Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire
Posted on Mon Mar 6th, 2023 @ 7:20am by Commander Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke & Lieutenant Commander Tristana & Commander Ichika Misono & Lieutenant Commander Brandon Pratt & Lieutenant JG Jane Sinclair & Lieutenant Alisha Reno & Master Chief Petty Officer William Pitsenbarger & Commander Rize Tedeza & Lieutenant JG Mia ‘Banshee’ Amaro & Chief Petty Officer Kozakura Kikuchi & Petty Officer 3rd Class Shingen Miyazawa & Petty Officer 3rd Class Kiyohira Kabuto & Petty Officer 2nd Class Mai Ichihara
2,303 words; about a 12 minute read
Mission:
Insurrection
Location: Starfleet Headquarters, San Francisco, Earth
Transporter operators aboard the various starships responding to the attack had received coordinates for secure locations to beam personnel to. And so, in a secure location in the Starfleet Security complex not far from Starfleet Security's armory, the USS Myogi's security compliment, augmented by volunteers from across the ship, materialized.
Lieutenant Commander Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke, heading back to the security rotunda to wash out her eyes, noticed everyone from Myogi beaming in, and since nobody else seemed to be around to guide them, Minna decided to take the initiative.
"Everyone who's wearing riot armor, follow me back to the rotunda for briefing!" Minna called out. "Otherwise, the armory's that way, go suit up! Somebody should be there to guide you."
"You heard her, everyone!" Ichika ordered. "We meet back up in the rotunda in 15 minutes, no excuses! Time is of the essence here, so let's get a move on!"
Brandon had an inkling that since they were beaming into the middle of the situation at Starfleet, body armor would be needed. This was more than just a stroll through the Federation grounds on a sunny day. Profound forces and disgruntled sides were having it out, and people were becoming injured and then some.
He was raising his hand. Brandon then hit his chest hard, the sound of clanking underneath his back vest and decked-out weapon assortment allotted to him by his Federation Clearance, an Engineer, had much clearance. Pratt held the phaser rifle at his side, following Lieutenant Commander Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke to the briefing.
Jane’s squad of herself plus three had suited up before beaming down and so she gestured for Shingen, Kiyohira, and Mia to follow her toward the rotunda.
"Dunno why they wanted me to put this stuff on," Mia half-whined, "I don't look good with it on." She picked at the riot armor and loosened the helmet strap slightly.
Tristana knew that a few of her Security compliment had beamed down without body armor. There should have been enough on the Myogi for the entire Security compliment. However, quite a few pairs had gone to volunteers instead. Tristana turned to the security officers she knew weren't wearing riot armor.
"You six;" She ordered. "Head towards the armory and suit up. You heard Commander Misono; be back at the Rotunda in no more than 15 minutes."
"Yes, ma'am." Kozakura Kikuchi acknowledged, pointing a couple more of the NCO's towards where the armory was located. She'd done her research before making her way to the transporter room, "We'll be there in less than ten."
William looked to the three he had grabbed for this mission; Crewman 2nd Class Petra Silika from security, Crewman 1st Class Alaba Kayode a medic and Petty Officer, 3rd class Aideen McCormick another medic. He was proud that they had followed his orders and grabbed body armor prior to beaming down. His two medics also had on their red cross brassards (armbands) and overloaded medical packs. "Okay folks let's go, you heard the commander to the rotunda for briefing. Remember we are medical and are not to engage unless our patients are threatened, the only exception is Crewman 2nd Class Petra Silika who, as security, sole job is to protect us."
Main Rotunda, Starfleet Security:
The main rotunda of Starfleet Security's offices at Starfleet Headquarters had been transformed into a makeshift briefing room and triage, where officers holding the line against the mob came to be treated for minor injuries, including washing out eyes from the various pepper sprays and bear sprays that members of the crowd were carrying and using on the Starfleet officers. The fact that injured personnel were being treated in the same space that new arrivals were being briefed helped serve as a grim reminder of the hellscape that said new arrivals had just beamed into.
Minna arrived ahead of the Myogi crew, and made her way over to the table where there was bottled water available for washing out eyes.
"Water, I need water..." She muttered, hardly able to see after having taken bear spray to the face.
