JP: LtCdr Pandorn, Mr. Armiger, 2ndLt Greaves - Exploration and Reconciliation
blacknight3022
OOC: This reconciles the two posts between Greaves and Pandorn and pushes us a bit further along. Consider our last two posts void.
((Comm Shack, Vel Maijan))
Teller: Very well, I'll join you in a moment. :Geoff nodded and stepped closer to the Starfleet personnel, speaking quietly:: Captain Brell, I'd like you and Mr. Lovar to begin assessing the colony so we can rough up an evacuation time table. We need to get these people organized and ready to move as soon as we can begin transport.
Brell: Response
Lovar: ::quietly:: Aye, sir.
Teller: Mr. Pandorn, Mr. Greaves - I'd like a survey of the colony's infrastructure and security footing, such as it is. We need an early warning system if any of those creatures are sniffing around and we need to know if this cavern is about to fall on our heads. Mr. Greaves, you going to be alright on that leg?
Wes met the Commander’s eyes and offered a smile. He was feeling pretty good all things considered. That could have more to do with the pain medication than any reflection on his stamina however. His lungs no longer felt painful when he took a deep breath, and the nausea and dizziness were gone for the time being. The Marine hauled himself to his feet while the Chief of Security spoke. Pushing off of a dilapidated console, Wes grunted with the effort, his stitched skin stretching uncomfortably on his leg.
Greaves: I’ll be fine sir. Might be a hair slower than usual, but you’ll have to lock me up in this room if you expect me to sit this one out.
Teller: Good man. Alright, all of you - meet back here in 20, our gear should be here by then.
Pandorn; He's a Marine, sir. ::grins:: He can hack it, or else Major Parker will chew him as a snack. Isn't that right, Lieutenant?
Greaves: ::smiling:: I don’t think I’d even qualify as a snack if that man came after me.
Pandorn: But, if it becomes a problem, I have to know. I have to protect you as well, Wes. Understood?
Wes paused as the jovial conversation turned serious. The commander had a valid concern. One that really hadn’t crossed Wes’s mind as he felt it was obvious. He had to remind himself that the crew hadn’t worked together long enough yet to build that intuitive understanding that made for great teams.
Greaves: I completely understand sir. I’m okay. Really. The moment that I don’t think I can contribute in a meaningful way, I’ll speak up, and I’ll make sure I do it before I become a liability.
Pandorn: ::to Armiger:: Mr. Arminger, were you attacked recently before we got here? I need to assess how and where they come from. I wouldn't want them to crash this party.
Rick stood besides the Commander. With a crease of his brow, Rick let the question float among them while he took a swig of black coffee from his stained mug. A drip streaked a quarter way down the cup as he took it from his lips. The coffee was burnt bitter and smokey - he’d need a mint.
Armiger: First time we’ve seen them. (Rick pointed with his mug.) First time we’ve seen you. (Rick paused a beat.) The structural teams have reported unexplained damage to external structures for months now. All charted. (Rick took another swig.) Coincides with a sharp increase in casualties from EC-31. From the logs we’ve got, the spike in activity is localised around zone delta. Called a few time of deaths in those tunnels, I’ll tell you Commander Pandorn,
Pandorn: I can't force you to go with us, but your knowledge of the area will be of great help. We'd get lost in that maze.
Rick studied the man and took a slow gulp of coffee. Wandering unaccompanied through the tunnels? No way. Rick had already had to stitch one radiated man’s leg back together.
Armiger: Best I do, eh?
Rick drained the dregs from his mug. With his free hand he fished a mint out of his pocket and flicked it into his mouth. Rick nodded to Pandorn as he broke from the group to get a medical satchel, the delta zone map and his environmental suit.
Armiger: Be with you in five.
The group broke to work on their separate tasks, and Wes followed Lieutenant Commander Pandorn out into the hallway, and then on to the outside of the building.
((Underground Colony, Vel Maijan))
Outside of the old building, Wes looked up again at the ceiling of the cavern in wonder. It really was a marvel, despite the significant signs of wear on the colony.
Greaves: Sir, I was thinking it’d probably be smart to walk the perimeter of the colony and see what entrances there are other than the one that we came in by. That should give us a good idea of the egress points, and provide a good opportunity to assess the state of the rock.
Pandorn: And put some proximity sensors around the tunnels. An early warning system.
