Free Fall (Part 1 of 4)

Posted on 27 Jul 2014 @ 12:40pm by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Captain Jonathan Holliday & Command Master Chief Markum Quinn & Petty Officer 1st Class Oliver Morris & Lieutenant Asahi Kita & Lieutenant Jacob Pendleton & Petty Officer 1st Class Gabriel Stark & Chief Warrant Officer 3 Amon Mormont & Lieutenant Jared Nicholas & Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim & M'Ressa & Petty Officer 1st Class Siren Hex Saalm & Petty Officer 3rd Class Robert Jameson

2,717 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Episode 06 - Legend of Souls
Location: Lyshan III - Uridium Mine Access Shaft
Timeline: MD 07 - 0820 hrs

[ON]

USS Galileo - Deck 2, Transporter Room 1

Quinn was the first into the Transporter Room. He set his helmet to his EVA suit on the transporter control-board and nodded to the operator. "Petty Officer Jonet, don't forget you are to sit for your next rank exam in two days." The PO answered, "No prob, Master Chief."

Quinn attached an engineer's kit and the compression rife he slung over his shoulder, taking his time while waiting for the others to arrive.

Allyndra tromped into the transporter room after getting help once again getting into a suit. She absolutely hated the thing and even more so the helmet since the filters made everything seem dimmer in the world to her and then there was the mine which was already dark enough. It was enough to almost want to come up with some pretext disease so she did not have to go. It was duty and curiosity had in the end made the final push to go through this punishment yet again.

As before, she took a medical kit, medical tricorder. She waited a moment and then asked Quinn, "Are there some extra oxygen tanks I might use. I really hate having the helmet on in the mines and holding my breath for long periods is not fun either."

Quinn thought for a moment. "Not in here, but I can tweak your helmet to blow a stronger flow so with the increase in concentration, it should alleviate any anxiety that these damn suits can produce.

Allyndra was all smiles. "That would be nice. I just feel half-blind. Anything would be appreciated."

Quinn took the helmet and began working on the O2 output regulators inside of the helmet. After a few moments Quinn handed back the helmet. Here you go, this should help some."

Allyndra made a polite little curtsey as best she could do in the clumsy suit and said, "Thank you."

Abbey skipped happily into the transporter room, as much as you could skip into a transporter room with a Full Eva suit on. "Morning" She greeted the others picking up a Type 2 hand phaser and science kit.

Mormont walked in with a frown, taking a breath before moving to the crate. He helped himself to the handheld and rifle. The grenades he ignored; if it came to a point they were using them, well...they would most likely be dead or close to dead.

It wasn't long after Mormont was rooting around the crate that the short-statured Asahi came trotting in. Hopping over toward the crate, he gave the items a scrutinizing look, before plucking up one of the hand phasers and an engineering kit. As much as he was against actual combat, he wasn't opposed to arming himself at all.

M'Ressa entered the transporter room, all dressed out in the EVA suit except for her helmet, which she was waiting till the absolute last minute to put on. After encountering the dead bodies on the last away mission all mutilated as they were, M"Ressa really just wanted to curl up in her quarters and do something, anything to remove the image of those bodies burnt into her concious memory, not go on this mission. But her job dictated she had to so she forced herself to go. Taking a science kit and standard issue phaser, M'Ressa waited quietly in a corner for the others to arrive so they could get this show on the road.

Oliver hated the clunky uncomfortable feel of his suit. The last time he wore one was at the Academy and even then it felt like he was a six year old wearing his father's clothing. Checking the seals for a third time he walked over to a crate to check its locks as well and then opened another. He took a small phaser and attached it to the magnetic seal at his hip.

Jared wasn't especially happy to be here, especially with Min so far along, and he couldn't understand why everyone else, seemed so damned cheerful. Given what had happened the last time they were sent there, he would have thought they would be taking this more seriously than they were. But at least some of them seemed to be looking at this like some walk on the beach.

He took a deep calming breath to center himself and waited for the Captain to arrive.

M'Ressa saw Jared standing over by himself. She'd seen him around the ship and knew he was dating the Chief of Operations. She wasn't sure but assumed that the child growing inside Jared's girlfreind was his. Not that it mattered really.

Going over, M'Ressa offered her hand to Jared. "Lieutenant Nicholas. M'Ressa. Didn't get a chance to introduce myself earlier."

"Good to meet you too," he replied shaking the offered hand.

