Station Post#64 Night of the Bat'leths

Posted on Tue Jul 9th, 2024 @ 4:06pm by Commander Kehlani & Lieutenant Marz
Edited on on Tue Jul 9th, 2024 @ 4:48pm

Mission: TALES FROM THE MIDDLE STARS
Location: Unknown star system
Timeline: Current

ON:

For several weeks the Klingon Bird of Prey IKS Foes Bane remained cloaked and gathered intel on the small star system they had interest in. There were no class-M planets among the rocky inner planets, and two gas giants at the outskirts. Seven planets total. During their observations, with every crew member getting a chance to sit and watch the comings and goings of their interests, the Klingons had come to realize that this was an Orion Syndicate operation. A few privateers from the Federation made stops, as did a few free traders from around the galaxy, but the main body of personnel all worked for the Syndicate. The one planet that could sustain humanoid life with a bit of help was a Class-L world. There was some vegetation but no life, even all the way down to the bugs. Nothing lived there except for camps and colonies with plenty of rations and food brought in.

There was one large encampment on the planet, and as Commander Kehlani and her crew observed, they had several visits from Essary vessels. But, relying on passive scans so as to remain cloaked did not give all pertinent data on the system or the planets. Whatever the boon was these people had found it. Mass amounts of cargo were beamed to the Nor-class space station they had obviously stolen, what with the numerous patch jobs done to the exterior. Then, after a day or so, the cargo units were beamed to the planet. The scouts watching the compound reported that there were over a hundred people down here running things, and that the Orions had obviously brought in some of their slave labor to work in what appeared to be a mine of some kind.

After a week of deliberating Kehlani had made a choice after listening to the various viewpoints of her underlings. They would attack the starbase first, then beam down a war party to cleanse the compound and free the slaves. If nothing else, the slaves could be talked into becoming servants in House Kehlani, paid well and protected rather than treated like property. Leaving a skeleton crew aboard the Foes Bane, Kehlani and her 40 Klingon warriors beamed down to within five klicks of the compound, humping their way through the foliage and over the hills and terrain to meet up with the scouts.

As she came in Kehlani went to a knee next to a trusted officer. "Lieutenant Marz, report." They spoke in low tones, not whispers. Whispers, the hissing of exhaling while speaking, could be detected much further away.

"They have two gates, Commander. One you see there," he chinned towards the gate with a tower flanking each side of the entryway. "They both have from four to six sentries at any given time. They are lax and they are drinking." Marz said. He gave a cynical grin, expecting nothing less from criminals like the Orions.

"Do we have another scout team on the other gate?" Kehlani asked.

Marz gave a sturdy nod. "We do. Four bekks await a chance for glory."

Turning to look back at the assembled mob of Klingons. "We get in place and then we charge. Qapla'!" She said all this quietly in undertones, but with the excitement in her tone behind the words. "Marz, take a dozen warriors and enter through the other gate. When you hear us open fire and our war cries, assault these green baktags with extreme prejudice. House Kehlani needs a resource for the markets and that mine may have just what we need."

***

As ordered the IKS Rokeg dropped from warp and cloaked just outside of the star system. The Vor'Ral class support battlecrusier was perfect for blockade running and thinning forces with an opening barrage. Lieutenant Commander Behlanna, once the First Officer to Kehlani, now commanded Rokeg for this mission. The cruiser made its way through the dark star system like a thief in the night, a thief that was also well trained in assassination. As they rounded a large gas giant on par with Saturn for size, and bypassing its moons, the Rokeg's crew could see the station and the four ships always docked there when they were together.

"Only a fool puts all their targs in one pen," Behlanna growled out. In response she got chuckles from around the Bridge. "baHwI'(gunner), manually aim your torpedoes. Rapid fire, two per vessel. Take out their engineering sections."

The gunner acknowledged and began to set his firing solutions. It was easy for the baHwI' to line up his shots since the four main vessels they had observed these past few weeks always docked next to each other, and had gangways connecting each other when all four were in port. "Done, HoD. I stand ready to thin the Orion population!"

"Qapla'!" Came from several places around the Bridge, from both male and female voices. They were all feeling the need to bloody their weapons in the guts of their enemies. The minutes ticked by as Rokeg got closer at one-quarter impulse power. "Stand by on disruptors. When the cloak begins to close down transfer power and fire at the base. Again!" Behlanna glanced around to make sure they understood her orders were to be followed. "Cripple the station, do not destroy it. Matriarch Kehlani wants prisoners...unfortunately." More chuckles came from around the chamber as they heard her hesitation in accepting those orders herself. "One should do. Two, if one isn't worthy of sparing."

"We are in firing range, HoD." Helm announced.

"Continue on course," Behlanna ordered. "Close to mid-range. baHwI', fire on my mark." They waited another fifteen minutes until they were at the optimal range. Behlanna stood quickly and gave orders, with the final word coming out more boldly than the others. "Drop cloak and transfer power to weapons! baH!(fire)."

As the power transfer went into affect and the lights went from their dimmer shade to full brightness, the gunner let loose his torpedoes first, tapping keys and switching to the disruptor emitters and cannons. Two torpedoes struck three of the main freighters broadside on the port side, impacting their engineering sections. The fourth vessel got connected to IKS Rokeg by a lethal green filament which tore away sections of hull plating, with superheated metals and alloys melting and exploding from the energy impacts.

From the other side of the Nor station the IKS Foes Bane added its own volley of destructive force to the fray, smashing through weak defensive screens and pummeling the shield emitters. Sweeping around the ops tower the BoP raked the four ships with its own volley from its disruptor cannons.

"All four ships are damaged and showing warp cores are offline." Science announced. "Station damage is adequate and they only have half their defensive screens, HoD."

Behlanna stood up and collected her bat'leth. "Tell Foes Bane to continue to patrol while we assault the base. Let no ships get to the station." The orders were relayed. Soon enough, thought Behlanna, there will be 200 Klingons storming the decks of that station.

***

A lone Orion sentry stood just outside the small door built into the main gate. The guard house had a few in it, but they were inside drinking and laughing. To the surprise of the Orion sentry a group of Klingons began to approach. Not an unusual sight, but this late at night without being announced was odd, not to mention they all carried a pistol in one hand and a melee weapon in the other. The man lifted his left arm to activate his wrist comm and was met by a waraxe thrown by Kehlani burying itself in his forehead. He fell back straight-legged against the main gate door, then slid down in death as his knees finally collapsed. Three others ran into the guard house and there were howls of glory as they made short work of the guards within.

At the opposite gate on the other side of the compound, Lieutenant Marz and his group bum-rushed the door and guard station, hacking and slashing their way through them before activating the gate machinery to swing it open. A few Klingons went down under fire, not dead but wounded, as the rest began to wade into green-skinned enemies. Able to see the gate at the other side, Marz saw they too were involved in melee, and like his people, making short work of poorly trained criminal soldiers.

As the night wore on the Klingons made sure to cleanse the compound of all Orions, all Syndicate operatives, and to make sure and keep at least two alive. The night of the bat'leths was turning into a successful raid.

OFF: