Away team 1- A Starfleet Safari
Posted on Sun Mar 15th, 2020 @ 11:54am by Ensign Amanda Turell & Lieutenant JG Jasad Yuvek & Ensign Brendon Watanabe & Ensign Nicola Cross
Edited on on Tue Mar 17th, 2020 @ 12:22pm
2,542 words; about a 13 minute read
Mission:
The science of stars
Location: Planet 1
Timeline: The next morning planet time
ON:
As the first rays of light slowly illuminated the plateu the away team had set up camp on Nicola realised she'd not taken her eyes off the data the Moskva's sensors had been gathering during the night, while they were designed more for detecting in the void of space they had picked up some interesting information.
Amanda had spent the majority of the night sat propped up against the outside of the shuttle, her phaser rifle on the lap and a tricorder set to proximity alert at her side watching for anything potentially dangerous that aproached the base camp.
Hunter had been up for hours. He seemed to find an eerie peace within the darkness. He spent the night working on bio sample readings and fascinated with the life that seemed to be thriving on this dead planet. It gave him hope for his own soul which felt as radiated and wrung through since Polaris' death. It was odd that here on this dangerous planet he felt the first tentacles of life stirring.
"Hey chief, what do you think of this." Nicola called out. "The sensors picked up a large mass of lifeforms a few kilometers away, all heading in the same direction."
Hunter picked up his tricorder and read it. "Fascinating. Mass is...a light word for it. more like an invasion." He looked at her. "Feel like hiking up a ways. I want to get a better read on them."
"It could be a herd of animals, this sort of terrain would be good for them. Certainly worth a look." Nicola replied.
Hunter smiled, "Great. Let's go." He picked up his tricorder and medical kit. This trip was certainly proving to be a distraction. "Ready for the adventure?' He asked waiting for Nicola to get ready to join him.
"Best let the boss know first." Nicola said and headed for the rear compartment of the Moskva where unlike almost everyone else Brendon was asleep. She gently shook him till he opened his eyes.
A light sleeper Brendon woke up quickly. "What is it Nicola?"
"Me and Hunter are going out to look at a big cluster of life signs that passed nearby, probably a herd of animals." Nicola told him.
"Alright, take whatever you need and have Amanda go with you."
"Sure thing." Nicola smiled and then left so Brendon could go back to sleep. Returing to the cockpit she picked up a kit bag, "Ready when you are Chief."
Hunter gave a nod. "I am indeed."
Slinging the bag over her shoulder Nicola stepped out of the runabout. She looked down at Amanda who looked asleep sat in the shadey patch they'd created to keep the sun out. "Amanda, Amanda..." When she didn't respond Nicola gave her a light kick to the leg.
Amanda bolted awake, her phaser rifle to hand and ready immediately. "I'm awake...."
Nicola laughed. "Come on get up, we're heading out."
"Whats the job?" Amanda asked as she a little groggily stood up and had a stretch.
"Huge cluster of life signs a few kilometers away," Nicola replied. "not sure what it is but I reckon a big herd of animals or something like that."
"Could be interesting, you coming too chief?" Amanda asked Hunter.
Hunter smiled. "I wouldn't miss it!"
Lieutenant Yuvek laid in his bunk within the confines of his quarters within the runabout. In fact, it was the only quarters within the entire vessel. As the senior officer in command of the mission, he was able to taek advantage of the privacy and have at least a few hours to himself.
Unfortunately, his slumber was anything but peaceful. He tossed and turned repeatedily as his unconscious body responded to the vivid dream he was experiencing.
"GRAB THE KNIFE!" He shouted as he bolted upright, his hand still rolled tightly into a fist. It took a few seconds before his mind caught up with is body and he realized that he was only experiencing a dream and that he was in fact. . .safe.
His chest heaved as his heart beat energetically against his rib cage. Eventually he remembered to breathe and exhaled a sigh of relief as he swung his legs over his bunk and slowly rose his his feet. He shook his head and began to look around the smaller cabin and saw the light beginning to appear on the horizon, indicating that sunrise was occuring.
He figured the Wolff would not be within distance of the communication satellite for at least another two hours, giving the team time to figure out their surroundings and just what exactly was near their location. He decided to check on the crew before performing his hygenie routine and checking on the satellite.
