U.S.S. Corsair - NX-011979
Nebula II Prototype
“Sic Parvis Magna”
(Greatness From Small Beginnings)
“Progeny of the Progenitors – Part 20”
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## Conference Room – USS Corsair ##
“As you can see on the screen the perimeter of the camp is well defended by men and machines but we’ve analyzed the readings we were able to obtain and have found a possible weakness.”
Ramius held a cup of hot coffee while he outlined his plan to infiltrate the mysterious cloaked base with the Charon’s senior staff.
“An orbital assault at this point is too blunt an option. The Romulans would no doubt be alerted and I want to keep them out of affairs for as long as possible. Colonel Northrup, I will need a small team of marines to land here and create a diversion. You must appear to be a small force attempting to breach the perimeter however you must be unsuccessful. As you can see in the images here these cargo containers appear to mark the range of the automatic turrets which will be the primary threat. A small team will hit the compound with a combination or small arms fire and photon grenades. I suggest a combination of photon and flash grenades. The light and heat produced by the explosions should confuse the turret computers and keep them occupied. Additionally the confusion created should allow a small team time to penetrate the defenses and gain access to the main facility.”
“Captain Ramius, I would like permission to lead the infiltration team”, the colonel asked.
“Negative colonel. I need you to coordinate the diversions. Twenty minutes after the first attack I want a second attack to be launched. This should keep the surface forces occupied and hopefully prevent them from suspecting the initial attack was a simple diversionary measure. Our goal is to sneak past security and avoid a hard contact. I want them to believe a small force is attempting to probe the defenses looking for weaknesses. This should buy enough time for a team to get in, gather intelligence, and escape.”
“Who is leading the infiltration team”, Doctor Durandal asked from his seat at the table.
“The team will consist of myself and Captain Akina.”
“Captain I must protest”, Colonel Northrup quickly responded. “I cannot permit you to enter a hostile and dangerous environment without a military escort.”
“I concur”, Commander Novada added. “With all due respect to you and Mr. Akina’s abilities, you cannot do this.”
“Captain, I can have a small team of marines infiltrate the compound and complete any mission objectives you prescribe. There is no need to endanger the Corsair’s commanding officer in such a risky venture.”
Ramius shook his head. “Your objections are appreciated and noted. I called this meeting to listen to ideas. If you feel I am being unreasonable then make your protests official if you feel you must, however Akina and I will be going in. Colonel, this situation requires Mr. Akina’s intelligence gathering talents. Consequently we are dealing with too many unknowns. There could be civilians that need to be rescued or some other information or event may require split second decision making. If we lose communications I cannot place the burden of command upon anyone but myself. The risks are too great and we have yet to determine the actual stakes in play.
However, I can see that neither you nor Commander Novada have any intention of letting the two of us off this ship alone so I will offer you both a proposal. Colonel, I need three volunteers for this mission. This is not an order given the danger. These three volunteers will accompany Akina and I as we infiltrate the compound. Does that satisfy both of your concerns?”
Northrup glanced at first officer Novada who was clearly unhappy with the situation however was unprepared to further debate the captain once he had made up his mind, however stubborn he could sometimes be.
“It would help allay our anxiety as well as increase your odds of success during this mission.”
“Three volunteers. Have them ready in two hours in transporter room two. Unless there is anything further everyone is dismissed.”
The senior staff quietly left the conference room except for one officer who remained seated.
“Commander, is there something on your mind”, Ramius asked deactivating the large screen behind him.
“Yes sir. Permission to speak freely sir?”
“Always.”
“Sir, I have the highest respect for you, but I must protest your actions. You cannot expose yourself on missions such as this. These constant actions of yours are not only against standing operational guidelines, but endanger this ship’s commander. What if you are captured or killed? How would I explain that to the Romulans who you are keeping in the dark? What if these criminals decided to bargain with your life in exchange for their freedom? What if they attempted to forcibly extract sensitive intelligence information from you and Captain Akina? Your clearance levels alone make you a high value target. I’m sure our Romulan confederates would enjoy asking you a few questions if circumstances were different.”
“And your point is Commander”, Ramius replied flatly.
“I think your actions are reckless and unwise sir. Send the marines in for this sort of work. They are highly trained for this sort of action and are more than capable of completing nearly any mission objective. There isn’t much that you can do down there sir that the marines are not also capable of achieving.”
