Plot Log | "Battles of the Heart"

Posted on 241407.18 @ 3:51pm by General Richard Sharpe

=/\= Starfleet Command =/\=

It was a crisp and cold morning, as the sun slowly rose over the horizon at Starfleet Command. You could see your breath in the air, as the guards changed over at 0400. It was not a particularly entertaining detail, guarding Starfleet Command, but it had to be done - especially given that the threat level was at a high state of alert.

At 0410, the security system engaged in its random, yet routine diagnostic protocol. This time was deliberately kept arbitrary, as during the twenty six second diagnostic, the shield power fluctuated as each emitter was tested. During this time, guards were supposed to be at their most alert - but on a cold morning like this, the guard change-over were making coffee for themselves, as this would be the two hundred and thirty second diagnostic in as many days.

What could not be known was that Sharpe and his assault force used the fluctuation in the shield grid to penetrate the perimeter. They were now inside Starfleet Campus, and had defeated one of the many security protocols designed to prevent this very thing. Richard's tenure at Starfleet Command had not entirely been wasted then.

Once they reached their jump off points, Towers took his small team and headed for the Communications Centre, leaving Sharpe and his three man team ready to breach the prison complex. They would wait for Towers' signal that they were to breach, which would be somewhat obvious. Towers would be creating as much of a distraction as possible, to allow Sharpe to breach the prison.

Richard instructed his team to do a quick weapons and equipment check, making sure that everyone was ready. Given that their task would be the more important of the two - Sharpe had insisted that Edmunds remain on overwatch with his rifle - that had been fitted with the special transporter attachment first used on the TR-116. This small device would allow the bullet fired from his rifle to be transported at full velocity from his rifle, and rematerialize through buildings to his intended target, and hit it with precision.

After ten minutes, there was the report of a massive explosion, which set off the alarms all over Starfleet Campus. Richard nodded to his team, and they moved the eight hundred yards to the exposed side wall of the prison, which was unguarded. He placed his own explosive, moved back the safe distance, and activated the charge. This blew a massive hole in the side of the building where they had accurately predicted that there would be a barracks. This incapacitated many of the slumbering guards inside the prison, and Sharpe and his team entered the building and subdued the rest with take-down shots as the men climbed out of their beds.

The klaxon's were wailing overhead, as Sharpe and his team proceeded through the building - using energy dampeners on their belts to prevent forcefields and other security measures being employed against them. Reverse-engineered from Hirogen technology, these devices basically blacked out every section they walked into - but with their tactical headgear on, they could see in the darkness through lime-green night-mode viewers.

As they moved forward, guards attempted to way-lay them, and Richard and his team would fire their projectile weapons at the guards - inflicting either grievous wounds, or fatalities. Richard himself was trying to do take-down shots that were non-fatal, such as clips to the shoulder or leg. So far, he'd done one headshot of a leading guard, which had been necessary.

The moved with practised precision through the building, dispatching the security personnel as they made their way to main security.

Moving silently, Richard kept his eyes open, and spotted two guards rounding the corner. He quickly moved his Sig Sauer automatic over to the right, and squeezed the trigger, releasing a shot that found home in guard one's left thigh, causing the man to drop to the deck. His partner tried to return fire, but because of the dampeners, his phaser was just a useless weight in his arm. Richard squeezed the trigger again, and took out guard two in the same way as the previous.

They entered main security, which was dark due to their dampeners. Once inside, they took out the last few guards that remained on this level, with surprising ease. Richard grew concerned that things were going too well, but instructed his people to place the demo charges that Towers had cooked up on the underneath of the consoles.

They moved quickly from main security, and headed down to the detention level. Again, their dampeners worked in their favour, neutralising the forcefields on the cells. Imprisoned political prisoners and Starfleet officers stumbled out into the darkness, to be greeted by Sharpe and his men. They were given transport isolinear tags, and moved into the main mess-hall, where it was hoped that the USS Hawk would be able to transport everyone up.

Richard moved with speed as he searched the cells, looking for Sarah. All he found were more admirals and politicians than he wanted to find, and his search became more frantic. As he reached the end of the cell block, he failed to locate her. He turned to one of the released flag officers and asked her; "Have you seen a young blonde Lieutenant?"

"There was one in isolation, that's beneath us." Replied the female flag officer.

Richard turned to his team. "Protect them until they can be beamed out. I'm going to find her."

"Sir... its a trap. Isolation will be much more protected." Sgt. Williams replied.

"The prisoners need to be saved, Sergeant. You have your orders." Sharpe said, and made a bee-line for the doors that would take him to the lower levels.

= To be Continued... =

Gen. Richard Sharpe