Colony 159 – Solar Power Plant 1845 Hours

Neva’s hand circled the back of her neck in a vain effort to wash away sweat. Dark eyes scanned the treelines and horizon carefully. That watchful gaze widened and whipped away as she sprinted to action. A break in that line coalesced into a group of Romulans headed swiftly toward the power plant.

Neva grabbed and pulled at uniforms and arms upon entering the building. She slapped her comm badge and screamed for Emergency Beam-out. “Don’t worry about tools! Just GET OUT!” She yelled, voice edged in panic.

Just as the last of her crew disappeared, the plant door clanged. Neva’s head swivelled, eyes becoming saucers. ~^~Cordon to Mercy!~^~ She hissed while secreting herself under a table. ~^~Romulans are coming! I’m stuck!~^~ 

A moment later a voice responded, ~^~Mercy, to Cordon. We cannot get a fix on you for a beam out. Are you able to change locations?~^~

Neva groaned silently but answered in a choked whisper. ~^~Negative. They’re almost on my position.~^~

Her combadge chimed again as it activated, ~^~Emergency response team is on route.~^~

Colony 159 – Primary Landing Zone

O’Shea reviewed the security arrangements with Chief Petty Officer Suven Pach that Ensign Pottinger and Crewman Sesuk had put in place around the main landing pads for the shuttles when his combadge chimed. He tapped the device and a somewhat worried voice spoke quickly over it. ~^~Mercy to O’Shea~^~

~^~O’Shea here~^~

~^~Leiuteant Cordon has encountered Romulan forces at her location and needs assistance. We cannot get a lock on her or the security team. The rest of the team was pulled out~^~

O’Shea looked over at the three security officers with him and the relatively steady stream of shuttles coming and going from the landing pad. There were a large number of star fleet officers all armed in the vicinity so he didn’t feel overly worried about pulling his small security team away. ~^~Give me 30 seconds then beam Pach, Sesuk, Pottinger and myself to a safe location near Cordon.~^~

O’Shea looked over at the security team and waved them over, “Grab your gear, beam out in 30.” He then turned to the officer in charge of the landing site. “I will get additional security officers to you soon but keep this running as usually there shouldn’t be any trouble.” As he finished speaking his combadge chimed, ~^~Transporting in 5~^~

Colony 159 – Solar Power Plant

O’Shea glanced around quickly as the four security officers materialized a hundred meters from the power plant in a small grove of trees. Confirming that they were in the clear they crept to the end of the trees and looked out at the solar power plant. 

Pach scoffed at what they saw before he spoke, “Looks like 6 Romulans smashing up the solar panels,  and another two trying to gain entrance into the main structure.”

O’Shea nodded, “Any sign of Lori or Kerian? Mercy confirmed they got the engineering team out but Cordon, Lori and Kerian are still on the ground.” The three crewmen shook their heads, “Damn, guess we will need to risk coms.”

O’Shea tapped his combadge, ~^~Lance, Norean, Cordon; do you copy? What is your location?~^~

A second later there was a response and Lori Lance’s voice came over the coms. ~^~Sir, Norean and I are behind some of the spare solar panels, won’t be long until they get close to us. They think we beamed out with the others. Stunned two as they made for the plan, though.~^~

O’Shea smirked, ~^~Glad you are both ok, do you have eyes on Cordon?~^~ 

~^~No sir, I think she went into the plant,~^~ came Lori’s response.

“Shit,” O’Shea muttered under his breath. ~^~Ok, try to find another way in and find her. Move now if you can, we will provide a distraction shortly.~^~ Lori quickly confirmed and the coms went dead.

O’Shea turned to Pottinger and Sesuk after another quick glance at the facility. “I want you two to wait two minutes and then get their attention. Target those on the door then the field. Pach and I will move to the North and try to get around them. If those on the door get through, drop them even if it is before 2 minutes.” He began to slide back then paused as he looked at the officer and crewman, he could see the worry on both their faces. “Remember your training, fire and move, stay low and use the cover. This is what you have trained for.” They both nodded, “Good. Start the count now.”

Ninety seconds later O’Shea and Pach found themselves approaching the primary solar panel field under the cover of some low brush when Pottinger and Sesuk opened fire. Multiple blasts of orange energy shot forth just as the Romulans at the door to the facility were able to pry it open. The first Romulan dove through the door but his comrade dropped as he was stunned.

“Bloody hell,” O’Shea cursed, as he tapped his combadge. ~^~Cordon, Romulans have entered the facility. Hold tight.~^~ As he did the remaining Romulans in the field began to return fire at the small grove of trees and the phaser fire went silent. Looking at Pach O’Shea grimaced, he could only hope the other two were ok as both he and the Klingon raised their phase compression rifles and took aim.

Neva saw legs creeping closer to her hiding spot. She’d tried to give every being she encountered in her life the benefit of non-judgement. Right now, however, she prayed for the beings’ swift demise. When her comm badge came to life, she cursed inwardly and grabbed at her chest and the offending sounds. ‘Shut UP!’ she silently implored. ‘Don’t give me away!’ She sucked in and held her breath, praying to something for aid.

