The Mighty Have Fallen
Posted on Tue Jan 21st, 2020 @ 3:54am by Captain Winfield Hood & James Leyton & Captain Jelane 'Firefly' Shiqwue & Brigadier General Francis 'Judge' Sobel & Glinn Kalim
Edited on on Wed Apr 20th, 2022 @ 4:28am
3,002 words; about a 15 minute read
Mission:
Episode 9 - Empok's End
Location: Various
Timeline: MD001 0900 hrs
Winfield Hood stood at Ops or what was left of it. To his right stood Kalim, who remained despite the order to evacuate. A lot can be said about Cardassians. They are nothing if not loyal. Hood thought. “Kalim how do we stand on the evacuation?” Just as he finished his sentence the station was rocked by another volley. “Civilians are off and all available shuttles are away. However, we just do not have enough ships to complete the evacuation in one swoop. The civilians are en route to Camp McCoy with Sobel’s pilots laying cover fire as we had planned.” The Cardassian reported and punched up the tactical display on the main viewer.
It was just Kalim and Hood at Ops, Winfield dismissed the rest of the crew for evacuation duties. Hood stared at the readout and stroked his chin. There was one word on the screen that angered him at the moment, that word was jammed. “So, we need help but all Starfleet communications are being jammed by Admiral Leyton a catch 22.” Hood spoke aloud as he tried to come up with an answer.
Kalim smiled broadly in the way only a Cardassian could. “My dear Captain they are jamming Starfleet.” Kalim cracked his knuckles and went to work on the console about five minutes and one barrage later he stood up straight. “Right Captain I have managed to engage a coded frequency. It will transmit as Dominion so make sure you can get your point across so someone will actually listen. However, the frequency is open.”
=/\=Attention all ships in the sector this Captain Winfield Hood of Empok Nor in the Trivas System. We are under attack and evacuating the station. Repeat we are under attack from the Obsidian Order and the New Maquis. We require immediate assistance. Please respond on this coded frequency. Once again Empok Nor is under full evacuation protocol. Heavy casualties…=/\= Hood sighed as the channel was closed. “Now we have to last long enough for someone to get here. Kalim return fire at will.” He said solemnly as Kalim gladly did as ordered.
Brigadier General The Judge Francis N.M.I. Sobel led a flight of Peregrines, six ships, which were currently loitering approximately 8000 km from Empoc Nor, the fighter’s passive sensors painting a picture on his display of the Order and Marquee’s attack on the station.
And it wasn’t a very pretty picture.
Sobel had been flying fighters for the Federation Marine Corps for over 25 years and he didn’t like the odds for Empok Nor. He knew they were working on the evac, but comm’s were being jammed locally and he couldn’t see wasting the six ships in his…rather, Captain Firefly Shiqwue’s flight.
He was watching the pattern of attack when his operations officer, Thomas Cactus Weir called out, “General, I’m picking up an encoded message on a Dominion frequency.
“Play it,” Sobel said simply.
After Hood’s message came across the fighter’s speakers, Sobel shook his head and keyed the flight’s close net. “Firefly, this is Judge. I don’t think we can wait for an opportune moment.
“Acknowledged Judge. Coming in hot and heavy. Red and Gold teams continue to engage targets keep them off the civvies. Blue and Green Squads on me we are going to get everyone out. Your honor now would be a good time to call the court to order…” She issued the orders over her comm and when her team formed up they made an attack run toward Empok Nor. In a flash of phaser energy and some expert piloting skills three Maquis Raiders exploded. “Whee Doggy now that's what I call a party.”
Sobel shook his head, a grin spreading over his face as he keyed the mic and said, “Alright, Theta flight, let’s roll in hot. Follow my lead.” Increasing power, the six ships made a micro-warp jump, arriving within Empoc Nor’s sphere of weapon’s coverage and moved to full military power, rotating on axis as they looped and dove at a Brinok class cruiser, three of the flight engaging the ship’s drones. Cactus Weir set the micro-torpedo launcher to ripple fire, and waited as the Judge wove them closer to the patrol ship.
Francis touched his own weapon’s control and phaser fire washed over the Brinok cruiser and then he was jinking the ship in order to avoid enemy fire. When they had closed the distance adequately, he said, “Now, Tommy” and his Op’s officer launched three quantom torpedoes which streaked into the Cardassian ship from medium range and hammered the cruiser’s shielding and hull.
Twisting the ship out of its dive he saw other Cardassian and Maquis ships converging and his mouth tightened.
Things were going to get hairy.
Captain Titus was standing in the center of the nerve center of the carrier, watching the viewscreen. Most young people thought all the lights passing by was stars, but he knew better. It was actually particles going against the warp bubble. He looked towards his communications officer when he was addressed. As the message came through and cut off. He sighed and addressed the crew on the bridge. “Increase speed to emergency speed, go to red alert.” he turned to his helm officer.
