Lieutenant Ikaia Wong - The Westward Journey Part 2
Ka Banning
((Shuttbay - Section Alpha, Amity Outpost))
Reade: Ok. I've asked Lt. Wong to come with us. Any ideas on how to stabilize? I have one but I am open to more ideas?
Iko: We might need a sedative for the creature, as a last resort. Hopefully Lieutenant Wong will be able to provide us with one that will possibly work. It would be easier to beam the creature away too, but considering they are hard to pick up on the ship's sensors and blend in with the nebula, it will be hard to get a lock. We will need likely need to create a pattern buffer.
Ikaia ran up and was starting to close the gap between him and his team. He only just barely caught what Ensign Iko had said.
Iko: We might need a sedative for the creature, as a last resort. Hopefully Lieutenant Wong will be able to provide us with one that will possibly work. It would be easier to beam the creature away too, but considering they are hard to pick up on the ship's sensors and blend in with the nebula, it will be hard to get a lock. We will likely need to create a pattern buffer.
Ariadust: I'm a pilot, not a doctor, I'm afraid.
Kivik: We’ll do what we can, even if it means jumping in there with a rope and pulling it out manually - not that that would be my preference. With luck, we’ll be able to get a lock on it once we’re closer.
The group arrived at the shuttle just in time to see Lieutenant Wong huffing along to join them. Kivik offered the CMO a nervous wave and felt nemself clenching nir teeth. All the same, ne was glad to have another science officer along.
Wong: Ah! Aloha, everyone! I heard you needed medical here!
Reade: Response
Iko: Stellae? is that what we are calling them now?
Ariadust: Makes sense, probably a scientific name.
Ikaia followed everyone on to the shuttle.
Kivik: Odd. Normally a species should be properly scientifically described prior to being named… but I suppose that’s not important right now. At least that way we have something to call them other than “Angel” or “Mo-Mo”. Stellae it is.
Wong: Most circumstances, you’d be right. But these are unusual times. Just as long as no one uses “Mo-mo” in front of the Hawlat, we’re okay.
Reade: Response
Iko: ::Climbing into the pilot's seat of the Yosemite:: We are wasting time people...
Kivik: ::Clutching the bulkhead nervously:: Uhh - are you qualified to fly this thing, Bec? ::Looking to Ariadust:: We do have a former starship helmsman aboard…
Ikaia sat down and watched everything unfold. Maybe he was glad that he wasn’t flying the shuttle this once.
Wong: However, I do applaud your enthusiasm, Ensign.
Reade: Response
Ariadust: Are we? The wind leads into a ravine, as they say.
Iko: ::nervously, ducking to the back:: I-I'm sorry. Ariadust, I believe you should pilot the shuttle.
Kivik: ::Relaxing slightly:: Not to worry Bec… I had full confidence in your abilities, I just… ::deep breath:: don’t love shuttlecraft.
oONeither do I for that matter.Oo
Ikaia was also on Team Hates-Flying. He found it interesting that Kivik didn’t enjoy it either.
With that, the shuttle lifted off from the deck and took off towards the mining rig. The Rescue Operation was underway.
Wong: Are you okay, Ensign Iko?
Reade: Response
Iko: ::Mildly startled:: Oh, I'm fine. Just got a little... uhh... impulsive, that's all.
He nodded to her.
Wong: I think we’re all a little eager to help out. It happens.
Reade: Response
Kivik: Right, well, let’s just all do what we do best and hope for no more unwanted surprises, shall we? Bec, we can talk about this more whenever you want to.
Despite Kivik’s hopes, as they neared the rig, the sensor array chirped a warning at them. Some sort of variance from the expected parameters.
Iko: I'll explain later. right now we need to take care of... ::getting sidetracked:: Kivik, is it just me or is that Stellae... a child?
Kivik hesitantly clambored towards the front of the craft to examine the sensor reading. It was unusual. Not only was the creature’s mass far smaller than most of the animals they’d encountered so far, but it also showed some marked morphological differences.
Kivik: Judging by what I can make out here… yes, it appears to be some sort of ::thinking of the right term:: Calf, I suppose? oO Perhaps larva might be more ‘accurate’, if less appealing. Oo Whatever the case, it may be particularly sensitive to sensor scans and more easily confused by the machinery of the mining rig… What’s worse, if it’s out here in distress, I can’t imagine its parents won’t come looking for it.
Wong: You can tell they’re a juvenile from the size as well as the speckles and stripes pattern along their body.
Ikaia got up to have a better look to see what was being described. He bit his bottom lip as he looked over the scene. It was NOT good.
