Facility Inspection (Part 3 of 4)

Posted on 31 May 2014 @ 4:30pm by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Lamar Darius & Lieutenant Commander Dea Mialin & Petty Officer 1st Class Oliver Morris & Commander Luke Wyatt & Lieutenant Asahi Kita & Commander Norvi Stace & Lieutenant JG Victoria Crawley & Lieutenant Teth Miir & Lieutenant JG Wakeham Paul Alasia Ph.D. & Cadet Sophomore Grade Alenis Taban & Lonar & Seeker Wisdom & Crewman Draia Thero & Taurus

2,126 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 06 - Legend of Souls
Location: Lyshan III - Surface Mining Extraction Facility
Timeline: MD 03 - 1505 hrs

Previously, on Facility Inspection (Part 2)...

Luke watched the small talk continue, slowly creating an image of the surrounding area in his head. Possible ambush points, sharpshooter hidouts and any other key feature, even if they were here peacefully he wasn't ready to let his guard down. Slowly patrolling the group he also watched the young officers despite that they were his crew members the talk and prejudice aboard the ship prior to the mission was something that worried him.

And Now, the Continuation...

[ON]

Asahi could feel the tension brewing. It didn't take a psychiatrist to see that there was discontentment with their presence. However, it also meant that he was going to have to be a little more careful with his words. He kept his eyes forward, pointedly examining one of the drills as opposed to staring at the mining crew. Hopefully no one would get any bright ideas.

Dea felt the tension as well but didn't let it ruffle her. As Galileo's second officer she needed to stay in control. "We are here to help," Mialin's words made it perfectly clear they weren't there to make matters any worse. "We need you show us what the issues are or explain them."

Lonar spoke up, "I could show you some of the rock down there in the mines."

Seeker interjected from the back of the crowd of his fellow miners, "Yes, show them. Let them hear the rock for themselves... let them see.. let them understand Lo-man, yes, yes, the rock will tell all, the words will become clear to anyone willing to listen!"

Taurus tilted his head, his eye on the moving figure with curiosity, but he made no move to stop it. He spoke to Dea instead. "It really is very simple. Childrens stories of ghosts and ghouls have been spread. Those who are foolish enough to believe it are refusing to work. And those who don't believe it see it as an opportunity and excuse to stop working for a while. It really is as simple as that."

"What I know for sure is not everyone among you sees things the same way. No matter what work needs to proceed. Now what we can do is ensure there is nothing technical getting in the way that people aren't willing to admit. If it makes people feel better to have us look then it can't hurt anything. Our goal is to help you get to the bottom of this issue so you can get back to work."

If the others had been able to see Taban through his suit they may have thought he was having some kind of apoplectic fit at hearing the words 'we are here to help', which included him, being directed towards Cardassians. The more he thought about what they'd done to Bajor, to his mother, even what his cursed Cardassian genes had done to him the more he couldn't take the idea of helping him. Hyperventilating was never recommended in an environmental suit, but that was just what he was doing. Turning from side to side he desperately looked for something to distract him. Technology, he was good with technology; it always helped calm him down to tinker with something or other. Seeing a large burnt-out drill on the far side of the group he began edging around his colleagues. So fixed was his gaze on looking at the drill and what might be wrong with it that he was hardly aware of anything else: even the colonist sat on it or what the conversation had turned to. He just... needed... to reach the drill and take a look. That would calm him down. Thus he thought as he moved around the edge of the group of his colleagues and into the small space between them and the drill.

This was all too much tension for the tiny engineer. As if tension amongst the miners and their plight wasn't enough, Asahi could feel an uneasiness amongst his crewmates. Eventually, someone was going to crack, Luke was right. It was just a matter of time and place, and the company they were going to be around. Conversation wasn't Asahi's expertise, and he was grateful someone else was around taking point in this one, on the off chance the tension exploded while he was around. Putting faith in the second officer was much easier, knowing that Dea could keep her cool much better than he could. Politely bowing his head toward the collected group, Asahi chose to excuse himself, somewhere toward the back. He wasn't doing anyone any good standing and staring vacantly.

It was then that Asahi noticed the much larger Cadet moving around. 'Huh. Maybe he's just stir-crazy.' Starships weren't exactly the most spacious of areas, but there was a certain comfort in knowing that one could, at any point, run off into space. Mines had a much more cramped feeling to them, so much of the uneasiness from being within one was understandable. As quietly and discreetly as the small engineer could, he quickly stepped near Taban, placing a gentle hand on the larger man's arm. He probably would have managed to tap his shoulder, if he thought he could reach without looking goofy. "If I had known there was someone else around here who was as eager as I was, I would have come with more copies of those schematics."

The Cadet almost jumped out of his environmental suit at the touch on his arm and it was only the constriction of movement in his suit which prevented him from lashing out at the Lieutenant. Taking a second to break himself fully out of the trance under which he'd been, he put his right arm on Asahi's right shoulder and, nodding, mumbled "Thanks, Lieutenant. I... I don't know what I was doing. I just really wanted to get a look at that drill. Just nerves I guess. Is anything happening yet?"

'Jumpy guy. Guess the mines must really be getting to him.' Asahi smiled reassuringly. "Not just yet. Gotta get the miners at least on the same page... or maybe it's getting us on the same page. Who knows." He shrugged. "Mines aren't your cup of tea, huh?"

