SIM:Back To The Shadows

((Security Office-Deck Thirteen-USS Mercury))

Alexander, Jade and Prianna are in the security office when Lt. Bale walked in behind them and announced that he had a plan to deal with the people that were behind the poisoning of Velana and the possible attempt on Councilor Prianna.::

Bale: I have a plan in motion to neutralize the threat to Councilor Prianna. I'll let you know when it's finished. For now I would recommend keeping her here, and putting a few guards at the door.

Alexander watched as Bale was about to leave. He felt the urge himself, for revenge, his friend was hurt. Then he thought to himself would Jade condone such and action ? If it were her lying there he would not even say a word, there would be no stopping him, as an officer Alexander had to say something.::

A.Matthews: Lt. Bale, now is not the time for personal vendettas.

Alexander watched as Bale turned towards him with the coldness that he has felt when he is ready to do battle. He knew in his mind and soul what Bale was ready to do. He reached inside himself and found that he would be willing to do the same if Jade were lying in sickbay.::

Bale: With all due respect, Commander, I'm not taking orders on this one.

Alexander watched him leave, knowing that if he was in the same position he would do the same.::

((OOC: Music for the mood of Alexander. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCzQltBlYGA))

((Holodeck One-Deck Four-USS Mercury))

Alexander kissed Jade on the cheek, nodded to Prianna and left the security office knowing that his duty was completed there and there was no need for him to be there. Since he was going down on the planet with the marines as the first part of the deployment, he thought it best to get in some practice in a combat situation. The last time he was in holodeck combat was with Eyas and his friend Eerie from the Avandar the night before his wedding, he smiled at the ending of the combat session. This time the simulation was to keep his skills sharpened and get him ready for battle. He walked into the black and yellow room with only one thing on his mind, combat tactics.::

He walked over to the computer console on the bulkhead on the left of the door, there he started to program the planet where his military career began, Camis IV. He felt anxious and nervous about going back there, even if it is a hologram, it still held memories for him. He tapped the console for the landscape and sky of the planet where he lost his friends and command as a marine officer. He looked back as the room changed to the sand dunes, with patches of grass with a warm breeze blowing from the east. The sky above was the familiar red with clouds of gray above. Off in the distance with the small gusts of wind that came towards him, he could smell smoke and burnt flesh from the outpost. His mind drifted back as he closed his eyes to remind himself that this is the holodeck and not the real thing. In his mind he heard the voices of his lost friends. The screams and sounds of battle could be heard from where he stood. He opened his eyes checked his belt for his equipment, taking the type three phaser rifle from his shoulder and walked towards the east and the dangers that faced him.::

((Federation Outpost-Camis IV))

Alexander crouched down to the prone position on the sand dune on the outskirts of the town and watched as the smoke filled the air and the fire engulfed the buildings. He remembered the orders and commands he gave that day during the battle and the search for the survivors. He crawled down to the next sand dune and waited, there were sounds of a Nausicann raider patrol. He felt himself become overwhelmed by the feelings of rage and anger, he closed his eyes to shutdown the emotions, this was not the time to be clouded with anger and the old feelings of hate that swelled within him not so long ago. This was a time to use his skills of stealth and surprise to his advantage. The raiders were larger and stronger than he, but with the art of combat tactics that he was taught, he could overcome the odds, if he kept his wits about him. He waited as the last of the the raiders walked past, he left the rifle in the sand and silently pulled his dagger from its sheath. Crouching down as he approached the raider from behind, with swift motions he jumped on the back of the raider that lagged behind the others, covering the mouth of the raider he stabbed him in the back and then in the neck killing the raider instantly. The raider fell to the sand with silence, the Alexander dragged the body behind the dune. He knew that the others would soon know that one of them is missing, Alexander looked over and grabbed his rifle and tightened the sling so there would be no sound as he moved from place to place.::

