[Tyrone Gaines]

0613
Flind's House
Clearview Creek

The rest of the team, minus Kata who was on watch duty outside, began to question Flind. Billie jumped in first, making a veiled accusation that he had been missing from the dinner the mayor had hosted for them the night before. The dinner had only been a few hours before the Stargate had disappeared, so it held that Flind could have had opportunity to be involved in its disappearence. The grocer flat out denied the claim, reminding the team that he had taken them in when they had first arrived.

The team fired off a few more questions, all of which he answered while pleading his innocence. By the way he was talking the carrying himself, it was beginning to become clear that Flind hadn't been directly involved in the disappearance of the Stargate. Still, he might know something, even if he didn't realise it.

"What about off-world traders, have any new faces arrived lately?" Tyrone asked, knowing that his avenues of questioning were quickly drying up. Flind paused for a moment, as if something had suddenly clicked.

"Actually, a new merchant arrived last week, he is selling exotic furs out of the old fish market. Nice enough fellow, doesn't say much though."

While it wasn't much, it was something to check out. Gaines thanked Flind for his help, apologised for the intrusion, and departed.

0640
Abandoned Fish Market
Clearview Creek

The major whistled quietly.

"Well I'll be."

Having left Flind's house, SV-2 had slowly circled around the village, being sure to keep out of the sight of the locals, who were slowly waking up and starting their days. Still fighting off the exhaustion of having gotten no sleep last night, the team had approached the town's abandoned fish market undetected. It was then that they'd made their first real breakthrough.

The new fur merchant was there alright, and just like SV-2, he was trying to avoid the attention of the locals. Shortly after the team had taken up position overlooking the run down building, the merchant had begun making trips from the main building to a small shed outside, carting bags and packages in a hasty manner. The reason for this haste soon became clear - once he was done, the merchant disappeared into the shed, and appeared a few minutes later at the helm of a Nandi-class transport, the type used extensively by the Asura. That meant two things - that the enemy was in orbit overhead, and that SV-2 had just been given a way of reaching them.

"So, the plan in simple," the major explained as he checked his weapon. "Skirt around the markets, approach the shuttle from the rear, and take it by force. Quickly and quietly. Remember, its our only way off this rock."

With that, Tyrone rose to his feet and moved out, leading the team around the back of the abandoned fish markets and toward the shuttle, which was making final preparations for launch.

< Tag Jacqueline "Jackie" Clemmens, Billie Jean Witwer, Sthenno Kshaeta, Kata Harris & Vanessa Whitmore >

[Kata Harris]

0640
Abandoned Fish Market
Clearveiw Creek


As the Major let out a whistle, Kata tried to hold back a yarn as best she could; her eyes started to water and she shook her head willing herself to stay focused. The fish market smelled oddly....of fish, it was expected for a place that used to be a fish market. The supposedly "fur merchant" seemed nervous, Harris along with the rest of the team soon saw why. If a man posing as a trader who was really a Asuran, then there were more of then around...probably in orbit. Which could also explain why the Stargate was gone. 

"Yes sir." Harris said quietly as she stood and followed Gaines as he lead them down to the market, with there only being one guy in the shuttle it would be easy for them to take it, and between the two Air Force pilots the team wouldn't have a problem getting the shuttle to orbit. Kata had her gun up and ready, they were going to take that ship, get the hell off this planet and eventually get home so they could get some much needed sleep. 

Tag: Tyrone Gaines Billie Jean Witwer Vanessa Whitmore 

[Billie Jean Witwer]

0640
Abandoned Fish Market
Clearview Creek

She twisted her nose at the smell of the fish. It wasn't she didn't like it, the scent alone would make her gag. SO now she just had to try her best to ignore it and follow Gaines's lead towards a medium sized shed. Not that it looked any different from the outside. The area was just coming to life as they made their way around it. Seagull type of birds cried in the distance, as Bills looked briefly towards the horizon, then marched ahead.

Hearing the plan, she titled her head, then nodded. Right now it was not the time to voice her concerns on who would fly the alien ship they were about to steal. Instead she lead from the other side of the market and towards the shed nearing the area, she had her gun raised and full alert. Covering the remaining of the grounds quickly, Billie and her little group in form of Clemmens and Doc secured the back exited, "Back exited secured, sir," she quietly radioed Gaines, "We need to act fast if are to hijack the pretty bird for our escape. Permission to advance inside?"

She had no intentions of turning into the next Kim McKinnon, whose tales of disobeying orders was famous around the halls of Detla. And open secret that the Air Force Officer wasn't the one to be messed with when she was made as hades.

