It was supposed to be easy.

Provide security for peace talks between two groups that wanted to stop the war that had been raging between them. Borth sides wanted it, and the Fedreation was mediating. Hell, the treaty was already done. This was more ceremony than anything else.

It was supposed to be easy…

The negotiations had been going well until the firefight broke out. Now there were Federation personnel being held hostage by an unknown number of hostiles who have demanded the peace talks cease, or the hostages die.

“We were so close…” Lt. Mardusk thought to himself as lay on the ground on a hill and observed the building the hostages were being held in. Bald, tall for a even an Orion, and well-built with more muscles than most Pareses Squares teams, the Lieutenant looked through his monoc scanner to get a reading on the building. The digital display showed a large, one room building made of a composite of native stone. No windows, only one door. The Avalon had already radioed down that there was a dampening field in place around the building preventing transporter operations. “Of course there is. Why would this be easy?” Mardusk mumbled to himself. “What was that, Sir?” asked the ensign lying on the ground next to him. “Nothing, Ensign. Just thinking out loud.” Mardusk responded. Another long look through the binoculars and Mardusk had seen all he needed to see, and he and the Ensign low-crawled down and out of sight of the building. He stood up and brushed himself off.

“Ensign, contact the Avalon through the ground terminal and tell them to send down two full security teams.” He pulled a data pad out and brought up a topographical display of the building and surrounding area. “I want Security Team 1 geared up with the Type IIIc rifles, and beam directly to these locations around the building.” he said as he jabbed a finger at several locations. “They are NOT to fire unless ordered to do so, Ensign. They are there as a safety net, no more. Team Two I want to be geared up for a full-frontal assault. They will only go on MY order. No one else. Beam them right here. Get Engineering and Science teams working on a way to knock down or put a hole in the dampening field. We need that NOW. And I want a full sensor analysis of that building… life signs, power supplies, hidden tunnels… EVERYTHING. I need that yesterday. Understood?” “Yes, Sir!” said the Ensign and went off to the portable communications console. Mardusk wanted those orders to go through that device so if the hostage-takers were monitoring comms, they wouldn’t be able to eavesdrop on the encrypted transmission.

=/\= Mardusk to Avalon. =/\= he said after tapping his communicator. Please set up a direct communications line to the building and relay it directly to me. Standing by. =/\= As he waited for the preliminary plan to be put into action and for the reports from the ship minutes, he walked to the compound where the surviving delegates were gathered. As he approached the remaining dignitaries, the two leading representatives of each party approached him. He informed them of the situation and stressed that everyone remain calm. He asked that whatever progress could be made under the current circumstances be made as quickly as possible. As he was discussing next steps with them, his comm badge chirped and he held up his hand to quell the incoming questions from both sides of the talks. He tapped his badge and spoke. =/\= This is Lieutenant Junior Grade Gravel Mardusk of the Federation Starship Avalon. May I ask to whom I am speaking? =/\= He kept his voice steady and calm, even though he could feel the eyes of the delegates upon him.

=/\= This is Lieutenant Nil’soth of the Gorelgilian Military Order. We have your Federation personnel in our custody, and they will be executed if all negotiations do not cease immediately. Do you understand me? =/\= Mardusk kept calm and waited for him to finish. =/\= I understand completely. I wish to negotiate the release of the hostages, but I will need to speak to the officer in command first. Is that you? =/\= Mardusk waved at the two lead delegates from the peace talks and motioned them near. After a brief pause another voice, female this time, came over the channel.

