Search and Rescue (Part 1 of 4)

Posted on 20 Jun 2016 @ 1:02am by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Commander Andreus Kohl & Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim & Commander Luke Wyatt & Lieutenant Olsam Mott & Lieutenant Tuula Voutilainen M.D. & Lieutenant Benice Gyce Ph.D. & Lieutenant JG Randolf Eklund & Chief Warrant Officer 3 Greg Mitchell & Chief Warrant Officer 2 Anthony Duval & Ensign K'os Beaumont & Chief Petty Officer Torgeir Naes & Chief Petty Officer Crispin Snow & Trisant Myrddin & Crewman Draia Thero & Josephine Lemieux Ph.D.

2,315 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Episode 11 - Divinum Mundi
Location: Celes III - Landing Site Alpha, Grid 10-298-001-20
Timeline: MD 13 - 0025 hours

[ON]

Galileo's hastily-assembled search and rescue (SAR) team had quickly gathered themselves on Deck 8 as ordered by the rear admiral. There had been two colony modules in distress that had landed in less-than-idea circumstances in the middle of the approaching plasma storm, and the probability of casualties was high. The Nova-class' sensors had detected life signs within each of them but the electromagnetic interference of the storm meant their sensor and information-gathering abilities had been hampered.

The mission wasn't even in full swing and already there was action. Terje was torn on his thoughts regarding the matter. While he was excited to have a part in things, the idea of an incident which could potentially cost numerous lives hit a little close to home. This is different, though, he told himself. This time it's not sabotage, and you have a chance to help.

Crispin Snow came up to his room mates side and clipped on to the guide line behind him,, EVA suit secure and helmet under one arm. "Sixty knots, freezing winds, no visibility to speak off." Crispin said mildly, with a wry smile, "A lovely day for a stroll. Hope you don't mind if I hide behind you until we get there?"

Glancing back at his room mate, Terje found himself grateful for the light-hearted banter, as it helped to take his mind off more weighty matters. "Nei," he grinned. "But if the wind comes sideways, I can't help you."

"I'm still tied to a two hundred pound weight," Crispin replied affably, "I think I'll risk it."

Luke calmly strode around the deck, stretching out his arms and getting a feel for his EV suit he had immediately volunteered for the SAR mission. Ever since the death of his daughter he had been willing to take more risks and put more on the line to get a thrill and to do something to help someone, so they didn't have to feel what he had and although his and Abbey, the new one and he were getting along now and often sparred it still wasn't the same.

Warrant Officer Second Class Anthony Duval was wearing an armored envirosuit, a bulky pack on his back and in his left hand was a sizable toolkit. "I wasn't sure what I needed so I brought everything." but in his right hand was his helmet, he quickly slipped it on and sealed it closed.

Randy nodded hearing the others preparing for their EVA. They seem to be taking this seriously, and packing for any eventuality, without letting that seriousness overwhelm them. Snow, cold, wind, low visibility...he'd grown up with most of those every winter. He knew any one of them could be deadly, but he also knew how to respect them. He sealed up his suit to keep himself pleasantly warm and brought up the HUD. The visibility out there might be terrible, but the suit could overlay the blankness with terrain features easily. With a bit of work, he thought he should be able to home in on any member of their team.

Lumbering in his own environmental suit, Commander Kohl followed Randy's path of travel into the compartment. Kohl put a hand on Randy's left shoulder and he visually inspected the seals on the white and crimson plates of Randy's environmental suit. While it was still useful --within the environs of Galileo-- Kohl took a quick pass with his tricorder to confirm that each of the away team's EV suits were effectively sealed.

Strapped into a large and bulky hoverchair, Tuula arrived alongside the rest of the medical staff. Allyndra had to help her get into her EVA suit, and she wondered if it was the best decision for her to go down there given the conditions, but she knew that she had to be down there to help the wounded, and to prove to herself and others that she can brave the odds and participate in away missions like anyone else. After settling in on one corner of the platform, using the railing to stabilize herself, she looked up at the others and popped off her helmet. "Good thing this thing has attachment points," she said, tapping one of the bulky cases that had been strapped to her chair, slightly tickled by the fact that she had become the medical staff's pack mule for this mission. "I must have brought a hundred kilograms of medical supplies, not to mention this portable bio-bed."

