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--></style></head><body lang=EN-US><div class=WordSection1><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Mission: The Flames of Purity</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Day: 16 </span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>Stardate: 2445.09.16</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>(Gamma Quadrant Planet – Shuttle Michaelangelo – 2O/CEO – Lieutenant Keira Merek - 1214)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Erin had spent a brief time in the back, Keira heard some talking in the back. After a few minutes she came to the cockpit.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>“I’m finishing up the pre-flights now, could you contact the roost? Tell them mission accomplished and ask for further instructions.” Keira said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>“Let’s get this bird in the sky. I’ll contact the Exeter and see what they want us to do next,” her friend agreed.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>“ Pre-flights complete, power to anti-gravs for lift off…” Keira said going through the steps out loud.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>It didn’t take long to get away from the deactivated generator far enough to send a clear transmission. Keira plotted a course following the ridgeline to the west by southwest as the Exeter came in loud and clear. She turned down the inertial dampers down four percent, just enough to feel the ride.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>“Shuttle Michelangelo to Exeter.”</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'>=^= Good to hear from you Michaelangelo. =^=</span><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'>As Trip’s voice filled the cockpit, Keira dipped the nose down a little and used some of the potential energy to gain some speed and turned the nose the same angle toward the upper echelons of the atmosphere and pushed the impulse drive to maintain and gain flight speed. She could hear the concern in the Captain’s voice.</span><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>“Mission is accomplished. Backup generator is down and we are in the air.” Erin reported.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'>=^= Good work team. You should all be commended for your efforts. Excellent work. Make sure that gets passed on to Lt. Merek. =^=</span><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:black'>Keira nodded. In response, so Erin knew she heard the Captain’s words.</span><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>“Any further orders, Sir?”</span><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'>=^= Yes, team Leonardo is without a shuttle. I'm sending you their coordinates. Double back to that area and provide extraction if needed, just on the off chance we can't beam them back, you guys will be there to pull them out of the fire. It'll be a tight fit, but better safe than sorry.=^=<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Georgia",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>"Roger that." Erin said as Keira had already changed course.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>=^= Lt. Merek, if you're listening, again, just want to say, well done. =^=</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>“Thank you, couldn’t have done it with out the team.” Keira responded breaking her silence.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>"So, ladies team to the rescue it seems." Erin joked.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>“Yeah, I guess.” Keira said, trying but failing to calm down the feeling in the pit of her stomach.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>"I hope they are in one piece. If the Exeter does beam them up, perhaps we could provide some distraction?" Erin offered.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>“We’ll know more when we get there.” Keira said.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>"We know where they are, why not just lay down some fire in the area around their position? Create some noise and some fireworks. Throw them off their game." Erin offered an alternative.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>“I’m not ruling anything out.” Keira admitted. “I won’t fire unless our people are clear. We’ll know more when we get there.”</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>(Reply none)</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>(Posted by Todd)</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>“<span style='color:black'>The only way to defeat fear is to tell it 'No'." No - we will not take shortcuts on the path to righteousness. No - we will not break the rules that protect us from our basest instincts. No - we will not allow desperation to destroy moral authority.” - Michael Burnham, Star Trek: Discovery</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“No, I’m from Iowa, I only work in outer space.” – Adm. James T. Kirk, “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Todd Holladay<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>SGT, IA ARNG (Retired)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>