Canterra - Operation: Cold Comfort: "FrostBite!"

Posted on 27 Jul 2019 @ 5:46am by Captain Edward Bolingbroke (Dec-Jan 2389 - TRNSFR After Gorn War) & Lieutenant Junior Grade Geneviève "Jenny" Lassonde (Dec-Jan 2389 - TRNSFR After Gorn War) & Ensign Kojima "Paperboy" Tanahashi

Mission: Hahai i na pilikua nui - Hunting Monsters
Location: The Xore Strike Mine
Timeline: T+3 17.45hrs Zulu

[ON]

[Battle Group]

Across the orbiting ships of the Battle Group transporter rooms were on standby to deliver two companies of Marine Infantry directly in to the assault on the mine. Dressed in arctic clothing and heavily armed, the initial groups of the two companies were to be dropped into eight predetermined locations around the mine complex and power station. These had been selected after 2d MSOT’s reconnaissance and would provide some terrain cover for the build-up of troops, prior to commencing the initial assault.

Once the mine’s shield was down, the main threat would be the heavily defended entrance bunkers. The mine complex had two of these, a large one overlooking the landing pad and another, smaller one, on the rear of the building. Both had two rotating turrets, each with twin mounted heavy disrupters. The power station had one bunker, also with two twin mounted disrupter turrets.

Of the two complexes, the ground surrounding the mine was more open, out to about three hundred meters all around, with little cover or concealment. The power station site was located in the midst of some low hills, there were also surrounding buildings which would allow the Marines to get much closer to the bunker before being exposed to defensive fire.

The plan, however, was to neutralize the bunker turrets with ground attack strikes from the Hawaii’s Fighter Element.

The Infantry companies had a squad assigned to deal with each of the mine’s entrance bunkers, while 2d MSOT Head Quarters Element would target the power station bunker. They would be beamed directly in from the Hawaii’s transporter room. Orange Element was scheduled to accompany them and would spear-head the assault on the power station building to relieve Bolingbroke and the Frog Squad with a platoon of Infantry in support. Then a further Infantry Platoon would arrive by shuttle craft, ready to provide assistance and reinforcements wherever needed during the assault phase.

But with the unexplained loss of communications, and no word from the Frog Squad, 2d MSOT Head Quarters and Orange Elements had transported in ahead of the infantry.

[Power Substation]

As they re-materialized in the arctic landscape it was bitterly cold, a heavy snow was falling and dusk was coming on. There were no lights on the power station, no signs of power or activity, only the gray shadows of buildings could be seen through the snow fall and there was nothing visible beyond seventy or eighty meters.

Master Sergeant Kadesh and the others were transported in behind the vehicle maintenance shed. They had studied maps and aerial images of the site and this location provided the most cover. All members knew their assigned tasks. “Well the power’s out and the shield is down!” Corporal Hudson commented. “Otherwise we’d have beamed in over there” He pointed behind them to a low icy ridge, which had been their alternate transport point if there had been a problem.

Kadesh nodded and looked around. It was quiet, there was no movement or noise, just the soft rush of the wind driven snow. “So the Captain must have got inside but why did they not call in the assault?” He tried his comms =/\= Second acH-Queue to Marine Command. Confirming the power and shield is down! FrostBite! FrostBite! FrostBite! Over =/\=

Kadesh listened for a response, there was nothing, just the crackle and hiss of static. He tried again but with the same result. “It seems we do not have comms” He rumbled, wondering if the same issue had befallen the Frog Squad. Since the power was down then Bolingbroke and the others must be have made it inside and would be waiting for support. Therefore Kadesh was not going to leave their company commander and team mates stranded.

“Dammit! That turrets still powered!” Hudson called out quietly. Through the snow they could see the twin barrels of the turret on the entrance bunker moving backwards and forwards. “Probably on some separate circuit, since the Gorn added those to the civilian structures”

“We have the means to take that out!” Kadesh replied. He switched channels and tried the Hawaii’s Fighters who should be at their loiter point waiting for ground attack coordinates. =/\= Kadesh to Jenny and PaperBoy. Do you read? We are on the surface but unable to contact the Battle Group. The shield is down but assault has not yet been called in. We are going to attempt to enter the power substation to find the Frog Squad. If we paint it up, can you take out the entrance bunker turret? Over =/\=


[801 Flt Element]

=/\= Sergeant Kadesh you paint that target and we will make sure it doesn't cause you any more trouble. =/\= Paper answered the comms readying his fighter. =/\= Jenny I'm on your wing and ready to move out when you are =/\=

=/\= Got it Paperboy, just waiting for the signal =/\= Jenny answered evenly.


