The hazard team members had gotten their tactical gear on and made last-minute adjustments before stepping onto the shuttle. Savu was assisting Nilah Virahl with hers as she was not officially a part of the team but was a specialist that would be working with Savu to sabotage the control center. Handing her a rifle, “I hope you know how to use one of these?” Savu asked looking at the younger Trill woman.

Nilah took a deep breath, “I was trained on them but I have not shot anything outside of a holodeck if that is what you’re referring to.” She replied with a sheepish smile, “how hard can it be?” She asked with a slightly nervous chuckle. To say she wasn’t scared would be an understatement.

“Just stick by me and we will get through it together,” Savu said with a soft reassuring smile. To say she wasn’t scared herself would be a lie but she wouldn’t let her or the others see that, she had to remain vital for the team. She trained for years to be able to be part of the hazard team.

Nilah nodded as they finished putting on their gear, taking a deep breath they all boarded the shuttle where a young flight control officer was sitting. The ensign would be the one to remain on the shuttle when they arrived at the control center, so they could make a quick getaway once their job was finished. “Sir, the shuttle has been prepped and is ready to go when we are given the okay.” The ensign replied looking over her shoulder at Ch’vhirol.

“Thank you,” Ashev replied as everyone had taken their positions. They would be ready the instant they docked, “once we are within range we will begin to scan the control center and see how many enemies are on board and where they are centralized. We will need to take them out and secure the area before we can even attempt to sabotage the control center.” Ashev spoke with confidence even though deep down he felt anything but. He had trained for years to be where he is today, he needed to be there and be strong for his teammates.

“Yes sir,” they all said in unison.

“I know we only have done drills on the holodeck, real life can be tough on anyone but I have complete faith in this team to be able to get the job done. To bring everyone back in one piece, from there the Gagarin will begin phase three of this plan.” Ashev added as the others nodded, knowing what was at stake and what needed to be done. They were as ready as they will ever be.

Now all they could do now was wait for the Gagarin to get into position, for the fighters to draw the enemy away from the command and control center. Wait for the captain to give the word to launch, time seemed to go by slowly, and the anticipation grew on the hazard team that was about to face an enemy that no one there had faced before. No one was saying a word each lost in their thoughts as they waited, though they didn’t seem to have to wait for very long.

“Derohl to hazard team,” came the voice of the captain. “Launch the shuttle, the fighters will protect you until you are out of range while we are engaging the enemy ships,” Tajir said.

“Aye sir,” Ashev replied then looked at the young ensign in the pilot seat. “Take us out,” he ordered as the doors had already been opened and were replaced by a forcefield that they would be able to fly through to exit the Gagarin.

“Yes sir,” came the response from the ensign as she tapped a few controls and the shuttle began to lift up in the air. Then began to slowly make its way out of the shuttle bay located at the front of the ship. Just as promised the fighters were waiting for them, looking at the view screen they now saw the Saratoga and Gagarin engage with the enemy ships.

As the shuttle began to quickly make its way toward the command and control center, things have now become more real than they were before. Seeing the battle between the ships begin to take place brought reality to the forefront, officers started to get a clump in their throats as they traveled. As soon as they were farther away the fighters returned to where the Gagarin was to continue with the assault, they were on their own now.

Silence filled the shuttle everyone in their thoughts, until they were within scanning range. “Sir we are within scanning range of the control center,” Nolash Tal replied looking up from his controls.

Enja Arime began to scan the control center to see how many Jem’Hadar and Breen officers were on board and where they were located in comparison to where the docking hatch was. They would need to quickly gain access once they docked before they had a chance to lock them out. She knew they would probably have weapons so she also looked for a sweet spot for the shuttle to take just outside of their sensors.

“Sir, there are twenty Jem’Hadar soldiers and ten Breen officers across three decks to the control center. Which is straight up from the lower docking hatch,” Arime replied looking at Ashev. “I also found a way in they seem to have a dead zone here,” she said bringing up the data she collected. “If we go straight below this asteroid we will come up right on their docking hatch, it seems the asteroid is giving off some sort of magnetic interference that is messing with their sensors which they can’t penetrate. We will be invisible right up until we dock, so there won’t be any chance of them firing at us.” Enja replied looking at him.

“Great work Arime,” Ashev replied looking at the ensign at the helm, “take us in.”

“Aye sir,” the ensign replied after getting the course from Ensign Enja she began to pilot the shuttle below the asteroid and to their intended target. Everyone else was preparing to disembark as soon as they got latched with Savu next to the latter ready to act. 

The adrenaline started to kick in as the shuttle made it to the docking hatch and latched with the base. Savu acted quickly as a cat in the night and was able to successfully open the hatch before they had time to react. They all began to exit the shuttle and onto the control center with their rifles ready as they began to file in.

The security officers moved up front with Ashev closely behind as they began to secure that area before moving on to the next where they began to read multiple lifesigns. “Clear,” Enja replied as she took the lead with the security team. They began to move towards the door rifles ready, and as the doors opened they could see Jem’Hadar and Breen soldiers come down the hallway. The shooting had begun as the officers spread out quickly to cover more space.

