/||\ ------------------------------------------------
/ || \ UCIP Starfleet Command, Eighth Fleet
/ || \ U.S.S. Coronado, NCC-97901
.-/ || \-. Rear Admiral Tebrun Lora Kor, Commanding (OOC)
./ || \. ------------------------------------------------
.-_-. || .-_-. Simulation Teaser
-_ \||/ _-. -[ SD 240207.08 ]-
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/ Simulation Teaser |
/ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ
If Stephen Gregg hadn't known Colonel Jeremy Ironside for more than
15 years, he'd probably accuse the older man of being a busy-body.
Despite the fact that Ironside commanded an entire regiment of
Marines, he never skipped an opportunity to observe mission
preparations of the 1st Battalion. Much of it no doubt had to do
with the fact that both the Colonel and 1BLT were embarked aboard
U.S.S. Coronado. As for the rest... maybe the Colonel *was* a
busy-body.
Gregg spotted Ironside watching from the observation gallery
overlooking the prep areas leading to the assault transporters used
by Alfa Company. At least he wasn't down there among the men.
However, all one of them had to do was to look up and there the
Colonel would be. As Gregg approached, he noted that though
Ironside's eyes were pointed in the right direction, his thoughts
were clearly elsewhere.
"Something I can help you with, Colonel?" Gregg asked. The Major
asked the question with little irony and less amusement. Gregg was
that kind of man. He simply moved to stand next to the Colonel and
watch the preparations below.
Ironside shook his head. "Just... thinking, Major," he said. "It's
quite an assault plan you laid out."
Gregg smiled, very slightly. "I had quite a teacher," the Major
said. "I suspect the whole assault won't take more than 20 or 30
minutes."
Ironside nodded, but his eyes were still distant. Finally, he
asked, "Major, you've seen the particulars on this planet..." Gregg
nodded. "Maybe you can think of a reason: why are we hitting this
target, in particular?"
Major Gregg couldn't help it -- he blinked. For a moment, he didn't
answer, watching as 1st Platoon, Alfa started forming up for their
final inspection. Captain Prescot appeared, looking ready for war,
and went down the line, nodding at the suggestions made by 1st
Platoon's Lieutenant. Finally, Gregg answered. "I would have
assumed the Colonel was briefed more throughly than I," he said.
When Ironside didn't answer, Gregg pressed the issue. "You haven't
been briefed?" he asked.
Ironside shook his head. "Admiral Theron didn't say, and I didn't
ask. I assume that I wasn't told to maintain need-to-know," he
said, giving Gregg a significant look.
Gregg nodded, understanding. What you didn't know, you couldn't
reveal if you were captured. "This is a different kind of war from
what all of us are used to Colonel... but we'll adjust," he said.
Ironside just nodded. The two men continued watching the
preparations in silence. Finally, Ironside started to turn toward
the turbolift, presumably to go. A momemt before reaching it, he
turned to look at Major Gregg again.
"Major," he said, "perhaps you can answer a question for me."
Gregg nodded. "Anything, Colonel."
"I've noticed that quite a few of the Marines are wearing a new
insignia," Ironside said, pointing at the black ring that encircled
the bottom of the sleeve of his uniform jacket. Ironside and
Gregg's were unadorned, but the Major immediately knew what Ironside
was referring to.
Many of the Marines, and not a few of the Starfleet officers, had
taken to wearing a small gold pin on that band of black fabric. The
pin, about a centimeter square, depicted a hawk or other raptor,
wings outstretched, claws extended. That was all, but already more
than a third of Gregg's 1st Battalion was wearing them, and the
Major suspected that that percentage carried to many of the Marines
and Starfleet personnel in M64.
A quiet question posed to one of his Lieutenants had earned him an
explanation for the pin, and he shared it with Ironside. "It's the
overall logo for the Defenders," Gregg explained. "It's nothing
official, but I understand it's an old Starfleet border defense logo
-- a hunting bird with the Latin for 'strong, silent defenders'
around it," Gregg said.
