick Bay this is the Bridge stand by for incoming wounded. Repeat stand by for incoming wounded."
Thorrin closed the channel and leaned over to the Captain. "Sir all stations are reporting Red Alert, Battle stations. The ship stands ready and at your command." For the first time since gaining the third pip Thorrin felt like he knew what he had to do and where he belonged.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
T'para's heart was racing in her body as she held her phaser to her shoulder as she and the team swapped the room. The hanger was large, but other than the civilian craft it appeared to be empty. That was until the hybrids light shone on the armor lying faceup by the exit door. It was definitely crescent armour, but what had happened to it's occupant was a mystery.
The metal and material looked like it had buckled from the inside out causing it's occupier had burst from the armor and vanished into thin air. Other than the crescent energy weapon and it's spent cartridge lying at it's side there was nothing.
" We have an empty set of armor here. No idea what happened to the occupant." The hybrid said into her comms as the hanger light up as the team got the emergency power online just as the second shuttle landed. The hangers energy shield activated sealing them off from the ravaging storm. Only with the light activated did everyone see the crescent ship cockpit had had it's screen shoot out from the inside as if the pilot had tried to shoot his way out.
" What the hell could have scared crescent troops this badly?" T'para asked mostly to herself as the team regrouped with the reinforcements.
"Unknown." Kimoni said matter of factly as she slid her tricorder from it's holster, "Scans don't show anything out of the ordinary in the air, but given what little we know about the Crescent we have no way of knowing what really affects them."
She moved over and knelt by the damaged suit of armour, running her tricorder around the area. "Nothing here either... It's as if the wearer merely disappeared.... after tearing their way out of the suit." She added, confusion clear in her voice.
TAG Away team
" Major." Called the security officer from the bays computer room. " The place appears to be in emergency mode, but the colonys power is still active. If we can reach the command center we should be able to get everything working."
"Captain, did you get all that, I would like to press on. Hangar seems clear. The crescent that was here has left." Charlie called tp the captain.
It only took a second for the captain to respond. " Go ahead major, but be careful. Log anything you see."
"Understood, captain!" Charlie replied. She turned to her team. "Let's go!"
TAG away team.
T'para nodded as she followed the team down the corridor. The planet had been undergoing the process of turning into a Metroplex so each building was connected through tunnels and corridors so the group headed for the building the colony had set up as the command center.
They encountered no one, but signs of activity were everywhere. Ripped clothing, dropped items, smashed walls, doors and ceiling tiles. Yet nobodies, not even animals were anywhere to be seen.
As the group approached the lift up to the command center T'para stopped to take a look at the scanner. Still nothing. Where the hell had everyone gone.
Charlie looked over to T'Para. She signalled two marines to go in ahead to secure the perimeter. "Everyone, eyes open!"
Tag awayteam
T'para eyes were fixed on her scanner as the lift began to move upward. It felt like an eternity before the lift doors opened through the site before them made the heart of the hybrid race.
The circular room filled with federation computers was in a mess. Many had been knocked over, thrown or smashed to bits in signs of an obvious struggle. What drew everyone's attention was the large smear on the wall as if someone had dragged something up the wall and out through the smashed window.
" Well, this doesn't look good. " The hybrid said as she walked over to the smear on the wall. it was obviously dried blood, but the results baffled her. " This doesn't make any sense. The scanners saying the blood appears to have over seventy-five separate dna signatures. None of them in the database. " She said out loud before a loud bang echoed from the rooms storage bay. Everyone's phasers were up and pointed as another weaker bang was heard from the door.
Charlie put her finger on her lips to indicate everyone to be silent as she moved slowly towards the door. She slowly controlled her breath as she pointed her phaser rifle at the door. She looked to the team as they positioned to provide back up. She then slowly reached for the door. In a quick move she opened and then pulled back pointing her rifle still.
" No keep away from me...." yelled someone from inside the door as it slid open. A ragged female Orion clad in the ripped remains of a Dabo outfit was inside her fingers holding the firing button of a phaser pointed straight at the team. Nothing happened and judging by the spent phaser power cells there was a very easy explanation for why it was not firing.
