No One's Home

Posted on Sun May 22nd, 2022 @ 3:31am by Captain Ivan Petrov & Lieutenant Commander Andrei Petrov & Lieutenant JG Revana Nazar & Lieutenant Commander Troy Marshall & Lieutenant Cael Maz & Captain Fergus Williams & Lieutenant Johnathan Anderson III & Lieutenant JG Melissa Jones & Lieutenant JG Andrea Carrington

Mission: S1 Episode 2: Caretaker, Part II
Location: Various Locations
Timeline: Mission Day 7 at 1100
1546 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Bridge, ISS Vengeance
The ISS Vengeance barreled toward the coordinates under the Caretaker Array, completely invisible to sensors or eyes. The cloaking device was a unique weapon in this sector, it seemed, and they had every reason to suspect the element of surprise would be on their side. A fleet of Kazon ships at least six in number likely was waited for them, and quite the fight was to be anticipated.

On the Bridge, Commander Cain paced back and forth in front of the helm, his eyes on the streaming stars of the viewscreen. The lights were down low and the red alert strips were flashing repeatedly. Behind him, Captain Petrov grimaced. It was clear he was upset at Vengeance having been used so effectively by the Cullah. They had unwittingly provided firepower, manpower, and a distraction while he took the prize right from under their noses.

Standing at Ops Andrea was feeling the weight of the responsibility of being left manning Ops while Callie was on medical leave. “Sir, Sensors are detecting 4 Kazon ships en route to Ocampa at warp.”

"Leave them." Ivan said, his voice like stone. "I'm getting this crew home now that we're back together. Despite our namesake, that is more important than killing our enemies right now."

The bridge crew silently returned to their work, many of them no-doubt thinking about the decision the captain had just made and what it might mean for Ocampa and for them.

From his station, Johnathan called out. "ETA to the Array is thirty seconds." He paused, then counted down towards the end. "Dropping out of warp in, five, four, three, two, one...dropping out of warp now!"

The mighty warship transitioned from high warp, to impulse, until it finally coasted to a stop near the Kazon vessels. Of course, as their cloaking devise was activated, rendering them completely invisible to the Kazon sensors.

On the viewscreen, the Caretaker Array loomed as before, but much to the surprise of the Bridge crew, there were only two ships standing by around it.

"This is going to be easier than we thought." Cyrus asked, raising his brows. "Bridge to Transporter Rooms 1 & 2, what is your status?

In Transporter Room 2, Andrei Petrov stood with a security team of twelve plus Ensign Nazar. They, much like the marines, were tasked with beaming aboard the bridge of one of the Kazon ships, killing their commanders, and taking control of their systems. He clasped the arm of his combat uniform and tapped his commbadge.

"This is Petrov. Team 2 is saddled up, locked and loaded. Ready to kill Kazon scum." he said.

" This is Fergus devil dogs ready to go." Came the marine XO voice from inside his helmt.

"Good." Cyrus said. "Beam out is set for ten seconds from now. 9...8...7..."

Bridge - Kazon Predator Lovarr
The security team materialized quickly on the Bridge before any of the Kazon could take note. A phaser blast from a crewman started the battle for the command center, striking a man standing at a station directly in the chest; the agonizer setting made his a slow and extremely painful vaporization. The Kazon quickly retaliated, turning and reaching for their own weapons, but before they could effectively respond, the trained Imperial security officers and turned almost all of them to smoke and dust.

Andrei took hold of the man sitting in the command chair and, placing his dagger to his throat, slid onto the sputtering of blood took over the shouts of agony. Once he and his crew were on the ground, Andrei turned to Nazar and pointed to a nearby console.

"Revana, get on that damn thing and localize command functions to this room. And shut down comms from the rest of the ship. I don't want to ruin the surprise."

Revana smiled slightly as her fingers met the console. She followed his orders and sent an encoded message to Vengeance that Lovarr was secured.

Bridge - Kazon Predator Klandell
A stun bomb materialised in a bright flash of light just ahead of the marine team sending the aliens crashing to the ground as they clutched their ruined eyes. Phaser and solid shot finished them off as the marines secured the bridge.

