‘Choking on the black gold
Upon which we rely
We keep axes in the attics
To see cameras in the sky

Help is on the way
They said, they said
Help is on the way
They said, they said

We were told just to sit tight
‘Cause somebody will soon arrive
Help is on the way
But it never came
It never came’ Rise Against (2011)

It had only taken a single day of ‘tactical ground exercises’ for the quiet and cozy modular base to go from looking like a sleepy, peaceful mining site to something more akin to a besieged artillery Firebase near Khe Sanh(1968), a surrounded Platoon House/Patrol Base in the N2KL region of Afghanistan(2009), or a planetside monitoring station along the Cardassian Border(2357).

Provost Superintendent Thompson and Trade Envoy Sajjan were standing in one of the corner rampart towers when a communications technician came hurrying over and reported that more opposing Klingon ground forces were en route, and the next wave of shuttles would be landing soon.

“Well, I guess it’s go time again.” Thompson shrugged at Sajjan. They had endured the first round’s crushing defeat in less than 30 minutes with good cheer. The second training serial had seen them adapt their defense plan slightly which had allowed them to last over an hour. This third run would see them reinforced with up to 90 Starfleet officers, mostly tactical and medical personnel, though there were also several supply officers and engineers among them. Instead of facing 120 Klingons like the first two serials, this time they would face a total of 360.

He then raised his voice and hollered, “Everyone stand to. We have hostiles inbound. Man your positions!”

Though they were all technically civilians, they had all volunteered to take part in the nine month long “Federation Security, Trade, and Diplomatic Mission to The Hodian Belt” and danger of the kind they were being exposed to during this training was a real possibility where they were going.

The high pitched squeals of the small squadron of runabouts filled the sky. Two Arrows and two New Atlantics came barreling into the atmosphere above the austere outpost.

“This is Range Control, training serial three commences now. The Range is hot.” Came the voice of head of the ground training over everyone’s comms.

As before, the 105 various civilians from the different Federation Agencies heard the roaring battle cry of dozens of warriors emerging from a craggy ravine about 300 metres north of the the base.

“There we go,” Thompson said as he tapped his comm badge, “Relief Force this is Outpost P388, there is an outcropping from the ridgeline about 250 metres east of the outpost. The Klingons will likely try to get their people up there to dowse the base with enfilade fire via the spur that extends down from it. Request you deploy some of your people to that location.”

Up on the USS Gladius, Commander Jake Fields was impressed with the quick call from the base right as the range went hot. This signalled to the old cowboy that he was dealing with someone with experience who had put some thought into winning.

“Divert the Hatchet to that outcropping after they drop the overwatch team at the mine site.” He said to his 2IC LCdr Benae who would remain in the Gladius and serve as a Tactical Coordinator for the potential hasty evacuation they might need to perform.

“Rog.” The red headed Benae said from co-pilots seat.

“Outpost P338, this is Commander Fields. We have reinforcements inbound, 45 seconds. Clear the landing pad and your equipment yard. Thanks for the heads up.” He saw bursts of low intensity green and red lasers begin to erupt from the klingons and the defenders manning the walls of the outpost as the warriors manuevered and began to close the distance.

“Hang in there, help is on the way.” He added before closing the channel, donning his integrated HUD helmet, seizing his type IV phaser rifle, and quickly moving over to the short ladder to the lower hold of the runabout where he and the rest of his stick would disgorge from immediately upon landing inside the base.

They had exactly twenty ‘shooters’ on each runabout, with a mix of tactical officers, medical officers and specialists from the various ships of the Lakota Squadron and the Trenton herself. Jake had dispersed his own SMU in penny pockets to each of the ad hoc units. The eight, 10-person teams all had pre-assigned missions, Four would be on the Gladius and a New Atlantic-clas and they would land inside the base perimeter to reinforce the defenders. Two teams were aboard the other New Atlantic that would land just outside the front gate and would proceed to set up defensive skirmishing positions.. The remaining two teams on the final runabout would be split, with half a team being landed at the mining sight with a Photon mortar and a few marksman, while the other team and a half had just been diverted to land at the outcropping.