One by one the enemy began to drop to the ground dead as they began to move and more would come. Both Savu and Nilah worked together as they stayed near each other to watch each other’s back. Savu didn’t see the Jem’Hadar soldier unshroud himself and was about to open fire when Nilah saw him in her peripheral vision quickly turning around and shooting him dead. Savu looked behind her for a moment seeing the soldier dead then looking over at Nilah. “See you’re a natural,” she said with a nervous chuckle. “Thanks,” she added as they continued.

They continued to move through each floor taking out the enemy and securing the area before moving on to their main target the control center. “I am reading two Breen officers and half a dozen Jem’Hadar soldiers in there, they must have figured out this was are targetted area and are not going to give up without a fight,” Ch’Tor said after reading his tricorder readings.

“Looks like they have locked it up tight,” Savu added as she moved over to the console by the door. “I believe I can get it open though it will take time so I suggest ya’ll get ready to begin shooting once these doors fly open.” She said.

“Do it,” Ashev said as he began to get everyone in place while protecting Nilah who had the most important job once they secured the control center. Everyone stood ready and waiting as Savu began to get the door unlocked.

Savu began to sware under her breath as she continued to work on getting the doors open until she heard a familiar sound. “Get ready!” She shouted as she pressed the button, the doors began to open and the shooting began to start again. A couple of the security officers got hit and went to the ground, Deeli went to check on the officer as Ch’Tor provided cover fire. She looked up and shook her head as they were gone before getting up to continue shooting at the enemy taking out a couple of soldiers.

As the enemy began falling they began to move into the control center taking out the remainder of the Breen soldiers that standing next to the controls. It looked like he was trying to call for help but his transmissions were being blocked. Enja and the other security officers secured the area and ran a scan of the control center. “There are no enemy lifesigns onboard this station,” Enja replied turning around to see that Ashev was injured.

He was shot in the leg by one of the Breen officers and was being attended to by Deeli. “I am alright,” he said reassuring his team. “Nilah and Savu get to work, we need to get these systems down now,” Ashev ordered.

The two women moved away to where the main console was located and began to work their magic. Savu looked at Nilah once she realized everything was in Breen, “can you make heads or tails of this?” She asked in a low voice so others wouldn’t hear as she didn’t understand what any of it was saying.

She nodded as she pulled out a device that would assist them, “I took an extra course at the academy specifically in different species technology. This here is like a decoder and will help me know what controls are what,” she said looking at the Rigelian woman next to her.

Blowing out a sigh of relief that Nilah was on the team and able to make heads or tails of this technology. They continued their work which would take time though they tried to work as fast as they were able to. “Sir we need to get you back to the shuttle where I can treat you better,” Deeli said with concern on her face.

“I will not leave my officers,” Ashev tried to protest.

“Sir I will take over, you can monitor from the shuttle,” Ch’Tor replied looking at him.

Working his jaw he sat there in silence for a moment before letting out a breath, “fine.” He responded, “the moment they are finished get back to the shuttle.” He replied looking at Ch’Tor.

“Understood sir,” came his reply.

“Ashev to shuttle lock onto myself, Lieutenant Brea, and the two deceased security guards and beam us back,”  Ashev ordered and a few moments later they were beamed off the station and back onto the shuttle.

“How’s it coming?” Ch’Tor asked looking at the two engineers.

“We are almost finished,” Nilah spoke up as she worked not even looking at the Klingon officer. They had a few setbacks but they were able to bypass those and get to the main controls that were controlling every single fleet yard and asteroid base. Once they gained access the rest was a piece of cake.

A few more minutes went by until they were done and everything went down, the shields and all the systems were now inoperable and an easy target for the Gagarin and the Knight during the next phase of this plan. “We’re done, everything has gone down,” Nilah said as they all began to exit the control center heading back toward where the shuttle was docked.

They all entered the shuttle and Ashev was relieved to see everyone. “So I take it was a success?” He asked looking at them.

“Indeed, now let’s get back to the Gagarin,” Savu replied as they all took their seats as the shuttle began to break away from the control center. Once it was free it began to move at its max impulse speed back to the ship. 

Everyone seemed to sulk back in their chairs, Nilah now in the realization that she had taken her first life and it now started to hit her. Though if she hadn’t taken that shot Savu would be dead right now, she would probably be dead right now and their mission would have been a failure.

Savu looked over at her placing a hand on her shoulder as if she knew what was going on in her mind. “It will be ok,” is all she could think of saying. Killing someone even if it was an enemy wasn’t something that anyone enjoyed doing. There were two officers that had lost their lives and Ashev was wounded, they worked together as a team and were successful in their mission. Silence filled the shuttle as they continued to travel towards the Gagarin, no one had anything to say at that time. They just began to process all that had transpired on this mission, all that will continue to transpire until they completed their mission as a whole.