LT Tamio K'Wara - Out of Our Depth, in a Positive Way!

[LT Tamio K'Wara]

(( Campsite - Inside the Cliffs, Callis I ))

Trapped within the frigid pool, the team of Starfleet officers could do little but observe as the horrific creature - steps measured, eyes focused on its prey - circled their cold refuge, but was unable to chase them into it. When it tried, it shied away with such a speed, it was a natural conclusion that it was simply unable to. Something about the water - be it the water itself, or the invasive cold - was their only safety net.

Bergmen: ::teeth chattering:: Looks… looks like it… it not… like… a cold, hm?

Tamio, who had remained at the shallower part of the pool, looked back to the rest of the team, who’d gone further out.

K’Wara: Well, problem is, neither do we. At- At least not indefinitely. ::to the others:: Get back to lower waters. No reason to completely submerge yourselves if it won’t even dip a toe.

Bancroft: ::grim, jerky nod:: We’re only t-t-trading for t-time.

Jovenan: I-it can still bounce on us. Even if it doesn’t like w-water or c-cold, it might still jump and drag one of us out.

Tamio nodded. The Commander’s observation was correct, but whether they died to the creature’s claws or their body shutting down due to cold, their death was almost assured. They rubbed their chest, trying to get some warmth into their muscles.

Bergmen: The longer we stay in the water, the bigger the chance that thing will just lose interest and go away, right?

K’Wara: Frostbite is still a real concern though, ::breathes into their hands:: and if that thing’s half as intelligent as it seems, it’ll just wait us out if it has to.

The creature paced back and forth languidly, stared them down as it did so. It knew.

Bancroft: It has t-time. ::sharp breath:: We… do n-not.

Jovenan: Our time is shorter than its. ::shivers:: We have to show that we’re more intelligent than it.

Bergmen: ::teeth chattering:: But… but how, ma’m? Only… thing… that not…like is th…this freezing… water.

Tamio looked around at the pool surrounding them.

K’Wara: If we could just redirect some of this water... ::looks to the supplies in the camp:: Or get the pond to overflow, fill out the place with just enough of a shallow to convince it to leave.

They all looked around, everyone seemingly arriving at the same conclusion. If they were to stand any chance of survival, they needed to do something about this pool.

Bancroft: ::carefully:: I m-m-migh’ h-have i-d-d-d-ea.

Jovenan: Th-they’ve worked so far…

Tamio nodded in agreement. Roy had thus far proven to have a good head on his shoulders. Here was hoping that streak would continue.

Bergmen: If.. If that idea ends with… with us on the sunny, warm beachheads of… of Gideon… Doctor… I’m in.

Bancroft: ::low, urgent:: Y’all f-fancy makin’ a d-d-distraction?

Tamio looked to Jovenan, attempting to place a confident grin on their face, but the effect was somewhat diminished by the constant trembling their facial muscles was doing.

Jovenan: Let’s… let’s spread out a little and try to approach the shore. If- if it starts moving, retreat deeper.

K’Wara: Well, ::pats Olliver’s shoulder:: h-hopefully all the moving will, ::deep breath:: warm us up a bit, though ::breathless chuckle:: not q-quite beachhead level.

But it was a plan.

Bergmen: I’m going on the right.

The group split up, moving in each their own direction, and the creature raised its head. As they moved to shallower waters, the air pricked at the parts of their bodies that had previously been lowered, and against logic it made them long for the water again. It was a trap. The water was a death sentence. Even if the air felt colder, they had to get out.

The creature started a wider pacing pattern, its eyes swiveling between each member of their team, judging, calculating. When one of them got a bit too close to the edge, it’d move towards them, immediately prompting them to move backwards.

Bancroft: ::stunned:: … there.

The doctor’s announcement was immediately followed by the beast making a forward movement towards the edge, which startled Tamio backwards.

Jovenan: Get back!

K’Wara: Yes Sir!

Bancroft: Response

The water splashed from multiple directions as every member of their group hurried back towards the center of the pond, where Roy had finished whatever examination he’d been working on, and now, they saw it too. He’d located the route the water took to get out of the cavern. Now, all they had to do was plug it.

Jovenan: Are there any loose rocks around here? ::looks to the camp:: I don’t think we can drag any of the tents in here either.

Bergmen: I… I have a tarp in my backpack, near my tent…

K’Wara: ::rubs hands together:: We’ve also got inflatable lifevests in the c-camp, but- ::glowers at the beastie:: I-I don’t think it’ll let us f-fetch them.

As though it heard their comment, the beast rolled its head around and Tamio imagined a taunting grin curling around its toothy maw. It was like it was saying ‘you can certainly try’.

Bancroft: Response

They had no other option than using what was readily available, and as much as Tamio’d tried to refrain from drenching themself by remaining at the shallower parts of the pool, the time for that had passed. They watched as Jovenan lowered herself entirely into the pool, her body spasming ever so slightly from the cold enveloping her as she searched for something. Shortly after, as she  before she returned to the surface.

Jovenan: H-h-here! He-he-help m-m-m… mo-ve!

Tamio moved closer to where Jovenan was, alternating between watching her and the others and watching the beast, which was still watching them with all the patience of a carrion eater.

Bergmen: What is it? How can we help?

Bancroft/Jovenan: Response

K’Wara: J-Just, ::teeth chattering:: d-don’t fill it up ::breathes:: too much. J-Just enough to staunch it.

Following the Commander’s directions, they started their work. Tamio remained above the water level, keeping an eye on the creature. While their every nerve was screaming at them to get out of the freezing water, to save themself from the pins and needles digging into their flesh, they knew that they needed to remain on task.

They needed to know the degree of intelligence this thing had. Did it know what they were attempting? Could it reason logically and make a counterstrategy?

Bancroft/Jovenan: Response

K’Wara: ::shudders:: It’s r-remaining calm... I-Is it working?

Bancroft/Jovenan/Bergmen: Response

It was time for them to see whether their plan would work.

K’Wara: E-E- ::deep breath:: E-Everyone okay? ::shivers:: R-Roy, h-how long until- ::shudders::

Not long, judging by how Tamio’s body was doing. Their cobalt blood had adapted to the cold quickly, their natural heat circulation keeping their limbs functionable, but even they were starting to feel their energy draining. They didn’t dare imagine how their iron-based colleagues were doing.

These damn slippery rocks weren’t helping any either, constantly threatening to topple- Oh?

Bancroft/Jovenan/Bergmen: Response

Tamio could no longer reach the stones, and they laughed breathlessly, as they started treading water.

K’Wara: I-It’s working! It’s working!

It was slow going, but surely, they saw the water start to overflow, the ‘shores’ of the pond expand and expand and push. They heard the beast growl as it moved backwards, its safe prowling route interrupted as the water started bubbling forwards. Within moments, it would reach their camp too.

Bancroft/Jovenan/Bergmen: Response

TAG/TBC

LT Tamio K’Wara

Chief of Operations

USS Artemis-A

A240006GS1