[Henry Pratt]

1846
Rebel-controlled moon
Collapsed Naquadah mine

On Kata's orders, Henry helped to move some of the rubble which had fallen through the bombardment into a position that would slow down the approach of their enemy. While he was hardly schooled in military tactics, he understood the basic principal of a 'bottleneck', whereby the enemy were forced to slow down and group up. This would make them easier targets. Physical work such as this certainly wasn't Pratt strength, and his badly injured leg didn't help, he pitched in and did what he could. He wanted to show SV-2 that he wasn't a liability.

Preparations for the ambush were advancing when the voice of Colonel Oxford unexpectedly rang out through the cavern via the team's radios. Somehow he'd found a way through the enemy blockade of the planet and was bringing support and medical supplies. "Follow the main tunnel, we're in a large cavern a few hundred meters down," the archaeologist explained. "But be careful, we're rigging for an ambush." It wouldn't be good form to spring SV-2's trap on their own allies.

Oxford and his team soon entered the cavern, bringing with them much needed heavy weapons and medics. Henry declined treatment, explaining that they needed to get the ambush set up. With their new reinforcements, SV-2 now stood a much better chance than before.

"We should be wary of Kupakarna who will be leading the charge," Pratt explained as he returned to his position within the ambush. "He is said to be a mighty warrior and leader."

The sound of marching was growing louder and louder. The enemy, and the battle, were moments away.

< Tag Kata Harris, Billie Jean Witwer, Koren Telion, Travis "Wizard" Oxford & Ben Callahan >

[Kata Harris]

1846
Rebel Controlled Moon
Collasped Naqudah Mine

"Remind me again, how did he became a Colonel and Delta's XO?"

Kata just looked at Witwer and let out a short laugh, "When I figure that out I will be sure to tell you." she replied, shaking her head. It was often a topic of wonder as to how travis got where he was, and yes sometimes his methods were maddening, but they worked, and she had followed his orders plenty of times back on Delta and knew she could trust his judgement. Sometimes.

A medic came up to her with the intent of treating her, but there were other things and people to worry about, "Make sure Dr. Pratt won't loose his foot and check on everyone else." she told the medic before moving to roll yet another rock, "Hey, Inquisitor, come help me." she called to the IOA rep who had been assigned to the expedition, so far he hadn't been that much of a bother, but she knew better than to think everything was okay. With some effort the two of them managed to get the rock into place, Kata stepped back and looked at the makeshift defenses they had thrown together, they would work, or so she hoped. 

She started up the incline just in time to hear Dr. Pratt telling them about Kupakarna; Kata listened to him as she readied her gun. A mighty warrior and leader. Nothing they couldn't handle. "I am pretty sure he takes a bullet like anything else around here." Kata said after a moment, "Colonel, we'll fire on your order." she said looking to Travis. 

Tag: Henry Pratt, Ben Callahan, Travis "Wizard" Oxford, Billie Jean Witwer

[Henry Pratt]

1846
Rebel-controlled moon
Collapsed Naquadah mine

With everyone in position, it was now a waiting game.

From his perch looking down on the entrance to the cavern, Pratt peered around the boulder he was using for cover. The footsteps of the enemy were growing louder and louder by the minute as the Asura troops closed in on their position. The echo of the narrow stone tunnels made it impossible to judge how many they were up against, but it sounded like a lot. Henry couldn't remember the last team SV-2 had been in battle with numbers on their side.

The calm before the storm didn't last long. Three Asura troops, evidently scouts, were the first to enter the cavern. Lightly armed and not weighted down by armour or extra gear, the soldiers explored the area around them, suspicious of the 'natural' bottleneck that the defenders had prepared. After a quick inspection of the area, two took cover behind a nearby boulder while the third disappeared back down the tunnel. A few tense moments later, the scout returned, joined by a full platoon of fully armed soldiers.