Tag: Tyrone Gaines, Jacqueline "Jackie" Clemmens, Sthenno Kshaeta, Kata Harris and Vanessa Whitmore

[Tyrone Gaines]

0641
Abandoned Fish Market
Clearview Creek

It was now or never.

Having snuck around the back of the abandoned fish market unobserved, SV-2 stacked up and prepared to assault the small shed at the rear of the building, from which an Asura shuttle had just appeared and was preparing for launch. The pilot, posing as a fur trader, had been in the town for a few days now, and was certainly connected to the disappearance of the Stargate overnight. As it stood, the plan was to retake the shuttle, fly up to the mother-ship hidden in orbit, and find a way to get back to base.

Billie took Doc Kshaeta and Captain Clemmins and circled around the back. Upon hearing that the exit was secure, Tyrone stormed the shuttle with Kata and Vanessa. The three wheeled around the corner of the shed and covered ground quickly toward the shuttle. Jumping up, the hopped through the open hatch and moved to secure the vessel. Gaines encountered the fur trader on the bridge, and with the element of surprise, threw the man into the wall of the cockpit. A quick struggle ensued, from which the major emerged victorious, cuffing the dazed traitor's hands with flexi-cuffs. "Clear," he announced over the radio.

Securing the spy to a door frame just outside the cockpit, Tyrone turned his attention to the shuttle. While the shuttle was powered up and almost through it's pre-flight check list, all the controls were written in the Hindu text used by the Asuras, of which Gaines had very little knowledge. "Going to need some help up here," he informed the team.

As a qualified pilot, the major strapped himself into the copilot seat, leaving flying duties to Captain Harris. His experience was in heavy bombers, rather than small nibble craft. Gaines scanned the console in front of him, trying to figure out the dazzling array of buttons, leavers and screens which confronted him.

< Tag Jacqueline "Jackie" Clemmens, Billie Jean Witwer, Sthenno Kshaeta, Kata Harris & Vanessa Whitmore >

[Billie Jean Witwer]

0641
Abandoned Fish Market
Clearview Creek

She kept the door slightly ajar so she could keep an eye on the happenings inside and keep the onlookers away. From the sounds she was hearing, it either things were in their favor or the person who own the ship. She had to wince when slamming was heard. That would have had to hurt for the person who received it. A part of her prayed that he was breathing.

Hearing Gaines's voice, she nearly cheered, "YES!" she settled for that then motioned for the other two follow her. Walking in she kept sweeping the area, "Never could be too careful," she mumbled, as she entered the vessel, "Fancy," she spoke after observing, yet her voice held sarcasm, which hpefully won't be lost on her team, "cosy too."

"I won't help you," the prisoner spat, "I did rather be dead than help you off this forsaken rock."

Rolling her eyes, Billie pulled out her standard issued knife from her thigh pocket as she walked over, "Ummm," she sounded out, "I'm sure you don't want another beating. I'll make a bargain, Help us with this," she motioned to the cockpit, "And could probably put a good word in with our leader Captain Oxford. If he is in a good mood, you might live. He can be reasonable man." In all honesty Bills had no idea if the loose tempered Coast Guard Officer was reasonable or not. If it could get them out of here, she did roll with that.

"So," she placed the sharp edge on the man's throat, "We have a deal?" Then blinked her big blue eyes at him and threw a puppy dog look for the heck of it.

Tag: Tyrone Gaines, Jacqueline "Jackie" Clemmens, Sthenno Kshaeta Kata Harris and Vanessa Whitmore

[Kata Harris]

0641
Abandoned Fish Market
Clearveiw Creek

They stormed the shuttle and easily overpowered the one man inside; Gaines was quick to take him down and cuff him. Harris did a quick sweep of the rest of the small ship as the others came on board, "Going to need some help up here,". Kata returned to the cockpit to see the spy cuffed to the door frame, she moved past him into the main part of the cockpit, Gaines was already in the copilot seat so that meant he wanted her to handle the flying. 

Kata paused a moment, looking down at the control display for a moment she reached up, took off her hat and scratched her head before putting her hat back and nodding. "Right." the Captain said as she took the pilot's seat; "Preflight seems to be about done, we have green across the board and though I can't understand a lick of the language, I think I can figure it out." She had flwon everything from a F-16 to a Atlantis Puddle Jumper, though her personal favorite of all the craft she's ever flown is a F-302. Now that was a fun thing to fly.  Kata kept studying the display, trying to make heads or tails of the Hindu controls,  "No, I got it figured out" she finally said.