=/\= This is Colonel Tivak Mashon. I am the officer in charge. Who am I speaking with? =/\= Mardusk muted the comm quickly and said to the two delegates “Get me everything you can on both the Lieutenant and the Colonel, please. With luck, we can negotiate a peaceful resolution and get the talks back on track.” Turning the comm back on, he said =/\= This is Lieutenant Junior Grade Mardusk of the Federation starship Avalon. I am the acting Federation negotiator. I have been given a demand by your lieutenant, but before we proceed I would like to request proof of life of the hostages. Is that agreeable to you? =/\= Mardusk activated the mute again and asked the ensign for a status update. The ensign held up a finger indicating a minute before it was available, so Mardusk waited for the Colonel’s response. =/\= You are in no position to make demands, Starfleet. =/\= =/\= I am not making demands, Colonel. Merely respectfully requesting. =/\= There was long pause and then Mashon’s voice came back on. =/\= I will contact you in five of your minutes. =/\= And the comm went silent.

“Ensign, report. Now, please.” Mardusk said. The ensign ran over and said “Sir, the Security teams are in position and awaiting your signal. Engineering reports that the dampening field is being powered from inside the building so they can’t cut the power without risking the people inside, but they may have a solution regarding the field itself. They need an hour. The Science section reports the structure is made of native stone which is highly resistant to heat and radiation, thus ruling out the use of phasers to breach. They show eight humans and four Gorelgilian life-signs. The Gorelgilian are armed, and they suspect there is a detonation-type device is in the room as well.”

Mardusk looked at the delegates and said “What can you tell me about this Colonel Mashon?” The Gorelgilian delegate spoke up and said “She is one of our most decorated military officers. She has lead more strikes into Coreligian territory than any other commander, and has proven her loyalty and dedication many times. I would assume her current actions are due to her constant fighting of the Coreligians. She is a good soldier, Lieutenant. It will not be viewed well if she dies during the peace talks.” When he finished the Coreligian representative spoke up. “We know quite a bit about Colonel Mashon. She is responsible for the destruction of multiple military stations and outposts, and the deaths of many Coreligian military personnel. She currently has a price on her head of over a hundred thousand k’tellets. She is feared on the battlefield.” Mardusk listened to the delegates speak and asked a few follow-up questions. Once he was confident that he had all the information he could get from the two, he pulled out his datapad and checked his Security team positions.

His badge chirped again, and he answered immediately. =/\= Lieutenant Mardusk. =/\= =/\= Here is your proof, Starfleet. =/\= Mashon’s voice was irritated and impatient. That could be good or bad, Mardusk thought to himself. A new voice came over the comms. =/\= This is Ambassador Alba of the United Federation of Planets. To whom am I speaking? =/\= Mardusk remembered the Ambassador. A very tall Black man in his middle ages, he carried himself with a great amount of dignity and quiet confidence. =/\= Ambassador, this is Lieutenant Mardusk. Are you and the others alright? =/\= =/\= We are uninjured, Mr. Mardusk. The Colonel is very professional. But very motivated. Please proceed carefully. =/\= With that his voice cut off and the Colonel’s voice returned. =/\= There is your proof, Starfleet. Now, you will cease and desist all peace talks and remove yourself from the surface. If you fail to do so, we will execute one hostage every thirty minutes until you do so. Beginning now. =/\= Mardusk’s mind raced, and he spoke hurriedly to keep a bad situation from becoming intractable. =/\= Colonel, please give me some time. There are large-scale logistical implications to moving such a large group and their supporting materials that I am sure an officer such as yourself can appreciate. I’m not asking for a great deal, Ma’am. Please simply give me two hours to disembark my entire contingent. After that, we can discuss the retrieval of our personnel. Is that agreeable? =/\= A few tense moments passed and the Colonel’s voice came online. =/\= One hour, no more. If you haven’t left the planet surface, all hostages will be killed. =/\= And the line went silent. “One hour. We can do this.” Mardusk thought. In fact, he had an idea that might not only save the hostages, but the talks as well.

He turned and looked at the representatives of the two sides. “Delegates, I need to speak with all of you. Please meet me at the conference table in 10 minutes. Ensign?” The ensign rushed over and said “I’m sorry Lieutenant, but I haven’t heard…” “Not what I was gonna ask. Listen, we don’t have much time. I need you to coordinate the steady, but slow, removal of all non-necessary equipment and personnel to the Avalon. It doesn’t have to be fast, just visible. Got me?” The ensign nodded and rushed off to begin the evacuation.

