Randall picked up a load of pattern enhancers and was setting them up, in an effort to transport through the radiation shield. He set up the last one, when someone approached.

Riandri stepped up behind Randall, her phaser rifle in hand. “Is this all of them? Let us get this one set up here and see if this does the trick otherwise, we may need more or have to move them closer. I figure we have 45 minutes until they start executing them.”

“Aye, sir.” Randall picked up the last one and with his phaser rifle slung over his shoulder, carried the enhancer to the correct location. “All enhancers position, commander. Standing by.”

“Excellent,” Riandri said as she tapped her combadge. “Denver, can you get a lock on the medical team?” After a moment of silence, her combadge chimed and the transporter chief responded, “Negative Commander, the signal is stronger than before but the radiation is still too high in the area. If you can move them closer we should be able to cut through.” There was a pause for a moment, “We could also look at relaying it through one of the runabouts, this may help.” Riandri exhaled after she ended the transmission and adjusted the phaser as she looked in the direction of the Luphirian camp and muttered, “Closer, to a hostile group of soldiers.”

Turning to Randall, “Let’s get this shifted in closer by another couple hundred meters. Any more and I worry about encountering their patrols.” She tapped her combadge without waiting for a response, “Nalam to Collins, we need to tighten the grid, lets move the enhancers in another 200 meters and try again. Try to avoid any contact with them if possible, I don’t think they will hesitate to shoot another hostage.”

“Aye.” Collins signalled to his detail. They came over, broke down the enhancers, and started moving closer to the target. Collins took point, the others guarding the men with the enhancers. Slowly they moved forward, taking cover if they thought someone was getting too close.

Ahead of them, not far from their targeted zone a patrol of Luphirian soldier slowly made their way around one of the partially collapsed buildings not even attempting to hide their presence. “I hope the offworlders try something. They look weak and cowardly, they should learn to not interfere with our planet,” one of them said aloud to no one in particular.

“Kept your voice down,” another growled. “We know nothing about them or what they can do. They destroyed the research centre and most of this city without us knowing.” The comment elicited a choir of snarls from the other four soldiers around him. “Keep your eyes and ears sharp, one of the nurses said he thought some had headed this way while the others used their ships to leave.”

Collins slowly moved as close as he could to eavesdrop on the soldiers, his rifle ready. He moved back to the others as soon as the two moved away.

Riandri swung the enchanter over her back and started to make her way down the empty street toward the small square she intended to set it up. Moving slowly to mask her approach she crouched behind an abandoned ground vehicle when and waved to Randall to move up. “Looks clear, you see anything?”

Collins moved up and crouched beside her. “Ran into two soldiers, but I didn’t engage. Besides that, this area is secure, commander.” 

“Good,” Riandri commented before starting to make her way forward. After ducking and dodging between the ruined buildings Riandri and Randall made their way to the edge of the square and stopped when they saw the patrol Randall had previously encountered ending from the other side.

“Damnit,” Riandri muttered, “I only see two. What about you?”

“I think they’re using that building as a base of operations, so maybe some of their soldiers are taking the opportunity to get some rest,” Collins whispered. “I could take two men and try to capture as many as we can, or, if you prefer, kill anyone in the building.”

Riandri stared at the square for a moment and then back at Collins, “We need access to that square. If we can get the transporter enchanter in place, we should be able to beam the medical team out.”  She frowned and nodded to Collins, “A tricorder should be able to block any transmissions from their team. I don’t want any of them killed, stun them.”

“Yes commander.” Collins signaled 3 of his unit to follow them. When they got closer to the square, he motioned to switch to stun on their weapons. They approached the building and gained entry. 1 hostile was put down, stunned, immediately. His people cleared the building, all hostiles were down. Collins went outside, made visual with the commander and the rest of his team, that the building and square was secured. 

Riandri nodded to Collins as he confirmed the building was secure. She quickly moved forward to the centre of the square before she placed down the transport enhancer. Within several moments she had it activated.

“Denver, the enchancers are in their new location, can you get a lock on the medical team?” Riandri said after she opened a channel to the ship.

The channel crackled for a moment before a response came through, “We cannot get a solid lock but the last runabout is about to depart the surface, they may be able to relay the signal. One moment.”

Collins had spread his security detail in a parameter to guard the commander. 

Riandri frowned as she looked at the countdown before she muttered under her breath, “Only two minutes until the deadline.”

Tapping her combadge she raised a channel to the Captain, “Captain, this is Nalam. We have a set of pattern enhancers in place and think we can use one of the runabouts to beam our people out. We only have five minutes until the deadline. Should we hold off or pull them out?”

“Do it,” Rebecca ordered. “Shuttles are enroute.  Oh, please inform Mr. Collins to prepare an extraction of the hostages… I hope it doesn’t come to this but reasonable people don’t take hostages and shoot unarmed prisoners.”

“On it,” Raindri said as she closed the channel and flagged over Collins.

