Lt. Robin Hopper: Unhappy Camper
Robin Hopper
((OOC Note – There is dialogue with Lt. Grurg in this scene. Note that I have checked with Grurg’s usual writer, Danny, and confirmed that she can be treated as an NPC in this scenario)).
((OOC Note 2 – I have tried to follow up with S4RK's latest sim and tie in the groups in the campsite. In theory, anyone in Teams A or B could have heard Robin's warning. Please let me know if you're unclear on anything!)
((Idrustix – Southern Tundra Region, Team A’s Accomodation Hut))
Summoned by Kivik to hear what ne and Son Dro had come up with, Robin took her leave of Reade and Daughter Vananth-Polgonz, crossing the hut while taking another long drink from her hot chocolate. She was going to have to put on her thermal gear any minute now – even inside. How any of the others were managing, she wasn’t sure…
oO You got too used to that California weather, Hops… Oo
Hopper: Hey! How’s it going over here?
Kivik: Son Dro and I are going to look into options for obfuscating our position, potentially harnessing the planet’s magnetosphere to develop a rudimentary ‘barrier’ of our own – keep the drones from noticing us… That being said, we think it would be prudent to have a backup plan in place.
Dro: The more we plan the better equipped we can be when things start to change.
Robin nodded. The Trenvonn had been throwing them curveballs for the last two days. There was no good reason to expect that was going to change any time soon.
Hopper: I’ve asked Lieutenant Grurg to inventory our weapons. I’m sure she’s completed that by now… I’ll check in with her again shortly. Perhaps she and Commander Hoffman can work on establishing a proper perimeter. I think we’ll be able to reuse some of our proximity sensors from the last site.
Kivik: Great. I’ll let you know when we have an update.
Dro: Thank you very much.
Hopper: ::Nodding:: Good work.
Sighing, and finishing off her hot cocoa, Robin walked towards the hut’s entrance. oO I wonder if I can put on two thermal layers to go out there… Oo Setting her mug down on a crate (with full intent to return as quickly as possible and refill it) she pulled on one of the insulated outer garments – the warmth radiating back at her body immediately lifted her spirits.
((Approx. One Hour Later – Outside, Team A & B Campsite))
Grurg and Hoffman had been amenable to setting up the proximity sensors. With their weapons properly cataloged, it was a natural next step. While Kivik and Dro made off in one direction, setting up their perimeter of modified transporter enhancers which, once all set up and activated, would render their campsite ‘invisible’ to external sensors – Hoffman and Grurg had begun establishing their own perimeter of proximity alarms that would alert the team to any incoming hostiles.
Robin crunched along the frigid ground following Grurg and Hoffman, her phaser rifle once again at the ready – though her fingers felt frozen and numb. Once the perimeters were both established they would be quite safe… but until then, they were all particularly exposed and vulnerable.
Hopper: How many more sensors need to be deployed, Lieutenant?
Grurg: Three more. That shouldn’t leave any ‘holes’ for them to slip through.
Hopper: Understood… ::Looking around uncertainly:: I’ll be glad when we have these perimeters established and we can get back to the huts. Maybe it’s the stimulants, but I keep thinking there’s something out there – just out of my peripheral vision.
Grurg: Have you gotten any rest?
Robin let out a desperate giggle that, in her own mind, sounded more unhinged than she was comfortable with.
Hopper: Hahahaaa… Yeah. Yeah, plenty of time for rest. ::Clearing her throat:: Mm.. You’re right. I’m probably just jumpy. I’ll take a nap once the proximity sensors are–
Comms: =/\= ⌰⟟⟒⎍⏁⟒⋏⏃⋏⏁ ⊑⍜⌿⌿⟒⍀ – ⏁⊑⟒ ⎅⟒⎐⟟☊⟒ ⟟⌇ ⍀⟒⏃⎅⊬. =/\=
Robin looked down at her combadge with confusion… oO What the #@%&? Oo
A look at Grurg and Hoffman gave her no answers, the Kitty Hawk Officers obviously as uncertain about the communication as she was. She frowned and tapped her combadge to respond.
Hopper: =/\= Umm… I’m sorry, what was that? =/\=
Reade: =/\= Response =/\=
Hopper: Oh. Oh! ::Tapping her combadge:: =/\= Good to hear your voice, Scotty. I take it that means you and Daughter Vananth-Polgonz are having some success. I read you loud, if not clear… I’ll come back to the accomodation hut now. When I return, we’ll try pinging the Kitty Hawk – see if we can get through to them. =/\=
Reade: =/\= Response =/\=
With that, Robin let out a puff of air that solidified into crystalline vapour in the frigid air. She was definitely ready to go back to the hut and grab another cup of cocoa. Now was as good a time as any.
Hopper: Alright, Lieutenant – you finish up your work with Commander Hoffman and then make your way back into camp. I’ll try to catch Lieutenant Kivik and Son Dro on the way and see where they’re at.
Grurg: Aye.
Robin began the trudge back down the icy ridge towards the entrance to the campsite. It had been a slog walking up the ridge, but going down felt like a one-way ticket to the infirmary. She walked slowly, trying to ensure she didn’t lose her footing on the slippery ice-coated moss. Looking across the campsite, she saw Kivik and Dro near the edge of her vision – evidently setting up one of their last few pattern enhancers.
Smiling, she scanned the rest of the campsite. Just down from Kivik and Dro was the hut where Team B was situated. Her smile faded. Was that Ikaia… vomiting? oO What the heck is going on in there? Oo She quickened her pace, working her way down the curved ridge as quickly as she dared. Before long, Team A’s accommodation hut came into view… and then she saw it.
There was one of the probes. Spherical, metallic – just like the others before. It was scanning the hut with one of its blue beams. Her mind started racing. How had it found them there? Could it have been Lohani and Reade’s communication? Kivik and Dro hadn’t finished their perimeter yet – maybe it had just gotten lucky and wandered into camp. Either way, they were both at risk. Lohani especially, as the drones were evidently targeting Betazoids.
Hopper: =/\= Teams A and B – alert! We have a drone in the campsite. Extreme cautio– =/\=
She grabbed her Phaser Rifle, taking aim at the drone – and then lost her footing, falling over sideways with a yelp and sliding down the rest of the icy ridge. She felt her knee bump against a rock with a disconcerting crunch, spinning her around until she eventually came to rest at the base of the ridge, moss and frost in the hair that covered her face.
Sitting up, she reached to activate her combadge again and found that it was missing – ripped off during her slide down the ridge, she guessed. It was nowhere to be seen. She hoped that the others in the campsite had heard her warning – but couldn’t be sure.
Hopper: Oh I really hate today…
She stood, shakily, her right knee flaring with pain as she put weight on it, and looked for the drone or its telltale blue beam…
Hopper: Where did you go?
TBC