“Landing in three, two… ramp down.” They all heard Benae’s voice in their helmet headsets. Though the members of Fields team had the high speed, top end combat kit with the latest multi-layer modular armour, every one else had armour aswell in the form of the standard tactical landing party kit.

“Move! Isomag teams to the towers, now.” Fields barked as he was the second man down the ramp behind his ‘point man’, who was actually from the Starfleet Corps of Engineers (SCE) and used to work as a surveyor in remote and hostile environments.

Within thirty seconds of landing the ground teams had started taking up their positions on the three walls. Fields’ own team was made up of;the SCE surveyor Chief Haltte, a medtech from his Special Mission unit and a mix of Cardenas and Orpheus tactical personnel.

“Let’s get to the outpost Headquarters.” He said after he and Haltte  had covered the high ground while the other team had deployed and the runabouts was set in standby mode. For the purposes of the exercise, both sides were notionally using transport jammers which necessitated the use of Auxiliary craft by both sides.

“This way sir.” Haltte said, having already got his bearings.

The group of ten started towards the only 2-story building in the outpost. They now comprised his only maneuver or reserve force that Jake had given that Chief Syyrna’s team was now touching down on the outcropping in the distance. In that moment Fields got a better understanding of the true size of the Arrow class runabouts and took a second to squint at the tiny figures that spewed forth from its ramp as it dropped down for a quick ‘touch and go’ landing.

Just then a tall human man hurried over, wearing what Jake quickly recognized as the duty uniform of a senior ranked member of the Federation Provosts Corps.

“Inspector Thompson I assume?” Fields shook hands with the man but kept walking with his team.

“Yes sir, welcome to Hydra Uridinae Commander.” Thompson replied.

“Haltte take these two and go and secure the CP. The rest of your go standby for a tasking over the by the front gate.” Fields waved and pointed as he barked the orders over the din of the mock battle raging around them.

He turned back to Thompson, ‘What’s your sitrep?”

“I got my Provosts spread between those two towers and the main gate, any other veterans or volunteers I have manning the wall ramparts as fillers. It looks like the red team has split, one element has taken up position behind an old mine tailings mound to the southwest, and another larger group is using the defile that leads over to to the ravine that leads to the outcropping on the west about a half a click from the front gate.” Thompson reported as he looked around and saw several people already sitting or laying down with blue lights on their training belts glowing. For the training each participant wore a high tech, lightweight belt, whenever any participating was hit their belt would light up and their training weapon deactivated. At that point each member of the exercise had been briefed to either sit or lay down and wait for that particular serial to finish.

“They’re setting up something behind that mound, Commander Fields, a bunch of dust, and they already got marksman taking potshots from there!” The leader of the Orpheus team shouted from the west wall right before a civilian miner standing next to him had his belt light up and his weapon deactivated. This prompted the Orpheus leader to make sure he was ducked below the top of the wall.

“I’ll get some rounds on that area right now Lt!” Fields put his hand up to stall Thompson who he could sense was wanting to add something.

Fields waited a few seconds for someone to finish speaking in his ear as he walked over to the west wall and hopped up next to the Orpheus’ Lt and took a quick peek over the wall. By chance he spotted a group of three or four Klingons emerge from around the left edge of the massive tailings pile.

Fields activated his own transmitter with a tap to his ear, “Hammer One, this is Merlin actual.”

“Go ahead Merlin actual.”

“You see that tailings mound to the west…” Fields was interupted as he was about to ask for them to focus a marksman on it and have them start splashing the area with simulated mortars.

“On it Merlin actual, our shooters are hitting targets of opportunity as we speak.” Buuva replied.

“Nice work, get some mortars on there too, if you can.”

“Copy all, firing raging rounds momentarily.” Buuva’s team got to work provide what surpressing fire they could from their elevated position at the mine site.

