Lieutenant JG Lystra - Can You Hear Me Now?
Rameses
((A Geyser Valley, Northern Hemisphere, Peekaboo))
Yirah: And lets not forget why we decided to head up here originally, We still need to get the signal enhancer working to communicate with the Conny.
Lystra: Agreed. If we can make contact we should definitely get some advice from some experts. Lieutenant Ilix from Intel has a background in exozoology. I see him around Sarek all the time. If we do study these creatures he’d likely be the one to get the proper procedures on how to do so safely.
Perax: You’re right, we should get moving. ::he spoke with more confidence this time.::
There was a pause before Leran asked a question.
Perax: How much farther?
Now that she had had a moment to stretch and was satisfied that the Relkoon didn’t do any harm to her or her gear she looked towards the area they’d settled on to place the signal enhancer.
Lystra: Based on our earlier survey we’ve got about another two hundred meters to ascend. From what I can tell it should be an easier walk now that we’re up here on the ridgeline.
She waited a meter or two from the others and shined the lights from her suit and the phaser rifle she carried in the direction they’d be heading. It did seem to be an easier grade to traverse. Her tricorder chirped briefly and after a quick look she noted more lifesigns nearby.
Lystra: Ready when you all are. Looks like there’s more Relkcoons on the other side of the ridgeline from us. We’ll be moving away from them so hopefully we won’t have to worry about getting charged at again.
Perax: It’s still uphill.
She let out a startled scream, mostly one of annoyance, as a lightning bolt slammed into the ground nearby close enough for the bright flash to momentarily blind her. It was the concussive crack that followed it almost immediately that damn near knocked her on her ass.
Perax: Wait for the effects of blindness and deafness to pass. The suit compensates for the worst with insulation and light filters, but that was too close.
Yirah: Is everyone alright?
Maramox: Yes, I’m fine ::they sounded out of breath:: It was a scare more than anything.
Lystra: I’m alright. I swear this place doesn’t want us here. ::she grumbled:: Give me a moment, my vision is still adjusting. oO Stupid nasty planet. Oo
It took almost a full minute for the white spots to mostly fade from her vision and she was able to see where she was going.
Maramox: I’ll be checking everyone’s visual response in a moment. I promise you that much.
Perax: That’s a long way down. There is a natural formed steam vent up ahead, it might be good for a mineralogical survey when we have time.
She took her time in leading the group along the ridgeline towards where they’d elected to set up the enhancer. To their left she could see the runabout down in the geyser valley, little more than a large shadow like a slumbering beast with all of its systems powered down.
Lystra: Will this spot work?
Perax: We can but try.
While Leran set up the signal enhancer, Indrid decided to take a look at the steam vent that the other Trill had mentioned. He saw where the steam was rising from the ground. From what he could see it didn’t look that difficult to get to, but it was still about 50 meters from their location so Indrid didn’t bother getting closer to it at the moment.
Maramox: Here to check in when we have a moment.
Perax: Who should I try to contact first? I can keep two signals open, but I can’t tune both simultaneously. Should I try to hail the Constitution or the other away team first?
Yirah: The Constitution.
Lystra: I imagine we’ll have an easier time reaching Cade’s team but we should definitely let the ship know we’re alive.
Perax: We better hope there are no pre-warp civilizations with the ability to detect our signals. This signal is powerful enough to be a flare on a dark night.
That gave Indrid a twinge of uneasiness. He turned his head, as though he’d see said hypothetical civilization. He didn’t think that there was a civilization on the planet, but planets were big and he hadn’t thought about other people being able to pick up their signals.
Yirah: Well… I don’t think we really have another option at the moment.
Lystra: Agreed.
Maramox: It’s the best option. For now.
Perax: =/\= Perax to the Constitution, can you hear us? =/\=
The static made her wince a little as she let Maramox check her vision.
Yirah: Was that a response or just some sort of feedback from the storm?
Maramox: Feedback. I believe.
Lystra: Sounded like it. Maybe try narrowing the bandwidth?
Perax: Let me try to clear it up. I can try to adjust the signal slightly. ::he turned a few dials, and tapped some buttons on the screen.:: =/\= Perax to Constitution, repeat last message. =/\=
This time the feedback was less pronounced and the signal sounded more like it was garbled static than reverb.
Bridge: =/\= <static>...barely hear you...<static> ...receive. =/\=
Yirah: =/\= We hear you Conny. =/\=
Lystra smiled. Even static filled contact was better than no contact.
Maramox: It seems like the storm is only letting a little bit through.
Lystra: I’m surprised we got that much given how thick that storm is.
Yirah: ::to Perax:: Is it something you can fix?
Lystra: Not sure. Maybe if we provided the enhancer with more power it might be able to clear up a little but I doubt we can get a full signal through. And I’d worry that that much power might draw some of this lightning.
Perax: response
Maramox: Some species of creatures sometimes have static that affect reception; but I doubt this is one of those cases.
Yirah: Should we move locations again?
The Ehhh sound from Maramox mirrored her sentiment and she gestured towards him.
Lystra: Short of us putting this thing at the peak of one of those mountains over there I don’t know if it’ll matter. We could try something else maybe, if audio is questionable we could try and see if we could do narrow band data bursts through the storm. Textual messages might have an easier time getting through.
Perax: response
Yirah: Can we try to get into contact with the other away team? You said that you could keep two signals open at the same time. Does not having a stable connection with the Conny change that.
Lystra: We can always try. Worst case we can close one to clear up the other?
Perax: Response
Lystra paced a perimeter around their position, occasionally she spared a glance down at the Little Crow way down below the ridge.
Lystra: So it’s refracting the signal a little? Can we use that? Use the storm like a mirror and bounce the signal off it?
Perax/Yirah: Response
The static on the channel was still present but a far cry from the cacophony of trying to contact the ship. She was glad to hear Cade and the other’s voices.
Iaonaiae Crew: =/\=Response =/\=
Lystra: =/\= Oh, you know the usual. Getting stampeded by wildlife and dodging lightning bolts. This place is terrible. We’ve found some fauna has Chrondite in their physiology, bioluminescence and we think they use the metal in their antlers as lightning rods for protection or possibly a source of energy? What about you guys? =/\=
Iaonaiae Crew: =/\=Response =/\=
Perax/Yirah/Maramox: Response
Her head whipped towards Indrid when she caught part of that, unsure if they had just said they found evidence of possible habitation.
Lystra: =/\= Is it recent or more like a ruin? In either case should we treat this like a Prime Directive, First Contact situation? =/\=
Such a decision would be between Indrid and Cade as they were the officers in charge down here, assuming they couldn’t get an effective communication with the Conny.
Iaonaiae Crew: =/\=Response =/\=
Perax/Yirah/Maramox: Response
Lystra: =/\= We just tried. We were able to get a very garbled response from the ship. I’m not sure we’re going to get better than that audibly, but I suggested we could try narrow band data bursts to see if that might work. Or, if you guys have a signal enhancer maybe we could link them together and focus on the same coordinates? =/\=
Iaonaiae Crew: =/\=Response =/\=
Perax/Yirah/Maramox: Response
[tbc/tags]
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Lieutenant JG Lystra
Tactical/Security Officer
USS Constitution-B NCC-9012-B
Writer ID: A239410TR0