Fool's Errand

Posted on Mon Oct 22nd, 2018 @ 1:46am by Commander Rita Paris & Lieutenant Commander Thex sh'Zoarhi & Lieutenant Commander Sonak & Lieutenant Asa Dael & Ahreva Malana
Edited on on Sun Nov 4th, 2018 @ 1:53pm

Mission: Hera v Hera
Location: Meroset 347, capitol city, Resistance HQ
Timeline: 2395, Battle of Hera's Planet

They're from the USS Hera! They're here to help liberate us from the false Hera!"

With Farenia's words, an excited murmur went through the room and excited whispers about the 'true Hera' and 'the time of reckoning'.

Duran-Yeager raised an eyebrow, clearly, the commotion had taken her by surprise.

"Please excuse them. Apparently, there are some prophecies about what's about to come." Farenia explained simply, expecting that to suffice.

“Prophecies? That’s great, really great. We’ve got an hour, Commodore. That’s all the Captain could give us, so if the time of reckoning is at hand, it has to happen very, very quickly,” Paris explained. She didn’t bother to mention what happened after that hour, because the Commodore was an espionage expert, and Paris rather suspected she knew what that countdown timer was leading to, and what would happen when time ran out. While she was a perennial optimist, Rita also had no desire to be buried in a magma flow on this planet because she spent too much time chit-chatting. “Tell me you have a brilliant plan in motion, Commodore.”

"We have a resistance movement and I assume you have a runabout and weapons. I say we put them to good use at the factories in about twenty minutes." Farenia grinned mischievously. She definitely had at least a bit of a plan.

Those blonde brows knit together and the pale skin flushed a hue of pink as Paris ground her teeth and spread her arms wide. “You see any weapons in this outfit? With all due respect, Commodore, we risked everything to sneak down here to make contact with you in the hopes of a resolution that did not involve blowing everything to hell. But that’s who we are now, right? We just fly in and demolish everything, that’s how Starfleet works in the modern day? Perfect. Just goddamned perfect. Why did I even bother to goddamn try. The future,” Paris’ jaw set, her face formed into an expression not unlike if she had just eaten a turd. “So what, we get back to the runabout and start the bombardment now, that’s the 'plan'?”

The Commodore turned deadly serious in a second, gripping Rita's arm painfully and dragging her to the side. When she spoke, her voice was harsh. "In the last attempt at a rebellion, seven thousand people were killed by only one hundred of her soldiers. Did you happen to see the statues outside? They're the converts. The people she turned to stone. She can supposedly see through their eyes and are there because of that rebellion as examples. Without our help, these people have no hope in a successful rebellion. We need to at least cause some chaos or distract the Amazons or something. On top of that, we can't let that fleet take off. As for the Prime Directive, it's already out the window with Hera's intervention. As far as Command is concerned, until she's no longer acting as a hostile invading force, we have to act accordingly. Understood?"

"I've commanded a fool's errand. I should have just followed orders," Paris muttered, shaking her head before one of the natives plucked at her robe. A woman, perhaps her own age.. well, physically... whose form was thin and eyes were haunted, but within those eyes could be seen the faintest glimmer of hope.

"You will help us fight, yes? We are willing to fight for our homes, our people, but we have no way to fight. Sticks and stones, axes and hammers do nothing to her terrible creatures." The young woman's gaze drifted off in memory, then she snapped back to swear a vow. "We would drive them from our lands if we had a way to fight back. The great Meowlith says that you will bring us weapons of myth that can harm these creatures... that you will give us a chance. All of us here... and more, believe me, we will carry the fight to our mistress on the mountaintop. We could be a free people again, if you help us."

Farenia spoke soft enough so few could hear her. "Lady Carmina. She lost her winery, her husband, and all six children in the last attempt. Her only daughter is now a statue at the temple."

