|
Post by Lennard Meshers on Jan 18, 2014 15:00:54 GMT
"Yes, Mother." Tan said, grinning, before turning to the Security Officers, "You and you can come with us, I want one on point, the other can follow behind, there's to be no firing unless absolutely necessary. Lieutenant, ensign, you ready ?"
Lenny nodded. "Yes, sir" he replied firmly, prepping his tricorder.
He took up position behind Ensign Martins, and began scanning the rough stone passage in front of and around him. "Not exactly a picnic this" Lenny muttered under his breath, as he chose his steps carefully on the tough, dry ground.
His ground-based navigation skills were not exactly up to scratch, and he was happy to follow the more capable Martins down the long passages whilst making scans. All proved to be dead ends. He eventually turned and shrugged, reporting the news solemnly to Commander Tan.
Before long the party came to a point where the tunnel split in three directions. After Ensign Martins had volunteered to scout out the myriad of new passages, Lenny waited, continuing to make brief readings from the cavern walls. Negotiating his way round a recently set up comm relay, the Lieutenant approached a large surface in the rock that appeared smoother, more level, than the rough wall around it. It almost seemed man-made to him.
He was about to call upon the Commander when Martins returned.
"The first tunnel is approximately one point eight kilometers before turning down, I can't get anything out of 'line of sight' with this." she held up the sub-acoustic transmitter before continuing, "Second tunnel is approximately the same, but the third shows a much bigger complex. It goes into the mountain almost three kilometers then divides into numerous tributaries. There are man-made items at the far end of the main artery, I'm sure Sir."
"Man-made ?" Crystal asked from behind the group.
"Yes Ma'am. At this range this isn't exactly accurate, but the signals show flat surfaces, 'large' flat surfaces, that are bouncing back to us. There's also at least one massive cavern, larger than this one. my guess, we'd fit a ship in there no trouble. Sir, the tunnel has a downward angle, and given the topography on the surface combined with us moving deeper, there's no way we could contact the ship, or be transported out in case of injury." the young woman said, a worried look on her face.
"Man-made...that's exactly what I just surmised from this" Lenny said, indicating the slab of wall on the right-hand side, which was - after all - closest to the third tunnel that Martins had explored. Commander Tan looked and nodded. "I see" he said.
He turned to Martins, and then, making a darkly humorous remark, ordered the party to proceed down the third tunnel.
* * * * *
The tunnel worried Lenny, as did Commander Tan's daring in taking the whole group down there with him.
"With your permission, sir, I'd like to cover the rear, keep a look out behind us" he said to the Commander, who nodded his approval of the suggestion.
He wasn't so much afraid for himself than for the others, for the safety of the team as a whole. Commander Rose had put a great deal of trust in the Olympia's third-in-command to scout out the complexities of this branch of the cave network. It seemed odd to the Lieutenant that, despite their well-armed, well-trained companions of the security personnel, this should be a decision taken so boldly, and also, he thought, made rather recklessly.
But of course, if the puzzle as to the Farian presence in this underground maze were to be figured, it may help them to discover just what had happened here with the scientists.
Before long, the group had discovered a satchel, evidently left behind by one of the scientists. Lenny was one of those who crowded around to watch as it became clear whoever had made the recording found in the pack would have been killed by the sudden intense light of the weapons' discharge.
"Sir, I advise we turn back..."
Again Lenny's suggestion was ignored. And again the group continued on in pursuit of what may have killed the scientist. Surely, Lenny had realised with a jolt, it could be no-one other than Dr Syrus, as they had already encountered the Vulcan, T'Sen...
"Do you think this is wise?" Lenny asked Security Officer Kaplan, who he had been accompanying at the rear of the team.
"I just do whatever is ordered" Kaplan replied brusquely. "And if it means running risks like this, then so be it." As if to prove he was ready for anything, Kaplan then volunteered himself to join his fellow security officer at the front of the group, as they came to the start of a gradual incline.
Having scouted ahead, Francitti returned to make his report to the group, Lenny watching from further down the passage.
He saw the light before he heard anything, and then the sound cascaded over him as he staggered backwards in the sudden shockwave, although it was more out of alarm than anything else. He was a little way back from Commander Tan, Francitti, Kaplan and Martins. He rushed forward to catch up with them, worrying about what may have happened.
But before Lenny could reach the other four, a sudden shower of rocks came down from ahead of him, one hitting him on the head and knocking him to the stony floor. The rocks continued, the tunnel ahead of him almost caving in. He felt the wet of blood on his forehead, felt the frenzied dust in the air choke his skin, and these were his last sensations as his consciousness quickly ebbed away to nothing.
(tag All)
|
|
Crystal Rose
Commander 1C
Every theory starts with an idea
Registered: Apr 19, 2007 12:48:23 GMT
Posts: 509
|
Post by Crystal Rose on Jan 19, 2014 21:47:32 GMT
"Hi I'm Maureen. I'm part of the survey team, I imagine you've all ready heard all about what's been going on down there"
Seth put on the best smile of self-assuredness he could muster, "No idea. Survey team?" He looked at her seriously then as if to supplicate his nonchalance, "I've spent the last two hours on my back... I haven't had time to keep up with the comings and goings of ship affairs."
Seth looked at her more closely. Forties perhaps, red hair and striking eyes. Despite her being perhaps 15 years older than Seth he wasn't blind to the fact she was attractive. Beautiful even. Maureen really wasn't sure what to make of this young man. He did not seem to be quite with it. There was something in his manner that mead her think he wasn't a civilian but she couldn't figure out what it was, then again she was a scientist so she really shouldn't make assumptions. Besides, it was nice to have someone to talk to.
"I'm not a Starfleet officer," he explained, "In fact I don't even... This ship... what's it called?"
"The USS Olympia," she smiled, her face mysteriously alive as if suppressing a chuckle. "How long have you been aboard, sir?"
"Less than four hours. My memory's hazy but as far as I remember I was tractored in by escape pod. Before that I was -" He stopped abruptly, lying down on the biobed. Thoughts of the Pollux came back. His mission, perhaps on indefinite hold, retained massive importance, to the clearing of his name and to Ascension. "It is best not to go there," he finished.
He sat up on his elbows, "What is going on here? You're part of a planetary survey team... So you're not a member of this ship's crew?"
Maureen smiled, "I'm part of a survey team that was base planet side, acting team leader. Vandia III was supposed to be uninhabited, however, someone else was down there too. Two of my people got abducted , one is still missing." She glanced in the direction she had last see T'Sen go in. Then swallowed and wiped her eyes she wouldn't panic and wouldn't lose it completely. "We called Starfleet for help. They sent the Olympia and so here I am. I'm actually a meteorologist and atmospheric physicist so this whole being in space thing is really dragging me out of my element." She sighed again. "I was just part of the away team that Commander Rose, she's the First Officer, Admiral Smith is in command; took down. We found one of my missing team members. I'm just waiting for news on her..."
