No Man's Land (Part 3 of 10)

Posted on 21 Apr 2017 @ 2:11pm by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Commander Luke Wyatt & Lieutenant JG Eelim Galan
Edited on on 21 Apr 2017 @ 2:55pm

2,968 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Episode 14 - Statecraft
Location: IKS DuJa'Q, Klingon Neutral Zone
Timeline: MD 11, 2255 hrs

Previously, on No Man's Land (Part 2)...

The Orion's eyes watched Miraj lean close and then reveal her information. Her own gaze somehow remained calm when the ensign spoke the words to her -- at first they seemed to not make sense, but it took only a mere second or two of thought to piece the various elements together. "And you think a course change is necessary?" she asked in code.

"He's waiting for me to kill you," Miraj whispered quickly, then stood back. "Yes Ma'am. A radical one." Miraj was out of ideas, Lirah had to do something fast, or someone was going to die. Her, most likely. Possibly the unsuspecting Ban. Maybe all of them.

And Now, the Continuation...

[ON]

Deck 3, Forward Section - Bridge Corridor

Lingering in the corridor outside of the bridge's entrance were now a small group of five Klingon warriors -- approximately one-quarter of Chorag's loyal followers. Like the commander, they had remained loyal to Ko'raH throughout their tenure on Kreanus, and envisioned a new, Klingon-dominated world for their people. A world that they would be able to eventually use to strike at the heart of the Empire and those who had cast disgrace upon their family names and Houses.

Each warrior was ready to execute their plan when given the signal from Chorag. In the meantime, they took watch outside of the command center to make sure no one would enter or interfere with their commander's plans. Two of them waited to enter the bridge, facing the closed doors, while the other three cast their gaze down to the corridor's junction.

Abbey stood agitated in the turbo lift, as always before a fight she could feel the swarm of butterfly's in her stomach twist and turn. "Luke, just what the hell are we doing here?" She asked turning to face him phaser pointed at his chest "Because I swear to god if were about to be a part of some twisted military coup I'm gonna kick your ass"

Eyeing the young woman he sighed before taking out the crumpled note from his clenched fist and handed it to her, "This will explain everything" he said, his tone flat. He too was preparing himself for a battle and perhaps one they couldn't win. He recalled his confrontation with Lirha in which he had warned her about this very thing and now her life was at risk.

Abbey held out the note and showed it to Eelim "Luke..." She said now feeling small and angry at the Klingons, twisting Miraj into a killer was not something she thought possible and how Miraj got herself into such a situation only meant she was clearly doing something she should or seeing someone she shouldn't. "I didn't know."

Eelim took the offered paper with some trepidation. He sighed and read it. A shadow crossed his face. He held back a cuss that would have made even the Klingons blush. He handed the note back to Luke knowing that it was time to set aside his thoughts. Now was a time for action. It all began to shift into place.

Luke took back the note "No one could have known, not really but we need to act now! She gave me this 30 minutes ago and even now I think we're too late. This isn't going to be a clean fight so watch where you're shooting and please set your phaser to stun" He said unconsciously checking his phaser.

Abbey nodded and put her arm back to her side "What the plan then?" She asked now filled with anger and battle readiness. The butterflies had gone and now a fire burned inside of her. "I'm going to take down that Klingon myself," She said, she had forgotten what this feeling felt like and the euphoria it gave.

Eelim sighed. "Easy there Abbey. No time for haste. We must act with good thought. We must keep our feelings at bay."

She huffed. "Fine but if the chance comes I'm just saying don't get in my way. I haven't had a good fight in..." She counted her fingers sarcastically. "Forever and I'm like some lioness who is on a hunt, a really hungry lioness" her shoulders sagged "Fine I'll be good and will act in sound of mind and all that stuff"

Eelim chuckled and shook his head.

Luke was about to reply when the turbolift stopped and opened to the corridor which eventually led to the bridge. They stood there all silent phaser at the ready. Stepping out her motioned for the other two to follow him "Stay alert" He warned.

Abbey followed behind him her phaser close to her chest as she watched the doors and adjoining corridors if a mutiny was about to happen she could only expect that there were Klingons stationed throughout the ship ready to act and the bridge would be on of the most densely populated.

Eelim brought up the rear keeping an eye for Klingons.

Abbey poked her head round the corner and first and quickly cursed silently. A half-dozen or so Klingon stood between them and the bridge. Stepping back she shook her head "We need more people" Her voice was urgent and low.

Luke rocked on his heels "No, we go now while we have the element of surprise. The won't expect a counter-offensive so we should be able to take some of them down. He looked to both security officer "Whatever happens secure the XO and the admiral and if needs get off this ship"

Eelim had been doing mental calculations in his mind. It wasn't easy but he'd faced worse odds. "We can do this. I have both your backs."

