Major Tatash: "Master Chief" (Tag: Bridge/Whittakers Team)
Daniel Eastham
((USS Aegis - Bridge))
Tatash: There’s a few freighters heading outwards. Nothing odd on the outside… if we’re here for the investigation do you think we can stop and search? Well, scan at least?
Falcon: I’m not certain about the local laws on the matter… It’s not Federation territory, so I doubt we could stop and search. Scanning, however, we might be able to get away with, especially if they’re listed as heading to Federation space.
::That was a fair point. There was a duty of care to protect their interests, especially from grotty little worlds like Tilanna. While usually it would be taken care of by the numerous small picket and customs ships patrolling the area, there was the occasional trip into neutral space::
Tatash: Fair point well made, I’ll start poking them. Peters, would you mind focusing our array on that drop off point?
Peters: Responses?
Falcon: Well, so long as we’re cordial with anyone we contact, we shouldn’t have much trouble. Most freighter captains are okay with honoring requests from government forces, if the request is made politely.
Tatash: I’ll poke them politely then. I suppose all we can do is hope they say as polite in return.
Peters: Responses?
Falcon: That’s the big question, isn’t it. ::Smiles.:: If they say no, it suggests they have something to hide, which would draw us to look at them more closely. A smuggler would be more likely to go ahead and let people scan them in hopes that whatever system they’re using to hide their illicit cargo fools the sensors. Most freighters can’t stand toe-to-toe with, or outrun, a starship, after all.
Tatash: Not the Aegis, she’s a fast little cutter.
Peters: Response
Falcon: What to you guys say we start moving in their general direction? See if they get nervous enough to contact us first. ::Checking her sensor repeater.:: Given the local traffic, they won’t be clear for warp for another few minutes, at least.
Taybrim: Ask politely and see if they bite? ::he smiled stepping forward:: Sounds like a good idea.
::Tatash looked up, straightning himself as the Commander entered the bridge. He may not strictly be Naval anymore, but some traditions were always respected.::
Tatash: Sir.
Peters: ?
Taybrim: We have no conflict with the Klingons. In fact our interests are very much aligned. In return for offering them information on Malinov's weaponized tribbles, they will share with us any information on the movement of ATH. Beyond that both sides are officially overlooking the fact that we were here - we're allowed, but nobody makes a big deal of it.
Tatash: That’s good to hear. I wouldn’t mind seeing a bit of Klingon justice being wrought here. They need it, badly.
::Of course, the Cardassian question hung in the air. He doubted strongly that they would take Klingon rule laying down, but provided they began to see the benefits it could bring them, maybe there was some hope after all for this miserable world.::
Falcon/Peters: ?
Taybrim: If anything we have a good chance at a stronger alliance. Both ATH and the Jenatris Confederation poses an equally odious threat to both the Federation and the Klingon Empire. With a common enemy and no conflict of interest, we have accidentally stumbled upon quite a valuable contact.
Tatash: For once we actually made a friend? ::Scoff:: I’ll scan for flying pigs now sir.
Falcon/Peters: ?
Whittaker: :: retrieving his communicator :: =^= "Whittaker to Aegis." =^=
::Tatash leant forward almost out of instinct straight away, that tone was unmistakably stressed, the faint sound of searing energy coming through the background::
Taybrim: =/\= Taybrim here, go ahead Theo...=/\=
Whittaker: =^= "We are under heavy fire and have wounded." =^=
::Tatash moved aside, already dragging up the source that communication on the tactical console::
Taybrim: Where are they? Can you get a fix on them?
Tatash: Built up industrial by the look of it, I can see their general area… that’s a lot of fire being exchanged. Mixed with the pollution I can narrow it down to 20 meters, but beaming them out isn’t going to happen.
Falcon/Peters: ?
Taybrim: =/\= Who is wounded, Commander? =/\= ::His tone was heavy with concern and all business.
Whittaker: =^= "Lieutenant Flynn and possibly Counsellor Zinna." =^= :: The sound of disruptor fire cut over the commline :: =^= "We can't this position indefinitely. Other teams are en route but we need immediate backup!" =^=
::Tatash gritted his teeth a little, ever muscle in his body going tense. Flynn, Zinna… two names too many, already his heart thumping, the need to do something rising::
Falcon/Peters: ?
Taybrim: =/\= We can't lock on to anyone at your position because of the atmospheric interference. You'll either need to get to a transport pad or the shuttle. =/\= ::He looked towards the bridge crew:: We could send a team down to the drop site at the governor's estate and beam then into the city - but then we risk the threat of them detonating those bombs.
Whittaker: =/\= ?
Peters/Falcon: ?
Taybrim: Either way, any team sent in it's a one way transport and everyone either needs to come back by shuttle or get to a secured transport pad. ::He turned back to the commline:: =/\= Where did you leave Sweet Maxine? =/\=
Whittaker: =/\= ?
Tatash: Too damned far… not without support.
Peters/Falcon: ?
Taybrim: =/\= We'll contact the other ground teams and get as much backup as we can as quickly as possible. =/\=
Whittaker: =/\= ?
::The thought crossing into Tatash’s mind made him feel sick, the single course of action coming up in his mind one that would be instantaneous but incredibly dangerous. To some Marine units it would be almost routine, but the 292nd were not an Airborne regiment.::
Tatash: HALO.
::Even the word made his stomach churn more then the most nightmarish zero-G situation.::
Taybrim/Peters/Falcon: ?
Tatash: High Altitude, Low Opening. It’s a method of Para jumping into situations with minimal time for air defence to take shots, except we can throw a bit of a twist on it. Falcon, you could beam me and Captain Raisillius above the area if Peters can override the transporter safeties, we drop at speed and open our chutes at the last possible second. If someone can give us some pattern enhancers to take down with us, we can set them up and get them out.
Taybrim/Peters/Falcon: ?
Tatash: Well there are several risks. The first is something goes wrong and we impact the ground at high velocity, you won’t be able to beam us back once we break that pollution layer. Secondly, there will still be time while we are in our chutes were we are vulnerable, but no more than we would be dropping from a shuttle.
::At least it would be a quick end, especially in the first scenario. Not that he wanted to end his respectable career as a rather large smear on a rooftop in Tilanna::
Taybrim/Peters/Falcon: ?
Tatash: The benefits are, no visible shuttle and nothing to give away who we are. To the enemy we would be falling from the sky like rain. Whoever is holding those bombs trigger must have a conscious or they would have already detonated them. It would also be quick, set the enhancers under Peters instruction and get ourselves out of there and maybe leave a few grenades as a going away present.
Taybrim/Peters/Falcon: ?
Tatash: To be honest Sirs, the choice is potentially lose two more men trying to save them all, or lose them all waiting to do something else. We only have minutes.
::There was no anger in his voice or accusation, just fact. He hated the idea as much as anyone else, it was a risky, nasty procedure that was usually the last resort of infiltration. But, when it worked, it was also one of the most daring and audacious assaults that could be made::
Taybrim/Peters/Falcon: ?
Major. Tatash
Marine Lead
SB118 Operations
C239108T10