Threat Assessment
Posted on Tue Sep 16th, 2014 @ 10:30am by Captain Liarra Von & Major Alexandria Somers & Lieutenant Commander Morgan Kelly & Lieutenant JG Erica De'Havean
Mission:
Aggressive Negotiations
Location: Bridge, USS Carthage
Naomi was on the bridge watching the Sojourners ship when the Communication's station began pinging an open connection.
"What the hell!! Lieutenant Kelly, you might want to listen to this, the pinging is a signal from Smith's sub-dermal comm device" She said walking over to the comm station and making the connection, then turning to Kelly. "Lets listen shall we" She said.
"What's up, Major?" Kelly asked, crossing the bridge to Griffiths' side. He listened closely but nothing seemed to be coming through. Absolutely nothing. He looked over the communication officer's shoulder. The waveforms were completely flattened out- no background radiation, no noise of any kind. Kelly was no expert but their lines were clearly being jammed. "What did you get before the comms went down?"
The ensign manning the communications console spoke up first. "It appeared to be from Captain Smith's implant communicator, at least it matches the frequency. All I caught was a lot of shouting. It wasn't very clear."
"DAMMIT!!" Griffiths shouted slamming a fist into her open hand "those damn Sojourners have put up a wide spectrum dampening field, nothing is going to get through that" She said then looked at the viewscreen as something caught her eye, looking properly "by the Prophets!! More Sojourner ships, Mr. Kelly you got ship Command training, what do you suggest?" Griffiths asked.
Kelly found himself flustered by the sudden escalation. Only a couple of hours ago he had been discussing ways to stave off the boredom and suddenly there were Sojourner ships coming up on sensor scans. At least, they were. The sensor screen in front of them was beginning to flicker and produce what looked like false results.
"Send a signal to Starfleet- I don't care if you have to send it out on radiowaves to get it past them." Kelly declared, wheeling away from the station and back toward the centre of the bridge. "Are they showing a hostile stance?"
"Their shields seem to be down, Sir." The young petty officer manning the science station replied, before adding the ominous qualifier. "But we seem to be experiencing sensor interference."
Erica was easing the Carthage back away from the Sojourner's ship in orbit and the incoming fleet of the new arrivals. But she couldn't get to far from the away team either as the transporters had their limits also. Effectively chaining them to the area. She emitted a low growl as she leapt easing the Carthage into a more superior tactical position to do a strategic withdrawal once the Away Team had been recovered.
"Boost power to sensors, try to get us as much information as you can through the interference." Kelly ordered as his 'crisis mode' kicked in and allowed him to focus on the task at hand. "Is it just me, or do they not seem terribly bothered by us?"
"Lieutenant, Major," the petty officer from science piped up again, "you might want to see this."
Kelly and Major Griffiths made the short walk to the science console as the Sojourner ships on the viewscreen continued to serenely file past them. "It looks like they're initiating outgoing transports." Kelly observed as the pieces began to fall into place. "That must mean they've taken the away team. Major, are you able to mobilise a rescue team?"
Looking at the screen "must, be dammit, this is not looking too good" She said as she moved over to a spare console and began working.
"How are we doing on the sensors?" Kelly asked. "Will we be able to target a transporter beam?"
"You can bet your bottom dollar that they'll have active transport inhibitors, Sir. If we can get a shuttlecraft through, it would be safer."
"What's your threat assessment, Major?" Kelly asked, wheeling around to the Major who had taken her place at a programmable console to sort her team out. "If we can't beam you down and the Sojourners aren't actively hostile, do you reckon you'll be able to get a shuttle down to the planet?"
"I would think we should be able to El tee, if we use sensor jamming equipment to blind the Sojourners sensors to the shuttle" Naomi said.
"Okay." Kelly replied decisively. "You'll need a good pilot- take Ensign De'Havean with you."
Hearing Kelly speak about sending her with the rescue team, De'Havean was torn between staying with the ship and going. Duty to at least make an attempt of rescue, over rode her sense of caution. She quietly summoned the most experience pilot on the Carthage to replace her at the helm.
