Anyone Home? Knock Knock (SGT Vega & CPT Calestorm)

[Crash Calestorm 0]

The following log takes place on the 3^rd day of our 72 Hour TBS…

 

Planet Goram

14:31 Hours

Supply Station Alpha

 

The way station wasn’t much to look at. The area had once been a busy place of operation as had the main base. The buildings - main command center, one barracks, and three outbuildings - were configured with the usual set up and far enough away from the main base to conduct training operations with enough supplies to sustain the trainees for the two week training hops.

 

The 214 Black Sheep flight patrols had done fly overs and taken aerial recon shots with their EC photography packages, but Captain Crash Calestorm had wanted to Mark One Eyeball the place herself.

 

And she’d picked up a shadow along the way: Staff Sergeant Joseph “Jo Jo” Vega.

 

They’d taken one of the hover cycles out, making good time across the flat lands and countryside terrain. Setting the transport down just shy of the station perimeter and within the relative safety of a small wooded area, Crash and Jo Jo had started speaking in conversational tones.

 

It was then that Vega’s gloved hand suddenly shot out, clamping against the Captains mouth.

 

Now, most people who did that to Crash would shortly find themselves dis-attached from their skin. She did allow exceptions and the Staff Sergeant was one of them because, well, Staff Sergeant.

 

You don’t get to that rank in the Starfleet Marines by being an idiot and Jo Jo Vega was certainly no idiot.

 

His MOS was heavy weapons and in addition he now handled the administrative and training duties for the ‘Creek MARDET. His instincts were right on and he’d always scored high in reconnaissance evaluations. So high in fact that he’d turned down several letters of recommendation to the Starfleet Border Patrol’s element of Battalion Recon*.

 

His official reason was the typical “Hey, I like blowing stuff up too much!” but Cale had often wondered what the real reason was. With that said, she damn well wasn’t about to complain and it really wasn’t her place to force the issue even as his commanding officer.

 

Calestorm’s posture went still as death and her eyebrows shot to her hairline, the gesture asking the silent question of “you heard something?” and a single curt nod from the younger man was the response.

 

Her hand dropped to the non-regulation blaster strapped to her leg while Vega activated a portable scanner and took readings; the scans showed no trace signatures either hot or cold blooded.

 

Vega raised a speculative eyebrow at her. Crash shrugged a shoulder, indicating an unspoken order: even the best equipment could never replace the senses or an on-site team, let’s go investigate shall we?

 

With precise hand signals, Staff indicated they would emerge from the tree line on a diagonal approach to the main building and then come up on the large storage shed from the blind side. Vega was to take lead point and Crash was to provide rear guard and cover support. Cale indicated that his instructions were received and understood.

 

It was amazing how much could be conveyed in a series of simple signals.

 

They set off along the tree line, using the afternoon shadows cast by the foliage to their advantage until the last second. Popping out into the open, they made their way to the target shed. Once in position, Vega gave the whispered final word.

 

“You ready for this, you Snot Nosed Jockey?” It was a playful jibe at her former MOS as a fighter pilot. She'd beeen young once don't you know...

 

Her answering smile was just as wide as Vega’s. “Let’s do this, you Knuckle Dragging Grunt.”

 

He winked at the older woman and then heaved back and kicked at the entryway.

 

= = = =

EC – Electronic Countermeasures

MOS – Military Operating Specialty

MARDET – Marine Detachment

Battalion Recon - The (United States) Marine Corps Reconnaissance Battalions (Marine Division Recon)…provide division-level ground and amphibious reconnaissance…are employed to observe and report on enemy activity and other information of military significance in close operations…do not normally insert by parachute, and provide limited direct action. – From Wikipedia, for full description click here https://en.wikipedia...ance_Battalions