Taking Back The Team - Conclusion

Posted on Sat Feb 13th, 2016 @ 1:09pm by Lieutenant Commander Nicolao & Jackson Banning V & Commander Oralia Zeferino & Major David Lorenz & Lieutenant Commander Gilroy & Marine Captain Quentin Harrison & Warrant Officer Awf & Ignatius Reilly & Marine Captain Thomas Franklin
Edited on on Sat Feb 13th, 2016 @ 1:09pm

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Planet 6584

MARINE CP

Lorenz listened as Jackson requested beam out. “All, Marines, this is Bulldog-Six; let’s get set for recovery of all personnel. Give the order, Gunny!” Lorenz went over to the clearing he had been standing at and looked at the battle damage. The Marines had done well, but he also knew they had been extremely lucky. The loss of one of his men to the Borg was not unexpected, but Corporal Thomas had been a good Marine and would be missed by his buddies. He would get a fine Irish send-off if Quentin Harrison had his way.

* USS Hammond *

Stepping off the platform as soon as he was aboard, Awf ended up looking to make sure that Bryce and Patrick were still not moving but were in decent shape. It seemed like he was ready to get this whole ordeal over with. Well, he had always been looking for new experiences, but he didn't want this kind of thing to have to happen more than once for sure.

The four infected team members, plus Ignatius and the Marine she’d infected, were behind a containment field. The Marine was prone, as were Patrick and Bryce, but Oz and Dae - the drones that were once Oralia and Dae - were standing still, staring out at the Starfleet officers. Ignatius was at Oralia’s feet. I am too heavy, Oz. Pick me up!, she demanded. The drone didn’t respond.

Jackson and Nico appeared and Jackson still held him as they stepped down. “Awf, get him to sickbay and let Mi check him over,” Jackson ordered. Then get to the bridge and prepare to depart.” He then approached the containment area and stood, looking back at Oz. “I’m sorry,” he murmured.

“We will assimilate you. Resistance is futile,” Five of Seven said.

Frustrated, Iggy yanked at the material of Oz’s pants. Pick me up! Jackson, tell her I want up!

“She’s not really in the mood right now, Iggs,” Jackson answered. Then he looked back at Oz. “Between us? You assimilated me a long time ago, darlin’. We’ll get ya home and fixed up and all this’ll be over. I promise.”

Iggy moved towards Jackson and the containment field. I do not understand, Jackson. Oralia has not been talkative. Bryce has been, though.

“It’ll pass, Iggy, just give her some time. We’ll be home in thirty-six hours.” Jackson’s gaze lingered on Oz but he addressed the computer. “Computer, monitor life and bio signs of those in the containment field and notify the bridge of any changes.” He fell silent and the computer beeped.

And then we can assimilate the Station?

“No, then we’ll get y’all back to normal.” He looked back up at Oz hoping there might still be a bit of her holding out against the nanites. “Oz?”

There was a flicker of something in Five of Seven’s face and eyes. Oz looked out at Jackson but she was gone in the blink of an eye.

Iggy, meanwhile, had moved over to the Marine she’d bitten. Wake up, minion! He didn’t, leaving her to poke and prod at him.

Jackson frowned, seeing the flash in her eyes, and when it vanished, he addressed the transporter chief. “Establish the containment field in cargo bay two and transport them all there. Report in when done.” He turned and tapped his comm badge as he exited the transporter room. “Jackson to Gilroy. Has everyone returned from the surface?”

=^=There are a few Marines, cleaning up the site. All of our people are back on board, though,=^= Gilroy answered.

“Acknowledged, meet me on the bridge. Banning out.” Jackson entered the lift and when it opened on the bridge, he addressed Awf. “Mr. Awf, get us outta here. As soon as we are clear of the atmosphere, take us to warp 7.” He tapped his badge once more. “Attention all hands. We are preparing to depart. Going to warp in two minutes. Senior staff will meet in the briefing room in one hour.” Jackson closed the channel and moved to the center seat. “Mr. Peluj, notify Major Lorenz of the meeting. I want him in it via comm.”

