Lt. Commander Foster - Attempting Diplomacy
Jamie LeBlanc
((Planet ‘Peekaboo’ Southern Hemisphere, Ruins))
Jin’Tauri: ::speaking to Foster:: If you have any ideas, loud one, this is the time.
Loud one? Cade liked to think of himself as the one who chose the nicknames.
But while he was annoyed he also would admit it was true.
But this was hardly the time to dwell on that.
Foster: =/\=Do you and your companion have a way to protect your hearing?=/\=
Jin’Tauri: Hearing protection? ::they rolled their eyes:: It’s so loud here that I think we’re already taking hearing damage.
Cade glanced towards his sarcastic companion and wondered if the Kameryans did experience hearing damage in the same way that Humans – or Vulcans did.
Either that or his alien companion just had an especially sour disposition that came out in sarcastic quips.
Six of one, half a dozen of another.
S’Jenes: My suit's auditory dampening is fully operational. I can withstand significant amplitude, however, I cannot attest to the blue one's tolerance.
Avoo’na: What’s that about amplitude?
Foster: =/\=Because I think it has a very high sensitivity to soundwaves. That’s probably how it tracked us. That also means that if we can create a loud enough sound it should confuse it. But I don’t want to destroy your hearing in the process.=/\=
Jin’Tauri: ::that stopped their irritated sarcasm:: You plan to use resonance frequencies until it shakes itself apart?
He looked towards his companion and nodded an assent.
Foster: =/\=I can feed a high frequency modulated though my suit’s microphone. So can my companion. We should be able to get it loud enough that this big doesn’t know which way is up. But that also means your blue companion needs to be able to dismount =/\=
S’Jenes: A focused high-energy burst, alternating origin points between us, may create sufficient disorientation to compromise its equilibrium. If executed, timing will be critical. The blue one must dismount prior to activation.
Avoo'na: Activate the adxe, dismount the creature, then run while the aliens do their thing. Got it!
S’Jenes: =/\= A focused high-energy burst, alternating origin points between us, may create sufficient disorientation to compromise its equilibrium. If executed, timing will be critical. The blue one must dismount prior to activation.=/\=
Cade kept his feet moving, his annoyance bled away in the wake of more adrenaline-fueled dodging. At the same time he started working on his helmet – specifically the microphone – to get this crazy plan off the ground
Foster: =/\= I’m already working on the microphone adjustments, sharing the data with you PADD. =/\= ::He went quiet for a moment as he dashed backwards diving for cover.:: =/\= I have a pretty good view of things. Wait for my signal. =/\=
It took perhaps half a minute to make the required adjustments and Cade tensely waited for several very long seconds more to ensure S’Jenes had enough time.
S'Jenes: =/\=Commander, I recommend we draw its attention upward. Increased cranial elevation may expose more of the ventral surface and further compromise its balance.=/\=
Peeking out from his hiding spot, Cade drew a breath through clenched teeth as he narrowed his eyes at the thrashing insect creature.
Foster: =/\= We had best hope our new blue friend can control this thing somewhat. I’m pretty sure the noise will confuse it, and make it easier to lure into a mistake. But not less dangerous. =/\=
S'Jenes: =/\=On your mark, Commander. Blue one, now would be an optimal moment for dismount.=/\=
The Kameryan riding the creature seemed to react to hearing S’Jenes speak, though what they were reacting to Cade could only guess.
And at the moment he didn’t really want to waste energy on guesses.
He got into position, with the microphone ready to blast, connected to S’Jenes through their commline, and his hearing protection in place.
Foster: =/\= Steady… =/\= ::The insect lunged forward again, crashing into a rock structure and spraying sod in every direction.:: =/\= Now! =/\=
Even with hearing protection, the high pitched reverberating shriek the helmets made was grating. Without hearing protection it was enough to alert a teammember a kilometer away and certainly enough to confuse a primordial predator that used its sense of hearing to hunt.
Foster: =/\= Good! Amplify it in a contrastiung pulse with my microphone, that should distort its sense of direction.
The blue Kameryan stayed on top the creature as it bucked and lunged, blinded by the sound. Cade was impressed at their athletic ability, even if he also thought it dangerous – even foolish – to stay riding a creature that unpredictable.
S'Jenes: =/\=Maintain pressure. Its coordination is degrading, but not yet sufficiently.=/\=
The insectoid was confused, but that didn’t mean it was defanged. Cade found himself running to avoid the tail that sliced across the clearing like a scythe.
Foster: =/\= I’m moving, hopefully that will keep the pressure high!=/\=
In fact, the movement only increased the cacophony of wailing microphone alarms. The insectoid was enraged by this, snapping its mandibles over and over again, snapping at the air.
And that’s when its rider yanked on it, directing the head back towards the swinging tail. Cade watched as the mandibles snapped, and in its confusion they snapped down directly on the armored tail.
