Lieutenant Charlena Vanlith - Facility or...?

[S Philbrook]

((Outside “Whispering Wall” Colony, Planet Imza-4521-L, Barossa Nebula))

Vanlith: Well I guess finding them is going to be the key then.

Char looked at the screens surrounding them. The systems have multiple generators. Some seme.isolated circuits others interlinked. It was like certain systems needed others to work but some were completely isolated. The kind of work she had only considered when you needed to be able to shut something down quickly and keep everything else going. A safety measure. She paused. 

oO What on Risa were they working on? Oo

Ylvor: There’s a corridor around here Commander, and a stairwell. Might get a bit lost here…

Richards: Let’s try and stick together. We don’t need any of us disappearing or getting lost. ::Pointing at the screens:: I found what this station is. There are several pylons dotting the perimeter of the facility. Each one with its own small power source. This building acts as a hub between all of them. 

Char watched and listened intently, taking in all the information they could gather. .

Richards: If…what I’m seeing is correct, the colonists are, or were, able to access this system remotely from within the facility and disengage specific portions of the energy fence for traversal in and out of the colony. That would explain why it’s so clean in here. Because no one comes out here. ::beat:: Would also explain why it’s generating so little power if it’s only used as a relay station of sorts. 

Vanlith: I’ve only ever seen something so remote when there are safety considerations.

Nathan moved his hand across the displays effortlessly and then suddenly. 

Computer: Deterrent Field disengaged. Pylons One through Seven powering down. 

Richards: Well that’s one problem out of the way. We can get into the colony now. ::Looking down at his tricorder:: Still not getting a very good reading on anything though. The shielding in this building might be blocking scans. ::Looking towards Torvi:: This corridor and stairwell. Does it head in the direction of the colony?

Vanlith: ::Looking down at her PADD:: I think so.

She turned to Torvi hoping she was more sure.

Ylvor: Seems to go in the general direction, they could split. Might just be access avenues.

Richards: Then I say we do a little exploring, yeah?

Vanlith: urm ::looking between them:: what’s the best order for this?

Char knew she wasn't a bad shot if it came down to it but she knew Torvi would definitely be better and Nathan was definitely likely to be better than her. After the past year it seemed wise to actually think about that now. 

Ylvor: If the good Commander doesn’t mind, I will take point.. ::She looked at Nathan sternly:: Lieutenant if you could please take the rear. Make sure to look behind periodically.

Richards: I’m not going to argue with the one with the bigger gun.

Vanlith: Ok rear. I got the rear.

Ylvor: Stick close, eyes and ears. On contact with anything, find cover. If there are no objections, let us meander.

Char nodded trying to force a smile across her face. 

Richards: Meander we shall.

With that they began to move down the corridor. Char listened intently but could barely hear anything over her own breathing. She needed to get a grip and fast. It was no good losing her nerve now. 

Char nearly crashed into the back of the pair as they came to a stop. She poured like a child straining to try and see past them cursing her height. 

Vanlith: What is it? What do you see?

Ylvor: I.. thought I heard something, nevermind. Let’s pick up the pace.

Richards: Right. Let’s keep going.

Vanlith: ::quietly:: okay

Char tried to keep her nerve. Torvi thought she'd heard what exactly? Was there someone or something here with them in the shadows? 

Ylvor: What do your scans say of the room ahead? Anything? 

Char mirrored Nathan in scanning the areas. 

Richards: Seems all clear to me. 

Vanlith: I have nothing any different from before. 

Ylvor: Unless you have another suggestion sir, you clear left, I’ll take right. Char, follow us after the all clear. If we go down you’d need to contact the rest of the away team.

Richards: We won’t go down. We got this.

Vanlith: ::nodding solemnly:: right yeah of course you won't. 

As the two officers moved off Char waited. Her breath was the only thing grounding her for a brief second. Something about this place had her so uneasy it was impossible for her to think straight without something to focus on. 

Richards: Left clear.

At that sound Char's shoulders relaxed from a tension she had barely realised she was carrying there. 

Ylvor: Response

Vanlith: ::moving forwards into the room:: I'm coming in. 

As Char entered a strange feeling of dread passed over her at the chairs on the tables. 

Richards: ::Looking back at the panel:: It looks like this is the first floor of some sort of underground complex. One out of…huh, only 4. I was expecting more. Don’t top secret projects usually have some kind of city hidden away underneath a mansion in the woods? ::Beat:: I think I saw a movie about that once…

Char looked at him with a blank expression on her face. 

Vanlith: Mansion in the woods? 

Ylvor: Response

Richards: According to this, there is no one here. No life sign readings. Nothing.

Vanlith: And no changes to energy readings either. 

Ylvor: Response

Slowly Char walked towards the table with the chairs sitting on top of it and ran her hand over the surface. 

Vanlith: the only place I've ever seen anymore stack chairs like this was a school. It made it easier for cleaners to clean under desks after the kids.

Ylvor/Richards: Response

Char frowned slightly. 

Vanlith: I don't really know what to think. No life signs, weird energy signatures, creepily clean. ::looking towards Nathan:: and not as big as we were expecting? 

Ylvor/Richards: Response 

TAGS/TBC…

Lt Charlena Vanlith

Engineering

Amity Outpost

 V239604CV0