Pleased, Jake nodded, “Make ’em count, Merlin actual out,” he said before closing the channel.

A commotion over by the main gate drew their attention. Fields could see the six members of his team that he had just sent over that way,hopping up the duranium steps leading up to the ramparts, and beginning to engage what he assumed was a Klingon push.

“That’s what I was worried about. They like to perform a series of flanking attacks and then hit us with their Jem’Hadar as the ‘piece de resistance’, that’s what they’ve done on both the prior training evolutions.” Thompson then hollered for someone named Koit to reinforce the north wall.

“Jem’Hadar?” Fields asked is his country drawl.

“Yeah, surprised the shit out of the people defending the west wall during the first run. About a platoon worth, they wear Klingon battle dress but they can still shroud.” The head of the Provosts snickered, as he looked around and noticed most of the wall defenders crouching behind the wall aside from a few of his provosts who were sneaking peeks and pot shots at random intervals. At least they were taking proper cover this time, he thought.

Fields tapped his ear piece, “Be aware there is a Platoon of Jem’Hadar with the red team, they can shroud. Keep your heads on a swivel.”

“Here they come!” One of the Inspectors’ provosts yelled from the east wall.

“They’re making a move for the outcropping.” A Lt from the Cardenas manning the east wall near the gate, said in Fields earpiece.

Just then shouts and curses drew Jakes glare to the north wall and he saw several Jem’Hadar leap over the rampart and begin firing indiscriminately at anything that moved. Fields raised his rifle and fired at one whose belt lit up and after realizing his training rifle was no longer firing, the former Dominion warrior grudgingly sat down on the rampart next to a Grazerite Provost he had just ‘killed’.

“Runabouts prep for evac. Haltte, start loading everyone from the CP onto the Gladius,” Fields said over the comms as he shot another Jem’Hadar who came over the north wall.

It was no use though. Within 12 minutes several dozen Klingon warriors celebrated triumphantly in middle of the small base and the Range Controller announced, “Stand down on the range, training serial is complete with a major tactical victory for the Red team. The next serial begins in ninety minutes.” Members of both teams got up with some milling about and others heading back to their respective teams starting points.

A large burly white haired Klingon wearing the insignia and sash of Colonel sauntered over after praising some of his warriors,  “Regardless of the brevity of the combat this round you’re people did well. The few dozen you see and a small team up on that outcropping are all the forces I have left fellow warriors.”

Fields and Thompson both shook the  hand Colonel Prax from the Vor’nak and congratulated him on the victory.

“You didn’t waste any time this round Colonel. Interesting strategy to have your forces split on two flanks, and then try to take the olace with a coup de main over the wall with your Jem’Hadar.” Thompson couldn’t help but admire the audacity of the plan. The purple scaled Aquan, Sajjan, walked over and joined the group after having died on the west wall in the late stages of the battle.

Fields stepped back for a moment and touched his ear, “everyone rally at the front of the Gladius in 5 minutes for a debrief.”

“The assault over the north wall was, what do you humans call it, a ‘boot hole’ play by the leader of my Vanguard Platoon.” Prax looked about and spotted the leader of his Jem’Hadar unit.

“Uh, a bootleg play, but yeah, it was definitely an effective one.” The Inspector said while one of his constables came and whispered in her ear.

“First Taranajan, come, join us for a moment.” Prax said.

As the tall muscular Jem’Hadar began to walk over a scuffle erupted between a young Provost and one of his warriors as they we both walking down the steps from the north rampart.

“Maybe if you fought fair we’d give you a better fight.” The Grazerite Provost yelled as he got into the face of the Jem’Hadar who had mocked him. A second latter the two were shoving. The miner threw a kick and the Jem’Hadar blocked it and knocked the man down with a well timed palm to the chest.

As the Grazerite winced on the ground the Jem’Hadar snickered and turned to walk on.

“Ninth Jummatabrun HALT.”

The smirk disappeared from the victors face, and he stopped and came to attention.

