Rescue Party

Posted on Mon Mar 7th, 2022 @ 5:05am by Gunnery Sergeant Reishi Hijani & Captain Natalya Markova & Ensign Rene Rouen

Mission: The Dexic Negotiations
Location: Dexician Shuttle/Dorje City

The shuttle was nearing the ground as Reishi looked over the pilots' shoulders through the viewscreen. They hadn't taken any convincing whatsoever when the Marine team had boarded and requested their assistance in returning to the surface, albeit in Dorje rather than Aneset. Having seen their own delegation gunned down had terrified them and seeing heavily armed troopers wanting to go down to where those terrorists had come from made them remarkably eager to help.

"Lieutenant, we're getting an open comm signal." The Gunny stated to Natalya, beckoning her forward.

******
"Lieutenant Valleroy." Calypso nodded at him, "How is your team?"

"Those of us who are still here are hanging in," Mark said, trying to remain calm. "Let Ensign Rouen know he should have come with, even though he doesn't like to travel too far. As it is, let him know I owe him 16 slips of latinum. He could use it to pick up more things for his sparse quarters."

"I'll be sure to let him know when he comes back on duty." Cally nodded to show Mark that she understood his message, "I want you to listen closely, Lieutenant, because I'm going to Echo some words that were said to me a long time ago. Honor the Uniform that you wear, because so long as you honor the Gold you wear, you'll never be alone." She gave a slight smile, "You'll be returned to us safe, Mark, then we'll have a drink together."
*****

As the comm channel closed, Rei appeared to be a bit smug as a wistful smile crossed her face. She looked up at Nat and asked the question, "Do you understand what she was saying, ma'am?"

"Knew an O-3 who was in Black Ops." Nat replied, her mind still trying to play catch-up on just how quickly shit had hit the fan. "They're pulling back. We're on our own from here on out." The Lieutenant glanced over to her gunny. "You catch anything about a hunting license in that?"

"She's using the code groups from when she was shot down and my team was sent in to rescue her." Rei nodded, "The three words we were meant to hear specifically are 'Gold' 'Uniform' and 'Echo'. Echo means we have two hours in which to act, Gold means that it's a dangerous situation and Uniform means that friendlies are also in the area, but we knew that much already." The Asian woman chuckled, "The Captain is going to be back in a hurry in two hours, so we've got that much time to find Ensign Rouen and at least get set up for a rescue operation if not execute it in that time. Maybe use her return as a final distraction?"

Two hours. Those two words rattled around Nat's mind. Fuck. Shit. She would have wanted an overnight operation. Find the Ensign. Get on-the-ground recon, move into place, and hit these bastards at the local 2am. Her eyes met the Gunny's. She asked an unspoken question. Can we even do this in two hours?

"I've done more with less." Rei reassured her Lieutenant's unvoiced question. "Of course, we've usually been on the ground or at least really known where we're going before we get this sort of word." She rolled her shoulders and leaned down to the Dexicians, "How long until we're on the ground?"

"Six minutes." The co-pilot answered, "Edge of the starport, you can exit straight into the city, we'll orient the hatch to the closest street. This was not our doing, humans, not our fault."

"I know." Rei answered, then looked at Nat, "This is seat of the pants time, ma'am. We need to find our man on the ground and he'll have information on where we need to go. How are you on reactive shooting?"

Nat looked out of the front window as they came down. The question floated through her mind. "We ideally wanna be unseen until we assault whatever bolt hole these bastards are in. If we are fired on, defensive fire only." She looked as Oscanian who had the team's sniper rifle. "We'll get you set up with a field of fire."

The PFC nodded at the Lieutenant as the shuttle made a soft landing and Rei took a deep breath as she rolled her shoulders, "Want me to lead off, El-Tee? Or would you like the honor?"

Natalya made one final check of her personal gear as the hatch opened. "I dragged us into this shit-storm, Gunny. I'll march us into Hell." She replied, being the first off the craft.

Once clear, the Lieutenant checked her tricorder. "Got a non-specific communications signal, linked to a locator source. Might be a commbadge." She announced as the team came out as well.

