Bearding the Lion

Posted on Wed Mar 20th, 2024 @ 2:55pm by Captain Mira Rodale & Lieutenant Commander Kevin Lance & Lieutenant Awal Kronnelti & Lieutenant Tracey Walker Jr & Lieutenant Betaras K'ner

Mission: Thunderdome
Location: Paarth Elion Three
Timeline: Current

on:
{Grendaas stronghold}

The away team split up at the main gate, each heading to their assigned area of responsibility. Kronnelti headed south to create a diversion after the scientists were rescued. Walker and Thorne left to secure the motor pool. Kevin lead the rest of the team to the fortified building at the center of the stronghold, sticking to the shadows as much as possible to avoid detection.

Mira led Rogar to a door and found it locked. Looking up at the balcony, it was the perfect spot to be. "Stay here. " She told both Rogar and Vaytoc. Then Mira climbed up the rock wall and slipped over and onto the balcony. The door led to a bedroom lucky for her the single male occupant was asleep. The man inside was easy to knock out and tie up.

Mira made her way down the stairs and unlocked the door letting Rogar and Vaytoc in. Then barred the door so no one else came into the room.

Going back to the balcony Mira positioned the rifle with a scope to her eye to watch the surrounding area.

"Captain, what do we do if someone follows them?" Rogar asked her in a whispered voice.

"I'll make that call if the time comes, Rogar." Mira whispered back. Firing wouldn't be an option. It would make too much noise.


{Breech Team}

Kevin saw Mira position herself on the balcony then turned his attention to the fortified building. Like during the day, there were two guards posted outside the entrance and without the immediate presence of their leader, they were relaxed on a couple of crates. Unfortunately, they were much more alert than the guards at the gate had been. Kevin judged that they would not be able to approach for a stealthy takedown. It would have to be a ranged attack.

The grenades would make too much noise and even if the black powder weapons were quieter, he doubted their accuracy at this range. That left the phasers that Kronnelti had jury rigged. They were quieter and had less of a visible signature than the flash grenades. They would have to do.

"Can you hit one of them with a phaser at this range," he asked K'ner. Even in the dark he could see her 'give me a break' expression. "Right," he replied chagrined, "You take the one on the left. On three. One. Two. Three."

K'ner and Kevin fired almost in unison. K'ner hit and dropped her target immediately. Kevin's shot went wide. The guard jumped up in surprise and started to turn towards them but before he could utter a warning cry, K'ner's second shot took him down.

She rushed forward to assess the downed men. "Drag them inside or tie 'em to the crates so it looks like they're still sitting here?" She said quietly to Kevin as he covered.

"Neither if you think that they will be out more than twenty minutes," Kevin replied. That was about all the time that they had before the Grendaas knew they were there.


{Support Team}

Mira winced as Kevin's shot missed. She guessed a few of their dates would be on the firing range. Her eyes darted around to make sure no one took notice. So far, so good.

"He missed!" Rogar said but lowered her voice as Mira shushed her.

"Shut it Crewman." Mira hissed. "Make sure that guy stays out." That should give the girl something to do.


{Motor Pool Team}

Trace and Geneva had managed to take out two of the three guards in charge of watching the motor pool, one with a well timed blow to the temple from behind and the other with a knife held to the throat. Both were tied and gagged, so that they couldn't alert anyone of their presence.

The last guard was positioned in such a way that stealth was off the table, so after hatching a quick plan, Geneva sauntered out of the darkness, one of the straps of her threadbare tank slipping off of one shoulder.

"Help," she said, looking over her shoulder as if she were being pursued. The guard immediately adopted a lecherous grin, and approached her.

"Well well, aren't you a tall drink of water." He said, seizing her by the throat. She gasped for breath, and the man froze at the sound of the telltale clicking of a revolver chambering a round. Trace stood at his side, the barrel of his gun at the guard's temple.

"I suggest you rethink your strategy." Trace said quietly.

Moments later, with all the guards subdued, they waited for the signal.


{Breech Team}

K'ner looked at Kevin, both beginning to breathe a bit harder, as they tied up the last one. "Geesh... of course we'd walk into a narrow corridor and into a barracks." She rolled a shoulder she'd taken a solid hit to, glad the men had no weapons in here.

