Ensign Savel - Something Wicked This Way Comes (Maybe)
Savel
((La’kso Canyon | Meranuge IV))
Kader: I have to admit, that's a very noble pursuit Savel. Say, you mentioned atoning a while back. Surely you don't have any mistakes that heavy on your conscience right?
Savel: I do not. Regretting a mistake is illogical. It changes nothing.
Jovenan: Well, I guess I could have been working better and faster during the three missions I’ve been on. And on the last shore leave, during a training exercise I dropped my holographic patient – and she died… But nobody real has gotten hurt because of me, I can probably live with that. That reminds me, do you want to hear what we did on my first shore leave on the Excalibur?
Before anyone could respond to Jovenan, they were interrupted by the loud call of what sounded like a bird.
Lorana: Savel, what size is this creature of yours?
Savel: They have a wingspan of approximately six meters. At least, that is the largest recorded. Though, I will remind you all these creatures have been scarcely studied.
A look up at the sky didn't reveal the creature in its entirety but they could have seen something large flying overhead. It might have been a rather intimidating sight to those with the unfortunate emotion of fear running through them.
Jovenan: Th-they don’t eat people, do they?
As the creature faded in the distance, going out of sight due to the terrain surrounding the group, Savel looked down to Jovenan.
Savel: There are no recent recorded cases of attacks against humanoids.
Probably not the most comforting news. But hey, at least there was an attack the day before they decided to make the trip.
Kader: I know at least one of you saw this as well.
Thanks to his sensitive hearing, Savel could still hear the wings flapping slowly while the bird flew away from them. At least it wasn't circling above, that would be a sign of a potential incoming attack.
Jovenan: Looks like it went that way ::points::. Does anybody know if they can be a threat to us?
Savel might surprise the rest of the group to let it slip that he had a personal interest in ornithology. Specifically, those that fit into the category that came from other worlds, just like the scaled monarch they had potentially just spotted. But he felt no reason to share just yet. It did, however, allow him to share a few known facts in addition to the ones that Lorana told them.
Lorana: I only had a cursory glance. They're an omnivore. They make their habitats within the peaks of the higher canyons that are inaccessible to humanoids by foot. I marked our route to avoid those known habitats as I believe it's hatching season for them. It may be looking for small animals to feed on and bring to its young.
Savel: We do know they are very protective over their offspring. Their hatching season lasts most of the year which prevents researchers from getting close enough to learn more about them. I highly recommend we follow Lorana's route and avoid any known nesting spots.
Kader: Response
There thankfully didn't seem to be any disagreements with that train of thought among the group.
Jovenan: I guess we can keep going, then. Let’s just… not look like a prey.
Lorana: Agreed.
Kader: Response
Jovenan: Have you kept track of our heading, Luxa? I would like to see some of those fluorescent mineral deposits or something else interesting and maybe have lunch there.
Lorana: Yes, we should begin to see the deposits about half a click along this ridge. We could then safely grapple down the canyon. :: Points on her PADD :: Here's where we can have lunch? I think I'd like to avoid being eaten by a scaled monarch… that's not the kind of interesting I'm looking for.
Finding themselves to be the lunch for a large bird-like creature would not have been the ideal way for their trip to end.
Savel: That should not be a cause for concern. As long as no one has brought provisions that might attract the monarch.
Kader: Response
They were at least about to move past such terrible thoughts and go onto Jovenan's much more lighthearted story about how she and Hiro almost perished in the cold darkness of space.
Jovenan: Right. On my first shoreleave, Commander Niac took me and two other ensigns – Hiro, Doctor Jones, you know him, he was there – to a spacewalk on the ship’s hull. Just before the shoreleave, the ship had been decapacitated by a virus, and apparently it was still influencing the systems. The hatch got locked and we couldn’t get in.
Lorana: That's one of my worst nightmares.
Savel: How unfortunate.
Way to be supportive, Savel.
Kader: Response
Jovenan: We were docked on the Deep Space 224, so our only option was to jump from the ship to a small airlock on the station. Our suits also failed because of the virus, so we couldn’t control it, it was just freefall to the airlock.
Lorana: I'm happy you made it, Jovenan.
Savel: What of Commander Niac?
There was no point in asking after Doctor Jones, he was alive and well on the ship above. As far as they all knew, at least.
Kader: Response
Lorana: :: points ahead :: This terrain is a little tricky.
Thankfully Lorana had natural affinity for conquering that sort of challenge.
Lorana: I can leap up there and pull you up? That may be best.
Savel: I will go after you. I can help lift whoever is left.
Jovenan/Kader: Responses
Though, it wasn't the extra strength afforded to both Lorana and Savel, thanks to their species, that was going to help them stay out of danger right now. It was their enhanced hearing.
Lorana: We're not alone.
Savel couldn't pick up the smell like Luxa could, but he did pick up on the noises shortly after. His head snapped toward the noises, and he immediately pulled the phaser from his hip, setting it on one of the lower stun levels just in case.
Lorana: The nearest population centre is over 100 miles away. As far as I'm aware there is no farmland nearby?
Savel: You are correct, Luxa.
There wasn't much chance that they were going to run into any other curious campers in this part of the planet, it wasn't exactly the biggest tourist destination around.
Kader/Jovenan: Responses
Savel: Anyone unarmed, please stand behind me.
He hadn't seen who else might have brought along any defense, though that probably should have been a list he was aware of in his head. But he wouldn't have minded finding out now that someone else had brought along at least a stun-only phaser. Either way, his attention was returned to the approaching noise.
Savel: This is Ensign Savel, of the Starfleet vessel Artemis. Your being here is no longer a secret. Present yourself to us now, or your secrecy will be interpreted as a threat.
Any: Response
It was difficult to know if the one that Luxa and Savel had heard was sneaking around with the intention to harm. But Savel believed the best counter to that, should it be true, was to inform their stalker that they had been discovered. It might prompt them to flee or at least come out of hiding. A direct threat was easier to face.
Savel: Luxa, let me know if you detect any additional signs of movement.
Lorana: Response
With their tricorders being spotty at best in this area, the Caitian might be their best detector or any potential threats.
Savel: Flint, Jovenan, should danger present itself, do not take any unnecessary risks. A retreat to the shuttle would be our best strategy.
Jovenan/Kader: Response
Even if they had brought phasers or other weapons with them, this was not a mission that had consequences should they fail to accomplish an objective. They all just needed to get back to the ship in one piece.
Tags/TBC