Ens. Gnai - BLAST!
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Lich
Apr 20, 2024, 1:20:57 AMApr 20
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((Rakantha Province, Bajor))
As they walked to the cave that Renirs had spotted, Gnai thought it prudent to call in to Lt. Jovenan, if only to ensure that she would not worry if they disappeared from the horizon. Who knew how long they might take this detour into the cave? It might hold clues towards the mystery of the toxins... or it might hold nothing at all. But either way, they were going to investigate it because Gnai's curiosity had been piqued.
With hope, Renirs wouldn't take it calling in about the find too poorly. She seemed to like dodging work and authority, but it thought that it would be better to inform the lieutenant, rather than have her running all over in a tizzy looking for them if they appeared to have disappeared.
Gnai: =/\= Ensign Gnai to Lieutenant Jovenan. Renirs has spotted a cave that may be of interest in the investigation of the river toxins. Please do not worry if you cannot see anyone near the river, no one has disappeared, sir. =/\=
Renirs shot it a look, before starting to clear the cave entrance. That wasn't a good look, it knew. Oh well. What was done was done.
... Strange that there was so much rubble at the front of the cave, placed like this. It was mildly confused as to how it ended up there, as the rocks didn't look smooth like those that would likely have been moved along by the river as it wound through the countryside. But Lt. Jovenan was responding, so that thought could be finished later.
Jovenan: =/\= Jovenan here. Okay, you can start studying the cave, but don’t wander off too far. I’ll be joining you two in a moment. =/\=
Oh, that hadn't been what it wanted either. Having a superior officer there supervising meant that as soon as the cave was determined not to be relevant, they'd likely have to leave it to continue their little quest. What a shame that would be, to only scratch the surface of an interesting find like this!
Gnai wasn't going to complain though. It had enough good sense about it to realize that attempting to talk someone out of coming to check on oneself would likely lead to them investigating with far more urgency than before one complained.
Gnai: =/\= Thank you, sir. Utmost care and concern will be taken towards safety. Do not worry. =/\=
Jovenan: =/\= I expect nothing less. See you in a bit. =/\=
That was that, then. Lt. Jovenan would be joining them soon. But it looked like Renirs had carved out enough of an opening for them to both walk into the cave together, tricorder in hand. Gnai slowly swept the tricorder over the nearest wall, and then looked at the screen's readout. Calcium carbonate, and other trace minerals made up the walls of the cave. Well that settled it. The data were clear, this was a natural cave formed from soluble rock, even if the rubble at the entrance was more likely to have been put there by something or someone far later.
Renirs: The heck is this smell? It’s like some single guys first flat in here. ::foot slides in slippery rock:: Ew!
Gnai: Any smell is likely due to residual water... Careful!
The low light would make tripping far more likely, and with the clear signs, in Gnai's mind, of tampering... Who knew what might lurk inside? Gnai made a conscious effort to try and brighten up more, as much as it felt comfortable doing in the dark. It wasn't much, but if it could see just a slight bit better where it might be putting the suit's feet, that would be enough.
Renirs: So, what do you think this cave is for? I wanna find some old Cardie guns, those are expensive. Or a bear!
Gnai lifted the arms of its suit in a shrug. A decent question, and it wasn't certain it had an answer, so it wandered a bit more, scanning the base of a broken off stalagmite. Had this been deliberately broken like this?
Gnai: ::after a lengthy pause to think:: Unclear. The cave is natural, but the entrance blockage was not. ::scanning another broken stalagmite:: It appears that something cleared the stalagmites that had formed in the cave. ::pause, and then with a louder volume from its speakers as who knows how far Renirs had wandered off in this dark:: You may not be too far off with your hopes of Cardassian influence! ::quieter, to itself:: Hopefully you are though.
Having to deal with stockpiled... whatever that the Occupation had left behind in this random cave was not something that Gnai was excited about. Not only would the danger be far higher for them, but it would also mean that as soon as they reported such a find, this trip would be over. There would be work to be done to clear the cave of anything dangerous, and paperwork (but most likely they would be spared the bulk of it, as neither of them were the ranking officer).
But as Gnai had come to expect from the mission, absolutely nothing was ever going to go according to plan. Even from where it was, reasonably distant from Renirs, the click echoed through the cave.
Renirs: Huh?
