Murphy is the one true deity
"We have a mission."
The small craft sped silently through the night as the crew turned to look at Captain Paollo. It was very quiet as all acknowledged him and he continued.
"Command has ordered the extraction of two persons of interest. The facility is known, but the enemy has held it for some time." The leader waved and a hologram of a building appeared over the main console. "We have blueprints, but things have likely changed. We have unconfirmed reports of the presence in that facility of turncoats working for the enemy…" He continued as the others made noises of disgust. "...so we want to do this quick and by the numbers. We get in, get the subjects and get out, hopefully before anyone sounds an alarm."
"Can we leave a few presents?" One of the team asked, but the Captain shut that down fast. His team name was 'Boomer' because he liked making things go boom. Even if they were not supposed to go boom, he could usually make them explode and thoroughly enjoyed doing it. He hated the enemy and loved making them explode in equal measure.
"This mission will be complicated enough without adding any side objectives." The captain snapped, his voice firm. "We need the subjects alive and undamaged."
"That will be hard." The team's tech specialist was perusing the data on the facility and wincing. "Even if the enemy have not upgraded the defenses, this place's security was intended to be airtight."
"It was always meant to be a fortress of sorts, yes. We have some old codes and command has downloaded the specs on a few hardwired overrides that hopefully should allow us to dock undetected and deploy gas." The captain waved again and the holo shifted. The team tech stared at the holo and made a noise of worry. "I know. If we are detected, we die. So, command are using up a few other assets that they have been saving. Diverting attention as they can, which is not much. According to command, we will not have another shot at these targets for some time, if ever. So we are going now."
"Okay." The tech moved to the console and started working, his hands a blur as the holo shifted at the speed of thought. "If these codes work, I can get us in, maybe get us time to deploy a gas, but any poisons will be detected in seconds and from these schematics, a general alarm will sound. There is no way to stop the alarm from sounding outside of a control room that will lock down as soon as we are detected."
"What about non-lethal?" The captain asked, ignoring the grumbles of his team. They preferred to kill enemies, not leave them alive behind them. Then again, he felt the same. "Paralytics? Sedatives?"
"According to the readouts, sedatives are classed as toxins." The tech said after a moment of scanning the readouts. Then he laughed, a grim chuckle. "Paralytics are not."
"Okay." The captain changed a few things on his readout and the team all followed, intent. "So we breach… This airlock here. We have a code that should identify us as a supply drone. We do not know the subjects current location, so finding that intel as soon as we board is my job and yours." He waved to the tech who made a noise of understanding.
"Sir. Look." The tech said when the captain would have continued. Everyone looked at the tech who waved at a flashing icon on screen. Everyone stared at it and groaned in unison. "Yes. According to this intelligence, all facility staff have life signs monitors. We cannot kill anyone."
"Or the alarm will sound and we all die." The captain groaned and then nodded. "Okay, Dart guns with paralytics and launchers only until or unless we go loud." He paused and glowered at one team member in particular. "That means you, Star."
"That was not my fault." The soldier in question protested.
"You fired the grenade that cost us our last mission. Command wanted that one alive for interrogation, not in four pieces." Captain Paollo fought to keep from laughing as the other pouted. "We will carry sidearms in addition to the dart guns and launchers, but we only go lethal if I give a direct order. Clear?"
"Clear, sir." Came from everyone. No one liked it, but this kind of mission was why this team had been created. High speed, low drag. High risk, high reward. They were the best of the best and only got the worst missions.
"Navigation, turn to new heading." The captain highlighted a course and the ship hummed as the its powerful engines sped up. "We should intercept the course of a supply drone bound for that facility in about an hour. Command has tasked Hunter Killer Team Six with taking it out, hopefully jamming any distress calls it makes. But if not? They will flee away from the fleet, draw any pursuit away."
"That is Jolley's team." The team medic said slowly. "If it can be done, he will do it. He is good."
"Yes, he is." Captain Poallo replied, ignoring the fact that the medic had a relationship with that team leader. Buc was darn good at her job, or she wouldn't be on the team, so a few foibles like unauthorized procreation practice with other team members were overlooked as long as they did not get in the way of her duty. It never had, so… meh. "Medic Buc, your job is to stay with our 'guests'. Keep them intact and alive until we get back to the fleet."
"Better you than me." The team demo specialist half snarled.
"You will remain with the ship, Boomer." The captain said with a growl of his own and the other stiffened in immediate rebellion. "If we are detected, we die. Then you get a few moments to blow stuff up until you die. If you bring anything big in, the sensors will pick it up and we are screwed. If you go in, I know you will be carrying things that will be detected. You stay."
"Sir, I…" Boomer started, but the captain wasn't having any of it.
You. Stay. That was not aloud, but it was loud. It was also a blunt warning about disobedience. The soldier bowed his head in agreement, but grudging. He hated the enemy and took any chance to kill them. That would doom this operation and possibly the entire fleet.