Duran-Yeager's hearing was sharp and she quickly began to realize that her own losses were nothing compared to these people. "Ninety minutes is not enough time to plan and organize a rebellion. Even if we had the means onsite to make this idea work, it's still insane."

"Would it not be better to simply stun the planet as originally planned at this point?" the doctor inquired, their brows furrowed with the thought of bloodshed the current plan entailed, "Then we can fight off the remaining beings still awake if needed. Yes, it will reveal our location, but that will be apparent quickly with either plan."

"Stunning the planet would stun whomever is not her troops, and render them helpless in the pending battle, Doc. Not the best way to assist a rebellion," the calculating commander countered.

Thex would have been running her fingers through her hair if not for her elaborate outfit. "A pity we can't block her power and find a way of reversing her turning the people into stone." She said out loud, her mind going through a million different ideas.

Asa's face brightened slightly, "Well, if we know where she has the device needed to harness the psionic energy she receives from worship, then we could focus on destroying the devices, which would severely hamper her power. My research has concluded that she is using the energy derived from something as simple as saying her name the increase her power base. If we can stop the worship and eliminate the conversion devices, her power will be greatly reduced."

Sonak lifted an eyebrow when hearing again about the transmutation of people into stone statues and the apparent imperviousness of Hera's minions to weapons. He then turned to Rita.

"Lieutenant Commander? If I may, I have two options to offer; one tactical, one curative, both involving our transporters."

He waited for her attention before explaining, and with a pair of upraised brows and a gesture to proceed from the mission commander, he did so.

"On the tactical standpoint, the Hera can instantly transport up to 23 individuals per minute when using all personnel, cargo and emergency transporters; more if 2-man shuttle escape transporters would be added if needed. This would be enough to disrupt any regimental formation or remove two entire platoons of enemies every minute; either relocating them out of action or... subatomically dispersing them to oblivion. Whatever they are, they are made of matter or converted energy; both susceptible to our transporters. I think this could give us a definite advantage, especially if used at the proper moment with surprise in mind. At worse, the attempt would provide a distraction helpful to any attempt we might implement."

Turning, Sonak looked at the congregation around them.

"Or, we could use them to move a substantial group of denizens out of harm's way as we make our move. That would at least save a few lives while we commit ourselves to war."

The grey eyes of the logical Vulcan scientist returned back to lock with the mission commander's bright blue eyes.

"On a curative standpoint; transporter convert matter into energy then back to matter. With the genetic sequence of individuals related to some of the victims of the stone transmutation, we should be able to dematerialize those living statues then reintegrate them to their original organic status."

"While this is true, the Hera was under attack as soon as she entered the system, and she will not be able to lower her shields to engage the transporters. While your strategy is still sound for the runabout's transporters and this is a rebellion where we find ourselves forced to engage, I personally refuse to weaponize transporters," Paris responded. "While moving civilians is a possibility, I would prefer not to engage them thusly without someone remarkably skilled at the controls, and I do not suspect our security personnel are particularly amazing with site to site transport."

"As for curative measures, let's hope we have time to test that theory, Mister Sonak, because I would very much like to see if that could work," Paris ceded, genuinely hoping they would have the chance to test the theory when all the dust settled.

Sonak raised an eyebrow.

"May I remind the Exec, that in this century, there is no need to lower shields to use transporters. By matching the transporter frequency to that of the shields, you can use them unimpeded and remain fully protected. And if there is a risk of that specific frequency being detected and used to fire through, the now standard random remodulating of shield frequencies during combat will nullify this risk while being easily matched with our own transporters."

"I... did not know that," Paris admitted, feeling stupid yet again for discovering something that she took to be a fact from her own time, which was no longer so in this advanced future. "I'll pass along your recommendation when the opportunity presents itself. Captain Telvan likely has far fewer compunctions than I about the application of tactical advantage, assuming the Hera is close enough to assist."