The EVA suit was bulky, but the weight didn't bother Terje. He knew once they reached the planet, any added weight would be inconsequential - a boon if anything to help add traction. That seemed to be a reality the medical team was taking into full effect. Securing his kit and helmet, he turned to Crispin. "You are good, yes?"

Situated on Galileo's lowest deck, a soft whirr sounded and the large elevator platform they were standing on deployed down towards the planet's surface. The SAR team was quickly exposed to a fury of high winds and particle debris as soon as they descended towards the surface. By the time the hatch hit the plant's surface, visibility was almost non-existent and the crackling and concussions of blue lightning strikes in the vicinity made the situation worse.

Gyce pulled down the visor in in suit, then began to set-up tether systems for the group as she spoke over her comm.

"Make sure grappling hooks and tether carbines are in working order, as we'll need to stay low and move slow through this environment," the security chief reminded to the group.

Duval nodded his head. "Confirmed." as he went about his gear and equipment check.

Allyndra was not so sure she had made the correct decision regarding going on the SAR as soon as the hatch fully opened and was slammed by the wind. Hollow bones made for flight and it did not take much wind to realize that she could be easily blown off her feet. She nodded to Gyce indicating she understood.

Stepping closer to Allyndra, Kohl bumped his shoulder against hers. In retrospect, he couldn't be certain the gesture would translate between their respective cultures. But, certainly, he hoped she would reckon it was with as much affection as he intended. His first instinct had been to reach out and steady her with his hands, but he supposed she could manage herself better than most.

Greg had his suit secured, and had his phaser strapped to his utility belt. It would be nice to walk around on a planet for the first time in a few years, even if he was in a suit. Though, the oncoming storm did have him concerned. In his hand he held a phaser rifle, just to be safe. "So, are we expecting any form of hostile wildlife down here?" He asked, half jokingly. "Cuz, if we run into some sort of mutant bear, imma be really pissed." He charged the weapon and placed it on a magnetic holder on his back.

"If anything, we'll hopefully only need to shoot really huge rocks out of our paths," Gyce laughed in kind to Greg.

Both Tuula and Veri wanted to come and Allyndra looked around to check on them. At first she thought that perhaps that chair of Tuula's might be a problem but now with this wind perhaps she might be the only one not to be blown away.

"Veri when we get to the module, I would like you to do initial assesements. It will be good practice for your nurse practioner. Tuula and I will do stabilization. Not sure with this weather and all if we can beam anyone over."

"Oooh." Veri, in the bulky EVA suit, danced with excitement at getting to do something new. "I can do that. Oh yes."

"Sounds like a plan," replied Tuula, adjusting the stabilizers on her hoverchair for the high winds. "Here's hoping we don't have too many casualties."

"Anyone got any words of wisdom before we set off?" Duval inquired, a smile on his face.

Already heart pumping Luke positioned himself ready and raised his tether hook end up "Who wants hook up?" the lame attempt off a joke made himself chuckle, his humour was among one of the first things to return after Abbey's death followed by his Charm and wit. "Well?"

Duval nodded. "Well if god can hear how scared I am, so can everyone else... Alright folks, lets do this.." he turned. "Cable secured?" he inquired as he quickly brought up his IFF system and his HUD Map. "Okay...Who's got point?"

Gyce looked at Tuula's chair and frowned. That would be problematic, indeed. It was the reason she pointed to Duval and Greg. Strong types. "I'd like you each to tether to an opposing side of Doctor Voutilainen.

"Got it Lieutenant." Greg replied, and stepped over by Tuula's left side. "Sorry ma'am, this'll just take a sec."

"Okay," replied Tuula, lifting her arm, "I think there's an attachment point on the side here somewhere."