Greaves: Oh yeah, for sure. I didn’t even think of that. Good idea sir.
As the two of the officers and the colonist walked toward the edge of the city they fell into a lull. Wes kept his eyes up, observing the state of the structures, but after a block or two, the buildings all started to blend together. Pre fab mixed with improvised structures. All of which were in sad shape. Finally to break the silence Wes spoke up.
Greaves: So sir, I think it just hit be that we really haven’t gotten to work together yet. How long were you stationed at the Embassy before our mission changed?
Pandorn: Just about a year. I started as the First Officer, then the switches started happening. Took everyone by surprise.
Greaves: Miss it yet?
Pandorn: A little. I was starting to like it there. Being grounded a little while was refreshing.
Greaves: I’m actually enjoying being back aboard a starship. It’s a little cramped compared to being green-side, but it’s also tighter knit, ya know. Builds stronger teams in the long run.
As the two approached the edge of the city Wes noticed two men in the ancient EV suits of the colony hurrying towards them from the direction of the old airlock. In their arms were a pile of scrap metal. What stood out to Wes however was how clean the metal looked. Finally, as the pair approached, he noticed a shredded Starfleet insignia on one piece of the metal and he held up a hand to stop the two.
Greaves: Whoa there. Is that the gear the Thor beamed down to us?
The man in the lead barely slowed down as they began passing.
Pandorn: It most certainly is. ::stops the man in the lead:: Lieutenant Commander Pandorn. Did you find the equipment in this bad shape?
Unknown Male Colonist: Yeah, we found it like this where y’all must have entered the tunnels. No time to talk. Gotta get this stuff to the boss.
Before Wes could protest further, the two jogged past the pair of Starfleet officers and headed in the direction of the comm shack. Turning to Commander Pandorn, Wes tried to conceal the look of concern on his face with a look of passive professionalism.
Greaves: Is it just me, or did those look particularly similar to the wreckage of signal enhancers. As in our ticket out of these tunnels.
Pandorn: It looks like it became a chew toy for something. ::shakes his head:: This is just swell...
Greaves: This complicates things.
Wes followed the Commander further along the edge of the city. His tricorder was painfully absent as the two surveyed the colony together.
Greaves: Where are you from sir? Originally that is.
Pandorn: Earth. A town called Littlefork in Minnesota. How about you?
Greaves: I’m from Earth too. Washington area. Near Seattle.
Pandorn: We’re practically neighbors. ::grins:: Anyhow, I don’t wish to seem curt or anything, but with the enhancers damaged we need to really assess the area. We can share home stories when we get back to the Thor.
Greaves: Of course.
After working their way around a quarter of the city, Wes noticed something in the ceiling. A subtle color change in the rocks, but significant nevertheless.
Greaves: Sir, ::pointing upward:: does that look strange to you. The roof and upper walls right there look like they’re fractured and a different mineral composition. I can barely see the ceiling at all since the lights are out right there. Does your tricorder read anything unusual?
Pandorn: ::looking at the beeping tricorder:: The power’s out to this section. Maybe our ‘friends’ out there snagged a conduit or power line. Let’s keep moving.
The group moved deeper into the colony onto the lower levels of the complex, where mining equipment lay inactive pointing to a newly dug tunnel entrance. The tunnel went down a ways further, so they went down the tunnel a few meters, finding a junction of more tunnels. These weren't made by the equipment and it looked more, organically dug, with picks or other hand held tools. There were also spots of small indentations in the wall, where it looked like some of the wall had pieces taken from it. A substance clinged and glistened to those spots and Krindo's tricorder beeped as it was analyzing it. The substance read as extremely caustic to the order of strength not seen before. No wonder their equipment stopped. This stuff could dissolve duranium hulls.
Wes started growing concerned the deeper into the colony they went. His EV suit was trashed, and wasn’t able to pressurize. If they got into a spot where they lost atmosphere, he’d be in trouble.
Greaves: Sir, I’m not sure if it’d be smart for me to continue. My suit is wrecked, and if we get into a tough spot where the colony’s air scrubbers stop pumping O2 down into these lower tunnels, I’m going to become a liability really quick.
Pandron: Set your suit to sound off when your O2 gets low. We’ll turn back then.
Greaves: Nodding. Reasonable enough sir. Just doing my best to communicate.
Pandorn: Mr. Armiger, what were you mining here? And do you usually use some kind of acid to dig?
