~={On}=~ [Gellon 5, Industrial World, in war with federation]

The metal trough bucked and reeled under the small arms fire that was
directed at it.
Beams of insistent light hitting the metal surface leaving great black
dirty scorch marks.

Lying in the trough Lee wondered how long will this metal hold, it
can't stand much more. Already the metal was showing great bumps on
its inside where he sheltered.
<What's keeping those dam reinforcements, they may be new recruits but
if they can't find their own CO they'll never survive and neither will
I?!>
Knowing he had time on his side and that the old trough could survive
for a little while longer, so he let his mind wander on past events.

The funeral of his valiant detachment members was one of the hardest
things he's had to do.
He had attended their joint funeral see many faces he knew, it was
hard but it was part of his job it was expected of him.
He had even said the eulogy and praised the soldier's efforts and told
how the doctor had desperately tried to save them, but the hand of
death had been firmly placed on the shoulder.
The face of the deceased parents had been the worst, their face would
forever burn an image into Lee's mind of how hard the aftermath of a
battle was.
After the service he was given a standard 'burial at space'. They were
each put in a photon torpedo casing, with the flag of the Federation
draped across it. An officer blew the Boatswain's whistle, and the
torpedoes were launched into open space.


Taking those dam Rommies to transport wasn't to fun either, O'Bria
accounted that dreary time.
Two marines to a romulan, the accompaniment detail marched down the
corridor.
The romulans cursing them in their natural tongue spitting verbal
filth at the marines.
'No more Romulan filth, you've lost your battle is elsewhere!' O'Bria
said with force to a Rommie that seemed to have torrets.
'I wouldn't do that little lieutenant the Tal Shiar shall deal with
you.' the romulan warned back at him.
'The might of the federation is great, don't say things which shall
never be. The Tal Shiar shall not listen to you, why would they
listen to a simple soldier? You have no sway over what they do.'
'Oh I'd watch your back if I were you O'Bria!' The romulan threatened Lee.
Lee was about to fight back and possibly even strike the insolent dog
but he hadn't even realised they were in the transport room.
All Lee managed was 'Go back to your ship and never come back to these
hallowed walls again.'
Lee was still staring at the empty gap where they had been for some
time after the group of them had been transported until his XO said
'Sir they've gone, forget what he said it was just anger.'
But he never did.


A sudden phaser salvo shot right over the top of the trough, singeing
some of the hair on his head.
The attack on the trough slowed as the shots from unseen attackers
aimed for his unknown allies.
Seizing his chance Lee leaped from the would be steel coffin and ran
for a set of steel pipes sticking out of the ground.
He looked round surveying the area. A group of human rebels were held
up in a building in the middle of a large open square surrounded by
warehouses which were wonce used to store torpedoes and other
equipment used by the federation. The rebels had turned against the
federation in favour of what the 'borg promised them, Power!

Lee shot a quick burst into a open window dropping a rebel who thought
he was well hidden, another quickly took his place shooting at a group
of four federation marines, one was hit straight in the chest and fell
over on his back, arms outstretched almost in a comical fashion.
Lee thought that there were going to be 10 marines in his rescue party
but now there was only three, <what chance do these people have?> he
thought.

One of the marines, a dam good shot was slowly picking off the rebels
with precise shots, taking out there heads with what seemed practice ease.
O'Bria was urging him to move, saying to himself 'Move, move now or
they'll figure out where the shots are coming from, they'll adapt.'
But did the marine heed Lee's unheard warning no and paid the price
with a precise phaser shot equal to the marines' marksman skills, and
hit him in the forehead.

Lee shouted 'Freeze Program!' his voice could even be heard over the
din of the battle. The rebels suddenly froze, their phaser shots
disappearing from the very air itself.

O'Bria walked over to the two remaining marines, he gave them a quick
salute and said 'Welcome to the Pegasus!'

Lee had found himself his two newest recruits, those to replace the
fallen, 2 of the best on the starbase, his marines.

{Off}

2nd Lt. Lee O'Bria
CO Chiron Raiders

USS Pegasus