Chrondite may be resistant to beam weapons, but it was not especially resistant to heavy crushing blades. The creature make a high pitched alien shriek as the blue Kameryan jumped free and the insect scuttled back in pain.
Jin’Tauri: ::they pointed to his phaser then to the Taznakrtra’s tail. They repeated the gesture.:: Aim for the opening in the wound on the tail!
Cade nodded, trading his tricorder for his phaser once again and took aim.
Jin’Tauri: =/\= Avoo’na, tell pointy-ear to aim at the tail wound. =/\=
Foster: =/\= Aim for the tail, Ensign! =/\=
Cade followed the hooded one’s laser beam with his own phaser blast. A red hot well of heated chrondite and burnt flesh spread across the wound and the creature started to writhe in pain.
Avoo'na: =/\= Got it. =/\=
Avoo'na: Hey, t'gon! Aim at the tail wound.
S’jenes: response
Four small snacks each firing weapons that caused immense pain was far too much for the massive insect. With one last roar it fled back into the earth using the tunnel it had come up through to beat a quick retreat. Sod started to fill in behind it and sopon there was no sign of the thing.
Avoo'na: We did it!
That they did. Cade took a moment to toggle off the high pitched alarm his headset microphone was making. He turned to face the hooded alien.
He might have said something cajoling. But Cade was as paranoid as he was charming, and at this moment paranoia paid off.
Jin’Tauri: Well, that’s done! Now, we deal with the problem that was before that foul creature came out of the ground.
The hooded one lifted his laser and pointed it at Cade. Cade still had his phaser in his hand.
While he didn’t raise it, yet, he also didn’t make any movement to drop it.
Foster: Are you sure you want to do this?
He asked in a steady, fatherly tone.
S’jenes: response
Avoo'na: What are you doing!?
Foster: They’re not sure you want to do this.
Cade was sure that he would do whatever was necessary to protect S’Jenes and himself. And he had crew in the shuttle. He was in no mood to be threatened, and he was willing to defend his team. His finger wrapped around the trigger of the phaser as he toggled it to stun.
He had seen how the hooded one fought and his mind was already running simulations on how to evade the shot and take him down, all the while he actually stood there looking stoic.
Still waters run deep.
S’jenes: response
Oh, and then they were saved by a commline?
Ta'an: =\/= Fenix Ignus, Ta'an to ground teams. We have returned. What is your status? =\/=
Utan: =\/= We've just made contact with some aliens. They've been... exploring the place =\/=
Jin’Tauri: =\/= We have met with some meddlesome members of the aliens too. I was just about to eliminate them. =\/=
Avoo'na: =\/= The aliens have already agreed to leave. This doesn't need to end in a fight. =\/=
Ta'an: =\/= Yes, we made contact... a ship in orbit. It appears the people on that ship have made contact with our kind before. Positive contact. =\/=
Kol’Mana: =\/= What kind of contact? =\/=
Jin’Tauri: =/\= positive. As in confirmed or as in non-hostile? =/\=
Ta'an: =\/= The latest contact was two years ago and ended in joining a naming ceremony for an Ular child. =\/=
Utan: =\/= One here told me the same... are we in good terms with them? =\/=
Avoo'na: =\/= Sounds like peaceful contact to me, t'gon. =\/=
The blue Kameryan looked towards the hooded one. Cade look towards the hooded one. All eyes were on the one with the weapon raised.
Ta'an: =\/= Response =\/=
And slowly the hooded one lowered the mining laser.
And Cade let his trigger finger relax. He still didn’t drop the phaser.
Jin’Tauri: It seems that we are not to kill you. At least not yet.
Avoo'na: =\/= We will accompany the aliens back to their ship. Unless you had other orders t'gon? =\/=
Ta'an: =\/= response =\/=
Jin’Tauri: =\/= response =\/=
Avoo'na: =\/= Alright let us know. =\/=
Avoo'na turned their attention back to the aliens.
Avoo'na: Let's return to your ship.
Foster: Let’s. As I said we’re willing to go and leave you alone.
S’jenes: response
Jin’Tauri: response
Avoo'na: It occurs to me, t'gons, that we don't even know each other's names. My name is Avoo'na-letket'ra Petryr.
He repeated it carefully.
Foster: Avoo'na-letket'ra Petryr. ::Despite his tension he had enough discipline to relax a bit and offer a diplomatic nod.:: I am glad to meet you. I am Cade Foster.
Jin'Tauri/S'Jenes: response
Foster: As we said before, we did not know of the existence of this planetoid. Our Federation is united in a desire to explore and understand.
Jin'Tauri/S'Jenes/Avoo’na: response
Foster: This is a planet that sustains itself, without a star. That in and of itself is curious. You people know of curiosity?
Jin'Tauri/S'Jenes/Avoo’na: response
~*~
tags/tbc
~*~
Lt. Commander Cade Foster
Chief Medical Officer
USS Constitution-B
~Julian Beck
E239010ST0