Lieutenant Commander Lael Rosek: Difficult Choices
Lael Rosek
((Unknown Planetoid))
Galven: ::soft spoken:: What’s next, Commander Rosek?
::She’d heard those words in a number of different contexts over the last year, but somehow this seemed different. She was in charge and ultimately every choice was her responsibility. It was a heavy burden. Yet she felt that every decision that had led her to this moment had better prepared her for the realities of that burden.::
Rosek: ::to Tel-ar:: Thoughts, Commander?
Tel-ar: Response
Rosek: ::nods:: I feel we’ll cover more ground if we split up, but stay in close contact. Preferably open comm lines.
Tel-ar: Response
Harkrow: With your permission, Commander, I’d like to have Crewman Eisley hang back with the rear guard once we get underground, and see if she can find a spot where those pattern enhancers can talk to the Montreal’s transporters. Tough to punch through the kelbonite, I know, but it might give us an exit point that’s closer than running all the way back to the surface.
::Lael nodded. It was an option, at least. Unfortunately, they just wouldn’t know how viable of an option it was until they got down there. The element of surprise was their best hope for getting out of this situation with minimal bloodshed. A wry grin twisted her lips. She preferred none obviously, but that just wasn’t realistic given the enemy that they were up against.::
::These were pirates. While it was true they were cowards when it came to conflict, as evidenced by the tactics they used when attacking the Artemis, they had little or nothing to lose. The away team could only hope the pirates valued their lives more than they valued their freedom.::
Vardai: =/\= Vardai to Commander Tel-ar. =/\=
Tel-ar.: =/\= Response =/\=
Vardai: =/\= We’ve constructed a map of your area, including the approximate positions of all lifesigns in the area. If you wish, I can link the stream to your PADD. =/\=
::Her gaze flickered to the Andorian beside her, brows arching. This was his call, not hers.::
Tel-ar.: =/\= Response =/\=
Vardai: =/\= Yes, sir. You’ll notice that you can see what the pirates are saying to each other over their communications network. We’re keeping an eye on things up here and will alert you to anything of note, in case you miss it. Vardai out. =/\=
Galven: ::taps his commbadge:: =/\= Galven to Vardai =/\=
::She tensed slightly, a wave of frustration hitting her out of nowhere as though she had no mental shields in place at all. She was vaguely aware that the frustration wasn’t hers. She had no reason to feel such intense emotion. Her gaze flew to German and her features softened. Without understanding completely how, she knew it was coming from him. What she didn’t understand was how she could feel him and not the others.::
::Though it was true she was more sensitive to stronger emotions, the fact that she felt nothing from the others assured her that her mental shields were in place and that she shouldn’t be feeling German at all.::
Galven: ::to Ezlizabath:: Get an exact location on those lifesigns. See if you can determine which are the prisoners and which are unfriendlies. ::taps his commbadge:: =/\= Galven to Dante =/\=
Dante: =/\= Response =/\=
Galven: =/\= Open the comm channel to the science station, please. Also connecting my device to your station for everyone on the Bridge to see and hear what’s going on down here. Galven out.=/\=
::She listened to the exchange, the source of German’s frustration becoming clear as she recalled her last order to Vardai before leaving the bridge. The occular devices. She’d sent the frequency to the bridge just before they’d transported down here...or she thought she had. She grimaced. A simple mistake that was quite possibly putting her team in jeopardy. Shaking the negative thoughts from her mind, she refocused on the task at hand. There was no sense lingering on could have beens. They had to deal with the situation in front of them.::
Galven: I have a feeling we’re about to have company ma’am.
Rosek: ::nods:: We need to stay calm and stay alert.
::The subtle shuffle of something in the distance caught her attention and she tensed. German’s reaction and his flickers of emotion occasionally tapping her mental shields like a pesky mosquito buzzing in her ear only served to heighten her anxiety. Crouching was awkward and she had to position herself oddly so she didn’t cause a flare-up in her bad leg. Sure, the wonders of modern technology had healed the majority of the damage, but it still ached now and again if she put too much pressure on it or positioned it a certain way.::
Tel-ar: Response
Boh’la: =/\= There’s no time to waste. If it is Starfleet, we have to get rid of them before they discover our location. =/\=
::She frowned. Was the metal they’d detected on the surface messing with communications in general? It was the only logical reason she could think of to explain why they were picking up other comm traffic. Though she wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.::
Galven: Did everyone else hear that too? How long ago was that sent?