As did the resulting explosion. Gnai hadn't realized how large the cave was until the light from whatever defense Renirs had stepped on briefly illuminated the place, but it was far more expansive than it had realized initially. And in the brief flash, its suspicions were confirmed - stalactites and stalagmites of all sizes were cleared from most of the cavern. This was the work of someone, but whether it was Bajoran or Cardassian was hard to know.
Gnai: ::loud again:: Crewman Renirs!! Are you okay!
Renirs: Response
That was concerning, and Gnai decided to throw most - not all - caution to the wind and make haste as much as it could to where Renirs' voice had come from. She had sounded winded, probably from the impact. Oh this was not good. Not good in the slightest. Lt. Jovenan had asked them to not wander off...
In its haste, it stumbled a bit on one of the broken stalagmites, careening forwards until it caught the foot of its suit on the ground and stabilized itself. It wouldn't do to take the both of them out of commission, not before Lt. Jovenan could get here. Gnai slowed its pace slightly, and soon the glow from its tendrils illuminated the Trill crewman. She didn't look that bad, but she didn't look that good either. It was hard to tell, at least to Gnai. All it could say was that she was certainly alive, and certainly injured in some capacity. Once again, it felt a twinge of regret at brushing off the first aid course it had been required to take at the Academy.
Gnai: ::kneeling in its suit next to her:: Renirs, what happened? There was a flash, did you set something off? ::pause:: Can you move? It may be prudent to move you from the cave if you are seriously injured.
Some sort of defense system, perhaps? Did this mean that she had been right then? That there was something in this cave that someone had stored away, and cared enough that it remained untouched as to defend it. Who had put it here, and what it was was a mystery... one that looked like they wouldn't solve, now that Renirs was lying on the ground of the cave injured.
Renirs: Response
Before Gnai could speak, Lt. Jovenan's voice rang out from the entrance of the cave. She was fast, it seemed.
Jovenan: Response
Gnai: Lieutenant Jovenan, there is some sort of defensive mechanism in here it seems! Caution is advised. ::extending a mechanical hand to Renirs:: Perhaps leaving might be wise.
A shame to have to cut the cave exploration short, most likely, but it wasn't going to abandon Renirs and run off to investigate and probably get blasted around itself. That would be a horrible idea.
Renirs/Jovenan: Response
--
As they walked to the cave that Renirs had spotted, Gnai thought it prudent to call in to Lt. Jovenan, if only to ensure that she would not worry if they disappeared from the horizon. Who knew how long they might take this detour into the cave? It might hold clues towards the mystery of the toxins... or it might hold nothing at all. But either way, they were going to investigate it because Gnai's curiosity had been piqued.
With hope, Renirs wouldn't take it calling in about the find too poorly. She seemed to like dodging work and authority, but it thought that it would be better to inform the lieutenant, rather than have her running all over in a tizzy looking for them if they appeared to have disappeared.
Gnai: =/\= Ensign Gnai to Lieutenant Jovenan. Renirs has spotted a cave that may be of interest in the investigation of the river toxins. Please do not worry if you cannot see anyone near the river, no one has disappeared, sir. =/\=
Renirs shot it a look, before starting to clear the cave entrance. That wasn't a good look, it knew. Oh well. What was done was done.
... Strange that there was so much rubble at the front of the cave, placed like this. It was mildly confused as to how it ended up there, as the rocks didn't look smooth like those that would likely have been moved along by the river as it wound through the countryside. But Lt. Jovenan was responding, so that thought could be finished later.
Jovenan: =/\= Jovenan here. Okay, you can start studying the cave, but don’t wander off too far. I’ll be joining you two in a moment. =/\=
Oh, that hadn't been what it wanted either. Having a superior officer there supervising meant that as soon as the cave was determined not to be relevant, they'd likely have to leave it to continue their little quest. What a shame that would be, to only scratch the surface of an interesting find like this!
Gnai wasn't going to complain though. It had enough good sense about it to realize that attempting to talk someone out of coming to check on oneself would likely lead to them investigating with far more urgency than before one complained.
Gnai: =/\= Thank you, sir. Utmost care and concern will be taken towards safety. Do not worry. =/\=
Jovenan: =/\= I expect nothing less. See you in a bit. =/\=
That was that, then. Lt. Jovenan would be joining them soon. But it looked like Renirs had carved out enough of an opening for them to both walk into the cave together, tricorder in hand. Gnai slowly swept the tricorder over the nearest wall, and then looked at the screen's readout. Calcium carbonate, and other trace minerals made up the walls of the cave. Well that settled it. The data were clear, this was a natural cave formed from soluble rock, even if the rubble at the entrance was more likely to have been put there by something or someone far later.
