[Main Engineering, Temep`Shar ]
2nd Day in the month of re`T'Khutai, YS 9022
Sajel saw the console spring to life the very moment young Havor had finally been persuaded to seek shelter behind the wall of Yel-Halitra marines and V'Ket. It was not one that had been lit since the day their test flight had ended so abruptly and before the graying Vulcan's astonished eyes, lines of code flickered and winked into oblivion.
It took him a full 1.2 seconds to come to the only logical conclusion and make a silent vow that if any of them should survive this, someone back home would be made to answer for this. And be it Sutok himself.
A Valit, sleeping for all this time, awakened by the arrival of those who would unwillingly aid it to return home. Irresistibly drawn to the vessels of the Sundered and their vast communications network like its namesake to the scent of food wafting through one of the myriads of tunnels, the only thing that would stop it now was complete annihilation.
"It would appear we have been found." There was a shade of grief in the tall man's stoic voice, come and gone in the blink of an eye. Were the fleet officers not present, he might have tried to destroy the ship here and now. But had they not arrived, he would not be in possession of the explosives that just might suffice in doing so. What irony.
It would be illogical to have them suffer the consequences of their folly. They would have to risk it, lower shields and let them return to their ship.
"If you would proceed, please." Sajel nodded to the engineer. Behind the barricades, there was the sound of swords being drawn. Slowly, calmly.
It was not unexpected. When the shields dropped Shiarrael heard the familiar echoing hum that filled the Temep-Shar's engineering sections- but it wasn't the soft sound of Federation transporters she heard. Instead it was the vibrating and callous whistle of Romulan troop transporters. Instinctively dropping to a combat posture she aimed her weapon at one of the flashing green pearls across from her. As soon as they materialized she fired hitting the Romulan between the eyes splattering his brain matter on his rematerializing comrades. A chorus and fiery red beams shot out at the Romulans but the humming did not cease- more and more Gai'Shian rematerialized. No- Shiarrael's eyes focused behind the line of Gai'Shian.
Standing there wearing a cold grin was Hanaj, Itsak's second in command. What was he doing? His eyes seemed to lock on her. Does he see me? Shiarrael wondered. He smirked and lifted his arm. A sizzling green bolt narrowly missed her and slammed into a Marine slightly behind her. Bad aim? No…she could smell it- after sliding her hands into her hair she could feel it- her hair had been singed! Sneering at him she took a step forward and fired- sadly a Gai'Shian found his way between her weapon and Hanaj. It was then she noticed the difference in uniform between the soldiers directly engaging them and the ones standing back with Hanaj, up front were Gai'Shian softening their lines but behind them were Romulan Naval Security. They certainly were not on even terms with the V'Ket in skill and ability but they were not cannon fodder. She twisted around "hold them back, we have to destroy this ship! They cannot have it."
Close. Too close for his sidearm to be of good use. Sajel's tactical mind commented with grudging approval at the Sundered's approach to taking over the engineering section, even as his sword rang free of its scabbard and his other hand grabbed the grumbling engineer. Not unkindly but with a firmness that made clear a debate would not be appreciated, the graying V'Ket nudged the man towards the barricades. The intruders' focus was on the fire lancing out from there but they were an inviting, vulnerable target and a half starved Vulcan made a highly insufficient shield for someone in a Starfleet EVA suit. One well aimed shot might kill them both.
To the Gai'Shians' apparent irritation, the Vulcan simply was never quite where he was supposed to be when a green beam lanced out in his direction and at last, three of them lost patience and made directly for this nuisance. It was what Sajel had been waiting for.
"My apologies, engineer." A bit awkwardly but nonetheless in a precisely calculated arc, the man with the astonishing eye color went sailing over the lowest part of the barricades and landed on top of a quite astonished Vulcan technician.
T'Min saw it in her Companion's eyes before the engineer went airborne, just as she saw that the three advancing Gai'Shian effectively shielded his much too thin frame from any fire but their own. Just as she had seen the flash of recognition in the eyes of the one leading the Sundered.
"You must evacuate your people." More green fire overhead, avoided with a barely discernible shift of weight. "Take as many of our civilians as you can. We will remain and attempt to detonate the charges left by your Marines. It may not be enough…"
There was definitely annoyance in the way the tall Vulcan woman furrowed her brows and young S'Kel was quick to refocus his fire onto the cordon around the man who had taken a shot at the Yel-Halitra Captain. The Rihanha seemed reluctant and under other circumstances T'Min could have been persuaded to cede authority to the violet eyed one who radiated command like another draws breath. Not now, not on this ship, not while there was a spark of life left in her.
"Logic dictates you give the order to fire immediately upon your return. Concentrate on this section; it contains all that is of any import."
A crate no ten centimeters from their heads was blown to pieces, sending shrapnel of searing hot metal flying.
