Fighting Back

Posted on Wed Apr 30th, 2025 @ 1:56am by Cass'e'Indira & Tessa di'Orion & Lieutenant Mark Valleroy & Lieutenant JG T'Pinga & Crewman Liam Peterson

Mission: Doing What We Do Best

“Intruders in Transporter Room 1," Rala reported. "I’m dropping you nearby. Note, the Captain requested assistance from Cass'e'Indria, so expect her to show up. Stand by...energizing.”

The away team materialized in the corridor near Transporter Room 1. Mark pulled out his tricorder and studied the readings "Heads up," he said. "I'm getting 4 hostiles on board. I'm also reading some of our people there, but we must act quickly, as we do not know if they're being treated as hostages or if the intruders intend to kill them."

The team began moving forward, but moments later weapons fire came from the direction of Transporter Room 1. The team ducked down as they returned fire. "Any more stun grenades?" Mark asked.

"I've got one," Crewman Peterson said.

"Get ready with it," Mark said. "We'll probably get only one shot at using that."

They moved forward slowly. Several shots were exchanged, and Mark heard a grunt come from behind him at one point. "I'm hit," came a notification from one of his team behind. "It's not bad, but I may not be of much help."

Mark nodded, then scanned his tricorder once again. "Wiggly ones, these are," he muttered under his breath.

A not-so-familiar voice came over the comm, but it was confident and could almost be seen as cocky, "Lieutenant Valleroy, this is Cass'e'Indira, there are four remaining between your force and myself. I intend to move to engage, unless you wish to?"

Talk about help from unusual sources. Mark tapped his comm badge. "It may be wise to engage together, as long as we're careful not to take each other out from friendly fire," he said. "How many others are with you?"

"Only my ward, but she's non-combatant." There was a squawk of complaint, but only one from Tessa before Cass continued, "If you are in a defensible position, I can go on the offensive. You wouldn't have to concern yourself with friendly fire from me. If they think their rear is secure, I should be able to be in among them before they can react."

One against four? Not odds Mark though were good for anyone under such circumstances, no matter how good said individual might be. Mark checked his tricorder. For the moment the four invaders were in the corridor around the corner from the transporter room. "We'll head in first," he called out to Cass. "Once they're occupied with us, see if you can come in from behind."

"Of course, Milord, it will be as you command." Cass's words were accompanied by a rustle and then the hiss of the transporter room door, "I am ready when you are."

Mark nodded, then signaled to those behind him. "Get ready," he said, before holding up with one hand and counting down with his fingers, starting with three. He then signaled. Peterson tossed in the last stun grenade, and they then moved in, phasers blazing.

Cass'e'Indira was careful as soon as she heard the stun grenade go off, bow at the ready as she came into the crossing fire, but staying near the edge of the corridor. One shot took one of the intruders in the back even as a phaser shot hit the same target, then a second arrow was on the string and gone within the same heartbeat, taking her target in the shoulder and spinning them to the ground. She had a third arrow on the bow and drawn when the last of the invaders went down to the ground and she approached slowly, finally releasing the tension on the weapon and replacing the arrow in the quiver.

When it was over, there were 4 intruders on the floor. "This one is still alive," Peterson reported.

"Get him into the brig," Mark said. "See about getting our wounded to sickbay."

A nearby door opened, and as they turned to it the familiar voice of Lt. T'Pinga came out. "Lieutenant, is the situation secure?"

"It is," Mark called out, and a moment later T'Pinga came out from the room, a phaser in hand. "My apologies," she said. "A fluctuation in the transporter system had been noted not long after you beamed over to the ship, and I had stepped out to correct it when apparently the intruders beamed over. I regret not being able to do more to stop the situation."

"There was nothing you could have done," Mark said. "Their hijacking our transporter beams was something none of us could have foreseen." Tapping his comm badge, he said, "Valleroy to bridge. Transporter room 1 is secure."

"Thank you Mark." came the captain's reply. "Do a sweep of the ship, make sure we don't have any other stowaways, please."

Mark nodded and signaled to the remaining team. "You heard the captain. Let's go." Turning to Cass, he said, "You're welcome to come along if you wish."

"Of course My Lord." She stated simply, letting her ward Tessa weave her way through the mess with hardly a glance at the downed intruders as she made her way over to the wounded security officers and beginning to check them out, "Her Grace can go with the wounded to sickbay, especially if one of your officers will go with her. I myself do enjoy a hunt."

Mark nodded. "Peterson, please see to it that the wounded get to sickbay, and get someone here to deal with these 4 and to begin taking care of the cleanup here." Turning back to Tessa, he said, "Well there may not be much of a hunt, as I suspect we may well have already gotten them all. But let us go and see anyway, shall we?"

"Better safe than sorry, My Lord." Cass'e'Indira agreed, glancing back to Tessa, "Your Grace, straight to sickbay with the officers and make yourself useful there, understood? No straying." She got a nod from the teenager and then gestured to Mark with the bow, "Let's go, My Lord, and woe to our enemies."