The situation was starting to gather a crowd now, with the other Jem’Hadar all approaching their comrade.

“Oh shit, everyone might be about witness some Corporal punishment.” Prax mentioned to Thompson and Fields almost sounding half amused.

“Everyone to the CP for debriefing! NOW!” Thompson shouted, having a feeling he knew what occur.

“Here, let me help you up Constable,” one of the younger Provost Deputies said and he helped the Grazerite to his feet, “So much for being allies eh!?”

The Jem’Hadar First heard what the Deputy said, but didn’t turn to face him. He was locked in on his wayward Ninth, this was the man’s second disciolinary infraction in the past 3 months. The man had already been tried and convicted in the Firsts head before he walked up beside him.

Taranajan spoke through gritted teeth. “Were my orders to not strike any member of blue team unclear Ninth?”

“No, First. I, I only defended myself as you stated was still permissible.”

It was a lie, a transparent one, the First had known the Ninth could have simply continued to block any strikes from the Grazerite indefinitely. But instead, Jummatabrun has disobeyed orders and struck the man in the chest to knock him off his feet and end the engagement more quickly, and worse, he had enjoyed doing so, as was clearly proven by the snicker before he had walked away.

“And in your last moment, you chose to add lying to a superior officer to your list of offenses… shameful.” the First held out his hand in front of the Ninth and waited.

Jummatabrun was shocked at First, then slowly collected his nerves and pulled his own blade from its sheath and placed it in the Firsts hand, “I admit my guilt First, obedience brings victory.”

He lifted his head, exposing his neck.

“And victory is life.” Chanted the other 14 Jem’Hadar who were standing in a rough circle around the First and Ninth.

“You were a brave and loyal warrior once Jummatabrun, perhaps we’ll meet in another life.” The First then thrust the blade into the mans throat severing the main artery there. The Ninth was likely dead before his body hit the ground.

“No!” Thompson screamed as he tried to rush in between a few of the Jem’Hadar who gently restrained the man. They made sure not to do anything the First would view as ‘striking him’ though.

A female Rigelian screamed in horror at what she just saw. Other Federation citizens looked away in disgust.

“Take the body back to the shuttle… release the human.” The First barked to his warriors.

“You didn’t need to kill him, my officer started the whole altercation.” The Inspector groaned.

“I appreciate your input Inspector, but I am responsible for the discipline of my unit. It is the order of things.” The First retrieved the blade from the Ninths throat, wiped it off and stuck it in an empty boot sheath.

Prax came up and placed a hand on Thompsons shoulder only to be shaken off a half second later.

“Constable Raon, Deputy Freizen, place Constable Podyo under arrest.” He walked over to the Grazerite as Taranajan and his people collected their comrades body and made for the main gate.

“You’re under arrest for Battery in the 2nd Degree and I’m firing you for cause. Don’t bother unpacking when we board the Trenton, Podyo, you won’t be serving on my Detachment.” Thompson drilled a hole through the Grazerite with his stare as he was hauled away.

EPILOGUE

The final training serial saw Fields and Thompson come up with a bold strategy that ended up paying off with a ,’Minor tactical victory’ for the blue team. By focusing all of their forces within the outpost on defending the walls they were able to eek out a win, though only 7 blue team members remainded standing with uniluminated training belts.

Unlike the issue that had occurred as the end of the hot landing drill, when the range control officer ended the ground exercise this time, everyone from both the red and blue teams rose to their feet and cheered and began congratulating eachother, revelling in their shared gratitude that the 2-day episode was finally over.

In the end, the group of 105 civilians was wittled down to 102 who took up quarters on the Trenton for their nearly 3 weel long journey to Eos Station, and the Hodian Belt beyond. Podyo would be charged and convicted, and two other civilians requested to be reassigned to different missions after what they had seen.

After completing the final training scenario and quick stop at Tranquility Station to refuel and reprovision, the Malem, Vor’nak and Trenton formed up, set course for the Gamma Doradus system, and warped off for the first time as Squadron.