Fergus scowled at the sight before him. Half the computers on the bridge looked broken or were simply gone. He'd need to pass that on to the science boys. " This is Fergus this scrapheap is secure." he said into his coms.

Bridge, ISS Vengeance
"Commander, take an away team to the array. Any Kazon you find, kill them. Brutally." Ivan said, his eyes still fixed on the screen.

"Aye, sir." Cyrus responded without much feeling. He tapped his commbadge. "Lieutenants Jones, Quevremont, and Maz, meet me in Transporter Room 1. Johnathan...you're with me. Troy, I want a full security contingent sent down there to go over with us. Everyone we have left. You stay here and act as XO."

Troy nodded. "Aye sir." He would loved to have been included on one of the Away Teams, but with Cyrus off the ship his presence would be needed here.

"Aye, Sir!" Johnathan replied, as he stood up

Corridor, Caretaker Array
The away team materialized in an empty corridor aboard the Array. It was grey with metal grate flooring and solid lines of blue light lining the walls. Cyrus looked at them, the visor of his helmet down. There were sixteen Imperial soldiers gathered there with little idea if they would face many Kazon or few.

"Should we go to them or should we draw them here to us?"

Melissa spoke. "Subtlety will serve us best, we should strike from the shadows. " She began moving silently and covertly.

Korinna nodded. "She makes a good point." The Investigator said and moved behind the Chief Engineer silently.

The group moved silently together along the straight corridor until they came to a bend in the passage way. After taking the bend, Cain put up a hand to halt the group.

"My tricorder reads a nexus of energy just behind this door..." he said, swiping his metal-guarded fingers over the device. "And 7 Kazon lifesigns. I think we have the control room."

He reached for the control panel and then looked at his away team, armed to the teeth and ready.

"On my mark. 3...2...1...mark!" he said, and the doors swished open quickly.

Ad the door opened, Johnathan went right and low, sweeping his rifle and eyes along the room, firing at each target that filled his crosshairs.

Kori followed the lead and took out two kazons with ease. She glanced at Cain. And awaited the next order

“Hold them back!” Came the voice of one standing in the middle of the room amidst the chaos and the fright. It was Cullah, and a look of terror filled his face.

Cyrus put up a hand to stop the firing of his team and looked on the two Kazon left in the room. In particular, his eyes fell on Cullah.

“You used us to get what you wanted.” He said with a scowl, as he advanced. He placed the end of his rifle against the temple of the only other Kazon and bladed him away. As the body slumped to the floor, Cyrus grabbed Cullah and shoved him into the arms of some of their security. “Did you figure out how to operate the array?”

“No…” Cullah said, his own face locked in a scowl as he squirmed against the restraints the security had just attached to his wrists. “It’s beyond our abilities so far. We were hoping, with time, to figure it out.”

“Right,” Commander Cain said, “then we’ve probably got a few days of work ahead of us. Lieutenants Maz and Jones, get us access to these systems. It may take us a while to decipher them, so we’d better start now. Bring over all the resources you need from Vengeance.”

Maz went straight for the systems once he received permission. He said nothing but his actions spoke louder than any words could convey. First, he started on language, something he had extensive years in adapting too.

"Interesting technology. This might be fulfilling for once." Melissa noted. A slight smile appeared at a chance to study the Caretaker Array."

“Lieutenant Anderson, take these security and search the array deck by deck. I want all the Kazon sill remaining dead.”

Johnathan nodded with conviction. "Aye, Sir!" He then tuned and pointed to three of the security force. "You, you and you, on me!" He then led his team out if the compartment and began their hunt. No quarter would be given to any Kazon or Ocampa, if found.

“Lieutenant Quevremont, take this…unfortunate creature back to Vengeance and put him in the agonizer. I want to know what he knows.” Can said. “And keep him alive.”

Kori walked over and grabbed the Kazon's arm. "With pleasure." She purred, "I will make him sing Commander." She hit her comm and they were beamed out to the Vengeance, leaving soft singsong words of "now i get to play" echoing in the air.

'I see there's no deficit of lunatics in the empire.' Melissa thought to herself as Kori left.