LT Tamio K'Wara - Take note, Hollywood: ventilation systems are AWFUL hiding spots

[LT Tamio K'Wara]

(( Inside the Cliffs - Callis I ))

It was a curious feeling. The universe was a place filled with wondrous things - often wondrously scary things as well - and unless you lived it, it was a difficult sensation to share in After Action Reports. Oh, they’d read plenty of those, marvelled at the details listed within, grumbled about the utter lack of embellishment that failed to make them visualize the scenery, and felt relief at the knowledge that despite all evidence to the contrary, their friends and colleagues had made it out of the encounter no worse for wear.

But of course, the reason Tamio could look back fondly at those reports - recall them with that excitement and inquisitive spirit - was because they were written after the fact. Now, they were in the thick of it - trapped in a nightmare scenario where the outcome was not yet certain, and their lives were most certainly not assured - and it was a lot less exciting than Tamio recalled.

Jovenan: If it’s made by someone intelligent, it must mean something. ::squints:: But I don’t recognise what it could be. The markings don’t look like any writing system I know.

Tamio focused on the markings on the ceiling when Jovenan’s words broke through their musings, and they narrowed their eyes as they followed the curves of the peculiar grooves.

K’Wara: Well, I can’t see them properly in this light, but ::trails the etchings with a finger:: If I didn’t know better, I’d say we’re looking at a sketch of some sort? Or at least a partial of one?

Bancroft: Which tells us two things. One, this place has been occupied before. ::a pause:: And two – maybe good news for us – whoever or whatever did this had the uninterrupted time to do it.

Jovenan: It also takes a lot of effort to draw something like that. It would be something that they thought important enough of that effort, especially in these conditions.

Which gave them a few options, but markedly less than they had before. Olliver - now seemingly much more calm than he’d been mere moment prior - joined them in the examination of the sketch, and Tamio moved over slightly to allow the much taller Lieutenant the space. He’d be able to see far more than Tamio was.

Bergmen: ::whispers:: iiteliy piɋmen. NeδЫ-zieբné 7ɋřcní. (beat) It doesn’t make sense… But how those scratches are placed in groups… look.. ::points to one group of scratches close together, which are quite apart from others, those gaps from other scratches groupings::

It was a weird thing. Growing up in the Federation were Universal Translators were the norm, even for children, Tamio often forgot that obviously, each of their colleagues would have their own native language. Now that they were on this world with no functional electronics - including the UTs - they considered themself uniquely lucky that every cadet at Starfleet Academy had to pass a Federation Standard course.

K’Wara: It may be a map, although I can’t make heads or tails of it. There’s not exactly a helpful ‘you are here’ point that I can see, and I think exposure to the wind circulation in here may have eroded parts of it.

Bancroft: ::contemplative:: Maybe… though it’s like no map I’ve ever seen before. Not that that means much. ::turning to Bergmen and Jovenan:: Ollie, Commander?

Jovenan: A map is a good guess. If the interior of the caves is as winding as the exterior suggested, then there was a high chance of getting lost. A resident of these tunnels might have wanted to mark the paths somehow.

And if it was a map, Tamio reasoned, they would have tried to indicate any places of note. Places with resources for survival, recommended camp spots... And locations to avoid at all costs.

Bergmen: Map… (beat) ::whispers:: 7ɋřcní (beat) Look ::points to what looks like two opposing twist lines:: It looks sign or symbol, and under it… ::trying to pronounce:: Rẻs. Kchéz. ::sights:: Whatever. It’s almost like letters. And same here ::points to what looks like a star in two interrupted circles:: yet those looks… I don’t know. It just feels wrong. And what seems like letters upwards ::try to slowly pronounce:: NeЫsbeené Sócheení…. It’s much longer than the first one. Maybe it’s a map, and we don't understand it because of Baldwin’s theory.

Tamio waited for Olliver to explain what exactly Baldwin’s Theory was, but was left wanting. Whether it was due to Baldwin’s theory, or the fact that they had no UT to help them, the fact of the matter was that they weren’t going to be able to read the map anyways.

Bancroft: Either way, whoever made this expected someone else to come along eventually – even if they didn’t expect it to be us.

Jovenan: That seems possible. If they had been just leaving markers for themselves while exploring the caves, I don’t think they would have made a map like this instead of just a few words or symbols. ::looks at others:: Like we should write the word “out” or make an arrow, marking this tunnel if we come to a crossroads so that we can leave eventually.