Mardusk walked into the tent where the conference table had been moved after the fight earlier. Both sides were present, six delegates from each remaining. “Ladies and Gentlemen, we find ourselves in a particularly difficult spot. I will not allow Federation personnel to be killed under my watch. But the Federation is keenly aware of the need for these talks to succeed,” he took a breath and looked around the table at the faces of the delegates and the anticipation and fear present in all of them “… as I am sure you all are as well. Therefore, I would like to make a proposal to you. If you can agree, I think you can utilize it as a significant step to not only ending this situation on a positive note, but also as a step towards a lasting peace between your two peoples. Here is what I have in mind. I propose the immediate formation of a joint Gorelgilian-Coreligian military force. This force will be the peacekeepers of the new truce. I would like to recommend that Colonel Mashon be made the Commanding Officer as well.”
As Mardusk expected, there was silence that was followed, after the shock had worn off, by a cacophony of voices and conflicting shouts and cries. He looked around the room and saw the two lead delegates in quiet conference together. After a few minutes, the two delegates smiled at each other and called the room to order. “Lieutenant, why do you recommend such an action?” the Coreligian delegate asked.

Mardusk looked at the table and measured his words carefully. “I have heard both sides speak of the Colonel. She is respected, capable, and professional. She also feels strongly enough about the Gorelgilian cause that she would risk a war with the Federation to get her point across. So why not give her a bigger, more important cause to fight for? She already holds the respect of both militaries. I was not told of any atrocities or crimes against civilians. You said she always targeted military installations. She easily could have decimated adjacent civilian populations, but as far as I know she didn’t. Am I correct in my assumptions? Now would be the right time to tell me.” He looked directly at the two leading delegates.

“Your assumptions are correct, Lieutenant.” said the Coreligian delegate. “She is respected by both parties. While she has caused a great deal of damage to our military forces over the years, she has not ever attacked civilians. That is one of the reasons the bounty on her is not higher.” He looked at his Gorelgilian counterpart and pulled out a datapad. “In the interest of peace, I hereby rescind the bounty on the Colonel. The Coreligian agree to the proposal, if only to keep the Colonel off the battlefield.” The Gorelgilian delegate stood and said “The Gorelgilian agree to the formation of a joint military peacekeeping force; and are honored at the selection of the Colonel to command.” Over the next three-quarters of an hour, the combined delegates created a preliminary draft of the new Peacekeepers. At last, the Coreligian delegate spoke up. “Lieutenant, the draft is done. But how you will get the Colonel to see it is up to you.” and handed a PaDD towards him. Mardusk took the PaDD and said, “I will see what I can do.” and walked to the communications console. As he approached, the ensign turned and began coming his way.

“Sir, the evac is going smoothly but slowly as you directed. Engineering has reported they can cycle a micro-radiation burst at the dampening field that should allow for a transporter lock on our people, but they can’t do that through the structure. We will need them to open the door.”

“Ensign, tell the Avalon to stand by for transporter lock.” Mardusk said. “I’m going to the structure now. Ask for a channel to the Colonel. Patch it through to me. Have Avalon monitor and when they hear the door open, beam our people out.” and he began walking briskly towards the structure a half mile or so away.

When he got to the hill he had observed from earlier, Mardusk raised his arms and slowed his walk towards the building. As he walked his badge chirped and he slowly reached down and activated it. =/\= Lieutenant Mardusk. =/\= =/\=I see you approaching, Lieutenant. =/\= the Colonel said. =/\= This was not part of our agreement. =/\= The colonel’s voice was stern, but with a hint of trepidation. The unknown must bother her. =/\= Ma’am, I am simply delivering a message from the delegation to you. I am not here for any other purpose. =/\= He hoped that the wavering in his voice was only in his head.

