Ens Chevalier - Click

[CPT Arianus]

(( Rakantha Province, Bajor ))

Chevalier: So, Mr. Savel, what’s your measurements? Did you find something interesting?

Ensign Chevalier was checking his readings when the call came. At that moment, everything changed…

Jovenan: =/\= Jovenan to Savel and Chevalier. Terminate the exercise. There’s been a small explosion in the cave, likely some old trap. I need your help in here. =/\=

oO Misfortune was never far away… Oo

Savel: =/\= Acknowledged, we are on our way. =/\=

Jaseb and Savel exchanged a glance, silently acknowledging the lieutenant's orders. They didn't waste any time with unnecessary words or comments. Without hesitation, Jaseb grabbed his backpack and equipment, and the two of them began their descent down the steep hill as fast as they could manage, their feet pounding against the rough terrain toward the unknown…


(( Cave, Rakantha Province, Bajor ))

Chevalier left Savel to lead the way from the hilltop towards the cave Gnai and Renirs had become trapped in. They trotted down there because they weren't certain if anyone else was injured when they triggered the explosion.

Renirs: Do we just stand in here until someone comes to get us out? Can’t we use the tricorders to check where the mines are and just not step on them?

Gnai/Jovenan: Response

Renirs: I might have lost mine. Mine, my tricorder, not like ::stops, grimaces in pain::

Gnai/Jovenan: Response

Upon reaching the foot of the hill, the cave was not far away, and they quickly made their way there. Savel's Vulcan physique proved advantageous, as it seemed the trek had minimal effects. As soon as they were down there, he started to assess the situation.

There wasn't much to assess in the dimly lit cave. At least Renirs' voice helped them to locate her. And where she was, Gnai should be somewhere nearby.

Renirs: Okay, but can’t we just walk out the same way we came? And watch out for the slippery parts as well.

Savel: That would depend on the nature of the device you have triggered. The Lieutenant advised there was an explosion. Was it a mine, and if so, how far are you from where you initially triggered it?

Gnai/Renirs/Jovenan: Response

Chevalier: Those wounds do not correspond with open space explosion, plus they mentioned a click sound, so we can discard some kind of wired booby trap. They both are alive, so we can cross out the directional mine as well. Given the fact she still has two functional legs, we can exclude standard land mines. ::smile apologetically:: There is still quite a list of what remains on the menu, but I would go with a pressure plate IED.

Whatever those things were, was not good. It is doubtful that Gnai and Renirs could navigate the same path to get out, even if Gnai remembers it exactly. This is particularly difficult considering that Renirs is injured.

Savel did not give up. He retrieved his tricorder from his utility belt and activated its scanning function. Illuminated by the tricorder's soft glow, he approached the cave entrance with cautious steps, determined to find the answers to the remaining questions.

Savel: Before putting them at further risk, we should evaluate the possibility of the Artemis being able to just beam them away. ::walking back over to Jaseb and Jovenan:: Are either of you aware of any of these minerals being able to prevent a transporter lock on their combadges?

When he returned, he showed his readings to Jo and Jaseb. Jaseb did not need to look at them to know that it would not be as simple as everyone present hoped.

Chevalier: That cave wasn’t on our briefing for this training, Savel. So our orbital sensors did not detect it. If the sensors cannot detect the cave, I doubt they will be able to detect the badges inside it. We will need to go in with the transporter boosters. We can do it. We use ground-penetrating scans to detect IEDs. You, me, we know what to look for. If the boosters will work, that's the best option. ::turns to Jovenan:: Lieutenant, what do you see? You know the science side the best; you are the one in blue. Will transporter boosters help, or will the cavern minerals make this hopeless?

Jovenan/Gnai/Renirs: Response

The option was put on the table. Jovenan understood those things better than the ensign, who had two lectures on the properties of the minerals five years ago. But one thing was certain. Renirs could be badly hurt, and they needed to act quickly. Whatever they faced was not just an alarm to notify the owners of illicit goods hidden inside about intruders.

Savel placed his tricorder back on his utility belt and walked further into the cave to communicate with Gnai and Renirs more easily.

Savel: If I am correct, then this cave functions as a storage area for illicit goods of some sort. It is likely that there are additional mines, though they are probably arranged in a pattern that would allow someone with knowledge of their layout to safely navigate the cave in order to retrieve what was stored here. We only need to discover this pattern to give you a safe route to the exit.

Ensign Chevalier responded with a dismissive nod of his head. They had limited information about the extent of the injuries sustained by the Renirs. Moreover, they were uncertain about the time it would take to reach them. It was imperative to have a contingency plan to ensure their rescue effort's success.

Chevalier: We may not have time to get them out. I will take the transport boosters. Some backup solutions are always better than having none. They can work; if they don't, we leave them there.

Jovenan/Gnai/Renirs: Response

Jaseb turned from the cave's entrance and runned back to the shuttle. Finding the transport boosters was no problem, there was always some in the emergency supplies. Chevalier quickly pulled out all six booster bars and stuffed them into the backpack for their transport. His he left behind.

It took less than three minutes before he was back, out of breath but ready. He nodded to Savel, and gave Jovenan one last look. Both ensign stepped into the cave, tricorders ready, modified to detect anything unusual through a ground penetrating scan. Their low-pitched hum was slightly unsettling, but also reassuring. There was nothing in their immediate vicinity that could threaten them.

It took several hundred feet for the hum to turn into a screech. Jaseb nodded at Savel, took out the overalls from his pocket and placed it on the ground. They took a couple steps back and went around the marker in an arc. Their tricorders hummed, they were ok. They continued their uncertain way forward, lined with stalactites. It didn’t take long and the hum turned into a screech again. Another marker, another go around.

Jaseb tricorder nodded another thing shortly after. The signal from the shuttle transporter on the top of his tricorder screen dropped to the last digit. The Ensign stopped, pulled one of the boosters from behind his back and stuck it into the ground. He turned its activation ring and the booster lit up. The signal on the tricorder display rose to full range again. Chevalier breathed a sigh of relief. It was good.

Chevalier: Savel? We have continuous connection to the shuttle. It works.

Savel: Response

Jaseb smiled and followed Savel. Their expedition had a backup plan, increasing their chances of success. Unbeknownst to them, this was the moment when their luck ran out. After a few more minutes, they had already covered a significant portion of the path towards their colleagues. At that moment, Jaseb was more focused on checking the weakening signal of the connection with the shuttle than on the path ahead, causing him to trip over one of the newly formed stalactites. Chevalier quickly jumped forward to prevent himself from falling but as he took a second step to finally match his unsteadiness with the third step, his tricorder began beeping frantically.

As Jaseb's foot touched the ground, the barely audible click confirmed what his tricorder had predicted. He looked at Savel.

Chevalier: Wait! Stay back!

Savel: Response

Jaseb looked down at his feet and then at his tricorder. He turned off the tricorder’s sound alert, which was useless now. With a slow movement, Chevalier removed the backpack with transporter boosters from his back and hurled it toward Savel.

Chevalier: ::breathing raggedly:: Savel, you need to continue. I’m okay. I think as long as I keep my feet on it, it will not explode. Go and save Gnai and Renirs. I will analyze that IED and the lieutenant will call support from Artemis...and they will get me out. Okay, Savel? Go!

Savel/Jovenan/Gnai/Renirs: Response

TAG/TBC

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Ensign Jaseb Chevalier

Operations Officer

U.S.S. Artemis-A

A240009JC1