Briefing the Cure, Part II

Posted on Thu May 22nd, 2025 @ 7:33am by Master Sergeant Flarn & Gunnery Sergeant Gaagii & Staff Sergeant Shayla Kunadt & Lieutenant Commander Alyssa Maren & Lieutenant Ja'sol H'ros & Lieutenant Narin Valen & Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius Tremble & Captain Edmund Merrick & 1st Lieutenant Jeksyne Vale & Sergeant Major Lachlan Barr & Sergeant Audie Fitch & Lieutenant Mira Jayna & 1st Lieutenant Edward O'Rourke & Warrant Officer Mercy Ryan & Gunnery Sergeant Tessia T'Lar & Sergeant Adélaïde Moreau & Sergeant Azure Thompson & Sergeant Sina Ravenna & Sergeant Rairror Thoran & Sergeant Miranda Schultz
Edited on on Tue May 27th, 2025 @ 6:15pm

2,131 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 16 - Silent Cries
Location: The Snake Pit - Deck 9 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD009 2000 hrs

Previously on Briefing the Cure Part I
There are too many unknowns to plan out formations, so use your best practices and rely on your training." Looking around the room he said, "As we enter the warrens, we'll deploy into teams spreading out to cover main avenues. Team one will have the point while Teams two and three moves to flank positions. Lieutenant Mira and I will be the quick response force, but getting to you might take minutes. We'll be mapping as we go.

Then he smiled wolfishly, "Initially, I project that this is going to be a bug hunt. No stand up fight, until they wake up and we're in the middle of their warren. That doesn't make it any less dangerous so watch your own and each other's asses."

After a few heartbeats, Neil asked, “Questions?”
And now the conclusion...
"So who's going to be in each fire team?" Mercy asked.

Edmund moved forward to stand beside Tremble. "In answer to your question. The teams will be this: Recon will be Gaagii, Ravenna, and T'lar. The Flanks will be:
Team One: Jeksyne, Fry, Azure, and Schultz
Team Two: Barr, Moreau, Thoron, and Flarn

My team will consist of Mercy, Fitch, and Shy." Edmund looked around then his eyes settled on Edward O'Rourke.

"O'Rourke, you will be accompanying the Fleet Team." Locking eyes with Edward.

Merrick turned his attention back to the rest, his piercing blue eyes sweeping over them. "As what the colonel said, watch your back and each others backs as well. Its not going to be a walk in the park for a nice picnic. Its going to be dark and dirty." His lips going into a grim line. "I've seen you in action before and you worked well as a team. They need to be stopped." His voice ringing where they are gathered.

"Lets show these critters they can't get away with what they are doing. If we don't stop them here, who knows where they may go next. Putting others in danger of losing their lives. Any other questions or are you ready to go bug hunting?!"

"Great." Rairror said. "I get to be the Exterminator."

"Ooh rah!" Miranda replied.

"So, the Silence knows we're coming, right?" Audie asked. "They asked for us...so, does that mean they'll stop with haunting our dreams now?" Not that they would be getting any sleep before this was over, but it would be nice to know that the next time she closed her eyes, she'd actually be able to get some rest.

"They know we're coming," Alyssa assured Audie. "Whether anyone will still have nightmares depends on our psyche. But they won't be coming from the Silence."

Shayla looked at the holo-display intently as she listened to the plan. To her it sounded something akin to suicide. Entire unit goes in up against a largely unknown force, to protect a group of scientists who must do the impossible with the unknown. She sighed heavily. "Just another day at the office." she whispered to no one specific. Then she spoke in a normal tone for all to hear. "So, Top am I to assume that my old friend Hawkeye and I are to take overwatch and bail your lilly butts out of the suck when or if the order comes?"

"That is exactly what will be needing, Kunadt, just like you do, and do it well. " Merrick remarked.

"If I need you Staff Sergeant then the shit has really hit the fan and I'll be asking for air support." Lachlan replied dryly. "I've requisitioned a large can of Raid to be fitted to your shuttle."

Neil listened to the chatter that rose up. That was normal and expected. Which was good. "We'll even paint little bug icons for any you splatter with the Hawkeye, Shayla," he commented with a smile. "They'll have to be big ones of course..."

