Quell’ish - Away Team - Day 2 - Part 3
Posted on Thu Mar 18th, 2021 @ 4:05am by Avalon [ADMIN NPC] & Lieutenant Commander S'hib & Lieutenant Baeryn Whavi-Tonelly & Lieutenant JG Miraj Derani & Captain David Tonelly [Reece] & Lieutenant Tonya King ( Barclay de Tolly ) & Lieutenant JG T'Kek [Naxea] & Senior Chief Petty Officer Fernando De La Rosa [Taylor]
Mission:
Season 5: Episode 1: No Exit
2465 words - 4.9 OF Standard Post Measure
IC:
Finally, the group reached the area that David had indicated. He immediately moved to the rear of the area and freed up his armor from all the items he was carrying. He then moved back to the front of the area and began setting out traps and signal flares, to ensure that no one would sneak up in them. He then took up a position and began scanning the area outside of their little homestead.
And now:
Night was falling as they settled in. And 35 klicks from their position, two large craft landed and disgorged troops. They did not move from the area around the two drop ships, but they were setting up camp and several small groups of aliens began to scout out the area.
Fernando had helped Tonya set up the equipment at the campsite and once it was done he went looking for the Marine corporal. He found him at the front of the camp. "Excuse me Corporal, I was wondering if you could use some help? In scouting for any intruders along with keeping watch. Where is the other set of armor?"
David glanced over and replied as his eyes moved back to scan the perimeter. "Hey, Senior Chief. Unfortunately, it went with the ship. I suggested to Commander S'hib that we should bring it, but, he correctly pointed out that no 9ne but me was qualified to use it. So, we've got my suit, weapons and Laknema's weapons."
"I see. A shame, what weapons do we have of Laknema's?" Fernando asked.
"Well, his sniper rifle, for one. Also his carbine, phaser pistol, ballistic pistol and his Ka-bar," David replied, matter-of-factly. "Though, the Ka-bar, along with his personal effects, are going to be returned to his family, by me, if Command allows me some time off to do so."
"I see. I'll take the sniper rifle and the phaser pistol if you don't mind." Fernando replied. "The Ka-bar should go to Laknenms family as well as his personal effects." Fernando agreed.
"Forgive me for asking, Chief," David asked, "Are you familiar with the operation of the TR-116a rifle? It doesn't handle the same as the TR-116, or the standard phaser rifle. Each TR-116a is set to its operator. Its difficult to do a reset out in the field. I have the tools, but I don't think we have the time to get it set to your parameters. "
"I'm sure I can handle it however you keep it and let me have the carbine and the pistol." Fernando suggested. "That better?"
The El Aurian nodded. "That should be fine, Chief." Reaching to his back, he detached the carbine from the clasp on his armor. He then reached for the pistol, wich was attached to his left breast plate. Handing them over with some measure of reverence, David looked into Fernando's eyes as he placed the weapons in the other man's grip. "Use them well, Chief. He took care of these as if they were his own progeny."
"I will treat them with respect. I assure you of that Corporal." Fernando replied taking the weapons.
David nodded silently in response. He then turned his attention back to their perimeter. "Chief, mind if I say something personal?"
"Of course not Corporal. What's on your mind?" Fernando asked curious as to what David had to say,
"I'm not sure if you are aware, but, I'm an El Aurian, and I've been around for almost half a millennium, by human calendars, and I've been in my fair shair of combat." He sighed softly before continuing. "I have a bad feeling about this situation."
Fernando didn't laugh or brush off David's feeling. "I was not aware of that and that makes your feeling even more concerning. Can you be more specific or is it just an overriding feeling of dread?"
David shook his head and grimaced. "It's more a feeling of dread. We are hoplessly outnumbered here"
Tonya who was resting heard Fernando leave. She shook her head a bit as she was alone now. She left her tent as she stayed nearby. Seeing Fernando from a distance talking to the Marine, she scanned the area as she did not see anything. Looking into a crevice in the cave, she saw the crystals that made latinum and a few chisels and hammers. Something was telling her inside this might not be a safe place. So she went into an abandon room next to a shaft. Scanning the area, she could tell this room was forgotten.
