Window of Opportunity

Posted on Sunday August 29th, 2021 @ 7:13pm by Wraet tr'Melanth & Adam Rayner

Mission: Out on Bad Behaviour
Location: Wraet's Office
Timeline: MD01
1355 words - 2.7 OF Standard Post Measure

The path from the Latinum Guardian's barracks to Wraet's Office had been worn down recently, or so it seemed to Adam. He could almost find his way to the office with his eyes closed, though living within Romulan Empire for as long as he did taught Adam that it was a bad idea for more than one reason. As the soldier entered the office, he stood next to the chair on the other side of the desk from Wraet. His training did not allow him to take a seat that was not offered. "You wanted to see me?" Adam asked from his position.

"Yes." Wraet nodded, and gestured to a chair knowing an invitation was necessary. That he behaved so like a Galae officer was something he appreciated in the young man. "Please, be seated. As I'm sure you have surmised, our recent visit from the N'Ventar was for more than merely resupply and equipment to refit the Loki." He activated a holomap from his PaDD. "What do you know about Corvan II?"

Taking his seat, Adam watched as the holomap bean to materialize. It was not a planet that he had ever visited, but it was one that he had heard about. Shaking his head slightly, the Latinum Guard replied, "Nothing recently, but it was a major dilithium mine and a member world of the former Federation."

"Yes, and it is still a dilithium mine, but for the Dominion and being mined by forced labor. Prisoners." He pointed to the location on the map, touching it to zoom in on the prison camp. "According to our information, there has recently been unrest, nearing uprising, among the prisoners."

It did not take a Zakdorn master strategist to understand that their next mission involved the prison camp on Corvan II. Seeing two options, Adam asked, “Infiltration and smuggling, or are we taking a more direct approach?” With a crew the size of theirs, giving weapons and supplies seemed to be smarter. But, the former members of the Federation that he had met seems to have a penchant for the dramatic. So Adam more or less suspected that they Loki would be contributing everything to the liberation of the prisoners.

"Infiltration and smuggling has not..." Wraet frowned, recalling the details of the report. "...produced the results that were hoped. However, there is an opportunity for direct action. The camp has a new commander, an Andorian - a true believer - he is loathe to disappoint his 'god' and taken harsh measures, confident in his ability to crush any resistance, but has not reported any trouble to his superiors so there have been no additional security measures put in place." A very thin smile, nearly a line, replaced the frown. "The Dominion is stretched thin in this area. That means there is a window within which we can liberate the prisoners, and dilithium for ourselves, before laying waste to the mining facilities to deny it to the Dominion."

"It would have to be a quick strike with a multi-pronged strategy," Adam replied looking at the layout of the planet. The prisoners were not very far from the mines as to minimize the chance of escape, yet not close enough to share attack resources. "True believers are dangerous will take more extreme measures but will be less likely to call for help at the fist sign of trouble," he added. Not getting too far ahead of himself, the Latinum Guard asked, "What kind of numbers are were talking about here?"

Wraet nodded. A multi-pronged strategy not only made sense tactically, but played into his other goals. "I agree. As to numbers, intel cannot be precise, but the estimate is 400." He paused, almost glaring at the map. "Down considerably from prior numbers due to the harsh measures employed after the unrest."

The Dominion was famous for their harsh treatment of those who rebelled. Adam had heard stories of torture, even a genetically tailored virus to eliminate those who dared to resist. The Latinum Guard dared not think about the number that was there before, or what his own treatment would be like if this operation was a failure. "What's the plan so far?" Adam asked, looking at the potential battlefield.

"The last shipment to the Dominion went out a week ago. That means there won't be another Dominion ship will not be within a 12 hour response range for another 10 days. That's our window." Wraet handed over a small PaDD. "All the intel we have on the facility is on here. The mines are here, the prisoner compound here," he said pointing out areas on the map. "Dominion troops and command center here, processing facility here, and warehouse for processed dilithium here. A multipronged attack as you suggested is the best option. Take out their shield generator and then the processing facility. That should create a diversion allowing us to go in after the prisoners, and ideally, hit the storehouse for dilithium for ourselves. The issue is that while force fields are not up unless they are on alert, there is a 'fence' with each post independently powered." He pointed to columns spaced around the camp. "And prisoners are implanted with a device to prevent escape past it. At least live escape."

"Prisoner duty will be slow and open for attack," Adam stated, looking at the glaring weak link in the chain of a successful mission. The dilithium could be beamed out in the worst of cases but the prisoners would have to be freed of their independently shielded cages as well as their implants before being able to be transported. "Where do you want us? Tying up the Dominion force?" Adam asked, looking at the map and all the points of interest.

Wraet nodded. "We'll make it look like a raid, an attack on their facilities - and it will be. We could use the dilithium and blowing their processing facility will be a set back for the Dominion." The side of his mouth twitched in a half-smile. "And it will make a good diversion. We hit them as the prisoners are being moved from barracks to work details, so they're out of their cages. But they're under closer guard because of that, so I need you to go big. Draw as many to fight as possible. We'll open a gap in the enclosure columns over here." He indicated an area on the map farthest from the processing plant.

“So we’re going to do what mercenaries do best?” Adam replied as he eyed the map. “Hit the mine hard, start a fight with as many bad guys as we can, then hold them up while the rest of you liberate the prisoners and dilithium,” he was already looking forward to using some of the flashy new toys they had acquired after their last successful mission.

"Yes," Wraet agreed with a smile. "Though it will be Tia leading the prisoner extraction. It would be well for you to coordinate with her." He transferred the relevant data to a hand PaDD and handed it to Rayner. "I have ...another objective, but it will require getting into their command center, so your diversion will work toward my ends as well. I would appreciate discretion on that point, but if I should not return before our window for action closes I trust you will see to it that neither Riohn nor Tia do something as unwise as wait for me."

Nodding his understanding, Adam regarded the map a final time to engrain the locations in his memory. During his time on the run and in the Guard, people never had a habit of sticking around in his life for long. So leaving behind and disavowing a person for the sake of the mission would not be a problem. “Will there be a formal mission brief?” He asked.

"I will leave that determination to the Captain, but I would consider it highly likely," Wraet replied, and inclined his head a precise degree. "I trust you will have a plan of action ready to present. Until then, Lieutenant, you are dismissed."