The platoon started to slowly pick their way through the bottleneck, forced to march in single file. Just as the platoon was about to clear the bottleneck, Kupakarna appeared, striding confidently from the tunnel into the cavern. Despite having send his scouts ahead, Kupakarna strode at though he was fearless. A full head taller than the soldiers around him, he was attired in similar armour, trimmed with gold and crushed with precious jewels. In his hand was not a rifle, but rather a giant mace.

Being a scientist, Henry always found himself questioning war. Yes, he'd received weapons training and knew that in situations such as this he had to choose - it was him or his enemies. But just imagine what Kupakarna or his men could teach him? The knowledge they possessed could fill an entire library and educate an entire generation. It seemed a shame to terminate such knowledge.

The archaeologist's hesitation wasn't given a chance to set in. As soon as Kupakarna was in the bottleneck, the order came to open fire. Bringing up his side arm, Henry began to fire down on the Asura soldiers.

< Tag Kata Harris, Billie Jean Witwer, Koren Telion, Travis "Wizard" Oxford & Ben Callahan >

[Billie Jean Witwer]

1846
Rebel Controlled Moon
Collasped Naqudah Mine

Billie snorted at the reply Harris gave just moments before Oxford ordered everyone into position. The man was a mad-hatter for sure. But if his madness had brought him so far in ranks as well surviving another galaxy, the man must be doing something right. On that front Billie had to concede.

She was about to take a stance the med team ganged up on her, rolled her eyes, "Do it later," she hissed as she freed herself from their grip before taking stand behind Oxford who was using wall as a cover. Her gun was aimed, open and ready to fire at word, "Colonel," she looked at Travis a split second, "On your orders."

"Witwer," Travis didn't once take his eyes off the entrance, "Fire at will."

"Gotcha," her fingers moved to the trigger, "Sir." And opened fired. Watching their enemies fall one by one. Soon enough men weren't coming through. Kupakarna must have gotten the message that they weren't to be messed with. But she couldn't say for sure. If that was the case. "I say we slowly advance towards the exit."

Then cautiously moved around their mini giant head and looked on the other side, "Coast seems clear for now, sir. Now what?"

"We make a break for it and follow the yellow brick road home. And take a shot any more flying monkies on the way."

Billie shook her head at the Wizard of Oz references, Oxford was known know, "There's no place like home," she added sarcastically and lead the way out with Gauri next to her.

Tag: Kata Harris, Henry Pratt, Lily Tuck and Ben Callahan>>

[Kata Harris]

1846
Rebel Controlled Moon
Collasped Naqudah Mine

Kupakarna was a big guy, like a battle worn football lineman who liked to carry a mace and probably knew how to use it really well.  She didn't plan on getting close enough to see how well he knew how to use it, one swing from the weapon could take a head off or at least break some bones. Her bottle neck idea paid off, that was till the Asuras got the idea to stop sending men thru the small passage, least they stopped sending them in droves. Kata was changing magazines when she overheard Witwer and Oxford discussing a exit plan.

"I say we slowly advance towards the exit."

"Coast seems clear for now, sir. Now what?"

"We make a break for it and follow the yellow brick road home. And take a shot any more flying monkies on the way."

She rolled her eyes at yet another Wizard of Oz reference, "Colonel, I swear sometimes.."  she muttered quietly as she slammed a fresh mag into place, "We can't stop firing or they will over run us before we can get out." as if on cue a brave Asura solider poked his head out from behind a rock, Kata quickly took aim and fired, hitting the man in the shoulder. "You two go with Gauri and take Pratt, I will stay with Callahan and a few others just to make it sound like we haven't moved. When you find an exit, radio and we'll haul ass to where you guys are." Kata didn't watch everyone leave, she just turn her attention back to the bottle neck and making sure Kupakarna didn't come any closer.


