Cave Redux (Part 5 of 8)

Posted on 11 Sep 2014 @ 12:03am by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Captain Jonathan Holliday & Command Master Chief Markum Quinn & Chief Warrant Officer 3 Amon Mormont & Petty Officer 1st Class Gabriel Stark & Lieutenant Asahi Kita & Lieutenant Aria Rice & Lieutenant JG Grayson Jones & Lieutenant Jacob Pendleton & Lieutenant Jared Nicholas & Lieutenant Tuula Voutilainen M.D. & Lieutenant Elijah Williams IV, M.Sc. & Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim & Commander Scarlet Blake & Lieutenant Commander Dea Mialin & Petty Officer 1st Class Siren Hex Saalm & Commander Norvi Stace & Commander Andreus Kohl & Lieutenant Commander Amynta Markos & Commander Luke Wyatt & Lieutenant Oren Idris Ph.D. & Chief Warrant Officer 3 Alexion Wylde & Chief Petty Officer Lyras Ueda

2,783 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Episode 06 - Legend of Souls
Location: Lyshan III - Uridium Mine, Section LV855-LV900
Timeline: MD 07 - 1315 hrs

Previously, on Cave Redux (Part 4)...

From his spot in the escape-assembly-line, Andreus Kohl watched the trio back away from the rest of the away team. His stomach lurched violently, if briefly. Memories of Ruktah becoming separated from the team arose in his mind's eye, and he didn't care for a similar fate for any of the away team, not even Oren.

Stace turned on her rump with her legs crossed in a seating position and slithered slowly towards where she had entered. She took out her tricorder, and the dancing lights flashed about her freckled face. The trilling sound of the device made her start as she deactivated it quickly. Looking into it, she whispered back down the line. "Humanoids," she said quietly, looking back over her shoulder. "But the chemical composition and degradation of these vents are giving off a benign radiation that I can't cut through from here."

And Now, the Continuation...

[ON]

Computer Control Room

Jaana confirmed what most of the group already suspected. "The life signs further along the ventilation shaft are indeed the other team."

Gabriel moved forward quickly, taking his hand held phaser out and shouldering his rifle so that he could adjust the type II to a narrow beam. He reached up and used it to carefully 'cut' around the bottom corners of the hatch to get it open. "Don't touch the hatch! We're cutting it open!" he called in hopes that the team inside could hear them.

Elijah wasn't sure what kicked in for him, but he too drew his own phaser and with some slight difficulty cause of the glove, managed to change the setting of his phaser. He lifted the weapon up and from the opposite side of Gabriel, activated his phaser and began a methodical cut, hoping he didn't hit anyone.

A firm kick from the inside of the shaft broke the hatch open the rest of the way, sending it crashing to the ground. Scarlet looked out and down to the other team in the room below, phaser gripped firmly in hand. "It's good to see you, Sir," she said with no small amount of relief to the Captain. She grabbed Stark's offered hands and let him help her down.

Allyndra jumped wanting to take flight but her wings were confined and there was no place to go anyway as a loud crash echoed. Allyndra saw Blake drop down and greet Holiday.

"Injuries?" she asked before the Captain had a chance to say a word.

"We're mostly in one piece," Scarlet shook her head, taking the chance to stretch out and try and get rid of cramps in her legs. She had to resist the urge to take the helmet off for 'fresh air'.

Luke followed behind landing solidly on his feet with an exhausted sigh "Just when I was beginning to enjoy the idea of dyeing in that shaft" Luke felt colder now that he had removed his shirt from inside the suit but was glad to not have beaten eaten alive "A quick question, how did you guys get rid of the zombies? And I use the word zombies quite seriously."

Scarlet nodded at the question, looking to the new arrivals with her hands on her hips and a solemn expression that echoed the seriousness of his question.

"Good to see you too Commander - I wouldn't say no to a few extra hands, and a few extra phasers down here. What's your status?"

John replied, lowering his phaser to greet his First Officer. Had it been anyone else leaping through the hatch, the Captain would have most likely retaliated with a phaser volley or two, but to see his own crew was a welcome relief.

"I'm afraid Mister Wyatt is deadly serious," Scarlet shook her head with a frown, rolling her shoulder awkwardly. "We came across what I can only describe as reanimated Cardassian corpses...." it felt alien for the words to escape her lips in such a serious situation. "And they were pretty determined that we were going to be dead too. They had this....red energy in them, and our phasers did absolutely nothing to stop them. One Cardassian that got too close was turned into one of them...right there, right in front of us."

John felt a wave of cold pass over his body - the idea of facing an enemy impervious to phasers made him nervous, and he could feel a lump form in the back of his throat.

