The Evacuation

"Approaching Mirisam V, Captain." Came the young voice from the helm console.

"Slow down to full impulse power and hold orbit." Ordered Rashad, getting up from the command chair to stretch her legs. Being addressed as "Captain" still made her feel somewhat uncomfortable. "Mister Loh, scan the surface !"

"Ma'am, we are picking up multiple life-signs from the surface." Said Lieutenant Garret Loh from the Tactical console.

"Well, can we transport them off the surface ?" Enquired the Romulan-Bajoran Commander, with a raised eyebrow.

"No, ma'am." Replied Garret Loh. "There is too much atmospheric interference. I am unable to establish a transporter lock…"

She sighed. "Then we will have to do this the hard way," T'Kul turned to Lieutenant Amy Lloyd who had volunteered her services at the science console. "Lieutenant Lloyd, can you calculate the best landing site for our shuttles ?"

The Stellar Cartographer tapped the console. "It appears that the only place to land would be the plateau, here." The coordinates came on the main viewer. "This is where all the life signs appear to be concentrated."

"Captain, sensors detect a small vessel taking off the planet ! It appears to be…no, it definitely is, a Jem'Hadar shuttle."

"Shields up ! Are they a threat to us, Lieutenant Loh ?"

"No, ma'am. Their weapons array appears to be damaged... and… there are human lifesigns aboard the vessel !"

*Huh ?* One of Rashad's Vulcanoid eyebrows rose. "Well then, Mister Loh, let's try to contact them. Open hailing frequencies !"

T'Kul resumed her seat in the command chair. "Unknown Jem'Hadar vessel, this is Commander Rashad of the USS Leviathan…"

The image on the main viewer flickered, and a rather surprised face of a young attractive Caitian woman appeared on the screen.

[USS Leviathan, this is Lieutenant M'eko J'ross, the Executive Officer of the USS Taurus.]

"Excellent," Rashad nodded. "We came here to look for you, and it looks like you are doing not so badly yourselves. Is there anyone else left on the surface ?"

[We have all the colonists aboard, but Lieutenant Logan McQueen and Marine Private Jax are still on the surface, guarding the Jem'Hadar we have captured. There was not enough space on this shuttle for everyone, so we were hoping to contact our vessel via subspace transmitters once we reached orbit.]

"Very well, I will be presently dispatching a shuttle to collect the rest of your party. Stand by for the tractor beam, Lieutenant J'ross."

Within a minute, the commandeered Jem'Hadar shuttle was on the tractor beam.

The Romulan-Bajoran tapped her commbadge. "Rashad to Major Phanan. Could you report to shuttle bay 3 ? I would like you to coordinate the evacuation of two of the USS Taurus people and their Jem'Hadar prisoners."

<On my way, Commander !> Came the Marine's reply.

"Lieutenant Lloyd, how would you like do go for a short fly down to the colony in the shuttle?" Said T'Kul turning to the Stellar Cartographer again.

"I would love that, ma'am." Answered the young Human lady with a smile.

"Take Ensign Rustazh with you. You may need a good Klingon warrior with you, just in case."

"Aye, Captain !" The Stellar Cartographer turned and left the Bridge.

Three hours later the evacuation of the colony was complete. The Leviathan's shuttle was safely back in shuttle bay 3 and the twenty Jem'Hadar prisoners were being put into detention together with the rest of their comrades already in the brig. As well as the away team, the Lieutenant that had brought Lieutenant Borealiou from Elifia Prime, was also now onboard. The shuttle the two had arrived in had been left on Mirisam V, Lieutenant J'ross had managed to virtually make it unusable in her attempts to get the larger Jem'Hadar shuttle operational.

Rashad was in the briefing room, welcoming the new arrivals. The evacuated colonists were already being assigned guest quarters and Rashad had asked to see the Starfleet and Marines. As well as Rashad, Major Phanan the Commanding Marine was also present.

"Welcome aboard everyone." She nodded politely with an almost hidden half-smile on her lips. "We will shortly be leaving for Deep Space 9, where we will hopefully rendezvous with USS Taurus. I will am assigning you all to temporary positions on this ship - Prophets' know we need you. M'eko J'ross…" T'Kul looked at the Caitian. "….will be my Executive Officer for now. I am assigning Lieutenant Logan McQueen to Security and Doctor Rahel Kahfre will be needed in Sickbay."

"What about the Marine ?" Logan McQueen asked. "And Lieutenant Borealiou."

"Sorry Lieutenant." Rashad said, looking at the Operation officer. "We could do with someone at Ops. As for the Marines, they'll join the Major for now."

"I look forward to getting to know exactly what happened down there." The Major stated,

"But for now every one of you needs to rest. I will show you all to your quarters."

The group left the briefing room and headed down the corridor. At the turbolifts, the Marines and the Starfleet officers headed in opposite directions.

Twenty minutes later, the Romulan-Bajoran had completed the task of assigning the quarters for all the newcomers and was back on the Bridge.

"Helm, plot a course back to the Alpha quadrant, via Elifia Prime. Maximum warp." She paused as she sat back down into the command chair. "Engage !"

The young Ensign at the helm operated the controls and the Leviathan headed off once more, leaving Mirisam V behind.

"What's out ETA at Elifia Prime ?" Rashad enquired.

"That our current speed, about forty hours." The Ensign replied. "We'll be back in the Alpha quadrant within four days."

Rashad knew that they could cover the distance in half the time, but she had strict orders to not travel in the slipstream. The drive had only been through limited testing since it had been transplanted into the vessel. Until the vessel had a dedicated Slipstream expert, the ship's immense speed was not going to show.