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A Change of Scenery (Intro Post)

Posted April 15, 2020, 2:15 p.m. by Lieutenant Commander Aidan Harmon (Executive Officer) (Steve Johnson)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Aidan Harmon (Executive Officer) in A Change of Scenery (Intro Post)
Aidan pulled at the collar of his Starfleet uniform as he walked through Starbase 1, he hated having to put on the traditional uniform. He was a field operator, not one of these fleeters. Oblivious to the real threats to the Federation, flying around in their happy little starships, ‘exploring.’ But then again, that’s why he and his team existed. To protect the Federation from the real threats. So they can go about their lives.

But the uniform was a constant reminder of their ignorance. Even as it let him blend in. He probably wouldn’t have made it 10 steps without someone questioning him, if he was walking around in his normal BDU’s. A quick security check and he would be on his way, but it was another hassle and even worse, a time delay. However, a Lieutenant Commander, in a crisp Starfleet uniform. No one would question his movements.

Coming around the corner, Aidan came up to the secured checkpoint. Not rare on the Starbase, there were many areas that were off limits to some people. This one however was different. The plain gray doors didn’t say much, but behind them lay one of the Section 31 stations. Nodding to the guard on duty, he placed his palm on the scanner. With a chirp, the light turn green and the door slid open.

As he stepped in the duty officer on the other side looked up. “Good afternoon Sir. Mr. Green is expecting you,” he said as the secured doors shut. “He’s in conference room 3.”

Aidan just nodded as he moved down the hallway. Mr Green was obviously an alias, but that was common in this field. And who was he to question an Assistant Director.

Stopping in front of the conference room door, he took a breath. He was much better staring down an enemy through the scope of his rifle, but going face to face with one of the Assistant Directors. He didn’t know what to expect. He knew it wasn’t the first time going in front of the brass, they were often overseeing his teams briefings. But it wasn’t often that he was called face to face.

Giving the customary knock, he opened the door and stepped in.

“Ah, Mr. Harmon, thank you for your quick response. Please,” Mr. Green said gesturing to one of the other chairs. “Do you know why you are here?”

As if that wasn’t a loaded question. Respond with the wrong thing and you are stuck with admitting to something that the superiors didn’t know about. Guess right and they are just going to ask questions about why you didn’t avoid the situation that they could see in perfect hindsight.

“Nope,” Aidan said leaning back in the chair. They were behind doors, he didn’t have to pretend to be the perfect Starfleet office anymore. “My handler just passed instructions for me to report here after our last debrief. So here I am.”

Mr. Green just smiled, but it was the kind of smile that never quite reached the eyes. “We have a new assignment for you. And after your last mission, we feel your skills would be better used in a different role.”

Aidan groaned inside, those were not the words to start anything good.

“We are starting up a new ship, and we are wanting your expertise on board.”

That was the killing blow. It was bound to happen one of these days, everyone eventually aged out of the field. But he didn’t feel like it was his time. He still had work to do.

“We are assigning you to the Trenton, as the second in command. We have a front line ship, and we need a senior operator on board to help her carry out her missions.

“Son, this is for the security of the Federation. What do you say?”

Damn, he thought. He was trapped with those words. He was being given a chance to write his own ticket, but could he really say going back to his team was better for the Federation. But if he took this role, he would have a lot more autonomy. And when this tour was done, if he really didn’t like it, well it would just give him more ammo to go back to the field teams. Plus, the whole reason why he joined was to protect the Federation. If they thought this was the best way to accomplish that mission, then who was he to argue. He had long ago accepted that he didn’t need to know the entire plan. Just his part, and the information to make sure he and his team made it home.

“Sounds like you’ve got your man.”

“Excellent,” Mr. Green said clapping his hands together. He pushed a PaDD across the table, coming to a stop right in front if Aidan. “Your transfer details. There is a Starfleet transport headed for Vulcan. From there, there is a transfer service to Intelligence Base Gamma. The team supply officer has already forwarded your kit, and it will meet you at the Trenton. Do you have any questions?”

