—Chapter 3—
The Enterprise had tracked the Orions to a backwater world, barely M class. After a brief exposure of the Enterprise to any possible planet-side sensors the Orions might have installed, the ship retreated behind a huge asteroid caught in the planet's orbit, lest the ship be detected. Archer, Trip and Malcolm were joined by T'Pol and Ke'Relle, in the Situation room at the back of the Bridge. They were assembled there in order to decide on a course of action.
"Tactical," said Archer, "give us an overview."
Malcolm tapped the video touch screen set into the tabletop and the optical data displayed the Orion camp.
"This looks to be a semi-permanent camp, used fairly often," said Malcolm. "It's likely they gather all the loot and slaves they manage to capture here 'till they're satisfied with their acquisitions, then they call in for transports to take it all back to Syndicate space. Currently, we have a dozen buildings, eighty-three Orion life signs and another four hundred or so assorted life signs, among them Andorian, Vulcan, Tellarite, Klingon, Risan and another half dozen or so we have no knowledge of, though T'Pol or Ke'Relle might have such knowledge.
"It's safe to presume the Orions watching over a captive slave population are heavily armed. We can not get much more data, without putting some boots on the ground, or risk exposing the ship to any planet side scanners employed by the Orions in order to take more extensive sensor readings. I propose to go down to the surface with a security team to take a closer look. We'll take a shuttle and make a wide detour to the planet below and the camp, in order to avoid detection."
"Take Trip with you, Malcolm," said Archer. "He used to bow hunt wild hogs in the Everglades and if he can sneak up on those canny bastards, the Orions should be a breeze."
"Aye, Captain," said Malcolm, looking at Trip.
"I would like to volunteer my services, Captain," said Ke'Relle.
"That's kind of you Ke'Relle, but—"
"I served eight years in a light-infantry unit, Captain. This sort of thing was my bread and butter, as Trip would say."
"But—" said Archer.
"Why didn't I fight the Orions?" said Ke'Relle. "The captain of the Sultara would not allow any weapons on board. I could have disarmed one of the Orions, but to what end? I'd still have to overcome two crews worth of Orions, and if I'd been successful, the Orions would have retreated to their ships and blasted the Sultara to scrap iron with their shipboard weapons."
"Oh, yeah," said Trip. "That's pure logic you're hearing, Captain. It's a beautiful thing."
T'Pol gave a long suffering sigh, and said, "You are a fan or logic, Commander? Is that what I am hearing?"
"Of course, T'Pol. When have I ever strayed from the rigorous path which logic demands of us all?"
T'Pol opened her mouth to speak, but she was simply overcome by the sheer number of examples of the Commander's illogical behaviour, and said nothing.
"Let's get back on point," said Archer. "There are hundreds of captives down there, who will soon end up in Orion slave markets if we do nothing."
"Sorry, Cap," said Trip.
Malcolm, looked speculatively at Ke'Relle, and said, "Ke'Relle's training would make her well suited for this mission, Captain."
"All right, Ke'Relle, thank you," said Archer. "T'Pol, you will lead this mission. Lieutenant Reed, you and Ke'Relle will plan the team's insertion, necessary gear and weapons, as well as any other details you feel would affect the success of this mission. When you have your plan, present it to T'Pol."
"Yes, sir," said Malcolm.
"T'Pol," said Archer, "I want you to contact the Vulcan High Command. I intend to rescue those people which the Orions have captured, but the Enterprise can't carry four hundred extra people on board. Our life support systems would fail. We need Vulcan transports. If that falls through, try to get a hold of some civilian passenger liners, livestock freighters, anything with an adequate life support system."
"Perhaps we should wait until we are reinforced by some Vulcan ships and marines, Captain," said T'Pol.
"We can't afford to wait, T'ol," said Archer. "The Orion ships could show up any time to take all those captives back to Syndicate space."
T'Pol nodded her agreement and everyone about their tasks.
Three hours later, just before dusk on the planet below, Shuttlepod One left the Enterprise and took a wide detour to the planet below in order to minimize the chances of detection by the Orions. Once in atmosphere, Travis flew the pod twenty feet or so off the deck and eventually landed the shuttle two miles or so from the Orions, deep in a gully. A few minutes was sufficient time to disembark the recon team, composed of T'Pol, Trip, Malcolm and Ke'Relle. A few moments after the team had disembarked the shuttle returned to the Enterprise.