[Power Substation]

"Light it up!" Kadesh ordered. One of the Marines had removed the targeting devices from his backpack. He sighted on the turret and activated it. The turret was now illuminated for the homing warheads on the Fighter's missiles.

=/\= Target is lit =/\= Kadesh passed on.


[801 Flt Element]

=/\= Order up! One smoking crater with all the toppings! =/\= Jenny hooted as the target appeared in her tracking display. =/\= Let's get this light show started Paperboy! =/\= she came around and lined herself up, firing off a burst of micro torpedoes as she made the first pass, watching explosions bloom through her rear-view camera. =/\= Now it's all yours, =/\= she called to her wingman.


[Power Substation]

/\= Direct hit! Direct hit! =/\= Kadesh called out as the first missile impacted the turret. There was an explosion but when the smoke cleared the turret was still operational

“Get down!” Hudson called out. Whoever was controlling the turret had tracked it around and found the Marine’s location. Both Disrupter barrels opened up, firing heavy bursts of plasma in a thudding concussion of rapid fire.

The Marines dived for cover as the corner of the building exploded, showering them with debris. The turret was ranged-in, searching for the attackers, the hammering beat of fire relentless.

One of the shots vaporized the laser target designator. With the device destroyed and no longer painting the turret, the incoming weapon went to its secondary attack mode, which was to continue on its original course until it impacted the target but with no further course corrections to fine tune it’s vector.

That loss of targeting input allowed the next missile to drift a fraction off course and instead of striking the turret it impacted a foot to the left, exploding on the thick ferro-crete of the bunker’s hardened outer shell. Some chunks of concrete were flung in to the air, but when the smoke cleared the turret was still operational and still firing!

It began a systematic pattern of destruction, swinging backwards and forwards in steady arcs, rapidly destroying all cover within it’s line of fire.

“We can’t stay here!” Hudson warned as the building they were hiding behind was quickly being reduced to rubble.

“Cut right!” Kadesh called back “Get behind that slag hill, then see if we can come at it from the rear.” He pointed to a long pile of spent mineral fuel ash.


[801 Flt Element]

'Son of a bitch!' Paperboy thought, with the target designator gone Kojima had to rely solo on his judgment and timing, going in fast and low he fired two mirco-torpedos pulling up to gain altitude he watched in his rear-camera for the explosions.

The first missile began to steadily drop off course, it sloughed into the ground three meters short of the bunker. But the second missile ran true, impacting the turret, slamming into one of the disrupter barrels. The explosion vaporized the barrel and shredded the other one, then the power relays blew and the turret fell silent

With the turret now reduced to a pile of twisted scrap the immediate threat to the Marines was gone, they peered cautiously over the top of the ash pile. A few flames flickered in the wrecked turret but were quickly extinguished by the snow fall and the flames became a thin grey smoke.

A moment later there was a grating sound and the bunker’s heavy door started to slide open. It moved about a foot then stopped, movement could just be seen in the darkness beyond the door. Suddenly there was a flash and several rocket propelled grenades erupted from the doorway heading straight for the ash hill.

“Get down!” Kadesh shouted and the team ducked for cover. The four greanades ploughed into the hill and exploded, sent up plumes of ash, grit and dust.

A second later a jet of blue flame roared out from the doorway, burning brightly, vaporizing the falling snow,

The blazing jet did not quite reach the ash pile but the heat could still be felt, even in the arctic conditions.

“Oh great, another flamethrower” Johanson grumbled “I’m not dancing in front of this one again!”

Kadesh looked around, even with the turret out of action, between the flame thrower and the grenades, the approach to the bunker door, across thirty meters of open ground, had just become even more deadly.

About forty meter’s away were parked three huge dump trucks, used to bring mineral fuel ore to the generator.

“Can anyone get one those running?” Kadesh asked, pointing at the massive vehicles and looking around the Team.

“I think I can” Sergeant Matt Riley said “My cousin is Corps of Engineers, he runs big stuff like that. I went for a ride with him one time.”