"As for the rest, I've heard your perspectives, people, and I've made my decision. Simply put, these people have asked for our help. They want to free themselves from an alien oppressor who has shown nothing but contempt for their people and their planet. I would greatly prefer to do this without bloodshed, but clearly that's just not going to happen today. So we'll arm the locals- as the Commodore pointed out, the Prime Directive doesn't apply here. We have weapons that can effectively even the field for the populace, and they have specifically requested our aid. Starfleet doesn't turn away from a cry for help, so we're going to arm the resistance and join them in storming their objectives."

Unclipping the antiquated and bulky communicator from her waist, Paris flipped it open with practiced ease, tuned it then held it close to her face as she spoke. "Paris to Thor, do you copy?"

"Thor here Commander, go ahead," came the voice on the other end. "Was just about to call you for the one hour countdown check-in."

"Good to hear, Mr. Bunche," Paris was secretly relieved nothing had happened to the runabout, nor the security officers while they had been gone, otherwise this plan was going to get even more complicated than it already was. "I need you to shove our personal weapons and tactical gear into the transporters to beam them to my location. Additionally, I need for you to start emptying the Thor's armory and beaming them in to my location as well."

"Acknowledged, sir. I'll get started immediately," came the reply, and Paris snapped the antique communicator shut. Nodding, she offered the anachronistic device to the admiral, who had already been on the ground and knew the lay of the land.

"I suspect you already know where supplies will need to be routed to," Paris observed, "or would you prefer they just be beamed here for distribution, Commodore?"

Duran-Yeager stood and listened in silence, so far she was content to listen and to help with what needed doing.

The Commodore pulled out a PaDD and clicked it on, handing it over to Rita. "These are the locations of the main points we use for gathering weapons and supplies and exchanging information. Once we give the contacts and leaders of each cell here some basic training, we'll send them out with the signal and to train others and within twenty or thirty minutes, we'll have a revolution. If you could send a cache to each of them, that would be perfect."

Turning to the commodore, the doctor inquired, "Where are her main temples? Are there areas of the temples that only certain priests have access to? Perhaps priests that would know how to repair a device that has malfunctioned?"

Meowlith pointed over at a large, crude map on the wall of the city, which had several types of marks. "That has all the major landmarks in the city. The crossed circles are the temples. In the towers in them there are what appears to be energy distribution nodes that collect the psionic energy from the area and send it to the main temple. I've tried tampering with one, but it's well beyond my knowledge level."

As piles of bodysuits, hardshell carapace parts and weapons began materializing, Paris strategized. "So our ground-based objectives here are the factories, the chariot pads, the temples arranged about the city and the main temple itself. While I'm tempted to divide our forces, we need to be part of the push to the main temple itself, as that's where I expect the heaviest resistance. We can take a circuitous route to take out some of these transponder temples along the way."

"Agreed," Farenia replied, nodding solemnly. "Many of the remaining leaders are descended from the old city guard so thankfully have some combat training. Between that, your supplies, and sheer numbers, they can succeed. We just need to occupy the forces at the main temple so they can't respond easily to everywhere else."

"Making a scene is something of my specialty, ma'am. We'll draw their attention." The time-traveling tempest wished she was as certain as she sounded, but this was morale. This was giving these people belief and faith in themselves. As the next batch of armor and weapons beamed in, Rita began plucking out the distinctive gold plates of her armor, and fished the undersuit out of the pile. As she did so, she addressed the science officer. "As you're the one who doesn't need to suit up, can you educate the cel leaders here on how to operate the weaponry we'll be handing them, Mr. Sonak?"

"Acknowledged. It will take four point seven minutes to teach the first dozen, which in turn will each be able to teach a dozen if needed."

Thex had grabbed her undersuit and armour from the pile before pulling it on as well as talking a TR116 from the pile. Clipping on the eyepiece she began scanning the street outside. if anything was trying to sneak up on them she was going to spot it.