"Only 14 more doors to go. Who designed this place?" K'ner said quietly, almost to herself. "Hopefully Kronnelti is patient and gives us some time to locate the scientists eh?" She says a bit clearer to Kevin as they glanced back into the main hallway.

The hallway lead past empty rooms whose purpose Kevin could only guess at. At irregular intervals along the wall, guttering torches hung in brackets casting a feeble light down the hall. Kevin took a torch to light their way.

At the end of the hallway was a large, circular foyer with stone stairways leading up and down. "Which way?" K'ner asked.

Kevin thought back to what he had heard Grendaas say to Professor Kelley earlier in the day. "They will remain locked up in my dungeon". The subdural implant had translated the phrase but the word had a specific meaning. A dungeon was an underground prison cell. If the prisoners had been above ground, the translation would have been different. "We go down," he said.


{Diversion Team}

Kronnelti took his team south, they reached check point alpha. He motions forward as there was no guards next is cp (check point) charlie, there was a few guards on patrol he puts his hand up to signal everyone to stop.

He watches them walk by timing their rotation Kronnelti signals everyone to move.


{Breech Team}

Kevin's surmise was correct. The prison cells were down the stairs behind a massive door. Inside a guard sat sleeping in a chair, softly snoring. Kevin swiftly grabbed and slammed his head against the wall. He thought that he heard a crack as the guard's head hit stone but regardless the body went limp in his grip.

There were several barred doors leading off of the wide corridor. Kevin has no way of knowing where the scientists were. "Now what?" he heard K'ner ask.

Kevin thought a moment then shut the door. In Federation Standard, he called out in a raised voice, "Doctor McLaren, I am Lieutenant Commander Lance from Star Fleet. We are here to rescue you."

At first, there was no response. Only some rustling from behind the barred doors. Kevin was on the verge of calling out again when a hand stuck itself out through the bars and waved. "Lieutenant Commander?" a voice speaking Standard replied, "We are over here."

Kevin and K'ner rushed down to unbar the door. A thin Paarthian male, his hair streaked with grey stared at him unbelievingly. "Dr McLaren, I presumed," Kevin recognized the leader of the science team from his still image.

"Yes"

"How many of the other scientists are with you?" Kevin asked.

"Four, including myself," the doctor replied, "Doctor Lee and Professors Kelley and Patel are not with us."

"Doctor Lee and Professor Patel are safe aboard our ship," Kevin explained, "I think that Professor Kelley is a traitor."

"A traitor? Why do you say that?"

"I don't have time to explain," Kevin cut him off. They were running out of time, "We need to get you out of here."

K'ner helped Kevin gather the scientists as they wobbled out of the cell, one barely able to navigate. "I'll have to carry you, if that's alright?" At her consent, K'ner pulled her into a fireman's carry so her hands were free if needed. It might complicate combat but now they needed speed. . . She looked at Kevin and took a breath. "Ready..."


{Diversion Team}

At their final location Kronnelti sets up two grenades set to detonate outside the south wall and with in 30 seconds. He gets his team to get into cover and look away.

30 seconds later and a big explosion, everybody stops the Grendaas all rush for the south wall leaving Kevin and Mira's team clear to grab and go.


{Support Team}

Mira's head turned at the explosion, then looked back at the building she had been watching. She didn't see them! "Crap." Mira looked over at Vaytoc. "Did they find them?" she asked.

Vaytoc just looked at the building. "Crap," Mira added again. Rogar came out of the room. " What is wrong?"

"I don't see them. Kevin and K'ner should have come out by now." Mira told her

Rogar frowned. "Should we go check?"

Mira shook her head slowly "no he will find them." Mira picked up the rifle again.


{Grendaas' Personal Quarters}

The explosions woke Grendaas from his slumber. Pushing away the three naked females, the strode over to the balcony high above the rest of the stronghold. In the moonlit darkness he could make out smoke clouds billowing from the southern wall.

His mind rebelled at the thought that the stronghold was under attack. Who would have the audacity? Kelley had mentioned that others might come but he had not really believed the southern.

Turning back to the room he shouted, "Turn out the guard! We are under attack!"