“The marines cannot make decisions based upon what they may find down there Commander. The wrong decision given the circumstances could be hazardous especially with the Romulans involved. This isn’t just a military op, it is political as well. Whoever has setup shop down there has expended massive amounts of time and resources. They have access to highly sophisticated technology which makes it vital we ascertain who it is funding this base and for what purpose. Captain Akina was nearly killed by these people and has a vested interest in shutting them down as do I. Both of us need to understand what is going on down there. I am sorry if intelligence missions are difficult for you to handle, but the Corsair is no normal ship. We get the missions no one else is willing or able to take. Yes the risks are high, but so are the rewards.”
“This has nothing to do about intelligence or mission objectives sir and you know it”, Novada replied her voice heavy with emotion. “You’re going down there because you want to go down there. You crave danger and thrive on the unknown. Let’s not mince words Captain. You are going simply because you want to go and as the captain have the authority to do so even if such actions go against every rule in the book. What about your friends and colleagues? What about this ship’s crew who deserves their captain to adhere to the rules and who deserve a captain. You are no longer a fighter pilot Ramius! You are the captain of a starship with responsibilities, duties, and obligations. You cannot forsake those whenever you feel the need to have some fun. It is selfish especially to those of us who…”
Ramius was taken aback by the commander’s sudden onslaught. Under normal circumstances he might be furious at her words which were bordering on insubordination and conduct unbecoming of an officer. However those words were delivered by a woman he knew to have a noble heart and fierce, pure convictions. She always spoke her mind whatever the consequences and it were those qualities which set her apart from nearly everyone he had ever served with.
Her last words however struck Ramius with the speed and force of an unseen assassin. He wasn’t sure what to make of them until he looked at the Commander. The expression on her face and the look in her eyes validated his suspicions.
“Alanis..I…”
“Permission to return to duty”, she quickly said interrupting the captain her voice turning cold as she struggled with unwanted emotions.
“Dismissed”, Ramius replied. He watched her quickly turn and leave.
Turning to the conference room windows, Ramius looked down onto the planet below. Had he really seen what he thought he had? Right now it didn’t matter. The commander’s earlier words were far more poignant. Was he being selfish? Was he really using his position to satisfy his thirst for action and adventure the likes of which had been forcibly taken from him when Starfleet had thrown him into command of a starship during the second half of the Second Dominion War?
He had a job to do and was doing it! So he was somewhat unconventional in his methods..so what? He always managed to get the job done when no one else would or when other just couldn’t. He was Starfleet’s go-to person for the dirty jobs that were vitally important but had to be keep off the radar. How dare she accuse him of being selfish! He was responsible for doing the impossible and Starfleet had an expectation of such performance. It was his responsibility and his alone to ensure their missions were a success and if that meant direct supervision and participation who was she to question his decisions?”
Ramius pressed a hand against the cool glass of the window as his anger peaked and quickly subsided. He couldn’t stay angry at her. There were too many times their missions had called for him to keep her in the dark despite his better judgment and yet time and time again she had been loyal never questioning the captain’s orders no matter how odd or unusual they may seem.
Much to Ramius’s dismay there was a tiny fragment stuck in the far corner of his mind which irritated him like a splinter of glass that couldn’t be seen. It was the possibility that Novada was right. Perhaps he was taking too many risks? There was no denying he enjoyed hands on, field work.
There was her concern as well. Her eyes seemed to convey something more. Something Ramius was unsure he wanted to understand if indeed he had seen the truth. That look in her eyes…it frightened him more than the Romulans outside or the danger below on the planet’s surface. More frightening still was the fact he felt the same though had kept such things hidden behind his tough exterior and ever present uniform.
His mind wandered upon these thoughts and many others as he stared out the window. Damn he missed his days as a pilot in the war. Things seemed so much easier then. He knew his enemies and friends alike. Now he had to play the roles of a diplomat, officer, leader, politician, tactician, and sometimes even a father. His enemies now hid in the shadows taking many forms and were seemingly everywhere and nowhere. It was becoming harder to simply charge in, fight, win, and return home to a hero’s welcome. Gone was the black and white which brought him comfort replaced now with an ambiguous gray. Such matters left him with little time for friends. Love…well he had no time or place for such things. At least that’s what he told himself. Fear of going soft drove such feelings from him yet as hard as he tried he could not escape certain human truths no matter how hard he ran, fled, or attempted to ignore them. Deep down he was just as human as the next man despite his unique qualities.
He didn’t have time for this. He had a mission to complete and had to focus solely on its success or else risk total failure. There wasn’t time for doubt, regret, or fear. Perhaps when this was over he could contemplate such matters. For now he simply could not afford that luxury.
[ To Be Continued… ]
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Captain Taverain Ramius
Commanding Officer, USS Corsair
Colonel Johnathan Northrup
Marine Commander
Commander Alanis Novada
Executive Officer
Commander Keith Durandal
Chief Medical Officer
