Operation Wackamole Part I

Posted on Mon Jun 1st, 2020 @ 8:51pm by Gunnery Sergeant Flarn & Gunnery Sergeant Gaagii & Staff Sergeant Shayla Kunadt & Staff Warrant Officer Jennifer Masters - Calhoun & Major Cornelius Tremble & Sergeant Miranda Schultz & Sergeant Azure Thompson & Corporal Tyrigus Fry & Corporal Rairror Thoran & Corporal Adélaïde Moreau
Edited on on Tue Aug 11th, 2020 @ 6:30am

1,886 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 10 - New Home, Same Pioneers
Location: Marine County/Snake Pit - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD005 0900 hrs

The Hawkeye tumbled in deep space, her engines propelling her slowly. Ever so slowly at three quarter impulse, the shuttle’s aspect tumbling as I’m moved along a general course that would bring them into a passing orbit of…
***

“Planet Designate Ahemait C310100-B in same named system, if you want to call it that,” Neil stated from the shallow dais off the entrance of the Snake Pit.

The marine captain ran his eyes over his assembled marines, making sure they were paying attention. He knew that they were or Flarn would have theirs guts for garters, but…

Well, some habits die hard.

“A particularly unimpressive rock with little going for it, except that it has gotten the attention of Signals and thus, Fleet Intelligence.”

His eye moved and the lights dimmed and a holo representation of a star system began orbiting between he and the Cure. Neil stepped down into the holo and it increased around him. “Ahemait is a craggy rock according to Stellar Cartography. No atmosphere to speak of, lots of craters and the like giving it a messy topography. There is a brief mention of sub terranean echo’s when the survey ship went through, but nothing out of the norm.”

“Until now, obviously,” he said dryly, as the holo stopped rotating and refocused on the planet. A glimmer sparked on the holo and he Neil reached out and activated the notation.”

“The short of it is,” the Captain continued, “A two second power surge was picked up by the USS Wainwright. Their SI flagged it up the pike and it trickled down to us: RDF Sirius command, who are delighted to have their first mobile assets, handed it off to us.”

Gesturing to where Lieutenant Quinn and Petty Officer Kilij stood, Neil said “For this Hop, we’ll have tag alongs. They’ll do the analysis while we watch their backs.” The marine CO tapped the glimmer again and the holo began revolving, though this time it shrunk and showed a swath of space and he continued speaking.

“Speculation is, that someone set up a LP in Federation space, monitoring the space lanes. Pulling transponder codes and other intel off of passing ships. SI analysis is that it could send burst transmissions once every three days while it’s on the far side of it’s sun to a relay that would be undetectable.”

The holo shrunk more and a red beam emitted from the planet into Romulan space. “Could be Romulans playing games. Could be pirates,” Neil remarked as the holo orbited giving them a good look. “We will insert via Hawkeye in a slow approach so as to not, hopefully, alert any sensors. This approach will take about six days. Bring something to do.”

There groans, which he ignored, came as expected and he continued “Upon insertion, teams will sweep the surface to pin-point the signal if possible and then we’ll move in to secure whatever it is.”

With a grin, he said “If it is.” He waited a couple of beats, then asked “Questions?”

Shayla had been taking notes on everything that the Captain had been saying. However, something about this whole thing alarmed her. "Sir with all due respect this looks rather like a tiger trap. That is to say there is no place to hide once boots are on the ground. The Hawk will be a sitting duck up there."

Gaagii's mind was elsewhere it was already planetside. "What kind of terrain are we to expect on the ground. Knowing the terrain will allow us to utilize the spirits of nature to assist on our operation. The animals, the land itself could tell us more than any informant." His soft singsong speech echoed his people's belief in nature over people.

Flarn sat with his arms crossed, it seemed like it was just going to be another day in paradise as far as he was concerned. He had no actual question. He just began to wonder when they would get a break, when the fleet would return to its peaceful exploration.

"Any data on the local flora?" Azure asked. She was thinking that she be able to use it medically.

"Captain, will we be wearing those bulky suits again?" Rairror asked. He was a fan of them, too constricting.

Neil assumed a parade rest stance as his troops chimed in and he nodded when a lull appeared. Good questions, I'll take them in turn."

