Commander Ava Munro - A Sense of Purpose
Ava Munro
((Underground River - The Raft - Callis I))
After she had helped Breys get Jaran off the makeshift raft and onto what was a pier of sorts, at least what she assumed acting as such. The area they were in that she had believed would open up to an estuary seemed more like a domed, expansive cave. It was decorated with colourful crystals that reflect the dim light back to them and made it possible for her to be able to see the details more clearly.
Munro: This seems as good a place as any. Let's secure the raft, and search the area. It would make me feel a whole lot better not to stumble on a nest of the Things.
Breys: I’ll get somewhere to rest set up for Ensign Jaran. Let me know where you need my help after.
Ava nodded her approval to Breys, before she began to take in the area around her. While the others were drawn to the crystals above them, she found that her own eyes were drawn to the practical elements of what was around them.
The area they stood on was merely one part of a larger area. A series of steps, mostly crumbled and ruined, led upwards to another platform and behind thick moss and more vines, was what she thought could be an entranceway.
Imril: I see something green and kind of leafy underwater. We could use some qualified analysis as to whether or not we can eat it.
Ava turned back towards the group and looked into the waters. It had come to the point that they’d need to begin to take some risks. She had always believed that they just had to hang on until rescue would come. And then rescue hadn’t come and while she still believed they would, the realisation that it might not be as timely as she once thought was slowly beginning to creep up on her. And that meant that merely surviving wasn’t enough.
They had to start to think about getting off this planet.
Jaran: Yeah, there are definitely some small plants down there. And if Lt. Silveira saw something moving, it's likely that there's at least one animal down there that eats them.
Silveira: Response
Her eye was drawn to the water, but other than the green matter she saw other materials. Stone and metal that formed some kind of structure of its own. Barely visible beneath the algae stuffs.
Breys: This place has something eerie about it. I feel like I’ve looked up at those crystals before. I think there is some kind of pattern to them.
She hadn’t considered looking for a pattern, and she should have. She knew enough about alien cultures to know that.
Munro: :: looks upwards :: You think they represent something?
Silveira: Response
Her back ached where the Thing had glanced at her with its claws. She attempted to flex her shoulders, only causing a sting as she appeared to open up the wound. The good thing was that it wasn’t deep enough to bleed too much. A deep scratch rather than a deep wound.
Breys: Wait, look at the tips of the crystals and think about where we are. Those are the stars. I think they’ve even grown to account for stellar drift. I’m not sure how much time has passed but we should be able to find out.
Ava studied the crystals again, remembering the astronavigational maps from her time on the Karnack. The same ones that had rendered them lost in the first instance.
The Callis sector… She counted the crystals, and double checked the formation. The ensign was right, this coincided with what she was able to determine from the computers database before they were forced to abandon ship.
Imril: Some crystals are electromagnetically sensitive enough that I could imagine them growing in ways that align with a planet’s magnetic lines. And those patterns could be affected by the Maelstrom. But that wouldn’t affect the rock that their bases are set in. Those crystals were placed there.
Jaran: Why is it always crystals, though? Why does everyone use crystals?
Munro: It's a map of the star system. I can’t be certain, I’m basing this off of charts I barely had a chance to glance at, each crystal above represents a planet or a planetoid in the Callis Sector. That’s what I think.
Silveira: Response
Breys pointed at a glowy red crystal by itself a ways down the cavern.
Breys: Any ideas what that one is supposed to be?
Imril: I’ve read that under certain circumstances, dilithium crystals can turn red and glow like that. But I’ve never seen it.
Crystals were a constant throughout the galaxy and she’d seen them being used for countless different reasons. Storage, energy, healing, weapons, beauty, influence and the reasons were endless.
Munro: I wonder if it has a function?
It felt good to have something to focus on. It felt like Starfleet, and that was important. Starfleet officers didn't merely wait for rescue, they tried to rescue themselves.
Silveira/Breys: Response
Imril: If that’s a star map, then there’s something special about the red one. A planet? The north star? A satellite or orbital station? Something the radio tower might have been trying to communicate with?
Jaran: It could also just represent us. A big glowing "you are here" sign.
Ava nodded in agreement with the others, but there was really no way of knowing. Everything they had encountered had been destroyed or worn away by time.
Munro: That’s something we need to answer :: reluctant sigh :: There’s still so much we don’t know about the people from before and what happened on this planet. Let’s think, what do we know? :: indicates around her :: They managed to develop an underground network. They had that radio tower, station or whatever that was. They had roads :: points above :: They used crystals for mapping, as yet undetermined if that was there only function.
Silveira/Breys: Response
Imril: But what’s causing the crystals to glow down here? Conduction of static electricity or the Maelstrom’s energies? Bioluminescent bacteria? Funny third thing?
Jaran: ::to Fuzzball:: What do you think? You're our tricorder right now, after all.
Ava had forgotten all about the doctor’s friend.
Munro: From their silence we can probably assume we’re safe for now :: points below the water :: There’s something underneath, looks like parts of a machine. Maybe gears? They wouldn’t have all of this for nothing.
Silveira/Breys: Response
Imril: Is there a crystal that we can reach? Get our hands on for a closer look?
Jaran: You're on your own there unless they happen to be some sort of creature. I'm also not climbing up there anytime soon.
Munro: It’s okay doc. You’re on bedrest. My orders.
Silveira/Breys: Response
((OOC: I am splitting Jaran and Breys conversation off as that seems more intimate and between them - please see their sims for those tags if you want to include yourself in that))
As Jaran requested Breys help with their treatment, Ava turned to Imril and Silveira.
Munro: Imril, you’re right we need to have a closer look :: indicates in the other direction :: There’s more to this section of the waterways, beyond that platform I think there might be other areas. Maybe a facility? Might give us some answers before we start poking around with the crystals? :: joking :: Maybe an instruction manual? A rocket ship would be nice.
Imril/Silveira: Responses
Munro: Okay, Silveira you stay here and keep an eye on the doc and Ensign Breys.
Imril/Silveira: Responses
Munro: Ensign Breys, that was a great spot with the crystals, I want you to have a look around this area with Commander Silveira. Anything you can find: food, clues to the origins or function of this place, and what the crystals might do? If you can use your botany skills and find us some food that would be useful too?
Instructions given, she took the lead and made her way up the broken steps. The other platform was mostly reduced to vines and moss but there were still signs of life. Broken spokes of metal that could have once been seats or tables. A waiting area? An observation deck? A restaurant?
It could be anything. But the thing that she focused on was that there was something here. It had a purpose and she was determined to find out what that was.
Imril/Silveira/Breys/Jaran: Responses
((OOC: the group has split into two subteams. Munro has Imril and Silveira has Jaran and Breys))
Tags/TBC
