Commander Toryn Raga - "Snowball"'s Warning, a Snowball's Chance, Part I
Rameses
((Command Center, Deep Space 33))
The Al-Leyan regarded the two women, both of whom he’d not met before recently or today and both already seemed competent officers in his mind. Stergis ran an efficient station and Commander MacKenna was here for a reason, just like him. Experience.
Raga: To your point then Commander Stergis, I doubt this station will be able to hold against an assault without the Ronin and Khitomer. But we’ll hold as long as we need for an evac and should the worst case scenario occur, we scuttle the station. Better to deny them the foothold, which is likely the only reason they’d make a boarding attempt in my estimation. The Alliance doesn’t take prisoners.
He knew “Snowball”, Major Singh and her pilots would fight to the last if needed to buy enough time for as many evacuees to get to safety as possible. He and his own here would do the same. If it came to it and they knew they had to scuttle they would do what needed to be done to get as many out. But that moment wasn’t here yet and he was anything if not romantically optimistic about how formidable an entire crew, or multiple crews of Starfleet officers were in a pinch.
MacKenna: This is just another resource for them.
Stergis: I will not allow this station to become a prize for the Alliance, I don't care what they throw at us.
Raga: We’ll make them work for every meter. To that end I’ve had my people placing independent sensors and transporter inhibitors in the tubes and other places close to the most likely targets for sabotage, including near the Command Center and our FOP in Warrior Sports. Just in case the shields fail and they can beam in, hopefully it will buy us time to respond before they can do any severe damage.
MacKenna: I've got some tactical notes from the Tholian border as well that I am feeding to your tactical station and the pilot in command outside.
He glanced over at the data along with the station’s CO.
Stergis: Understood, I'm sure Major Singh will appreciate it. Her people are pushing their perimeter out as far as they can while still remaining close enough to fall back into a defensive screen. This information could buy them a bit of extra time. Well...unless there's anything else I believe you've got a place to be, Commander Raga. Good hunting. I hope your next few hours involve nothing more than standing around polishing that rifle.
MacKenna: Good luck commander.
The Al-Leyan bestowed a gracious nod of his head at the two women then heard the approach of bootfalls and glanced behind him to see the newest addition to the Ronin’s roster in a soon to be far from Academy crisp uniform.
Valo: Commander Raga?
Raga: I am. Our newest addition from the Academy?
Valo: Aye. Ensign Cecil Valo, reporting for duty.
MacKenna: Heck of a time...
Stergis’ snort drew his focus and he grinned slightly despite himself.
Stergis: Commander Agatha Stergis, welcome aboard Ensign. If you were trying to report to the Ronin or the Khitomer your shuttle was a bit late.
Raga: Not surprising given all that’s going on. To that point, we’re preparing the station for a more than ninety percent chance that it’ll be assaulted soon.
Valo: Sounds like someone better issue me a weapon then.
Raga: That, Ensign we have no shortage of.
Stergis: Commander Raga is on loan from the Ronin temporarily, you'll be reporting to him as part of the defense team. Best case scenario you're going to have a very boring first day. Worst case...well...let's not dwell on that just now.
An unusual chirp from Commander MacKenna's station drew her attention; he noted a hint of concern evident in her expression.
MacKenna: The Ronin and Khitomer have engaged the Lattice Alliance. The avalanche has begun.
Stergis: Good fortune to them both. Let's hope that...
Stergis’ console chimed with an incoming communication a moment before the tactical projection on the viewscreen updated and alarms began to blare. Data streaming in from one of their perimeter groups was showing an enormous subspace disturbance moving at warp speed...and it was heading their way.
Singh: =/\= Snowball to DS33, Priority One Alert! =/\=
Toryn’s head whipped to the tactical projection immediately. He knew Snowball, he knew that tone of voice. Only now did his damned ears start itching.
Stergis: =/\= Snowball this is DS33 Actual, what's the situation? =/\=
Too many contacts illuminated on the viewscreen denoted incoming hostile vessels. Their worst fear was approaching at high warp.
