Ensign Kivik: The Crawl
Ensign Kivik
((OOC: This is a long one to preserve tags for Thompkins - I’ll mark ahead where the new content begins…))
((The Conduit - Mining Rig - Asteroid 6585 Poseidon))
Thompkins: =/\= I've tapped into the conduit gate controls. Just give the word. =/\=
Wong: =/\=I think they’re just around that bend. Can you get us a little bit closer?=/\=
Thompkins: =/\= Response =/\=
Kivik: =/\= Just remember - nice and slow, Mr. Thompkins. We may not get another chance at this. =/\=
Wong: =/\=Mister Thompkins, see if you can get us around this corner and shut the gates. Kivik, I’m going to pass you along the recordings I’ve made of the Stellae calls. Just make sure you aim it into the side of the wall or into the plasma itself so then the sounds have molecules to vibrate off of. I suspect the combination of the plasma and the calls will help calm the Stellae down allowing us to work safely. After that, it’s a matter of placing the transport enhancers and cutting the remaining cables. =/\=
Kivik: =/\= No problem. =/\=
Thompkins: =/\= Response =/\=
Wong: =/\=Well! I hope this works! Otherwise, we’re in big trouble if it doesn’t!=/\=
Kivik: =/\= It’ll work. It has to. =/\=
Thompkins: =/\= Response =/\=
Wong: =/\=Okay. Shut the gates now! Kivik, get the sounds and the drones going!=/\=
Thompkins: =/\= Response =/\=
Kivik: =/\= Here goes nothing!=/\=
Wong: =/\=Alright! Let’s get moving! We only have one shot at this!=/\=
Kivik: =/\= Hang on - I’m adjusting the drone’s settings! =/\=
Thompkins: =/\= Response =/\=
Kivik: =/\= Programming the drone to mimic the sounds of the Stellae! =/\=
Wong: =/\= I hope what you’re planning works, Ensign. There isn’t a lot of wiggle room in here! =/\=
Wong: =/\=Get ready to move in when it’s safe!=/\=
Kivik: =/\= Now would be a great time to get in there, Ikaia - I don’t know how long the drone will keep it occupied! =/\=
Wong: =/\=You don’t have to tell me twice! Mister Thompkins, take us in!=/\=
Thompkins: =/\= Responses =/\=
Kivik: =/\= Setting up the enhancers. Thompkins, please keep an eye on that Stellae for me and warn me if I’m about to get clobbered! =/\=
Thompkins: =/\= Response =/\=
Kivik: =/\= How’s it going Ikaia? =/\=
Wong: =/\=Working on it. I just need a little time to make my cuts. By the way, this is totally a reminder from your CMO right now that surfing on top of a Work Bee is inadvisable in most situations. Let’s NEVER repeat this stunt after this! =/\=
Wong: =/\=Ensign, what’s going on? Report. I hear weird noises and I’m REALLY hoping that’s just you right now!=/\=
Thompkins: =/\= Responses =/\=
Kivik: =/\= Look out! =/\=
Thompkins: =/\= Response =/\=
Wong: =/\=KIVIK!=/\=
Thompkins: =/\= Responses =/\=
Kivik: =/\= Thompkins - think you can use the arms on the work bee to toss that case my way? =/\=
Thompkins: =/\= Response =/\=
Kivik: =/\= Got it! =/\=
Kivik: =/\= Okay, that’s it. Wong, how’s it coming with that cable? Ready to transport? =/\=
Wong: =/\=The last cable has been cut. There’s no strings attached here. But as for you, Ensign, I want to get a good look at you later. Getting smacked around by a Stellae is NOT a good thing to have happen and I’m speaking from experience. Starting to wonder if we’re all victims of Murphy’s Law today or if we cheesed off some sort of deity.=/\=
Kivik: =/\= Yosemite - come in. We’re all set here. Please beam this Stellae out before we all get squished! =/\=
((OOC: New content begins here))
Reade: =/\= On our way back. Right now. =/\=
With Reade having confirmed that the Yosemite was now en route, Kivik pushed back away from the center of the room, where the disoriented Stellae was once again writhing in large swooping loops that threatened to knock any humanoid aside. Ne crawled backwards over to the wall and leaned against it, hoping to keep nir distance. With a large crack spread across the front of nir EV suit’s helmet, ne really couldn’t afford to take any further beating from the creature.