From their landing spot, each of the four members of the team hiked to their preassigned positions around the Orion camp. T'Pol was positioned to the North of the camp, Malcolm to the West, Ke'Relle to the East and Trip to the South. Their combination binoculars/data recorder shared the visual data captured both with the other members of their team, and with the Enterprise, while their comm units were linked in a similar fashion.
"I don't see any heavy weapons, do you?" said Archer's voice into each of the team member's miniscule earpiece, after the Enterprise's computers combined the four data streams and displayed them on the main Bridge monitor for the captain.
"I see a crew served weapon, probably a full-auto phaser cannon," said Ke'Relle. "It's no threat to the Enterprise, but it could easily bring down a shuttle. I'm guessing if the captives ever pose a serious threat of a successful revolt, that cannon would be turned on them and it will make short work of them all."
"Where?" said T'Pol.
"Thirty feet above and to the right of the camp's main gate."
Everyone turned their attention to bear on the coordinates described by Ke'Relle.
"How can you tell?" said Archer. "Whatever that item is, it's completely concealed by that canvas drapery."
"Trust me, Captain," said Ke'Relle.
"Ok, Ke'Relle," said Archer. "I believe you. T'Pol will factor that cannon into her planning, I'm sure. Any other weapons? Anything else that might impact this mission?"
"I see phaser pistols and rifles, Captain. Some large animals," said Malcolm, zooming his binoculars to focus on some six legged, two hundred pound reptilian creatures, looking something like Komodo dragons. There were nine of these creatures.
"Damn, they're nasty looking things," said Trip. "Probably fills the role of a guard dog, to intimidate the captives."
"The buildings seem to be barracks for the Orions, kitchens and a medic's tent," said T'Pol. "Captives are restricted to the southern end of the camp. I see a fence surrounding the entire camp."
"It's an electric fence," said Trip, though said was not entirely accurate, for the entire team wore a gray colored patch on their throats which interpretted and transmitted to their comm units the vibrations of their larynx as they barely whispered their words, and then to the ear piece of each member of the team, thus allowing for communication without much noise.
"I agree," said Ke'Relle.
"How can you tell?" said Archer.
"I'm an engineer," said Trip.
More helpfully, Ke'Relle's feed zoomed in on the fence and panned across dozens of dead birds along the fence line, which had tried to perch on it.
"I have something like a large drainage pipe on my end, running under the fence," said Trip. "Might be way to bypass the fence and get us in the camp, or allow the captives a way out. I should check it out."
"I see a steel grate on the North side, blocking access to the pipe, visible from my vantage point," said T'Pol.
"I have one on my end of the pipe as well," said Trip.
"Well?" said T'Pol.
"I can deal with it," said Trip.
T'Pol was silent for the moment.
"I have a clear view of the pipe, SubCommander," said Ke'Relle to T'Pol. "I can warn Commander Tucker if anyone approaches, or cover him if he's discovered and needs to escape."
"Very well, Commander," said T'Pol. "Be careful."
A grunt from Trip as he presumably started moving for the pipe. T'Pol couldn't see him even with her light enhancing binoculars.
Twenty minutes later, T'Pol, said, "Commander Tucker. Report."
No answer.
"Ke'Relle, do you have eyes on Commander Tucker?"
"Negative, T'Pol. He's either quite stealthy, or he laid down to take a nap."
"I'm here," said Trip. "I heard something off to my left. Just wanted to make sure it wasn't one of those nasty reptiles sneaking up on me to hump my leg. It turned out to be some kind of small mammal or marsupial. I'll be at the pipe in a few minutes."
"Understood," said T'Pol.
Ten minutes later, Trip reported in.
"T'Pol," I've entered the pipe, and reached the far end of it."
"How did you bypass the grate on your end?" said T'Pol.
"I brought a small tool kit with me, T'Pol. One of the items in that kit is a small plasma torch. I shielded the light with my jacket and burned through the lock in about a minute. I can do the same on this end as well, if you'd like to put some of us into the camp, or if we can figure out a way to sneak the captives out this way."
"I see," said T'Pol, thinking. "That is well done, Commander."
"I believe I'm inside the camp at this end of the pipe, T'Pol, past the electric fence. I'd like to verify that fact."
"How, Commander?"
"I have an infrared flashlight. Your binoculars will pick up the light, but the eyes of the Orions will not," said Trip, for their mission briefing had made it clear the Orions could not see into the infrared spectrum.
"Go ahead," said T'Pol, then a second later, "I see your light, Commander."
"I'm inside the fence line, T'Pol?"
"Yes, Commander."
"That's good news," said Archer, who was monitoring the situation. "We could put in two security teams through that pipe and release the prisoners. It will be night soon."
