Lieutenant Dekas - What people need

[Ace Christensen]

((Shuttle Penobscot))

Qinn: Everyone, about ten minutes ago there was a power surge followed by an explosion in the building above the team's location. We lost contact during the explosion and sensors can’t pick up lifesigns or commbadges. They were deep underground and there are plenty of reasons to believe that they were deep enough to be banged up but alive, so we’re going to get them. Let's have your questions.

Dekas: I imagine this is Lieutenant Falt’s team?

 

He’d heard about it in passing somehow. And they still hadn’t specified the who of this rescue. But he still had the assumption anyway.

Neshala: What is the scope of the damage? How much rubble are we going to have to dig through? And what do we know about the area they were in prior to the explosion?

Qinn / Barric: Response

Neshala lifted the shuttle off the pad and made haste to the scene. It didn’t take much time, and it didn’t look good. Despite all reason to believe they were fine, he had his brief moment of “what if they aren’t? What if the underground space they were searching through collapsed?” And then had to shake his head away from the close call with pessimism.

 

oO No. We will find them. Oo

 

Dekas: Do we have any idea why this happened yet?

Qinn: Response

Neshala / Barric: Response

 

((Explosion Site, North East District, Denali Station))

 

As they stepped out of the shuttle, they were met by Hesan. He’d met her in passing a few times but otherwise didn’t know her well. Perhaps that was about to change. But he did mentally acknowledge that between his bright red feathers, Neshala’s Orion green, and Hesan’s Andorian blue, they really did make for a colorful bunch. There was also their new medical ensign, from the looks of it.

 

Hesan: ::to Qinn:: The area is secure, sir. Damage is extensive above ground and there are numerous fires but I’ve observed a single route down that looks clear. It is smoke-filled though. Ops should have loaded rebreathers for you all before you left at my request. 

 

Qinn: Response.  

 

Hesan: I’m ready to move out when the team is ready, sir. Did you bring a medic with you? 

 

Vox: Reporting for duty.  One bona-fide medically medic, at your service.

 

Dekas instantly liked the energy of this one.

 

Hesan: ::nodding at her:: I’m don’t know what you’ve got with you, but there’s a battlefield trauma kit in my backpack if you need it, sir. 

 

Vox: I brought a medical tricorder, and I'd appreciate the kit.  The sooner we can get moving, the sooner I'll feel better about whoever we may find out there.

 

Hesan: Recommend you let me or someone from security take point, sir. This might not have been an accident… 

 

Qinn /  Barric: Response 

 

Hesan: Whatever you say, sir. 

 

Dekas / Neshala: Response 

 

Vox turned around, and Dekas followed her line of sight toward the smoke.

 

Qinn: Response

 

Vox took out her tricorder, and started scanning.

 

Vox: I can’t get a clear reading.

 

Hesan: Response

 

Vox: This may be my first real mission, but I am ready.  Lead the way.

 

The readiness was a good sign in an ensign. And in a person in general. Especially since this was a surprisingly stressful situation to be in as a first mission. He supposed it made sense since she was a medical officer. It was important to know how to handle stress in that field.

 

Dekas: Let me know where you need me, I work with similar debris pretty frequently.

 

Granted, it was rarely because of an explosion, so it wasn’t often to this extent. But it was something he could deal with considering the state of some sections of the city.

 

Qinn / Neshala / Hesan / Vox /  Barric: Response

 

It took a thankfully short amount of time to clear enough out of the way to start down where they were actually headed. As far as all readings said, things were structurally sound enough to be safe. Until it wasn’t anymore. Before anyone had much of a chance to fully move away, a section of ceiling fell. If not for the horrible echo of a cracking, possibly breaking, bone among other various reactions, he would have thought they’d gotten out of that unscathed, and with only a little bit of rough terrain to deal with if they had to retrace steps.

 

He couldn’t see for a few seconds, but as the dust settled, Commander Qinn was on the ground, and it was very clear it was one of her bones.

 

Dekas: Is everyone okay?

 

A stupid question? Maybe. But it was the only thing he could think to say.

 

Qinn / Neshala / Hesan / Vox / Barric: Response

 

They had Vox, and that would be helpful for Qinn in the short term. And better if they weren’t where they were. If there was time, he might have suggested they try to backtrack to make sure Qinn was fine, but they had a goal. As far as they knew, it was a fairly time-sensitive goal. The other team needed help, and they weren’t far enough down to be out of communication range with the Eagle yet. At least he hoped not.

 

He clicked his combadge.

 

Dekas: =/\= Lieutenant Dekas to Eagle. =/\=

 

Eagle: =/\= Eagle here. =/\=

 

oO Thank goodness. Oo

 

Dekas: =/\= There was a small cave-in, we’re all alive, but Commander Qinn was injured and needs to be beamed to the med-bay as soon as you can. =/\=

 

Eagle: =/\= Acknowledged, Sir. =/\=

 

Dekas: =/\= Thank you, Dekas out. =/\=

 

Qinn: Response

 

Dekas: I will make sure we bring them back. You can count on it.

 

And he sincerely hoped they’d be bringing them back safely.

 

Qinn: Response

 

After a few seconds, Qinn was beamed out.

 

There was a brief moment of uncertainty, the last time he’d been in a position to handle people in a similar way, he’d ended up assimilated. (It had also been underground, then, too. Of course, it had.) But he quickly steeled his resolve and pushed that aside. Uncertainty wouldn’t help anyone. Qinn trusted him, and not only were there people who needed help, but there were two new ensigns in need of some guidance through this. He had to trust that he’d learned from that experience and that he could effectively be what people needed right now.

 

Dekas took a deep breath and turned to everyone else present.

 

Dekas: Let’s keep going. As we were.

 

Hesan / Neshala / Vox / Barric: Response

 

Tags, TBC…

—

(OOC: Qinn’s beam-out situation was discussed ahead of time. Qinn is going to be fine, so no worries about that. She's just a little injured currently.)

Lieutenant Dekas

Head of Infrastructure Development

Denali Station

J239802D12

Pronouns: They/she (player), He/him (character)