Singh: =/\= Actual, perimeter flight three has detected a large sensor contact, high probability of multiple vessels at high warp on an intercept vector with the station. I say again, multiple vessels at high warp. Flight three is attempting to confirm contact but course projection puts them at the station in under an hour. =/\=
Stergis’ hand fell upon the alarm LCARs like a hammer at one of those Human festival games. All eyes were transfixed upon the sensor contact on screen as it grew more and more with each passing moment. Toryn held a calm demeanor, his crew had just gone through his own personal hell and he hoped that recent terror tempered them all against this inbound threat.
Stergis: =/\= Copy that Snowball. Make what assessment you can then have your flights fall back to defensive line one as fast as they can. Looks like we're going to be working today. Thirty Three Actual out. =/\=
The commline closed and the silence was palpable and lingered far too long. He didn’t break it however, focused as he was on the tactical data being transmitted to them. His tactical training ran through estimations. And most ended up being unfavorable even when he considered the Ronin and Khitomer were present, which they weren’t.
Stergis: You heard the Major, bring the station to full tactical alert. Commanders, Ensign, it looks like you'll be riding out the storm with us. Get to your defensive positions, we don't have a lot of time. And Commander Raga...
He heard the Commander’s breath and he met her gaze with his own reflective eyes.
Stergis: Make sure those scuttling charges are set. The Lattice Alliance just turned this into a siege. Whatever happens today...they're not taking this station intact.
Raga: Ni batalos; Ni tenos la linion; kaj kiam venos la tempo, ni lasos nenion krom derompaĵoj.* Today we’re not just Ronin Strong, we’re Starfleet strong. ::He offered them all an empathetic glance then regarded Valo:: Ensign, with me. We’ve got preparations to make.
MacKenna/Valo: Response?
With that Toryn hurried to the lift and waited for the Ensign to join him before he selected the Commerical sector for a destination.
Raga: I hope you weren’t expecting that uniform to stay that crisp, Ensign. If even half of what I estimated is heading this way we’re going to be busy and in the thick of it.
Valo: Response
His comm badge chirped just then and he heard Chief Kiran’s voice.
Kiran: =/\= Chief Kiran to Commander Raga. =/\=
Raga: =/\= Go ahead, Chief. I take it you’ve planted our backups? =/\=
Kiran: =/\= Aye sir, checking and making sure you’re receiving. =/\=
The lift shifted direction on its course through the station and he widened his stance and inspected the ‘Aquila” hand phasers holstered on his thighs.
Raga: =/\= We just left the Command Center, but all the feeds looked good. =/\=
Kiran: =/\= Good to know, Commander. What’s next, sir? =/\=
Toryn glanced at the Ensign with him and then checked the TRC-600A on his forearm. Over two thirds of the Security teams reported completion of their rounds and they were on track for pushing it close to when they would have company.
Raga: =/\= Regroup at the FOP, on the double. We’re heading there now. =/\=
Kiran: =/\= Aye, sir. We’ll head back in your direction. Rork out. =/\=
((ooc: Doing some wibbly wobbly stuff to fit this into the other sim with T’Fearne since that’s after Raga left the Command Center.))
((Near Warrior Sports, Promenade, Commercial Sector, Beta Module))
As the pair exited the turbolift he cast his view out over the promenade where he’d recently went out on an excursion for some violently created ice cream and got to make a new acquaintance from their sister ship in the region. Such a vast difference a few days, several hours and dozens of industrial replicators can make.
The upper level railings were almost entirely reinforced with disruptor resistance barriers, barricades rated to fend off small explosives offered choke points and blocked off entire areas of defense both above and down below on the lower level. A handful of civilians still milled about or rushed to and fro. Toryn spotted one such individual in an attempt to safely evacuate a plant shop of some kind. They were also life, so he understood the impetus to get as many of them cared for as possible.
Raga: I’m going to check in at the FOP. ::He gestured to a storefront on the upper level with a sign that read ‘Warrior Sports’ with heavy fortifications set in front of its entrance:: Solana and Kiran should be coming from the tubes at the other end here. Go get them and bring them back here as fast as you can. Run if you have to.
Valo: Response
((ooc: this is where the sim with T’Fearne and Osiris fits which is being posted as part 2 to this one.))
* We will fight; We will hold the line; and when the time comes, we will leave nothing but debris.
TBC/Tags
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Commander Toryn Raga
First Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
Writer ID: A239410TR0
https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=Toryn_Raga