All in a day's work
Posted on 09/05/2022 @ 12:44pm by Lieutenant Commander K'doc Valadorn & 1st Lieutenant Baaru Ixalia & Master Sergeant Robert Schiano & Sergeant Alicia Reilly
2,930 words; about a 15 minute read
Mission:
Mini Mission: When The Cat's Away
Location: Star Base Poseidon
Timeline: MD 3
K'doc nodded and glanced to Alicia. " Alright, let's move out. " He said and moved to the nearest turbo lift and went directly to Ops. " alright, one of you come with me and we'll check this half of Ops while the second team checks the other half." K'doc walked over to the duty officer and handed him a PaDD and accessed the com channel for a station wide message.
=^= Attention all personal. Security and the marine units will be doing and emergency preparedness drill, this will take place starting now and run for several weeks. You will notice a higher then usual number of security and marine units patrolling the station, there is no threat to yourselves or the station. Please permit them access to any and all areas, and they will be out of your way shortly. Address any concerns to Lt. Valadorn, Chief of station security. This is only a drill. =^=
He turned to the others. " Let's get to work, shall we? "
Ixalia turned to Alicia, “come on, let’s get Recon moving”
K'doc tapped his com badge. " All unit proceed to your assigned patrol area. Call in hourly checks of areas completed. If you encounter resistance or find something unusual contact dispatch immediately. K'doc out. "
K'doc began His tricorder scans of Ops first, making sure that the Ops center was clear first before checking the command offices. He glanced over his shoulder and saw the marines working like the professionals that they were and knew he could trust them to do they're job. It didn't mater where you were from, the old saying is true. Once a marine, always a marine.
You don't spend as much time with Jack Patton as Meatball did without picking up a few things and so he did what Jack would do in this situation. Monitor and plan... At the moment Robert watched as his Marines assisted in sweeping the station for an explosive device. If the idea that they could blow up at any minute effected the Kingsmen they did not show it.
Alicia walked shoulder to shoulder with Baaru as she waved her tricorder from side to side. "This is not exactly the excitement we signed up for. Eh, Lieutenant..."
Ixalia nodded, "you're not wrong, but sometimes them's the brakes. we can't always be galivanting around the wilds of some boarder planet" she said, occasionally glancing over at Alicia's tricorder as she waved it closer to her. Ixalia had her modded TR-116 resting in her arms with it's strap over her shoulder.
K'doc finished his sweep and rejoined the others. " It looks like Ops is clean. " He shook his head. " A good fight is preferable to this he agreed. But when the Brass give us orders..." He shrugged. " The next area will be the VIP transporter room nearest Ops. Care to lead off? " K'doc asked.
"Sir yes sir..." Alicia said as she began to walk in the direction of the transporter. Her rifle rested on her shoulder and her scanner outstretched in front of her. "So far so good... I hope we find whatever is out there before it finds us."
Walking just behind Alicia, Ixalia kept an eye over her shoulder every so often as they moved, “that would be preferable. Fighting defensively is so boring”
" I agree. "Said K'doc. " I prefer a close up and personal style of combat, it's the only way the a warrior can gauge themselves against others. anyone can eliminate an enemy from afar, but the honor comes through the challenge and struggle of meeting your enemy face to face. And if the day comes that I am bested in battle, then I shall go to my ancestors and be greeted with honor knowing that I have brought only honor to the family name and not tarnished it with shame. " Said the Klingon proudly. " So who'd like to make the next scan? " He asked.
Ixalia cocked an eyebrow at K’doc, “are you questioning my honour Lieutenant? I feel slightly insulted” she said in a joking manner, though his words did feel like a slight against her and her profession.
" Why would I question your honor? " He asked. " I merely said that I prefer my combat up close and personal. Every Marine on this station I have meet live up to their ideals and complete their assignments with honor, Nor are you the first force recon scout sniper that I have ever meet. i had one that kept me in line and knocked me on my butt many a time nor could I ever escape her. In fact she informed me that she completed an assignment while she was seven months pregnant with me. There is a difference between a rifle squad laying down fire to suppress or mop up the enemy, or a sniper that goes out by themselves or with only a spotter to hunt the enemy and cause disruption and confusion in the enemy ranks and leadership. But then again, I'm not a sniper either, I'll take my combat up close and look them in the eye. It was not my intention to slight your honor or profession. "
Alicia thought it rather humorous to see the large Klingon backpedaling. "I prefer the thrill of the hunt that comes with sniping. However, I can understand how one would think that it is without honor. However, I think that if you have honor than I wouldn't be looking at your head through my scope. Would I?" She took the liberty of starting the next scan after she made her point.
