Lt. JG T’Fearne - Betazoids & S-Waves Don’t Mix
Teayl Thorn
((Stellar Cartography, Deck 10, USS Ronin))
The computer chimed as the black box finished transferring what it could. Large sections still required extrapolation and reconstruction, but progress was progress. Solana dispersed the recovered data to their stations.
Solana: Well, we have a lot of data to sift through. I recommend we split it up. Half of us work on the black box and half on the flight deck data.
Esot: I would volunteer to continue looking at the black box data - I may be better able to help isolate which quantum reality we're looking for, though there is likely evidence present in the debris.
Time passed in a hush of scrolling text and quiet exchanges. They compiled what mattered and sent a concise report to Command. They continued to piece additional data together, but most of it appeared ancillary.
Then Esot and Solana were called to Transporter Room Two to brief Acting Captain Kel. T’Fearne and Dekas stayed—until Dekas was pulled away as well. She was alone with the data when her comm chirped.
O’Connor: =/\= O’Connor to Lt. T’Fearne, Dr. Shortrith and Ensign Wren. Meet me at the Zanbezi in the shuttlebay in 5 minutes. Radiation protocols and ready for search and rescue. =/\=
T’Fearne: ::tapping her delta:: =/\= On my way, O’Connor =/\=
Wren: =/\= Response =/\=
T’Fearne locked down the feeds, applied a security seal—level four clearance only—and secured the lab. Only a level four clearance or Dekas, Esot, Solana, or herself could gain access to the core or the black box. Her lips quirked at the thought that Sybil, Tess or Tucker could probably figure out a way to break in, given enough time.
T’Fearne: Computer. Seal Stellar Cartography. Elaazni-4-Obsidian-Aegis, Level four authorisation. Temporal contamination protocols.
oO There, that should stop an unsuspecting ensign from stumbling in and reading something they shouldn't. Oo
She collected her gear from the armoury and headed swiftly for the shuttlebay.
((Runabout Zambezi, Main Shuttlebay, USS Ronin in orbit of Gas Giant A, Ross 580 System))
T’Fearne arrived just as Ian O’Connor was finishing the last of his equipment checks. She stowed her weapons and gear with practised efficiency while the Zambezi’s engines cycled through preflight, the low hum vibrating up through the deck.
She was faintly surprised to feel a flicker of apprehension radiating from Ian. Then again, it made sense. A few hours ago, they had all believed the Captain and Commander were dead. The Alpha Isles had a way of reminding you that space exploration and peacekeeping patrols were dangerous professions.
Ian brought up a holographic projection of the moon’s crust. Two domed bases appeared: one shattered and venting intermittent flares of radiation into the upper atmosphere, the other, two hundred klicks magnetic north of the damaged one, larger—and still intact.
O’Connor: Ok, we are focusing on search, rescue and recovery. Commander Tucker’s team will be trying to figure out what ::air quotes:: “went wrong” here. They’re putting down near this research building first before possibly heading to the broken dome. We’ll land over here:: points:: at the community building. Hopefully once we are on the ground we’ll be able to get better readings of lifesigns, radiation levels, etc. We’ll set up a small triage area and a transport zone with the pattern enhancers so we can hopefully ship any seriously wounded directly back to Ronin. Once we’re set we can start our search. Thoughts?
Shortrith: Sounds like a plan. I'll keep sickbay in the loop.
T’Fearne settled into the tactical station.
T’Fearne: We don’t know who we’re going to encounter—or in what condition they will be in. Your safety comes first. Keep your phasers on stun. Lethal force only if a life is in immediate danger. You can’t help anyone if you’re down. Stay alert. Monitor radiation levels. Remember your Academy training.
She knew this was Lieutenant Shortrith’s first away mission with the Ronin, though at least the doctor had previous experience to fall back on.
Ensign Wren, however, was an unknown quantity—this was the first time T’Fearne had worked with her. Still, she immediately recognised the fluid grace, the obsidian eyes, the slightly distant, inward-focused gaze of a fellow Betazoid. The woman looked more genetically akin to T’Fearne’s half sisters than she did. Carefully, she avoided thinking too loudly in the woman's direction, just to be polite. With no other Betazoids aboard until now, it was a habit she had grown out of.
Wren: Response
O’Connor: ::nods:: Agreed. I think these buildings might be housing. Probably be a good starting point.
Shortrith: We'll be able to use those as the triage shelters.
T’Fearne: I would prefer we establish a security perimeter first, with medical set-up second ::slight shrug:: or at the same time.
Wren: Response
O’Connor: Sounds good. We can adjust if we need to once we’re down there. Also on the way down, brush up on Sencha radiation if you’re not already familiar with it. Strap In.
Renaie said nothing, instead responding with a firm nod. The T’Fearne, on the other hand, had just settled properly into the tactical station—leaving the co-pilot’s seat next to Ian open for Renaie—when the words sencha radiation caught up to her.
The Vulcan / Betazoid hybrid went very still.
oO Four Deities and Surak’s katra… that would have been useful to know earlier. Oo
The battle of DS33 flashed in her memory—white-hot pain, her sensitive paracortex flayed by the Sencha wave.
