The crew of the Dragon had watched as the convoy arrived and then started to make their way toward the planet under impulse.

Skagath whistled as the list of ships came up on his console. “Nine Plesh Tral’s. They are certainly making sure that these conveys are watched over. Going to be rough if we have to face them up here, even with the Angels, captain.”

“I agree, hopefully things are going well on the planet.”

“They are at the edge of our sensor capabilities ma’am. Though we can probably guess where they are heading.”

“Understood. Viameli, prepare to take us in. Geosynchronous orbit over the camp. Let’s make sure that nothing else is following them.” Aryanna pulled up the data from the sensors on her side console looking at it as the data came up.

Roughly, thirty minutes later and with no signs of a follow-on contingent, the staff started to prepare themselves for what they knew was coming next.

Skagath let out a small yelp as he looked over at Aryanna. “Single word message ma’am. GROUND.” Aryanna nodded and took a deep breath “Here we go ladies and gentlemen. Red alert, Battle stations.” The klaxons sounded across the Dragon as they readied themselves for battle.

Skagath was busy behind his console when another message came up across his holo display. “Ma’am” he nodded toward the display as he turned it around so she could see the front side of the cards. The cards were a Joker, an Ace or clubs followed by a four of clubs followed by the king of spades followed by the six of hearts.

Aryanna nodded to herself “Plan alpha, i say again plan alpha. Transporter rooms get ready upon my command. Sustram, upon our arrival launch the Angels. I want those ships taken out, don’t let them get off of the ground.”

“Yes ma’am”

“Skagath, notify six security teams for deployment”

“Aye, Captain.”

Aryanna hit the comms button. “Doc, expect upwards of four thousand slaves. That must be one hell of an operation down there.”

Yes ma’am. My team is going to be stretched thin. Will it be ok to activate the medic auxiliaries onboard along with the EMH’s to handle the less severe cases?”

“Go ahead; we will be using the wings along with the usual rooms/suites to hold them. Should be more than enough room to house them.”

“Would suggest the wings for the less severe cases. I will have the auxiliaries go there. “

“You’re in charge of that operation Doc just let me know what you need from me.”

“Will do.”

Skagath looked up from his console. “Ma’am. I’m reading six beacons, two of them are those that designate the mine entrances, the others are miscellaneous.”

“Target all of them with torpedoes, those mines get quantum’s till you think they can be switched over. Whatever you do, do not use all of my torpedoes. We may need them.”

Yes ma’am” as he went to work programming the aerial bombardment plan.  

Upon orbital arrival of the Dragon the forward shuttle bay doors opened as the Angels launched in a predetermined order and made their way through the planet’s atmosphere.

****

They could hear the voices on the other side of the door, voices muffled not only by the door that was closed in front of them but also by the helmeted masks of those that were talking. They knew as they two had received the coded message from Yatokii that things were about to start. They knew that they needed to act first and fast, they needed to get that shield powered down if they had any hope of transporting the slaves off this planet.

They watched as the door hissed open in front of them as the helmeted visage of a Breen made its way out of the door. He noticed something odd out of the corner of his visor as he turned to see what it was.

Security crewmen Mercer was the first to react as she drove the butt of her rifle into the visor of the Breen staggering him she followed up with a knee to their middle gut region as she knocked them back into the room. She followed it up with a quick stop onto the helmet but fell backwards as she felt something hit her hard in the chest.

Oshriviab grabbed Mercer by the back of her armor and pulled her down so that he could step over her and fire two quick aimed rifle shots into the doorway striking the Breen standing there holding a disruptor pistol in one hand while the second shot hit the console it was standing beside. “Well, I hope that’s not the one we needed. As a spray of sparks leapt from it. He finished crossing over the open door and went to a crouch on the other side looking down at Mercer he noted could do nothing for her as half of her chest plate was caved in where the disrupter bolt had hit.  “Damn it, Mercer is down.”

The next few minutes were a blur as a small firefight erupted between the two sides, one trying to gain entry into the room and the other trying to keep them out. This time the hours of training helped the Dragon crew, not without their losses though as they also lost Lieutenant Simmons.

“Oshriviab, figure out which one controls that shield.”

“Don’t think it matters, chief. If they set up their stations as we do then almost any console can run any station. Just depends on the user and their role.

The chief quickly looked around the room and nodded. “Good, then use that one. “He pointed with a clenched hand as he started to fire his phasor into the remaining consoles. “You better hope they do.”

They heard it before they felt the percussive thumps of what they presumed were the torpedoes of the angels or the Dragon itself. As they were thrown into the obliterated consoles or on to the floor as, the floor rolled under their feet.

“Better hurry, ensign. I don’t think the party is going to wait on us to start.”

“Aww come on chief, I even brought party poppers.”

****

“Black, this is one. Form up on me – right Echelon.”

Three single chirps where heard over the Valkyrie’s comm system as the commander Thornton turned to look over his right shoulder to watch the wing to formation.”

“I’m taking the center line, we will go torpedoes hot as we approach the ridgeline then we are go for a phasor strafing pass. Priority targets are those Plesh Tral’s.” Thornton sat back and got himself deep into his seat knowing that the next few seconds will determine many things. “Red, follow us in.”

