The smoke-covered ruins of what once was Delos City burned as secondary fires caused by the antimatter explosions continued to cause chaos throughout the city. At its centre, a large crater stood where the downtown core had been. Rescue efforts by the local Luphirians were hampered as they tried to reach survivors buried in the collapsed buildings as most of the remaining structures were at risk of collapsing further.

Dr Silverpaw moved up to the next bed in her cobbled-together field hospital and let out a low grow as she looked over the next patient, a young unconscious male who was covered in burns. She picked up the small pad of paper that one of the nurses was using to record the patient’s information and sighed inwardly and thought to herself ‘That damn explosion, what caused the blasted burns!’ She started to do her standard checks when she her shouting from across the road and looked up at the partially collapsed remains of the Delos Central Hospital. As she did she could see several figures running out of it with their arms full of medical equipment and bandages before she heard a loud crash and a cloud of dust billowed out from the entranceway and several windows.

“Great, just what we need,” she muttered under her breath. She put down the pad of paper and looked towards one of the few remaining nurses, “Go get whatever supplies they pulled out of there. We mine as well put them to good use.”

Before the nurse could even take a step there was a cry from the other side of the tent as glowing blue lights appeared in thin air and seconds later several creatures stood there with multiple large boxes beside them.

Silverpaw, even in her exhausted state growled and bared her teeth at the unknown intruders but there was not much force behind it. Before she could do anything else a woman, she assumed, with long pale hair stepped forward and held up her empty hands in a gesture she thought was to indicate she wasn’t a threat.

“Hello, I am Lieutenant Commander Riandri Nalam, from the Federation of Plants. I know this will seem very strange and it isn’t how we do things normally but you and your people need help. We are here to provide whatever medical assistance we can.”

Silverpaw looked at this strange creature, Riandri, and could only nod in acknowledgement, unsure if she was accepting help or just nodding for the sake of it.

“Great, our medical team here will help as best they can but while they do is there someone, a local official I can speak to? I don’t want to cause any alarm we have been in contact with your Alpha Prime and he is aware we are here, I expect word will reach you soon but lives are on the line so we didn’t want to wait.”

“I, um, appreciate that. There are a couple of law enforcement officers here helping if that works?” Silverpaw said before looking at the nurse, “Go get them, say nothing!”

Riandri smiled, “Dr Haigh, if you will. There are patients that could use your help. Collins can you keep an eye on things until we are confident our appearance won’t cause too much trouble and then bring down the rest of your team?”

Lavender nodded and produced a medical tricorder from her belt. “If I may,” she said to Silverpaw, although it wasn’t really a question. A quick visual triage suggested the young male the native had been close-to when they beamed in was the worst affected. The tricorder showed a mix of first, second and third degree plasma burns and some native pain relief in the patient’s system. The tricorder returned to its pocket Lavender opened her bag and acquired a debridement tool and a dermal regenerator. She thought against administering any further pain relief until she could analyse the drugs already in their system and went to work cleaning the wounds. 

“Aye.” He nodded, pulled out his tricorder and started scanning. His rifle, lowered, was there if he needed it. His tricorder showed no evidence of hostile forces nearby, but in situations like this, panicked people might resort to violence where unknown people are around. =/\= Collins to Denver. Commence transport. =/\= When the tact team appeared, he had them setup around the perimeter of the makeshift encampment.

Collins returned to Riandi’s location. “The tactical team has been deployed, sir.”

Riandri nodded, “Great, the local officials know we are here to help but it will take time to trickle down to everyone. If there is any trouble we will pull back and beam out rather than engage. We are here to help after all.”

She turned to Lavender and Silverpaw, who was watching in fascination as the doctor worked, but before she could speak a large Luphirian wearing a dirt and dust-stained uniform entered accompanied by the nurse. Shadowpaw turned and quickly moved over to the officer who looked shocked to see the Federation officers.

“Greymane, I wanted to introduce you to our new friends. They are here to help treat the wounded,” Shadowpaw said quickly as she saw that he was viewing them as a treat.

He eyed each of the officers for a second before speaking, “I was just told a moment before your nurse found me that we had some visitors who would be helping and to provide what support I could. I didn’t expect them to be…alien.” 

“I understand your apprehension, I am Commander Nalam of the Federation. Our Captain is speaking with your Alpha Prime and he gave us permission to provide support. I know this is an unusual situation but any support you can provide would be helpful. Our Security Officer, Lieutenant Collins, is tasked with ensuring the safety of our medical team. If you can work with him we can bring them down and start treating you wounded.”