Asa felt a pit opening in their stomach as they began to comprehend what they would need to do to accomplish the objective. They extricated their gear from the pile and dressed quickly. Once there was a lull in the conversation, they spoke with as much confidence as possible, “I would volunteer to go to the temples with specialized priests. I have been studying Hera’s physiology from some….research I ran across, and I believe I know what to look for. If that is where you feel I am best used, of course.”

Having wrestled into her ebony bodysuit, Lieutenant Commander Paris unclipped her commbadge from the Grecian robe she'd been wearing, attaching it to the bodysuit so she could begin clapping on the golden pieces of her hardshell armor. "We're going to hit them on the way. In the next hour, I regret that there will likely be more than enough for you to do, Doctor, so I want you sticking with the landing party. We'll be happy to apply your research when possible, but it seems we'll have to fight to earn that ground."

"Understood, ma'am. I stand ready to serve." There was a fire in the doctors eyes that no one there had seen before. They hated bloodshed, but also understood there isn't always an option.

"One final suggestion- as we encourage the planet's population to take arms, do not say the revolution is starting. Those of you spreading word of the revolution should instead say 'The revolution is winning! We will surely conquer Hera this day, join us and bring forth a quick victory!' This will trigger a person's innate desire to be part of a winning team, and also makes them fear missing out on part of something important. If they do not feel certain of victory, or if they think there is plenty of time, they may be reticent to join."

With that, the doctor moved to the side of the room, clearly awaiting further orders. They had given the best knowledge to these people they had going in, and could only hope their psychological and sabotage tricks would be successful.

Duran-Yeager smiled as she began donning her armor, she was wearing almost nothing but she seemed to be very at ease with being almost nude as she quickly donned her armor before she selected her rifle from where it was resting, she pulled out the magazine, while she checked it. Then she rammed it back home again, she then slung of over her shoulder as the metal tabs on her back attracted the rifle to her chestpiice. She knew that this population was about to take massive losses in the process of this liberation. "One further thing." she commented. "Once this starts, expect our cover to be blown quickly, and expect heavy resistance. We do whatever it takes to end this in victory, for I fear we will not get a second chance. Be Bold, bloody and resolute for we have no choice but to win this battle. Trillions of people all over the galaxy are counting on us. Let's go make the enemy suffer for what they have done. both to the native populations and to our friends elsewhere."

"No!" Paris responded, standing up, armed and armored in her gold MACO EVA suit, with the improbable bulk of a TR-116C2 in her hand. "That's not why we're doing this."

As she spoke, the idealistic astronaut raised her voice so she would be heard. "Yes, this is a battle that's important on many fronts, and yes, it may be bloody. And we will have to be bold and resolute, that is true. But we're not fighting for revenge," Rita Paris paused to square off with the senior chief. "We're not here to inflict suffering. We've come to help these people liberate themselves from oppression. We're not fighting to make the enemy suffer. We're fighting for these people's independence."

Pointing to the assemblage gathered in the underground headquarters of the resistance movement, Paris turned to address them. "Fighting to inflict suffering is Hera's way, not Starfleet's way. Today we fight for liberation, for justice, for your people's freedom. Who's with me?"

A cheer arose from the women who would lead a rebellion against a goddess.

"Agreed, Lieutenant Commander," Sonak acknowledged sternly. "If we stoop to the barbaric level of our opponents, then not only are we proving that we are no better than they are, but it becomes illogical to oppose them since we become exactly what they are."

He turned to face the others with his steely grey eyes.

"If we abandon our values when they are being tested, then they are not values; they are mere hobbies."

Duran-Yeager paused as she checked her wrist gauntlet when suddenly the large blade concealed within popped into view for a moment. "Indeed, however if we could talk with these guys then I would prefer it. However, the time for talk has come and gone." she added.

The vulcan shook his head.

"On my planet, thousands of years ago, we almost destroyed ourselves thinking that exact same way. What we have learned and that which saved us is realizing, even after repeated failures, that the time to talk peace is never gone. I, for one, will not close myself to any chance, however slim and risky, for a peaceful resolution."