“Blacks, you are a go for torpedo launch. Good luck gentleman and happy hunting.”

The first wing of three Valkyrie fighters and one Aspera bomber quickly proceeded to conduct a pop up maneuver over the ridgeline above the camp as each ship let fly multiple photon torpedoes at the Breen ships sitting on the landing zone outside of the camp.

The blacks were quickly followed by the reds performing the same set of maneuvers but formed up to the left of their wing leader. While the blues and greens both hit the landing zones from opposite sides performing well-timed maneuvers to cover the other as the swept over the landing zone mere seconds apart.

“Ok Angels we are going back in, hit anything and everything we can see, let’s make sure that nothing leaves the ground.”

“Sir, Breen fighters. Bearing 180 mark 100. I’m counting four on the sensors.”

“Shit, where did the other two come from? They said they counted two on the ground. Before they left to escort the convoy.”

“Maybe they were out on patrol sir.”

“All angels, all angels, Bandits wild. Stay with your wingmen, remember your training and good luck.” As Thornton took his Valkyrie into a sudden hard climb and loop to try to get behind the incoming Breen fighters as he watched streaks of green follow him, he knew that this was life and death now, and he had to focus on what was in front of him and hope that the angels remembered their training.

****

Yatokii watched as the Angels came flying barely higher than the ridgeline that was around the camp. “That’s our signal folks.” he called out over the team’s comms.

His team split into two smaller groups and headed towards the two closest domes.

That is when he saw them, the Breen fighters. He could only stare in silence as they came swooping in not because they were going after the Angels. Because as they came over the ridgeline themselves two of the fighter broke off and conducted a strafing run over the far side set of domes firing into the very quarters that held the slaves that they watched just a mere minutes ago.

“Bastards, these damn bastards are firing on the slaves. He watched as three bright lights appeared where he had designated on the ground as the fighters swept over the row and continued to fire. He watched as three of the teams he had requested were fired upon as they materialized. Barely having a chance to understand what was going on as the fighters’ disruptors ripped into them. He watched as two more Breen fighters as they came across the field caught an Aspera tried to intercept two fighters in the crossfire. He watched as the Aspera was engulfed in a fireball and crashed into the larger dome on the left hand side as it exploded in a ball of fire and debris.

He could hear the sounds of hundreds of people screaming as he watched slaves and federation crew crawl out of those domes some in throes of pain others helping.

He knew he needed to help, he needed to fight, he needed to protect. As he went to the closest dome and shot at the door until it slid open a couple inches as he watched hands start to grab it from the inside and tried to push it open. “Push damn you, if you want to live, push.” as he threw his shoulder into the door trying to help push it open.

****

“Alpha mike Charlie” Ngiazav called into his radio as his team came out of the hatch that they had entered. This time though they were down two members, being drug out, they knew this was not the way that the dead should be treated. However, they knew that they could leave no one behind and that the Dragon was about to rain down fire and brimstone on this location as they made a mad dash towards the slope.

Ukogh tapped his PADD to switch comm channels. “Two to beam up; inform Doc that they are Delta Oscar Alpha.”

“Roger, obsidian, we will pass the message and make sure they are taken care of.”

Ukogh nodded and then let out a throat-rattling scream as he mourned those that had fallen.

“We’re not done yet chief.” Oshriviab yelled as he pointed out a group of Breen exiting the three domes.

****  

 “Captain, getting reports that the Breen fighters opened fire on slaves.”

“They did what?” Aryanna quickly stood from the center chair and made her way to Sustrams console.

“Yes, ma’am reports of Breen fighters firing into the slave encampment. Looks like three of our response teams took direct hits as they materialized.

“No, no, no ” as she turned to look at Skagath who nodded to confirm the reports and then at Meadow who was now standing by Skagaths console.

“What the hell? Why would they do that?”

“Only one explanation I can think of, Aryanna. They thought we were here to free the slaves”

“Ma’am we are getting reports of crew losses, two were just beamed aboard from Obsidian and we are getting reports of at least three Angels have fallen.

Fury rose up Aryanna’s face as she gripped the back of Sustrams chair with her gloved hand. “Skagath, weapons free. Show them why we are here.”

“Yes, ma’am. I hope our folks are clear as it is about to get nasty down there.” as they watched bursts of blue lights leave the Dragon as Skagath enacted his preprogrammed bombardment program.

Meadow tapped the comms button on Skagaths console and spoke one word “Incoming”

 It only lasted for a few minutes but it seemed like hours for those that were involved. In the end, the Breen Dilithium mining operation of Deptrock 6 was a smoldering mass of craters and ruined rubble as the Dragon continued to fire bursts of photon torpedoes into the mines.

 Medical and security teams were now busy amongst the slave populace conducting triage operations. For the next, several hours’ groups of former slaves now refugees were beamed aboard the Dragon as the triage dictated. Till then the crew of the Dragon passed out rations and water to the former slaves as the sun started to rise, enough of the now refugee’s had been moved that the crew moved the remaining refugees into the larger dome that was still left to get them out of the planet’s rising day time temperatures.