A tall, Lavendar-haired security officer retrieved a bottle of eye saline from a nearby medical station and handed it over to Minna.
Taking the water, Minna began washing out her eyes.
"There's more people here. I don't know who it is or what ship they're from, couldn't see them clearly." She explained as she washed out her eyes. "They should be filing in for briefing shortly."
Lieutenant Ferrill Okami turned to see numerous people flooding into the rotunda. They were all Starfleet and were wearing riot armor. They must have just arrived. The tall Lieutenant made her way over to the wheeled white board they had brought from one of the conference rooms at Starfleet Security which displayed a hand-drawn map of Starfleet Headquarters and where Starfleet's lines were. If the drawing was anything to go off, Starfleet's position was grim.
"Welcome to hell, formerly known as Starfleet Headquarters." Ferrill greeted the arriving Myogi crew. "Now pay attention, because I'm only going to say this once! Right now, our lines look a little something like this;" She indicated the hand drawn map on the white board. "As you can probably tell, the protestors have the main lobby and Federation council chambers firmly under their control. The council itself has been successfully evacuated to a secure location. From there, they've been trying to branch out, with protestors occupying admiralty offices and some getting into Starfleet Academy. We've been trying to evacuate the scared cadets that have been hiding in classrooms and dorms the best we can, but the situation at the Academy has been perilous to say the least."
Ferrill pointed to a notable concern on the map.
"Our most recent concern involves a fairly large group of protestors trying to push us back to here. So far, our lines have been holding, but the fighting has been fierce." She continued. "I'm sure I don't have to spell it out for you, but we absolutely, positively, CANNOT under any circumstances allow this complex to fall! If the crowd were to get their hands on the weapons we house here in the armory, it would be an all out declaration of war. I hate to suggest splitting up starship crews, but at this point, we're fighting on so many different fronts that we need all the help we can get on all of them. I'll leave the ultimate decision to the senior most officer present in your group, but Starfleet Security strongly recommends splitting up to help us as much as you're able. That is all."
Having finished her obligation to brief the new arrivals and bring them up to speed on the situation, Ferrill began to make her way towards her next duty station, not allowing time for the new arrivals to ask questions. If they had any, they'd best pull another security officer aside.
Senior Chief Petty Officer William Pitsenbarger looked at the map and condition of the security lines, it dawned on him no one was using the subbasement tunnels that linked the Starfleet Headquarters, Federation council chambers, Starfleet Academy, and Starfleet Medical. "Excuse Sir, has everyone forgotten about the subbasement corridors used to connect all the facilities. Last time they were used was when the Breen attacked Earth during the Dominion War, and they are a quick, stealthy way to move." he inquired.
"He's right," Ichika surmised. "We can use those tunnels to our strategic advantage, possibly take the protestors holding the Council Chambers off-guard..."
She turned. "Lieutenant Okami- oh, God dammit, where did she go...?"
Minna had been washing out her eyes while Lieutenant Okami was briefing the newcomers. When she could see adequately again, she turned around to observe the group of newcomers fruitlessly calling after Lieutenant Okami. Minna turned to the purple-haired officer whom had provided her the water to wash out her eyes.
"I hope they realize she's not coming back for questions. We're just in that state of disarray." She said. "Perhaps now would be a good time for you to step in and take charge."
"M-me?!" the security officer squawked. "I dunno... I've already failed my charges once... I don't think I could handle that responsibility again..."
Minna sighed and shook her head.
"And here I was thinking you Security types had an Engineer's sense of integrity." She muttered. "Look, we all have our low points; I was there at Utopia Planitia when the Tokyo's life support failed due to poor workmanship. I was offered a chance to return to Manhattan while the investigation was ongoing, but I refused, wanting to see the issues corrected before I considered my work complete. Allowing your failures to define you is what turns good officers into has-beens. So, Commander, if you're not going to rise above your previous failures and take charge of a chaotic situation such as this one, perhaps I should take it upon myself to do so."
The look of hesitation in her eyes lingered for a few seconds longer, but as the security officer churned Minna's words in her head, it was slowly replaced by one of resolve. Knowing what she had to do, she nodded and proceeded to make her way over to the group.
"If I may interject, Commander..."
Ichika spun around. "And you would be?"
