Making A Swift Exit

Posted on Wed Oct 6th, 2021 @ 10:14pm by Commander Raiden Kosugi & Commander Liala Ziyal & Lieutenant Commander Mel Torma & Lieutenant Commander Timia Svidi & Lieutenant JG Eira Cortez & 1st Lieutenant Kyle Walken & Lieutenant Colonel Johnathon Hayter (Hawkins)
Edited on on Wed Jul 5th, 2023 @ 10:36pm

Mission: Global Lockdown
Location: Sucarro Government Building en route to Shuttlepad
3041 words - 6.1 OF Standard Post Measure

The escape from the building was swift and only slightly eventful. The uprising was causing chaos, fires burned everywhere and bodies lay in the street. It was an ungodly sight to see and for Liala is panged her heart a little.

Those that were rioting against the Government were true to their word and left them alone. The vehicle for them was left where they said it would be and the engine was even running.

It was a large vehicle, militaristic in build with a large gun on the roof. Built for protection for sure.

They stood at the doors of the building waiting for their moment to leg it to the vehicle.

"Well, this looks promising..." John expressed as he looked at the group with his TR pistol in hand. "Alright, let's get the hell out of hear. Meeka and I will go first to make sure its clear, then the rest of you follow."

Without allowing time for any counter argument, the two sprinted down the steps and med their way to the armored vehicle. As he neared it, there was ballistic weapons fire going off on the opposite side of the vehicle, and some of it was hitting around them. Both of them started to dodge it the best they could. But then there was a large thudding sound and then hissing that then came down from a distance in an arched smoke trajectory heading right at them.

"Son of a Bitch! Meeka, Back!" he called out as he stumbled before coming to a stop and tried to turn back but was flung back as the armored vehicle blew up, sending a compressed air shock wave his way. it flung him up several steps but came to a stop as he hit the steps, in which he rolled down a couple before stopping. Shrapnel had torn through his uniform and mostly was nothing, except for the sharp pain now in his right upper shoulder. "Oh balls," he muttered as he fought through the ringing from the explosion. It took a couple moments before he was able to hear the barking from Meeka who was warning him of a threat nearing him. But then there was growling and screaming from someone as John started to slowly blink and started to focus.

The sudden detonation left Mel's ears ringing, which was never a fun feeling for someone who's physical bodies shared senses and sensations. "Owwwww..." she commented, trying to compensate for lack of hearing by keeping a sharp watch out for trouble. "We're sitting quails here." she called up over the ringing.

That's when she noticed it. A possible way out. "There's a door behind those container crates. Think we could use them for cover?"

When the transport had detonated, Brenda's instinct was to grab the nearest member of the team, haul them to the ground, and cover them from the explosion. Her head came up as soon as the blast was over to all but glare at Hayter. "You bloody fool." She muttered to herself, making a mental note to have words with the man when they got back on the ship - if they got back on the ship.

Her weapon came up, training in an arc in front of the team, seeking out a target. The other marines she knew would be doing the same on different angles. Herself, the Gunny, and two enlisted. Not enough for a bloody warzone. Nowhere near enough.

At the commander's comment, Brenda spared a glanced that way. She shifted side-ways, still scanning the immediate area. "All right, fall back! Get into cover!" She spared a look at the colonel on the steps, her mind racing. "Gunny! Get everyone behind those crates!"

With that, the Marine Captain bolted down the steps towards the prone colonel.

Finally the ringing went away and John was able to fully hear it all around him. He looked up at the figure shadowing him to see the slight glare from the female marine captain. He sighed and shook his head as he rolled to his feet on the steps. "Yeah I know, idiot. But I was trying to keep you all safe. Let's get out of hear."

Wasting no time, Mel started her tactical withdraw. One body watched behind while the other ran, and yet neither of them tripped.

"Privates take the lead." Walken orders as he begins to tap people on the shoulder, he started with the person closest to him Lieutenant Kosugi. "Move for the cover now!" He shouts over the various booms and bangs of the various rioter's weapons. Kyle took position to cover the area, "Commander Ziyal you should go next."

Mel, now with the others, would wait her turn to make the move to cover. Until then, she kept her eyes and ears open. Her nose wouldn't really make much of a difference here... too much smoke and leftover scents from all the explosions. "Will they need help carrying the colonel out?" Mel offered. "I'm a terrible shot, but you all are easy for me to carry."

"I'm fine!" John called out over the ear piece communications ear piece as he and Sinclair rushed up the steps and towards to the rest of the group. How does it look?"

Raiden was looking for Noah, hoping that he had been out of reach of that blast. "So we've got to get another vehicle and get out of here." he had moved when Walken motioned for him to move.

