Lt. Commander Samira Neathler - What's the name again?
Samira Neathler
(( The Underbelly - Tanglewoods - Gateside Dimension ))
They only had to look out for three people and a mechanical suit. And they had failed to do so by losen one of their own own. And so Samira, Ethan and Atlas were struggling in the water-filled tunnel to find a glimpse of the elder engineer or the flare Finch had released a few moments ago. As if that wasn’t enough, they stood at a fork in the tunnel, without any indication which tunnel Finch had taken. Samira took a few steps into the left tunnel, but the readings remained the same. Next, she repeated the same in the right tunnel. Another life sign showed up further ahead.
Neathler: I’ve got… ::Then another life sign popped up and another and another. With a gloved hand, dripping from the water, she struggled to change a few settings on her tricorder. After a few attempts it finally worked.:: There’s other life signs there, not all humanoid. ::She looked at Ethan.:: We need to hurry.
If she had been anywhere else, like not in a tunnel half submerged by water, she would have started a jog, but with the water hindering them, all she could do was move as fast as she could. From the bit of light coming from his visor, she noticed Ethan’s nod as he turned towards the right tunnel.
Espinoza: Hang tight to the wall. I’ll take right, you take left. We’ll let the current take us. We should be able to slow ourselves usin’ the vines if we need to. Keep up, buddy. ::he muttered with a pat to Atlas’ frame::
Her tricorder disappeared into a pocket of her suit as Samira wanted her hands free in case she had to grab any of the vines. She heard Ethan taking a breath and unknowingly Samira took a deep inhale herself before she took a position at the left wall of the tunnel. The current of the water took Ethan away, and only then she pushed herself off the underground and let the water take her. She mimicked his movements, grabbing a vine if she drifted too much in the middle of the tunnel. At one point she stopped moving forward, immediately after she felt something had a hold on her ankle. A quick kick with her foot and she was free.
Espinoza: I think I see the flare, Commander! Further ahead!
Samira focussed on the ensign’s voice, trying to ignore the fast beating of her heart. A few kicks with her feet moved her forward into the tunnel, and she had a visual on Ethan, Atlas and further ahead the red glow of Finch’s flare.
Neathler: Great work, Ensign.
Her words were barely finished when she saw Ethan grabbing for another vine but next the man slammed against the wall. Nature’s force didn’t take into account the poor Humans who tried to survive in the water.
Espinoza: …there! There! I see it! It’s on your side, but I don’t see Commander Finch. Commander! Can you see her?
The water and flora was blocking her view. Each time she lifted her head from the water, the bioluminescent algae in the water distorted her view. She grabbed one of the bigger vines, and came to a hold. She wiped the residue water from her visor and focussed.
Neathler: No, the flare but that’s all.
She studied the current of the water, not seeing a single sign of another EVA-suit, not a limb, not a helmet, just water and vines. Had they been too late? When was the last time she had heard Doz say anything? She reached for her tricorder but all she had were mixed readings and plentiful of lifesigns underneath them. Was one of them Doz?
Espinoza: I think she’s under the water. Your side, Commander, right below the flare. Atlas!
By command the mech moved forward and reached the location underneath the flare. Samira tucked away the tricorder and let the current sweep her away to move closer to Ethan and Atlas.
Neathler: Coming.
Finch: Samira, Mister Espinoza, can you hear me?
Neathler: Doz!
Espinoza: Response
She had never been more glad to hear the engineer’s voice.
Finch: I don’t want to worry either of you, but I’m underwater. Deep underwater, loveys. I was dragged down here by a school of…something or other. They’re circling above me near the flare! And, surprise surprise, they’re not very friendly.
Neathler: Hang in there, we’ll try to lure those creatures away. We’ll find you.
Espinoza: Response
She moved closer to Atlas and Ethan and grabbed onto the mechanical suit. As she reached for her tricorder, she took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself and her nerves and her breathing. Something was still interfering with the readings, though she did spot several life signs underneath the water, as if there were some kind of submerged room below them with sharks circling in it.
Neathler: The… ::What had they been named during the briefing?:: harmonic resonance devices, do we still have them?
Espinoza: Response
Samira nodded.
Neathler: We can use them to scare away those creatures.
Although the devices had proven to be efficient above water but would they still work underwater?
Finch / Espinoza: Response
Neathler: If they’re gone, we can Atlas take the lead, and let him drag us underwater to search for Doz because diving with these suits on won’t be easy.
Finch / Espinoza: Response
Neathler: There’s only one way to find out. ::She paused a moment.:: How you’re doing, Ensign?
The resonance devices had made her realize something else. Would the EVA-suits still protect them against the radiation or had the water removed the protective layer? It wasn’t something she wanted to voice, not wanting to scare Ethan, the ensign had already been through a lot.
Finch / Espinoza: Response