“I want every single wing ready to deploy. We will be going in hot.” Titus wished he could join the fighters, but his time in the cockpit was over.
Deliliah looked over to Titus, her commanding officer. She was still not very fond of him. But she had a feeling that he was going to be calling on her, to lead fighter pilots. She remained silent, waiting for him to give the order for all pilots to man their planes.
Hayley was standing alongside Titus with a report in hand. "The readiness report you requested Sir" She gazed at the viewscreen as she waited for him to read and sign the report.
Titus accepted the report that she had converted to paper, he hated reading on PADDs, granted if it needed to be done in speed. Then he would go for it, but there was something about having it on actual paper. “Thank you Lieutenant.” the ship was roughly 95% ready having had weeks of repairs and refits. After a few minutes he pulled a ballpoint pen out of his breast pocket and signed it, then handed it back. “Tell the crew that I am very impressed with their progress.”
Hayley looked back at Titus. "Yes, Sir I will" She smiled warmly. "What do you think of the current situation Sir?"
Titus looked back at her, he was in full duty mode so he was very much stone faced. “Troublesome, I have pushed the crew very hard so I know they are up to the task. Are you ready to be the nexus of the auxiliary departments?” he had made it so she would be the information gatherer to the myriad of smaller departments during a battle. That way he and the senior staff could focus on the battle and major issues. If something were to happen that would need his attention, for example some micro fractions or spills of dangerous materials that the major departments haven’t detected just yet. Then she would be a shortcut to deal with the issues.
Hayley nodded. "I'll be ready Sir. You've prepared us all for this, the crew know what to do and so do I. We won't let you down."
“Good.” he gestured for her to sit in his chair, she would have access to the communications she needed and be close to him at the same time. He preferred to stand anyway. “Get ready, we will arrive soon.”
Hayley nodded and took a seat, although she was surprised to be in his seat. Now she knew how it felt to be in the big seat, she was nervous but she wouldn't let Titus down. "All departments report ready Sir."
“Permission to join Alpha Flight Team?” Delilah asked from the helmsman station. She had been waiting for the orders. Delilah was eager to leave the bridge, and get into the cockpit of her fighter. She still could recall her last battle simulation, she had with Titus. She had something to prove to herself, and to him.
“Granted, I will message you when we are five minutes out.” Titus said calmly. He was expecting a lot out of her. Fighting pirates was one thing, this was hardcore enemies. “I’ll forward the tactics of the engagement to you as well.”
“Aye Captain.” Delilah said, as she prepared to leave the bridge area. She looked over to Jordyn, and smiled for a moment. She reminded herself, that they needed to catch up later on. Jordyn left the bridge.
K'Loth was just finishing his scans when he picked up the distress hail from Empok Nor. "Captain… picking up a distress call from Empok Nor!" he said.
Ellie was given a report to her by her yeoman when she heard her tactical officer speak up. She turned around and said, “Commander, that’s either colonel or skipper to you. And play message from Empok nor.” She ordered at the end.
"Understood Skipper. Playing the message now….
Attention all ships in the sector this Captain Winfield Hood of Empok Nor in the Trivas System. We are under attack and evacuating the station. Repeat we are under attack from the Obsidian Order and the New Maquis. We require immediate assistance. Please respond on this coded frequency. Once again Empok Nor is under full evacuation protocol. Heavy casualties…"
Ellie stood there a moment. That this was happening the moment they were back in the Alpha Quadrant. “Commander, please relay this message to the Churchill now. Inform sickbay to prepare for casualties. Go to yellow alert!”
Keying his control panel to bring up yellow alert, K'Loth proceeded to send the message on to the Chuchill.
=/\= USS Churchill this is USS Ottawa, sending you encoded message from Empok Nor. Please confirm when you have received it. Ottawa out=/\=
"Skipper message sent", K'Loth said.
Ellie then turned to Sam. “Helm, set a course to Empok Nor, maximum warp. We leave as soon as the Churchill confirmed they received the message.”
Jonathan Frasier was seated in the command chair of the Churchill when the message came through to the Churchill. He played the message for everyone to hear on the bridge. He then got up, as action was never taken while sitting down.
=/\= USS Ottawa, this is USS Churchill, we have received your message, will follow you.=/\=
He then looked around the bridge. “Right people, Lieutenant Winthrop, yellow alert, Lieutenant O'Donoghue, set a course for Empok Nor, maximum warp, confirm with the Ottawa.” He then tapped his badge. =/\= Captain Stewart to the bridge. =/\=
“Yellow alert, aye aye, Captain,” Odds responded, touching the edge of his tactical panel. Immediately, yellow strobes began flashing. After ten seconds the klaxon shut off and the yellow lights all went solid. Twenty seconds later, as his board went all green, Odd’s said, “Captain, Yellow alert set throughout the ship.”
