Lt Alex Storm - I Found the Back Way
Karen Morris
(( Border of Caspia District - Boraxian Cityship))
Alex physically stood with the others in her group, but mentally, she was somewhere else. Arms crossed, her unfocused eyes stared into a recessed archway of the city-ship.
She wasn’t afraid of what they were about to do. She was painfully aware that any of them could be hurt - or worse. She also knew that these people were starting to become ‘home,’ and she didn’t want to lose that. A small knot formed at the back of her throat, forcing Alex to swallow through it.
But Sil’s words brought her back to the here and now. Her eyes returned to the group and focused on Silveira.
Silveira: Well, we are to go in on hostile territory, and stop a rebellion. I want all of you to be ready to defend yourselves, but let’s hope we can defuse this. Maybe we get lucky and might solve it with no incident… ::He shrugged, hoping that the others didn’t catch the fatalism in his words.:: Anyway, I hope you brought extra “bandages” Doc Bancroft. ::He smiled at Imril:: And I know you might have some extra tools in hand Lieutenant. ::Finally he turned to Storm.:: Let’s see how this one goes.
Storm: I’ve got your six, Commander.
Imril/Bancroft: Response
Sil looked down at his PADD, and Alex glanced at the other two in their group. Neither seemed to be particularly nervous on the outside, though, she could sense a normal rumble of nerves under the surface.
Silveira: You know, I think we can get a few extra hands…
Storm: What do you have in mind?
Imril/Bancroft: Response
Vitor tapped his combadge.
Silveira: =/\= Silveira to Morgan. Isn’t your team also heading to the Caspia District?
oO So that’s it. Actually, that’s a great call. Oo Thinking through who was in that group, Alex ticked off the additional bodies. oO We’ll get another phaser, and operations could come in handy, but I hope we don’t need one doc let alone two. Oo
Morgan: =/\= We are – our orders are to evacuate and assist as many bystanders as possible. You want some company? =/\=
Vitor smiled at his team and nodded, even if Kyle couldn’t see him.
Silveira: =/\= Sure, we will be waiting for you guys. ::Vitor tapped in on his PADD and sent it.:: Forwarding you our location now. Sil out.
With a smile he turned back to his team.
Silveira: We’ll tag along Doc Morgan team and then split up.
Knowing that Bancroft and Imril were still relatively new aboard the Artemis, she tilted her head in their direction and asked…
Storm: Have either of you been in a firefight yet?
Imril/Bancroft: Response
Morgan: Good to see you guys. Hopefully you brought more firepower than that…
Not knowing Morgan, Alex took a chance on a cheeky response.
Storm: Nah. Sil counts three times. We’re all good.
Silveira//Imril/Bancroft: Response
Bergmen: Commander, lieutenants, ensign. Welcome. Lieutenant ::gazing Imril:: Any knowledge of urban architecture and advice on which corridor ahead you would choose as an engineer seemed best for crowd flow?
Cole: Response
Morgan: So, you go in and flush ‘em out, we clean ‘em up. Right? ::he offered a coy smile, the likes of which didn’t help to lighten the mood in the slightest:: Seriously, though – what’s the plan?
Alex turned to look at Sil. This was his rodeo. Rodeo… At that thought, the Betazoid realized her job was like that of a rodeo clown - there to protect the group by distraction or any other means necessary. At least she got to wear a uniform while doing it instead of those hideous costumes she had seen them wear.
Silveira/Imril/Bancroft: Response
Bergmen: Whatever we do, we need to act quickly and leave a little time for Andoren and his people to react.
Cole: Response
Bergmen: We should move off the streets as we enter the district. Our uniforms are too distinct to be ignored.
Storm: If Andoren is as wily as we’ve been told, he already knows we’re on our way.
Morgan/Cole/Silveira/Imril/Bancroft: Response
Alex fell into stride at the back of the group. She had promised Sil that she’d have their six, and she meant it. As they walked, with a flick of her finger, she undid the phaser’s clasp, unholstered it, and held it down at her side. Off in the distance, a lusty child’s cry was soon stifled.
Bergmen: Hopefully, they will arrive soon.
Catching Bergmen’s voice, but not his words, Alex asked.
Storm: What’s that?
But even then, her eyes didn’t stop their rounds. She paused for a moment and turned around, looking behind them. She felt … something, like a nudge at the edge of her mind. It was like a familiar scent from another time. You knew it. You remember it, but you can’t quite put your finger on what it was or where it was from.
Morgan/Cole/Silveira/Imril/Bancroft: Response
A glint from high up on one of the buildings captured Alex’s attention. Shielding her eyes from the false sun, she looked up into the window. The curtain was quickly dropped, the Boraxian hidden from sight. This was one of those times she wished Sil were a telepath. It would be so much easier to tell him to be on his guard. As quietly as she could while still being heard, Alex said…
Storm: Sil, ten o’clock, thirty-feet up. May just be a curious onlooker.
Alex drifted over to that side of the group, still keeping behind them.
Morgan/Cole/Silveira/Imril/Bancroft/Bergmen:
At that moment, a loud bang sounded from a building on the left. Four people scuttled out of one of the doors - which still clattered in their wake. Carrying a small, limp child in her arms, the matron of the group frantically looked around, and seeing the knot of Starfleet officers, she herded the rest of her family in their direction.
Angrim: We need help!
Alex stepped between them and the group. She wasn’t going to chance it was a ruse.
Storm: What’s wrong?
Angrim: We escaped … From Caspia…
The Boraxian fell to her knees, holding out her child as an offering, a proof, and an appeal
Angrim: Help him.
Alex plucked the child up and took him over to Bancroft, setting him gently in his arms. Her eyes locked on his, communicating her silent wish. Pausing only for a second with her lips pressed into a line, she turned away, silently promising she would be careful.
Morgan/Cole/Silveira/Imril/Bancroft/Bergmen:
Alex retraced the family’s steps back and went over to the doorway through which they had just emerged. A short walk inside the building, the tactical officer found a stairway down. Lights shone at the foot of it and appeared to travel back under the district. Quickly, she ran back outside, phaser still at her side.
Storm: Sil, I think I found a back way into the district!
Morgan/Cole/Silveira/Imril/Bancroft/Bergmen:
~*~
Tags / TBC
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Lt Alex Storm
Tactical Officer
USS Artemis
O240103SK2