Bergmen: ::sighs:: It would be lovely to have a reference that explains what means what…

Tamio nodded, in complete agreement. But even if they didn’t know yet, there was no reason they couldn’t learn as they went. Starfleet service was 50-50 knowledge and improv, after all.

Bancroft: Might explain why it doesn’t seem to bother to tell you where you are, though. Maybe it assumes that if you can read it, you already know.

Jovenan: If we find more of them, we might come closer to interpreting them. We need to keep eyes open for them. But we can’t do that if we’re dehydrated. Take a gulp, everyone, but remember that the rations need to suffice until we find more.

The group alternated taking sips of water, as Tamio dedicated the partial map imprint to memory. These symbols were important, and the more they learned of whatever civilization left them there for them, the better prepared they’d be for survival.

Bancroft: Response

Jovenan: Are we ready to resume? We can rest for longer if needed, but that’s away from finding resources.

Bergmen: Belê ferm. Almost ready.

Tamio watched as Olliver got ready to leave - hatchet now firmly latched on his waist - and they nodded.

Bergmen: Ready.

K’Wara: As ready as we’ll be, Sir.

Bancroft: Response

The continued trek was just as dark and unwelcome as the one that had preceded it, but with the added carrot of more knowledge - some grander mystery to distract them from their frankly hopeless situation - the Starfleet officers were urged on. It was almost abusive, how the galaxy seemed to offer them the one thing that was sure to keep them moving forwards, even with no chance of a goal in mind.

oO We’re all masochists Oo

Jovenan: Toia majulan!

Jovenan startled backwards, almost smacking into the rest of them, and her high-pitched shriek of foreign words made Tamio jump in shock.

K’Wara: ::undignified yelp::

Bergmen: Ma’am?

Bancroft: Response?

Jovenan didn’t respond immediately, instead peering into the darkness around them in search of whatever it was that had prompted her response, and against their better judgment, Tamio too was convinced to peer into the shadows. They were moving... At least, that’s how it looked.

Jovenan: Sorry. I- I thought I saw something in there. ::looks back:: It’s nothing. My mind’s… Let’s mark the way out. Any ideas which way to follow?

Bergmen: They looked the same, so we can try any of them, whether it leads deeper or goes back toward the mouth of the cave, depending on what we want.

K’Wara: We still need a place to rest. We’re going to be here for a while, and we won’t be able to just march on by taking breathers and drinking water. We need a safe place to make camp, and that certainly won’t be outside while this storm goes on. ::looks around:: Hopefully we can find more maps to show where their artist slept.

Bancroft: Response

They continued walking, with hallway after hallway blending together into a darkened maze of indeterminate walls and moving shadows. Then, eventually, Olliver stopped them.

Bergmen: Wait, look at this. Does it look natural to you? ::points at the rectangular curved sign in the wall of the tunnel from which they came::

K’Wara: Nothing about this place looks natural anymore. ::felinoid irises vibrating:: I’m staring holes into the walls at this point.

Bancroft/Jovenan: Response

Clearly convinced that the odd sign meant something, Olliver looked at the entrance to the other tunnel, searching for something at the ceiling. Likely another map.

Bergmen: ::points to the star on the parallel entrance:: That one I saw before, and I didn’t feel it right even before. Not that way…

Tamio blinked, curious. The star?

K’Wara: Are stars ominous symbols to Gideon?

Bergmen/Bancroft/Jovenan: Response

Tamio shook their head before turning around.

K’Wara: Well, if you don’t want us to go that way, then let’s go another. What we have to do doesn’t change. Find more maps, learn more symbols and hopefully, find an abandoned campsite of some sort. ::to Jovenan:: If we get that lucky.

Bergmen/Bancroft/Jovenan: Response

Tamio nodded, inclined to agree, when they realized something was wrong. The sound of the wind had already become firmly established as a background noise, the haunting melody barely noticed at this point. Ears were curious things, able to filter out even the most ridiculous sounds through nothing but habit.

But habits were dangerous things.

K’Wara: Wait... Do you hear-

Sometimes, changes could sneak in on you.

The subtle howling of the wind moving through the corridors was now like a banshee shrieking as the storm outside reached disastrous heights and Tamio pushed themself into the wall as the wind tore into the hallway, trying to get out of the direct line of fire.

It made sense now why those maps had eroded the way they had.

Bergmen/Bancroft/Jovenan: Response

TAG/TBC

LT Tamio K’Wara

Chief of Operations

USS Artemis-A

A240006GS1