For Gaagii briefings like this tended to be more ceremonial, ritualistic than anything else. He sat stoically and listened as he pulled his already styled mohawk into a long tail. He then began to apply red and black war paint to his face and skull. This was the way of his people. The way of the tribe before a great battle, one would make peace with the spirits. In this moment he prayed to the great owl for wisdom, and the hawk for sight. He learned from Merrick that he would be taking point. Such was the way of the Pathfinder. He made his way over to T'Lar and Ravenna. "We are the finders, the ones who pave the way. My people would call us Wayfinders. Now is the time to make peace with the spirits and prepare for what is to come." He handed the war paint to them should they choose to partake in the rituals.

Tessia watched with quiet respect, her gaze steady as she watched Gaagii. When he approached and offered the war paint, she took it without hesitation. There was meaning in the gesture, and she understood the weight behind it.

She dipped her fingers into the pigment, then paused for a moment, thinking not of ceremony, but of instinct.

Her beliefs were less structured, less ritualized, but no less rooted. She believed in the spirit of the wolf silent, sharp eyed, always watching from the edge of the firelight. The wolf didn’t seek attention, didn’t need to lead the pack to be dangerous. It moved with purpose, struck with precision, and disappeared before its presence was truly felt.

Tessia drew a short, angular mark beneath each eye symbolic, not showy. She wasn’t one for show.

Accepting the war paint, Sina gathered her hair into a pony tail, exposing her Vulcan ears, then began to apply the paint to her face and neck. As she did so, she silently prayed to the deities of her tribe. Zark the West Wind for speed, Lertan the Watcher for accuracy, and Urus the Protector to protect her an her fellow marines. From what she'd learnt about Gaagii's people, they had much in common with her own people.

Edmund watched as Gaagii prepped himself and the same for Ravenna.

Azure prepared herself for battle by taking a series of deep breaths to focus her mind. She also said a silent prayer to any gods that might be listening.

Someone went to pass Lachlan the war paint. He simply looked at it and then back at the person holding it. A light frown donned his brow before the individual moved on. He wasn't putting that crap on his face.

Jayna silently watched the Marines' ritual, finding it fascinating. She didn't believe she had one of her own. Besides, her role would be to stay behind with Neil until or unless there was a need for them to step in. She also promised to leave if he ordered her to go. What she didn't tell him was that if he got hurt, she would not be able to stay back and watch him die. She'd do what she could to rescue him. She only hoped it would not come to that. For now, however, she kept quiet so she could listen and observe.

If one looked at Flarn in this moment one would not know what he thought or what he felt. This was the way with most Tellarites. He simply looked at the data feeds and got the lay of the land. "Flarn thinks the time for discussion has ended. For a Tellarite not speaking is as dangerous as it gets. Today Flarn will speak with his weapons."

Neil stood calmly, watching his people. His marines. The initial reaction the frag order. The individual silence and looking within as they absorbed it. Made the mental adjustments and preparations that were needed to shift themselves. Neil could see the anxiety being covered by bravado as one by one they firmed up their inner armor and put their war faces on.

He turned then to the Fleet personnel who were sitting in and reminded himself he was also their XO. "Alyssa, Ja'Sol," he said informally, addressing them like family in this setting. "Team Fleet will be at the core of this. We'll be depending on you to figure out method and means to defeating this rift. I kinda think we're going to have our hands full. Kit out as you would for a high danger away mission as this is certainly that. Mr. O'Rourke and a fist of spider drones will accompany you. Ja'Sol, configure the teams marching order as you will. The Cure will be all around you. Any questions about that?"

"No. I may have some as we prepare to deploy, but right now, my scientists are focused on how to seal that portal," Alyssa said. "What we need will depend on what we come up with."

"I have no problem with preparing the team and they're marching order. I know the Cure is well trained and can get the job done, My only question is about supplies and gear. I would like everyone in the group to have emergency survival supplements, extra phaser energy packs, standard armor, grenades and a melee weapon of their choice in case things go south and we have to get down and dirty with the enemy." Ja'Sol spoke in hushed tones to Neil.

"Armory is open, Ja'Sol," Neil told the security chief. "Equip your team as you like. Deploy them as you see fit. You know what you're doing. And we might need security to bail us out if we kick over too big an ant hill."

As the questions filtered out, Neil raised his voice and said. "Alright. Get with your team leads. Get sorted. Get organized and get ready. We drop at 0700 ship time. You know what to do people, but remember. Neil paused dramatically and the room quieted as most eyes turned back to him and he pointed into the assembly, "Let's do it to them before they do it to us."

A Joint Post By

Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius Tremble
Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Battalion Commander, The Cure