Gabriel was silent as he moved in, already frowning. He remembered all too vividly the gory scene from his last trip down into the mine....and the anger and frustration when their team mate had vanished and he was ordered to leave. Right now, he'd rather be going just about anywhere else than back down into the mine. He already had a combat knife secured firmly to him; after the last time, with their weapons losing power, he'd made sure to bring one for this trip. He didn't hesitate in taking hold of a rifle to hook up over his shoulder, the weapon he was most comfortable with. Well, apart from a huge pulse canon.

"I think they forgot to add my invisibility suit into the equipment crate...." Siren Hex said lightly, shaking her head with a sigh as she looked into the box. "Guess a phaser and photon grenades will have to do..." she shrugged with a weak smile, reaching for them as she tilted her head. She didn't mind the idea of the mines much. Back where she came from, they spent most of their time underground in the old tunnels and chambers. At least she wouldn't be being chased down by a rival gang through them this time.

Jacob walked in, punctual as usual, he nodded to all as his mind was elsewhere thinking about the possibilities and the research they were about to embark on... again.

Jacob picked up a science kit and a type 2 hand phaser, then satisfied with his choices walked to the transporter and waited to go.

Having needed the extra couple of minutes to make his way from his quarters to the transporter room, John grunted with annoyance about the extra weight and encumbrance that the EV suit was exerting on his body. Stepping into the room he brandished the Type III rifle that he had kept in his quarters since their battle with the Klingons and Project Sienna that had helped to save their previous Captain's life.

Looking towards the crates in the centre of the room that seemed to contain the bulk of Galileo's armoury, he picked up a type II and attached it to the EV suit - he would rather have a backup weapon than an extra tricorder any day of the week.

"Alright people - are we ready to go?"

The door to the transporter room swished open and in stepped Lirha with a freshly replicated mug of steaming hot chocolate in her hand. With the ship's CO part of the pending away mission, her first duty of the day was to oversee the deployment of Galileo's expedition teams, and she gave the assembled group a quick look-over to make sure all were present and accounted for before walking up to Holliday and looking up at him.

"I trust you will keep everyone safe down there?" she quietly said to John while observing the phaser rifle he had equipped. "I will be sure to leave the comm channel open at all times so you can report your team's progress at regular intervals," she informed him.

Looking towards the Commodore, the Captain shouldered the rifle before nodding his head towards the barrel.

"I'll do my best ma'am." He replied with a mischievous glint in his eye, albeit fully knowing the gravity of their situation.

"We'll report in every 15 minutes - comm channel will remain open at all times and the transporters will be keeping a permanent lock on our signal. Failing that we have transport enhancers standing by."

Lirha nodded and cast another glance at the group of departing Starfleet personnel. "We will be transporting you to the mine's primary access shaft. According to our schematics, there is a lift that will take you down into the center-most area of the mine, a place neither of our previous away missions explored," she explained. "It will be very dark and some sections of the tunnels might be unstable, so remain vigilant."

"Yes Ma'am. We'll be home safe." John replied before turning to take his place on the transporter pad. The Commodore's sentiments were touching - almost like a mother sending her children off to school, but the Captain had faith that he would be bringing his team home safe and sound.

Just before sealing his helmet, Quinn walked up to Lirha and whispered. "I'll keep an eye on him, Skipper." Quinn nodded towards Holliday. After sealing his mask he smiled, "I'll send ya a postcard."

Another EV suit scurried on by, with Asahi right inside. "Ma'am." He nodded toward Lirha solemnly, stepping up onto the pad. These mines were going to be the death of them.

Giving Holliday a small, private smile of reassurance, Lirha turned towards Galileo's transporter chief and gave the command to commence transport. "Energize."

Allyndra moved to the second group. She was in absolutely no hurry to have to be in the caves and confined.

As soon as the first group of six was on the pad, Robert began the transporter sequence. Almost as soon as the first team had left, Robert motioned for the second team to embark.

As the last team left the pad, Robert remarked to Lirha. "Teams away Commodore. Hopefully they'll find something this time."

"Hopefully," Lirha replied in a hushed tone. Now standing in the transporter room with only Jameson next to her, she couldn't help but wonder what the away team would uncover and if they would soon be in more peril.


Lyshan III - Uridium Mine Access Shaft Entrance

Inside the first level of Lyshan III's uridium mine, the away team materialized with a bright blue particle swirl in their designated coordinated. Sealed off from the planet's outside weather elements, the area they now occupied was a dark, musky deserted network of tunnels and access shafts which appeared to be in less-than-ideal working condition. To the right at the end of the longest tunnel was a large rusted door with a half-scratched off label written in Cardassian.

