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Karo Veras

Making the team (Part I of IV)

Karo leaned up against the door jam which led from NNC proper to the gym. Right next to him stood Staff Sergeant Balthazar Okur. They called him "Czar", obviously a play on his first name. Though at the same time, the Antalya, Turkey native carried himself with a confidence, a regality, that was extremely fitting for his name. And his service record was impeccable.

 

On one of his assignments, his vessel, the USS Princeton, just so happened to be arriving at Earth for shore leave the day the Soltans attacked. His ship was boarded, but the attackers were repelled and eliminated, largely due in part to the Staff Sergeant's (then Sergeant) quick and unconventional thinking. Czar and his team led the Soltan boarding party towards the cargo bay in mock retreat. Once a majority of the boarding party was there Czar and company quickly exited and sealed the bay, overrode the safety systems and bridge controls, and opened the cargo bay doors without pressurization and shielding, eliminating the Soltan team instantly. The resulting damage took out the 4 decks directly above the cargo bay, but luckily those decks were abandoned and not casualties resulted, and the Princeton lived to fight another day. But it wasn't that experience which drew Karo's attention.

 

"So you spent some time with the 3/8th Charlies on Penthara IV?" Karo asked the older Sergeant.

 

"Ahh, yes." Czar said, with a chuckle and grin, as if reminiscing of fond memories "And did I love my time with the Charlies, let me tell you."

 

"You were with 4th Platoon, right? The Buccaneers." Karo asked him

 

"Aye, sir. The Buccaneers, and what a spirited bunch that is let me tell you," the sergeant replied.

 

"I spent time with the Hawk Owls of 2nd Platoon." Karo said, "It was my training assignment."

 

Okur's face busted out in a huge smile "The Hawk Owls, our eyes in the skies. You don't know how many times you guys saved our hides."

 

Karo nodded with a smile. "Well, someone had to keep their eyes on the doors while you pirates were rummaging and pillaging. What good is loot if you're not alive to enjoy it?" He asked with a playful laugh, giving the Sergeant a punch in the arm.

 

"ARRRRRGH" The Sergeant said, in the stereotypical human pirate voice before breaking out into a laugh "I guess you're right, lad. I guess you're right."

 

Their laughs subsided a little. "Come over to the weapons locker, I've got something to show you." Karo said, putting his hand on the Staff Sergeant's shoulder. As far as Karo was concerned, Czar had passed the test. His track record was good, and his head seemed to be in place. Almost as importantly, he was -likeable-. He was someone you wouldn't mind having at your side in battle, a confident and proud presence that you didn't have to worry about going off the deep end and endangering the mission.

 

Karo put his eyes up to the retinal scanner leading into the weapons locker. With a beep of acknowledgement, the doors opened. Karo stepped inside and waited for the Staff Sergeant to do the same. For some odd reason he began to recall his first time in here, nearly a year ago. It was with the Gunny, not 3 days after he came aboard. It was Gunny's test of Karo's senses, to see if he had what it took to make it in Recon. He remembered sitting there, right where Czar had taken a seat, with Slick staring at him silently, passively.

 

Five minutes passed. Ten. At 12 minutes 23 seconds, someone entered the room behind Veras, crossed to a locker behind him, retrieved something from the locker, then left. Two minutes later Mike leaned forward. "Full description. Now."

 

Veras drew a breath "Subject entered approximately 160 seconds ago from the entrance located over my left shoulder. Subject was male, 6'3 to 6'3 1/2 between 215 and 220 lbs. He was in his standard duty uniform. He pulled an item from his locker, something small, a weapon, most likely a phaser by the sound of it being holstered. As he exited through the same door he entered. Total time elapsed between entry and exit was approximately 45 seconds. Judging the lack of pause in his progress from entrance to exit, this was possibly a staged event, as he did not even give second thought to two men staring at each other for apparently no reason." He managed a smile "That or such moments are exceedingly common here on the Agincourt."

 

"The subject also needs to clean the bottom of his boots," Veras added "He must have been assisting in the cleanup of one of the non-quarantined areas."

 

It was hard for Veras to believe that much time had passed. Now, here he was leaning against that same set of lockers that Hefner was, staring down at the same bench he sat at. Karo's gaze met Czar's, both their faces now devoid of the amusement they held mere moments before. Karo wasn't here to test the Czar, no. The Staff's skills and abilities were already proven, he had no need to do that. He was here to ask the man to risk his life next to him, on a what was looking more and more like a suicide mission.

 

No, this was a lot different. . .

 

Karo didn't know any other way to lay it out, so he just said it. "Starfleet has ordered us to procure a Soltan subspace drive. So we're headed to Soltan space to get one." He told the man. "Problem is, procuring just a drive and the thousands of parts and pieces that go with it would lead to an extremely cumbersome ex-fill. So we've decided it'd be much more reasonable to procure an entire vessel."

 

The Czar didn't flinch, Karo knew it didn't take the man long to realize he wasn't in here to be shown something. "How many of us?" he asked, his voice calm and collected.

 

"Twelve" Karo said "A team of Marines, a team of Squid sec, two engineers, two meds"

 

"What's the plan?"

 

"In approximately 5 ½ hours. The fleet is going to launch a diversionary attack to draw the Soltans away from our primary target, a repair depot. Upon arrival into the system, we're going to sneak onto the Depot, then onto our target vessel, and high tail it out of there." Karo said, it sounded so easy to say. "We're meeting with our Fleet compatriots in two hours to discuss the details."

 

The Czar nodded, his eyes fixated on Karo. Something about those eyes, the steely resolve, the proud confidence. . .something gave Karo a boost of his own. He knew he could trust this man to do the job, or die trying. "Have you decided on which of our Brothers or Sisters will be joining us?"

 

Karo blinked. He knew of one, but he hadn't chosen the other. Part of Karo was fearful of admitting that, afraid that Sergeant Okur would lose faith in his ability to lead. However, the man was entrusting his life to him, and vice versa. He had a right to an honest answer.

 

"As of right now, Corporal Donovan will be joining us." He told the man, he struggled but still managed to keep eye contact with Czar. "I haven't yet decided on the fourth member of the team." Karo tried his best to try and not come off embarrassed, he wasn't sure how successful he was.

 

"Might I suggest Sergeant Williamson sir." The Czar said. "I served with him before, sir. His skills are as impeccable as they come. He will not let you down."

 

Karo studied the Czar for a moment, he wasn't expecting a suggestion, from the man, but that's what he had just received. He recalled the Sergeant's file in his mind. Louis Williamson was his full name. Callsign: Rider. He seemed capable enough. Not as experienced or seasoned has Okur, but appeared to have what it took. However, Czar didn't seem like the one to throw out idle praise to a man he wouldn't trust with his life. Getting his blessing certainly had to stand for something.

 

"I don't know you that well, Okur." Karo began, "But something tells me I can trust you and your judgement."

 

"I haven't stayed alive for this long without due cause, my young friend." Czar replied, a smile creeping back onto his face. The edges of Karo's mouth crept into a grin as well.

 

"I don't doubt that, Staff Sergeant. I don't doubt that at all." Karo said, drawing a quick chuckle from the older man. He ticked his head towards the door. Prep your letter and give it to Major Haruto. Meet me back at the lockers in 90 minutes, so we can head up to security." With that, Czar stood up, snapping a quick salute before heading out the door. Karo stood there for a few moments as the Staff Sergeant departed. Something told Karo that it would be good to have that man by his side.

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