Maureen would have carried on talking but for the interruption. Hopefully someone would soon tell her how T'Sen was...
|
|
David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 790
|
Post by David Tan on Feb 15, 2014 16:07:48 GMT
David didn't like the idea of leaving the injured Lieutenant behind, but it was the only way Commander Rose and the others would have a chance of finding them in the maze of disused tunnels. He and lieutenant Francitti moved forward cautiously, knowing that their attacker could be around the next curve. At every junction, Francitti scratched a mark low on the wall, invisible to the casual glance, but the marks would at least allow them to get back to the injured Kaplan, from there it would be hit and miss ... Suddenly, Francitti raised his hand:
"Did you hear that." Francitti asked. Tan stood, completely silent, listening for the sound. After a moment it came again, this time he heard it too.
"There is technology down here. Who the hell would build anything so deep inside the cave complex ?"
"Let's move forward, slowly." David ordered.
As they continued the noise level grew, until they were sure something was happening just ahead. Francitti inched forward, checking around the curve in the tunnel. He waved for Tan to join him. They could see light ahead, a lot of light ... moving cautiously they rounded the curve and approached the entrance to the enormous cavernous space. tan wondered how the hell these caverns were undetected from orbit, topographical scans should have shown 'something' was beneath the surface rock he thought.
"The vessel is approaching." they heard someone say.
"Target their engines ONLY !" a second voice ordered.
"Who the hell would they be firing at, and how ?" Francitti whispered, incing forward to try to get a look at the people ahead.
There was a dull throbbing then the unmistakable sound of weapons fire !
The beam of pure energy lanced out from the surface of the planet. It crossed the distance to the third moon in less than a second, before massive reflectors altered the beams' trajectory around the planet below. Two seconds later the beam slammed into the port nacelle of the USS Olympia !
< tag : Admiral >
"We need to stop them firing." Francitti said, stepping out into the open, but David snatched him back instantly. The last thing they needed was to be captured or killed. Tan needed to find out what was going on. He pointed with his phaser towards a second tunnel, this one seemingly moving around the cavern. nodding, Francitti followed him ..........
< tag : All >
|
|
Crystal Rose
Commander 1C
Every theory starts with an idea
Registered: Apr 19, 2007 12:48:23 GMT
Posts: 509
|
Post by Crystal Rose on Feb 17, 2014 21:56:03 GMT
Crystal and her team continued in to the tunnels in the wake of David and his team. She received notification that the security officers were moving ahead to investigate a body. Then the ground beneath her feet shook and a dull roar came up from somewhere below.
=/\=Commander Rose to Commander Tan=/\= Crystal tapped her comm badge and waited for a response. There was nothing. David and his team were cut off.
Crystal turned to her team. They had all heard both the explosion and the failed communication, they knew what the situation was same as she did. The difference was it was her call. She quickly moved back to where she could contact the ship.
=/\=Olympia, this is Commander Rose there's been an explosion in the tunnels, Commander Tan's team has be cut off. We can't tell what their situation is, we need more communication boosters and a medical team.=/\=
She glanced over at Lt Meshers, "Anything you need? We need to make sure we can find our way out."
Tag:
Once the equipment had arrived and the team was assembled Crystal headed back in to the caves she would find David and his team and they would be all right.
|
|
Deleted
Registered: Mar 29, 2024 11:54:13 GMT
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2014 21:45:45 GMT
The bridge crew of the USS Olympia were monitoring things down on the surface as best as they could, which wasn't exactly an easy task considering they had limited contact with the Away Team down below. While Steve had the utmost faith that both Commanders Rose and Tan were more than capable of taking care of themselves down there, he was still anxious at being on the ship when anything could be happening without him knowing about it.
As the minutes ticked by, Steve was hoping to have some sort of communication from the surface by now. Still, he was safe in the knowledge that the Olympia was safe and sound where they were.
"Sir, I am detecting an energy beam coming from around the planet.....we are being targeted." a voice called out from the tactical station.
'So much for being out of harm's way' Steve thought. "Shield's up!" He commanded, albeit a moment too late as the beam blasted directly onto the rear of the Olympia, making the entire ship rock under the impact and sounding the red alert klaxon.
"Let's try that again....Shields, and damage report." Smith ordered.
"Nothing major sir, even though our port nacelle was hit directly, I would not advise taking any more hits like that." said the ensign at the back of the Bridge.
"That much is a given." Steve replied, as he settled back into his command chair. "Find out where they are firing from." He ordered.
"Would love to sir, but we are being fired upon again."
Steve cursed under his breath, growing tired of his ship being attacked by persons unknown. "Evasive maneuvers. Keep us out of harms way, but still within range of the planet. And get hold of the Away Team as soon as you can....if we are being fired upon, then who knows what trouble they are coming up against."
|
|
David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 790
|
Post by David Tan on Feb 22, 2014 21:47:32 GMT
Tan and Francitti moved down the tunnel slowly, I must have run parallel with the chamber as they could hear the weapons' fire and the voices of the two unknown's ... The tunnel widened and separated into two tributaries, one seemingly going deeper into the bedrock, the other looked as if it re-entered the massive chamber. David inched his way forward, trying to see the equipment being used, and more importantly, those operating it !
Now they were looking into the chamber from a better angle, they could see the amount of technology involved. Tan could see at least fifteen consoles, all powered-up and ready, but to do what ?
They could see one of the Humanoids ... He/she was prodding a console rapidly, obviously making adjustments to something. There was another weapons discharge:
"Could they be firing at the others ?" Francitti asked.
"I don't think so. Those power output reading are large, if I'm guessing right. They are firing at something large, and at a distance, maybe they are firing into spa ...." David stopped suddenly, realization dawning, "Oh heel, they're firing on the Olympia !"
"We have to stop them !" Francitti said, stepping into the chamber before Tan could stop him. he fired on the first Humanoid, hitting him/her square in the chest. The second turned in time to see Francitti raise his phaser. The beam of energy lanced across the space between weapon and target but it never reached. The Humanoid raised a hand, seemingly halting the beam mid-trajectory, the energy dispersing against the palm or close to it. Francitti re-set the phaser to it's maximum setting and took aim, but the Humanoid was already pointing a finger at him. David watched as Francitti doubled over in agony !
Seemingly satisfied, the Humanoid turned back to the console and made numerous input's ... There was yet another discharge, this time much larger. If the target was indeed the Olympia, David thought it must be taking one hell of a battering. He crouched down and made his way to the Lieutenant, grabbing his tunic and dragging him back into the mouth of the tunnel. he smacked his Comm badge and spoke:
=^= Tan to Olympia .. Emergency beam out =^=
Static emanated from the badge ....
=^= Tan to OLYMPIA .. Emergency beam out .. NOW ! =^=
It was obvious that either their Comms were being blocked, or the Olympia was too busy to reply, either way David realized he was on his own with an injured Officer ..........
|
|
|
Post by Lennard Meshers on Feb 27, 2014 16:02:51 GMT
In the dark ether of Lenny's imagination, colours and shapes flashed before his eyes. He saw a succession of images flickering in front of him: his first day on the Olympia two months ago, his arrival in the transporter room and his welcome and friendly exchange with the transporter chief; meeting Admiral Smith for the first time in his ready room, and then a succession of bulkheads, consoles and long sleek corridors that fused together in his mind like some strange mechanical potpourri; the warp drive that had brought the Olympia to their destination...the strange and bizarre planet.
The recently promoted Lieutenant Meshers had felt the familiar tickle as his particles dematerialised on the pad in the transport room of the USS Olympia. The Prometheus class starship had been conducting routine tests in Earth's orbit, and Lenny stepped off the transporter pad and gave the transporter chief at the console a brief smile.