" It's okay were with starfleet. We're here to help. " T'para said as she reached forward to take the phaser.
" Starfleet?" Came the unbelieving voice of shell shocked woman as T'para carefully took the weapon before the poor creature collapsed which if not fort he hybrids speed she would have failed to catch her.
" Well, we have a survivor. One Orion suffering from sleep deprivation and the early signs of starvation. We need to get her......." The hybrid began before something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention and made her freeze.
She could feel the blood running cold in her veins as she turned over the orion woman's necklace to fully see the image carved into silver pendant.
As her blue eyes fell upon it she dropped the woman trying to get back from her. " No No No No No No No No No No...." she yelled into the comm channel as her hands fixed on her phaser. " Major we have to get out of here now."
Charlie didn't understand what was going on. The woman seem to pose no threat. "Lieutenant, what is going on? Why do we have to retreat?" She was ready to ask someone else to take the woman to the shuttle.
" No not her. " T'para said as she caught her breath and stood back up. Slowly she approached the woman and pulled the necklace from around her neck. " This symbol. It's the badge of the collective of light.
As the Vulcan hybrid stopped explaining she tapped her badge. "All units retreat to the shuttle, now." She didn't want to question the doctor's opinion on this one. "Captain, returning to the ship now. " she relayed to the ships as she fell back with her unit. As they ran to the Shuttle she said to the T'Para . "Briefing when we get back, doctor!"
T'para nodded staying at the rear of the group as one of the security guys picked up the Orion and the group headed for the lift. As they entered everyone's blood froze as an animalistic scream that sounded as if it came from the pits of hell itself echoed across the city.
" That does not sound good. " T'para said as the lift shot downwards.
Charlie pulled the rifle close to her. "I am not familiar with this threat." She debated a bit if they should request reinforcements for their retreat. "Doctor, do we need reinforcements for our retreat, or do you think we can make it to the hangar?"
" I don't know. The last time we encountered the collective they didn't act like this. They used manipulation and trickery to get people to willingly be assimilated not brute force. " The hybrid replied as her scanner began bleeping frantically. It was now full of targets all closing on them. " Major i think we have to run. We can't fight all of them"
Charlie nodded and looked around as they got of the elevator. The road to the shuttle was blocked. She tapped her badge as she motioned to the other side of the command center. "Captain, we are going for cover, request reinforcements to come get us out of here. We need a clear path of here, maybe send in the fighters and and additional marines to clear our path. We will go for cover. We are outnumbered. We will find a defendable position. Somewhere in this city." She then joined the others. "Alright, lets try to avoid contact or engaging the hostiles, there are simply to many. Find a place that provides cover and is easy defendable and I like some oversight of this city. Like maybe a tower." She looked around if therw was something like that.
Sandy heard the com traffic from the away team and acted, "Ghost 2 this is Ghost Lead, Away team is in heed of cover fire. Get your flight down there and give them a hand" she ordered. Watching as Ghost 2 took the dive to the atmosphere of the planet she watched on her view screene from the lead fighter of Ghost 2. "Ghost Lead to Charlie, Ghost Squadron 2 incoming for strafing run, take immediate cover", she said.
"Charlie to Ghost lead, we are on our way to take cover, please provide cover for the reïnforcements that are on their way," Charlie said on her com.
"Ghost Lead to Charlie, understood will have Ghost 2 split and cover reinforcements", she said. "Ghost 2 leader split your squadron in half. Maintain strafging run on planet and the other half cover reinforcements on the way. Ghost leader out", she added and came back the customary clicks of acknowledgment.
To Be continued!
Captain Xalanth
CO USS Shanghai
Lieutenant Commander Thorrin
XO USS Shanghai
Major Charlena Dilucca
Chief Security/Tactical officer and Second Officer
USS Shanghai
Lieutenant Kimoni Jexen
Chief Science Officer
USS Shanghai
Air Captain Sandy "Ghost"Shannon
CAG
USS Shanghai
Lieutenant JG T'Para
CMO USS Shanghai
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