The field of battle around the old cardasian station was thick with battle, a long line of desperately escaping shuttles and private vessels were trying to escape the madness. Since only a small section of space were relatively secure, it was madness to get through. How ever, the front of the line soon met with a mass of hull that had come warping in. Her fat body was slow to turn but moments later, twelve wings of fighters rushed out of the ship like angry hornets. Titus had ordered one wing each to attach themselves to the federation ships in the system and provide fire support while the rest were to act as bodyguards to the escaping ships. A signal was broadcasted over all federation channels.
“This is the USS Tianlong, responding to the call of assistance! All runabout sized or smaller ships can come and dock with the Tianlong. We will provide an escape route for as long as possible.” the call came out.
Delilah launched her in fighter. She was heading to the runabouts and shuttles. She knew her primary duty was to protect the fleeing ships. She felt a little burden of responsibility. Knowing they would be counting on her, to watch their six as they escaped the battle field.
Titus ordered a chanel to be open to the station. “Empok Nor, are you in need of additional manpower?”
The only response that Captain Knight and the Tianglong received was static. Communications with Empok Nor had been severed by the attacking forces. Captain Hood managed to get his message out just in time.
As the message was left unanswered, Titus went in to secondary attempts to open communications. "Send one fighter to attempt dock at the command centre." He looked at the field of ships around the station. It wouldn't be easy to sneak up on the station and the fighter would be lost. But if the pilot could get in contact with the staff of the station, maybe some communication could be open or at the very least let the staff know that the Tianling was there to pick up any survivors. Calmly, he walked up to the center chair. "Excuse me Lieutenant." He said to his yeoman, he stood next to the chair and used the communication to send his order to his ace. She would need to show her true skill to make it work.
The Alant had fittingly docked at lower pylon seven, for this was the home of the Pioneer. The great thorn in both of their sides. Once the ship was docked and secure a retinew of soldiers disembarked and began to open fire on the enemy. Gul Typhon Prenar and James Leyton boarded Empok Nor together, shoulder to shoulder, as conquerors.
They had both decided to honor the promise made to Captain Hood, that promise to allow the personnel of Empok Nor to flee with their lives. “It is going to be a fight for every bolt, every bulkhead of this station.” Leyton spoke as he drew his phaser.
“I would not have it any other way. Besides that fight my good man will only need to go until we arrive at Ops. Once there the station is ours.” Typhon had his disruptor levelled as they began to press down the corridor the sounds of fire proceeding their way. “Besides my dear Admiral Empok Nor is only a stepping stone.”
“You are not planning on taking Deep Space Nine, that would be a fool's errand.” Leyton shot back.
“Of course not, we do not need it for our plan. From here you will launch your attack on the Federation with the New Maqis. I will launch an attack on Port Royale, the next strategic point for our goals.” Typhon’s mood darkened as he spoke as his mind drifted to the other motive he had for taking Port Royale. His son was there, his betrayer served as the XO and Typhon was going to make sure that revenge would be served, and when he was done his true family would be rewarded.
As the two men talked their guards took shots at the remaining crew of Empok Nor. The station had been taken and their was no stopping the Order now...
A Cross Sim Joint Post By
Captain Winfield Hood
Commanding Officer, Empok Nor
Captain Jelane 'Firefly' Shiqwue
Commander Air Group, 2738th Marine Fighter Squadron
Empok Nor
Colonel Ellis Ijaan
Commanding Officer, USS Ottawa-A
Mystic Knights
Lieutenant Delilah Godfrey
CAG/Helmsman, USS Tianglong
Bravofleet
James Leyton
Commanding Officer, New Maquis
Gul Typhon Prenar
Commanding Officer, Obsidian Order
Brigadier General Francis Sobel
Commanding Officer, 258th Starfleet Marine Expeditionary Brigade
Empok Nor
Captain Titus Knight
Commanding Officer, USS Tianglong
Bravofleet
Captain James Stewart
Commanding Officer, USS Churchill
Mystic Knights
Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Frasier
Executive Officer, USS Churchill
Mystic Knights
Lieutenant Commander K'Loth
Chief Security/Tactical Officer, USS Ottawa-A
Mystic Knights
Lieutenant Hayley Buchanan
Captain's Yeoman, USS Tianglong
Bravofleet
Lieutenant Samuel Devon Jr
Chief Flight Control Officer, USS Ottawa-A
Mystic Knights
Lieutenant James O'Donoghue
Chief Flight Control Officer, USS Churchill
Mystic Knights
Lieutenant Odysseus Wintrop XII
Chief Security/Tactical Officer, USS Churchill
Mystic Knights
Glinn Kalim
Executive Officer, Empok Nor
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