Wong: They’re not just caught. I see they’re tangled up in some cable as well. It’s likely pulling at them as they’re trying to escape. It’s going to cause injury if they keep doing that.
Reade: Response
Ariadust: It certainly looks it. Hm. ::Ceciri thought through it.:: I've seen that pattern before, in the magnetic readings. It was where the Stellae were playing. ::taps some controls to forward it to Kivik:: Ensign Kivik, could you compare that to previous readings? Al-::A proximity alarm went off, and Ceciri moved to look at it, then .. groaned.:: There's a herd of Stellae coming in. Probably to 'rescue' their child. This could complicate matters.
Before the others could speak up..
Thompkins: =/\= Welcome back, friends! All right, what's the plan? =/\=
Kivik: =/\= Well, Mr. Thompkins… We’ve nearly arrived at the mining rig. It looks like you have a juvenile creature - a young Stellae - in your equipment. It’s likely confused and could be injured. There are also more on the way - If we don’t get it out of there quickly, we could be dealing with a swarm. =/\=
Kivik looked to the others, realizing that really made things seem dire.
Iko/Reade: Response
Wong: =/\=Sir, I promise you that we’ll handle it and that we’ll get everyone out safely. We’re just going to need some time.
Thompkins: =/\= Response =/\=
Kivik: =/\= We’ll need to get in closer if we want to isolate the creature’s energy signature. That could give us a chance to beam it out - assuming we can get a lock on it. If that fails, Plan B is to use a prototype decoy drone to lure it out of the rig. Lieutenant Reade is working on that… =/\=
Ne shot Scotty a glance to see how work on the prototype KIRA drone was progressing.
Reade: Response
Kivik: =/\= Plan C is to send someone in to retrieve the creature manually. We have our Chief Medical Officer, Lieutenant Wong, aboard since that could be dangerous. =/\=
Wong: Ensign Kivik, a word when you’re done?
Ikaia was well aware of some extra knowledge. Diplomacy depended upon what they did next.
Thompkins: =/\= Response =/\=
Kivik: =/\= Understood. We’ll keep you up to date. =/\=
The science officer turned to the others. The sensor beeped at an increasing rate, signifying the incoming ‘stampede’ of Stellae drawn to the trapped juvenile. Time was quickly running out before everything broke into mayhem.
Kivik: Lieutenant Ariadust, how close do you think you can get me to the Stellae? There’s a lot of interference from the Nebula and from the benamite ore being processed in the mining rig. If we want to beam it out safely, we’re going to need a crystal clear signal.
Ariadust: Response.
Wong: We’re asking to beam something out the size of a small starship. Also, those cables tied around the Stellae are going to need to be cut carefully. But I need to----
Reade: Response
Kivik: Bec, I hope it won’t come to this, but if one of us needs to go in there… you may be the most qualified based on your training. Are you up for that?
Iko: Response
Ikaia cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention.
Wong: Ahem! Ah! Okay! Listen. This is no ordinary rescue. While we are well aware of the cultural significance of the Stellae to the Hawlat people, the last I saw of them, they weren’t happy. They’re keeping a VERY close eye on the situation we have with our trapped friend here. Depending upon what we do, diplomacy hangs in the balance.
Iko/Reade/Ariadust/Kivik: Response
Wong: I’m going to suggest an amalgamation of Kivik’s plan with a bit of a twist. I’m assuming the drones are designed for the Stellae, correct? If they can be programmed to leak vented plasma to our juvenile, it should have a calming effect on them and we may be able to use the drones to lure our new friend back. I’m going to suggest that Lieutenant Reade as our resident engineer be on drone duty. That leaves our shuttle out running as a rather large distraction for the rest of the Stellae pod. It’s big, can vent out a lot of plasma, and very attractive to the Stellae.
Of course, he was VERY MUCH reminded of that time he was chased by hungry tigers back on Donova. Only this time, it was a shuttle instead of a bike providing the distraction.
Iko/Reade/Ariadust/Kivik: Response
Wong: This brings us to the last part. As much as I don’t like option C, we’re going to have to consider it for cutting the cables and to show the Hawlat that the health and welfare of the Stellae matter to us. I’m aware that option C is dangerous which is why I’m suggesting that we don’t send Ensign Iko out alone. Some of us will have to go with her for not only the safety of the Stellae but for the safety of our crew. This is going to require a surgeon’s touch.
Iko/Reade/Ariadust/Kivik: Response
Ikaia finally looked at Iko, the other Klingon in the room.
Wong: If we go through with this plan, I know this is tense. Especially for a first mission. Ensign Iko. However, I can come with you to help. Just know that we will have your back.
Iko/Reade/Ariadust/Kivik: Response
Chief Medical Officer
Amity Outpost
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