Ironside nodded, crossing his arms. "And what does it signify?" he
asked.
Gregg shrugged, now somewhat embarrassed. "From what I'm told, the
men and women who wear the pin are making the point that Reor and
Meyer are part of the Federation in absentia, and the oaths they
took as Starfleet officers apply to the defense of the allies in
M64," he said. "I realize it isn't a recognized part of the
official uniform, but after it was explained to me..." Gregg trailed
off, now suddenly even more embarrassed. It had seemed like a good
idea to leave the pins alone at the time. Fortunately, Ironside
picked up on it.
"It's a morale booster," Ironside said. Relieved, Gregg nodded.
"Since they can't defend their own homes, they're defending the
homes they have here," Gregg said, then paused. "I suppose... I
suppose I could order them removed if the Colonel w--"
Ironside interrupted, shaking his head. "No," he said. "Leave them
be." The Colonel was about to add something else when he himself
was interrupted by the ship's comm system.
"Lora Kor to Ironside," the Commodore's voice said from one of the
speakers.
Ironside tapped his combadge. "Ironside here, go ahead, Commodore,"
he said.
"Colonel, is everything in readiness here and on Renegade?"
Ironside nodded, though Lora Kor couldn't see it. "Yes, Commodore,"
he said, "everything's ready to go." Ironside glanced at Gregg, who
nodded.
"Very well, Colonel," Lora Kor said. There was a pause, and when
Lora Kor's voice returned, it was uncharacteristically cold.
"Colonel, instruct your senior commanders that this depot is to be
annihilated... completely. Let none escape, let no stone stand upon
any other."
Ironside didn't respond for a moment; he couldn't recall Lora Kor
emphasizing that level of violence before, not even during the worst
of the F-K-R War. However, he again glanced at Gregg, then
responded. "I'll make sure they hear your exact instructions,
Commodore."
"Very good. Lora Kor out."
\_________________________________________________________________________
\ End Simulation Teaser |
ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ
Defenders Task Group 85.3, "Whitestone" Staff:
Commanding, TG 85.3: Commo. Tebrun Lora Kor (Jester)
S-1, Group Adjutant: LCdr. Sieven Drexler (Brad)
S-2, Group Intelligence: LCdr. Kariasa Ma'Aru (Kari)
S-3, Group Logistics: Cmdr. Savant (Savant)
U.S.S. Coronado Crew Roster:
Commanding Officer: Capt. William Daren (Daren)
Executive Officer: Cmdr. Darek Smith (Aggie)
Marine Commandant: Col. Jeremy Ironside (Fraser)
Chief of Operations: Cmdr. Olme Tlaloco (rev)
Chief Tactical Officer: Lt. Kyle Marcy (Marcy)
Chief Flight Operations: Lt. JG Ananda Wilk (Baralu)
Chief Science Officer: Lt. Kathleen Hammond (Kath)
Company Commander: MCpt. Jacob Prescot (Shadow-FjP)
Flight Leader: 2Lt. Andrew Stylus (JadeFalcon)
Chief Engineer: Cmdr. Zunite Oswald (Sonya)
Assistant Engineer: LCdr. Jack C. Farley (CCC)
Assistant Engineer: Lt. Aramis Skylooker (LewisSharp)
Chief Medical Officer: Lt. (JG) Jason Vogel (Thompson)
Systems Specialist: Lt. Caring-Thoughts (Alffred)
Civilian: Alados ha-Soron (McC)
On Extended Leave of Absence:
None!
Positions Available:
Assistant Tactical: (---)
Flight Leader: (---)
------
Jester
Commodore Tebrun Lora Kor
Rear Admiral Selectee
Commanding, Defenders Task Group 85.3, "Whitestone"
embarked on U.S.S. Coronado, NCC-97901
http://www.jestertrek.com/coro2400/