Fleet Captain Kalianna Nicholotti - Getting Somewhere

[Marissa Jeffrey]

((Shuttlecraft Scott))

::They were getting nowhere and it was obnoxious. For once, she felt
like pulling rank, but she knew that it would also do little to help. So
she stood and waited, finally getting the information she wanted and
needed as the man turned towards her.::

Weston: :: Oliver turned to face her, showing her the bleeding wound on
his cheek. :: You're right, it isn't helping, but I told you, none. We
have dead and we have missing. So if you can fly and want to help,
please waltz over to that Danube and take fifty people out of here
before the most apocalyptic storm in meteorological history hits this
outpost. That's what we need most. Two hundred and forty civilian's
are inside, and an army of those monsters are outside. We need to
protect them and get them off world.

:She could fly, but that wasn't why she was there. Chances were that
they had more pilots than doctors running around, so she said nothing.::

Weston: And it looks like we've got the muscle to do at least the
second bit. Here's the sitrep; They're poisonous, capable of some
flight if the wind is low, and they hate bright light and fire. They can
be shot, stabbed, run over, they die just like us, but they're bigger
and durable. The fact that my flare killed one is incredible however,
so fire might be a bigger asset then I thought. Our people are spread
between four buildings. :: He gestured right behind him. :: The command
and control centre has the lions share, and the twenty odd Starfleet on
the planet. The other three out buildings are there there and there. ::
He gestured to each through the bulkhead of the Scott.

Blair: Evacuations are our priority, but I don’t think we have much time
in which to do them. Will the creatures be a problem while getting
everyone to a shuttle?

T’Mar/Shayne/ Mayne/Inde/Larson: Response?

Nicholotti: Staying away from them in this visibility might be troublesome.

::But of course that wasn't the only problem. She frowned as more bad
news came in.::

Weston: The ground is a quagmire, even the steel paths are sinking.
We'll have to defend every group of survivors to the life boats and
protect them from the creatures.

T’Mar/Shayne/Carr/Mayne/Inde/Larson: Response?

::Oh, that sounded like so much fun. Kali's frown deepened, but she
remained silent, which drew a concerned look from the Marine next to
her. Undoubtedly he was thinking that he never should have let her come
on the mission, doctor or not.::

Blair: Carr, Mayne suggestion?

Carr: :: Without averting her eyes from the door:: If these creatures
are photophobic, a brightly-lit landing area would be doubly beneficial.
We should also consider cannibalizing equipment from the base to provide
the evacuating groups with powerful light sources operating on batteries.

::Finally, something they might be able to work with.::

Weston: Good call. We can definitely try to do that. It might help
keep them away from the groups.

::To which the first officer agreed. It was time to get creative.::

Blair: Inde, forget about the pattern enhancers, come up with a plan to
salvage some parts. I want this landing area as brightly lit as the sun.

Inde: Response?

::And then his attention turned elsewhere.::

Blair: This storm seems to be getting worse. Any idea how long we have
to get these shuttles off the ground?

Weston: That window is closing. At this point I'm not sure we even
have five minutes, but we can get a clearer answer once we move into Cee
and Cee. We have people monitoring the stormfront.

T’Mar/Shayne/ Mayne/Inde/Larson: Response?

Nicholotti: How about an estimate?

::At least with an estimate, they'd have some idea of what they had to
work with. She didn't think it was going to be much though, and she was
right.::

Weston: Honestly I think now is the only time we're going to get a good
shot at getting two boatloads out of here. If the Scott and the Danube
can each get full evac out of here before the big one hits...well that's
nearly one hundred souls out of the storm. But we'll need doctors on
both boats because those things won't let us get our people there
unmolested.

Blair: Agreed. Once the first bunch is on their way, we can come up with
a plan b in case the atmosphere becomes too turbulent for another trip.

::Maybe it was the Marine in her, but she wasn't too keen on leaving
anyone behind.::

T’Mar/Shayne/ Mayne/Inde/Larson: Response?

Carr: I would respectfully advise securing the landing site first.
Sending its coordinates to the Gemini could also enable them to send
more shuttles to evacuate

Nicholotti: I concur. Let's get as many shuttles down here as possible.

Weston: Alright. :: He turned towards the exit and looked outside
warily. Those things were waiting out there, held back by the lights
and a lack of targets. :: Oh, and if you get split up, don't hide. They
are using some kind of echo location...we think. Just run.