A pair of grey pants and black boots stopped just in front of the table where she hid. Neva bit her lower lip to keep from making any noise and her body tightened in frozen fear… ‘Dontlookdontlookdontlook’

The boots stood still for a moment then turned slightly as the Romulan looked around. “Where are you yikh? Your Federation won’t be able to save you now and your friends outside will soon be dead. Give up now and maybe I will go easy on you,” the Romulan said as he took a step away from the table.  “Hiding like a coward, typical of the Federation. At Least a Klingon will stand and face me.”

Neva gritted her teeth at the Romulan’s taunt. ‘Yeah, and you’d shoot them before they moved a centimeter like the coward you call me!’ Everything in her wanted to beat the daylights out of him, but stayed put. From what she’d heard from her crewmates outside, the cavalry was coming. Though a diversion could keep him off-guard…

Neva closed her eyes and let out the breath she’d held. ‘You want to see me, petaQ?’ She thought, using a Klingon word herself. ‘Be careful what you wish for…’  With a smirk, she sought the alien’s mind with her own. 

~~She stood up from under the table and faced the humanoid, fists on hips. “Hello, Romulan scum. Looking for me?”~~

The Romulan blinked and smirked triumphantly. “Ah, so you’re not so stupid, Federation!” He levelled his disruptor at her.

~~ “No, I’ve never been called stupid, actually. Annoying, yes, but not stupid.” She dropped her fists to her sides and unclenched them, walking slowly but assuredly around to the side of the table. As she stopped at the corner closest to the Romulan, she pulled out her own phaser and levelled it at him. “I think we’re having what’s called a ‘Mexican Standoff.’ Do you shoot first, or do I?”~~

The Romulan laughed. “Really? These Mexicans-” he spat out the word. “Do they have a word for dead?” At the last word, he fired on her…and it went right through….

The Romulan pulled the disruptor back level to his eyes, looking at it momentarily before extending it once more. There was NO ONE there…

As he gaped like a fish, an arm snaked around his neck and pulled him back and off balance. “By the way, Romulan, the Mexicans DO have a word for ‘dead’…MUERTE!” With that, she shot him in the side with her phaser. She uncoiled her arm from his neck and shoved him to the floor.

Backing away, she wiped her mouth, hand still holding the phaser. ~^~Cordon to O’Shea. He’s stunned out. I’m ok.~^~ She looked down at her attacker, a smirk still on her face. “Remember, Romulan, this Engineer doesn’t run. You tell that to your superiors!” Something about how he lay there caught her up short. She bent down slowly, reaching out to touch the pulse point on his neck…

Neva started shaking then, eyes widening suddenly as the phaser tumbled out of her hand to clank on the floor. Her legs couldn’t hold her somehow, as she slid down into a sitting heap before the…body…

 ~^~He’s…dead…I…it was set…set to stun…I KILLED him…~^~

O’Shea quickly responded, ~^~ Hold tight, you did what you had to~^~

As her coms cut out Lori and Kerian stopped at the doorway to teh room. “Lieutenant Cordon, it’s Crewmen Lance. We are coming in.”

Neva was almost fixated on the Romulan laying on the floor. Tears were streaming down her face. “I only meant to STUN you…” she murmured. 

A moment later both Lori and Kerian stepped into the room their rifles at the ready as they quickly scanned the room. Lori moved up to Cordon and knelt beside her, placing her hand on the Lieutenant’s shoulder. She glanced at Keiran as the Bajoran checked the downed Romulan for signs of life. Keiran shook her head when her eyes met Lori’s.

“Come on Lieutenant. Let’s get you out here, the building is blocking the transporters, likely something to do with the energy capacitors in here but what do I know?” Lori said with a little laugh as she started to stand and offered Cordon her hand.

Neva turned her head when the security officer touched her. She saw Lori, but not. “Yes, gotta get up.” She took the offered hand and slowly stood. As she was led away, she looked at Lori and said “The tools. I made them leave without them…we gotta get them.” Neva went to do this, but she was stopped by a hand again on her shoulder. “No, Cordon. Leave ‘em. They’re not important.” She put an arm around the Chief Engineer and guided her out and into the twilight. Neva looked around and then up to the darkening sky. “I’m ready to go back. I want to be with my Iron Lady.”

O’Shea and Pach both felt a sense of relief as a moment later phaser fire erupted from new locations in the grove. Without pause, they each selected new targets and look aim. The Romulans had been careless and were not in a good defensive position, especially when they were taking fire from two sides. After the short exchange, four were already down and the remaining two quickly threw down their disruptors and raised their hands. “We surrender federation.”

As they did Lori’s voice came over the coms, ~^~Lance to O’Shea, we have Cordon, she is ok.~^~ 

~^~Good, looks like we have some prisoners to question as well.~^~ O’Shea remarked.