Greyman nodded hesitantly, “Very well. Though I have many questions.” After a moment he looked at Collins, “If you follow me I can show you around the hospital and introduce you to my team.” He glanced at the several armed tactical officers he had noted, “You can bring them if you want but my people here are more interested in finding the wounded and getting them here than fighting.”

Collins looked at Nalam to see if she thought it was a wise suggestion.

Riandri nodded to Callum, “Get a lay of the land Lieutenant, though leave a couple of the tactical team with the doctor. We will start bringing down the medical team shortly and having two extra pairs of hands will help.”

“Aye commander.” Collins pointed to 4 security officers. “You 4 will go with me, while the remainder remain here to protect the hospital. Keep your weapons low, so as to not disturb the population. Understood?” The 4 nodded. Collins looked at Greyman. “Whenever you are ready, sir.”

High above…

Sh’iv stared out her cockpit windscreen.  The devastation radiated outward from a central point.  Where a lab and city must have been was nothing more than a crater and radiation spikes.  “There must be millions dead. Here one minute and gone the next,” she said over the intercom to no one in particular. 

Ming was seeing the same thing his XO was.  He pushed the rising fury off to the back of his mind with practiced ease as he did so.  He said quietly, “Undoubtedly…Such a needless waste of life.  Such is war on the scale this has become though.  Doesn’t make it right nor does it make it easier.  The devastation is stunning in all the worst ways.” 

Knight 5’s basso voice followed Ming’s, “I still canna phantom scenes like this.  It can make the soul sick it can.” 

Marcus made agreeing sounds to his old friends words.  Knight’s 3 and 4 were in high orbit in an observation pattern ready to dive at the first sign of trouble in addition to watching for sneak attacks from on high.  He opted for that since Sh’iv, Ming and Abara had the most complimentary flying styles while 3 and 4 were the better match of skills.  

“You’re right about that old friend.  Luckily the Denver’s got a skilled crew helping out on the ground.  I’ve hopes that they can help the residents of this city start the road to recovery.  Such a path is never easy but…” Ming started before he was interrupted by a beep from one of his sensors.  

Knight actual looked at the readings for a moment before adding, “Knight Actual to Knight 2 and 5 … I’m reading a radiation spike but can’t get clear details on it.  Are you both able to read it any better than I can from my angle?” 

“Too much interference,” Sh’iv replied as she worked her sensors.  Suddenly alarms blared.  “The radiation is masking weapons fire! I’ve been locked on to!” She slammed the throttle open and rolled hard right into a steep dive. A heartbeat later something slammed into her fighter and the console display lit up with damage warnings.

A particle beam burned through the air and slammed into Sh’iv’s fighter shearing a large portion of the port wing clean off causing the ship to begin to spin out of control and it rapidly lost altitude.

Fire alarms filled the cockpit.  The ship shuddered again as the it started to break apart in mid-air. “Mayday, mayday, mayday,” the Andorian shouted into the comms,  but the transmission was never sent, the radio antennas damaged in the attack.

With practiced skill she dumped the last of her power reserves into the RCS packs.  She had to stabilize the ship before ejecting.  Firing the thrusters it snapped out of the spin in a nose down attitude.  A quick check of the indicated air speed and she swore. 800 knots. That was well over the safe ejection speed, but she was out of options. 

“Ming, I hope you have Denver ready to beam me up.” She slammed the visor of her helmet home, and pressed the environmental controls on the sleeve of her flight suit and a second later she was rocketing away from her stricken ship.

Ming swore and radioed, “Denver! Knight two extra vehicular!  Lock on and energize.  Again, lock onto Knight Two and energize!”He then commed, “Knight’s Three and Four, get down here!  Keep alert for masked targeting emissions!  Same goes for us Knight 5!”  

“Too much interference to get a transporter lock Lieutenant,” The transporter operator responded. 

Sh’iv woke up outside the fighter. There was a sense of falling, but it was a controlled fall.  Glancing up she could see the same silvery parachutes used by orbital skydivers. Another particle beam seared across the sky.  It appeared to be from a ground based battery.  That looked like a Cardassian phaser.,” she thought to herself.

Keying the shorter range comm system on her suit she shouted in desperation knowing all too well that the warning would come too late, “Incoming low!”

Ming growled at the response not hearing Sh’iv’s radio call.    He said, “Knights 3 and 4…This is Knight Actual — Drop to 10,000 feet AGL and continue the combat air patrol for us.  Watch out for ground fire.  We have hostles down there.