Abbey simply nodded her head rushed as she went over the next few seconds in her mind. She lived for moments like these and if need be would die for them. Luke gave the signal and she followed him around the corner firing her phaser towards the Klingons hoping to hit as many as she could. She screamed as she did, moving between firing positions as a steady volley of phaser blast careened down the corridor. Her, her father and Eelim moving in unison. Fire and movement, Fire and movement.

Eelim fired, his eyes acting as his guide. He had never been a praying man but he prayed now. He prayed for them to succeed and win.

Outside of the bridge hatchway, four Klingons stood there posts with makeshift barricades, ready for an attack from Starfleet personal. Chorag had expected that the Federation personal might have discovered his impending plot, and wanted to be ready for every contingency that he could.

The initial shock and awe of the Federation attack, had been a small surprise. One phaser blast struck a Klingon dead in the chest, while the others impacted on the barricades, chipping away at the defensive cover. With practiced grace the Klingons drew disruptors as they moved to cover behind the barricades and returned fire.

Eelim saw the beam heading for Abbey. He pushed her out of the way hard and side stepped but the beam caught his shoulder. He gritted his teeth.

Abbey fell against the wall as she was knocked out of the way by Eelim, she only caught a glimpse of him as the weapons fire hit him "STUPID CARDASSIAN" She said grabbing him and pulling him into cover before turning on the Klingons again, firing in controlled aimed bursts whilst keeping herself as small as she could against her cover. Looking back to Eelim she said "Sound of mind huh?"

"He'd have hit you...I had your back he got my shoulder," Eelim said feeling a bit dazed but he still had fight in him.

Luke had continued to fire, hoping his shots were pinning the enemy. He could see at least three Klingons were still fighting back which meant they must have at least hit one or two in the initial volley. As Abbey pulled Eelim out of harm's way, Luke picked up his rate of fire, hitting the cover the Klingons making them duck and giving Abbey the time she needed to safely retrieve the downed security officer.

Eelim looked at his shoulder and noted the burn mark. That would leave a scar. He sighed and took a position by Abbey. He was down but not out. He'd play through the pain. "We'll get them."

Abby accepted his defiance and went back to shooting. Controlled aimed bursts at the Klingons. It was now three versus three, she looked back to Eelim well, two pint five versus 3 but the odds had shifted and now her resolve was great than before.

One of the Klingons bellowed in agony. Whether it was luck or through skill, a phaser blast struck his hand, all but incinerating it. The Klingon clutched his stump of a hand, and ducked behind what was remaining of a barricade. Through sheer fortune the disruptor that he had been holding was still intact. One of the two combat ready Klingons bent down and picked it up, wielding the second pistol in his other hand. Like something out of a holonovel duel disuptor pistol wielding Klingon vaulted over the barricade rushing at the Federation security team. The Klingon shouted as he charged into phaser fire.

Luke dropped from his cover just as the Klingon entered arm's length of Abbey and threw himself at him. The impact knocked the air from out of his lungs as the to masses became one and tumbled to the floor. Luke punched and elbowed the Klingon using any tactic to disable the attack.

Meanwhile, Abbey continued to fire her phaser in protest wishing she could help Luke. Turning to Eelim "Can you cover me?" She asked.

It was at this time Luke felt a burning sensation as the serrated blade which was now in the Klingons hand's had cut him open, now sporting a gash across his arm and cheek Luke pushed one last time causing the blade to tumble between them until they rolled and the Klingon went still. Luke lay lifeless on top of the body, the fight draining him of all energy and the wounds bleeding heavily on top of the dead Klingon.

The last remaining combat-ready Klingon looked at his friend. His hand was missing, and between the two of them, they had only one disruptor and two combat knifes. He popped up and gave suppressing fire as best he could. They had to hold this position for as long as possible. He only hopes that the mutiny inside the bridge would end shortly.

Eelim took a position behind the cover they had. "I'll cover you." He said to Abbey and took up position. As Abbey headed out he began to fire.

Abbey bounded forward keeping low and tight to the wall, as she moved she fired erratically towards the Klingons hoping to hit any of them. She made it a few meters and now found herself a short sprint from where the Klingons had set up their barricade. "Eelim, Move!" She shouted putting down a heavier rate of fire.

Eelim got up and struggled through the pain. He headed towards Abbey.

Abbey's world went slowed as she sucked in a deep breath, she could hear everything, feel everything and then as if the clock started again ran from her cover firing as she ran at the Klingons, jumping the barricade and making a beeline for the ridge doors. The world seemed to have stopped once again to a snail's pace a green flash hovering over her head as she darted past the Klingons and pressed the Bridge doors control panel. Her objective was to make it on the bridge and secure the admiral.

Eelim was hot on her heels. "Go!" He shouted as he followed Abbey. She was so close. They had to get to the bridge.