::We think. Kali shook her head slightly. This wasn't going to be a
simple thing, was it?::

T’Mar/Shayne/ Mayne/Inde/Larson: Response?

Blair: Carr and Mayne you stay here and keep this area clear of creatures.

Carr/Mayne: response

Blair: Inde get to work on those lights. Coordinate with the ‘locals’ to
get the supplies you need, but get those lights up quickly.

Inde: response

Blair: ::turning to Moore:: Ensign you’ve caused enough trouble for now.
Stay aboard the Scott with Mister Shayne, you are going to be his
co-pilot. And I mean stay inside this time.

::Kali raised an eyebrow at that. For a second, she wondered if the
First Officer was punishing the woman for risking her neck, but then
Kali remembered her own shenanigans and figured that sometimes it was
safer to be put into your own corner for a short time. Of course Kali
had no way of knowing that it wasn't really going to be safer. Moore
said little and moved into the cockpit, leaving the First Officer with
the rest of them.::

Blair: T’Mar, Larson, Doctor we’ll go with Weston.

T’Mar/Larson: response

::Without saying anything, she took up a position near Weston with her
Marine security escort right behind her. She could tell by how he looked
around that he wasn't pleased with the situation. But it was too late.::

Weston: Everyone ready?

::Kali nodded in return as the XO spoke to the other civilian there.::

Blair: My shuttle’s at your disposal. Load as many of your people in it
as you can. We don’t know how many of these trips we will be able to make.

Bartholomew: response

Blair: Okay Oliver, lead the way.

::And so the group moved as one. Though the distance wasn't far, the
weather made it impossible to see anything. Moving was even more
difficult against the wind. Of course it was the wind that carried with
it the sound of an otherworldly scream. It was impossible not to turn
around and look back from where they came.::

Blair: Oh my!

T’Mar/Larson/Weston: response

Nicholotti: We've taken the lighting...leaving the shuttle less than
protected.

::That was stating the obvious as they watched the movement on top of
the shuttle.::

Blair: That looks like one of those creatures!

T’Mar/Larson/Weston: response

Nicholotti: They need to get out of there.

::It was far easier to see when the sparks started flying. Kali felt the
instinct to run back shooting, but she knew she'd likely fall victim to
the creature if she had.::

Blair: =/\= Shayne, Moore get out of there! That thing’s going to tear
the shuttle apart! =/\=

Moore: =^= This is Moore. Shayne is going to launch! We'll take the
Scott up and see if we can't ditch our hitchhiker in the storm! If I may
make a suggestion? Let's get the civilians into groups we can encompass
in the shuttle. Once assembled, we'll fly back down for emergency
boarding procedures! =^=

Blair/Carr/Mayne/T'Mar/Larson/Weston: [TAG]

Moore: =^= I'd reccomend getting the other shuttle launched, too, sir!
Sucks having to fly in these conditions, but if keeps the shuttles
safe... =^=

Carr/Mayne/T'Mar/Larson/Weston: [TAG]

Blair: =/\= Carr, Mayne, what’s the plan? We can’t just let that thing
tear the Scott apart! =/\=

::Well, they could, but it wouldn't serve anyone very well. Kali
gripped the medkit tighter, wishing for a moment that it was a gun of
some kind.::

Carr/Mayne: response

::And yet somehow they were all still running.::

Blair: We have to do something! Our whole evac plan depends on that
shuttle maintaining its space worthiness!

Nicholotti: Let them launch, they'll be back. Let's have the first group
ready for when they are.

::At that moment, the Marine next to her stopped and sent out a volley
of phaser rifle fire. The scream that returned to them sounded a lot
like the one that had drifted on the winds from the shuttle. This time,
though, she could see the creature fall in obvious pain. The building
was right in front of them then, and they just had to get inside. It
wasn't safe, but it was safer, and it would give them all a moment to
think.::

T’Mar/Larson/Weston: response

Blair: Response?

::Kali followed the others inside and found herself looking into a sea
of scared people. It was different when they weren't wearing uniforms.
It was definitely different.::

Nicholotti: I guess this is a good way to pick that first group, eh?
Where are the others hiding?

Weston/Blair: Response?

::Kali nodded. Today, it seemed, was just conspiring against them all...::

TAG/TBC

--
Fleet Captain Kalianna Nicholotti
Chief Medical Officer
USS Gemini