”Knight 3’s voice came over the radion, “Ya got it boss!  Comin’ down to 10,000 feet AGL pronto.”

Marcus replied, “Knight Actual acknowledges.  Knight 5….Remember the Planetia Roll Drop maneuvers?”

Knight 5’s basso lilt came back, “Ya’ canno’ be serious Knight Actual.”

The Knight CO replied, “Damn right I am.  Kill anything that looks like AAA.  On three…..Mark….Mark……MARK!”

Knight Actual and Knight 5 simultaneously rolled away from each other and dropped below the shroud.  They were maybe 25 yards off the ground when Ming saw a Cardassian ground-to-air weapon.   Abara saw another in his sights.  Within a second of each other, both men radioed, “Rifle!”

Micro torpedoes leaped from each fighter and, within seconds, blew the Cardassian artillery away in a pair of matter/antimatter-generated fireballs.  Without another feasible target, visible in close proximity Ming radioed, “Knight 5….Keep your eyes peeled.  Mark 1 sensors as well as your fighter’s.  I’m going to do a flyover of where Knight 2 aught to be.” 

Sh’iv hit the ground hard, the impact sending pain up her legs and spine.  She rolled to the ground and in a single smooth motion severed the lines to the orbital parachute and pulled off the EV helmet sucking in the fresh air of the planet.  “Well, that just happened.”

She was in the middle of nowhere.  Tall evergreen trees lined the southern facing slope that angled sharply down to mee the opposing ridge that rose up again.  “Couldn’t have crashed next to a transport could you?” 

Sighing she stipped out of her flightsuit and pulled out her survival pack and inspected the contents. Satisfied nothing was damaged she made sure the homing beacon was active and sat down in the rocky soil and began to much on a bar of Starfleet rations to wait for rescue. 

Collins heard the explosions and saw the fighter exploded. He tapped his commbadge. =/\= Collins to Denver. I just saw a fighter destroyed. Any intel on the pilot? =/\=

“We lost the Knight XO. We’re still waiting on a report from Lieutenant Ming,” the replacement operations officer on the Denver responded.

Moments after the first emplacements were destroyed and about the time Collins reached out to Denver, Knights Actual and Five took another in addition to taking out some bogies on the ground with extreme prejudice. Marcus checked his board and confirmed the alert was a friendly beacon.  At which point, “Knight actual to Knight five:  Looks like Knight two fired up her beacon.  New course is 142 degrees relative.  Turn on a count of 4, copy?” 

Abara radioed, “Knight 5 to Actual:  Copy bossman.” 

Knight 1 radioed, “Mark, mark, mark, MARK!”

The two fighters altered course.  Once settled onto course Marcus radioed, “Knight Actual to Knight 5…ETA two minutes and 35 seconds.  Concur?

Abeo came back, “Knight 5 concurs Knight Actual.” 

Ming then did two things.  First, he went to the frequency for the ground forces and said, “This is Knight Actual to friendly ground forces.  Knight two is down. I and Knight five will be over her location.  Expecting easy extraction. If it turns into a furry hairball we might need a hand.  Anyone read?”

‘Confirmed.  Much appreciated and we’ll be in touch either way.  Standby…Knight actual out until we’ve got something to report,” Ming said not hiding a sense of relief. 

From there he shifted to the flight frequency and aimed the signal so that Abeo and Sh’iv should be able to receive, “Knight Actual to Knight Two….do you read?  Knight 5 and I should be there in a bit over 90 seconds.  Please acknowledge.”

“Good to hear your voice sir,” Sh’iv responded. “What’s going on?”

“Knight 5 will be providing cover for us with EXTREME prejudice while I dust down and pick you up assuming you’re done with your R&R, XO.” Ming replied interjecting a humorous / playful tone toward the end. 

“I’m in no rush to get my wings clipped,” ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sh’iv replied. 

Ming couldn’t surpress the smile at Sh’iv’s response.  He replied, “On site n 45 seconds….Will survey the sitution and dust down.  Standby Knight 2….Knight 5, eyes open.”Kight 5’s basso came back, “Confirmed Knight Actual.  Eyes peeled.”

Marcus landed close as possible next to his grounded XO and opened the hatch just long enough for her to climb up and take the secondary seat in the craft.  He said, “Glad to have you back Sh’iv,” as he closed the hatch and launched back in.

He dialed into squadron and ground force frequancies and advised, “Knight Actual with Knight Two launching. Knights…Let’s finish our work so we can head home.”