Captain's log, supplemental.

 

Lakota Squadron has arrived at the former Demilitarised Zone. Each vessel in the group has taken up position at prearranged coordinates and our missions are underway. Lakota is continuing at impulse power to the Quasaris system. We've been transmitting coded hails every ten minutes since we entered comm range an hour ago, but we have received no response.

 

As expected, the Osiris has already been on the horn and informed us that our presence has been noticed by the Cardassians; a lone Galor-class cruiser is heading our way, watching our every move…

“She's about two lightyears away and closing, but so far they're sticking to their side of the border,” Lieutenant Mitchell pulled up the section of the map on his console's display panel, identifying the advancing Cardassian vessel and its location in comparison to their ship.

“Cardassians aren't known for a strict adherence to the border in this area,” Noli mused, arms folded across her chest with her right hand caressing her chin as she regarded the display closely. “They know that we know that they know we're here…”

“They're flirting with us," Nazir smirked beside Noli, hands clasped to her hips. She shook her head slowly and walked away, ascending the ramp back to her chair. “They won't do anything until they see that they have a moral imperative to offer their assistance,” she told as she assumed her chair once again.

Noli stood silent, intently glaring at the display until she caught Henry watching her out of the corner of her eye. Taking a deep breath, she patted the flyboy on the shoulder and turned on her heels. “Peri?” she called out.

Frustration had crept up on the Bajoran tactical chief after the fourth failed attempt at communicating with the planet. Attempt five yielded the same, fruitless outcome. Whatever had occurred down there, it had become increasingly obvious that there was no one able to answer their hails - perhaps no one left alive at all - and that worried her. “Nothing…” she answered the XO's query.

“Sensors haven't detected any life signs,” Teyahna called from the port side of the bridge, “but I am detecting low levels of ionised radiation. High enough that they might mask any life signs down there,” the Orion scientist elaborated, spinning in her chair to look across at the Captain.

Perched on the edge of her seat, hands grasping the armrests on either side, the Captain pursed her painted lips. “High enough to cause any issues for an away team?” she eventually asked of her trusted scientific advisor.

“At these levels, my people can provide an inoculation so that the team won't have to wear those ridiculous EV suits,” Doctor Zinn said. A quiet day in sickbay had provided him with the perfect opportunity to escape and log some more duty hours on the bridge, something he had to do if he ever wanted to get Noli off his back. She'd done nothing but nag him for months about the need to be present for briefings, strategy sessions and mission developments, so here he was. And now, he was second-guessing himself, as the crew often did (or so he had noticed anyway). “Although we don't know what has occurred down there, so it might be more prudent to stick to the tried and tested…”

“Number One,” Nazir nodded to her first officer. “Gather who you need and take a shuttle down there. Search the facility, ascertain what's occurred and locate any survivors,” her tone was far more serious than it had earlier been, a clear reflection of the situation that had presented itself.

Noli nodded and was just making a beeline for the turbolift when she stopped and smirked at the Captain. “You know,” she began, “you'll have to trust the transporters again sometime, right?”

Following the shambles of Frontier Day and the startling revelation that their enemy had utilised transporter technology to enable them to assimilate thousands of the Federation's youngest officers, Nazir had sworn never to use the transporters again. Even after reassurances from Admiral Crusher, Commander D'Orr's implementation of the transporter protocols and the testing of the system by her own trusted people, she still wouldn't entertain the idea.

“Not even the President herself could convince me to use those things again anytime soon," the Trill shook her head in firm protest.

Sensing that this was, for now, a battle that she was losing, a smile crept upon the XO's lips. “Very well Captain,” she held her hands up in defeat. “Peri, Zinn,” she looked at the two senior officers and pointed to the turbo lift she soon entered. Tapping the commbadge on her left breast, she activated the shipwide comm as the doors closed behind her and her away team.

“Hazard team Alpha to the shuttlebay."