"So, you're the new conn officer are you?" said the transporter chief, whose name was Whelan.
"Yes, that's me. Lieutenant Lennard Meshers, junior grade."
"Oh, hello. You better be quick on your feet. Admiral Smith's expecting you in his ready room."
"Okay," said Lenny, "But first, I'd like to know where my quarters are."
"I think the Admiral will deal with that in due course." Whelan had given Lenny a half smile and Lenny could have sworn a wink, but he had decided not to humour his new companion any more than he felt necessary.
He had walked into the corridor and had taken the turbolift. "Deck 1," he said. The Prometheus class was a strange ship. Not very big, yet not small enough as to be as nimble or cosy as the likes of the USS Defiant. Lenny was aware that the Olympia had seen a lot of battles, and had an experienced enough crew, but he still felt strangely naked when on board, as if something unexpected would suddenly happen.
His meeting with Admiral Smith was brief and curt, although the ship's commander smiled in the right places and went through the necessary formalities with a slightly casual air which put Lenny at ease. He went off to his quarters on deck four, preparing for the days ahead. They promised to be long, boring and uneventful, before the ship finally left Earth.
The journey to Vandia III, following the mission brief that Lenny was quickly made aware of, and the subsequent events etched themselves solidly within the Lieutenant's mind. The rash behaviour of the odious Doctor Beda, the apparent strangeness of the away team's hosts' relations on the planet's surface. And then, the caves...
Lenny drifted in and out of consciousness, the rock face opposite him dark and imposing, yet frequently images would flash before his eyes, as if projected onto the cave wall like some bizarre underground cinema. Finally, the warm fuzz of full consciousness descended on him. He felt light-headed, not just because of the blood that was trickling down his temple. He raised a hand to his head and it came away wet with blood which had not yet congealed. He suddenly felt extremely sick.
Lenny didn't try to stagger to his feet, as he was worried he would just collapse again and do himself further injury. Instead he sat up slowly against the hard rock wall, vaguely aware of movement to his left-hand side. Ignoring it at first, thinking - perhaps - that it was his mind playing tricks on him or else just more rocks falling from the unstable tunnel, he soon heard a succession of voices come down the tunnel the way he had come. He recognised one, which was growing louder all the time. It was Commander Rose.
The Olympia's first officer was shining a flashlight down the dusty, rock-choked tunnel, accompanied by her small team. She approached Lenny, and looked around at the rock-fall, before moving back the way she had came to contact the ship.
=/\=Olympia, this is Commander Rose there's been an explosion in the tunnels, Commander Tan's team has be cut off. We can't tell what their situation is, we need more communication boosters and a medical team.=/\=
Lenny groaned, and sat up further. He then saw the first officer glance across at him.
"Anything you need? We need to make sure we can find our way out."
"I'm okay, I'm fine" said Lenny in reply to Commander Rose, although he felt dreadful; the pain in his head had become almost unbearable now that the initial shock had worn off.
<tag Crystal>
"We're having trouble getting hold of the Olympia" said one of the Commander's team. "Nothing but static."
"Something must have happened to them" said another. "It can't have been the explosion just now."
Lenny slowly got to his feet, using the wall of the cave for support. "I need...medical...attention" he stuttered.
"Sit back down" said the officer nearest to him. "Unfortunately none of us are qualified. And we can't get through to the ship. Just sit tight."
Lenny slumped back down, frustrated at how little he could do, and how hopeless the situation seemed.
<tag All>
|
|
Seth Helacaan
Civilian 4
Registered: Feb 8, 2008 12:30:38 GMT
Posts: 467
|
Post by Seth Helacaan on Mar 2, 2014 14:19:20 GMT
The security officers were silent at first, standing implacable and indicating that Seth should follow them out of sickbay, no questions asked. Seth nodded to Maureen courteously and allowed himself to be led away.
"There's nothing about me that you don't already know," he told them curtly, still feeling the effects from his near-death experience in the escape pod... Dark panels, masculine voice counting down the seconds to expiry of air. His chest still hurt from trying to inhale the near-vacuum and he'd developed a stunning headache.
"We don't know anything." One of the crewmen replied eventually. "Our orders were to escort you to -" The guard clasped his arm to lead him down a particular corridor, "It's this way," he said gruffly.
"I am aware of that." Seth shrugged off the man's iron grasp. In a way he had himself to blame... How had he fallen to this...? One moment a first officer of a starship, the next being roughed up by Security NCOs. It had been his choice, but he hadn't figured running into a Federation starship while en route to Nnahus - his true objective - into the equation. There was a fire in Seth's eyes now. Fire that had been missing from his time on the Nevada, even during times of duress, or even facing the barrel of a weapon...
"I was a Starfleet officer for nine years," he told the guards. "I know my way around a..."
"A vessel as new as this?" one of the security asked, smirking at his colleague. They arrived at their destination, the guards taking position either side of the door, phasers in holsters. Seth read the words on the door... Fourth Officer's Office. He steeled himself. There shouldn't be too many questions to answer... he was thankful not to be seeing the Captain or the XO.
"You've had quite a journey Mr Helacaan," the officer behind the desk said. "Lieutenant Commander Karmelo Seth Helacaan, born colonial world Canis Major Delta 4, Starfleet ID 73X23XK. Retired." The officer paused, "Your last posting was on the USS Nevada-B as that vessel's first officer. On your last assignment you were investigating the disappearance of your commanding officer Commodore Park."
"You've got me down to a tee sir," Seth said drily. He halted over the mistake of adding sir... Those days were behind him now. He'd made sure of that.
"And you wind up here, in the Vandian Sector, ejected from an exploding vessel whose route went far beyond the Federation border into the..." the red-collared Lieutenant Commander checked his notes, frowning, "The Naal Conglomerate. Its outer regions anyway."
Seth nearly rolled his eyes. Not much had really changed then... the Federation were still largely unaware of the Naal and their encroachment upon Seth's homeworld. And Seth had been one of the primary proponents in convincing the Ascension populace the Federation now genuinely wanted to aid and protect them, to show the people of Seth's world they hadn't been forgotten.
"Well..." the fourth officer went on, "Despite the misgivings of command about your sudden arrival here, and how unusual it is that a Starfleet officer not 2 weeks out of the service decides to hire a mercenary vessel and head into uncharted space, you're stuck here for the time being. We have arranged you temporary quarters until we return to Starbase. As soon as the CMO has signed off your recovery, you may head those quarters. In the meantime you'll be our guest."
"A change of clothes might be appreciated." Seth dusted his civilian clothes down, tears and explosion marks and rubble coating them. "Commander... Did you say you detected the explosion of the Pollux?" The fourth officer nodded. Seth's voice took on urgency but he didn't raise it. He placed both palms on the officer's desk, "Sir, I need a method of transport to resume my previous course. I don't want to return to a Starbase."
"That's not up to me Mr Helacaan." The officer sorted PADDs on his desk, glancing up at Seth, "Have a good day. Oh, Admiral Smith may want to see you soon."
Seth left thinking bitter thoughts. While he owed his life to this crew, he simply couldn't stay here for long much longer. He made his way back to sickbay. If he was to remain there, he could stave off thoughts of the upcoming mission and distract himself from a prolonged stay in guest quarters. That would be until the command team came along - who knew what they'd want to ask him? But Seth was already getting a sinking feeling...