"We only have one shot at this. Tech Ghit, make sure that at least two others have the hardwired schematics on their armor systems in case you go down." The tech nodded, too engrossed in his work to reply. "Everyone else but Boomer, grab rations and then load out with dart guns. Boomer, take the helm. Star, you get a launcher and only a launcher."
"I am not that bad a shot!" The other protested, to general mirth. He actually wasn't, he just preferred to hit things generally. There was a better reason though.
"You are biggest and strongest. You will be pulling two transport pods." At that everyone paused and then nodded. The pods would allow for easy transport of the prisoners, restraining them and allowing for medical care as needed. "As soon as Buc has them secured, we drop them in and run like hell back to the airlock."
"And if they are on the other side of the facility?" Buc asked quietly.
"Then we are probably screwed, but we have a mission. We do the mission."
The team all moved off, Boomer grumbling. Medic Buc remained where she was however and the Captain eyed her.
"Problem, Medic Buc?" Captain Poallo asked as he started of and she followed.
"I need to address team morale. It is bad, sir." The medic said very quietly sand the Captain did not react. "Everyone knows the enemy are targeting the food ships. If they take those out, we have no way to continue without going back to hunting." The Captain did not react, but he understood. Did he ever! "I don't…" The medic shook her head. "I obey orders, as always. But during the war, we had no choice. We had to eat and food was scarce. We did what we had to in order to survive. Now? Some of us may relish that, but for the rest of us? We have a better way and the Enemy are trying to destroy that. How do they know?"
"I don't think anyone knows." Poallo heaved a sigh as he pulled a transport pod out of a locker and started running checks on it. Buc did the same across from him. She was very good at her job. "But this is for you alone, Medic." He shifted to nonverbal speech even as she stiffened and then relaxed as his mind found hers. No matter what else happens, you get those two into the pods. You get them to the ship and you get them back to the fleet. The rest of us are expendable here. At that, the medic shook, fear warring with her discipline, but he wasn't done. As bad as you think it is, it is worse. The damage to the agriculture is terminal. We have maybe two weeks of food left. Then as you say, hunting the Enemy to eat them. I don't want to go back to that either, Medic. Whatever is in those two VIPs' heads is imperative for the survival of the fleet. So no matter what, you get them back. Keep them alive and get them to the fleet.
I know we have no coordinates or navigation marks, but… Surely the records searches found something? She wasn't quite begging that. Close but not quite.
Only the name. T'Leth. Not what it is or where it is. Poallo replied and the medic winced. Every data archive we have found was purged of that information. Intentionally and completely. Whatever is there is clearly bad, no question. But… He trailed off and she heaved an audible sigh.
But we have little to lose now. The medic agreed.
Command thinks those two have access to other navigation archives. Poallo replied and the medic stilled, hope warring with disbelief in her mind. Like I say, two weeks. Time for desperate gambles.
"I won't fail you, sir." Medic Buc said aloud, her mind stiffening with her posture as resolve conquered her fear. "In and out. The Enemy won't know what hit them."
"In and out." The Captain nodded again and then bent back to his task.
Two hours later
"No signs of detection." Ghit was glued to his scanners, hyperaware than any lapse would be fatal for the mission and in all likelihood, the team as well. We are on course of the airlock. Passive scans are picking up biologicals in close proximity to the station, but they do not match the records of station guardians."
"Do we have an image?" Poallo asked and the tech nodded, flipping a switch. The Captain paused, eyeing the long, finned form and then shook his head. "Nothing I have seen. Anyone?"
"I think that is a bottle nose dolphin." Medic Buc said from her post. An image appeared near her and the Captain eyed it. It was very similar, but the ones outside the ship were modified with very familiar tech. "Is that Elder tech on its back? It looks odd." Then she paused. "Those animals use sound pulses, both to navigate and communicate. Are we shielded from such?"
"We should be." Captain Poallo shared a look with the tech who made face, but then shrugged. "Any ideas what that tech is?"
"Dolphins breath air, not water." Medic Buc said after a moment's study of her readouts. "So, whatever that is, it is allowing them to remain underwater. Probably some form of gill system."
"I thought they had fish for guards." Boomer was still sulking, but with the prospect of combat looming, was perking up. Even pointless combat that ended with death was better for some to focus on than waiting and worrying.
"They had modified sharks for guards but I see none of those. I have no idea where the guards are or where these came from." Ghit grimaced as sound reverberated through the ship. "And… They know we are here. Now, we see if my modifications to the hull work as a disguise."
"You made modifications to the hull. When?" The Captain wasn't sure if he was upset he hadn't been notified about that or happy his subordinate had been thinking ahead.
"You were busy meditating when Hunter Killer Team Six gave me the specs for the drone they destroyed." The tech replied, not looking up from his scanners. "It is not perfect, just some basic metal add-ons that should confuse any scans, even sound based ones. It won't work forever or if they get close enough for a visual."
"They are not closing." The Captain said with a nod. "Either we are not detected or they are luring us into range of heavy artillery with enough space to avoid it on their part."
"Such a wonderful thought. Does being made a team leader make you such a pessimist?" Star complained and everyone chuckled.