With the pattern enhancers placed Kivik began to realize just how crazy ne felt. The adrenaline had kept nem moving, but with that task done, the physical sensations ne was experiencing were beginning to become overwhelming. It had been some time since ne had thought of nir Academy friend’s words, but now they flooded back again, filling nir thoughts.
oO Try not to get yourself killed out there. Oo
The J’naii breathed heavily, remembering nir training and doing nir best to maintain calm, but the very real danger wasn’t lost on nem. Aside from that, nir neck and shoulders felt as though they were beginning to seize up - possibly in reaction to nir collision with the wall earlier.
oO You’ll be fine. A quick visit to Sick Bay and you’ll be fine… Just focus on getting out of here in one piece…Oo
Wong: =/\=Aloha! Where are you? The Stellae is ready for a beam out. Preferably sooner than later. We’re getting our butts handed to us in here.=/\=
Yosemite/Thompkins/Kivik: =/\= We’re on our way back! Hang tight. =/\=
Kivik shot a worried look across the room at Ikaia who looked just as concerned as ne felt.
oO What’s taking them so long? =/\=
Wong: =/\=Wait what?!=/\=
Kivik: =/\= We’re kind of in a rush here, Scotty! =/\=
Reade: =/\= Kivik and Ikaia, were coming around. 2 mins. =/\=
Thompkins: =/\= Response =/\=
Wong: =/\=Okay. Listen - As soon as you get Mister Jones back to Amity, ask for Doctor Suribana. She’s one of the best I’ve got on hand. Just short of being my transporter clone! Anyways, she’ll be able to help you with your patient. After that, loop back here. Er… as quick as you can is preferable!=/\=
Reade: =/\= Copy, will inform Ceceri and Bec. =/\=
The thrashings of the Stellae were getting more intense and, when the Yosemite arrived, its priority would be rescuing the creature - not the three humanoids trapped with it. The beam out alone could take several minutes, considering their depth in the conduit and the confounding gas particles – even with the pattern enhancers.
Reade: =/\= Get ready all. =/\=
Kivik: =/\= Way ahead of you, Scotty! ::To Ikaia:: Lieutenant, we may not be able to wait here for another two minutes. My helmet is damaged and.. :: struggling :: ..I don’t want to… =/\=
Kivik couldn’t finish the sentence. Dying was not an option - but there were all sorts of other terrible things that could happen.
Thompkins: =/\=Response=/\=
Wong: =/\=Mister Thompkins, is there another way out of here?=/\=
Thompkins: =/\=Response=/\=
Kivik: =/\= I don’t think we have the luxury of waiting to find out. I say we try it. ::To Yosemite:: Scotty - we’re going to attempt an emergency egress here. When you arrive, please prioritize getting the Stellae back where it belongs. =/\=
Yosemite: =/\=Response=/\=
The science officer floated over towards the work bee, dodging the flailing tendrils of the distressed juvenile, and looked inside. Thompkins didn’t seem thrilled about the notion of leaving the (relative) safety of his work bee behind to join them floating about in a suit. Kivik understood - but they were short on other options.
Kivik: =/\= Mr. Thompkins, have you ever had to use one of the emergency suits before? =/\=
Thompkins: =/\=Response=/\=
Wong: =/\=Response=/\=
Kivik: =/\= Right, so we’ll need to move quickly. Thompkins’ air supply is going to be even more limited than ours in that emergency suit. While you get ready to leave the work bee, Lt. Wong and I will attempt to remove the panel. ::With a look to Wong:: Assuming that plan works for you, sir. =/\=
Wong: =/\= Response =/\=
They set to work immediately. Kivik and Wong descended to the floor and began removing the ‘floor’ panel below the work bee. Meanwhile, the Juvenile Stellae was begging to work on removing some panels as well - far less eloquently - across the room. Kivik was thankful that, at least for now, it seemed too scared to approach the work bee.
While Wong rotated one handle, Kivik rotated the other, disengaging the magnetic locking mechanism. The panel pulled away with a tangible thump. Setting it aside, Kivik looked at their escape route. It was going to be tight - very tight. Calling this tunnel a ‘service crawlway’ was perhaps an overstatement. The entire length seemed to consist of a narrow tube with the occasional handhold set into the wall to propel oneself along with.
Kivik: =/\= And where does this end again? =/\=
Thompkins joined them, dressed in the emergency suit, a small air supply meter on his wrist already looking painfully low.
Thompkins: =/\= Response =/\=
Kivik: =/\= Perfect. =/\=
Sarcasm.
Wong: =/\= Response =/\=
With one last look back at the panicked Stellae, Kivik followed Wong into the crawlway, headfirst. Moving backwards would be nigh impossible, especially with the three of them jammed in there one after the other. Kivik hoped Thompkins was right about this.
TBC
