[USS Vanguard] RPG: The Carillon Wrap-Up (At Last!)
- From: "Andy W. Ho" <andywoho@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: ncv80221@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2005 07:03:04 -0800 (PST)
Commodore Dominic Santos
Carillon
After all recent posts
Santos dove for cover behind a trough, followed by Darkwater and
Desdemona, just as a phaser bolt sizzled past. The three looked at one
another. Santos nodded and slowly peeked over the trough. A phaser shot
hit the trough about a foot from his face. He quickly ducked back.
"They've got us pinned down," he said.
Zena Quetan appeared, scrambling around the trough and taking cover
with the threesome.
"Did you get a good look at their numbers?" Desdemona asked her.
Quetan shook her head. "I didn't get a good enough look, but I'd say
this is the main force. Maybe double the original group."
Santos gave a long sigh.
"We can't stay here much longer," he said. "They're keeping us pinned
down, hoping we panic and do something rash. If they keep this up much
longer, they'll simply wear us down and pick us off."
Quetan peeked around the trough. "They have us scattered. We have no
method to regroup and fight back."
Desdemona looked at Santos. "You better do something soon, Nick."
__________________________
While the Vanguard's personnel were on the surface of Carillon, Sam
McCaw and Gershom were in space. The Lone Star had stopped its journey.
"What now?" Sam asked.
"Now, we wait."
"Paron me?!" Sam barked.
"Do I stutter? I said we wait." Gershom looked completely tranquil as
he sat back and looked out the window at the stars. "This is quite
amazing, really."
Sam took no notice of the stars but remained stunned. "What do you
mean, we wait? I think it's time we returned to your homeworld, don't
you?"
"Not really, no. I reasoned it out thus: This engine did not originate
on my world. Therefore, it must have originated on another world. If
those people can make one, they can make another. There are probably
many craft capable of flight with these engines. If there are many
craft, there are likely whole fleets of exploration vessels. If there
are whole fleets of exploration vessels, then one is bound to find me
once I used the engine and traveled into space."
Sam was stunned. "And with that reasoning, you put a craft out into
space with no way to return?"
"Seems like it, doesn't it?" Gershom smiled.
__________________________
Santos nodded at Desdemona. After a volley of phaser bolts, he ducked
out from behind his cover, bow and quiver in hand.
Santos took position in front of the building, drew and fired an arrow
at one of the Breen. The Breen careened off its horse, an arrow
protruding from its helmet.
"Rally to me!" Santos cried. "Rally to me!"
The others started to emerge, taking cover and firing back at the Breen
and the Raiders.
The Breen and the Raiders seemed momentarily surprised, but recovered
quickly, taking cover and firing back.
This was a stalemate. And Santos and his group were quickly running out
of options, running out of time and out of weaponry.
Suddenly, the phaser volleys doubled.
"That wasn't Breen phaser fire," Quetan mused to the right of Santos.
Santos looked up. "Federation!" he shouted.
Behind the Breen forces, three security details in full combat armor
had emerged, surgically picking off the Breen and the Raiders. Five
all-terrain vehicles with mounted phaser cannons provided support.
Santos heard the roar of phaser grenades going off, and the Breen and
Raiders scattering, leaving their dead behind.
Two more security details followed the first three, transporting into
position to outflank the retreating Breen/Raiders. It was a risky
tactical strategy to transport personnel so close to hostile forces.
Santos admired the moxie of the commander in charge.
Suddenly, the surface of Carillon appeared in star-shower as Santos,
Desdemona, Miller and Quetan were transported off the planet...
...and reappeared on the bridge of a Galaxy-class starship.
The commander, a Benzite, turned and faced Santos. Beside her stood Sam
McCaw and Gershom. McCaw was grinning. Gershom seemed in awe of where
he was.
"Ah, Commodore Santos, I presume," she said. "I am Captain Lak'smi.
Welcome aboard the Stockholm."
Santos was so stunned by the sudden change in environment--from the
harsh surface of Carillon to his world, a starship--that he was
momentarily speechless. He peered at the viewscreen and saw two other
ships, a Nebula-class and Prometheus-class, giving chase to two Breen
warships. In the distance, three Peregrine-class fighters swooped over
two Dragonfly-class attack craft, in hot pursuit. One of the Peregrine
fired on a Dragonfly and destroyed it.
And there, in the distance, was the Vanguard, whole and intact.
The ship rocked as the Breen warship returned fire on the Stockholm.
Capt. Lak'smi was unfazed. She stood her ground, observing the battle,
then turned to the helm.
"Lieutenant Lansing, come about and give the Breen our flank. Ensign
Grubman, fire quantum torpedoes when we come within maximum range."
They acknowledged their orders.
The battle was over quickly, decisively, Capt. Lak'smi's cool, calm
demeanor under fire, and the superior firepower of the Starfleet
forces, overcoming the Breen strike force.
As the captain prepared to send Santos, Miller, Quetan, McCaw and
Desdemona back to the Vanguard, she said, "We will post a first contact
team here, now that your Sam McCaw has assisted in this society's first
foray into warp travel. I do believe that the St. Vincent will serve
well in that capacity. Is there anything else I can do for you before
returning you to your vessel, Commodore?"
"No, thank you, Captain," Santos said. "We're very grateful for your
assistance."
The fivesome entered the transporter room and ascended the transporter
platform.
Santos glanced at the cadet crewing the transporter controls. She
looked so young.
He nodded at her and said, "Energize."
And in a star-shower, the Vanguard's personnel returned home.
_____________________________________________________________
USS Vanguard: http://www.ncv80221.net/default.htm
Vanguard Archives: //www.freelists.org/archives/ncv80221
FreeLists: //www.freelists.org
Trying to contact the USS Vanguard managers? Send an email to:
vanguard.staff@xxxxxxxxx
_____________________________________________________________
Other related posts:
- » [USS Vanguard] RPG: The Carillon Wrap-Up (At Last!)