Looking at Kelly "Okay El tee" She said then looked at De'Havean "Ensign come join me and my marines we will handle it besides we marines know when to use good pilots and so were brought aboard for a reason and to go to the planet" She said and stepped away and tapped her commbadge "Griffiths to Omega Squad."
Down below the next ranking officer responded First Lieutenant Jasmine Allen here Major, what's the situation? She asked.
"Assemble the rest of Omega Squad for insertion and extraction duties, phasers set to heavy stun," Griffiths said.
Hesitation in her voice Yes Sir.
"Will meet you down in the shuttle bay in ten," Naomi said. Looking back at Erica "Okay Ensign, let's get down to the shuttlebay," Griffiths said.
Erica nodded as she summoned her back up pilot to take over helm. Once the replacement showed up, she headed on down to the Shuttle bay.
With that Griffiths and the Ensign entered the lift and went below.
- Shuttle Bay -
As she stepped out on to the shuttle bay deck one of her troops handed her an equipment harness and a phaser rifle and hand phaser both set on heavy stun.
"Okay make sure we all have stun grenades with us as well as knock out gas canisters and for Prophets sake make sure you have breather masks and protective eye-wear handy." She said then tapped her commbadge. "Griffiths to Kelly."
"Kelly here."
"How many Sojourner ships are there now, please?" she asked.
"Sensors are still being jammed but we count three 'capital' ships and a number of smaller 'auxiliary' vessels."
"I see, thank you El tee, Griffiths out," she said closing the link then looking at her troops "Okay, here is what we are going to do. First thing is we will take a shuttle down to the planet and land it one slick from where our people are being held prisoner, its seems like a simple insertion and extraction mission, but make no mistake, take your shots carefully. In the event that innocents accidentally cross our path of fire our weapons will be set on heavy stun, a person with a headache is much more amenable than a dead one." She paused and her team laughed.
"Skids up in five minutes, get aboard the shuttle, oh and Sorensen," she called over Chief Warrant Officer Gavin Sorensen.
"Yes, Boss?"
"Make sure our shuttle is invisible to the Sojourner sensors, just need to blind their sensors long enough to get down to the planet, you able to work something out?" she asked.
"Yes sir, how long do I got?"
"Until we leave the safety of this ship," she responded.
Standing straighter, "I better get to work," he said and walked quickly into the shuttle.
Then as they boarded the shuttle, Ensign De'Havean got them clearance and the shuttle exited the bay at the rear of the Carthage and held its position before it headed on an indirect line to the planet.
Activating the shuttle's comm "Marine Shuttle One to Lieutenant Kelly."
The comm crackled slightly as Kelly's voice came over the speakers. "Go ahead, Marine One."
"Any change with the jamming work-around?" she asked.
"Unfortunately not. We're still flying on visual and- for want of a better term- sonar." Kelly reported. "We're having trouble keeping a comm line open to you, Major. Once you leave our Ess-Arr Comm range, we'll lose our direct connection."
She sighed. "Okay thanks, can you keep the ships attention off us? I do not want to solely rely upon sensor jamming, if we are to rescue the Captain and the rest we will need to make it safely to the planet," she said.
"We'll do what we can Major." Kelly promised. "Carthage out."
During this conversation they remained close to the ship so they could communicate, the moment they left its protection the jamming would cut off all communication with the Carthage.
Looking at Erica "Okay Ensign, see this wooded area, land us there, its two clicks, but it will be good for insertion, but be ready for a hot extraction, okay?" She asked as Griffiths pointed to a spot on the screen that showed the planet.
Erica nodded as she flew the shuttle with ease, mingling in with the Sojourner's Shuttles and then with a casual sudden manuever that drew the attention away from them, dropped the shuttle into a nice landing and parked the shuttle under the trees. "Landed and be waiting." Keeping the shuttle hot for immediate departure.
Major Naomi Griffiths
Company Commander
G "Omega" Company, 14th Battalion
Lieutenant Morgan Kelly [NPC: Gunning]
Acting First Officer
USS Carthage
Ensign Erica De'Havean
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Carthage
Other NPCs by Liarra Von
