Lt. Jona ch'Ranni - Snow Covered (Safe Harbor)

[Jona ch'Ranni]

((The Forum, Town Center, Safe Harbor))

 ch'Ranni: Captain, that's the last of them. The shuttle isn't picking up any lifesigns in town except for those gathered here. I think we are ready to move out.

Whittaker: ?

::The Ja'Kel governor surveyed the group before them filling the town square and nodded in agreement with the Andorian's statement. Jona felt it had been a relatively smooth process in getting everyone gathered. Though there were always exceptions. The avian sheriff had to fly out and inform a few and several could only be reached by means of the shuttle's transporters.::

Reidella: Very well, captain. We should- ::stopping to yelll at an elderly Sopressian man:: Get on that shuttle, Kelirac! You are not making that trip on foot on your own.

::The man rolled his eyes but complied and boarded the cramped shuttlecraft.::

Any: ?

::Reidella jumped up on the fountain centered in the forum and seemed to focus her mind. Her words echoed inside Jona's head.::

Reidella: :: ~ Everyone! We are going to take a trip to the Red Rock Caves. Let’s get to the front gate and make an orderly line, please. ~

ch'Ranni - oO I don't think I'll ever get used to that. Oo

Whittaker/Serinus/Stendhal: ?

::While a few community leaders organized the large group, the governor pulled the away team into a tight circle along with Sqeour and a Losarian woman Jona had come to learn was named Olna Lyalaq.::

Reidella: We need a strategy. ::looking up at the skies where the invasion would come from.:: I fear that we might be easily spotted visually if the enemy lands. This large group isn’t exactly subtle.

Sqeour: I concur.

ch'Ranni: What we need - ::looking at Serinus:: - is some sort of camouflage. 

Whittaker/Serinus/Stendhal: ?

::A small smile crossed the leader's face and she turned to Jona.::

Reidella: How low can your shuttle safely fly, Lieutenant ch’Ranni?

ch’Ranni: ::giving it a moment's thought:: If I engage autopilot and let it track my signal ... probably 5 meters above the ground.  ::pause:: Why?
 
::The three espers in the group shared a knowing look which only caused the confusion on the Andorian's face to grow stronger.::

Sqeour: On your signal.

::The green-skinned leader thrust her hand heavenward while the avian creature and blue-skinned Losarian mirrored her movement. The sparkle in the trio's eyes intensified. Jona imagined they were like the shimmering moonlight visible below a vast ocean's surface just before breaking through the surface of the water.::

:: The snow that had been falling slowed and then stopped in mid-air. Jona looked around in wonderment as the flakes began rising in the air. They were joined by other ice particulates on the forum's cobblestones that swirled around the group before lifting upward. Within a minute's time a flat sheet of perfectly white snow hovered ten meters above the open forum area.

Reidella: We have cover now. Let’s move!

ch'Ranni: ::ruefully:: oO Guess I'm glad we're on their side. Oo

Whittaker/Serinus/Stendhal: ?

::The front gate of the settlement was thrown open by two attendants stationed there and Reidella and the others moved forward to lead the group toward the waiting mountains. Jona paused to tap a command into his tricorder. At the rear of the group the Shuttlcraft Rick Husband and the ice shield obediently lifted into the air and followed like protective and obedient pets.::

((Timeskip))

((Near the Red Rock Caves, Safe Harbor))

::Jona was getting winded after a few hours of trudging through the deep snow. To their credit, none in the two hundred plus group complained about the exertion or the cold. Even the little ones walked quietly while holding hands with adults in the group.::

::By Jona's mental calculations they were nearly three-quarters of the way to their destination. The ops officer was looking forward to sitting down soon.::

::A primal scream echoed through the still air and reverberated through the rocky canyons ahead making Jona jump in place. Without evidence of the source, people turned around in confusion.::

ch'Ranni: ::quietly:: What was that?

Any: ?

--

Lt. Jona ch'Ranni

Assistant Chief of Operations

USS Columbia (NCC-85279)

C239510JC0