<tag Steven Smith - All>
|
|
Crystal Rose
Commander 1C
Every theory starts with an idea
Registered: Apr 19, 2007 12:48:23 GMT
Posts: 509
|
Post by Crystal Rose on Mar 2, 2014 22:04:39 GMT
"Anything you need? We need to make sure we can find our way out."
"I'm okay, I'm fine" said Lenny in reply
That did not sound like a proper response, Crystal was turning to look at the new officer when another comment was shouted across the cavern.
"We're having trouble getting hold of the Olympia" said SCPO Richardsen. "Nothing but static."
"Something must have happened to them" said another. "It can't have been the explosion just now." That sounded like CPO Byron but Crystal couldn't see the other woman.
Lenny slowly got to his feet, using the wall of the cave for support. "I need...medical...attention" he stuttered.
"Sit back down" said the officer nearest to him. "Unfortunately none of us are qualified. And we can't get through to the ship. Just sit tight."
Lenny slumped back down. Crystal glanced over her shoulder to SCPO Richardsen "Keep trying to raise them." She was doing her best not to hypothesise why the Oly wasn't answering walked over to him and knelt so that her eyes were on a level with his. His gaze was unfocussed. This close to him the blood was obvious. Head injury. She was no medic but she had seen a few head injuries. Definitely a laceration, probably a concussion, possibly a skull fracture and then there was the risk of bleeding in the brain...
"Ensign Martins, you come over here and keep talking to him. Don't let him doze off." The stellar cartography officer swapped places with Crystal and started talking to him, Yvette Martins wasn't the most chatty of people but she was the nearest one to Lt Meshers.
Tag:
Crystal looked over at the rest of her team. "Byron, see if you can find the medical kit." One had definitely been brought to the surface with them but where it was now Crystal did not know.
|
|
David Tan
Starfleet Intelligence
Suum Cuique ...
Registered: Dec 11, 2006 10:56:04 GMT
Posts: 790
|
Post by David Tan on Mar 2, 2014 22:49:05 GMT
As they moved further into the tunnel, David knew that Francitti wasn't going to keep up. Hell, he was having trouble remaining conscious, let alone moving unaided. Contacting the Olympia was out, so there was little option, he could allow Francitti to die and continue alone, or he could call for help ...
"Commander." his companion wheezed, "You need to leave me and get word to the Olympia."
"I'm not in the habit of leaving injured Officer's laying about Lieutenant." Tan said, eyeing the passage ahead, "Besides, how would it go down on the ship if I left you here ?" he said, lifting the injured Francitti to his feet again, before he moved further down the tunnel ... The sound of a massive weapons discharge rang out. He dropped to the floor as Francitti lost consciousness yet again. David tried his best to revive the man but it was useless. Without treatment, he would be dead within the hour, maybe sooner. Tan hit his Comm badge again and called the Olympia, and again got no reply.
"I'm going to get us help." he said to the semi-conscious Lieutenant, then he realized Francitti had not replied. He grabbed the mans head, using his thumbs to open the eyes, the pupils rolled up out of sight, a classic symptom of coma. David was about to shout for help when he felt the tell-tale imprint of a phaser on his temple. Slowly, he lowered Francitti's head to the floor then turned to look at his captor:
"I'm not going to fight. My friend needs help." Dan said, unable to make out any features, just a profile, "HEY, LISTEN ... He's seriously injured, he needs help !" The phaser's discharge lanced into Francitti, killing him instantly. David spun to face the killer, and the last thing he saw was the business end of the weapon that had killed the Security Officer as his attacker fired ! ..........
|
|
Deleted
Registered: Mar 29, 2024 11:54:13 GMT
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2014 22:40:27 GMT
After a few minutes of scrambling about on the Bridge on the Olympia, things were back under control. Steve rested back in his chair, now that it was safe to do so. Well, relatively safe at least.
"Sir, we have another beam incoming." Called out Ensign Noone from the Tactical station.
"Keep evading." Smith replied. "And make sure our shields hold out."
The Olympia arched to port in a bid to move out of the beams way, but was unsuccessful. This time, however, when the beam struck the ship, the shields took the full force of the impact and nullified it.
"Shields are holding, at 95%."
"Good", replied Steve. "We need to find out where those beams are coming from and stop them.
Mere moments later, Noone piped up. "I believe I may have something sir."
Smith turned to face him, "I'm listening."
"Well the reason we can't see where the beams are being fired from is because they are being redirected around the planet once they are fired. They are being fired on the side of the planet that we cannot see and then bounced around before coming our way."
"Alright, then lets move the ship into orbit on the other side of the planet and see what we can find."
Both Ops and Helm moved to get the ship to where it was needed to be. It wasn't long though before yet another beam was headed there way.
"Incoming beam."
"Yes yes, I can see that one, thanks." Smith replied, albeit maybe a bit too snappy. He sighed, getting agitated. Being fired upon was one thing, but to have it continuously done from an as-yet unknown position, was rather irritating.
This time, the beam only lightly grazed along the Olympia's shields as they ship was moving out of it's way.
"Right," Steve called out. "Enough is enough. Those beams do not seem to be powerful enough to cause us too much worry with our shield raised. However, the continual fire is not helping. Let's give them something else to fire at. Initiate Multi Vector Assualt Mode."
|
|
Deleted
Registered: Mar 29, 2024 11:54:13 GMT
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2014 10:24:22 GMT
"Holy crap!!" Said Dante feeling the ship shake beneath him, the idiots upstairs weren't treating his baby like they should by not doing proper evasive!" He yelled out to no one in particular. Something very odd about Dante is that he tended to think out loud and thankfully his staff was used to him doing so. Such was the way of geniuses right? There was always a small balance between genius and insanity. Thankfully Starfleet enjoyed keeping him around.
"Now," He said to his crew before him, "We've got three warp-cores to work with to keep the shields up. I want you to reroute the power from the warp plasma from the nacelles to the shield emitters. I know that it doesn't seem like it will hold but it will. And if they need to go to warp above they don't need to ask us to switch it will be done automatically." His engineering staff mostly non human went to work, and he was very grateful for not having human staff. Though he was partially human himself he found that humans as engineers tended to be rather slow in response time.
"There we are!!" He said to his staff when they made the mods to the warp power levels which down here went down to zero though upstairs it stayed level. 'Must not let the bosses think that we took away their precious power to get away thankfully they can pull the switch to warp and it will turn back on easily." He had written the computer subroutine into it himself.
"Now!!" He said and the weapons impacts weren't as bad still going on but not as bad, "Now," He said tapping his combadge to comm the upstairs to the bridge, "We got you shields! They will stay at 100 percent for the next few minutes! Now blow them out of the sky!!"
|
|
Seth Helacaan
Civilian 4
Registered: Feb 8, 2008 12:30:38 GMT
Posts: 467
|
Post by Seth Helacaan on Mar 10, 2014 22:20:09 GMT
Seth put thoughts of his mission out of his head and focused on the dimmed quarters before him, similar size to his room on the Nevada but designed for a very different kind of occupant. Starfleet liked to pamper its passengers: diplomats, families, high ranking officers, refugees and even mercenaries, got plush furniture and cpmfortable beds. The picture frame on the wall he faced, filled with a nameless starship of old configguration, Constellation class. Such things meant nothing to him now. Had he come full circle? Was he destined for Starbase 47, questioning, interrogation, afterward forced to return home, and during that transit monitored intensely by Starfleet Intel and Comms?