Tag: Travis "Wizard" Oxford, Henry Pratt, Billie Jean Witwer, Ben Callahan

[Henry Pratt]

1847
Rebel-controlled moon
Collapsed Naquadah mine

The battle in the cavern was ferocious but short lived. With the element of surprise, an elevated position, and an effective choke point, the fight was only ever going to go one way. SV-2 and the rebels fired down on the Asura soldiers, quickly dispatching their scouts and the first platoon of soldiers. Henry emptied two sidearm clips into the crowd, though suspected he didn't actually hit anything. Despite a few hours down on the firing range and his experience on off-world missions, the archaeologist still hadn't managed to improve his aim beyond what it was when he had first joined the expedition.

Kupakarna remained at the front of the pack, his thickened armour fending off the barrage of weapons fire. While his words couldn't be heard over the roar of the battle, Henry could see that he was screaming at his Asura troops, urging them to fight on. Devoted as always, a second platoon could be observed gathering just beyond the bottleneck, preparing to charge into the fray.

Sensing a lull in the battle, Colonel Oxford ordered the team to fall back and find another way to the surface. Captain Harris sent Billie, Travis and Gauri with Henry while she and Agent Callahan covered their retreat.

Not needing to be told twice, Henry followed Gauri as she led them back down into the tunnels. "We have a number of concealed tunnels to the surface" Gauri explained as she ducked behind a large boulder. Henry followed her, and found that the boulder skillfully concealed a darkened passage which angled up toward the surface. "An emergency escape, just what we need," Pratt added.

The group scrambled up the passage, and after a few moments, emerged to the dusty planet surface. Just to the north, an Asura cruiser was hovering above the main entrance to the rebel based, disembarking additional soldiers. Gauri led the team away from the cruiser and down into a nearby ravine.

"Shiva, this is Pratt," Henry announced as he opened a radio channel to the cruiser in orbit. "We've escaped the tunnels and are in a ravine to the south, a ride home would be greatly appreciated."

"Copy that Doctor," came a response from the Shiva. "We've got a shuttle inbound, approach direction west. Stand by for extraction."

< Tag Kata Harris, Billie Jean Witwer, Koren Telion, Travis "Wizard" Oxford & Ben Callahan >

[Travis "Wizard" Oxford]

1900
Rebel-controlled moon
Extraction Point

Having the team out of the danger and towards safety, Oxford exhaled with some effort to get his bearings right. It had been a ages since he had used much of his energy in this manner. Even some of the mission he had under taken didn't make use of his energy like this. Or the option was that he was getting out of shape with age catching up to him. Not that he was old by any means.

Billie looked at Travis in amusement, and shook her head. Desk duties, she wanted to snicker out, did not help. Moving to keep alert, her weapon was still raised, as she continuously scanned the area around them. Seeing the dust arsing where she assumed the shuttle landed. Surely enough, the cloaking was removed and the jumper appeared, seeing Telion she chuckled, "I love this ship," she voiced as she moved ahead while keeping Pratt close by for his own safety, "I think you better get inside Doc." With a gentle nudge, she pushing him inside, "all looks clear, Colonel. Callanhan, getting your ass inside sometime in this lifetime would be wonderful."

Tag: Kata Harris, Henry Pratt and Ben Callahan>>

[Kata Harris]

1900
Rebel Controlled Moon
Extraction Point

She hadn't run that hard in a long time, and even though she was tired, it felt oddly refreshing. Even if it didn't help her headache. Kata kept her focus making sure no one had followed them, so far so good. As the shuttle finally arrived she relaxed a little, Telion was at the helm. Kata moved to Dr. Pratts side and dr**ed his arm over her shoulder, "Lets get someone who knows what they are doing to look at that foot." she said as she helped him into the shuttle. Once he was seated she moved towards the cockpit and took the co-pilot seat, even though Koren was perfectly capable of managing everything himself, it was just a habit of hers. It didn't take long for everyone to get situated, once that was done all they had to do was head for home. 

And they did just that. 

>>END OF EPISODE<<