Greg secured a line to her chair, tugged on the cable to make sure it was secure, then gave a thumbs up to Lt. Benice. "Good to go, ma'am."

"I could probably use some help as well," Allyndra said. "When one is built for flight this kind of wind is enough to pick one up."

Duval nodded. "Willdo." he answered as he came over to Tuula's right side. "El Tee. This will only take a moment." as he checked the right side of her chair, before locating the attachment point. Duval then secured a line to her chair and then he checked it. He nodded before he likewise turned to the Bajoran woman. "We're good sir." he paused. "Sir, I can help the Commander." Duval said to Gyce.

"Thank you," Allydnra replied. While the wind was high and inviting she had no illusions that such a flight would end in a disaster especially here.

"All right... Lieutenant Wyatt? I believe you'll need to hook on the other side of Commander Warraquim," Gyce pointed out as she did a visual check.

There were just too many squints lacking in the strength department for this type of mission. The suits helped to some extent, but if they lost their balance and fell to a heavy gust of wind? Gyce shook her head to that inevitable disaster.

Duval kept his thoughts to himself but he already knew that this would end badly.

Nodding and attaching his hook to the vacant side of the commanders suit. "I'm good go," He Luke said signalling with his right hand in the universal 'OK' shape and smiled under his EVA suit. "Lets get this walk in the park over with" He said confidentially though experience had taught him that this was not going to be a walk in the park.

Randy took up a defensive position beside and just behind Lt. Benice. He too was armed, but didn't have his phaser pulled yet. "Ma'am, it looks like our people have spread out among the away team. We should be able to offer assistance to anyone in need. I'd like to suggest that everyone make sure their transponders are on and transmitting. If anyone gets lost, we can hunt them down with those."

Gyce nodded to that suggestion before she hooked her line into Randy's carbine. "Sounds good to me, Lieutenant."

Then she looked to Kohl. She was not sure how he wanted the entire away team to travel, so she walked up to him and cleared her throat to get his attention.

"Sir? Do we want two lines tethered or split off in groups of four? I ask because we need to strategically place strong people around those who aren't very strong," Gyce suggested to Kohl.

Frowning like a tragedy mask --to be seen through the faceplate of his helmet-- Kohl replied with, "I appreciate the strategic staggering of the team, Lieutenant. Thank you. But I don't like teams of only four out there..." His frown lines deepened and he looked Gyce in the eye to measure if she had the same fears.

Gyce nodded, "I agree." She did not comment on the fact Tuula's chair was a hazard and a liability. Very few of Tuula's friends in the group would see the several scenarios where a chair like that would cause so many mission failures by a single, strong gust of wind.

"Allyndra," Kohl said over the comms, and he turned his whole body to face where the doctor was tethered in. In the EV suit, it was like a dance that was entirely lacking in grace. "Can we extrapolate any meaning from the lifesign sensor readings?" Kohl asked. "Are both modules in critical need of our aid, or can we prioritize one before the other?"

Allyndra was hanging onto anything to keep her in place when Kohl asked his question. "Way too much interference at this distance. However, from what I saw on the monitor it would appear the Semmes-Three took the most damage."

To Be Continued...

[OFF]

--

RADM Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

Unnamed
Casualty
[NPC Qureshi]

WO2 Anthony Duval
Engineer
USS Galileo

PO2 Crispin Snow
Operations officer
USS Galileo
[NPC Derani]

LCmdr Allyndra illm Warraquim
Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo

Commander Andreus Kohl
Second Officer
USS Galileo

CWO2 Greg Mitchell
Security Officer
USS Galileo

Dr. Josephine Lemieux
Colony Nanotechnologist
USS Semmes
[ PNPC - Mott ]

CPO Torgier Naess
Security Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant JG Benice Gyce
Chief of Security
USS Galileo

PO3 Veri
Surgical Nurse
USS Galileo
[PNPC Gyce]

Lieutenant Luke Wyatt
Chief Strategic Operations Office
USS Galileo

and other Galileans...

RSS Feed