LtCol Wes Greaves – The Long Walk

[Jacob Rittenhouse]

LtCol Wes Greaves – The Long Walk

 

((Liminal Station, a travel pod - Marohu III))

 

Confronted with the holographic map and the clear telepathic control mechanisms of this ancient technology, Wes was beginning to grow concerned that the would trigger something by accident and be whisked away. If they didn’t have a way back, or couldn’t figure out how to get back, the wounded and the pair of Marine defenders topside would be stranded.

 

Greaves: I think this is a good time to go collect everyone from upstairs.  This place is more defensible and hidden than the dome, and I’d feel better about trying this transit system all together.

 

Wes took another step back from the map inside the pod and motioned for the others to join him while the junior Marines kept pulling security. The look on Jania’s face was of relief.

 

Nis: Yes, we agree. 

 

Woolheater: Copy that. We can retrace our steps, Colonel.  Collect the rest in a group again.  There might be some difficulty with the Algae area…but.

 

Nis: Hopefully we can keep it at bay like we did last time. …. Now we know the trick. 

 

The Lieutenant Colonel nodded thoughtfully. It was something he had been wrestling with ever since they made the passage through that room. Most of the casualties couldn’t move quickly, and a few couldn’t walk at all. The giant staircase would be tough enough. If the algae got dangerous again though, well Wes was pretty sure they couldn’t outrun it with the wounded.

 

Thankfully Doctor Nis seemed to be confident in a sense. She held up the small wand one of the living sculptures had given her, she shook it slightly, like she’d done to “cut” the algae before. Wes nodded. Push came to shove, they could escape the same way. Just slower.

 

Greaves: I think the risk is worth it. If we keep tight hold on our thoughts we might not need to run and fight our way out with that.

 

This comment sent Sam into full thinking mode. 

 

Woolheater: Welp, if we can’t fly, maybe we can hitch a ride.

 

Nis: Huh? 

 

Wes looked over at the First Lieutenant quizzically.

 

Greaves: Got an idea?

 

Sam turned and looked at both and then spoke to Jania.

 

Woolheater: Jania?  Do you think you can talk to the algae…thing? I’ve got an idea of how we can move everybody from the dome to here.  If they will help us?  What we need is to make a conveyor belt. From the dome to this place. And if you can convince that algae folk to do that, well sir, maybe we earned out keep for today?

 

Jania rubbed her forehead, looking a bit unsure and Wes frowned. It was an outstanding idea. The algae proved it would rearrange itself into whatever forms Jania imagined. Using it as an assist to move the wounded would make traversing the stairs safe, and move them all very quickly.

 

Assuming intrusive thoughts didn’t get in the way.

 

Greaves: Doc, this one’s up to you. It’ll be your thoughts that have to be under control. As long as you think you can do it, I say we go for it.

 

Nis: We mean, we can give it a shot…

 

Woolheater:  ::muttering under his breath::  Back on the Starbase, they got those moving walkways. I always thought they were for lazy folks who didn’t wanna walk.

 

That drew a chuckle from Jania and a small smile from Wes.

 

Woolheater: Guess I finally found a good use for a 'lazy belt'.

 

::beat::

 

The floor pulsed once.

 

Woolheater:  Oh hell. It understood that, didn’t it?

 

Nis: We just have to be careful to take the right tunnel back…

 

Thasho: That’s no problem!

 

The young archaeologist pressed a button on her triPADD, pulling up a holographic map. It showed their current location in the massive chamber--and the way they’d come.

 

Thasho continually surprised Wes with her relentless combination of competence and recklessness. She was going to be a phenomenal archaeologist when she got a little older and wiser.

 

Greaves: Great work Thasho. (Pause) Sam, prep the Marines to take point and we can move out shortly.

 

Woolheater: Response

 

Jania sighed which drew a look of concern from Wes. If she was having second thoughts about the conveyor idea… 

 

Nis: Back the way we came, then. 

 

To his relief, it seemed like the Trill woman was mostly concerned with the trek ahead of them. To her credit, she wasn’t wrong. It was going to be a long walk back up, and then back to the transit station.

 

They didn’t have long to contemplate it however before the other Marines were ready to move. With a couple of hand signals they were off again, the Marines in a protective formation around the doctor and scientist, and with Thasho providing directions from the map.

 

For a time, the group walked in relative silence, retracing their steps. Finally, Jania broke the silence.

 

Nis: So, Thasho, how did you get into archaeology? 

 

Wes was covering their rear as they walked and took a moment to glance forward to watch the interaction.

 

Thasho: Kind of a funny story. I first started working with Professor Enak before I was even in university. When I was fourteen, I came to visit my older brother, who was working on the prof’s dig. Well, while I was there, some DenIb Qatlh tried looting an object, so I broke his leg. 

 

He suppressed a snort of laughter that threatened to rise up. The more time the Klingon traveled with them, the more thankful he was that he stunned her earlier.

 

Thasho: :: still smiling at the memory:: Prof thought it was great, so he kept me on. I was kind of like a site mascot til I was eighteen, then he got me a scholarship.

 

Greaves: Can’t say I’ve met many Klingon archaeologists.

 

Woolheater: Response

 

Thasho: Looting is extremely dishonorable. 

 

Yet again, Wes stifled a rising snort of laughter.

 

Woolheater: Response

 

Up ahead in the tunnel the light blue glow that marked the exit into the main chamber could be seen. Just beyond was the algae and stairs.

 

Greaves: Looks like we’re almost back at the algae room already. Probably worth testing the conveyor idea before we go get everyone.

 

Nis/Woolheater: Response

 

Wes nodded and the continued forward, eating up the distance relatively quickly. Even so, it was a longer walk to the main chamber than he’d expected. The long straight and narrow tunnel seemed to stretch on and on. With just the faint glow at the end, it was very hard to judge distance by eye and Wes found himself underestimating how close they actually were.

 

From the rear of the group it was hard to see much in front of them anyway. The beams of lights from the Marines flowed back and forth and illuminated some of the walls, revealing the glyphs they’d seen from earlier.

 

Greaves: At least the pictures on the walls haven’t moved this time.

 

Nis/Woolheater: Response

 

The pair of junior Marines reached the end of the tunnel first, and moved quickly to either side of the door before moving quickly though, rifles at the ready. After a moment, they waved the rest of the group forward.

 

Stepping through, the massive chamber with tens of thousands of pods was just as dark and empty as when they’d first discovered it.

 

Greaves: Well, here we go again.

 

Nis/Woolheater: Response

 

Tags/TBC

 

=========================
Lieutenant Colonel Wes Greaves
Marine Detachment Commander
USS Octavia E. Butler NCC-82850
E239702WG0
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