NPC Profile: Maura MacConnell (Deceased)

[Akirapryde]

Profile: Maura MacConnell (AKA The Gypsy)
Rank: Major
Assignment: Alpha Company, 10th Recon Battalion, 3rd Starfleet Marine Division
Position: Company Commander and Battalion Executive Officer
Religion: Pagan and Serious about it

Born: 19763.26 (Jan 12, 2340)
Place of Birth: Edinburgh, Scotland, Earth

On 36292.11 (Jan 12, 2358) Joined Starfleet Marines Officer Candidate School with very high scores. Graduated at the top of her class and was assigned to the 3rd Starfleet Marine Division in 2362. She returned to Starfleet Marine Academy to undergo Special Operations Training on 2366. After graduation in 2367, she was sent to study at the Vulcan Institute for Defensive Arts and later became an instructor during 2367 and 2370. During this time, she was actively recruited by Starfleet Intelligence as a deep cover operative. However she choose to return to service with the 3rd Starfleet Marine Division in 2371. As a result of the Maquis successes across the Federation/Cardassian DMZ, Major MacConnell proposed the creation of an elite unit that would specialized in small unit tactics to combat the Maquis threat.

Under the directions of Starfleet Marine Command, Major MacConnell created Delta Company, which was a part of the 10th Recon Battalion, 3rd Marine Division. Members of this elite unit were hand picked by Major MacConnell herself and later earned the nickname Ghost Recon for their ability to infiltrate Maquis Cells and neutralize them before being detected. Ghost Recon was called in to rescue a group of Cardassian diplomats that had been taken hostage by a group of Maquis deep in the bad lands. The diplomats were all rescued and the Maquis cell found themselves in Federation custody. This earned Major MacConnell Starfleet's Medal of Valor and Delta Company's first of many unit awards. Ghost Recon would continue to move throughout the DMZ tracking down some of the most dangerous members of the Maquis and threats to the Federation.

When war broke out with the Dominion, the 3rd SF Marine Division was assigned to a number of missions within the sector. Ghost Recon was called upon to serve as deep infiltration and act as spies. Their highly specialize skills made them prefect for missions such as the one which identified and neutralized the defensive systems of Torros III. The success of this mission made the combine Klingon and Federation attack of the shipyards there that much more successful. The daring actions of Ghost Recon to neutralize the defenses of Torros III had caught the attention of the Dominion. As a result, they started to vest resources in to identifying members of this elite Recon Unit. The unit played critical roles while acting as scouts for the Federation. Their roles included but not limited to identifying key targets of opportunity, sabotaging of key insulations, to identifying targets in preparation for the liberation of Deep Space Nine.

Excluding the time when Deep Space Nine was in the hands of the Dominion, Ghost Recon normally operated out of Deep Space Nine. It was never confirmed by Starfleet that members of the unit were intentionally left behind when Deep Space Nine was occupied by Dominion forces. However several members including Major MacConnell were awarded Starfleet's Madel of Honor after the liberation of Deep Space Nine. The unit's well earned a reputation of being able to get in and out without detection caused the Dominion great concern. It was not long before the Jem'Hadar commanders were calling for the Ghost Recon to be hunted down and destroyed. The unit was directly responsible for getting deep behind enemy lines and causing disruptions to Dominion communications.

With the Federation facing a stalemate, Major MacConnell came up with a plan that might help break the stalemate and open up a new front that the Federation could exploit. The attack plan was radical and daring, which was the norm for Ghost Recon. The Dominion controlled system was called Velos. It was heavily protected by an extensive network of defense satellites, stations and sensor nodes called the Velos Array. Any attack on the system was considered nearly impossible as long as the Velos Array was functional. However the impossible was what the Ghost Recon were trained to beat. Major MacConnell had a plan that could take down the Velos Array and leave the system vulnerable to attack. The plan almost didn't pass Starfleet Command till it received the backing of Admiral Ross.

The Velos mission would become Ghost Recon's finest hour and their legacy. As a result of their actions, every member of the unit would be awarded with Starfleet's Medal of Honor. However not one member of the unit would survive the fateful mission.

Battle of Velos on 52036.01 (March, 2375)

Long before Starfleet and Klingon warships started their way to Velos, Ghost Recon made a number of simultaneous surgical strikes on a number of key facilities around the Capital City of Velos VII. Within minutes of the raid starting, the Velos Array was neutralized. To the Dominion's surprise, all of the Array's command functions were locked out by a computer virus. This virus was uploaded in to the Array's database by members of Ghost Recon. The actions of Ghost Recon were critical to knocking out the early warning systems of the defenders. Despite a handful of Cardassian warships, Velos was near helpless when the combined Allied fleet arrived. The virus also neutralized Dominion communications so that the defenders couldn't call for help. Admiral Ross' fleet arrived to Velos to find its defenders in chaos. His fleet was able to gain an early advantage and secure Velos VII for troop landings.