Rick slapped the switch on the side of his element. His speaker crisped on.
Armiger: Acid? (Rick shook his head knowingly.) Nope. (Rick nodded to Pandorn’s outheld hand.) Your circuit clocked a whiff of EC-31 I take it.
Greaves: Any kind of chemicals to assist in mining at all?
Armiger: Chemicals to clean the equipment. (Rick shrugged.) Maybe? Nothing that would react with the rock in a way to produce that substance. (Rick nodded again at the tricorder in Pandorn’s palm.) The science techs have checked that.
Pandorn: How far do these tunnels go? I'd like to try and set up a trap to tell us if those creatures are coming and from what direction.
Greaves: Good thinking sir. I’ve got some remote motion detectors in my gear that we could set up.
Rick turned and peered into the empty length of tunnel.
Armiger: Delta zone operations were suspended shy of two miles’ length.
Pandorn: ::nods:: I'd like to bring back a sample of that substance for Lovar to analyze. If the creatures use it on us... ::shudders::
Armiger: There’s a stack of data in the PMU he can look at too.
Pandorn: Understanding is half the battle. And maybe we can find out why they are attacking as well.
Greaves: I’m not so sure we were attacked in the first place sir. Unless they are sentrient and that was a recon element. Otherwise they seemed just as eager to get away from us as we were of them.
Rick looked at the man with a creased brow.
Armiger: (Flatly.) When I shot at it.
Pandorn: :: to Armiger:: It's been my experience that many conflicts with unknown beings are the result of misunderstandings. We try to avoid those when we can. If not, well, sometimes it's unavoidable.
Armiger: Thanks. I’ll tell that to the next patient whose hand I amputate.
The glint of a corroded spray brought Rick to a stop.
Armiger: This is where the last incident was reported.
Krindo turned his tricorder to the direction indicated. There was a large concentration of sporadic life signs down one of the naturally carved tunnels. He cocked a head towards the area.
Pandorn: Got life signs down that way. I take it you didn't send anyone down there?
Armiger: (Gravely.) Delta zone is off limits. Operations paused.
Pandorn: Wes, set a proximity sensor here. Then follow me down the tunnel. We need to check this out.
Lieutenant Greaves did as instructed, withdrawing a small round metal ball with lenses on one side. The device easily fit in his hand, and upon activation, secured itself to the floor of the tunnel near the wall. The lenses took a moment to focus, and then settled.
Greaves: We’re in business sir. Your tricorder should be getting readings from the proximity sensor.
Krindo’s tricorder picked up the signal from the sensor. If there was movement near it, the signal strength would change with a beeping sound. That should give them ample warning.
Another tremor briefly shook the cavern. Krindo's tricorder quickly scanned. That was a stronger chroniton surge.
Pandorn: We'll need to be quick. I also picked up something that shouldn't be here.
Krindo was avoiding saying too much with Armiger present. He might tell him when the time was right, but now, they needed to move fast.
Wes frowned, not fully comprehending the chief’s cryptic message. He obviously detected something he didn’t want to talk about in front of the colonist, but Wes couldn’t even begin to guess what that could have been. He wished for more than the first time he had been able to hold on to his tricorder earlier in the day.
Greaves: Quick isn’t my strong suit right now sir, but if we need to I can run. Might need a couple new stitches at the end, but I can do it. Everything okay?
Wes subconsciously brushed his hand against his holstered phaser, the weight of the weapon giving him some reassurance.
Pandorn: We have a look, then start back. The next shock could bring the tunnel down on us.
Armiger: (Rick nodded back in the direction they’d walked.) The first three quarter mile of delta is reinforced. Slog it back that far and we’ll be fine.
With a sharp slap, Rick flicked his speaker off and walked past the two men as he headed back to the airlock.
TBC
==========================================
JP Written By:
Lieutenant Commander Krindo Pandorn
Chief of Security
USS Thor NCC-82607
=/\= Former Top Sims Judge =/\=
=/\=Federation News Service=/\=
=/\=Training Team=/\=
Writer ID: Z239308KP0
&
Lieutenant Ben Garcia (Rick Armiger)
Second Officer/HCO
USS Thor NCC-82607
Author ID number: G239102MR0
&
2nd Lieutenant Wes Greaves
Marine Officer
USS Thor - NCC 82607
E239702WG0