The ship shook under a barrage of weapons fire. It was obvious to Seth, because the Nevada had suffered many such attacks over the years. This one felt particularly violent though. Another blast came. Below them, the planet's surface he guessed. As he gazed at the wheeling stars, a sign that the USS Olympia was adjusting its orbit, something clicked in his mind. There was only one place he needed to be.
The bridge doors parted and Seth stepped through, dressed in his civilian clothes. For a moment he was taken aback at the design of the bridge. Its futuristic - at least in the 20th century modernist conception - smooth lines and unusually lit consoles. He'd never been on a Prometheus Class vessel before. But just as he was swept away by the design he found his feet again. Held on to that pillar of self belief and purpose, whatever end it may serve to fulfill.
"Who's this?!" someone with a red collar said, maybe Admiral Smith, rising from the command chair. "We're in a battle situation mister. Civilians are strictly prohibited from - "
Seth marched forward, sidling up to what he assumed was the Ops console and forcing the atendant officer to one side. The man gave Seth a bemused look and tried to force his way back to the station but Seth was steadfast. "I'm a former Starfleet officer. I know what I'm doing sir."
"That's Commander Tan's console."
Seth looked up, feeling a surprising amount of selfconfidence, probably born of his original ages-old rage at Starfleet. "And where is he?"
"On the planet's surface. We're trying to get him back, along with the first officer. Communications are out," the junior Ops officer cut in.
The maybe-Smith was furious, "Lieutenant! Escort this man from the bridge yourself. I don't want to see his face again. Confine him to quarters, and if he protests, throw him in the - "
The lights went out. A deep groan passed through the vessel, rumbling beneath their feet. The stars rotated lazily before them, indicating the Olympia had lost partial attitude control. Eventually as the lights reactivated, consoles jerking and flickering back to life, someone spoke, "I don't think those shields are holding as well as Evaristo expected."
Taking advantage of the confusion, Seth turned to an unmanned console at the back of the bridge, and kept his head down. He looked into the damage reports... It wasn't as bad as had first seemed. Whoever this chief engineer was was doing an excellent job, as good if not better than Chief Dunowin on the Nevada. He turned his sensors' focus to the planet... It was a mostly barren world... what attracted his attention immediately was the pulsing power source from within some sort of cave complex. There was a jamming field expanding in a sphere from around it, blocking comms and matter transport, and a complex web of hyperdense reflectors branching out of the atmosphere into space and around the globe - which must be how the Olympia had been attacked at multiple points on its orbital path.
<tag All>
|
|
|
Post by Lennard Meshers on Mar 12, 2014 20:02:20 GMT
The Commander knelt so that her eyes were on a level with his. Lenny's breathing had become shallow. The painful swelling in his head dwarfed all other senses. He felt as if he was going to faint again.
"Ensign Martins, you come over here and keep talking to him. Don't let him doze off."
Lenny was briefly aware of Commander Rose leaving him and saying something to one of the others, something about a 'medical kit'. He sat up, aware of Ensign Martins beside him, talking in his ear.
"How did this happen to you?" the cartography officer, who had transported down with him earlier, asked. Lenny tried to form a response, but only managed to form a few words.
"Rocks...fell."
"I thought that might have been why" the Ensign replied, smiling. "You should have kept up with the others...then you might not have been cut off. Martins's features still carried an amused expression. Lenny was irritated that she was taking this so lightly. He was in pain, goddamnit. But her last comment did make him wonder where Commander Tan and the others in his group were now, what was happening to them.
"We're getting a signal from the Olympia" said a voice from beside them. "It's fluctuating a lot, but it's definitely there."
"What kind of signal?" said someone else, who Lenny thought sounded like SCPO Richardsen.
"Comms...but it keeps flickering in and out" said the first voice. "But I'm registering some snatched conversation. Just impossible to hear what's being said."
Whatever's happening to them up there, thought Lenny, at least they're still trying to get through to us.
He tried to convey this emotion to Martins, but found he could barely smile without coughing on the dust that continued to swirl toxically around them.
<tag All>
|
|
Deleted
Registered: Mar 29, 2024 11:54:13 GMT
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2014 9:51:01 GMT
Within seconds, the lights on the Bridge came back on, and the consoles sprung back to life.
'A temporary glitch' Steve thought. "The shields are fine." He replied to whoever made the comment. "We have more than enough power to cover these shots."
After what seemed to take much longer than it was supposed to, the Olympia had finally entered MVAM. Steve went to sit back in his chair and opened up a comm channel.
=/\= Secondary section, move off to port and angle around the planet from that direction and see if you can get a fix on where these shots are originating from. Tertiary section, you do the same except move around to starboard. We will head straight, hopefully coming in at three angles will give us a better idea of what we are dealing with. Obviously, keep your guard up and take evasive measures if necessary. =/\=
=/\= Aye sir =/\= came two replies together.
=/\= Good luck, Smith out. =/\=
With that, Steve closed the comm and looked around him. Setting his eyes on his unwanted visitor, he got up and approached him.
"Now....care to tell me who you are and what you are doing on my bridge?"
|
|
Crystal Rose
Commander 1C
Every theory starts with an idea
Registered: Apr 19, 2007 12:48:23 GMT
Posts: 509
|
Post by Crystal Rose on Mar 30, 2014 21:48:21 GMT
The medical kit had been located and it appeared that Lt Meshers was concussed although his skull was somehow intact. Yvette was doing her best to keep him conscious and was currently describing an incident that had happened in Stellar Cartography back when Crystal had been CScO. A few over loaded circuits had caused a lot of problems.
Crystal half smiled at the story and then sighed and fought down a cough. The dust wasn’t toxic in the sense of going to kill them imminently but no doubt they would have to get their lungs checked out when the got back to the Oly.
CPO Byron was still examining the cave they were trapped in. “Sir,” He waved at Crystal, she walked over to the wall he was looking at. “It appears that several layers of rock have have fallen away from this wall. It appears that there is another cavern behind there and I’m reading at least one energy source present and a single lifesign.”
Crystal’s eyebrows went up. She could read the tricorder screen perfectly well around, Byron’s arm. This could be the answer they were looking for but it could also make things a whole lot worse. Of course it was her call.
“Right, everyone over there.” Fortunately where she was pointing was when Lenny was slumped anyway. Cover your heads and ears”
There were a few glances at the FO as everyone apparently wondered what she was up to. Crystal drew a phaser and checked the setting and pointed it at the wall. Or, to be more accurate at a very specific point on the wall. Yvette curled herself over Lenny. Crystal pressed the trigger and the phaser beam lanced out to the wall. There was another rumble and the air was filled with even more dust.
Crystal got to her feet with the phaser in front of her, appeared that the experiment had been successful. Where the wall had been there was now a hole. A lit hole.
|
|
Seth Helacaan
Civilian 4
Registered: Feb 8, 2008 12:30:38 GMT
Posts: 467
|
Post by Seth Helacaan on Apr 5, 2014 21:52:37 GMT
=/\= Good luck, Smith out. =/\=
Seth watched the proceedings, amused at the notion of a vessel being able to split itself into three separate constituents, even though he was well aware of the Prometheus class's capabilities and those of her successors, from starship classification lectures during his fast-tracking into Starfleet those years ago.