"Did you get any scans? Anything that might give away what these...dammit..zombies are?"

"I think Idris was scanning at one point. To be honest, Sir, we were lucky just to be able to scrabble to safety," Blake admitted with a frustrated shake of her head.

Oren tried to lower himself from the shaft as gracefully as possible, which wasn't at all easy with how wide his suit was on him. As expected, the minute his feet hit the ground, his behind met it next. Groaning, he stayed sitting and just stretched his legs with a crack. Sighing in relief, he finally looked up and around at the others. He didn't recognise most of them, but it was a relief that they were there.

"I swear, when I get back on the ship, I'm sending a message to whoever designed these suits," he complained good-naturedly. "They need to accept the fact that some of us are small and it's time to issue a petite version."

At the appropriate time Dea made her way back to the hatch opening carefully lowering herself down from the opening when it was her turn. Relieved to see friendly faces on the other side. "Nice to see some friendlies for a change."

It was all he could do to stop himself when he realised it was Oren coming out of the hatch, Grayson waved and beamed, knowing he was safe.

From within the shaft, Kohl had heard the clatter as Oren hit the floor with more than just his boots. After that, he briefly considered declining to climb out of the shaft. Perhaps he could find another route with stairs, or he could just set up a condo for himself inside the ventilation system. Before he could voice any concerns, he could sense the rest of the team moving, and he didn't think he could live through the guiltshame of not being capable of keeping up with the team. Kohl edged his way out of the shaft, took someone's hand, and stiffened right up as he jumped down to the floor. Holding his body tense, in all the ways one is not supposed to do, he managed to keep upright when his boots connected with the deck. He also nearly blacked out from the pain shooting through his entire spine, but he held on to consciousness, and hobbled over to one of the consoles.

Elijah had watched the people he knew drop from the hole in the hatch he and Gabriel had just created. He wanted to help them but he didn't feel he was strong enough physically to do so. He didn't want to hinder. When he saw Kohl drop out, he was glad the man was okay. He offered the slightest smile to the assistant chief science officer and a nod followed.

Unceremoniously, Tratar dropped himself down from the air duct where he and the rest of the away team had been stuck for the past almost-hour. After his combat boots thudded against the metallic floor grates, he quickly looked around to take in the scene. "More Starfleet?" he said while his dark eyes gazed around at all the new EVA-suited Federation members. More bodies for the slaughter, he then thought to himself after recalling what had happened to his own away team not too many hours ago.

Oren looked up when Grayson's wave caught his eye and waved back before finally pulling himself up into a standing position. As he was dusting himself off, the scientist overheard Holliday's question.

"I took some scans while we were fighting them off," he spoke up, holding up the wide range scanner. He was insanely glad he'd made the right decision by strapping it onto his suit when they'd had to jump up into the shaft.

"I didn't have time to take a look at the results because we had to run back and then we were trapped before finding the shaft," Oren explained, walking up to the first officer. "Hopefully, it'll give us some answers."

Allyndra briefly scanned each of the team members as they dropped out of the shaft. She listened to the report and shook her head. "I would like to see the readings also," she said and then looking to Holiday and Blake, "I would like to conduct some tests of my own to prove or disprove a theory of mine."

"I would agree - this mission just changed it's parameters - nobody goes anywhere alone, and open comm lines are to be maintained at all times. Phasers to maximum setting - no exceptions."

John called out to his assembled crew as he racked his own rifle up to it's maximum power setting before doing the same to the type II tethered to the waist of his suit.

Tests. Everyone liked talking about tests and fun science things, which was great and all, but all Asahi wanted to do was get the hell out of dodge. He was patient enough, but kept to himself... for the most part. "Answers are well and good and all, but uhm... reanimated what nows? Doing huh?"

Alexion jumped down, but he was heavy and sluggish on his feet, moving out the way with a frown. He needed to eat, and his mood was growing worse with it. At least they were free of that coffin turned tunnel.

Markos got out of the shaft, shaking her head weakly. She looked around before frowning. "Personally, I'd rather like to get back to the ship," she said, one hand on her hip before she stretched her body, feeling the muscles ache. She looked over at Wylde, a weak smile pulling at her lips. They were alive. That was something.

Blake nodded firmly, folding her arms as she looked to Holliday with clear concern. It was as close to outwardly anxious as she'd looked for a long time. "I agree with Markos, we just need to get out of here. Now. Our only way out is that lift...and they know it. They blocked our route to it last time we were trying to get away, and I don't think it was a coincidence. We need to get out of here and back to the ship before they come back."

"And I disagree," Allyndra interjected. "Without the proper data we are no closer to solving this mystery than ever." Her tone was even but adamant.

