A Quick Trip into Purgatory

Posted on Mon Mar 2nd, 2020 @ 3:17pm by Division Admiral Thomas Lasky & Lieutenant Commander Kameron "Foehammer" Solusar-Yamaguchi & Chief Warrant Officer Ryi "Taffy" Amlari & Warrant Officer Choogi "Fingers" & Captain Eldridge "Sluggo" Blackmoor & Colonel Jack "Dirty Jack" Hassel & Staff Warrant Officer Bridget "Banshee" Cavanaugh
Edited on on Mon Mar 2nd, 2020 @ 3:19pm

Mission: Mission 41: The Changing of the Guard
Location: Planet Surface - Draconis Three Five Six
Timeline: 1400Hrs - August 18th, 2391

The interior of the shuttle craft lit up. "Fives!" Eight Ball, who was piloting the shuttle, spoke up. "We have reached Draconis Three Five Six. I'll be landing in a few minutes.

Fives smiled as he blinked his eyes open. "Nice." he commented as Kameron Yamaguchi who was co-piloting added. "I'm getting us clearance... and sending request now."

A moment later, the response came back. "Please land on the main platform."

"Understood. Shuttle Nine Eighteen inbound."

As the shuttle approached the planet the geography came into view. The planet was mostly rocky ground covered in grass. The only structure on the surface was an old Federation installation. As the shuttle approached the planet the building came into focus. It wasn't a pretty sight.

The building looked well over a hundred years old and was dilapidated. They were several buildings in the installation and two of them had there roofs collapsed in. The other prefabricated buildings had the remnants of peeling paint and patches of rust. There was a sign in front of the largest building. It read 'Red Stone Federation Research and Terraforming Station. The 'Research and Terraforming' was crudely spray painted out and '5117th HQ' crudely written underneath.

As the shuttle prepared to land the units fighters came into view. There were about two dozen Peregrine fighters lined up. They had patchwork paint jobs with patches of rust and it looked as if several were broken down. A few fighter lay at the end of the line. They looked as if they were pulled apart and cannibalized for parts. Two worn Type 6 shuttles were also present.

As Eight Ball landed the shuttle several ground techs came to service the shuttle. A few of them were Remans wearing Star Fleet uniforms. Eight Ball opened the doors as cold air rushed into the shuttle cabin.

A Tellarite ground tech wearing petty officer rank approached the shuttle. "Ah, hello Sir. Are you all from Star Fleet?" He asked, a little puzzled.

Fives nodded. "We are yes.." he responded. "Looks like someone ignored or rather... forgot about you folks for far too long... I'm here to set that straight." he explained. "Whats your situation?" he inquired. "I'm also here to meet with your CO, where might I find him or her?" Fives added.

The tech NCO pointed to the large run down administration building. "Everyone lives in there Sir."

There was no security around the airfield or installation as the team entered the building. The lobby was abandoned and vandalized. Down one of the halls voices were present. As the team headed down the hall the various smells of tobacco were in the air. The briefing room door was missing and smoke was wafting out.

Inside the smoky briefing room several pilots had gathered around a table. They were playing poker. A pile of chips was in the center of the table. Half consumed bottles of alcohol sat on the table. Most of the pilots were smoking cigars or from various pipes.

As the team entered a Ferengi in a pilot uniform took notice. "Um, Jack, we have company."

A tall man who had his back to the door responded. "The merchants are here early. Good, Choogi you can deal with them." He replied as he continued to study his cards.

"Um, no Jack. They are from Star Fleet!" The Ferengi announced. With that Jack and the whole room took notice and turned to see the newcomers."

Fives smiled. "Nice place you got here..." he commented. "Mind if I join you for a hand?" he inquired.

Kameron Yamaguchi handed Fives some cash. "Whats the game?" the two men decided to be hospitable rather then quote regs and the like. "Is the skipper present?" Fives inquired. "I need to see the man, when he is free.."

Jack took a half finished bottle of Vulcan brandy and poured himself a glass. He then swallowed the brandy in one gulp. "Alright, deal him in." He told a large bearded man next to him. "Sorry, we haven't seen anyone from Star Fleet in over two years. I"m in charge here. I'm Senior Flight Captain Jack Hassel." Jack extended his hand.

Fives shook it. "Lt Commander Tom Lasky. I'm here to liberate you guys from this... place." he explained. "Your Air Wing will be reinforcing my guys on the USS Roanoke and you'll also be helping me sort out the USS Rowling's Wing as well." he explained as he received his cards. "Whats the game?"

