The bridge was in a state of unbelieve, they expected the trap to go off, they expected the Vaadwaur to go down on their threats. They didn’t expect this ultimatum to be so harsh, so cruel and wicked. Ko looked at Silina who stood there, “I will get the away team back, Captain. This might be a stab from the back, but we can work with it” She didn’t know what was going on in Silina head, but she had to offer something.

But Silina was not looking at the screen, it was more that her mind was trying to lay down a puzzle of options and possibilities. Then she shook her head and looked at her first officer, “No, I will lead the away team. Miki, Suto and Viamame will go with me. Lieutenant” She looked at Miki “Get an additional two security officers, prepare for hostility, but don’t make it obvious. I don’t want the Vaadwaur to get a reason to shoot hostages”.

Ko sits up from her chair and looked at Silina “Wait, you know that is breaking away team protocol, the Captain should remain on the ship as the First Officer leads the away team” A protest that was validated by the core rules of Starfleet.

Looking back at Ko, Silina gave her a soft smile, “While that is true, this is not a normal situation. We are dealing with a hostage situation, medical injured and sick, plus a Vaadwaur that rather wants to see this world burn then get his right. I studied psychology and faced people like him, it’s not that I don’t trust you” She placed a hand on Ko shoulder “But you are better at ship’s operations than I am. Okay?”

Not agreeing with it one bit, she does understand the reason behind it. “Understood, I will keep the ship at the ready”

With that Silina nodded and walked to the turbolift “Miki, Suto with me” and with that the away team gets assembled at the lift “Shuttlebay”. With a huff, the door slid to a close as the bridge crew is left behind with the Vaadwaur armada right out the window.

Shuttlebay

The away team had assembled at the Danube-Class runabout with the name written on it, USS Drava. Silina puts on her gear, she had ordered the away team not to suit-up too heavy as it might provoke the Vaadwaur for any potential aggression. “Let’s get going, Miki you got the helm” She saw Miki nod as she stops Viamame “I know that our previous mission was not the greatest place to be, keep in mind that this place will be worse” It was her own experience that she wanted everyone to be prepared for what might come.

Viamame grip on the medical kit gets tighter, yet her facial expression stayed the same. She nods to Silina “Let’s hope it is not at bad” With that Viamame enters the Drava and sat down at an open spot.

Followed by Silina, who enters as last and closed the door “Door sealed, take-off Lieutenant” She orders, making her way to the front of the Drava. The runabout started its launch and moved out of the safe haven bay of the Gemini into the cold void of space, where many Vaadwaur ships were lurking at them as a potential prey. In a slow and careful approach to the planet, they made their descend through the murky, ionized atmosphere and towards the surface.

After a trip of less than five minutes, the Drava lands at a designated area that is secured by Vaadwaur soldiers. Silina took a deep breath and opens the door first, walking onto the dusty surface near the mining site. Silina looked around trying to take in of what she was facing, and the situation was quite grim. The civilians were visibly sick, skinny, and wounded. As she came to a halt before a Vaadwaur woman standing with her hands behind her back looking at them.

“Captain Ruslanovna, Commander Vekiron extends its upmost gratitude for your cooperation in this issue. We would escort you to the triage zone. Do follow” It was this cold, polite attitude that gave the away team the chills as the woman started to walk.

Field Triage Zone

Miki walked into the area that was designated as the triage zone, a horrific scene was before them as they saw the conditions of these people. He kept his posture straight, even thought the smell was getting to him, he didn’t make any moves as the guards were eyeing them.

“I am surprised that we keep our weapons” An Ensign whispers as he walked next to the Lieutenant.

“I am not” Miki replied to him, “This is their way of showing their strength. If we go into a brawl with these guys, they know we will lose”  He comes to a stop as he saw Viamame begin treating a child and turns to his team “Secure the area, at best we can do”.

“You” A Vaadwaur yelled in the direction of Viamame “Threat these soldiers now” It was not a request, a favor, no it was an order.

Visibly, Viamame shrugs, hearing that blunt and direct order being thrown at her direction. She tense up, but manage to keep her demeanor and stood up, patting the child on her head as she moved to the soldier. Viamame gets out the medical tricorder, but immediacy freezes as weapons are pulled on her.

“Put your weapons down” A cold voice came from Silina who was treating another patient “If you want our help, you let her do the job that you ask of us”

The soldier narrowed his eyes, “This device is not required for medical process”

“If you want this person to die, sure, let’s go with your theory” Viamame bites back looking at him, “I need to understand what I am dealing with. Keep in mind that a few weeks ago, you were to be history. I have no idea of your biology”.

The woman Vaadwaur intervene with a creepy smile, “Let her do the scans, Commander Vekiron will not be pleased with upholding of the medical treatment. We have an invasion to complete after all”.

The soldier lowers the weapon as Viamame continues her work by scanning the soldier’s condition.

Bridge – USS Gemini

The away team had reached the surface safely, yet the Gemini was there in space as if chains were put on her to stay put. Ko looked at Drata “Update of our team on the surface yet?”

“We have, they have landed safely and Lieutenant Miki states that the situation is safe for now. The first glances are quite heavy, many sick civilians and people that need medical care. But of course the Vaadwaur are pressing their people to the front first” Drata looked with disgust at the report.

“Of course they are” Ko rubs her template

Keeyiro looks at her console “Message of Commander Vekiron, the weight of command will eventually crush the bold” She shrugs “The man is really testing our sanity with these provocations” Keeyiro saw Ko shrug and trying to ignore these taunts.

“This is interesting” Drata then spoke up looking at scans “I manage to sneak a scan in to the planet, I detect faint life signs in a shielded area underground” He taps on the console “With your permission I can use a sensor pulse to get a more fine-tuned map of what is going on down there”

Ko looked at Drata, “That might be the prisoners, get that map, Lieutenant. Can you do it without alerting the Vaadwaur?”

Tapping on the console, Keeyiro pitch in, “It can be done if we use the ship’s deflectors”

“Do it”

Away Team – Surface

Walking around the away team where Silina, Viamame and two nurses were busy, Miki comes to a halt “Gemini might have found the prisoners” He whispers scanning the area “We need to provide basic support, not go into the deeper support to buy time”

Silina patch up an unconscious woman “Ethically that is unheard off, but…” Silina looked at Viamame who was struggling with the biological structure of the Vaadwaur “Not impossible. If we can focus on the civilians for now, it would also buy time for these people. Additionally, stopping the Vaadwaur war machine from growing back to full strength”

A nurse rushes to Silina “Captain, they are going to execute someone” with that said, Silina stood up and looked at the direction of a make-shift gallows “We need to do something” She whispers in panic.

They were here to provide medical aid, but for what if they were just killing civilians for their own pleasure or, as they call it, keeping order in the chaos. Silina nods to the nurse, “Get back to work, ignore what you hear for now” She said it with upmost concern for the nurse safety. Seeing the startled nurse walk back to a patient, she looked at Miki “We need to distract the Vaadwaur with some kind of medical emergency, so that the hostages get beamed-out by Gemini”.

Miki nods and walks to Viamame to inform the plan, Silina kept her eyes locked on the gallows. Were these Vaadwaur so sick to do this in front of these people? This was barbaric behavior for sure, but there was only so much she could do, this distraction, everything must go perfect or someone will die.