Noah darted back in to shelter, "Who has a injury that needs attention right now?" he demanded as he craned his neck to look at each of the members of the crew. "If its a scratch it can wait." he said as he ran his own wrist over a cut on his head, smearing blood across.

"Minor shrapnel cut from the explosion." Mel spoke up. "Not me, the other..." and her other form waved a bit. "It's nothing serious. Walking Wounded, I think is the term." she gave a pair of nods, she was technically fine. More damage from the excitement than the actual wound.

"Looks like you need it, Doc," John remarked as he came over near the group with the Captain behind him. His face was cut up with dust and dried blood here and there on his face. His uniform was dirty and somewhat worn, but it didn't seem to stop him at all. Meeka huffed at them as she came around the other side for a moment before going from person to person, sniffing them, almost as though she was checking for wounded personal as well. "Alrighty Sinclair, I'm going to patch up the doc real quick, call it out. You have point!"

Raiden looked at Meeka, smiled slightly at the canines inspection. He was none worse for the wear his ears clearing up from the noise of the explosion. While the others were regrouping, Raiden decided to carefully climb up top of one of the crates to peer over the top of another. They needed to get out of here, with their one transport having been blown up, they needed another one. At the moment he didn't see one readily available but through the haze and the smoke he did pick something up, a small group of people heading their way. And they looked mad, and were pointing in the direction of where they stood. He ducked back down and headed to where the others were.

"We've got company coming our way, one and half blocks from us. I didn't see any other transport yet, but who knows what could be further down.

The force of the explosion had thrown Liala into the crates with great force. Those things were solid and did not budge an inch but her body felt in great pain if only for a moment before the adrenaline kicked up a notch. The back of her head was sore but she felt no blood, nor did she see any. Sluggishly she picked herself up and moved behind the crates for safety as the group approached. She coughed a little and noticed specks of blood on her palm. She feared internal bleeding as a worse case but kept that to herself and wiped her palm on her clothing to clean it. "I'd really like to leave this planet now Colonel, Captain." she said directing the comment to both of them.

Kyle rubs ash from his face as he looks over the situation, no transports on the current street and a mob coming their way. "We could use a diversion, overload a phaser near something that could spark up...or someone could draw that mob away. Seeing how most of you are hurt or too important to be asked to do this, I recommend myself if we go with that plan."

"Any plan where we give up anyone is a terrible plan." Mel spoke up, shaking her other head. "Though, giving up a phaser I could live with. I don't even know why I have..."

"... one, I'm a terrible shot." she paused, "But in this gravity, I'm a hell of a thrower. Now, not gonna throw this into the mob. That's not a plan I accept." her feelings against violence were well known. "But..."

"... I can put this phaser anywhere downrange. I can't guarantee perfect accuracy, because seriously do you know how light this is to me?"

She put a hand on Kyle's shoulder, "It's brave of you to recommend yourself, but we're all important here." a pause, "Don't tell Hayter I said that. It'll inflate his ego to the point where..."

"... it could serve as evac." she smiled. "I've thrown a base ball before, so this should be nothing like it." she tried to keep up her cheerful demeanor.

"Who said anything about being given up? Simple diversion then flee to a rally point." Walken answers.

"You'd be an idiot if you thought about doing anything else!" Cortez called out from a short distance away. She too had been thrown and landed on her already bad left shoulder which she didn't think was broken but it still hurt.

Raiden gave a frown, he understood what Walken had been saying, and they did need to get out there and find transport. He heard the other sounds of fighting in the distance and the ever onward approach of the mob that was coming, they could go into the door that was behind them but that would defeat the purpose. They had people injured, and he didn't know who was going to be able to move quickly. Raiden thought for a moment then grinned, he had a crazy idea. Besides he did have that weapon that had been procured when they liberated the rest of the weapons that had been taken from the marines.

"Hey Walken, I'll be the distraction, and draw them to the left, this way you can come up behind them, someone's gotta play bait right?" Raiden flashing a brilliant smile. "Besides I'm counting on you."

With that, Raiden headed towards the left and away from the group along the building, crouching low taking advantage of the various rubble that was there. Raiden came to a stop looked around and quickly charted his path for him to rabbit out of there. Raiden then stepped out to where the group of unfriendlies could see him and shot towards them. He had a clear path behind him and places he could dive for cover if needed.

'Hi there come and get me!" Raiden bellowed towards the unfriendlies who did not appreciate getting shot at and they turned towards the distraction, not happy in the slightest. They in turn started to fire back at him and Raiden had already darted towards some cover.

Mel watched the ... the only word she could come up with were "ANTICS" of these soldiers. That's what this was to them. A game. A competition. "Please be careful." she half whispered, half muttered. "Dia's knees you're a competitive bunch. So... so brave, so aggressive.." she said, almost like those were negative traits.

