The Jem’hadar had definitely been alerted to their presence. By the time Melody and her away team made it up to the lobby of the Federation HQ, they were greeted by an onslaught of disruptor fire. Kartyk lobbed a flashbang out into the lobby and everyone hunkered down. The popped was muffled by the ear pieces everyone had in, but it was enough to let them know to push forward.

“Generator should be in that far room, there!” French said, pointing as they darted through the lobby. 

The Jem’hadar were already recovering, but Frankie and Melody had already turned back and were providing cover fire, “Starn! Gates! Kartyk! Take cover over there and keep these bastards off of us!” Melody yelled, motioning for Frankie to fall back with French into the generator room. 

Two quick bursts of phaser fire from Frankie and the two Jem’hadar that were guarding the generator were down. Frankie stopped in the doorway and motioned French past her, “Get in there and get everything back up and running and under our control,” She told the other woman. 

“Yes, ma’am!” 

Melody fell back to take cover across from Frankie, “Schematics said that the controls for the planetary defense grid are up in the CIC,” She said over the sound of phaser and disruptor fire, jerking her thumb upward.  

“It’s going to be a hell of a trick getting up there at the rate we’re going,” Frankie replied, bluntly. 

“Yeah, I noticed,” Melody yelled back. 

Melody fired another volley, then looked around and tried to find any way to get around the Jem’hadar. After a moment, something caught her eye. “Hey, how crazy are you?” She asked.

“Depends on who you ask,” Frankie replied, still firing wildly at the encroaching Jem’hadar. “Madre says I’m a damn angel, but pretty much everyone else thinks I’m a bat out of hell.” 

Melody ducked behind cover again as a barrage of disruptor fire peppered the barricade they were hiding behind. As soon as the fire let up for a split second, she spun back around and fired back, taking down two of the braver troopers that had moved in closer. 

“Are you ‘grab a high tension wire and let it sling you up two floors and hope if goes well’ crazy?” Melody asked, taking some cleaner shots and forcing some of their assailants back, and nodding toward a massive Federation banner and that line that was securing it. 

Frankie ducked back into cover and looked over the whole contraption, following the line up and letting a grin creep across her face, “Oh, girl, I might be,” She said, laughing and then going back to firing. 

“Good. Grab the zip line clamps from your bag and get ready to move in as soon as French gives us the all clear,” Melody. 

Inside, French was inventing a few dozen new expletive combinations, “These stupid Jem’hadar bastards have gummed up all of the back end code in the bootup sequence. There’s random bullshit everywhere,” She spat. 

“How long, Frenchy,” Frankie called from the door. 

“I need a minute!” French replied, hotly. 

“You’ve got 30 seconds, chica!” Frankie bit back. “These fuckers are closing in!” 

“All due respect, boss, but I hate you right now!” French replied back. 

“Get in line!” Frankie called back. 

The firefight continued outside the door while French typed furiously away at the generator’s console, quietly cursing to herself. Suddenly, she whooped and the generator fired up, “We’re in business, boss!” French yelled from her post at the generator, already working on rerouting the power to the defense grid controls. 

“That’s what I’m talking about, chica! Good job!” Frankie replied, laughing happily. 

“Hold this position,” Melody called to her crew, motioning for Frankie to fall in with her as the other three security officers fell into position holding the generator room.

As soon as she was in good cover, she shouldered her phase rifle and snapped the zipline grip to the cord attached to the banner, “I’m hoping this is heavy enough for both of us,” She said, looking up at the banner. 

Frankie snapped her zip cord to the line next and gave Melody an odd look, “Now is when you think this?” She said, pulling out her phaser and shooting the line. 

The next moments were a blur. The banner fell and the two women found themselves in flight. Neither of them were absolutely sure that this was going to work until they found themselves dropped unceremoniously on the top floor of the compound. Both women scrambled to their feet as the Jem’hadar who’d been guarding the top floor turned quickly to try and end their existence before they could recover. 

Melody and Frankie barely made it into cover before the onslaught of disruptor blasts threatened to pulverize the wall they were hiding behind. 

“Well… What now?” Frankie asked, pulling out her phaser again. 

“Listen… I figured out how to get us up here. I never said I had a plan after that,” Melody replied. 

“That’s probably good,” Frankie replied, as the onslaught of fire continued, “Because I think we’re gonna need a miracle,” She said, pulling back further into cover.