As he stepped out of the cabin and into the main portion of the Runabout he was surprised as looked and only saw one crewmember.
"Ensign Watanabe, report!" Lt. Yuvek said in a less than inviting tone, not even dispensing with the pleasantry of "good morning".
The loud shout woke Brendan from his own sleep and he looked back to see Jasad come into the main area. "The rest of the team is investigating a big cluster of life signs moving a few kilometers away."
"Life signs?" Lt. Yuvek replied, looking towards Ens. Watanabe. "How many and of what nature?" He asked, obviously concerned about what other life seemed to exist on this planet.
"A hundred or so." Brendon replied. "Definitely not humanoid."
As the Ensign continued to speak, he walked over to a nearby console and brought up the sensor readings from the away team's tricorders that automatically synced with the Runabout.
"Odds are given the number, direction and way they're moving it's a herd of animals." Brendon continued.
Lieutenant Yuvek nodded as he tapped the console in front of him. "Lieutenant Yuvek to Ensign Turell, what the hell is it that you all are seeing that could not wait until full sunrise?" He asked.
Amanda checked her tricorder as the group walked. "If I'm reading this right and the radiation isn't playing tricks on it, we should be able to see the life signs when we get over this rise."
Hunter smiled, "Then full speed ahead." He was looking forward to seeing what these life signs were and how they could survive on a planet like this.
Carefully and with her phaser rifle at the ready Amanda slowly got to the top of the rise and looked over into the open plain that lay ahead of her. A large heard of big bulky buffalo looking animals milled around the plains kicking up dust as they slowly moved. "Wow. There must be a couple of hundred of them at least."
Hunter looked on in awe. "At least." He pointed to the rise there. "Look that way. We may be able to get closer without being seen. It will be a bit of a shuffle but we can do it if you can climb and walk fast."
"Lets try, but quietly," Amanda said. "We don't want to spook them and start a stampede."
Their progress was slow but steady. Soon they reached the top and were just a breath away. Hunter found this remarkable. "Isn't this...amazing? They are ..." He gulped. The creatures seemed vibrate and then a rainbow of colours passed through their bodies. Their very skin glowed with such force and beauty. "They are beautiful. Remarkable."
"And smelly." Amanda remarked less enthusiastically than Hunter, "Looks like they're thriving on this planet, see the smaller ones down there." She motioned to a small group that was probably offspring.
Hunter had his tricorder out and was scanning the creatures. "They ... wait.. I think they are communicating." A small chirping sound could be heard.
The chirping sound was suddenly replaced with Jasad's message as Amanda's combadge came to life, she clapped her hand over it to muffle the sound. "Keep your voice down Lieutenant, we're only a few meters away from the herd."
Despite the fact that he was still inside the runabout and not within physical distance of the Officer, he jerked back with an obvious look of offence on his face.
"A herd? You and the other crew members decided to go on a. . .a. . .what do you Humans call it. . .a safari. . .just for some random herd?" The Cardassian asked incredulously.
"You could've dispatched a probe to record them, what significant mission value do they have?" He continued on over the comm unit.
Nicola laughed slightly at Jasad's comment before tapping her own combadge and quietly joining the conversation while keeping her eyes and tricorder on the herd. "It was my choice to come out here Lieutenant," She told him. "We're supposed to be surveying the planet in depth, that means getting out there and looking at things with our own eyes, not just through the mechanical eyes of a probe or our tricorders."
"Well just keep in mind that we're still outside of communication range with the ship. So should your curiosity lead you to being injured by some wild animal it might be awhile before you're able to receive proper treatment." The Cardassian Lieutenant responded. He understood the necessity to perform recon; however, he also recognised that they still weren't certain just what lifeforms inhabited the planet. Nor did they know if they took too kindly to visitors.
"We're aware of that, We're being careful." Nicola remarked.
"Then you'd best check behind you," Brendon cut in. "sensors are showing a small group of life signs approaching, you're right in between them and the herd."
Hearing that Amanda quickly turned around looking down the rise they had climbed, she saw something scurry through some undergrowth nearby then some low growling coming from another piece. Shouldering her rifle just to be ready she waited to see what would emerge.
"Isn't humanoid, could be a predator." Nicola said turning her tricorder in the direction Amanda was aiming.