She heard Witwer in the back talking to the man who was now their prisoner, "Barbie, get him to tell you how to get the parking break off." she called as she took a chance and pulled one of the levers before her, her guess paid off, the shuttle's engines seemed to hum more and she saw them lift off the ground a little, "Scratch that, I figured it out!" she quickly added. Tilting her head side to side she rolled the fatigue that seemed to have sellted in her neck out, taking the tiny ships controls in her hands, and easing them forward she slowly moved the ship up and away from the ground, giving herself a moment to get comforable with how it handled, before pushing it a higher speed "Major if you'd be so kind as to keep an eye on that display, I think it's a radar." she nodded to the display she mentioned. 

Tag: Billie Jean Witwer Tyrone Gaines Vanessa Whitmore

[Tyrone Gaines]

0648
Approaching Orbit

In the copilot seat, Gaines strapped himself in. Captain Harris had studied the controls for a moment before powering up the vessel and shooting toward orbit. As the ground drew away beneath them, Tyrone allowed himself a celebratory yawn. The team were operating well considering no one had gotten a wink of sleep last night.

The major kept an eye on the screen Kata had identified as their shuttles radar as their gained altitude. While the scope had been clear since they’d taken off, an object now appeared, a few hundreds kilometres off their current heading. “We’ve go company Capt’n,” he explained. Gaines double capped the screen, enlarging the view. “It’s an Asura mothership, odds on it’s the one that stole our Stargate.”

Gaines studied the enlarged image of the enemy cruiser for a moment.

“I’ve got a plan, but you aren’t going to like it.”

He swivelled in his head, and looked back at to where Billie was conversing with the prisoner.

“If you can give us your access codes and get us landing approval, it’s a deal,” he added. He didn’t like the idea of bargaining with an Asura loyalist, and they’d have to take them with him as he was too much of a risk to leave behind.

“Once we’re cleared for landing, we find the Stargate, dial home, and get the hell out of here,” he explained to the team. That would mean fighting their way through an enemy mothership. It was far from ideal, but he represented their best chance of getting back home.

< Tag Jacqueline "Jackie" Clemmens, Billie Jean Witwer, Sthenno Kshaeta, Kata Harris & Vanessa Whitmore >

[Vanessa Whitmore]

0648
Approaching Orbit

Vanessa was more or less just following orders up until this point and she didn't like what she was hearing. The last thing she wanted was company. For the moment she was quiet in the corner waiting on her orders once more. Her heart was racing and she was frustrated. Trying to clear her head at the moment. The jostling around of people was starting to bother her headaches again. Now was not the time. As usual she put the growing migraine aside and set to work.

Walking in and getting the stargate was easier said than done and she knew that, but she kept silent. Vanessa trusted the team to make the right decisions. She was not quite sure why she had been sent along with them. In fact, the only things he knew was that the stargate disappeared and their mission was to find it. Something told her this was not the original plan but none of that mattered now really.

Tag: SV-2

[Billie Jean Witwer]

0648
Approaching Orbit

He was hesitating, Bills could tell that much for sure. She had been waiting patiently for his words to come, as it seemed that they never might, she shook her head and was going to a route she was trying to avoid. She yanked the ropes/handcuffs he was tied with -hard. "You either start cooperating or face more beating. Trust me, you don't want the latter. We really....." she considered calling Captain Oxford an angry bull for place a fear of the man into their prisoner, "don't want to feed you to the shark we have back home. He's a very unreasonable man."

Then shrugged towards the SV-2 pilots at her own words. Scare tactic wasn't having any effect or was...

"Wait," he called out in panic, "I'll talk." Then babbled away everything the group wanted. The blond one had hinted a very nasty end from their leader, should he decided to not to comply. Who knew if the man was unreasonable as the woman told him; he was.

Billie smiled thinly, "Well, Sir, Ma'am," she titled her head at them, "Let's get out of here."

<<Tag: Tyrone Gaines, Jacqueline "Jackie" Clemmens, Sthenno Kshaeta, Kata Harris and Vanessa Whitmore >>

[Kata Harris]

0648
Orbit-> Base


“We’ve go company Capt’n

Kata glanced over to where the Major sat, as he enlarged the picture she studied the screen, “It’s an Asura mothership, odds on it’s the one that stole our Stargate.” she turned back to the main window and saw the ship he had mentioned, her grip tightening on the controls in her hands. “I’ve got a plan, but you aren’t going to like it.” Harris raised a brow and glanced at Gaines out of the corner of her eye, "Try me sir." she replied. Keeping an eye on the ship she listened as Gaines spoke to their prisoner, when she heard his idea she just about asked for him to repeat it, not knowing if he was serious or not. Of coruse he was serious.

