Commander Toryn Raga - We'll Hold The Line Until We Can't

[Rameses]

((Command Center, Deep Space 33))

Though he wasn’t the best at being able to read people, even he could sense the trepidation in the Command Center. It was likely that the Ronin, Khitomer and the station might end up in a bad way before the day was through, but they were all Starfleet officers. They knew the stakes and they had civilians to protect her as well as their own. They see this through, no matter the end. 

Raga: The docking ports are the easiest egresses to the station as long as the shields hold, so I plan to reinforce those areas and focus most of our defense there while keeping enough smaller teams on hand that can remain mobile and react to any threats as needed. Especially critical areas. But we’ll go wherever you need us most.

Stergis:  Your preparations look good, Commander Raga, for what it's worth...I'm still not convinced the Alliance would bother with a boarding action.  My people are focusing on evacuating what civilians we can while others have decided to stay and shelter in place.  ::She shifted her attention and crossed her arms::  Commander MacKenna, explain to me again why you don't think the Alliance will just blow us out of space?  

MacKenna: Response?

The Al-Leyan’s brow raised in a vulcanoid manner and he regarded Commander MacKenna, this was the first time meeting her. 

Raga: Very well, we’ll handle the defenses while you handle the evacuation. My crew has unfortunately had to repel boarders a lot recently so they’ll be up to the task of holding our ground as long as needs be. ::To both women:: We’ve got your backs, so do what you need to do. 

Stergis:  I appreciate that, Commander.  Commanders.  I'm just not confident about this stations ability to withstand a full blown assault.  If your ships aren't careful out there they could draw more trouble on us then we can handle.  

The Al-Leyan crossed his arms over his barrel chest and cradled his chin between his fingers after he started the link between here and his FOP. 

Raga: You make it sound like the station doesn’t have its own defenses? ::His voice ladened with concern:: 

MacKenna: Response?

He watched the station CO lean against a console and could practically feel the tension in her body as she went on to explain. 

Stergis:  The Ambassador felt that defensive systems of any kind aboard this station would be a barrier to his mission.  He wanted to prove that we could all just sit down and talk it out and that phasers and shields simply got in the way.  So he has fought tooth and nail to keep this station's defensive systems to an absolute minimum.  Our shields are standard for a station this size but we've got minimal phaser coverage and less than a hundred torpedoes...total.  If the Alliance shows up here in force....

What equated to a curt groan escaped him before he could stifle it and he nodded in understanding. Coming from a non-Federation species that was regularly forced to fend off Klingon raiders and border governors who let their battle lust get the better of them, the idea that phasers and shields were an impediment to diplomacy was asinine. In a perfect universe without wars it made sense, but when there was always someone willing to shoot first 

Raga: An admirable if foolish effort considering we’re at the far edge of Federation space where many aren’t as noble. We’ll make due. We have a considerable number of our runabouts, fighters and shuttles from the Ronin. It’s not the best screen we can muster but it will have to do. 

MacKenna/Stergis: Response?

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/Stergis: Response?

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/Stergis: Response?

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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