=/\=Stop where you are and tell me the message. =/\= The Colonel ordered. Mardusk stopped. =/\= Ma’am, it’s on a datapad. I don’t know the message, and I was given very specific orders to give it only to you. I won’t even ask to come inside. If I may just approach the door, you can open it and take the pad. I won’t even try to enter. =/\=

=/\= Ah, and have some sniper shoot me down? I think not. =/\=

=/\= Ma’am. I give you my word as a Starfleet officer. You will not be harmed. =/\=

There was long pause and the colonel said =/\= Come. SLOWLY. You will stand directly in front of the door and knock twice then three times. I will open the door, and you will have a disrupter pointed at your head. If you try anything, Lieutenant, I will kill you where you stand. Understood? =/\=

Mardusk replied =/\= I understand. I am moving now, Colonel. =/\= He approached the door and took a deep breath. He hoped the Avalon was on top of this, otherwise he might not be seeing the ship again. He knocked as instructed. The door opened a fraction of an inch and profile was all he could see. The eye scanned the area behind the lieutenant and then the door opened to reveal the Colonel. She was tall and slender and wearing body armor. True to her word, she immediately pointed a disruptor at Mardusk’s head. =/\= The message, Lieutenant. =/\= And she held out her hand.

Mardusk glanced into the room and saw the eight Federation hostages against the far back wall. Between them and the Colonel were three heavily armed Gorelgilian soldiers. They were looking at the Colonel, covering her with their disruptors. Mardusk extended the data pad but before the colonel took it he said =/\= They wanted to know if you were interested, Ma’am. I’m supposed to take then your answer. =/\= His heart raced and he focused all his willpower on not looking at the hostages. C’mon c’mon c’mon he thought to himself.

The Colonel glanced down at the data pad and a wave of confusion swept her face. “This is a Commission. In the Joint Peacekeeping Force. Commanding Officer.” She lowered her weapon to read the data pad better. “It’s signed by both delegations. As is the removal of the war bounty on me.” She continued to read, and the weapon went lower and lower until finally she holstered it at her hip. As she did so, Mardusk heard the tell-tale sound of transporter energy and the delegates glowed and vanished. The soldiers spun around and fired, but too late as the Federation staff dematerialized. The colonel spun around at the shots and immediately realized what had happened. Mardusk was impressed by the speed at which she drew the disruptor and leveled it at him. “You lied to me!” she said through gritted teeth. He held his hands up slowly and shook his head. “No, Ma’am. Everything you read is completely true. You can verify it yourself with your delegation. I am simply a messenger for them. But… I am also a Starfleet officer tasked with rescuing my people, and I have. Killing me now will accomplish nothing, Colonel. But you have something you didn’t have before. A voice in how all of this will be brought together. And a purpose greater than yourself. I strongly suggest you take it. But that is just a suggestion, Ma’am.” Mardusk stood at attention, took a deep breath, and wondered how long he had left to live.

The Colonel looked at Mardusk and then back at her troops. “Stand down.” She turned and looked at Mardusk. “If I kill you now, will I die as well?” Mardusk shook his head but responded “Ma’am, I’m an Officer in Starfleet. I gave you my word that you would not be harmed. That being said, Colonel… I am also the Chief Security Officer of my ship. I am rarely unprepared.” He turned his head to the side and yelled “Security Teams, sound off!” and a few dozen voices from all around the building responded, “Aye aye, Chief!”. Mardusk looked down at her and smiled slightly and shrugged. “Can’t blame me for covering my ass, now can ya, Colonel?”

The Colonel looked out and around, and a smile came to her face. “Surrounded? I didn’t see anyone moving… ahhh, you beamed them in directly. Good maneuver.” She holstered her weapon and looked back at the squad. “Weapons down, move slowly.” She looked back at Mardusk “Are we under arrest?”
Mardusk looked at her for a moment as if considering it, and then he smiled. “Ma’am, how would it look if I arrested the Commanding Officer of the first Peacekeeping Force on this planet?” and he winked at her. “See you up there.” and he turned and walked back to the conference.

Mardusk