Hazard Team Alpha had been established by Captain Nazir in the days following her arrival aboard the Lakota, a sign of her trying to ‘get with the times’ as more and more commanders across the fleet took the initiative to try and further protect their crew after the events of the last year. She'd got the idea from Captain Theodoras aboard the Atlantis, although the team aboard Lakota was no comparison to their experienced counterparts who made up the ‘Fighting Myrmidons’. They were specialists though; each member of the five-person team was a specialist in their own right, and each represented a different division from across the ship.

Ensign Dazia Kiaol, a Trill who had boarded the ship as a fresh start following Frontier Day, was a damage control specialist from engineering and had been hand-picked by Lieutenant Prida before she departed on her secondment to the Hathaway. Nikti Keesa, a junior lieutenant, was a medical officer with a background in genetics and was one of two Orion's aboard the ship, keen to dispel some of the many myths about her species. Kivoss Ch'rhaatris, an Andorian weapons expert, had been assigned to the team by Commander Peri as an intervention program following several reports of tardiness on duty - a tour under the XO would solve that particular issue, and quickly. He was also the only male on the team, which riled the chauvinist significantly. Then there was little Natalia Donovan, the youngest of the group but talented nonetheless. She'd been headhunted for membership on the team by Commander Teyahna in an effort to get her involved in matters beyond her xenobiology lab. And all were led by the XO, who had taken on the leadership of the group as a way to try and enhance her skillset and reputation. She was one of the newer XO's in the fleet, but she had ambition, and those ambitions could only be helped by leading such a group.

So far, the team had been subjected to nothing more than training and instruction by the XO and her band of instructors (namely the senior staff in any capacity Noli required), so receiving the call to report to the shuttlebay had piqued the curiosity and excitement of all on the team. Except for Natalia, who was busy pacing at the back of the shuttlebay, chewing on her fingernails.

Each member of the group had reported promptly, and before the XO arrived to brief them on their endeavour. They carried equipment specific to their specialism, so as to make it easier to carry out their duty. Although the enormous phaser rifle that Kivoss carried nearly measured the same as Natalia in height (and probably weight) and was probably not the smartest of choices. Still, each member of the team had been given license to determine what equipment they would need for their duties, and that was what he had chosen. Nikti assumed it was to compensate for something else, but that was just idle speculation (and she was damn certain it would stay speculation too). They were busy stowing their equipment (except the pacing youngster) when the door to the shuttlebay opened and Noli strode in, followed somewhat begrudgingly by the Chief Medical Officer.

“We ready?” the Bajoran looked towards Nikti, the team's second in command, with an excited smile.

“Almost,” the Orion frowned, jutting her chin in the direction of the nervous Ensign across the bay.

“Okay. You guys finish up here and help the Doctor prepare some EV suits. I'll talk to her,” the XO smiled reassuringly, before striding away from the rest of the team. As she approached the youngest member of the team, she could hear her chattering away, oblivious to her surroundings. It was only a cough from the Bajoran that caused the girl to stumble and come to a stop.

“Sorry, Commander, I didn't see you there,” Natalia winced, rubbing her temple with her right hand.

“Everything ok, Ensign?” Noli asked, her hands on her hips.

“Yes,” Natalia lied until the look on Noli's face reaffirmed what she always believed - she was rubbish at deception. “No,” she confessed, “I don't think I'm ready for this.” She was visibly trembling, her heart racing and sweat beads forming on her brow.

Noli, not particularly known for her soft, nurturing side, stepped closer to the youngster and lowered her voice. “You wouldn't be here if I didn't think you had something to offer this team, Natalia. You're excellent at your job and one of the brightest minds on this ship. It is time for you to put that mind to the test,” she smiled down at the diminutive Ensign as she put an arm around her and turned her frame so she could look at the shuttle. “Rely on your team and you'll get through whatever you're faced with. We're all in this together…”

She'd have been lying, again, if she said she felt completely at ease thanks to the XO's words, but she did feel comfortable enough to nod enthusiastically and share a smile of thanks with her team leader.

Just then, a loud clatter from the shuttle drew their attention, as Kivoss decided to drop a crate of equipment, drawing a laugh from the two women, who surged forward to render aid to their Andorian colleague.

“Oi! Kivoss! Try not to break the stuff before we get chance to use it…”