“Once we’re cleared for landing, we find the Stargate, dial home, and get the hell out of here,”

It wasn't the craziest thing she had heard before but it was a crazy idea either way, they all were running on no sleep so if crazy got them home then it's what they were going to do. "So you're saying you want us to pull an Episode Six, sneak on the ship with basically stolen codes and get to the Gate." the Captain looked down at the display before her, keeping an eye out for anything that could mean that the mothership was contacting them, "After this I am sleeping for a week.." she muttered to herself. "But we need those codes...and fast," she no sooner said this then Witwer was back at it with talking to the former shuttle pilot. Kata couldn't help but smile and then let out a laugh as she heard the blonde mention a shark back home. Finally the man agreed to talk, and just in time, a light suddenly came on near the radar screen and Kata assumed it was asking for the codes, keeping one hand on the controls she entered what the man said and hoped it would work. All it would take was one shot from the motherships weapons and they would be history.

Everyone seemed to hold their breath as they waited to see if the codes would work, after several seconds a green light appeared, Kata "hit the gas" and soon they were coming up on the hanger bay of the ship, "Okay guys, lets play it cool." landing did not concern her, she had done it plenty of time in both space and on land. It was the reaction of the Asuans when a group of humans appeared and started shooting them that caused some concern.

As the shuttle entered the bay Kata smiled, "Guess today is our lucky day." on the far side of the hanger stood the very thing they had been looking for, the Stargate. "Must be the only place big enough for it." she added guiding the shuttle down to the deck, the ship landed with a slightly groan as she hit the brakes a little harder than normal. For a moment none of the team moved, everyone seemed to be staring out at the activity in the hanger, so far no one had seemed to notice the shuttle or the humans inside it. A good thing. The Stargate sat some fifty feet away, the DHD in front of it in the usual spot, Kata turned in her seat, "Whoever gets there first dials home, okay?" she said looking at everyone, they all nodded in agreement.

Guns ready and their prisoner now silenced thanks to a strip of duct tape (all thanks to Witwer), they slowly made their way out of the shuttle, using the various piles of cargo around them as cover. Gaines signaled to Harris to move up and after everyone followed the fun started. Using hand signals again it was decided that Kata would take the lead, running to the DHD and dialing as quick as she could, so that by the time the others followed they could go straight through the Gate while Gaines brought up the rear, all along Kata giving cover.

This all worked up untill Kata was spotted when she was less than ten feet from the DHD; several Asurans stopped and stared before realizing what was happening, by by that time she had dialed home and the rest of SV-2 was following. Clemmens, Witwer and Kshaeta all made it through first, Gaines was shooting at several guards who had appeared and Kata made sure to cover him as he moved. Angler soon followed after the first three, jumping into the pool of blue and vanishing. Gaines was close, but more guards were appearing, Kata was doing her best to cover them both but they were quickly becoming out numbered. The Major reached the Gate, Kata saw him reach out his arm and start to push her into the Gate so she grabbed onto his arm pulling him with her. The hanger and the Asurans vanished and seconds later she fell to the ground along with Gaines. Captain Harris opened her eyes to see the ceiling on the Gate room back on base, rolling over she pushed herself to her feet and helped the Major up, she started to say something but all she could do was let out a giant yawn.

[Tyrone Gaines]

0650
Arusa Cruiser

It was now or never.

Thanks to the timely work of Billie, Kata and Vanessa, SV-2 procured from their prisoner the code he used to confirm his identity. With the code transmitted, the enemy vessel lowered it's shields and cleared the stolen shuttle for landing.

Captain Harris touched the shuttle down in a gentle thud and lowered the ramp, pointed out the missing Stargate propped up against the hanger wall. "Someone sure is smiling down on us." Through some act of luck or divine intervention, the cavernous hanger bay appeared to be void of enemy soldiers.

Together as a team, SV-2 quickly covered the distance to the Stargate. Kata took the lead, while Gaines brought up the rear, both with their weapons at the ready. With only a few feet to go, the team was spotted and the enemy opened fire. "CONTACT RIGHT!" the major called, dropping to his knee and laying down suppressive fire for the team. Kata got to the DHD and dialed up the base as the enemy closed on. Once a wormhole was established, Witwer and Angler made their way through with the prisoner.

"COVER ME!" Gaines called to Harris. As she laid down fire, he was able to move position and make his way closer to the Gate. "Let's get the hell outa here," he yelled over the gunfire, covering the last few steps to the Gate. He grabbed her arm as he passed, pulling her through the Stargate with him.

This was going to make one hell of a debriefing. But first, some much needed sleep.

< End of Episode >