After about a minute of scanning the tricorder beeped as it detected something in the transporters base. K'doc looked over her shoulder at the reading. " Looks like you found a device. Computer, take this transporter room offline and lock out controls. Authorization K'doc Valadorn 98 Alpha Tango 47 Victor Victor 19. Security lock out of command functions on this unit." The computer responded. =^= Authorization and lockout confirmed. =^=
" I'm trained in demolitions, are either of you? " He asked. If either of you want to leave, this would be the time for it. If you stay I'll need one of you to advise command of the situation and the other to have the computer set up a level three force field around the room. "
"With all due respect sir... We are Marines we do not walk away from our team..." Alicia turned toward Baaru. "You may be new here but you are the officer, so perhaps you should contact command." She smiled a little at her comment and then set to the task of creating a level three force field.
Giving Alicia a nod in agreement, Ixalia moved to tap her combadge before hesitating for a moment, "wait, could this device be programed to detonate if it detects a communication signal?"
K'doc moved onto the transporter pad and removed a panel and scanned the device with a tricorder. " No it appears to be rigged to go off a few seconds after the person or party materializes on the platform. So it appears that the target was the command staff and or the incoming VIP to the station. "
K'doc removed the demolition kit from his belt and lay it on the floor. " Inform Commodore Rice and Commander Letsul know that transporter room one is offline and the situation." He started working on the device. " I didn't think either one of you would have left the room when I offered it. Your Marines, It's not in your nature to run away from your duty. Of course I'll note that fact in my report, you are both a credit to your training and your unit. "
A chime indicated that Alicia's task had been completed. Well that and a small silver shimmer that flashed and just as quickly disappeared. "The forcefield is in place and holding." She knelt down next to the Klingon and looked at the device in the transporter pad. The poem that Sparks had taught her came to the forefront of her mind. "Red means stop, green means go, red is hot, and green is blow..." It was something cheesy that Sparks would help you remember which wire needed to be cut. But this device had neither a green wire nor a red wire.
K'doc put on a pair of goggles and studied the device , he slowly removed the device from the transporter pad. " You sneaky little son of a ..." It took another ten minutes of studying the device before he sniped a small white wire and let out a breath. " Well, that takes care of the backup trigger. " He said very quietly. Several minutes later he pulled out a fuse that concealed a yellow wire and sniped it as well and the power light faded. " Computer, place a level five force field around this device until a bomb disposal container gets here and release the force field around the transporter room. The computer complied with the order and he sat back against the wall and looked around the room. " This doesn't look like Stolvokor, So I guess we're still here. " He said with a grin.
Alicia cracked a mischievous grin as she looked at the Klingon Security Chief. "I didn't think that today was a good day to die."
Looking over at Alicia, Ixalia shook her head, “really Red? That’s the pun you’re going with? Why not just come out and say you wanted to ‘Klingon’ to life a little longer”
"Because that would have not been the honorable thing to do..." Alicia replied to keep the joke going. She wondered how far Baaru and her could go before K'doc got pissed.
K'doc just glanced up at Alicia and shook his head. " If your going to do it, then just do it and quit mincing words. Just bare your teeth at me and I will introduce you to my girlfriend and you can proclaim your intrest as a worthy contender for my affections, Of course you'll have to fight her for the right. " He said as he continued to take care of the explosive device.
Hearing K’doc’s words, Ixalia couldn’t help but laugh, “oh now that would be something to see. How about it red? Feel up to besting a Klingon in hand-to-hand?”
" I don't think you understand Ixalia. If she accepts and wins she would be my betrothed and a part of my household, This isn't just about who can best who in a fight. this is a ritualistic challenge and not a bar brawl, think about it before you answer, Because I will be the witness and judge of the fight. "
"So tall dark and Klingon what makes you think it was me who was interested. I was simply replying to your comment. However, it seems that the Lieutenant here may have been interested in something more. As she challenged even me." Alicia turned the tables on the new Marine. The Irishwoman had enough with relationships for the time being, even joking ones.