“Alright, that’s close enough” Kadesh agreed. “Get ready, we’ll lay down some cover. Hudson, Tar-Re will go with you” He called out to the Team “Suppressive fire! Target the doorway! On my mark!”

The Marines took up positions along the ash hill, weapons ready while Riley prepared to sprint across to the parked vehicles.

“Fire!” Kadesh roared and a barrage of phaser blasts filled the partially opened bunker doorway.

Then Kadesh, Riley, Hudson and Tar-Re ran, heads down, dodging and weaving for the nearest truck. The flame thrower belched a jet of burning fuel towards them, but it fell well short and in a few seconds they had rounded one of trucks enormous tires and were in cover.

Kadesh went forward to peer at the bunker, Hudson and Tar-Re crouched down, while Riley made his way up the ladder to the vehicle’s cab, which towered over some twenty feet above them. There was a crunching sound and bits of the cab’s windscreen dropped around the huddled Marines as Riley broke his way in with the butt of his phaser carbine.

A few moments later there was a deep rumble and the huge dump truck roared to life. Riley’s head appeared out of the cab window “Now what?” He shouted down.

“Think you can ram that bunker without getting your head blown off?” Kadesh yelled over the noise.

“I’ll give it a try! Stand clear” Riley replied and his head ducked back out of sight. A moment later the engine roared even louder and the enormous truck lurched forward. The bunker was some fifty meters away across an open patch of ground and the cumbersome truck rolled forward, ponderously gaining speed.

Kadesh waved the Marines in behind it and they hunkered down, running bent over behind the huge double rear wheels, weapons at the ready.

It had gone about ten meters before the Gorn in the doorway noticed and their weapons swung to bear. Another salvo of rocket propelled grenades screamed out, but all shot wide of the advancing truck and exploded without injury.

The flamethrower nozzle poked out and blasted the truck with a jet of fire. The fuel stuck to the front of the massive vehicle and began to burn brightly in the arctic twilight.

Riley in the cab was high above the fire and he floored the accelerator, the truck gained speed and bounced over the frozen ground towards the bunker. At the last moment Riley jumped from the seat and dived for the floor of the cab, rolling up into a ball.

The truck careened into the bunker, hitting the structure with all the momentum of its massive bulk. The reinforced girders of its front bumper punched into the doorway, ripped the door off its track and hurled it aside.

The impetus carried on it onwards, the heavy subframe smashed into the front of the bunker, cracking the reinforced ferro-crete, collapsing the doorframe and opening a large hole in the wall. The truck ground up on to the bunker’s roof and shuddered to a halt, it’s now mangled front still ablaze. Engine roaring, the spinning wheels threw up large chunks of snow and ice.

Up in the cab, a bruised Riley crawled back into the driver’s seat, he selected reverse and began to pull the truck back. The metal grated screeched as the bumper and subframe were dragged off the bunker and Riley backed the truck up.

Kadesh and the others swarmed in, several grenades went in to the torn-open doorway, with accompanying phaser bursts, there was no return fire and they prepared to enter.

Just then the falling snow was illuminated by the yellow flicker of incoming transporters. A Platoon of heavily armed Marine Infantry shimmered into being. They dropped into all-round defensive positions as they took in the scene,

“You Bee Company, Third Raiders?” One called

“That’s us” Hudson called back “Welcome to the party, you're late”

A young Lieutenant came forward, taking in the ruined buildings, burning dump truck and shattered bunker “I see you Specialists have made yourselves at home" He said wryly "We're here to clear up the mess, where do we start?"

"Our Company Commander Captain Bolingbroke and Gorn-Shadow Infiltration Team are somewhere inside Sir" Kadesh explained, "We've been unable to contact them and need to find them. They should be in the power control room on the second level, since they clearly got the power shut off. We're about to go in"

The Lieutenant nodded "I'll leave one squad to secure the entrance and then we'll come in with you Sarn't. The rest of the company is moving in on the mine, let's make sure the Gorn do not a chance to restore power"

Kadesh nodded and ducked in through he ruined bunker doorway, the rest of the Team following on behind.

[OFF]


2MSOT & Marine Infantry NPCd by Tolkath

Geneviève "Jenny" Lassonde LtJg, SFFC
FLT 801/CO

Kojima 'Paperboy' Tanahashi, Ens., SFFC
FLT 801/XO