LT Tamio K'Wara - Blue and Gold; To Each our Strengths

[LT Tamio K'Wara]

(( Inside the Cliffs - Callis I ))

Bergmen: Did you find anything interesting in the tunnels, ma'am? Is there a way out?

‘Interesting’ was certainly a word one could use, though this particular brand of interesting was the least welcome one.

Jovenan: No exit, at least not immediately, but we found something… else. Some bones. Dry, maybe very old. We’ll need to have a closer look later, but there is a small possibility they belonged to the people who made these drawings. No other signs of animals, but there might be some, so when we go to sleep, we’ll need to have someone take watch, and maybe set up an alarm system.

Bancroft: ::thoughtful:: Old bones doesn’t necessarily mean present danger. But an alarm system is a very good idea regardless.

K’Wara: Only helps keep us a bit on our toes, which, conversely, isn’t such a bad thing. ::to Bergmen:: How are we looking with our current inventory, Olliver?

Bergmen: So, I've checked our rations, and we should be good for some time if we ration them a bit. With water and the ability to make a fire, we should be immediately out of trouble, ma’am. (beat) Sir.

Jovenan: Good. When the fire’s safe, we can warm our food and have a small bite. ::pause:: Anyone having ideas for the alarm system or other improvements? Lieutenant K’Wara suggested making a tripwire with the bones.

Bancroft: Early warning is early warning. ::beat:: From a personal standpoint, I’d sleep better if our alarm didn’t involve skeletal remains. ::looking to the group:: Do we have any metal we could hang up? Make some noise without spooky symbolism?

Tamio filed away the knowledge that Roy was mildly superstitious - even if only with regards to something’s ‘spooky’ quality - for later, as they dug into one of the backpacks. As much as they agreed that the notion of disturbing the dead was disconcerting on a spiritual level - and Tamio did consider themself possessed of a certain wistful nature that considered such things, even if purely due to their sense of aesthetics - Tamio was not willing to disregard a valid plan that didn’t sacrifice more important materials for something that was otherwise useless.

K’Wara: Not much useless metal that would be easily adjusted to work a tripwire noisemaker, no, and we don’t have any tools able to drill holes into metals for the rope to go through… ::pulls out two of the six water canisters:: We do have these? If we empty one of them, fill it with pebbles? More would equal more noise, but I don’t want to waste water.

Tamio didn’t like the notion of wasting water that they knew for a fact to be 100% safe only to replace it with water that they just knew to be drinkable, but it was a way to circumvent the ‘spooky factor’.

Bergmen: Response

Jovenan: ::smile:: Good thing I got stranded with all the smartest people. Do we have any cloth with us? We could try to close off one of the tunnels with it. Animals might not realise they can get through, and if they do, it’ll be easier to see and hear them tear through it.

Tamio nodded.

K’Wara: We’ve got some reinforced tarpaulin that should do the trick. It’ll take some strength to tear through, would certainly wake us up too, but we’ve only got enough for the one tunnel.

Bergmen: Response

The group sat down at the campfire itself as Jovenan started pulling out rations from one of the packs. Tamio accepted one, before sharing their most empty water canister around for everyone to get a good swig. Then, it was time to get working on their emergency measures.

K’Wara: Olliver, can you get started on the noisemaker? Fill the empty canister with some pebbles and try to get it tied up? I’ll measure the corridor openings, find one that our tarpaulin can cover.

Tamio stood up to head off, hearing Jovenan ask a question just as they left.

Jovenan: Have you had a chance to look at the carvings? That over there looks like writing, but these figures are clearly drawings. Maybe they tell a scene?

Bancroft: No, ma’am. Ollie and I have been prioritizing the ‘don’t die’ portion of the evening. ::beat, looking at the fire:: But with the basics covered now, a little intellectual curiosity sounds great.

Bergmen: Response

Time for the eggheads to egghead, and for Tamio to make sure nothing snuck into the cavern while they did so. They headed straight for the nearest corridor, holding up one of the chemical lights to see it more clearly.

oO The chemical lights are approximately 6 inches long, so at a blush... Oo

(( OOC: I’m keeping in the tags for ease, but presume Tamio can’t hear any of it over our very noisy water faucet ))

Bancroft: ::quietly curious:: Do you see how these repeat? Not identically – just… consistently. Does it look like counting to anyone else?

Bergmen/Jovenan: Response

Measuring out the tunnel openings took a little time when you had to do it like this, but alas, it was what it was. 

Bancroft: ::more certain:: This doesn’t feel like art. It feels like… instruction. Or record-keeping. Something made to be used, not admired.

Bergmen/Jovenan: Response

The tunnel with the bones in it was the smallest one, so that’d be the one they use the tarpaulin for, while the tunnel right next to it would be the one where they put up the noisemaker. Tamio dipped into the tunnel ever so briefly, just to make sure there was a good place for a tripwire to be drawn, before heading back towards the camp.

As they came back, they caught the tail end of something Roy was saying.

Bancroft: ::glancing between the two sections:: What if these aren’t separate? What if the figures are referencing the writing – or vice versa? Like… a code. Or a puzzle.

K’Wara: Codes or puzzles usually mean secrets. You think our cavedweller was trying to make sure they weren’t easily understood? ::to Olliver:: You done with the noisemaker?

They plopped down next to him, starting to pull the tarpaulin out of the backpack along with a couple of tent pegs. Now, how come Starfleet made sure to include that in their survival kit, but not one of those archaic manual measuring tapes?

When they made it off of this rock, Tamio was going to order a complete overhaul of the Artemis’ escape pod inventories.

Bergmen: Response

Jovenan/Bancroft: Response

K’Wara: All right. Give us 10 minutes, and we’ll have the two tunnels over there safeguarded.

Bergmen/Jovenan/Bancroft: Response

K’Wara: Roger that. ::to Olliver:: Come on. Let's get this done.

They made a gesture with their head towards the two tunnels, carrying the tarpaulin and the tent pegs in their arms as they headed away from the campfire once more. They came to a halt at the first tunnel, pointing inside.

K'Wara: Down this way, about 4 metres. There are some good almost stalagmite-like rock formations that should make it relatively simple to tie the noisemaker.

Bergmen: Response

K'Wara: Good idea. Okay, do that. I'll keep watch, and then we can help each other with the tarpaulin afterwards. ::shrug:: I'm not quite tall enough to get the upper edges above the lip of the opening.

Bergmen: Response

TAG/TBC

LT Tamio K’Wara

Chief of Operations

USS Artemis-A

A240006GS1