“Acknowledged.”

A vast majority of Starfleet flight controllers would have complained about that being an unsafe maneuver, and talked about how you shouldn't go to warp so quickly after leaving the atmosphere. On the other hand, a vast majority of Starfleet flight controllers weren't Awf. "Aye sir!" was all that he had stated and soon enough he felt the inertial dampers once more compensate for the sudden increase in thrust. Per usual, of course, he loved the feeling and looked forward to making that quantum shift back into a shimmering star field once again. "We'll be able to make warp in two minutes easy. The upper layers of the atmosphere are already thinning out."

With a smirk, the Ocampa turned around, confident that the computer instructions that he tapped into the LCARS panel were sufficient and afforded him the luxury of talking. "Mr. Peluj, by the way, I wanted to say one thing...thanks. You don't know how lucky I feel having someone around who can actually do the job right." Coming from him those were actually big words.

“Commander,” Gilroy spoke to Jackson even as he attempted to scan the planet’s surface, “Sakkath is gone. I cannot locate him and one of the transports is not reporting in.”

“Scan the area for it and see if you can find it,” Jackson answered. “If you pick it up, unless there’s a live Sakkath on it, don’t engage. We’ll leave it for the Marines.”

USS MONTEZUMA
COMMANDING OFFICER’S READY ROOM

The chair was as soft as ever and David lowered his aching body into it, wincing as he did so. The last transport off the planet had been crowded with extra Marines due to the loss of the other transport. Dave leaned back and took a long drink from his bottle, foregoing the glass on his desk

=/\=Incoming transmission from USS Hammond

USS HAMMOND - ONE HOUR LATER

Jackson entered the briefing room and nodded to the senior officers present. He took the seat at the head of the table, then seeing Dave in the viewer, gave him a salute.

“I will keep this brief. I know we’re all shot to hell and still have two days flyin’ time. First one quick order of business for ya, Dave. We have a Corporal Thomas contained in the cargo bay with the rest who were assimilated. We’ll get him back to the station so they can begin workin’ on him.”

“Good to know, Jackson! Thanks for taking care of our man!”

Jackson nodded and rubbed his eyes. He was not looking forward to what he had to say next. “The main reason for this meetin’ is this - exactly twenty minutes ago at 1638 hours, Commander Sakkath was killed in action. He was taken down by one of the drones outside the cube. When we emerged from the cube, there was no sign of his body an’ scans showed no Vulcan biosigns of any kind. The bridge crew did note a transport departin’ the planet that contained two...one drone and one Vulcan, deceased.” He sighed aloud. “I want this information kept confidential. No one is to report this back to 900. Gilroy an’ I will deal with it once we land but I am not gonna have Li hear this news over a damned comm speaker. Consider that an order for all concerned.”

Gilroy looked surprisingly ill as he sagged in his seat. He’d been right there with Sakkath; how could he explain this to Li? His demeanor was not because he would have to tell Li with Jackson, but because he had been right there with him, had watched as the drone’s weapon cut him down.

Nico looked across the table at Gilroy and frowned. “It wasn’t your fault, Gil,” he said quietly. “And I can tell you that he didn’t think so either.”

Whenever he had heard something it always became more real to him. Awf figured that many people thought that way. Exhaling a bit, he wasn't really sure of what to say, and honestly he didn't know if what he had said next was really the right thing to say anyway. Nevertheless, he figured that it had to be said since he had already said something like it before.

"Gil, if you want someone to talk to, then I'm here for you buddy."

It was an honest statement, and the Ocampa genuinely meant it when he did say it, though he was never the type to force someone to talk or give them advice when they weren't looking for it.

Nodding, barely, Gilroy acknowledged Nico’s and Awe's comments.

Dave sagged back, unbelieving what he just heard. “How sure is this information?”

