Star Trek PBEM Sim / Star Trek RPG
OUR STAR TREK PBEM STORIES: REMEMBRANCES PAST
Title: Remembrances Past, Part Twelve
Location: Pandora's Box, CO's Stateroom
Flashback Setting (Emma): Takharesh X
The fighting had moved closer now and troops were searching every inch of the
caves. Mahldemi's forces were slowed down by their own cruel and thoughtless
actions as Emma had hoped. The forces stopped to clear out the tunnels from the
damage they had caused.
Outside of the caves, in a nearby clearing, the grasses swirled fiercely from
much wind, as a shuttle descended.
The doors opened. A young man who looked like he hadn't slept in days rushed out
to help Emma get the children onboard.
"What happened?" he asked, picking up the girl. The other child was in Emma's
arms and appeared to be asleep with his face towards Emma. All that could be
seen was his beggarly clothes and unkempt hair.
"Saldar never made it to the rendezvous point. I ended up with two kids instead.
They belong to parents on an earlier shuttle and got separated," she said
rushing up the ramp.
"The Prince?" he asked.
"No sign of him either," she lied, still holding the Prince's face against her
as she spoke and hoping he could pretend to sleep longer.
PJ was visibly shaken. If his boss didn't get the prince out, then the chances
he escaped successfully and was still alive were slim.
"Will have to try in a couple of months if we can get back in," she said clearly
upset, but also clearly in control.
They exited the ramp and boarded the shuttle. The interior of the craft was
stark and utilitarian. It was obvious that it had both taken on a lot of use
over the years and had been kept up well. It was filled with agents, operatives,
commandos, refugees and a small pet that had somehow been smuggled onboard and
gotten loose. Two agents tried unsuccessfully to catch the animal and it ran in
a zigzag fashion away from them.
Ensign Peel took it all in quickly and peripherally. She didn't have time for
more. She issued orders to the waiting crew which only used code names and
calls.
"Puff, silent running.
"
"Marks, take over WEAPS."
"Dog, ELINT CMs."
"Bear, assist in monitoring the comms and translating."
"PJ, I need an updated, detailed SITREP ASAP after we get off this rock."
"Understood. A lot has happened," he said, looking like it would take months to
fill her in on the last few hours and the ramifications.
"Beans, here," Emma ordered more gently. She gave him the sleeping Prince. Make
sure the kids are strapped in and fed light local rations and well hydrated.
They haven't eaten right in a long time.v
"I'll be back later," she told the children. The girl nodded.
Beans, buckled up the children and propped the little Prince's head up. It
always amazed him how small children and babies could sleep through things like
this.
Emma left for the cockpit of the shuttle, studying the people as she walked
briskly.
"Not good, not good," she thought, seeing some missing faces on the way in.
She banged on the bulkhead with a code. The bulkhead opened and she entered the
cockpit that looked more like it was meant for a fighter than transport.
"Depart. Evasives. Stealth. Silent running. Best warp. The Honey Tree," she
ordered.
"The Chief?" the pilot asked.
"Not coming on this shuttle," she said, strapping in next to him.
Blinks shrugged. Orders were orders and those changed all the time. He didn't
doubt for a moment that the Chief had some other way off the planet or had plans
of his own there. He and "Saldar" went way back.
He finished entering the new course and engaged the impulse engines.
"Honey Tree laid in and on the lookout for bees," he said in his usual joking
manner.
Emma forced herself to smile for him as if this was an ordinary shuttle on a
vacation hop and he was back in the old days where he ferried tourists before
joining SpecOps. She shifted and watched the instrument readings intently.
~Good bye Sparky,~ she said to herself taking a deep breath and looking for some
work to keep her occupied until PJ came back.
The shuttle gained altitude, its engines strained with the heavier than rated
for payload. The engines finally settled out and the shuttle punched through the
planet's atmosphere. A few seconds later it jumped to warp leaving behind the
war torn planet, their dead and Saldar, their Chief.