With that, Steve closed the comm and looked around him. Setting his eyes on his unwanted visitor, he got up and approached him.
"Now....care to tell me who you are and what you are doing on my bridge?"
"I'm a former Starfleet officer and thought I could lend a hand in this crisis." Seth had little interest, although a part of him scolded himself for his apparent low morality, in the exact nature of this crisis, but he had plenty of experience in a multitude of combat environments from the Nevada.
Grim faced, he decided to try his luck with this Admiral, "As you may or may not have noticed, your ship picked up an escape pod ajected from a civilian freighter seven hours ago. I was the sole occupant, dragged from the wrecked pod, ferried to your sickbay, apparently near death," he continued with uncharacteristic lightness, "I'm surprised the information wasn't passed up to you, commanding officer of this vessel. You must have rather inefficient lines of communication to cause such a significant breach of protocol..."
It wasn't in Seth's nature to be sarcastic. But to step outside his character momentarily, if only to stoke this Admiral's rage and force him into a decision, was the only way he could test his own limits.
"How long have you been out of Starfleet?" the stand-in first officer asked. Apparently both first and second officers were below on the surface.
Seth turned back to his commandeered mission operations station. "Two months," he answered, "There's something you may find of interest here sir." He pointed out to Smith, who came forward to view the display on Seth's console, which showed a satellite view of the surface with topographical overlay. "There's a considerable source of energy emanating from this complex of caves. The MVAM mightn't have been necessary, or in any case the other sections could now home in on this signal. It seems to also be the source of the reflector dishes bouncing weapons energy around the planet to impact the ship."
<tag Smith>
Resisting a groan, because he had been through things like this many times before, he leant into his station, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know what you want to do about it Admiral Smith. I left the Federation for..." he trailed off. Why did he feel the need to keep explaining that which must not? Thinking only of the arid lands of home, he voiced his decision, "If you want my services, I'm at your full disposal."
<tag Smith>
|
|
Deleted
Registered: Mar 29, 2024 11:54:13 GMT
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2014 16:58:09 GMT
Steve was not in the mood for this 'interloper', and the sooner he could get him out of his sight, the better.
"As you can see, I am a little tied up here, what with my XO and Ops Chief down on the surface and cut off. How information is passed up to me is of no concern to you whatsoever. What's the saying....'My ship, my rules'." He was seething inside, but naturally it didn't show on the surface.
Glancing at the viewscreen, Steve saw the three sections of the Oly go their separate ways and advanced around the planet. The firing beam from the surface fired upon the Secondary section, seemingly causing no damage in the slightest. As Steve looked away, in the corner of his eye he saw another beam lance out, this time towards the Tertiary section. Satisfied that the sections were in no danger, he paid no more mind to it.
"There's something you may find of interest here sir. There's a considerable source of energy emanating from this complex of caves. The MVAM mightn't have been necessary, or in any case the other sections could now home in on this signal. It seems to also be the source of the reflector dishes bouncing weapons energy around the planet to impact the ship."
"Mightn't have been necessary, no....but considering that MVAM was initiated to create a distraction as it's primary purpose, I would say that it has succeeded." Steve replied, gesturing to the viewscreen. "One ship, one target.", he added. "however, split it three ways, and they don't know where to shoot, thereby giving us a little advantage over their confusion."
"I don't know what you want to do about it Admiral Smith. I left the Federation for....If you want my services, I'm at your full disposal."
At that Steve just glared at the man. 'Why on Earth would I even want you here in the first place?' He thought to himself.
"Well, that remains to be seen. What do you think you could bring to the table that I don't already have here?"
|
|
Seth Helacaan
Civilian 4
Registered: Feb 8, 2008 12:30:38 GMT
Posts: 467
|
Post by Seth Helacaan on Apr 17, 2014 1:41:18 GMT
Truth be told, Seth thought, he didn't really want to bring anything to the table. He was done with Starfleet; while it had been pleasant for a while, a retreat from the harshness of his colonial homeworld Ascension - although he was loathe to admit that - After the periodic checks into his past which culminated in the disappearance of his CO and the subsequent bewildering pursuit of the man Jon Park, Seth had had enough.
Narrowly avoiding court martial, he was honorably discharged fom the service and sent packing on freighter from Starbase 47 to Norvus Colony. He'd swiftly had the flight redirected, claimed it as orders from Starfleet Intel, to rendezvous with an unaligned station popular with mercenaries and criminals. It was here he had located his next flight aboard the Pollux, and it was from there that everything had started to go wrong.
He peered over the shoulder of the tactical officer again, seeing the man's scans of the cave system. With a half-interested but sour eye he saw how the officer had his calibrated a few microns out of alignment. Anything he would get back would be scrambled, fuzzed beyond recognition.
"For a start, I can train your tactical officer how to align a shortrange sensor grid properly," Seth swung and told the Admiral. "Secondly I have experience in cave environments." The words that came out were unsurprisingly dour, Seth fully conscious he did not really care too much about how this turned out.
"Were you Intel at any point?" a mid-level officer asked. They were still surrounding him, on the verge of forcing him from the bridge Wezea forbid. A simple civilian, dressed scruffily, only slightly better kempt than the brigands and mercenaries he had hired the Pollux with.
"No," he answered, "It was just a hobby." The officers around him sighed. Admiral Smith seemed to signal to some security officers. Seth continued slightly more hurried, "My topographical scans from earlier during the power outage revealed a small gap near the peak of the cave complex. I think there would be space enough to lower a small team in there. If I'm right, we'll rappel down into the innermost cave section, near where the weapons signal is coming from."
"Another thing Admiral," Seth was fast losing his long-engrained decorum originally born of apathy and subservience. He hadn't cared for authority but he'd blindly obeyed it out of disinterest. "I've been doing this for years. Get me down there."
<tag Smith>
|
|
Crystal Rose
Commander 1C
Every theory starts with an idea
Registered: Apr 19, 2007 12:48:23 GMT
Posts: 509
|
Post by Crystal Rose on Apr 27, 2014 21:19:21 GMT
OOC: Okay heading towards the end of this mission.
The away team stepped through the swirl of dust into the new cavern beyond. The young man who had been staring at a display screen backed away gaping at the Starfleet personnel and holding his hands up. If he had been human Crystal would have said he was about 16 but based on his eyes and nose ridges he clearly wasn’t human so it was difficult to judge.
“Please don’t hurt me. I was only following orders. I didn’t know that they were doing.”
Crystal’s eyebrow went up. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to try to bluff him in to letting them know what was going on. But when at all possible it was better to keep things simple.
“What is going on?” she asked.
“They were just trying to keep the place to themselves. Then these people started turning up and nothing could happen around here.” They made me look after the visitors and I still had to do my duties and then one of them left and they wanted me to find her on top of everything else...” The words which had been rising in pitch stuttered to a stop and instead he gestured at a section of the cavern where some extra walls had been put up.