What proved his words no idle boast was that he among them was the only one unarmored and holding only a standard phaser in his hand and an ahn woon around his waist.

As the others spoke, Malana stripped off her disguise completely, leaving nothing but her skivvies before dragging her own EV suit out. It was definitely mismatched from the rest, but it was realistically all she had to wear that didn't look like rags. As she donned her suit, she clipped and sealed the sides, revealing that her endowments, that were nearly a match for Rita's or Maica's, were not soft or bouncy, but a lot more firm as they barely moved as she sealed up her suit. Part of having evolved from granite, perhaps. Slinging her sonic pulse rifle over her shoulder, she nodded readiness.

"Indeed, Mister Sonak. 'Per aspera, ad astra'- to the stars through difficulties. We'll continue to strive toward a peaceful resolution- after we've insured that we'll be heard," Paris commented as she downloaded the data from the Commodore's PaDD to the Thor through the comm unit in her armor's left forearm. Coordinating where to send weapons to arm the resistance cels, she frowned, Studying the data, the gold-clad commander glanced around the room, then made an announcement.

"Change of plan, people. While the locals can likely take the factory, as they will have an ever-increasing force of allies as they liberate them, the spaceport is of vital importance. If those chariots launch, they'll likely overwhelm the Hera then attack Earth, and we're here to insure that doesn't happen. Lieutenant Commander sh'Zoarhi, take Lieutenant Sonak and Chief Yaeger to cripple that spaceport. We have less than an hour, and those ships cannot be allowed to launch. There are sufficient explosives onboard the Thor to crack the planet, so you have options- find a way."

"I would suggest to target the main tower's comm array to hamper enemy coordination," Sonak proposed. " As for the ships themselves I suggest the deflector dish of those chariots. Like comm arrays, they are complex systems impossible to armor, easily targeted and easily disabled before they have activated upon entering orbit; and without them, space travel is impossible. This will effectively ground them; and if we coordinate our strike well enough, it will provide effective surprise and minimal waste of time and loss of life."

Thex nodded as she finished donning the last of her armour. " A good plan Sonak maybe we could damage the engines to ground them completely. " She said testing her wrist mounted link to the Thor torpedo launcher. It was working just fine so she could mark targets from a distance. She picked up a belt of spare TR116 clips and handed one to the vulcan and the bajorian. " The clips with the red casing are the solid metal bullets. The one with the blue casing is firing a modified version of the standard TR116 stun clips. I have no guarantee they'll work though." She said honestly.

Sonak nodded to her.

"A correct assessment. Engines are usually well armored or have their own internal protective force field like ours do and are much larger and sturdier systems. They require a lot of damage to render inoperative; and a long time with mere portable weaponry... if even possible at all. Projectile weapons like those we have here would be next to useless and you need very precise energy discharges or powerful explosives directly in contact with the system's key elements to cause significant damage. Despite their folkloric name, these chariots will not be disabled by damaging a few pokes of one wheel. But, to continue on the colloquial imagery, if you blind the horse or the charioteer, even for an instant..."

He didn't have to finish describing what would happen to blinded vessels trying to lift off... or what would happen when it met unprotected the first micrometeorite.

“Sounds like you are already formulating your plans- good. You three be careful out there, radio in if you need backup, and… good luck,” Paris offered as she realized she was sending her best friend and the love of her life into danger. But that was the job- she trusted her fellow officers to be professionals and watch out for one another, regardless of her personal feelings.

As Rita Paris gripped the unfamiliar weight of the heavy rifle, she shifted the weapon to rest on her hip. It was time for a quote from an inspirational speech she’d heard once before, decades ago, that certainly seemed relevant today. “Remember- Starfleet is a promise. My life for yours, your life for mine, and nobody gets left behind."

"Let’s move out, people- we’ve got a revolution to win, and a tyrant to overthrow!”