“Absolute, Major,” Nico answered. “I was connected to him and Iggy while we were down there and was at the time he died.”

“One second, I will be right back!” The screen suddenly went black.

USS MONTEZUMA

David suddenly leaned forward and switched the viewer off. “Lieutenant Harrison and Captain Franklin to my ready room, please,”

Both men came into the room and sank into the chairs. “We lost three men, total, one to assimilation and two to wounds inflicted by drones.” Franklin reported

Dave closed his eyes and exhaled before speaking. “We are going after Sakkath.”

“What do you mean ‘going after Sakkath’?” Franklin asked, leaning forward.

“I was just told Sakkath was killed by a Borg drone and taken away in one of our transports.”

Quentin rose to his feet in a flash “Are ye trying to get us all killed, ye blatherin fool?! We just got done fighting nineteen o’ those bastards and got a bloody good nosebleed for our trouble!” Now ye want to take on a Cube that has all her parts in workin’ order? Jaysus, Mary, and Joseph, yer a madman!”

“Watch your tone, Mr. Harrison!” Lorenz warned icily. “My decision is up for debate!”

“Scuse me fer nae standin on ceremony, yer nibs!” I’m just trying to figure out what the Hell yer plannin!” Quentin’s tone was softer than his words, but his eyes were still blazing.

“Simple. We are going to track our transport to the Borg conduit and attempt to rescue Mr. Sakkath. The Hammond crew have their hands full with all those Borg drones that used to be their loved ones and friends on board. Sakkath was a good officer, not to mention second officer of the base! We owe it to Sakkath to at least try!” Dave looked at Quentin, his eyes clear and focused. “He is too good a man to be abandoned like that.”

“Aye, that be true!.” Quentin nodded his head in agreement. “The ship has enough gear for us to stay out for six months if need be. Sorry I blew me stack.”

Franklin came into the room, handing Lorenz a padd. “We have all the equipment we need for this operation, sir.” Franklin grinned at Lorenz. “Standing by for orders.”

=/\= Incoming transmission from USS Hammond=/\= the computer announced.

“On viewer!” Dave grinned. Once the connection with the Hammond was reestablished, Dave’s grin faded. “Jackson, Unless otherwise directed by a senior officer or a member of the general staff, I am going to take my ship and attempt to recover Sakkath’s body. This ship has a huge speed advantage and I am fairly confident we can catch up to the drone before it makes contact with the rest of his play pals.”

“Understood. I’ll say this, though, an’ I despise the words already. If you can’t get them before they reach the collective, let it go. I’m not gonna lose all y’all too. Ya make yer best effort but no more losses, Dave. I think Li would understand that.”

“I give you my word, Jackson, we will take all the precautions there are. You just get your wife and friends home. I’ll see you when I see you. Lorenz out.” The screen went black for the last time.

USS HAMMOND

Back in the Hammond briefing room, Jackson looked at the officers present. “Any questions? Comments? Things I likely don’t wanna hear but need to know about?”

“Medics have already beamed the Marine, Thomas, to the medbay and are working to reverse the nanites’ programming and the damage they’ve already done,” Gilroy reported. “The others will need to wait till we reach the Station.”

Jackson noted. “So noted. He’s only been under a few minutes so it should be easy enough an’ we can give Dave back his man whole when they get home.”

“Indeed. The others may take longer,” Gilroy said, ever the optimist.

“Yeah, we haven’t reached the end of this road yet,” Jackson agreed. “But we’ll get there. If there’s nothin’ else, y’all go get some sleep. You’ve earned it. I’ll take the watch till you’re back,
Gil. Dismissed.” He rose and with a wave to the remaining officers, departed for the bridge.

********************
Major Dave Lorenz
Warrant Officer Awf
Ignatius J. Reilly
Jackson Banning V (LTC)
Commander Oralia Zeferino (Five Of Seven)
Lt. Gilroy
Lt. Commander Nicolao
1st Lieutenant Quentin Harrison
Marine Captain Thomas Franklin