Crystal walked in that direction leaving the young man under the care of the rest of the team. As she approached she saw that there was one door closed, the others were open revealing a simple sent of quarters within. She jabbed the door control. It hissed open, inside a man with salt and pepper hair was laying on the bed staring at a piece of paper.
“Doctor Syrus?” Crystal asked, although she was nearly certain that she recognised the leader of the expedition.
He nodded but the way he was looking at her made her wonder what she looked like. She had to be mess by now.
“Commander Crystal Rose, USS Olympia. We were sent here to look for you.”
Doctor Syrus got to his feet and stretched. “It’s good to be out of there.” He walked out in to the larger cavern. “So when do we get out of here?”
Crystal swallowed slightly. “Unfortunately we are outside of transporter range at the moment due to affects of the caverns.”
Crystal looked around the room and then addressed the trembling tech “What’s your name?”
“Maxtus,”
“Well, Maxtus, I don’t suppose you have any external communication equipment here?” He froze for a second and then shook his head vigourously. “How about a map?”
“Yes.” He scuttled over to one of the panels and started typing. Crystal gestured for Lt Meshers and Ensign Martins to look at the data that was being brought up.
Tag: All
|
|
Deleted
Registered: Mar 29, 2024 11:54:13 GMT
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 4, 2014 20:09:58 GMT
To say that Steve was not happy with the man in front of him was an understatement. If he had been a member of his crew or even any other member of Starfleet, then he would have been disciplined for the obvious lack of respect or care for who he was talking to. Not to mention his downright arrogance.
'Just who does he think he is waltzing about on MY bridge like he owns the place?' He thought, never taking his eyes off him.
As the man was looking over the display panels, Steve nodded towards the security officers by the entrance doors to the Bridge and signalled them to come over to him. The act did not seem to go unnoticed.
"Another thing Admiral, I've been doing this for years. Get me down there."
It took all that Steve had to not burst out laughing. "Why on Earth would I let you go down there?!" He finally replied. "For a start, you haven't even told me your name."
Steve turned to the viewscreen and watched what was happening out there, coupled with the results of the scans on the bridge displays, he was formulating something.
He turned back and sighed. "On second thoughts. You aren't my crew, therefore I do not care what happens to you down there." He brushed his chin, rubbing his beard. "Alright, get down there and do what you can. But of course, you are not going alone." He added as he nodded to the security staff. "Go down to Transporter Room 1 and assemble a small team, and do NOT let him out of your sight."
"Aye sir. Let's go."
[tag]
|
|
|
Post by Lennard Meshers on May 5, 2014 16:53:55 GMT
Lenny, doused with the both sharp and smooth textures of Martins' voice as she talked to him, was beginning to feel a little better. The hypospray from the medical kit she'd administered had helped numb the pain in his head. The only pain now was in him trying to make sense of what the Ensign was telling him.
"...it took us fourteen hours before we were able to get the circuits back to normal. We lost so much data..."
Lenny nodded and smiled, added a "Yeah, sure" and an "Oh no" when he felt appropriate. After a while he realised there was more movement around them. Martins looked up at the others. The officer Byron was talking to Commander Rose. Lenny shrank back against the wall.
"What's going on..." he murmured.
The next second the Olympia's First Officer had fired her phaser at a particular point in the wall. Lenny felt awkward for a moment as Martins curled herself over him, shielding him from the blast. When it came it had a dull, thudding sound and Lenny felt the dust from the shattered rock thicken around them both again.
He looked back behind him, and saw a new light source permeating into the tunnel, illuminating the slow-moving dust. With a huge effort, using Martins for support, Lenny scrambled uncomfortably to his feet, and immediately fought the impulse to collapse back down right where he was, his vision becoming momentarily fuzzy.
Gritting his teeth, he approached the entrance to the new cavern that Commander Rose had found. There he leaned against the blasted opening, vaguely aware of a strange figure hunched over a screen of some kind.
They may have been ghosts, for all he could make out of their first exchanges. Voices were raised, one in an interrogative manner, the other sounding defensive and threatened, but such was the inertia in Lenny's mind; the effect of his quick movement a moment before, the second blast from his First Officer, and the effect of the hypospray; that he could not even tell which voice belonged to which. At least at first. His senses slowly became clearer and more rounded as the Commander suddenly appeared beside him, escorting a middle-aged human man to join with the others. Lenny recognised him from the mission brief. It was the missing scientist, Sven Syrus.
The next thing Lenny heard clearly was Rose speaking.
"Well, Maxtus, I don’t suppose you have any external communication equipment here...how about a map?"
"Yes." The alien figure hurried over to one of the panels and began keying in information. Lenny raised an eyebrow. He hadn't put up much of a fight, but then again, he didn't look very old, and after all, there was only one of him. Lenny was ushered forward to check out what he was doing by his First Officer. Martins came with him.
"We are in the middle of a complex network of caverns" said the alien, addressing both of them. "The others left me here by myself, and I don't know how to work this mapping program."
"Let me do it" said Lenny, muscling in. "I have experience of this kind of thing, regardless of species." It was Martins' turn to raise an eyebrow. "I'm fine" he assured her, attempting a wink, and then wincing at the rock dust that had settled there. "The sedative is wearing off."
He let his hands run over the alien interface, typing in codes by intuition, and by a process of trial and error he was able to work his way around the mapping system. Finally he stepped back with a grunt of satisfaction.
"We are, as Maxtus indicated, dead in the middle of the cave network" he told the others. "As well as housing the brig where Doctor Syrus had been kept, this is also from where the energy field is activated, which has been preventing transport and communications to and from the Oly..."
He paused, looking around him. "If we manage to de-activate it manually from here, then we can finally get out of this place..." he trailed off, grimacing and raising a hand to his head, as he felt a resurgence of the stabbing pain in his skull. He turned to Maxtus. "Do you know how to do it?" he asked.
Maxtus nodded. "Yes, but I don't have the codes. Only the others do. Without the codes..." He raised his hands in a helpless expression.
"Then we may have a slight problem" Lenny said.
<tag All>
|
|
Crystal Rose
Commander 1C
Every theory starts with an idea
Registered: Apr 19, 2007 12:48:23 GMT
Posts: 509
|
Post by Crystal Rose on May 12, 2014 21:32:10 GMT
“this is also from where the energy field is activated, which has been preventing transport and communications to and from the Oly..."
He paused, looking around him. "If we manage to de-activate it manually from here, then we can finally get out of this place..." he trailed off, grimacing and raising a hand to his head, as he felt a resurgence of the stabbing pain in his skull. He turned to Maxtus. "Do you know how to do it?" Lenny asked.
Maxtus nodded. "Yes, but I don't have the codes. Only the others do. Without the codes..." He raised his hands in a helpless expression.
"Then we may have a slight problem" Lenny said.
Crystal looked over at the map on the display and her puzzled team members, puzzles were her specialty. “I guess that gives us at least two options. We can either attempt to crack the access code or we can try blunt force and cut the power to energy shield.” Crystal looked at the map more carefully. “The generators are there, and the field emitters are here which mean that the power conduits should be right behind that access panel. She pointed to one set into the cavern ceiling. I will have a go at cracking the access code if you want to figure out a way to get up there. The conduits for the energy field will have the highest power load.”
