Lt. Cmdr. Ian O'Connor- A Little Problem
rob mahardy
((Ross-580 Gas Giant A, the “Good Dome” on Moon Sigma))
O’Connor: Well if that’s the best info we’ve got…we go with it. Let’s head out.
Ian led them out to the northwest of the runabout toward where the readings suggested lifeforms. This was toward common area structure where they’d put down. He noticed Renaie had lagged back a little as they were focused on their tricorder reading. He stopped and turned back to them and the
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.
Ian looked back in that direction and could see the bright light from the plume above the buildings.
Wren: I'm getting something too, but nothing consistent.
T’Fearne: Looks like radiation is flaring erratically from it.
O'Connor: Not a surprise, both sencha and chroniton radiation can be pretty chaotic.
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.
Shortrith: Noted.
O'Connor: Ok, keep an eye on it. Let us know if anything pops up us. I don’t to walk through a doorway and end up 200 years ago.
They continued on and approached what looked like several small dwellings that seemed connected almost like row houses. A section of them looked about to crumble while a few still stood fairly pristine. Inside they’d managed to find a few relatively undamaged low level workers that they’d helped back to the central building where they’d staged the triage area. Through discussions with those being treated the team discovered that there were many folks missing who were working at the other dome. With a relative safe zone in place they were able to call down a few additional nurses and medical techs to tend to those here while the original search and rescue team proceeded on to the damaged dome.
The medical crew had come down in the Pegasus at Ian’s request, which is the shuttle that the team took over to the other dome. Ian put down outside the dome in a pocket that had the lowest concentration of radiation. From there they headed out in the all-train buggy that argo class shuttles carried aboard.
((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?
Despite being obscured by the EV suit and focusing on driving, Ian still somehow sensed they were frowning at the scans.
Shortrith: Only a few, by the looks of it. I can't tell their species.
O'Connor: If I remember correctly from the reports:: the ones he’d had about three minutes of time in route to look over:: it was a very diverse group of workers so be prepared for any…
Ian’s and everyone else tricorders produced a shrill alert.
O’Connor: Crap, hold on.
He slammed the brakes and skidded.
An almost shimmering wave of air passed directly in front of them. Ian scanned as it did and also watched the ground and some vegitation visibly weather. Stunned, He looked up at the rest of the team.
O’Connor: Unless I’m reading things wrong, it looks like that little wave just aged everything in its path about 10 years.
Wren: ::frowning:: That doesn't sound good…I'll pull up a blueprint, and I'm highlighting where the most life signs seem to be congregated
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?
Wren: it's impossible to tell, all the vented radiation is scrambling the results. The only way to know for sure would be to get closer.
Shortrith: We're all right for EV suits, yeah? And inoculation boosters?
O'Connor: Maybe, but let’s not get hit by any of those waves if we can help it.
He revved the engine and tore off again toward the broken dome.
T’Fearne: Response
Wren: The life signs seem close to that central structure, which is lucky, it should make moving them to triage easier.
Ian pulled up close to the building and they all filed out.
Shortrith: Noted. I'm ready whenever you are.
O'Connor: Let’s go, things seem as stable as they’re gonna get…for now.
T’Fearne: Response
Wren: I'm ready to go.
They were still the equivalent of a couple blocks away when another of the “temporal air waves” passed by, again seeming to age things in its path.
O'Connor: Yeah, let’s very much avoid those.
T’Fearne: Response
Shortrith: I'll keep my tricorder on the highest setting, continuing to scan for life signals.
O'Connor: Guide us on then.
Wren/ T’Fearne: Response
Ian walked a couple of steps ahead and they approached the large structure.
Shortrith: Looks like we're here… Doesn't look like there's much left.
They also said something under their breath that Ian didn’t catch.
O'Connor: What do you guys make of that?
He ointed to a corner of the building. While it was true that most of the structure was crumbling away, one entranceway seemed oddly pristine.
Wren/T’Fearne: Response
O'Connor: All right then, if the life signs are that way.
Renaie glanced between the others and the unstable building.
Shortrith: I'm ready to go in when you are.
Wren/T’Fearne: Response
They scanned again before Ian opened the door. It swung into a foyer with several hallways off of it. Two were collapsed, some went down a ways and turned but the one that the life signs appeared to be coming from lead straight back and looked brand new.
About three rooms down on the right were the strongest of them. Ian waved them along and stopped at the doorway. It didn’t automatically open so he nodded to Wren to access the panel and T’Fearne to be ready.
Shortrith/Wren/T’Fearne: Response
The doors slid apart and Ian stepped in and immediately stopped
O’Connor: What the???
He never could have been prepared for what he saw.
Shortrith/Wren/T’Fearne: Response
Ian swore the same word in Klingon that Shortrith had earlier.
About a dozen infants, toddlers and young children of various species were strewn about the room. Most lay unmoving on the floor but a few were conscious and immediately looked at the team startled and frightened.
All of them wore very oversized clothes of technicians
Shortrith/Wren/T’Fearne: Response
TBC/Tags
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Lieutenant Commander Ian O’Connor
HCO
USS Ronin NCC-34523
R240009IO4