Plot Log - The Krigorian War - Part 1

Posted on 241503.20 @ 6:21am by General Richard Sharpe

Mission: Reconciliation & Reconstruction [Fleet Plot]
Location: Krigoria

[i]"For those of us who have seen war, will never stop seeing it. In the silence of the night, we will always hear the screams."[/i] - Joe Galloway

= Krigoria =

As the shuttle powered down, the side door opened and Sharpe stepped out and onto Krigoran soil for the first time. This simple thing, this innocent moment, would forever define the events to follow.

What few understood, except those closest to him knew, was that once Richard Sharpe stepped onto a battlefield, he would never step off it again until all his men were off the field - one way or another. This was the sacred promise he made to God every single time he stepped out onto a battlefield - that he would never rest until everyone came home again.

Dead or alive.

What had started out as a simple policing action to flex Starfleet's muscles in the Gamma Quadrant, was to become a protracted and drawn out campaign between the forces of Krigoria and those of the 3rd MEF. Although no one knew it at that moment in time, the fact that the Krigoran government had taken three marines as hostages, with threats to execute them - had emboldened not just their own soldiers - but had hardened the resolve of the marines, they would accept nothing less than complete victory. An insult to one was an insult to all marines, and it was something that they could never forgive and would never forget.

A throng of officers had assembled at the landing zone, and saluted when Sharpe approached. "Situation report." He said, as he returned the salutes.

"Looks like the Krigoran military found a backbone, General." MGen Trident reported. "They're putting up a stand outside the capital."

"Show me." Richard said, as he was lead into the command post. As he walked in, the marines inside snapped to attention. "As you were." He said, as he walked over to the map table.

Supporting his weight with his arms, he looked down on the static map of the continent. Blue markers highlighted marine positions, whilst red markers indicated Krigoran positions and formations. It was immediately obvious to Richard that the intelligence reports he'd received about the state of the Krigoran military was woefully inaccurate.

"So much for brigand bands and light raiders." Richard said, as he viewed the information at hand. "Where the heck did they get a field army from?"

"Seems they have a fair few supporters in this region of space. Reinforcements have been getting in somehow. The coalition of forces is still in our favour, but barely. That estimate is based on forces we can see." General Phoenix replied. "The Starfleet vessels in orbit have begun interdiction duties, but I fear its a case of closing barn doors after the horses have bolted."

"I'd strongly advocate calling up our reserve forces, General." Trident urged. "We're going to need them."

"That would leave us completely exposed in other areas." General Valenar replied.

"Activate everyone, with the exception of the 9th MEU. I don't like leaving a single MEU to handle the entire Quadrant, but I think we've bitten off far more than we can chew here." Sharpe said, looking down. "They have the home field advantage here, plus they've got the civilian population on their side. We're the invaders here - any passing person could be friend or foe. If this goes guerilla, we'll be entrenched here for years."

"Why am I reminded of Somalia from the 1990s?" General Phoenix asked, mostly rhetorically.

"Lets make sure it doesn't come to that, General." Richard said. "Lets pray to God it doesn't come to that."

"General, forward elements of the 9th Brigade report enemy contact." A comms officer replied. "Meeting heavier resistance than anticipated. Casualties being reported."

The information was coming thick and fast over the Combat Information Board. He could see what his ground commanders could see, thanks to their advanced tactical network. One never forgot the sights of combat, the sounds, the smells, the taste of iron in the air. He could see the phaser fire, mixed with the sounds of projectile weapons being fired. There were explosions as hand grenades detonated, as well as mortar rounds.

Richard bowed his head, and spoke softly; "...though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." He looked back up at the monitor, and then turned to his assembled division commanders. "Bring the pain, ladies and gentlemen, bring the pain."

= To be continued... =

General Richard Sharpe
Commanding General, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force
Gamma Quadrant Command