The Klingon knew he was in trouble. There were too many Federation personal. He dropped bellow the barricade, and carefully aimed his disruptor. He had to give Chorag more time. The barricades had fallen, he only knew one way to delay Starfleet. The Klingon fired as fast as his disruptor would cycle at the door control to the bridge. The ability to open the bridge in the next few minutes should only be possible from within, and at that point Chorag would be in possession of the ship and the rest of Starfleet would all but be dead. With a pleased sigh he stood and turned to fire.

Abbey had made it over the barricade, her face grimaced as the doors control panel exploded in a display of red, white and greens from the disruptor fire. The Klingon now clearly happy with himself had started turning and was preparing to fire again. It was at this moment her fight or flight instinct kicked in and her, mind decided very quickly to fight. She rounded the Klingon, pivoting on her heel and unleashed a high arcing kick hoping it would connect. As her foot impacted his face an audible crack could be heard as the full force of her weight and momentum broke the Klingons jaw. Swinging around again she connected his crumbling face with her left elbow and finishing off with her right hand leading a brutal attack of punches.

Abbey's training from the Terran Empire boot camps which had prepared her for this exact type of combat; Deadly, bloody and brutal took over. Soon she found herself panting with tears running down her cheeks over a dead body, knuckles bruised, cracked and blood splattered across her face and clothes. She screamed at the body in a berserker-like rage as all her anger and regrets escaped in one single breath. Everything that had happened to her and everything she had done releasing. Following the body down she realized she had lost her phaser during her attack, but that didn't matter she was out for blood.

Straddling the body she continued to punch the face of the Klingon until she wasn't sure who's blood was on her hands, the Klingons or from her split knuckles. She continued to scream in a fit of blood red rage until it all ended when she ripped the Klingons disruptor from his lifeless hands, stood, turned and fired several shots into the lifeless body of the Klingon. She continued to fire until a voice pulled her from her vehemence. She followed the voice and pointed the disruptor at Eelim. Abbey looked like she had been dragged through the river Phlegethon from Greek mythology, the river of blood and fire. Salty bloody tears coursed down her face, nostrils flared and eyes wide like a woman possessed. Blood had covered everything. With shaking hands, she continued to point the phaser at the Cardassian her natural enemy, non-human and someone who deserved to die. As she locked her eyes with his, blood continued to drip like a half-open tap from her fingers.

Eelim stopped dead in his tracks. "Abbey..." He said softly. "Abbey it's me Eelim." He wasn't sure if she saw him or if she was back in a distant fight. The mind was a devastating thing. "Abbey..."

Abby still stunned shook herself mentally and dropped the disruptor. "We need to get onto the bridge!" She said as if it suddenly dawned on her and then another horrifying thought took over "LUKE!" She said remembering he had taken a hit and rushed to his side, he had blood staining his own clothes as he grunted in pain.

With the help from Abbey, Luke had rolled onto his back He would live but he had lost a lot of blood and wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. "Get on the bridge, and the secure the rest of the ship." He said in a wheezy voice. "I can self-medicate until then" He reassured now propped against the wall, abbey ripping her sleeves and using them as field dressing to patch the wound.

"Ok" She said shakily standing up and taking his phaser. "Eelim the door, pick up a disruptor and blow it open" She ordered some of the rage returning.

Ignoring the fact that Abbey had turned on him he took the disruptor and headed to the door.

Abbey stood next to the Cardassian and fired her own disruptor in one hand and her phaser ready in the other at the door. The explosion of which cutting a large hole into the metal. "Again" She said with one last defiant shot and soon the door was large enough for them to pass through.

Eelim wiped the sweat off his brow and gave a nod, "Let's go. We're through!"

To Be Continued...

[OFF]

--

GEN Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
IKS DuJa'Q

Commander Chorag
First Officer
IKS DuJa'Q
[PNPC Saalm]

Ensign Miraj Derani
Chief Flight Control Officer
IKS DuJa'Q

CPO2 Crispin Snow
Operations Officer
IKS DuJa'Q
[PNPC Derani]

Ensign Mimi
Operations Officer
IKS DuJa'Q

Cmdr Allyndra illm Warraquim
Chief Medical and Second Officer
IKS Duja'Q

PO2 T'Lin
Science Officer
IKS Duja'Q
[PNPC Warraquim]

Lieutenant JG Marisa Sandoval
Counselor
IKS Duja'Q

Petra Varelli, PhD
Forensic Anthropologist
IKS Duja'Q
[PNPC Sandoval]

Ambassador Sorel Varro
Chief Diplomatic Officer
IKS Duja'Q

Petty Officer Eviess
Medical Officer
IKS Duja'Q
[PNPC Varro]

Lt. JG Eelim Galan
Security Officer
IKS Duja'Q
[PNPC Varro]

Commander Aren Ban
Executive Officer
IKS Duja'Q

Lieutenant JG Amaranai Franklin
Assistant Chief Security / Tactical
IKS Duja'Q

Lieutenant Commander Luke Wyatt
Strategic Operations Officer
IKS Duja'Q

Ensign Abbey St James
Security Officer
IKS Duja'Q
[PNPC Wyatt]

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