K'doc nodded. " Fair enough, Not that I was really interested in looking for another mate since I'm quite happy with the one I'm with. You are both capable marines, but neither one of you are who I'd choose to settle down with. " He turned his attention to Ixalia. " One shouldn't issue a challenge so lightly without knowing what your getting into. Bravado can only take you so far, that may land you in some serious trouble you can't back out of one day. Some cultures take challenges very seriously.... Deathly serious. "
He continued to work on the device. " So tell me Ixalia, hypothetically if you were to challenge me. Would you slap me across the face with an open backhand or a closed fist backhand? They both have a different meaning to a Klingon. So which would it be? "
Ixalia looked to K’doc, “diplomatic answer, fist. actual answer, knife. If I’m hitting a Klingon, they better go down in the first punch”
K'doc look at Ixalia and shook his head in disappointment. " I asked you a specific question and you ignored it. Never mind, the point has been wasted upon you. I thought as a marine that at least you could give a straight answer, perhaps I was wrong. "
"What are you talking about? I gave you an answer. You asked open hand or fist and I said fist. I just wanted to be clear what I would do in an actual fight. I'm not stupid enough to fight a Klingon in a fair fight, your people are strong as hell" Ixalia explained
Alicia was both perplexed by what she had been watching and she enjoyed it. This K'doc was an interesting individual, and she thought that it may be fun to get to know him in the same way that he seemed to be trying to get to know them, with questions. "So tell us Lieutenant. You have five minutes to live. Who do you call and what do you say to them?"
" Fist is the correct answer. That is a challenge until one yields. An open handed backhand in a challenge to the death, remember that. " He said to Ixalia. " It will save you some trouble in the future. " He turned to Alicia. " Five minutes? " He rubbed his chin. " Who would I call? My paR Mach of course, As for what I'd say to her that would be for her ears only. I would send her to our family compound to raise our son or daughter and have family support. "
That response told Alicia a lot of what she needed to know about the new Security Chief. He was a family man and she could respect that. Although she wondered if she would get the chance to raise a family. "If it were me I would probably call my mother to day good bye."
“Five minutes to live? Yea I think I’d call home. Hear my parents voices again one last time. Prey to the prophets they’d stay safe” Ixalia answered
K'doc looked directly at the women. " I know that my intended is the one for me, we will most likely exchange our oaths before the year is out. My sons or daughters will be another source of honor and pride for me, as well as the house that I serve. " He said with Iron in his voice, as if the future had already been written and was a fact.
Alicia had worked with Klingons, and as a matter of fact she rather liked them and their culture. She punched herself in the chest and shouted. "Qapla'"
K'doc looked to Alicia and grunted and nodded his approval. " I will tell you one last thing about this subject. We are both serious and of like mind on the matter as she has already moved in with me. " With a few more adjustments and the snipping of a final wire there was an audible click from the device. " It seems we got the backup switch as well. The device is now inert and harmless. " He wiped his brow on his sleeve and tapped his combadge. " Computer, begin level four diagnostics on all systems in transporter room number one and keep lockout of controls until the diagnostics is completed and results are sent to my computer and drop force field around transporter room number one. " =^= Confirmed. =^= chimed the computer. " So would either of you care to come along to meet Commodore Rice while I give him the report on the device and add you own views to the matter? He's not to bad after he's had his first pot of coffee in the morning. " Stated the large Klingon with a grin.
Ixalia’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, “meet the Commodore? Are you sure about that? Technically I haven’t even reported in yet as my CO is off on some mission”
K'doc gave her a curious glance. " Well if I'm going in to report to the Commodore and your part of my team, then of course you'd be at my side. I promise you that he won't eat you, regardless of what the rumors say. "
"You should go El T I can always clean up here and let Captain Vek know where you are should you be needed." Alicia said and then added a chuckle to K'doc's joke about the Commodore.
K'doc grunted and nodded. " I should get this to Commodore Rice ASAP, We had most of the weaponized Bio Memetic gel gathered from the first three devices, this might be the last of it. But since it was planted here, I suspect that we still have a saboteur or two still aboard the station , so keep the marines on alert. " He turned and walked towards the door, he stopped and looked over his shoulder at the two ladies behind him. " That and you both did a damn fine job today. " He continued and walked out the door and headed to the Commodores office.
Alicia watched as the Klingon left. She learned that their new Security Chief was indeed and interesting fellow. That and she now knew the meaning of once a Marine always a Marine.
Final Tag
Alicia "Big Red" Reilly
Platoon Sergeant, The Knights
The Kingsmen
Poseidon Station
Master Sergeant Robert "Meatball" Sechiano
First Sergeant
The Kingsmen
Poseidon Station
Lieutenant K'doc Valadorn
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
Poseidon Station
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