"Problem"
(Previous Post was Julian's "The Hunt Begins")
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Setting: SURIAL III, Underground Compound, Corridor
Stardate: 60325.1355
The Marine felt small as he looked up at the 2 Starfleet officers walking on either side of him. Having been around Lt. Dawson and Lt. Fairborn had made Marine 1st Lt. Pravat accustomed to being near people that were much taller than he was… but the 2 engineers had ways to go before they could compete with the likes of Ens. Uxtar and Ens. Rostov… if not in height at least in the aura that surrounded the 2 armed officers.
Although Pravat was relatively certain that the Oltharian was the tallest of them all, the Marine knew enough about Elan to know that he would never see the overly passive giant hunting and tracking as the Hirogen and Nausicaan were. On the other hand Lt. Dawson's explosive temper could prove to be in some way a match for either of the Ensign but physically both possessed a clear advantage over the ANUBIS' CEO. However an encounter between the 4 of them would turn out, Pravat had been quite satisfied to have Uxtar and Nicodemos on *his* team instead of *against* him.
"Looks like there are several more cells down that way." The Hirogen offered in a quiet whispered voice, something that truly did not seem to fit the massive form of the hunter.
"Considering that the MERCURY had a standard complement of 500 Marines and Officers… I think we are going to need a lot more cells to be able to account for everyone." The MCO pointed out as he recalled the general plan of action which had been to locate the crew of the GUNDAM-Class vessel before finding a way to allow the ANUBIS to beam the prisoners to safety. So far the Marine and his troops had failed to achieve both objectives having only located the command staff of the MERCURY without having come anywhere close to discovering a way to have the transporters breach the interference field that surrounded the planet.
"From what we have seen of this underground base… there could easily be more sections and levels." Commander Sarah Wellington offered with a distinct foreboding tone, the ExO of the MERCURY not at all liking the idea of having to spend *hours* looking around while trying to avoid more Cardassian and Romulan patrols.
"We should concentrate our efforts on finding the command centre for this complex." Pravat suggested as he glanced down another lengthy corridor to see yet another set of cell doors.
"I agree… from there we should be able to secure schematics for this place." Uxtar agreed, his instincts as a hunter having obviously made him recognise the advantages of going for the core of the base instead of wandering its seemingly endless corridors.
"Where do we start looking?" The Nausicaan inquired, their short travel through the corridors having so far not given them any clues as to where the control centre for this base could be found.
Just as the MCO had been ready to offer a possible way for them to locate the command centre for the base, Pravat noticed a familiar form heading towards them… extremely fast. Marine training required all officers to be able to run in the worst possible of situation, but Pravat had never expected to see his 2nd in Command, Lt. Tes'Karka running towards him at the speed that she was.
"Triggered some sort of internal automated defences… we have to get out of here… NOW!" The Klingoness explained as she did her best to keep her breathing under control.
Although Pravat had no intentions of asking as to the specifics of this internal defence system, the expression on the faces of the MERCURY's crew said otherwise. The answer to their unspoken questions would come in the form of a large rolling drone with what appeared to be 2 large pulse canons mounted on a turret. By the time the guns started to turn in the direction of the large group of Marines and Starfleet Officers everyone had agreed that retreat would be best for the time being.
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Setting: SURIAL III, Underground Compound, Another corridor
Stardate: 60325.1400
"What the heck was that?" Commander Sarah Wellington demanded now that the group had finally stopped running, giving the MERCURY's ExO the chance to voice the question that had been bothering her since they had met up with the other half of the Marine team.
"You know… I didn't take the time to check." Pravat respectfully growled as he turned around and did a quick head-count. Given the firepower of the drone that they had encountered, the MCO had considered themselves lucky that no one had not made it this far.
"If internal defences have been activated our best course of action would be to leave and return at a later time. Right now we are only asking to be corners and recaptured." Nicodemos voiced the sting of having been held captive for as long as they had lacing his every words. Glancing at the Hirogen, Lt. Pravat could see that he and Commander Wellington were in agreement despite their wish to see the rest of their crew rescued.
"Tes'Karka… bring up the rear… the rest of you follow me… we are heading back to the SPHINX."
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Setting: SURIAL III, Underground Compound, yet another corridor
Stardate: 60325.1405
Backtracking their steps Pravat had been able to catch up to Ens. Summers and the rest of the rescued officers of the MERCURY… the ladder leading back up to the surface only a few meters ahead of them.
"Missed us?" The CMO inquired as she noticed Pravat and the others heading in, the look on the Marine's face giving more of an answer than the Doctor could have cared for. Since the urgency in the Enaran's face had been clear, Lea proceeded to rush the others up the ladder as fast as she could giving priority to the injured… then the members of the MERCURY's crew that they had found before telling the rest to go up before her. By the time everyone had gone passed her towards the ladder only the Marine 1st Lieutenant had been left by her side.
(Insert the last part of Julian's post entitled "The Hunt Begins")
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Setting: SURIAL III, Underground Compound, Near the ladder
Stardate: 60325.1411
Pravat had heard nothing of what had transpired… so it had come as a complete surprise to him when the Marine had turned around expecting to find the ANUBIS' CMO behind him and instead found nothing but empty space.
"Doc?" Pravat inquired in a whispered voice as he scrutinized the shadows of the corridors wondering if the woman had fallen or had sought refuge after having heard or seen something that the Marine had missed.
=/\= Serenna to Lt. Pravat and Ens. Summers… not that I want to rush you or anything but things are getting nasty up here. =/\= The voice of the ANUBIS' ExO came over an open comm channel, the voice of the half Human and half Romulan woman making it clear that time was of the essence.
"Go! Ens. Summers and I will stay behind and wait for your return." The MCO countered with, not exactly ready or willing to admit that the woman had disappeared while being only meters away from him.
=/\= Fine… we'll be back as soon as we can. =/\= The hybrid offered… the end of the conversation having been interrupted by the sound of explosions overhead which quickly made the Marine realise that the ExO had been in no position to argue.
As Pravat heard the SPHINX take off, the Marine looked back to the exit that he should have taken and instead of seeing the ladder that was there saw the 2 officers who had been by his side a little while back.
"Thought you could use the help sir." Ens. Rostov offered, adding as much of a grin as a Nausicaan could.
"Those who are still here are after all *our* crew." Uxtar added as he approached the Marine CO, obviously ready to do whatever was necessary to rescue those who had been left behind.
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Sabrina Jones {sabrina_sweet@hotmail.com}
Captain Sabrina Rikar
Commanding Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501
"We are Grey, we stand between the Candle and the Star, between the Darkness and the Light" 2005 post #357
-Entilza Delenn, Babylon 5