“We will attempt a beam-out but I would be shocked if we can get everyone in more than a couple rounds via the runabout,” Riandri said as she unslung her rifle.  “Get your people ready, the countdown runs out in just over four minutes. When it does we need to be in place to make sure the medical team is beamed out and not shot during the process.”

“Aye commander. I’ll set up a perimeter around the medical teams position and as soon as the beam out starts, we’ll be ready to react.” He motioned to his unit and they quickly set up the perimeter. Within moments all of Collins’s unit took cover and readied their rifles.

Riandri moved position next to Collin’s so she could see the camp the soldiers had set up in more detail. After a glance she was surprised at the lack of soldiers present given the number who had previously shown up at the medical facility. 

“I see about twenty guarding the medical team. I assume there are more patrols out but the rest may be watching the evacuation,” she said to Collin’s before looking at her timer. “We have 30 seconds. As soon as the beam out starts, stun any soldiers you can then we move in to secure the rest of the medical team.”

Collins moved to the next security officer on his right, then on his left and filled them in on the plan, and to stand by. The officers then relayed the plan to the next officer next to them. Collins returned to Riandri, “Ready, commander.”

Riandri knelt before raising the rifle and checking the sights before she glanced at the tricorder she had open beside her, double-checking the time before looking back through the sights. As the last few seconds ticked by she quietly counted down, “5…4…3…2…1.” As the last second passed Riandri squeezed the trigger.

Shouts erupted from the camp as approximately a third of the medical team began to dematerialize. The soldiers spun and watched stupified for a moment as their prisoners vanished before them. Before they could react any further phaser fire lanced inwards from the perimeter of the camp striking multiple guards, and dropping them to the ground. 

Collins, along with the rest of his people, opened fire on the camp. He watched as all the guards dropped to the ground. When it looked like they were all disabled, he stood. “Cease fire!” he yelled. He looked at Riandri to see if she wanted him to take a couple of officers to search the buildings.

Riandri looked at the camp before them and then to Collins, “We need to secure the beam out site. We will need another minute or two to get everyone out. I will take half the officers to down there, you secure the surrounding buildings.”

She slipped around the abandoned vehicle she had been using for cover as she waved several other officers forward. Scanning their surrounding they quickly made their way to the prisoners.

Collins had his officers create a human shield around the commander, as he and the commander reached the first building.

Riandri knelt before the open-air cell that the medical team was being kept in. “Everyone ok? We’ll have you out in a few moments. Had some transporter issues.”

There was some mumbling from the medical team, most of whom showed various signs of abuse. One of the ensigns, closest to her, nodded. “We are most ok ma’am. Some of soldier’s took it upon themselves to rough us up for information but their leader stopped them.”

Riandri smiled sadly, “I am sorry to hear that…” She stopped as her combadge chimed, “Denver to Nalam, the first beam out was successful, we are working on the lock for the next group. We need 20 seconds.”

“Twenty seconds until the next beam out, the radiation is giving the transporters a hard time. We’ll have you out soon,” she said as she looked around. As she did a high-pitched whistle shot past her ear and a sharp clang sounded on the metal grate behind her. Quickly ducking down the sounds of phaser fire erupted from around her as two of the officers with her had found their mark.

“Hostile down Commander,” came the voice of one of the officers.

“Fryman, Meadows and Juno, do a sweep and look for any more hostiles. If possible, take a senior officer prisoner.” Collins called out.

Collins watched as the 3 soldiers, Fryman, Meadows and Juno, started their sweep. He decided he would provide backup for them to watch their backs. The first house they entered was empty, except for 3 dead bodies, which appeared to be the local inhabitants. As they left the house, they saw Collins. “I’m here as a backup. Continue with your assignment.” They approached the next, partially destroyed, house the tricorder detected faint life signs inside. Collins went to a window and peeked inside. He saw two bodies but could not find the weak life signs that the tricorder detected. Calling two of his men over they began to shift rubble from the partially collapsed wall, undoubtedly caused by the explosions that leveled much of the city and found a live infant. The team made entrance and searched the building. Collins went over to the infant, used his tricorder on it, which showed that the infant was alive but in need of medical attention from some minor injuries and slightly dehydrated. Collins pulled out a water packet and first moistened the infants’ lips, then he gave the infant small drinks of water. Collins picked up the infant, and the team left the building. There were two more buildings left to search, so Collins left the group to continue their search, while he returned to Riandri with the child.

Riandri watched as the final members of the medical team were beamed out and turned just as Collins approached, “Is that a, a bady?”

Collin nodded, “It needs medical attention, I found it buried under some rubble, its parents were killed in the blast I think. If it weren’t for the tricorder we would have missed it.”

Riandri shook her head in frustration and sadness, “Let’s get the kiddo up to the ship, I am not going to get a baby die.” Tapping her combadge she raised the Denver, “Denver, this is Nalam. The Medical team has been beamed out. Can you lock onto the security team? We also have an infant in need of medical attention.”

“Affirmative Commander, next beam out in 20 seconds. We can get all of you.”