"Deadly Surprises"
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Stardate: 60298.1510
Setting: TOLAR IV: Ruins
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The marines had come to a stand still within the tunnel. The sounds ahead of them had ceased which meant one of two things; either those ahead had escaped, or died. What was of greater concern was the sound that Tes’Karka had detected behind them.
“Someone else has entered the tunnel,” she whispered to her commanding officer.
He glanced backed at the rest of his men and signaled to them to prepare for engagement. There was very little room for them to move and they made due with what they had. Each Marine got into position, leveling his or her rifle back down the tunnel, waiting for whatever was coming toward them.
Still not seeing anything, the Marines waited. They were unaware that the cloaked Jem’Hadars had already spotted them. Knowing that the element of was all theirs, the soldiers of the Founders dropped the cloak and appeared in front of the surprised Marines. Private Maggie Duncan was the first to fall.
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Stardate: 10298.1515
Setting: Ruins
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The Marines had fallen back as far as they could without exposing themselves anymore to the Jem’Hadars but it didn’t help, they were being slaughtered. Not one of the marines was un-bloodied and they had already lost 4 of their original number.
As Prav leaned against the wall he brushed the blood out of his eyes and looked at the carnage that laid before him. Tes continued to fire but the Jem’Hadars were just too much for the beleaguered marines.
Lifting his weapon once again Prav aimed at the lead soldier and squeezed the trigger. Not expecting much from his feeble attempt, Prav and the other marine’s were surprised and confused when a new set of weapons fire came from behind the Jem’Hadars.
The threat from the marines was now minimal and the Jem’Hadar leader directed his men back down the tunnel where the new menace now appeared.
With the present danger abated for the moment, 2nd Lt. Pravat saw this as their only chance.
“Follow me,” he called as he grabbed the limp body of one of his fallen soldiers and dragged him toward the cold breeze of air. It was difficult carrying the dead and wounded but with the kind of determination only marines had they managed it.
They could hear the fire fight down the tunnel and only could hope that whoever the new denizen of the ruins were they could keep the Jem’Hadars busy until they could get out of the tunnel. Eventually they came to the end of the tunnel but the opening was small, too small for any person to go through. Prav wondered if Enaii and her bodyguard had found some other way out but the bit of frozen blood found around the edge of the opening told them otherwise.
The sounds of the battle were slowing which was not good for Prav and his marines. They needed to get out of there quickly.
“Get back,” he ordered. What he had planned would either be their liberation or would entomb them in the tunnel. He raised his weapon and aimed it at the side of the opening and watched as it expanded.
Looking back at Tes his face expressed his relief. “Get them out,” he ordered. After the last one exited the tunnel he dragged the body of Sergeant Dennis Slater into the blowing cold.
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Matt Kelly (downwitmal@yahoo.com)
Writing for:
2nd Lt. Pravat
MCO
USS ANUBIS