Renirs: The heck is this smell? It’s like some single guys first flat in here. ::foot slides in slippery rock:: Ew!
Gnai: Any smell is likely due to residual water... Careful!
The low light would make tripping far more likely, and with the clear signs, in Gnai's mind, of tampering... Who knew what might lurk inside? Gnai made a conscious effort to try and brighten up more, as much as it felt comfortable doing in the dark. It wasn't much, but if it could see just a slight bit better where it might be putting the suit's feet, that would be enough.
Renirs: So, what do you think this cave is for? I wanna find some old Cardie guns, those are expensive. Or a bear!
Gnai lifted the arms of its suit in a shrug. A decent question, and it wasn't certain it had an answer, so it wandered a bit more, scanning the base of a broken off stalagmite. Had this been deliberately broken like this?
Gnai: ::after a lengthy pause to think:: Unclear. The cave is natural, but the entrance blockage was not. ::scanning another broken stalagmite:: It appears that something cleared the stalagmites that had formed in the cave. ::pause, and then with a louder volume from its speakers as who knows how far Renirs had wandered off in this dark:: You may not be too far off with your hopes of Cardassian influence! ::quieter, to itself:: Hopefully you are though.
Having to deal with stockpiled... whatever that the Occupation had left behind in this random cave was not something that Gnai was excited about. Not only would the danger be far higher for them, but it would also mean that as soon as they reported such a find, this trip would be over. There would be work to be done to clear the cave of anything dangerous, and paperwork (but most likely they would be spared the bulk of it, as neither of them were the ranking officer).
But as Gnai had come to expect from the mission, absolutely nothing was ever going to go according to plan. Even from where it was, reasonably distant from Renirs, the click echoed through the cave.
Renirs: Huh?
As did the resulting explosion. Gnai hadn't realized how large the cave was until the light from whatever defense Renirs had stepped on briefly illuminated the place, but it was far more expansive than it had realized initially. And in the brief flash, its suspicions were confirmed - stalactites and stalagmites of all sizes were cleared from most of the cavern. This was the work of someone, but whether it was Bajoran or Cardassian was hard to know.
Gnai: ::loud again:: Crewman Renirs!! Are you okay!
Renirs: Response
That was concerning, and Gnai decided to throw most - not all - caution to the wind and make haste as much as it could to where Renirs' voice had come from. She had sounded winded, probably from the impact. Oh this was not good. Not good in the slightest. Lt. Jovenan had asked them to not wander off...
In its haste, it stumbled a bit on one of the broken stalagmites, careening forwards until it caught the foot of its suit on the ground and stabilized itself. It wouldn't do to take the both of them out of commission, not before Lt. Jovenan could get here. Gnai slowed its pace slightly, and soon the glow from its tendrils illuminated the Trill crewman. She didn't look that bad, but she didn't look that good either. It was hard to tell, at least to Gnai. All it could say was that she was certainly alive, and certainly injured in some capacity. Once again, it felt a twinge of regret at brushing off the first aid course it had been required to take at the Academy.
Gnai: ::kneeling in its suit next to her:: Renirs, what happened? There was a flash, did you set something off? ::pause:: Can you move? It may be prudent to move you from the cave if you are seriously injured.
Some sort of defense system, perhaps? Did this mean that she had been right then? That there was something in this cave that someone had stored away, and cared enough that it remained untouched as to defend it. Who had put it here, and what it was was a mystery... one that looked like they wouldn't solve, now that Renirs was lying on the ground of the cave injured.
Renirs: Response
Before Gnai could speak, Lt. Jovenan's voice rang out from the entrance of the cave. She was fast, it seemed.
Jovenan: Response
Gnai: Lieutenant Jovenan, there is some sort of defensive mechanism in here it seems! Caution is advised. ::extending a mechanical hand to Renirs:: Perhaps leaving might be wise.
A shame to have to cut the cave exploration short, most likely, but it wasn't going to abandon Renirs and run off to investigate and probably get blasted around itself. That would be a horrible idea.
Renirs/Jovenan: Response
TAG/TBC
Ensign Gnai
Science Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240102G11
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