Out of time.
T'Min knew it the moment the first Gai'Shian flung himself over the barricades, right into a sword that had appeared in his path too suddenly for him to avoid it. He was only the first one.
And so it started. Brent saw two Romulans had been beamed in close to the fortifications of the Vulcans and Starfleet officers. The others farther down the line only met with the Vulcans returning their fire first. Brent had wanted a better kill zone than what they had been offered and so told his Marines to hold fire for a few seconds to see if the Romulans would come close. Sure enough they did. When those closest to the Marines were in view of them Brent made his move. Normally officers are supposed to lead from behind, Brent hated that regulation, and found it rather disgusting to have heard that it was taught to officers. Having no official training he could easily blame that as the reason why he acted as he did. Having long since set his gravity belt to half of one standard measurement of gravity.
When the two Gai'Shian got too close Brent leaped out to greet them formally. Only instead of offering them a drink and a hug as was custom on Gilgamesh 9, his hands were a blur, including when they moved across the Romulans head in such a fast motion that their heads were removed from their torso in one swift motion. Landing on his feet he immediately turned and leaped back behind the barricade to the music of a hail of disruptor bolts and plasma shots hitting at their fortifications. It was then that the Marines returned their fire, having picked out appropriate targets from their initial attackers, sending a hail of phaser fire back into the advancing Gai'Shian. Brent gave the go ahead for the first set of claymores to be detonated. As the Gai'Shian advanced under alternative cover and fire they were rudely made aware that the Marines had established a series of claymore mines and detonation points along the corridor to the Vulcans and their sensitive material. After the first wave of shrapnel cut into the advancing Romulans Brent gave the order and three cooked plasma grenades were tossed at the Romulans to help add to the additional chaos before the Marines began to fire another fierce volley.
Dylan ducked behind a barricade. He drew his CI-90 defender and quickly assembled it into the rifle configuration. He fired a few well placed shots. "We're not leaving without you and your people!" he shouted over the sound of weapons fire. "Lt Ecks, start getting the Vulcans out of here!"
The Yel-Halitra officer's words were accompanied by the characteristic melody of transporters – the pleasant, low-pitched hum and sound of tiny bronze bells that told Sajel it was Temep`Shar's own systems that had come back online through undetermined means.
No time to protest, no time to do anything but make sure the civilians were shielded until the amaranth beams enveloped them and whisked them away to questionable safety.
In between returning fire from Gai'Shian who took new confidence from seeing the number of their opponents diminish and issuing silent orders, the graying Vulcan saw people dematerialize in convenient batches – and noted with grim satisfaction that a reluctant Havor was among the first. If anyone deserved a chance to survive this, it was the young scientist.
More and more of the Sundered poured over the barricades despite the valiant efforts of outnumbered Marines and although those who made it past the defenders still fell under V'Ket swords, Sajel estimated another 0.8 minutes until they would be overwhelmed by numbers alone. Less, if Charon would start beaming out their own combatants. He would have to be fast.
S'Kel was faster. Young, indomitable S'Kel who had taken any and all adversities in stride, sat for hours by V'Lin's bunk to tell her stories of his Sehlat when the wound had taken septic, whose dry comments had made T'Min's eyelids flicker with amusement on a regular basis.
Only one who did not know the young one as Sajel did would have been astonished at the speed with which he nudged both T'Min and the Charon's Captain into the group shielded by the last remaining marines and then leapt over the barricades like a Shavokh taking flight. Sword in one hand and explosives in the other, and a smile playing over his face that only grew more fierce when it obviously astonished the Sundered who had the misfortune of getting in his way, S'Kel made it almost all the way to the main console before the first disruptor beam found its target.
It barely slowed him down.
Pride and grief warring in a heart heavier than a millstone, the steel eyed commander tensed to go and retrieve either S'Kel or his Katra, but a heavy hand on his shoulder threw him off balance.
Only four Marines left now, including their commander who seemed insistent on getting at least this stubborn Vulcan out of harm's way. It was too late for the other.
Over the noise and flickering light of disruptors, the two Vulcan gazes met. No more smile in S'Kel's, only calm acceptance as the young one raised his hand in salute and detonated the charge placed so conveniently on top of the wormhole control station.
Sajel did not even see how many of the Sundered had tried to stop this impossibly fast adversary and failed, suffering the same fate in the end. Only a flash of light and then the deep red haze of the transporter beam shrouding him and the last remaining marine in shimmering particles.
[End Log]
Captain Shiarrael t'Rehu
Commanding Officer
Cmdr Dylan Marcus
Chief Security Officer
Brevet 1st Lt Brent Warren
Marine Commander
USS Charon
Sajel
V'Ket
& a host of assorted pointy ears
Temep`Shar