Padix: ::panicking:: What do we do?! Where are they?!
Galven: Keep your voice down, crewman.
Rosek: ::waves a hand and whispers harshly:: Hush. Both of you.
::She listened closely as the noise become closer and it became more obvious that the noise was the crunch of feet on gravel. She managed to contain a huffed laugh. Whoever they were, they were being anything but subtle. Then again, she doubted they were counting on the excellent hearing of two Al-Leyans and a Denobulan.::
Cullin: ::whispers:: I hear them, ma’am. About two kilometers northeast of our current position. Approaching at a moderate pace.
::Lael glanced in the direction Cullin indicated and her eyes widened slightly as she noted that that was where the caves were that she’d intended to take them through.::
Tel-ar / Harkrow / Cattan / Fergus / Elzizabath / Oakes / Eisley / Any: Response
::She opened her mouth to reply, but German’s abrupt shout had her instinctively ducking for cover.::
Galven: Take cover!
Tel-ar / Harkrow / Cattan / Fergus / Elzizabath / Oakes / Eisley / Any: Response
::As weapons fire came in their direction, she took cover behind the solid surface beside German, unholstering her phaser. She’d hoped that it wouldn’t come to a full-force firefight...that they could do this guerilla style, picking of the enemy a few at a time. But those hopes were dashed as she watched German look out from behind their cover. She followed his gaze, her eyes widening when they both spotted the body lying on the ground at seemingly the same moment.::
Galven: Someone is down! We need to split up now! A team has to lure the pirates away so another team can get to that person and also into the cave!
Padix: ::faintly:: Help me…
Rosek: ::lays a hand on German’s shoulder and meets his gaze:: We have to be smart about this.
::She paused for a long moment, her breathing growing shallow as the adrenaline coursed through her veins. Her lips formed a thin line, hating with a passion what she was about to do. Splitting up had been a risk before with so many enemies to fight. It would be damned suicidal now. But German was right. They needed to separate. Staying together would only make them an easier target.::
Rosek: ::exhales heavily and taps her commbadge:: =/\=Commander Tel-ar. You, Oakes, Eisley, Ensign Harkrow, and myself will lay down cover fire and try to disable as many of the pirates as possible.=/\=
Tel-ar/Harkrow: Response
Rosek: =/\=Lieutenant Galven and everyone else, you’ll need to find another entrance to the caves or make one. There’s no way in hell those pirates will let you through easily. Then you’re to find and get the captured Artemis crew to safety. With this many of the pirates’ number here, their camp should be relatively unguarded.=/\=
Cattan / Fergus / Elzizabath / Galven / Any: Response
Rosek: ::nods:: =/\=When you give the signal, Commander.=/\=
Tel-ar: =/\=Response=/\=
::Lael turned to German, her expression serious. There was a very real possibility that someone wouldn’t make it out of this fight. She was resigned to that fact. If a sacrifice needed to be made to ensure the others got back safely, she was willing to make it.::
Rosek: ::tensely:: Lieutenant, if it comes down to it--
Galven: Response
Rosek: ::lips form a thin line and she barks:: No! Listen!
Galven: Response
Rosek: ::rasps:: If it comes down to it, the Artemis crew is your priority. Get yourselves and them out. Let me and Commander Tel-ar worry about the others. ::lays a hand on his shoulder and squeezes:: Your team will be looking to you for leadership.
Galven: Response
::She opened her mouth to speak again, but a large explosion near the caves that sent debris flying had her ducking for cover. Chancing a glance from behind her cover, she saw through the dust several bodies strewn unmoving on the ground.::
Rosek: ::murmurs:: Well, that’s one way to even the odds. =/\=Rosek to Tel-ar. We should act while the pirates are still confused.=/\=
Tel-ar: Response
Galven / Harkrow / Cattan / Fergus / Elzizabath / Any: Response