Allyndra shuddered as the dark walls appeared around her and the transporter effect wore off. The first group was already there and she wanted nothing more than to toss her helmet off feeling the dark even more.

Instead she took long deep breaths and pulled her medical tricoder and scanned the group and then did a general scan. So far nothing more than a bit of anxiety.

After he materialized, Quinn activated his helm-lights and looked around the shaft and studied the shaft door. He then looked over towards Allyndra. "Commander Warraquim, with all due respect ma'am, I'd like you to stay close to me. I've got more hours in these suits than most anyone else aboard the Gali."

"Agreed - nobody goes anywhere beyond five metres without instruction - I promised the Commodore we'd all come home in one piece." John called out into the comm line, knowing that it would be the only way the crew would be able to communicate with each other whilst contained within the EV suits.

"Science team - get me some readings - what are things looking like from here? Environmental, energy readings, tunnel composition, I want the lot. Security team - secure a perimeter and set up the first set of transport enhancers in case we need an extra boost getting out of here. We will set up a further site once we get into the mines."

Jared nodded, glancing down at his tricorder. He wasn't exactly an expert at such things, but he would give it his best shot.

"Captain," Gabriel nodded with a frown, moving quickly to grab one of the boosters. He moved out from the group, taking a look around even as he crouched to set it up. He hadn't wanted to come back down to this place, not after what had happened with George. They'd only just arrived and he couldn't wait to be gone again.

Allyndra made a quick scan of everyone but other than elevated adrenaline levels which was to be expected she got nothing unusual. She began to scan around and paid particular attention to a little special thing she had programmed in. She wanted to see if any tell tale trace of the kind of 'ghost' field as predicted with a Feynman propagator. So far nothing, but she remained convinced yet that something might show to support her theory.

Looking around John noted the door at the far end, that must have been the way that would take them down into the shaft as noted on the original plans.

"Mr Quinn - if you would be so kind as to call the lift?"

"Aye-aye." said Quinn as he made his way to the lift control, slow and steady, to leave no one too far behind. Once there he studied the device. It was a small box with a green button on over a red button. He shrugged and depressed his thumb onto the green button. With a loud clanging noise the lift began to make it's slow rise to the top of the shaft. Finally it surfaced and with a strong tug the cage opened. "Please watch your step and leave your hands and feet inside of the ride at all times.

Jacob smiled at that remark and then moved forward in defensive position to protect his team in case something dared come out of cage.

"Psst, I don't think anything's gonna come out and get us." Despite the obvious height difference, Asahi's attempts to give the scientist his form of a stage whisper, potentially muffled by two EV suits worth of barrier, remained just as comical as ever, if not more so. However, he waited for the signal before stepping onto the lift himself. Best not to take any chances.

Laughing to himself at the calm demeanor of his CoB, John took aim with his rifle before advancing on the open lift cart. Taking a peek over the edge, he could see nothing except the long descent through the shaft and the merest hint of light at the bottom from the mining establishment.

Jared didn't carry much in the way of weapons, just the standard issue phaser. He didn't really want anything else, he was a linguist not a fighter. And he wasn't exactly the best shot with a phaser. Get him into street fight or back him into an alley, he was pretty damn good, but even then he would rather talk his way out of a situation.

He stepped into the cap waiting for others to follow suit.

To Be Continued...

[OFF]

--

CDRE Lirha Saalm
Mission Advisor
USS Galileo

CA Abbey-Mae Wyatt
Scientist Mate
USS Galileo
[PNPC - Wyatt]

Lt Jared Nicholas
Language Specialist
USSGalileo

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

PO2 Siren Hex
Intelligence
USS Galileo
[PNPC Blake]

Asahi Kita
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Galileo

Lt Cmdr Allyndra illm Warraquim
Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo

Command Master Chief Markum Quinn
Chief of the Boat
USS Galileo

CAPT Jonathan Holliday
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

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

M'Ressa
Biotechnologist
USS Galileo
[PNPC Zhao]

PO3 Robert Jameson
Transporter Chief
USS Galileo
[PNPC Zhao]

LT Jacob Pendleton
Chief Research Officer
USS Galileo

PO1 Oliver Morris
Senior Yeoman
USS Galileo

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