Jasad just sighed as he continued to monitor the team from the runabout. He never could understand the need of certain people to always have to explore each and every shiny new object around them.
He turned and brought up the communication suite and tried to see if there were any points on the surface in which the radiation was not as strong. If he could find a good spot, he could setup a signal booster that would allow the away team to remain in contact with the ship much more frequently.
"Ensign Watanabe!" Lt. Yuvek snapped pointedly. "Pull up a star chart of the system and compare it to the cartography map of this planet's surface. We need to find the most capable location of setting up a signal enhancer." The Officer dictated.
Slowly a quartet of medium sized quadrupeds broke from the bushes, snarling and growling at the away team.
"Chief, Nic, back off slowly." Amanda said quietly, aiming her rifle at what looked like the groups alpha.
"This way." Nicola said slowly moving down the rise away from the pack.
Hunter moved slowly and followed Nicola. This was certainly interesting and his mind was too occupied to think of Galatea. He missed her, even now, but right now his mind was occupied as it should be.
Lieutenant Yuvek watched on the monitor as the four lifesigns shifted their direction and made their way towards the crewmembers. Now was certainly not the time to say, "I told you so. . ."
Looking back slightly to see what path Nicola and Hunter had taken down the rise Amanda started slowly walking backwards towards them keeping her rifle trained on the alpha. Coming to a steeper section she turned slightly and her feet slipped on a patch of loose rock landing with a thud on the ground.
The alpha ran and leapt at Amanda as she fell baring its large teeth, bringing her rifle up just in time Amanda managed to jam it sideways into its open jaw, the creatures teeth left huge tears in the polymer shell, it shook vigorously at the weapon trying to pull it from Amanda's grip. “Someone shoot it.” She shouted before yelping in pain as a forceful twist made her bad shoulder pop out of place.
Hunter had reacted quickly. He pulled out a dart hypo and had it loaded within a second flat. He fired and the dart sailed up into the sky and found its mark in the animal. It swung back and leaving Amanda it made its way towards Hunter. He stood his ground and loaded another just in case. He watched as the animal wobbled. He knew that it would only be a matter of seconds and he could get to Amanda.
Growing weakly in Hunters direction the alpha took several more steps towards him before slumping down to the floor.
Groaning from the pain in her shoulder Amanda managed to sit up and shouldered her phaser rifle firing it into the ground in front of the other two creatures who seeing their alpha slump to the floor and the ground suddenly exploding with light and strange sounds turned and scurried off back into the undergrowth.
=/\= "Chief Payton and Ensign Turrell, I'm dispatching two security drones to location, get back to the Runabout, double-time." Lieutenant Yuvek said. It was not known where those animals had come from or if they intended on getting a larger hunting pack to come back and finish what they started.
Hunter responded. "As soon as I stabilize her." He sighed, "I need the big red med-kit ready for when I bring her back." he tapped off his combadge and loaded a hypo from his medical pack. To ensure that the dose was right he swivelled the little bottle until it clicked.
Phaser drawn Nicola kept watch while Hunter tended to Amanda.
Laying back Amanda looked up at Hunter. "You don't need to bother with all that," She said though there was some pain evident in her expression. "Just get my arm back in and I'll be fine." This wasn't her first dislocated shoulder.
He pressed a hypo to her neck to ease the pain. As it hissed out it's final dose he counted to ten and then popped the joint back in. "Are you alright?"
"argh.... fuck." Amanda yelped in pain despite the hypo as the joint slipped back into alignment. "I'll be fine." Though she knew that she'd be hurting even more later when the hypo and the adrenaline wore off.
He sighed. "Alright, let's get out of here." He stood and extended his arm to help her. Just as she finished standing a sound drew their attention. The beasts were back. "Run!" He pushed Amanda ahead of him.
Amanda looked back to see not just the two who had fled only a minute before but several more advancing boldly towards them encouraged by their greater numbers. "I agree." Amanda started back towards the base camp.
OFF:
Lieutenant Jasad Yuvek
Chief Helm Officer
Ensign Amanda Turell
Sec/Tac Officer [npc Taliserra]
Ensign Brendon Watanabe
Stellar Cartographer [command npc]
Ensign Nicola Cross
Geologist [command npc]
Chief Petty Officer Hunter Payton
Chief Nurse/Medic
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