Though they might be, to a Dalacari.

"We should at least capitalize on that." she mentioned to the rest, though probably just stating the obvious at this point. She turned one of her attentions to Walken, first. "I never meant anything negative with what I said. Dia's graces, I need this crew more than anyone else." she admitted. "I'm sorry if I spoke poorly."

Kyle shook his head, "That one will be an issue, alright no more slacking we need to push up now. Privates clear the area and take point, Captain I suggest you in the middle with the Navy personnel I will bring up our rear." Walken was done with this planet now after all of this crap he needed a drink.

The unfriendlies continued to follow after Raiden, him belly crawling to another area then popping up and shooting, then pop down once more. At the moment Raiden felt like he was in a game of whack a mole, with him being the mole, he just hoped he wasn't going to be the mole that got hit. The buildings rose above him, and Raiden came to a section where the road branched off to the right and left of him, and continued straight. He glanced over to the right and saw just a block away a vehicle that might just be big enough for everyone to fit inside.

Deciding to see if the commbadge worked he tapped on it. "C'mon guys, Walken, Hayter, Sinclair etc. Get these guys, make them scatter like roaches and lets get out of here. I've got eyes on something that we maybe able to use to get out of here."

Liala was trying to keep up, her ability to breath was becoming difficult but she wouldn't let that stop her from getting her team off this planet in one piece. She had heard what Raiden had said and even before she would have denied such a plan he was off doing it. However, it had been working and they had moved towards an escape route and something that could protect them a little better than open space.

"Everyone..." she said holding her side subconsciously. "We are taking that transport." she said gesturing towards it through laboured breaths. "Captain Sinclair, Sergeant Walken, get us there." she ordered before tapping her badge. "Lieutenant Kosugi, make a strategic return to the group immediately."

"Aye Commander, I am on my way." Raiden responded. He led the unfrlendlies away a bit further on and when he felt he could safely slip away without getting caught, he did so. Making his way to where he could meet up with the rest of the away team. Raiden figured he might be in for a good tongue lashing, by a few people. Or even worse, but he just wanted to help get the away team out of there.

When he caught up with them Raiden quipped, "Nice day for a walk don't you think?" a cocky grin evident.

"You heard the boss, Privates on point. The rest of you fall in behind them, let the marines clear the way should we run into anything. Sinclair and I will bring up the six!" Walken orders before raising his rifle and taking his place behind the others watching their backs.

Of all the things Mel appreciated getting confirmation for, 'Getting Out Of Here' wasn't one of them. As soon as the word was given, as soon as it was time to go, Mel was on her feets and moving.

Raiden climbed in to the drivers seat, "All aboard!" he called out, seeing if he could find the keys to the transport. If not, he hotwired the truck, the engine starting up. Once everyone was onboard, Raiden put the transport into gear and headed for the runabout to get them off planet!

Liala was the last fleet officer to get on board the vehicle before the marines all bundled in. "Let's go Raiden." Liala said loudly over the incoming weapons fire and shouting.

After avoiding potholes and other obstructions the away team was well away from that warzone, all Raiden did was concentrate on getting the team to the runabout and off this planet. They pull up to the runabout, Raiden is off the transport and running to the runabout, getting the engines warmed up. "I don't know about the rest of you but I'm ready to get out of Dodge."

Running from the transport to the runabout, instinctively keeping her head down as she all but dashed into her seats. "But this isn't Do... oh, Earth expression. Got it." she paused, each form making sure she was secure in her seats. She chose the furthest seats in the shuttle to sit in so that others coming in wouldn't trip over her paws. Or trample her tail. Tails.

"Mel Torma, secure and ready." she called out, vocalizing her status so that Raiden wouldn't waste time looking, asking, or trying to recall.

"Then let's move!" John called out as he was in a state of panic Meeka had taken a bullet saving one of the away team.

Raiden looked back at the precious cargo, the away team most of them injured in some form or other. His brow furrowed as he noticed the life and death struggle to save Meeka, the canine who was Hayter's companion and friend. He could see the worry and the panic of those there as they witnessed that fight. Mel he could tell, was right there watching intently. He could see the doctor right there as well. The doors closed, and the runabout lifted from the terrafirma, and into the atmosphere then they were away from that hellish planet. For all he cared that planet could just get... He chose to concentrate on getting them home, back to the Arcadia.

"Hang in there Meeka" he said softly breathing it out like a prayer.

It was with a great relief to Raiden when the beautiful lines of the Arcadia came into view. And then they were inside the protective bosom of her... They were safe away from that planet.

END