"The game is Orion Ruse. Don't ask me for any advise on this game because I don't win at it very much." Jack told Fives.

"Yes, that is why we play this particular game." Choogi said while smiling.

"Yes, um anyways, back to our orders." Jack veered back to business. "You said we are getting transferred. You do mean the whole unit right? I mean, this doesn't sound like something Nechayev would do for us unless there was some kind of catch? There isn't a catch is there?"

The large man next to Jack stood up. "Of course there is a catch! Nechayev sent him!"

Fives drawled. "Yeah. the entire unit, support staff, everyone is coming... and Nechayev doesn't have anything to do with it... my Commanding Officer's bosses boss was the one who arranged the transfer.... Fleet Admiral April Yamaguchi... She's the one you owe thanks to." Fives said to the now angry guy who was standing.

Fives remained seated. "Buddy... either sit your ass down....or I'm going to put you down." Lasky sounded almost eager.

Kameron Yamaguchi decided to speak up. "Don't do this guys... Lets not ruin the game... because honestly I'd like to sit here with my drink in peace...and watch the game. Besides my wife isn't here and while she'd enjoy the show... I wouldn't."

"Blackmoor, sit down." Jack told the large man calmly. He did so slowly and Jack turned to face Fives again.

"So if you haven't seen anyone from Star Fleet, how do you get resupplied." Taffy asked.

Choogi spoke up. "We find derelict ships and salvage the parts. We then use them to barter with traders who do business around here. No profit but we do survive."

"Not enough to buy yourself a female and keep her around your quarters nude?" Taffy joked.

"I am a female!" Choogi shot back. Taffy gave an awkward smile.

"Anyways, I have a question." Jack brought the discussion back to business. "We have a few Remans working for us. They defected about a year ago. I reported what happened to Nechayev. She told me to return them to the Romulans. I ignored her." Jack explained.

"We kept the Remans here. They needed a place to go and we needed the personnel. It worked for all of us. The thing is that they aren't technically part of Star Fleet. I think they are still officially with the Reman Commando Corps." Jack told Fives.

Fives raised an eyebrow before he shrugged. "Can they enlist in Starfleet?" he inquired. "If they can.... I'll talk to my skipper about bringing them over with us... because if they are willing to serve... then I'm willing to work with them." he paused as the silence was simply deafening. "What... I despise Nechayev's guts too.."

Kameron spoke up. "You got the paperwork on these Remans sir... so I can forward it to Admiral Yamaguchi for processing... She'll help your case with them, had she known, she would have done it sooner."

Fives also had one last little bit of business. "But what if they can't Kameron?" he inquired. "I'll need the paperwork on these guys, how many are there and the like.." Lasky said to Jack

"I don't have any kind of formal documents on them." Jack admitted.

"You never did any paperwork on them." A women who was reading a PaDD on a couch, clad in a tee shirt and underpants interrupted. "You never even took down their names."

Jack turned to her. "Thank you Cavanagh." He stated sarcastically. "Not now." Jack then turned to Fives. "There are twenty two Remans working on the flight crews and one decided to become a pilot."

"Correction Jack," Cavanagh interrupted again. "There are twenty four Remans working on the ground crews and one pilot." She sat up, walked over, and handed Fives a PaDD. "These are there names, ages, and former ranks. That is about all the information I could get on them."

"Thank you Cavanagh." Jack said again, still sarcastic and with a feigned smile. "Now sit back down and shut up." Jack turned again to Fives. "Paperwork isn't my forte. Not that anyone from Necheyav's command would notice."

Fives regarded his cards as a slow smile crossed his face. "Its not mine either.." as he turned his head to Cavanagh. "If you're looking for a job, I could use a yeoman, especially someone who can tell me how it is..."

Cavanagh looked around the dilapidated room. "What and give up all this?"

"She isn't looking for a new job." Jack cut in. "She is actually a decent pilot and I'd like to keep her."

"That's because I keep all your paperwork straight." Cavanagh replied.

"Yep." Jack agreed.

Fives turned back to his cards. "Mmm... whos turn?"

"I believe it's yours." Jack replied. He then threw his cards on the table and took another shot of whiskey. "I need to go out on CAP. Nice to meet you Fives."

"and you." Lasky responded. "I'm in for ten."