{Breech Team}

The sounds of rising commotion were evident as Kevin lead K'ner and the scientists up the stairway from the dungeon. "Void!" Kevin cursed, "We've been discovered. Be prepared to go kinetic."

He ignored one of the scientists who asked what that meant but instead untethered his mace from his back and drew a pistol, abandoning the torch he had been carrying.

The party slowly advanced up the stairs. The foyer was still largely empty but several leather-clad guards scurried back and forth in the dim interior. Hoping to be lost in the shadows and confusion, Kevin led the group towards the hallway going to the exit.

They were almost to the hallway when Kevin heard a shout, "Hey! What are you doing with those prisoners?"

"Run," Kevin ordered to K'ner and the scientists. He turned to the interrogator, leveled his pistol and shot.

This time, his aim was true. The black powder pistol bucked violently in his grip but the heavy metal slug hit the Paarthian with more than enough force to knock him down.

Without a second look, Kevin turned to follow the retreating scientists. He idly wondered how well K'ner had been paying attention at the sand table briefing and hoped that she wouldn't take a wrong turn on the way to the motor pool.


{Support Team}

Mira cursed as a couple of huge guys started for the doors Kevin and K'ner went in. if it had been one, she would have gone down and taken him out, but these three would be almost impossible to take. The really big guy was followed by five others. "crap," she quickly came up with a plan.

"Give me the robes." Mira started to take off her leathers, shoving them into the backpack talking her hair down. She looked at Rogar. "Take Vaytoc and go out the back way meet up with Walker. I'll be right behind you. That's an order Crewman."

Rogar nodded, took the backpack with the weapons as she ran out the back door. Mira pulled a dresser in front of it and then tied the robe around her curves cursing. She should have been more descriptive when she asked Rogar to get her a robe. Mira had wanted a neutral robe to blend in with the works, not a sexy as hell robe with slits up both legs.

Shaking her head she then went to the balcony and took aim. Picked off one man at a time. Before she heard someone big banging on the door downstairs. She quickly untied the prisoner and pulled him to the door. He was on his knees kneeling against the door with the rifle tucked up against him. Mira turned to go out the window, but the door crashed in faster than she expected.

Mira knocked her head against the dresser as she fell. The enraged man roared. By all that was holy! Who the hell was this guy. She tried to get up, but when he smashed in the door and been like a bomb going off.

Time to act helpless, she thought as she heard this guy snap the prisoners neck. He walked to the bed, placing his hand on it, feeling the warmth he turned to her.

Mira's hair covered her face as she watched him, but as he moved to her, she made sure her eyes were down and didn't struggle as he picked her up by her arm.

"Well, how did he hide you?" he said as he brushed her hair from her face. "Very beautiful." Mira said nothing as he checked her for weapons.

She didn't have to act scared because this guy was one of the scariest men she had ever met.

"Grendaas, no one else is here," one of the men said as he entered the room.

Grendaas nodded. "Take this one to my quarters. It looks like I found my fourth." He chuckled.

Mira had no idea what he meant, but if only one guy was talking her outside, then her odds of getting away were far better.

"Grun see that no one touches what's mine." Grendaas hissed as he left the room quickly headed to the prison. Mira's arm was taken, and she was led out. She meekly went since that was the direction she had wanted to go.

Mira tried to adjust the robe to cover more of her as she walked, but she didn't feel it did any good.


{Breech Team}

Kevin and K’ner frantically fought their way to the entrance of the fortified building. The guards entering the building were less proficient than the ones inside but there were many more of them. His four pistols spent, Kevin had resorted to powerful swings of his mace to fell his opponents. K’ner, the female scientist sprawled across her shoulders, looked like the Hindu goddess Kaali with multiple limbs extending in all directions. Like the goddess, she too was an avatar of death.

They exited the building and turned to the right in the direction of the motor pool. A rifle cracked repeatedly from somewhere above. Kevin had instinctively ducked as he jogged, encouraging the scientists and whacking guards with his mace, but the bullets were intended for others. Mira and Rogar were clearing the way for them. He said a silent prayer for Cochrane to watch over her.