As Admiral Ross was conducting his troop landings, Ghost Recon went off mission in direct violation of orders from Admiral Ross. It was recorded that it was Major MacConnell who gave the order to go off of mission. All members of Ghost Recon choose to follow Major MacConnell. During their first engagement on Velos, Major MacConnell had learned of the Velos VII Internment Camp. Ghost Recon fought a bitter battle against Cardassian Militia 21 (a former Obsidian Order unit) and a large number of Jem'Hadar warriors who were guarding the camp. Despite being out numbered, Ghost Recon was able to draw the two larger Dominion forces in to a running battle while a smaller detachment of the unit executed the liberation of POW's held at the camp. Even in the face of overwhelming defeat, Ghost Recon ensured that nearly six hundred POW's were evacuated back to Admiral Ross' fleet. Many of those rescued were Federation and Klingon military personal who were able to fight another day.

With one of their most successful missions about to go in to the history books, all seemed as if it was going according to plan. However, Dominion resistance stepped up across Velos VII to such a degree that Starfleet was unable to get further evacuations shuttles in to the battle zone. Ghost Recon and the remaining POW's were effectively cut off from rescue. Previously unknown Dominion units who had remained hidden at the beginning of the battle now started to make a showing. The tide of battle shifted even further against the Allies when a large number of Dominion ships arrived to the Velos system cutting off Admiral Ross' fleet. Still Admiral Ross was dedicated to rescuing Ghost Recon and those POW's.

However each time Starfleet shuttles made an attempt to reach the embattled unit, Cardassian fighters just happened to be at the right place to stop their effort. Nothing Starfleet or their Klingon Allies could do to rescue the besieged unit. After suffering heavy losses, Ghost Recon and the last remaining POW's were forced to make a finally stand within some old ruins. Time finally ran out for the heroes of Velos on 52093.73 (Mar 29, 2375). The survivors were cut off and surrounded and during their daring last stand were finally overran. Unwilling to go silently, the survivors made the Dominion pay for each and every centimeter of ground. By the next morning the battle was over and Ghost Recon no longer existed as a force. To those helpless ships in orbit who watched, the battle was a point of honor and pride.

While the fate of the survivors was left to question, the battle for Velos was turning against the Federation and Klingons. Once more, the Dominion showed an uncanny ability to hit the allied lines at just the right place for maximum effect. Despite the heroics of Ghost Recon and many other units, raising losses finally forced Federation and Klingon Forces to withdraw from Velos. The Battle of Velos was officially over on 52117.76 (Apr 08, 2375) with the world remaining in Dominion hands. Federation and Klingon losses were four times higher than any projection suggested. The fate of Ghost Recon and the remaining POW's would not be known till after the Dominion War. Even after their uncanny and sizable victory at Velos, the Cardassians nor the Dominion were able to reactivate the Velos Array. Its vast defense network remained useless for the remainder of the war. Despite the loss, Starfleet was able to move supplies and scout ships deep in to Cardassian space through the Velos system. A token victory for the lives lost in attempting to take the world.

After the War, the fate of Ghost Recon was finally discovered. On 52878.21 (Feb 04, 2376), Federations forces liberated the Velos VII Internment Camp. According to camp records, twenty members of Ghost Recon and thirty two POW's were brought back to the camp after their final stand in the ruins. Major MacConnell was treated for life threating wounds received during that battle. She would survive only to be tortured daily for the access codes that would reactivate the Velos Array. The other members of Ghost Recon suffered the same fate and none would survive their captivity at the Velos VII Internment Camp. It was discovered that Major MacConnell had been executed by Gul Bolon himself on 52861.32 (Jan 28, 2376). None of the bodies of Ghost Recon were recovered because the bodies were vaporized after death.

Gul Bolon along with a few of his subordinates were captured beyond the camp attempting to flee Federation forces. They were disguised as Cardassian civilians as they were attempting to board a refugee ship. It was a fellow Cardassian guard who alerted Federation forces of Gul Bolon's true identity. He was apprehended by Federation forces and held be Starfleeet for war crimes. Currently his fate is being resolved in court over who will be allowed to hold his trail. The Klingon High Command has sought to extradite him for crimes against captive Klingon warriors.

After the war, over a hundred Federation officers and Klingon warriors returned to Velos This was done to pay their respects to the brave warriors of Ghost Recon who paid the highest price so that others could be free. A twenty ship, Honor Guard was assembled of both Federation and Klingon ships. This Honor Guards made their way back to Earth in respect for the courage of brave men and women of Ghost Recon. Delta Company (Ghost Recon), 10th Recon would go down in Starfleet history for their bravery and cunning. The unit would be retired in honor of those who gave their lives.

Based on reports from the camp survivors who were able to witness the final battle, Major MacConnell was posthumously awarded the Starfleet Medal of Honor as well as the Federation Citation of Honor from the Federation Counsel themselves. Major MacConnell in battle and in captivity had shown the very best of what it meant to be a Starfleet Officer. Her deeds and select parts of her personal logs have been added to Starfleet Academy's required reading list.

Side Note: Because of this battle and the fate of the Velos Array, the Dominion were forced to change their battle tactics which affected a number of future battles. Because Array could not be reactivated, it was finally destroyed by Starfleet in late Feb, 2376.