"Lieutenant Commander Rize Tedeza, Security and Tactical instructor at Starfleet Academy's Tokyo Campus," the security officer replied, unclipping a PADD from her belt. "I had overheard your discussing the subbasement corridors, and figured I might be of strategic assistance..."
"How do you figure?" Ichika responded.
the Security officer, Rize, pulled up an extensive map of the subbasement corridors and handed the PADD over to Ichika to review.
Ichika's eyes widened wide as she analyzed the elaborate network of corridors and passages.
"Christ... it's practically a labyrinth," she muttered under her breath. "How did they expect anyone to know where they're going?"
"Precisely why I'm offering my assistance," Rize explained. "See, the main council chambers are pretty much a straight shot from here- you just follow the C-1 Corridor down to the E-17, take a right at the T-2, and it'll put you right under the council building; however, the route leading up under the academy is a bit more convoluted; you have to take the C-1 to the D-4, D-4 to the D-19, D-19 to the D-37, D-37 to the G-14, G-14 to..."
"I think I get the point," Ichika sighed as she handed the PADD back to Rize. "I take it this is your offering to lead a team to the Academy via the subbasement corridors?"
"That is exactly what I'm insinuating," Rize nodded in the affirmative.
"Alright, then," Ichika muttered, before shifting her attention to the main group. "Okay, everyone listen up! We split into three groups; Sinclair, Amaro, your teams are with me; Pittsenbarger, Rapisarta, Ichihara, Kikuchi, you're with Commander Tedeza; Tristana, Pratt, Miyazawa, Kabuto, Talmage, you'll be staying here to provide additional support. Any questions, or does everyone here understand their roles?"
William chuckled, he knew the labyrinth very well, his time at Starfleet Medical; he turned to his small team "Okay guys you heard the Commander, we are with Commander Tedeza." He then looked at Commander Tedeza, "We are ready when you are Sir."
Jane nodded for the small unit she'd been shepherding to disperse, with Mai sidling up to Commander Tedeza and Shingen and Kiyohira sticking close to Tristana (to their great pleasure). She then smiled at Mia and grouped up with Commander Misono. "Ready when you are, ma'am."
"No Questions here, ma'am." Tristana said. "Ready to move out when you are."
Minna made her way up to the gathered Myogi crewmembers.
"Pardon the instrusion;" She said. "Lieutenant Commander Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke, USS Dresden, if you're planning on mounting an offensive to retake the Federation Council chambers, I would like to offer my assistance. You're going to need all the help you can get."
Ichika blinked in surprise, hardly expecting assistance from someone in this bad a shape.
"Are you sure you can handle it, Commander?" she expressed with an air of concern. "You don't look like you're in any shape to be out there."
"With all due respect, Commander; democracy is on the line." Minna said. "Right now, it's my job and duty as a Federation citizen to defend it, no matter how bad of a shape I'm in."
"Well, if you insist," Ichika conceded, if somewhat reluctantly. "But if any point you start to become a liability, I reserve the right to order you back into the tunnels; do I make myself clear?"
"Understood." Minna nodded. "You won't regret this."
"Right then," Ichika nodded, before turning her attention back to the group. "Phasers primed!"
The sound of several short clicks as officers switched their phaser settings over to heavy stun filled the air.
"Let's move out!"
Posting by (In order of appearance):
Commander Ichika Misono
Executive Officer
USS Myogi
Lieutenant Brandon Pratt
Chief Engineer
USS Myogi
Lieutenant Tristana
Chief Security Officer
USS Myogi
Lieutenant JG Mia Amaro
Fighter Pilot
USS Myogi
Lieutenant JG Jane Sinclair
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Myogi
Senior Chief Petty Officer William Pitsenbarger
Assistant Chief Medical Officer
USS Myogi
Petty Officer 1st Class Kozakura Kikuchi
Security Officer
USS Myogi
Petty Officer 3rd Class Mai Ichihara
Nurse
USS Myogi
Petty Officer 3rd Class Kiyohira Kabuto
Security Officer
USS Myogi
Petty Officer 3rd Class Shingen Miyazawa
Security Officer
USS Myogi
Lieutenant Commander Rize Tedeza
Security Instructor
Starfleet Academy Tokyo Campus
Lieutenant Commander Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke
Chief Engineer
USS Dresden
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