{Support Team}

Crewman Dana Rogar hid behind a stack of crates trying to coax Vaytoc to continue with her to the motor pool. Those were the orders that the Captain had given but the beast refused to go any further. Its eyes were fixed on the building that they had just left. Waiting for the Captain who was supposed to be right behind them but she had yet to emerge.

Dana was scared but could feel the icy cold that her parents would sometimes discuss when they thought that she couldn’t hear them, the blanket that blotted out all emotion even fear. She heard Vaytoc emit a low growl and looked toward the door that they had come out.

The Captain was being dragged, against her will, by a large, brutish Paarthian decked out in leathers and wearing a bandolier of blades. The Captain struggled against his hold while trying to keep the robe from falling open further than it had. Vaytoc tensed to spring.

As they got outside, Mira could see all the damage she had done. Four of their leaders' personal guards were down or dead. When Mira stepped on another stone. She heard her guard curse. "We're are your shoes, woman?"

Mira gave a quick little meek shrug of her shoulder. It was the truth. Her leather boots were in the backpack that Rogar had taken along with the weapons Kronnelti had made. She hadn't expected to get caught, but her backup disguise was working. Maybe a little too well.

Running was going to be a little painful with the roads the way they were. Perhaps over the roofs would be quicker, her mind worked out plans.

Mira sided eyed her escort. He was huge. Far bigger than she would have like. She stumbled again, making him slow a little more since they were now starting to head away from the motor pool. Okay, she thought, looking for something to hit the guy with. Because she was betting her fist wasn't going to be enough.

Suddenly the fear was gone and before Dana knew what she was doing, she was sprinting toward the Captain and her assailant. Throwing the rifle like a javelin, Dana struck the male in the head causing him to stagger and release Mira from his grip. Dana launched herself through the air seizing the befuddled male around the throat and landing on his opposite side. Using the momentum created, she threw the male over her body and he landed flat on his back at her feet. She gave a quick spear to the male’s throat as a finishing move.

In a blur, Dana grabbed two knifes from the bandolier and almost without aiming, hurled them at targets behind Mira. One of the blade missed Mira by mere inches but they embedded themselves into two males that had been approaching from behind, one through an eye the other in the throat. Both males were efficiently incapacitated and fell harmlessly to the ground.

Mira raised an eyebrow. She couldn't have done better herself. "Impressive Crewman, Let's go before Grendaas comes back outside."

Just then she heard another enraged roar from Grendaas. It must have been him because two people couldn't make that same sound. She was guessing his prisoners were gone. That would mean Kevin and K'ner had found them and were on the move to the motor pool. That was a really odd name for a place where you parked vehicles. You normally swim in pools.


{Motor Pool Team}

At the sound of gunfire, Trace and Geneva exchanged a glance. "I guess it's time to go 'kinetic'" He said, indicating one of the large, heavily armored vehicles.

"I'll take the gun." Geneva said, and Trace nodded. In any other situation he might have tried to argue with her, insisting she stay inside the vehicle where it was safe, but he knew she would have none of it. Besides, the team would need someone on that gun.

Trace climbed into the driver's seat and reached under the console where he quickly found the wires necessary to start the vehicle. As the engine roared to life, he slammed on the gas pedal and the vehicle lurched forward, plowing through the wooden gate like tissue paper.

Shouting from outside indicated that things were very kinetic, and Geneva started firing on several approaching guards.


{Breech Team}

Once away from the fortified building, Kevin and K’ner found their going much easier. Most of the people that they saw were civilian males who stared curiously but sleepily at the group and did nothing to impede them. The few guards that they encountered were too busy heading towards the fortified building or the explosion to give the breech team and their prizes much notice.

It took surprisingly little time to arrive at the motor pool. Trace and Geneva had done a good job of clearing it of hostiles and getting their escape vehicle ready. “Get them into the truck,” he instructed K’ner and pointing to the vehicle that was idling just outside of the broken gate.

K'ner nodded, rolling the scientist on her shoulders off first, then practically lifting each of the others in turn as she 'helped' them into the vehicle.

Kevin turned back in the direction that they had come and began to reload his pistols. Peering through the darkness and shadows created by the setting moon, he searched for Mira. “Come on,” he muttered to himself.