He climbed on to the sand dune as he heard the voices of the other raiders noticed one of them was missing. He watched and waited for the to appear from around the dune as he looked through the site of the rifle, he moved the setting from stun to kill. Here in this place and time there would be no prisoners, this was combat and there was no emotion, no feeling, just to complete the objective and win. He aimed the weapon at the first raider that came into sight, the clear headshot was there, but the wind kicked up and sand went into his eyes for only a second, but that was enough for him to miss the shot. He cleared the sand from his eyes and heard the footsteps coming towards him, but from behind. Alexander rolled on to his back and fired the rifle into the chest of the raider with a full nadion burst. The raider vaporized in front of him.::

Alexander knew that his position was compromised and it was not safe to stay here, he looked and scrambled to his feet looking to the left and right for a new place to attack. Moving from dune to dune as the raiders fired upon him. He remembered the intense feelings of anger, rage and fear during the battle, he was younger and on his first command assignment. He continued to run duck and hide from the raiders firing the rifle as he moved. He killed two but there were three more hunting him. He looked and thought to himself that there would be more cover in the ruins of the outpost. Ducking from the weapons fire of the raiders he swiftly made his way towards the burning and smoldering buildings for cover.::

Alexander made his way in to the outpost and hide among the building ruins where there was a fire to masks his thermal signature, to give him a chance to rest and think for at least a few seconds. He thought about the day of the battle again, running his actions around in his head, thinking that was there something that he could done differently to change the outcome of that day, but then his thoughts were interrupted by the voices and sounds of the raiders coming towards his position. Crouching down to take advantage of the cover he found he made sure that he could not be found so easily. He watched as one of them passed by just close enough for him to make the silent blitz attack with the dagger, but as he placed the rifle down to move there was a sound behind him, he tried to move but it was to late and one of the raiders grabbed him, and lifted him off his feet. Alexander struggled as he was thrown across the room. He fell upon the floor and debris feeling a sharp pain in his back as the raider drew closer towards him.::

Alexander pushed himself up to his feet as the raider tried to grab him again, but this time there was a blade in the hand of the raider, Alexander pulled the dagger from the sheath into his hand he watched the movement of the enemy, scanning the body language for the attack. They both circled and made gestures of movement towards each other, but then the raider made the move, Alexander sidestepped as the raider slammed into the wall and fell back on to the a metal post that impaled him. Alexander walked over to cover the mouth of the enemy and snapped the neck to silence it quickly. Still feeling the pain in his back Alexander reached behind him to find a shard of metal there. He closed his eyes to focus and pulled it out swiftly. He grunted as the pain eventually faded, but there were still two raiders left and he needed to find them first.::

Alexander took off his tunic and placed his comm badge on his belt, then tied the tunic around his wound. There was a trickle of his blood flowing, but it was a steady flow and he had to end this simulation fast. He bent down to pick up the rifle, scanned the outside of the building in search of the raiders. He looked around the area with caution as he stepped out to make a dash for the next building, but there was the discharge of a weapon the just missed him as he hid behind the wall again. The shot came so fast the he did not see the direction. He cursed himself for not being able to see if faster. He stood up slowly to take a look around the area again, then he saw a flash from the building on his left flank. He pulled the rifle up to his shoulder,taking aim in the direction of the flash.::

He could only guess where the raiders were hiding, the best way is to fire with a full burst into the wall and try to draw them into the open. He closed his eyes and thought about one weapons evaluation that he conducted on the Aurora, his own. He was able to overcome the last enemy, by overloading his rifle and using it as a type of grenade. This time he thought of something different. He aimed carefully at the wall supports the held what was left of the building. He waited for the flash again to confirm that there was a raider still inside. His eyes widened as the flash appeared, he fired with the full nadion bursts as the walls and roof came tumbling down above the one raider that was in the building. Just then the other screamed as he looked up from behind the other building firing his weapon at Alexander, then he looked and opened fire and vaporized him.::

Alexander stood up breathing heavily after the rush of conflict started to leave his body, he walked out placed his rifle on his shoulder and walked towards the the exit, he still wondered how he was wounded, and the blood still flowed from his back. He called for the computer to end the simulation and checked the safeties to find that the level of the simulation was higher then usual. He felt a bit more relived, but then moved on out of the holodeck to sickbay and get his wound checked. He looked back as he felt a bit better about his engagement on the planet of Camis IV and the outcome, but still the healing is an on going process.::