Most of the rest of the away team became involved in searching for a ladder or some other means of reaching the panel in the roof. Crystal was left with the computer panel and Maxtus who was looking more and more unnerved by the second. Crystal wasn’t sure precisely what his natural colour was but he was clearly paler than he had been. She asked Maxtus to join her at the display.
Tag: Away Team. (race ya to shut off the energy field ...)
|
|
Seth Helacaan
Civilian 4
Registered: Feb 8, 2008 12:30:38 GMT
Posts: 467
|
Post by Seth Helacaan on May 14, 2014 20:40:27 GMT
Seth was surprised Smith hadn't thrown him in the brig when he'd made the demand to be assigned to a rescue mission. He had fallen into a quiet introspection, following the security chief's instructions simply once they reached the transporter room, hefting a small phaser from the locker - the guards allowed him no more - and donning the pack that carried the rappelling gear. A sort of surreal sullenness fell upon him. Another mission for Starfleet... He would've pitied himself if he had been less emptied of pride by his already long service.
"You're ready for this?" the security officer asked, cocking his phaser rifle's power cell beside Seth on the pad.
Seth glared at the man neutrally, "Two months out of the service. What difference does it make?"
The man shrugged and nodded to the transporter chief, Seth aware that the other two guards were training their weapons on him as much as they were making ready to neutralize unseen opposition below. They dissolved in light.
Atop the rocky precipice, Seth - still under guard - watched the security crewman Thompson lower his Chief into the small opening with the rappel line. Looking down into the blackness, Seth saw the Chief bounding in long strides down the uneven rockface. "After you. Lieutenant Commander." Thompson said, smirking at the other guard. "Let's see how much you really know about caving."
Seth joined his section of the line to the carabiner attached to his belt and began his own descent, trusting these derogatory security guards to take his weight as he lowered himself into the narrow gap. After several minutes and with all of them now in the narrow funnel that led down into the cavern, a light source became evident below.
"Helacaan is it?" the Chief commed up. Seth grimaced, tightening his grip on his belay as the four of them held station. "I have eyes on. There's a small crack in the rock surface at the bottom of this thing. I can see a sort of walkway leading across a chasm. Control panel at its center. Two potential hostiles..."
He glanced down and saw the Chief's distant dark form, "Let's leave the potential hostiles aside for the moment and decide how we're going to get past those conduits, not to mention the rock surface beyond." He knew the solution of course, had ample experience of such things from his time guerrilla fighting the Naal Encroachment on Ascension with his family: his brother John, his sisters, his father and the House's associates... The solution was explosives.
Before the Chief could reply Seth felt a loosening in the line from above. A cry excited the dry air. Thompson had lost control of his rappel; Seth watched the crewman grasping desperately for the third line, missing and plunging down towards him.
Helacaan swung, adjusting his harness and pushing himself off the wall. It was a pragmatic move, but either Thompson died or they both did, and possibly the Chief too. Too late though. With a dry thud Thompson collided with Seth and they spiraled towards the gray conduits below. The Chief hit the conduits first.
In the cavern below, where the Olympia's first officer and others were hatching their own escape, the central portion of the ceiling suddenly collapsed, near where the conduits lay that supplied power to the jamming field generators and the phaser-reflective devices and mechanisms in orbit. The quartz-dense ceiling exploded, slow motion fragments blooming like a brutal flower, showering fragments of rock and mineral on the walkway below and down into the chasm. A gold-black-grey dressed man fell screaming, a dark line rippling behind him, through the smashed in roof and impacting the siderail of the walkway. His leg snapped and the rest of him plunged into the chasm's darkness.
Seth followed - hands burning with the friction of the rope as it slipped painfully through his fingers - desperately attempting to arrest his fall with the belay. He'd seen the Chief hit the power conduit, after the officer's discharging phaser had blown a hole in half of it. Plasma had gushed out, burning some of his body in the short time available to it, before he slid sickeningly off its barreled surface into the cavern below.
Seth managed to lock his belay; he came to a jolting painful halt halfway into the cavern's interior, the line above him thankfully tense again as the last guard had braced himself with bare hands against the cave's funnel's walls. Thompson was nowhere to be seen. Seth reasoned he may have cut himself loose.
Swinging wildly from the rope in the center of the chamber, Seth managed to regain sense enough to tap his communicator. "Helacaan to USS Olympia. I'm in the chamber."
Smith sounded furious, "Good... Now get the Chief on the line!"
"The Chief is dead sir." Seth glanced down at the blood dashed on the walkway's siderail, all belonging to the Chief. The hostiles had disappeared. Olympia crew and a small boy were looking up at him in shock. "Just glad communications seem functional sir. To a degree at least." The signal was fluctuating, static overbearingly filling the commbadge every few seconds. "Now how about the generators to the weapons coils firing at your ship?" He continued lowering himself into the chamber, the last security guard following.
<tag Smith> <tag Rose, Tan, Meshers>
|
|
|
Post by Lennard Meshers on May 22, 2014 22:06:11 GMT
Lenny hurried forward to assist CPO Byron in mounting a rocky outcrop in the wall of the cavern. Despite Martins trying to pull him back, with mutterings that he should be conserving his strength, together the both of them finally managed to get Byron up on to the ledge.
"Right" Lenny said. "Is there an easy way in to these conduits?"
Byron looked puzzled. Before long he had resorted to, as Commander Rose had suggested, 'blunt force'. He withdrew his phaser, aimed, and fired at the end of the nearest conduit to him, and then something happened.
Lenny suddenly was aware of a massive, rock-shattering sound. His first thought was that the conduit was attached to the rock ceiling, reinforcing the entire bunker's infrastructure, thereby supplying both an invisible barrier with the energy field and a solid, tangible barrier beneath. But surely not...even for a phaser the explosive force was far too much.
A strange, humanoid-shaped projectile fell past through the opening, although Lenny merely caught a glimpse, and was not sure anyone else had. For a second or two he crouched, frightened, the memory of the tunnel outside caving in and his subsequent injury. Cursing, he straightened up and gazed around at this strange new, fresh carnage.
The conduit above, half blown-out, was slowly but steadily leaking plasma. Most of it had already burnt ugly black gashes in the rock, the smoke rising around them.
As his fellow crew-members straightened up, Lenny gazed at a new shape that had appeared half-way into the cavern's entrance. He was also aware of someone having come to rest behind him. He could hear a coughing and spluttering. Who were these people?
And the next voice he heard was strikingly familiar.
"Helacaan to USS Olympia. I'm in the chamber."
Lenny could hardly believe it. The voice sounded again.
"The Chief is dead sir...just glad communications seem functional sir. To a degree at least....now how about the generators to the weapons coils firing at your ship?"
The apparition continued to descend into the chamber. Lenny stepped forward. Perhaps he was dreaming. Perhaps he was still slumped out there in the tunnel, under the careful eye of Martins, and all that had happened since he had merely seen behind flickering, closed eyelids.
"Sir, is that you?" he said. Milliseconds after he realised his form of address was wrong. The last he'd heard, Commander Helacaan, his old acting Captain, had quit Starfleet; there was rumour of him returning to his homeworld.
"You know this man?" said Martins. Lenny turned to face her and saw that she was now nursing another man, who he recognised as Thompson, from security.
"Let me guess" said Lenny, disbelief slowly draining out and comprehension flooding in. "You're our rescue party?"
<tag Crystal, Seth>
|
|