Blake looked to Allyndra and had to take a breath to try and keep her features calm so as not to show too much of her disbelief at the healer's words. She shook her head, not able to comprehend what wasn't being heard or understood in what she'd said; as to just how dangerous and fatal this situation now was. "Tratar lost his men to these creatures, just a couple of hours ago, hardened Cardassian fighters...we were all nearly killed by those things, we only just escaped by the skin of our teeth....their numbers grow with each battle as they take bodies over to use...we are defenceless....our weapons don't hurt them, they don't even slow them down...those things purposely blocked our only escape route and hunted us, and came within five seconds of killing the entire team....you are the rescue team, there's no more rescue parties now....we cannot stay down here, we have to leave, now, before they come back and kill all of us. At least so we can analyse Idris' data in the safety of the ship to work out some kind of defence against them."

Luke nodded in agreement and made his voice heard "As the ranking security officer here I agree with Commander Blake, we don't have the resources or the intelligence to combat this new threat and If we stay we will lose more people than necessary" He looked to Blake and then to the others "And I suggest we do it soon"

Whilst John was torn between his XO and his CMO - both of which had presented credible options for the outcome of this mission, as Captain he had to make a decision.

"We return to the ship." He replied after a moment of thought.

"Whilst I agree we should look to gather more data, I cannot and will not risk any further lives without having had the time to review scans and information retrieved thus far. We get back to the Galileo run as many tests and procedures as we can muster, and only then do we contemplate coming back."

John looked around the group. There was a true mix of the ship's capabilities - doctors, scientists, engineers, soldiers, and even with the task ahead seeming perilous, his only thoughts were of returning those people safely to their homes.

"I'm open to suggestions - if Commander Blake is right and our initial entry routes are out of action, we need a plan B."

Allyndra did not argue further. Holiday was the Captain and his was the final say but she almost literally burned to run tests. The curiosity much higher than the fear. The data they did have she doubted would be much and she just could not see anyway forward without collecting and studying more.

"Very well," Allyndra said. "I would like to study the data along with the rest of scientists when," she said that with confidence but really wanted to say if, "we get back."

Jared, looked over at the Captain and tapped his comm badge, perhaps we should call in reinforcement," he suggested. He attempted to contact the ship, three times, but nothing was happening. "What the hell?" he asked incestuously.

Jacob continued to try to work different frequency algorithms to try and contact the ship to no avail. He furiously thought of different protocols, subroutines and matrices to solve the problem at hand, but once again, he was stuck with no clear solution.

Lyras, eyes transfixed on his tricorder, in an attempt to not be used as a supplementary security team member, furrowed his brow. "... I ah... hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we may have a problem. My tricorder is picking up a group of odd biosignatures-humanoid-coming this way."

Allyndra turned her own and smiled, "Ah! Data to collect!" She looked at the same odd bio-electric field she had picked up before. "Interesting, not only with the group but it seems to be flowing through the walls."

Scarlet shook her head firmly, lifting her phaser as her heart began to speed up with the anticipation of a fight and frustration that they'd lingered too long. "That'll be those things, we need to run, now, back to the lift..." she was already making her way out of the door.

To Be Continued...

[OFF]

--

CDRE Lirha Saalm
Mission Advisor
USS Galileo

LTCMDR Dea Mialin
Chief Flight Control Officer/Second Officer
USS Galileo

Lt. Jared Nicholas
Language Specialist
USSGalileo

LT. Asahi Kita
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Galileo

PO1 Lyras Ueda
Diplomatic Officer
USS Galileo
[PNPC Kita]

LTJG. Elijah Williams, IV
Geoglogist
USS Galileo

Lieutenant Andreus Kohl
Assistant Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo

Lt Cmdr Allyndra illm Warraquim
Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo

Capt Jonathan Holliday
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

Lt. JG Luke Wyatt
Chief Secuirty Officer
USS Galileo

Ens Jaana Voutilaanen
Stellar Cartographer
USS Galilieo

CMDR Scarlet Blake
First Officer
USS Galileo

SWO Alexion Wylde
Doctor
USS Galileo
[PNPC Blake]

PO1 Gabriel Stark
Security/Tactical
USS Galileo
[PNPC Blake]

PO2 Siren Hex
Intelligence
USS Galileo
[PNPC Blake]

Master Warrant Officer Amon Mormont
Security
USS Galileo
[PNPC Markos]

Lt. Amynta Markos
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Galileo

Ensign Grayson Jones
ACEO
USS Galileo

Lt. Jacob Pendleton
Chief Research Officer
USS Galileo

CMCPO Markum Quinn
Chief of the Boat
USS Galileo

LT Norvi Stace
Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo

LT Andreus Kohl
Asst. Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo

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