Natalya made a gut call, and tapped her commbadge. "Lieutenant Markova to Ensign Rouen. Authentication code Sierra-Foxtrot-Six-Three-Niner." She had no idea if the man could authenticate her call, but she gave the code anyway. Next to let him know she was clear of hostiles. "Zulu-Delta, Ensign. What's your location?"

Rene heard the incoming communique from Natalya. He needed to keep his transmission short to avoid detection though. He checked his tricorder and made a quick decision. "From rally point Bravo go 352 for 1.4 click."

Silently, Rei glanced at the readout on her wrist and located first the rally point he'd referred to and then the proper direction, showing it to Natalya and dropping a pin on the point he was referring to, "Shouldn't be more than about fifteen minutes from here, El-Tee." She whispered.

Nat surveyed their surroundings. "Constanza." She said to the squad's scout. "Take point."

The Corporal nodded, and set his pack more securely on his shoulders. Checking the nav data for himself, the scout led off, picking his way, careful to use cover, and avoid being spotted by anything.

Nat let the Marine gain fifty feet on them before motioning for the rest to follow. He was good, she noted. He knew how to move without leaving a trace. Knew how to pick a path that only a trained eye could see. Every so often, for the space of half a second, even she lost him.

Fifteen minutes felt like an eternity. Felt like a lifetime. The deliberate pace grated on Nat. Every carefully considered step pushing her patience beyond limit. She had to hold that in. Had to. Going off half-cocked had once cost her a hefty price. She wasn't about to repeat that mistake.

As they approached their destination, Nat's eyes were scanning back and forth. Looking. The Ensign was good. He was... a small grin settled across her face. There. She nudged Rei beside her and carefully pointed.

Maybe 50 feet away and well hidden, just as the Marines were. She pulled a small, shrouded blinker light from her pocket and pointed it dead at the Ensign. In Morse, she tapped out four letters. R-E-S-Q.

Rene looked about before rising and casually walking to the alley with a two bags in hand. He set one down next to the dumpster bin and nudged it into the shadows. "Cloaks. 30 second intervals." He put the bag into the dumpster before turning and headed for the back door of the building.

Rei pulled the first cloak out, tossing it to one of the other troops before donning one herself and double-checking her weapon as she pulled it around to in front of her, "I'll go first, clear the building before you get there, ma'am."

And she was off before anyone could argue with her, using the shadows to her advantage, slippng in and out of them as if a part of them herself. Rei slipped into the building and instantly saw the Dexician sitting at the table, training her weapon on him even as she glanced around for other people.

Rene gave Rei a placating gesture. "This guy is a friendly. He was the one who helped me avoid capture and brought me here." He pointed to the back stairs. "We can access the roof and get a good unobstructed view of the building the away team is in."

Nat watched the Gunny head out, not letting her irritation show. One by one, she sent each Marine off at 30 second intervals, before bringing up the rear herself, entering through the same door as the rest, keeping check on their six. No signs yet. "I hear someone say roof?" She looked at Oscanian. "Told you we'd find you a nest."

"Yes, ma'am." The sharp-shooter shifted the case on his back, and a small, wicked smile playing across his face.

The Dexician at the table, hands clearly visible, concern, relief and fear on his face at the arrival of the Marines evident, slowly raised his hands to get the attention of the obvious leader, "Miss, I must warn you, there are at least twelve of Xevar's people in the building across the way, unless he's sent some of them out to his secondary base." He gave Rene a look that was clearly meant as 'help', but continued to speak, "I am from Aneset, here to coordinate with the Dorjeans to protest the alliance with the Federation as is planned, we had no idea that it would turn into..." She gestured towards the Dorje hideout, "There was no plan for intentional violence."

"A whole twelve people?" Nat seemed to consider it for a moment. "Sucks to be them." She surveyed the Marines. "Kill only if necessary. I don't want to leave a trail of dead bodies. As for Xevar..." Her expression darkened, and she gave a pointed look at all of them. "The bastard's mine."

Rene cast a concerned glance at Natalya. He looked about at the hardened expressions on the other Marines. He stepped up next to Natalya and spoke softly so only she could hear him. "Sir, may I have a word with you...in private?"