[Reactor Room, Son'a Research Station]The Jem'Hadar First experienced the unrelenting force of a small, smooth stone propelled by a strong-armed woman with a keen eye and a sling. His right eye exploded like a ripe grape under the impact. He gave a pained, angry sound in response. At the same time, Murv was beamed away, a supply drop appearing in the TMPST team-member's place. The Second issued a burst of disruptor fire to finish the job- too late. An answering hail of phaser fire forced the pair to duck down behind the conduits. One of them reached down to his belt, grabbing a grenade.
With a clatter, the
plasma grenade hit the deck plating and skidded spinning to a halt in front of the team.
'Grenade!' Jada yelled, diving forward to seize the deadly device. If it came to it...
But, by then, the team's supply drop had finished materialising, providing them with additional power packs for depleted phaser rifles, demolitions and, of course, explosive ordnance disposal equipment. Demolitions and disposal were Murv's role, but even now, she provided. Reacting just as fast, Park pulled out a device and tossed it to Jada;
'Suppression shield!' Jada grabbed it out of the air, activated it, and slammed it over the grenade. A high-strength force-field bloomed and enveloped the bomb, moments before it exploded. Almost the entire thermal and kinetic force was caught, absorbed and reflected, blasting a crater into the floor below, but nothing outside it. Even so, the handle jerked violently in her iron grip and hurled her off.
And Jada rolled and took off running, sprinting across the reactor room, seizing the opportunity while the Jem'Hadar were still taking cover. She'd dropped her rifle in favour of the suppression shield, so she reached over her shoulder, caught the hilt of the chain-sword, and slid it free of its scabbard all in one smooth arc. Time for Ngachi's gift to show what it was worth. Jada dropped to her knees and slid across the deck plating, past the conduits just as the Jem'Hadar were stepping out again. Her thumb found the on-switch; the chain-sword's many teeth whirred wickedly as Jada slashed brutally upwards, ripping across and through the Jem'Hadar First's defences, through advanced body armour, through gene-engineered hard scales, through flesh, and through bone. In an instant, the arm was severed below the elbow, blood fountained from the stump. But not for long, as the chain-sword drove on into his torso, ribcage, and heart, ending it all.
Splattered with blood, the Second looked on in shock, slow to react. But right behind Jada came Bexx, and she emptied a half-dozen well-aimed phaser shots into his chest. Two bodies hit the deck.
Huffing hard, Jada flicked the blood from her blade as its teeth slowed and stilled.
'Four! There's a fifth Jemmie somewhere.' Why hadn't he attacked? Was it bad intel, the fog of war? Or something else?
'Let's start scans and secure the reactor room.'Lowering her heavy chain-sword, Jada fumbled for her security tricorder and began a sweep, searching for Jem'Hadar life-signs. But there were no more, they were alone. They'd gotten lucky, but Jada wouldn't relax her guard.
'Park and Bexx, I need you at those doors. Talie, can you see what's in the venting?''Aye, Chief.' Bexx and Park hurried to secure the entrance, while Talie climbed further up the walls and pipes to peer inside the vents, scouting out other means of entrance and exit should they be trapped or need to defend against Jem'Hadar trying to retake the reactor room.
'Eyespy sealed outway.''Rhade, time for you to work your craft.' she reminded the engineer, who might be stunned to witness the T.M.P.S.T. in action.
