Of Mines And Men

[Arch Angel 0]

Of Mines and Men

 

Duty Log And Summary of Flight Operations Proposal:

 

Angelis,John,A.,Lt.CAG,2nd.Squadron,420th.Light Fighter Group,U.S.S. Reaent

 

The departmental meeting had been informative,revealing,and spot on as to our overall condition ship wide. The reports from the departmental representatives summed it up in a few minutes what many onboard conjectured. We had been wounded severely in each and every department.

 

The report from Doctor Matthews was most disturbing as the final numbers were presented. The losses and injured had a profound effect on Doc and was noticeable across the table. The sickbay area must have been a chamber of horrors for a time,we are surely blessed to have the medical team we have here on Reaent...though the Doctor gave her report she kept the urge for an emotional outburst well under control,a true professional in every respect.

 

The Captain and Commander appeared reserved overall...The reports proceeded in turn as Captain queried each department. I had previously forwarded my report to the Command staff including Pilots lost in battle along with the copies of the letters to the surviving families of those brave souls. The recommendations for awards to be presented to the pilots,Post humusly. I as well make recommendations for the surviving flight staff an award of commendation for duty above and beyond the normal call of duty.

 

The condition of the Squadron at present is greatly reduced in numbers as it pertains to fighter craft available,Though we have made considerable progress in the repair and return to flight worthy status of a few more light fighters. The flight staff in conjunction with the additional assistance from engineering and others have been piece mealing parts from the unrecoverable fighters and reincorporating them in the fighters deemed repairable.

 

The meeting had progressed and each in turn gave a report as it pertained ready status,losses,damages,and projections. I had been going over a possible tactical alternative plan to fulfill our mission as it related to the Proxima,and that worm hole we as well as the Romulans had been spit out of, I presented a brief synopsis of the plan at the meeting...perhaps too brief. The Captain had advised us of some additional new armaments we had not had previously. The mines from the Excalibur could literally be a heavenly sent blessing. Looking over the PADD with the data the plan congealed even more clearly.

 

The Commander was the first to comment on the plan, I certainly can understand his concerns...on the surface the plan as I had submitted it seems to be a one way suicide mission laden with blind heroics, Nothing could be further from the truth . The primary concern of this department is the safety and security of this ship and crew,anything else falls into the secondary category.The Captain put a lid on the proposal and moved onto other matters.

 

I am now submitting as per the Captains request a more detailed summary of the alternative plan. We are in possession of a few fighters that while have been stripped of certain components including life support ...they do remain overall flight worthy and could be equipped to be flown remotely as ones had been done previously in engagements. The components of the holo imaging hardware is already in place, It should be a simple procedure to bring them up to mission ready...flown as pilot less drones if you will and laden with a few mines be flown back into that wormhole. The Romulans have not reemerged from there since our last encounter...they may not have had time to amass their numbers again...either way the drones enter...and one emerges as a fighter,the other under holo imaging...or cloaked as surrounding space...we have the coordinates of Proxima,and the timing of the journey through the wormhole.

 

The mines once armed could be detonated remotely possibly from our side of the opening and therefore taking out the Proxima,and any other vessels that may have been deployed by the Romulans all the while sealing up the opening and limiting their ability to mount an attack into the Gamma quadrant. The Reaent would never be without a protective cover during the operation as all manned fighters would be in place to intercept any threat. Listening carefully to the science representative and looking over the idea of a grid to place the mines on this side,detonating them...sealing it up does have merit.

 

The thought that perplexes me in this whole matter is if we do seal it from here...what is going to stop the Romulans from establishing another, The gut feeling the Proxima has a great deal to do with this situation...and ergo must be either recovered...or destroyed entirely. The mining of both sides and subsequent detonations would seem to be a better solution...enabling a final ending to both questions.

 

I understand we are proceeding to the planet given by the Excalibur's Captain where if I understand correctly we will be provided with support services and additional assistance ...Assistance we do sorely need. The clock on the flight ops wall chimed....it is Midnight now and all is quite with the occasional sound of the repair crews second shift moving and reattaching equipment in the fighter bays.

 

The plan submitted for review is a viable alternative in my opinion...it has the potential to assist this ship and our mission with the projected minimal amount of casualties. The amount of losses in this type of situation can never be guaranteed ...We are after all involved in a profession that can be quite fluid and the circumstances can change rapidly, The very best one can do is attempt to cover the constant variables as best we can,Adapt to the changing conditions as they come. Computer end log:Bleep...:Computer encode and send to the Captain,CC: Commander Ridire...