Commander Ava Munro - Truth and Reason
Ava Munro
((Somewhere Between The Edge of the Forest and the Mouth of the Gorge - Callis I))
((6.15 hours after Crash))
Imril and Silveira had disappeared to gather firewood while Ava and the Bajoran doctor stayed within the shelter. It was more a nook carved out the side of a large rock.
Ava had wrapped herself in one of the provided blankets after removing the soaked outer garment of her uniform.
It was the best they could do, especially with nightfall upon them.
Jaran: ::pulling out the root they’d collected earlier:: Two options: you can chew on this and see if it has any undiscovered analgesic qualities, or I can knock you out with the anesthizine in this pack completely. Take your pick, and I take no responsibilities for anything you do under the influence.
Ava shook her head and waved her hand in polite dismissal. Neither option seemed appealing and the pain was merely a throb now. She figured it would hurt for a few days. Pain she could handle. For now.
At least it seemed to have grounded her back to herself again. The panic that had threatened to overcome her was now nothing more than a nauseous feeling in the pit of her stomach. Bearable.
Munro: I would never live it down. Not for a, what did you call it? An echomossa?
Jaran: ::idly:: Ecchymosis. Bruise. Enkuram. Wadi-yarek. Ouchie.
The word ouchie made her laugh. Thoughts of Harper as a young girl. Bruised knees and elbows and always with the Ouchie.
oO Mummy, I've done an Ouchie Oo
It was a fond memory. Something to hold onto in the darkness of an alien planet. She would see Harper again… she might never hear her say the word Ouchie again though.
Munro: :: smiles :: I've done an Ouchie. My -
Before she could finish the sentence there was a reminder of the dangers all around them. Not that they needed one.
A loud sound overhead drew her attention. Red flashing of light hit the nearby yellow rocks.
Jaran: ::looking up:: Well, we’re not dead. That’s a good sign.
Munro: And that's not going to change.
Jaran: So. ::beat:: What’s… ummm… ::beat:: what’s the plan, commander?
There it was. Spoken so plainly.
What is the plan?
A reminder that it was her duty to have the plan, to figure out a way off this planet. To keep them safe.
And that's what she intended to do.
Munro: The plan? :: sighs :: Between you and me. I don't have one. Staying alive is the best I've got for us.
She kicked some dirt awkwardly before she met Jira’s eyes.
Munro: Tonight we rest. We have shelter, we have supplies and we should have fire. Tomorrow, we will figure it out. We can survey the area. Try to figure out if anyone else made it from the Karnack. Then we get ourselves off this planet.
There was a pause. Jaran didn't respond for several moments, she could hear the machinations of their mind at work but she didn't know them well enough to hazard a guess at what they could be thinking, so she just waited.
With a motion almost like the panicked scurry of a beast, they moved themselves into the posture of prayer. Self-consciously, they looked towards her.
Jaran: With your permission, Commander, I would like to pray. I believe we’re out of immediate danger, and this is important to me. I recognise it’s not to protocol.
Ava leaned forward gently.
Munro: You have my permission but you never need to ask for it. Can I :: hesitated :: can I join you?
It was an unexpected request from her. She had been raised on the principles of science and engineering. There was no room for Prophets, Gods or Deities. Science held the answer in its truth. Engineering had reason on its side.
But what if truth and reason weren't enough.
Jaran: Response
Ava moved closer to Jaran, and lowered herself to her knees. Leaving the blanket behind where she had been seated.
The former Ranjen led them in prayer. She clasped her hands together and raised them, bowing her head slightly.
((OOC: leaving this open for the Doctor Ranjen to fill in the blanks and lead the prayer))
Never in her life had she prayed before. At first she felt self conscious, as if the very act was counter to her beliefs and then with the gently guidance of Jaran she felt something else.
It wasn't peace, the gnawing anxiety of the situation would not allow that. It was something more like certainty.
An extension of truth and reason. Clarity… somehow she knew that they would survive. She opened her eyes and looked towards Jaran.
Speechless.
Then through the quiet came another voice…
Imril: Permission to come aboard?
Ava released her hands from its clasp. A blush of shame coloured her cheeks, and she tried to offer an apologetic smile towards Jaran. This would need to wait.
Munro: :: going along with the joke :: Welcome to our humble abode. Pull up a seat and make yourself comfortable :: laughs :: This reminds me of being an ensign, I had to bunk in a corridor with eleven other cadets.
Ava moved back towards her own corner and pulled the blanket around her.
Jaran: Response
The two foragers got to work making a campfire.
Imril: Is there anything in the packs that can be used to collect rain water? Now that we’re out of the storm, we should take advantage of it. We'd best filter it before we use it, though. I don’t trust purple clouds. There are plenty of non-yellow stones outside to make a stone filter from.
Silveira: If we get something to hold it that is fireproof we can boil the water.
Ava looked through the pack, and produced the casing for a scanner. She removed the scanner and the soft lining.
Munro: It's not very large but if we can gather enough I think we can create a supply :: pick up a pack :: Once I empty this I can probably fashion a larder. Means we can take water with us when we move again.
Jaran/Imril: Response
Silveira was successful in lighting the fire, she watched with satisfaction as the warm glow lit up her crew mates and the surrounding area. It felt cosy. It felt safe.
And she knew that wasn't the case but for a second it was nice to let herself feel like it was.
Silveira: This feels so good.
Munro: I can feel the heat already. We should get some sleep. I have a feeling we might be busy tomorrow.
Jaran/Imril: Response
Silveira: I am sorry… ::he yawned:: I didn’t understood… But someone better take the first watch, I am feeling so sleepy…
She was beginning to see what the young, sensible Edo woman saw in the charming Portuguesean.
Munro: I'll go first. Two hour rotations. Silveira is next, then Imril and Jaran you'll be last.
Silveira/Jaran/Imril: Response.
As the officers all began to follow their own routines for getting sleep. She took a position next to the fire and equipped herself with the hatchet used for chopping the wood, and several of the thicker, longer branches. She began to carve a pointed end to them.
Then the forest came alive. She could hear them. Skittering, hissing, crying, howling, screeching, gurgling.
An orchestra of horror. But for now the fire appeared to keep them at bay. She didn't think that would last long …
((OOC - doing a slight time jump until morning - feel free to sim your characters watch if you'd like))
((14 hours since crash))
Ava woke to the brightness, and that purple hazed sky. It felt like a dream world. Something that wasn't real. She wanted to go back to sleep and wake up in her quarters.
Instead she pushed herself up and turned to Jaran.
Munro: What's for breakfast, Doctor?
Jaran: Response
Silveira/Imril: Response
Ava stood up and after a few stretches she took stock of the environment. Now that there wasn't a storm or the darkness she could take in their surroundings better.
It would appear that they were no longer on the side of the gorge. Instead they were on a plateau of a mountainside. Below them was a dense carpet of trees.
Beyond that was dark, purple mountains. They looked unnatural, like they were shining. And then she saw it…
Smoke, a light grey smoke told her it was likely coming from a controlled campfire … in the centre of the jungle. Survivors?
She smiled.
Munro: :: points :: Take a look at that :: hopeful :’ We aren't the only ones that made it?
Jaran/Silveira/Imril: Response
((OOC: please just go with my campfire being light grey, I saw it in a movie haha.))
Tags/TBC
First Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240004LL2