Security on the Enterprise consisted of ten full time members under the banner of Tactical, and another twenty members of the Enterprise that had been cross-trained to handle the job if needed.
"Not good enough, Captain," said Ke'Relle. If those animals catch your scent and alert the Orions, or if the Orions themselves see something, it will go hard on your men, facing odds of almost three to one."
"2.73 to 1," said T'Pol.
"Thank you, SubCommander," said Ke'Relle, a trace of sarcasm in her voice.
"Suggestions, Ke'Relle?" said Archer.
"I've been watching the guards, Captain. They're lazy and sloppy, which means they're feeling secure in this location. Wait until right before dawn. Most of them will be asleep. Level every building in the camp below with a torpedo bombardment from the Enterprise. Any guards left alive after that attack will fall easily to your security teams, while the four of us give them covering fire from above."
T'Pol frowned. Ke'Relle's suggestion was ruthless. Logical, yes, but not typically Vulcan. Still, it gave credence to Ke'Relle's claim to military service.
"This is not a warship, Ke'Relle," said Malcom. "Our torpedoes will not survive the trip through the atmosphere, as it is not in our mission profile to bomb planets from orbit."
"What do you suggest, Lieutenant Reed?" said T'Pol.
"We could put thirty men with phaser rifles through that pipe as well as transport eighty phasers into the crowd of prisoners. That's one hundred and ten men to push the attack in addition to the four of us sniping from above. It would work, but the attack would have to be coordinated in order to function properly."
"I can make it into the crowd of captives," said Trip. "Look, the tall grass gives me cover almost all the way from the pipe to the slave's portion of the encampment. Once there, I can coordinate the attack. T'Pol?"
After a moment's deliberation, T'Pol said, "Go, Commander. Be careful."
That's the second time T'Pol has urged Trip to be careful, thought Malcolm. When did they become such good friends? T'Pol's voice brought an end to his speculation.
"Lieutenant Reed," said T'Pol, "make your way around the camp to the south side, close to the pipe. You will meet your security teams there and lead them in when the time comes."
"Aye, sir," said Malcolm, thinking, 'Where are my bloody words of concern, SubCommander?'
"I assume you want the security teams to make their way to the planet, SubCommander," said Archer.
"Yes, Captain."
"I"ll get that done as quickly as possible," said Archer.
"There's no hurry, Captain," said Ke'Relle. "Respectfully, SubCommander, you should strike the camp around 04:00."
"Agreed," said T'Pol.
Trip had listened to the chatter in his ear piece absent mindedly, as his hands worked of their own accord, to burn out the lock. He then squirted an entire small bottle of machine oil onto the two hinges of the welded steel door and then stripped off his weapons harness and uniform as he waited for the oil to do its work. Beneath his duty uniform he'd worn a pair of faded gray sweat pants and an old black sweater to ward off the night's chill and it seemed appropriate for tonight's mission. It would be hard to explain a StarFleet uniform if confronted by an armed Orion.
Click. Click. Beep.
The sounds in his ear piece told Trip someone on their network had initiated a private conversation with him.
"Yes?" he said.
"I have moved closer to the camp, Commander," said T'Pol, "so I can add my fire to Ke'Relle's if you have to make a run for the pipe."
"Understood, T'Pol," said Trip, "though I'd feel better if you were aboard the Enterprise."
"Why is that, Commander?"
"I'm afraid you'll take this chance to blow my brains out, when the fireworks begin, and blame it on the Orions."
"That is not as funny as you believe it to be, Commander."
"Duly noted. Anything else, T'Pol?"
"Ah.. No. Just be careful, Commander."
"Listen, I'm leaving my phaser rifle in the pipe. I can't take it with me, without being spotted. Someone else can use it, or bring it to camp for another to use. The phaser pistol is small enough to conceal on my person, so I'll keep it."
"Understood, Commander."
"I'm going in. Anything else?"
"No, Commander. I will see you when this is all over."
"If I'm snugly tucked in a body bag when next you see me, T'Pol, tell the captain to hang my body from the ceiling, in Cargo Bay 1," said Trip, laughing, "then you can take a stick and beat the crap out of me for all the aggravation I've caused you. You will find it therapeutic."
"Do not speak such foolishness, Commander. Go, but be careful."
"That's the third or fourth time you've told me to be careful. Either you're convinced I'm a fool, or you're worried about me."
"I do not think you're a fool, Commander," said T'Pol after a moment's silence, then ended their private communication to rejoin the open net.