"Only the ones who want to survive long." Poallo retorted and everyone chuckled louder, but didn't dare raise the volume any more. "Oh." Everyone stared as the facility lit up, but then, it darkened again, all but one flashing light that was dead ahead of them. It illuminated what was clearly an airlock. "It seems we have been invited."
"I am receiving a signal, short range wide band." Tech Ghit paused and then gasped. "Wow, that encryption is like nothing I have seen."
"I take it you cannot break in?" The Captain wasn't asking, not really. If he could, he would already be doing it. "Try one of the codes. The oldest one first."
"Why not the newest?" Star asked.
"If we give the oldest codes and it is wrong, sometimes even the smartest of security systems will let us try again. Mistakes happen and updates get lost for everyone." Ghit snorted as the system pinged. "And… I am in. That was easy." Far from relieved, everyone tensed.
"Too easy?" The Captain inquired, tone rigid.
"Maybe. I do not have access to everything." Ghit replied. "Nothing sensitive and just looking at those firewalls, I am not going to touch any of them. It would take the best crackers in the fleet days to get through the firewalls and there is no guarantee they even could. This is…" His voice held awe now. "These are nothing I have seen before. Almost Elder tech, but not quite. It is beautiful, but nothing we want to mess with. Ever."
"Do you have access to the life signs monitors?" The medic asked from her holographic display and the tech nodded. "Show me."
The holographic display of the facility lit up even as the ship's engines slowed to dock. Many signals were suddenly visible moving through the halls of the facility. Just form looking, no one was on alert. But…
"Vipers." Medic Buc said heavily. "Why did it have to be Vipers. I hate Vipers."
"Vipers confirmed." The Captain wanted to groan aloud as well. Vipers were creations of the Elders, Advent snake beings with long prehensile tails and a very dangerous acidic poison that they could spit long distances with surprising accuracy. Bad enemies in any environment. In close corridors? Very dangerous foes. "Our paralytic will work on them. The shok bombs?" He asked the medic who thought hard for a moment.
"The thermal shok bombs should work to knock them out and not kill them." The medic agreed. "That said? I don't think they have been tried on Vipers so I have no idea if there would be complications."
"I am sure they have and if we survive this someday, we might even get to see the report of whatever happened to the team that tried, but now? ETA?" Captain Poallo asked.
"Thirty seconds." The tech paused and then he made a noise of glee. "Targets acquired. Three corridors west from airlock. Two life signs between airlock and targets. Sir? I can guide you from here."
We do this quietly. Captain Poallo agreed, projecting his thoughts into everyone's minds. Ghit, guide us. Everyone check masks. Buc, get the paralytic gas ready. Star, bring the pods.
No words were spoken. The team had done this so many times, each stacked up as planned without a thought. The Captain made sure his mask was sealed and then ordered. Breach.
He was out the hatch even as it opened, his pistol up and spitting a dart before the Viper who was turned away from him could turn all the way to see him. The dart hit square on the snake woman's body and she fell to lie still, only twitching a little. Another hiss from a dart gun and another body fell with thump. His mind was meshed with the team and he heard each speak as if aloud, but of course, it was silent. Clear.
Clear. Buc was ready and willing as always.
Clear. Trooper Hor was a good sort, not loud or brash. Quiet and professional.
Clear. Normally, Poallo wouldn't have wanted trooper List on this op because the guy was fairly clumsy at times. But beggars could not be choosers as the old saying went.
Clear. Star was ready, even puling two transport pods
Clear. Ghit was watching from the ship, but with eyes on everything, he was as present as any.
No alarm. Buc, put the gas into the first ventilation service duct you see. Continue to targets.
There as no sound except a small clank when Buc put the duct cover back into place as Star and Poallo guarded her back. The other two were watching both ways, ready with their dart guns. Then she was at the Captain's side as they entered another corridor. This one was longer, with doors marked with red crosses. He looked at the crosses and then at Buc, who nodded. If the VIPs were in an ICU… That would seriously complicate things. He shook that thought off. He waved the two troopers forward and took up position behind them as they readied a stun grenade.
That was when the door opened and a black clad woman stood there for just a moment before she darted back into the room, drawing a pistol even as a dart clattered against the wall where she had just been. Poallo heaved a mental curse at the demon Murphy even as he snarled a command on the mental link and readied his psi powers. She hadn't showed on sensor! His or the base's own!
GO! Both Aquatoid troopers did their jobs, one heaved the stun grenade in even as the other shut the door. Star moved to the door, the Lobsterman's bulk ready to breach and his armor proof against weapons far larger than the human's pistol. Buc stood back with the Captain, the Gill Woman ready to do her job, but leaving the actual fighting to the others who were trained and equipped better for it. For his part, the Aquatoid Captain was ready with both dart gun and psi powers. Ghit was on overwatch as always, the Gill Man disconcerted, but ready.
The flashbang went off with a thump heard even through the wall, the team charged in on the reverberations and just like that, everything went wrong.