Valesha Sienelis - Dead Man's Party (Part II)
Quinn Reynolds
((A few hours later: Bridge, the Skarbek))
::It was an unremarkable moon in an unremarkable system. Omicron Noctae IIIa, so uninteresting that no one had even come along to give it a thought and a name. But it was to Omicron Noctae that the trail had led, and now the Skarbek was in orbit above the barren rock. Barely supporting a breathable atmosphere and with minimal water, it somehow showed signs of microbial life.
::But it wasn't scientific analysis that held the attention of those on the bridge. Rather they were staring at the scar that ran across the rocky landscape, a trench dug by the Fourcade as it slammed into the surface of the moon, ploughing through stone and powder until it skidded to a halt. Fires crackled through breaches in the hull, debris scattered around its resting place.::
Brunsig: ::Low,:: Scheiße.
Marshall/Xerix/Tereen: Response
::Valesha felt like her head was spinning, fear and worry a sharp set of talons clenching at her gut, and she had to force herself to concentrate on the information the sensors were spitting out. Little spots of life were dotted through the interior of the ship, less than there should have been, but was any of them her friend's?::
Sienelis: Reading lifesigns and to no one's great surprise, significant damage. Looks like the power's out.
Brunsig: So no point in hailing them.
Marshall/Xerix/Tereen: Response
::The Romulan shook her head, something else having caught her attention. Something she hadn't expected, and shouldn't have been there.::
Sienelis: There's something else.
::With a delicate dance of her fingers across the sensor controls, she shifted the viewscreen image away from the Skarbek, to another artificial thing on the surface. From where they were, it was little more than a cluster of roofs, buildings with roots that went deep.::
Sienelis: No signs of life or power. Looks abandoned, but sensors can only read the surface structures. I'm pretty sure they go underground, though how far I can't tell you.. ::She paused, frowning.:: The signatures are definitely Cardassian.
::There was a heavy silence on the bridge, and she dared a glance toward the German captain. He was scowling at the information in front of him, as though it had been constructed to personally offend his sensibilities. What had he been like as a Starfleet officer, she wondered? What would he have been like if he'd remained on that side of the border. She'd never know, but it was a curiosity. Then again, she supposed one could say the same of all of them. They'd never know that road not taken, how their lives would have turned out if different choices had been made.::
Brunsig: =/\= Red, take Sparks and Tereen and transport down to the Fourcade. Find Nkai, ::he paused, and she could hear the incomplete thought "if he's still alive",:: and lend a hand with repairs. =/\=
Sevo: =/\= Response =/\=
::With a glance toward the hybrid comms officer, Walter jerked his head toward the door, dismissing her from the bridge and toward the tender mercies of the flame-haired Trill.::
Brunsig: =/\= 'Kos, there'll be wounded aboard the Fourcade. Gather up Sylvek and Fortune and head down with supplies in the Inayat-Khan. ::He glanced toward their pilot.:: Xerix'll fly you and he can be a spare pair of arms once you're down there. =/\=
Sim: =/\= Response =/\=
::Finally, he turned toward the blonde woman who become their second in command. It hadn't really been anything formal, just a change in reliance and responsibilities, until one day they all realised that Marshall was his right hand.::
Brunsig: Jo, go take a look at that outpost, and take Strip and Fingers with you. ::He paused, then with a shake of his head and a grimace, he continued.:: And throw Shades into that mix. She might have a clue why the Cardassians have been building secret bases on backwater moons.
Marshall: Response