Ens Chevalier - What's the point of it?
CPT Arianus
(( Work Party Lev Sled - En-Route to Facility KTF-031 - Medara, Betazed ))
Jaseb hastily hopped onto the sled, his eyes fixed on the outcome of the intense confrontation that had just taken place.
Chevalier: I guess we began with plan… C? Or D?
Savel and the rest of the team had already taken care of the third Jem’Hadar. This was it. Their plan failed just right here, even before it began. Or did it fail? No alarm was sounded, and no reinforcements were heard to rush to the position of the checkpoint. Did they make it, or was this just the calm eye of the storm they entered?
Doubts and insecurities began to plague him, and he started questioning whether what just happened was the right thing to do. It's natural to second-guess oneself in these moments, but Jaseb can't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. He wondered if there was another way to handle the situation or if they acted too rashly. But was it terrible what happened here?
Savel: We should move the bodies of these soldiers. A deserted checkpoint will raise suspicion of anyone who approaches, but even more so if the dead are discovered.
oO Listen to him. It makes sense. Oo
Savel suggests they move the bodies of the soldiers to avoid raising suspicion. This could be their chance to proceed with the mission undetected. Jaseb began to accept that they may not have been caught, and the mission could still succeed. It's natural to second-guess oneself in these moments, but they must trust their abilities and the plan they've created. With careful execution and a bit of luck, they can still achieve their goal.
Chevalier: Agree, Mr. Savel. ::tosing them Jem’Hadar weapons:: Sir? Ma’am? Will you help him?
Jaseb looked at Talos and Leera for a moment before he turned to Nieran.
Chevalier: Mr. Dwayx, will you help me with those two outside?
Dakora/Leera/Nieran: Response
Jaseb disembarked from the skid and swiftly led Nieran to the two killed Jem’Hadars. With his assistance, they were able to remove the bodies from the road safely, and before they callously hurled the Jem’Hadars into the murky ditch and covered them with a heap of garbage to hide the bodies, Jaseb pulled out a snap-off knife.
Chevalier: Check their pockets to see if they have anything valuable.
Nieran: Response
According to Jaseb’s recollection, Jem'Hadar warriors had their communicators implanted behind their right ear. It's fascinating to think about how such a small detail can make such a significant difference in their tactics and strategies during combat…
He pulled the blade out of the knife, and with a quick wrist move, he cut the skin behind the ear and stuck his fingers into the wound. With a sense of urgency, he began searching for an item he needed. After a brief moment, he located it and carefully extracted a slender cylinder from the wound.
Chevalier: There it is…
He placed the cylinder behind his ear, but as soon as he did so, he winced in pain as his nose started to bleed. Cursing the pain, he threw the communicator next to the bodies. Then, taking a deep breath, he tried to compose himself to face Nieran.
Nieran: Response?
Chevalier: I'm okay. It's nothing, just a bad connection. It can happen. ::sighs::Oh, Father.
Jaseb crouched down to prevent the blood from splattering on his clothes. He deftly reached for a rag and brought it to his face, vigorously rubbing away the sticky liquid that had coated his skin. As he meticulously cleaned away the face and snap-off knife, he tossed the rag into the nearby ditch, feeling a sense of relief.
Chevalier: Nieran, have you found anything on them? Let's make sure to cover it up and get going.
Nieran: Response
Together, they collected garbage and debris from the surroundings and concealed the crime they had committed. Once they finished, they rejoined Savel and the others. Savel was holding up the access card he had just found.
Savel: I believe I have a way to help us pass the checkpoint. ::holding up the card:: Was there anything else useful on the other two soldiers?
Nieran: Response
Chevalier: Did you find anything else besides what ours had on them?Dakora/Leera: Response
They sorted the helpful items from the trash and loaded everything onto the back of the sled. They needed to move forward, as they couldn't stay in one place for too long. There was a risk of being discovered by another patrol or sled passing through. They didn't want to wait for that to happen.
Jaseb knew they couldn't just call it a day and try again tomorrow. Nieran and Leera made that clear yesterday. The present moment was all they had, with no chance for a do-over. When Savel asked, Jaseb sighed. They all wished for another chance, better plans, and better conditions, but they had to finish the mission. The only thing left was to pray, pray that this wouldn't be a suicide mission. Nothing more, nothing less.
Savel: Do we all wish to continue? Or should we perceive our first encounter as a "sign" not to proceed with this mission?
Chevalier: We have a narrow window of opportunity here. If we don't act today, we might never get another chance. Consider the security measures they will implement after discovering what he hid in the dit isch. If we don't act fast, we might never be able to get into the factory again. It's now or never. This factory is crucial; we can't afford to let this chance slip away. You told us so, Nieran. ::turns to Nieran:: This is a coordinated effort. Another attacks, another infiltrations are ongoing. Our only option is to push forward…
Dakora/Leera/Nieran: Response
Jaseb's agreement signaled the acceptance of an unpleasant reality. Although the decision was unwelcome, it was now final. It's time to move forward and focus on finding the best way to deal with the situation.
The group returned to the sled and continued into the factory. After they passed the checkpoint, no one stopped them again; no one cared about them or their sled as long as they traveled to their assigned post. And they arrived soon after at their destination. The cargo ramp was empty and abandoned. Jaseb believed it was not always this way; before the Dominion occupation, a place like this would be staffed with the maintenance crew, who would check the skid and help the Nieran’s crew unload their baggage. But these things changed, obviously. Working crews were cut to a necessary and controllable minimum. Jaseb understood why, still, some patrol or anyone… but no. The ramp was empty. Nothing and no one stood between them and the corridor to the cooling exhausts, which they were supposed to check and carry out the necessary maintenance according to the work schedule. But they planned differently; they planned to detonate their explosives simultaneously with the one they needed to plant in the temperature control station located two decks below. The clock was ticking, and time was running out for them to make a move. Now or never.
TAG/TBC
--