"One Step Forward, Two Steps Back"
[Previous post: "Executive Fumble ", written by the charismatic Serena Switt]
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Setting: SURIAL III, Underground Compound, Corridor
Stardate: 60325.1353
Several of the Marines had been leading the way so Lea had not expected anything to happen to her. The CMO had certainly not anticipated *this*. Lea stood petrified at the sight of the man who had just appeared in front of her. Calling him a man had been kind, as he was more mountain than anything else.
"You Starfleet?" Nicodemus asked as only a Nausicaan could while looking down at Lea who seemed ready to faint.
Lea nodded slowly scared that if she moved her head any faster the rush of blood would send her over the edge. As far as the CMO was concerned her heart had already stopped beating.
"Some rescue mission," Pravat said while helping one of his man back to his feet. Pravat had been ready to order the Nausicaan tackled or shot but he had seen the others. The torn Starfleet uniforms had identified those they had run into as prisoners. The MCO could only guess that they had been the crew of the MERCURY.
"An appreciated rescue none-the-less," Sarah Wellington said, helping the MERCURY's CO closer to Lea. As stunned as Lea had been she instinctively responded to the sight of the injured man.
"Where are the others?" Pravat asked noticing that there were way too few of them to account for the entire crew. Either only a few had managed to escape to the corridors or something terrible had happened.
"Not sure," the commander replied, "we were actually looking for them.
"And trying to avoid more of those patrols," Uxtar added motioning everyone to stand back. Instantly the group became quiet allowing them to hear the voices of soldiers as they approached.
The crew of the MERCURY had done well but it was Pravat's turn. He motioned for his men to get into position before joining them. Lea would have strongly objected to Pravat's moving as he had but she was busy with the MERCURY's CO. This had been the reason why she had been brought here, and Lea only wished that things would not get worse.
Lea concentrated on helping the MERCURY's CO. He was in a bad state suffering from visible signs of torture. Lea closed her eyes when she heard the sounds of phaser riffles filling the air. The CMO feared for her patient and even a little for herself, but she feared for Pravat and the others more.
The battle ended as fast as it had started and Lea looked over her shoulder to see the end result. Instead of seeing the Marines, the CMO saw the backs of two men providing cover for her and the captain. Lea did not know who they were but from the looks of their backs she knew a few things. One of them was the Nausicaan who had also run her down. His size made it impossible for Lea to mistake him for anyone else. Also she had been close enough to him to smell his aftershave, not that she figured he had been wearing any. The other was a Hirogen who seemed just as menacing as the alien standing next to him. The wall created by the two of them seemed impenetrable by friend and foe alike.
For a moment Lea wondered what kind of strange place she had been thrown in the middle of. In time though Lea accepted what was and took comfort in that both warriors wore Starfleet uniforms. What came more as a shock was that they both seemed poised to protect her. Given the situation, the CMO could not find any reason to complain about this. In fact she even wished that they had been there on the TANGIERS ORBITAL.
"Clear!" Pravat called out before returning to the others. This made Lea snap out of her daydreaming and return her thoughts to her patient.
"We need to get him back to the SPHINX," Lea said having all that she could with the tools she had brought.
"Take everyone back," Pravat ordered one of his men. "I'll take the others to search for the rest of the crew."
"I am going with you," Sarah Wellington objected. The crew Pravat had spoken about was hers, so it made sense for the ExO to want to be there.
"Commander," Uxtar said taking one step forward. "Permission to join you."
"Likewise Commander," Nicodemus added also taking a step forward. "With the captain down your safety is required."
"I didn't realised you two cared so much," Sarah said with a grin.
"Alright," Pravat agreed, motioning towards Lea who was still occupied with the MERCURY's CO. "Make sure they get back safely."
One of the Marines under Pravat's command nodded and moved towards Lea. As much as the CMO had wanted to argue she knew that it would not make a difference. "Pravat!" Lea called out making the MCO stop in his tracks. "Be careful, Maya is expecting you back in one piece and I won't be there to patch you back up."
The Marine grinned and nodded before taking his team down into a corridor. As soon as they could Lea and the others were moved in the opposite direction towards safety and freedom.
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Tiffany Rose {lady_tiffany_rose@mail.com}
Ensign Lea Summers 2005 post #355
Chief Medical Officer
USS ANUBIS