Looking over at Shayla, he said. "While we're creeping in, two flights of fighters from RDF's component Air Group, the 8083rd will provide Combat Air Patrol for us. They'll do their own creep in from different vectors and be ready to back us up if needed. Estimated ETA is about four minutes or less."

Neil's visage tightened slightly at the other questions. He'd gone over some of this....

Glancing toward his RECON leader, he stated, "The terrain is craggy, with lots of rocks, craters and dust."

Turning his eyes to Azure, he said "No flora or fauna known, unless it's something that can live in a virtual vacuum or we find something underground where theres a suitable environment for it. However, it's unlikely we'll be going more than a klick or two under the surface.."

Eyeing Rairror he commented, "Yes Corporal we'll be in the Suits. Hence why I mentioned we got this gig...we're the only Mobile asset in the RDF and the suits are much better for this kind of thing than the enviro suits we all trained on in boot and after."

He met Flarnn's eyes for a moment and nearly grinned. Neil pretty much assumed he was wondering how to get out of this " chicken shit outfit".

Eubilex rose unsteadily, one hand holding the seat as he detangled two of his legs from wrapping round the chair stem. "Sir, if I may: regarding the suits," Eubilex hefted one of the suits up. Optical cables and monofilament cabling hung out of a wide hole in the front of it, looking alarmingly like it had been shot recently. "I'm adapting mine for the usual reasons and I've noticed a couple of places where the flexibility could be improved, perhaps at only minor reduction in protection." One hand held the suit up, another began passing a micro-welder over it, his third waved airily, "it won't be ready for this mission, but it should be improved for the next one." He paused and poked a couple of fingers into the hole in his own suit, "mine will be airtight by wheels up, Captain."

Neil nearly sighed. The Sergeant was diligent but a Detachment briefing wasn't really the place to be tinkering, or casting doubt on one's readiness.. "Make sure both you and your gear are ready, Sergeant, or you can remain aboard Pioneer. If there's any question as to your suit's readiness, down check yourself."

"Sir, what kind of resources and ETA can we expect should the need for a MEDEVAC arise I'm good but I can only do so much in field and sounds the these are going to gender that somewhat," Samuel asked his heavy southern drawl a far cry from the other voices thus far

At the unfamiliar voice, Neil's head swivelled and he saw the Petty Officer that had been attached to the Cure. "For all we know, this is going to be a dry hole. There may be nothing...the spike an anomaly that the computer could only ID as a power spike. When Fleet is on the ball, they don't assume Petty Officer. They send the Marines."

Turning his glance over the Cure there was some expected laughter and Neil continued, "I don't foresee much that you, Corporal Azure and the emergency med unit on the Hawkeye can't handle. There's an autodoc to help there and the suits are damn nigh indestructible. Worst case, if we need a Dust-Off, the Hawkeye will will transport wounded post hast and Fleet will launch a couple of Runabouts."

"Anything else?" The marine Captain asked.

"No questions from me sir, but if I can be forwarded the data we have on the planet so I can look at it myself. Getting a better lay of the land would make me feel better. Plus another set of eyes it is always a good idea. Do some recon of my own before we get there." Adelaide suggested, and requested, from the group of others.

"Data packets and preliminary infil exfil information will be dumped to your streams after the briefing. I suggest everyone study it and know your role going in, as always. Final brief will be aboard the Hawkeye once we're at H hour."

Flarn and Gaagii nodded the acknowledgement and rose to leave. Shayla sat for a moment. Something about this mission rubbed her the wrong way. However, she could not quite put her finger on it.

Azure wasn't too enthused about the mission, the lack of proper intell could turn this mission into a Charlie-Foxtrot, she just hoped it wouldn't come to that. She rose and walked out to make a last check of her medkit.

Eubilex began gathering the bits of his suit back up, one eye on the connections he was making and the other on the rest of the team. He was checking them over like a brood, he knew, but he couldn't help worrying about them. He was looking for the concerned or worried expressions.
To Be Continued...

A Joint Post By

Captain Cornelius Tremble
Marine Commanding Officer/Second Officer, USS Pioneer