"They'll be here." He heard K'ner say softly to one side as she stepped to the side and covered the flank. "She'll be here."


{Support Team}

Vaytoc stayed by her side as Mira and Rogar ran. She cursed each stone under her breath. Well, what little breath she had left from running.

Rogar frowned. "We could stop and put your boots back on."

Mira shook her head. "No time." Then she wondered if she was holding them up, glanceing at Rogar the woman looked far more winded than Mira was.

Rogar pointed, "It's up ahead." Mira nodded, pouring more speed into her run since they were almost there. She found Kevin up ahead and smiled. "Finish line." Vaytov sprinted ahead.

Four guardsmen came out onto the street behind Mira and Rogar. The short crewman turn towards the interlopers and said to Mira, "Go Captain. I've got this."

Mira limped as quickly towards Kevin at the motor pool gate as her sore soles would allow her. As she neared, K'ner glanced at Kevin, "Time for some grenades to collapse the back trail?"

Dana Rogar stood stock still as the four males advanced. What in the universe is she doing, Kevin wondered as he pick Mira up in his arms. "Don't worry," Mira reassured him, "I think she knows how to handle herself".

A guard stepped forward a tried to flatten Crewman Rogar with a haymaker punch. Dana leaned back allowing the swing to miss her completely. Instead, the blow landed squarely on the guard’s companion, sending spinning to the ground.

Dana viciously kicked a third attacker in the stomach then effectively deflected the incoming punches of a fourth before knocking him back with a strong upper cut. The second guard having gotten to his feet tried to grab Dana but she slammed the butt of her musket into his stomach then turned to grab the out stretched arm of the first as she punched him repeatedly in the face.

The fourth attacked recovered and rushed Dana but a powerful hand spear to his neck brought him to his knees. She ducked the attack of the second guard and knocked him onto his back with a leg sweep that took him off of his feet. She jabbed the barrel of her musket into the chest of the first attacker and fired the shot that ended his life.

Dropping the musket, she turned and grabbed the front of the third attacker’s leathers and swung him around bringing his head into crushing contact with the skull of fourth.

The one remaining attack pulled out two double barreled pistols and fired four rounds in succession at the security crewman but she was able to dodge the slugs by executing a series of backflips that moved her quickly out of the male’s aim.

Stunned that he had missed his target completely, that guard frantically tried to reload one of his pistols. Dana turned towards him and after getting a running start, jumped up to straddle the attacker’s shoulders. She grabbed the male’s head and gave a violent twist snapping his neck. She landed lightly onto the ground as the final attacker fell to the ground.

Satisfied that all the guards were incapacitated. Dana moved quickly to join the others.

"I can't believe that sound came from a man," Dana said

"Not a man, Grendaas. That guy is scary." Mira looked up at Kevin "has everyone checked in, and did you get the traitor?" She hoped so, because that guy would be dangerous on this world.

Kevin shook his head, "Professor Kelley wasn't with the others and we didn't have the opportunity to look for him. From what I heard him say to Grendaas, he needed the other scientists to provide the technological advances that he had promised to the warlord."

Dana shook her head. "How close were you to him?"

Mira showed Dana her the bruise on arm in the shape of the man's huge hand. "Too close, and for some reason, he said I was going to be number Four. I have no idea what he meant, but I am not sticking around to find out. Rogar, you and I need to talk about your choice in robes? Why did you pick this?"

Dana shrugged. "I thought you wanted a souvenir from here, not that you were going to wear it out....and now."

Mira raised an eyebrow at her. Darn it that almost sounded reasonable.

"Let's get out of here before Grendaas shows back up," Kevin suggested as he turned to carry Mira to the gun truck.

Kronnelti jumps into the back of the truck manning the heavy gun in case the grendaas come chasing everyone.

:off

Lieutenant Commander Kevin Lance
Executive Officer
USS Chuck Norris

and

Commander Mira Rodale
CO
USS Chuck Norris

AND

Lt Betaras K'ner
Haz Team Combat Medic TL-A / Acting CMO
USS Chuck Norris

and

Lieutenant Awal Kronnelti
Chief of security and tactical
USS Chuck Norris

And

Lieutenant Tracey Walker
Chief Engineer
USS Chuck Norris