“Any other details on the ship and crew you can share at this time?”

“The confidential dossiers have been transferred to your secure terminal. You will need to wait till you get to the Trenton to get further details. Anything else?”

Aidan just shook his head. The only thing he hoped was that whoever this CO was, they weren’t expecting the crew to wear these uniforms.

“Good. Well I’ll leave you to it. Your transfer shuttle leave in 2 hours. Good day Mr. Harmon.”

At the obvious dismissal Aidan stood up and exited the conference room. What had he gotten himself into.

Aidan Harmon - XO

“Attention all, we are making our final approach to Vulcan. We know you had a choice in transportation today, we thank you for choosing Intergalactic......”

Aidan didn’t even hear the message on the transport, he was still playing through one of his first missions as a field operator.
————-

“Hey Harmon, concentrate!”

Looking around Aidan looked over at the team leader. He had only finished his qualifications 6 months earlier, and had been chosen to join Echo team. He knew he was lucky, as there were plenty of people who didn’t get chosen for one of the forward teams, let along actually completed the training. But a part of him was still getting used to the understanding that anytime that they were shot at, a stray shot could actually kill, and not just stun them.

“Okay, Harmon, you are on overwatch. Set-up here,” the lead said pointing to one of the buildings about a half a block back. It was one of the tallest around, and with virtually no moon out that night, would make him near impossible to see. But he would still have a good line of site of the target building. “Greers, take Branson and Jo around back. T’sal, you are with. Remember our mission, and I’ll see you all at the the exfil site. Good. Let’s go do our jobs.”

As the team broke up, Aidan started running for the selected building. He could do this.

As he reached the edge of the roof, he flipped out the bipod on his rifle as he laid prone on the roof. Settling in, he watched the team as they came up on the target through the infrared scope.

He thumbed the comm circuit. =^=Overwatch in position. I’m counting 4 hostiles, and both breach locations look clear. =^=

=^= Roger Overwatch. We breach on my count. 3… 2… 1… =^=

The scope auto-dimmed as explosions took out both entrances, and the rest of the team streamed in. Aidan let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding as he saw the hostiles disappear from his view, and the rest of the team finally reach their target. Control wanted some sort of data off of the computer located here.

But something didn’t feel right to him. Yes this was supposed to be the backup center, they weren’t targeting the main complex because it was so heavily fortified. But why was this backup location left so open? Yes it had been hard to figure out its location, and if it had to much security that would have just given it away.

As the team accessed the control room, Aidan felt a chill run down his spine. Through the scope, Aidan saw some movement out of the corner of his eye. Looking closer, it was near impossible to tell, but there was someone there. As he looked over the floor again, there were about a dozen more hostiles, barely visible on his scope. They must be using some sort of deflectors on their armor which was making them blend in with the background. Even when he switched his scope to a different setting it was hard to see.

=^=You guys got company. I’m counting at least a dozen hostiles on your floor alone. =^=

Someone swore over the comms.

=^= Overwatch, where did they come from? =^=

=^= No idea. But they are using some sort of sensor scattering deflectors. I’m barely able to make them out. Permission to engage? =^=

=^= Overwatch clear us a path. We’ve been burned. Everyone move to plan Echo. Move! =^=

Taking a deep breath, Aidan held it for a second as he targeted the first person and pulled the trigger. A silent puff of air was all that could be heard before the microtransporter took the projectile and transported it right in front of the intended target. He had taken down 3 of the guards, working his way away from the team…

=^= Overwatch! =^=

He quickly swung the rifle back to where the team was. They were surrounded. He couldn’t tell who was on the ground, but it looked at least one of the team was down. He shot once, twice, but as he did so even more guards swarmed the team. It was an ambush, and they had fallen right into it. Either that or someone had tipped them off to his team’s mission.

OOC: To be continued!

Aidan Harmon - XO


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