The Cadet shook his head. "Cardassians aren't my cup of tea... I've never actually met one in the flesh before." He glanced over at the group of miners and glared at them through the dimmed visor.

Asahi could settle for that reasoning. Made sense. 'Cardassians aren't his cup of tea, oka-wait what.' He gave Taban an odd look, as if trying to process the statement, but managed to cover it with a smile. "It's alright. I figure we're all going to have our differences, but once everything's settled, it can't be all that bad. I'm sure there'll be some common ground." He hoped.

The Cadet picked up on the odd look and immediately decided he wasn't going to continue the conversation any further. "Thanks, Sir." He mumbled as he looked back over to the Lieutenant Commander - hoping there was some movement of some description in any direction. The sooner he could get on with the job and get his mind on something the better, at least as far as he was concerned.

"So any of you want to actually head into the mines?" Lonar asked. "Personally, I am bored with this and talk is nothing but talk. So any of you up to a trip?" Lonar wrinkled his nose, "I promise to take the easy routes."

Stace, having kept quiet for most of the expedition, stepped forward and, tricorder in hand and open, shook her head pointlessly in her helmet. "That won't be necessary," the Trill said through the intercom, still scanning the surroundings and not looking at Lonar. "We have an additional team here in the facility who are already tasked with that responsibility. But if we could have a closer look at the equipment you have about here, that would be appreciated."

Seeker shook his head, "Its not the equipment.. not the equipment at all..." his voice was quiet and very reserved to the point of shyness, but it was clear and succinct in the point he was trying to make, "The rocks. It is they who speak, it is they who are trying to tell us something... it is they who are holding up our work..."

Asahi had, by this point, stepped back up toward the front, and managed to catch the end of Seeker's words. "... The rocks, huh? Then we'll have to take a look at all the equipment that gets up close and personal with the rocks too." It may not have been his expertise, or even his job to ask, but he was curious enough to anyway. "What are the rocks saying, exactly?"

Seeker did not look Asahi in the eyes, as was usual for him. He kept his service dog Sapphire close to his left leg and Madeline, his social "liason" behind him a little. "I do not know exactly. 'Robotman' only knows that something is wrong. Something dark." He had pointed to himself when he said the name "Robotman". "I have worked this mine for some time... and the rest of the crew.. they know me.. they know I know these rocks because these rocks are my only friends... yes.. my friends.. I just know they speak to me... there is something wrong... their spirit is disturbed.. disturbed yes... disturbed.." He looked down at the ground avoiding their looks at him. "Seeker only knows something is wrong... wrong yes..."

Asahi took a step toward the human miner, but no more, curious to hear his words, but not curious enough to disturb his personal bubble. He narrowed his eyes, thoughtful on the miner's words. As far as Asahi knew, it sounded like the rocks, no, the mine itself, was unhappy with something. He wasn't going to pretend he was spiritual, but he did know better than to dismiss any of the information he was given, even if it did seem illogical. "Thank you. Knowing that could help us find a place to start."

Taurus gave a slight grunt of disgust in his throat, lifting his eyes with the gullible, soft Federation willingness to lap up the childish nonsense.

"I'd like to know that as well. Beyond that I'd also like to see if its something physical or perhaps unknown issues with equipment," Dea added. One way or another she had to keep them talking and allow the Galileo crew to investigate.

Luke had continued to observe the group and the area around them rather than listen to the conversation but he was picking up the idea that something was going on here although he couldn't confirm what yet. "Lieutenant Commander I would like this opportunity to ask some of the miners that are lingering around some questions, without the presence of others and a large federation group they may be more compliment?" Luke was willing to take someone else with him he didn't want to be caught alone.

Stace looked at Mialin and raised an eyebrow. "It would give us techs a chance to go over what they're actually using down here first hand if Wyatt were interview them separately.."

"Interview? Are we being held for a crime?" Taurus said with a soft drawl, but there was a slight glimmer of amusement in the manager's eyes. "You may speak to who you wish. However, for now, you may only inspect the equipment that is on this level and the surface. No outsiders are to go down into the actual mines for the time being."

Dea turned to Luke moving over to his position to speak quietly, "Yes I think that would be useful. Take who you need to but be careful and keep a comm channel open to me. While you do that I'll check in with Galileo."

To Be Continued...

[OFF]

--

MWO Lamar Darius
Chief Support Craft Pilot
USS Galileo
[PNPC - Saalm]

LCDR Dea Mialin
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Galileo

PO1 Oliver Morris
Senior Yeoman
USS Galileo

SCPO Luke Wyatt
Security/Tactical Officer
USS Galileo

LT Asahi Kita
Acting Chief Engineer
USS Galileo

LT Norvi Stace
Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo

LTJG Victoria Crawley
Psychologist
USS Galileo

LT Teth Miir
Counselor
USS Galileo

LTJG Wakeham Paul Alasia
Diplomatic Officer
USS Galileo

CDT(SO) Alenis Taban
Operations Officer
USS Galileo

Taurus
Miner
Lyshan III
[PNPC - Blake]

Seeker Wisdom
Miner
Lyshan III
[PNPC - Pendleton]

Lonar
Miner
Lyshan III
[PNPC - Warraquim]

Draia Thero
Miner
Lyshan III
[PNPC - Kohl]

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