She mastered her reaction to the flashback and turned to Shortrith. Not noticing if ensign Wren caught her emotional response of the involuntary flash of memory.
T’Fearne: ::very controlled:: Very well. Doctor, we’ll need to take inoculants before we land. Standard Sencha radiation exposure kits and carry boosters at all times. The formula should be in the medical database under Sencha Radiation. Could you replicate ampules for the team and a supply for those we encounter who may already be exposed while we are en route?
Wren: Response
Ian slid into the pilot’s chair, sealed the hatch, and brought the Zambezi up off the deck.
The runabout lifted smoothly, angling out of Ronin’s bay toward the wounded moon.
((A few minutes later, outside the Habitat Dome, Moon Sigma in orbit of Gas Giant A, Ross 580 System))
Ian brought the Zambezi down in a wide, cautious arc, keeping well clear of the brilliant plumes of radiation venting from the shattered dome. T’Fearne kept a careful eye on the radiation levels and took stock of the landfall they were about to make. The helmsman set them down smooth as ever near the intact structure.
They moved with practised efficiency. Shortrith and Wren began sweeping for lifesigns and radiation levels while T’Fearne and Ian deployed the pattern enhancers and power generators. All of them remained in EV suits—just in case.
Shortrith: We should get a reading shortly.
The moon’s crust was brittle, a fine powder that crunched and squeaked as their boots compacted the surface. The gravity also felt slightly low to the Vulcazoid. She imagined it would help with moving heavy machinery. O'Connor waved Renaie over for a moment, presumably so the two could speak alone.
((OOC: T’Fearne isn’t listening to Ian and Renaie’s private conversation.))
T’Fearne turned to Ensign Wren and passed her a sealed packet of ampules.
T’Fearne: Here. Extra Sencha radiation inoculation boosters. You probably reviewed the hazard profile for S-wave exposure—you’ll likely need more than the rest of us.
Wren: Response
T’Fearne: ::projecting her thoughts clearly:: ~ you saw that? ~ ::switching back to words:: It was worse. Sencha radiation is bad for most species, but it has an especially debilitating effect on telepaths—Betazoids in particular. Vulcans are also affected to a lesser extent. Have you been having headaches since we arrived in the system?
Wren: Response
T’Fearne: ::nodding:: You should be fine for a while with the dose Doctor Shortrith gave you on the shuttle, but if the levels spike or we hit a fresh wave…you’ll want to use this immediately.
She indicated the sealed injector port built into the hazard suit. The receptacle that would take the ampule, seal it and deliver the lifesaving medication to the being protected within.
Wren: Response
A moment later, Ian gestured for everyone to gather back at the Zambezi around the science console.
O’Connor: Ok guys, what do our scans show? Can we pinpoint any life readings?
Shortrith: I can find some from over ::points to the north-west of where they're standing:: that way. There's nothing specific.
T’Fearne: This dome appears to be where most of the personnel evacuated from the damaged one. We still don’t know if anyone survived over there or requires aid. Wren, what is your range? Can you pick up anything from this dome or the damaged one?
Wren: Response
Ian frowned.
O’Connor: Well if that’s the best info we’ve got…we go with it. Let’s head out.
Ian linked the shuttle controls to the tricorder he picked up and headed for the hatch.
Wren: Response
Shortrith: Commander, I'm noticing a concerning wave of… something… coming from the south-east.
T’Fearne: That's also the direction of the damaged dome.
O'Connor/Wren: Response
Shortrith: Is anyone else noticing this?
T’Fearne: Looks like radiation is flaring erratically from it.
O'Connor/Wren: Response
Shortrith: That's what I mean, it's only showing up in some spaces.
T’Fearne: That suggests spatial instability…or some sort of temporal shear. Recommend proceeding with extreme caution.
O'Connor/Wren/Shortrith: Response
((OOC: just shifting us along to our intended location))
((A few more minutes later, outside the Damaged Reactor Dome, Moon Sigma in orbit of Gas Giant A, Ross 580 System))
They crested a low ridge of fused regolith, and the wounded dome came into full view.
From its centre, a column of searing radiation vented upward into the thin upper atmosphere, a luminous plume flaring like sunlight in reverse. What was left of the base was reminiscent of one of Beck’s powdered doughnuts, but burned through the middle. Around the base, the radiation levels were lower. T’Fearne guessed it was a result of the dome's heavy radiation shielding and the angle of the rupture, deflecting the worst of it.
That might not last, though.
T’Fearne: That’s…looks a lot worse than the scans suggested. Any lifesigns registering in there?
O'Connor/Wren/Shortrith: Response
T’Fearne studied the structure, then stepped closer to Wren’s console as the petite engineer brought up the facility schematics.
T’Fearne: That plume looks like it’s venting from something at the centre of the dome. Can you tell if the structure is even sound anymore?
O'Connor/Wren/Shortrith: Response
[Tags / Act Two Start T’Fearne]
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Security Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
R240107T14