Fernando saw Tonya start to wander off toward the cave. "Excuse me Corporal. Be right back." With that he took off in Tonya's direction. "Lieutenant!" He shouted as he caught up to her. "No wondering off alone. Remember?"
"I know," Tonya says rolling her eyes. "I wanted to make sure you wander off. Fernando, there are crystals here that one can make latinum from. Found a few tools. Hopefully this is an abandon mine."
Fernando smiled, "Oh do not worry Lieutenant. I will not wander off unless you are with me." He smiled. "Latinum from crystals? That is something." He agreed. "Perhaps the mine is abandoned but I don't know how we can verify that."
Tonya ran a scan with her tricorder over the abandoned area. "Hmmm. Looks like it was five maybe six weeks ago someone was here."
Miraj watched on a tricorder as the small life signs they decided were scouts got closer. "They've got some sort of vehicles, judging from the speed they're zipping about." She didn't need to bother the device with calculating their speed and trajectory, she'd already done it in her head. "They're got to the edge of the forest" They weren't coming straight for them. Yet. But once they hit the exit path of the Acheron, it wouldn't take long. She looked up to the others "If they spot the sign, they'll probably be on us in about twenty minutes at those speeds."
David spoke up. "Fifteen minutes, actually, Ma'am." He looked over at the young pilot and shrugged, well, shrugged as best as his armor would allow. "My suit's sensors are more fine tuned than a standard tricorder, even on passive scans."
T'Kek approached the gathering group. In the cavern, they were basically trapped here--not an ideal place to be. "Then I believe it would be best if we got busy setting up defenses." However, something about their location was bothering T'Kek. The supposed abandoned mine that Lieutenant King had mentioned as well as Ethal mentioning that the noticeable absence of life meant a predator was nearby...perhaps one that could scare off miners for good? That was one predator he would not want to encounter....but if there was one, where was it? His eyes constantly scanned the walls and his ears could only hear the other team members moving about and talking as well as the wind moving through the cave.
David looked over and spoke. "I've already done, so, Ensign. Anyone who tries to get within one hundred meters of this location will light up like the fourth of ju-ly!" He used the accept of his old squad leader, back on Earth, Earth of the 20th Century. He had been from an area of the southeastern United States, known as Waycross, Georgia, and he had a saying for just about any situation. It was a shame that he had died so early into the War. He would have enjoyed rebuilding the world.
"Oh dear, we may get to try that sooner than we want to." Miraj held up the tricorder. The life signs that had passed at the edge of the mushroom forest a few minutes ago were now, slowly, cautiously, but undeniably, heading towards them, along the route the Acheron had taken on its blast to the skies.
Verifying this with his suit's passive sensors, David started moving, gently guiding Miraj away from the edge of their camp. "Ma'am, if you have skill with a phaser, would you please come with me? I need a spotter to watch my back while I'm focused on the enemy with my sniper rifle."
"No. I do not have skill with Phasers," Miraj said brightly. "But I can watch for trouble."
Despite the current situation, David found Miraj’s energy calming. Looking over to the rest of the group, he said aloud, "Everyone, while i know, rank-wise, I'm pretty low here, as an El Aurian who is nearly five hundred years old and has tons of combat experience from past wars, i suggest that we break camp and find a more secure location. While the enemy can't get behind us here, they can box us in. Sir," he looked to S’hib, "It is my experienced and humble suggestion that we get into those tunnels over there. There just isn't enough cover to use out here. In there, we limit their numbers to a more manageable level."
"We're already boxed in, but I agree..." S'hib said with a deep exhale, his nostrils flaring as he looked around as if annoyed at the rocks around him. "Everyone into the tunnels, keep moving."
"I have skill with phasers," Tonya replied.
"No. Lieutenant." Fernando spoke up. "It is best if I go with the Corporal. Between the two of us we can give the rest of you time to get to the tunnels. While we slow the advance of the oncoming soldiers."
"Unless S'hib orders me to leave your side I will," Tonya says, "Remember. You are my buddy and buddies need to stick together."
"Just don't get yourselves killed..." S'hib frowned, reluctantly turning and heading for the tunnels, wanting desperately to drag everyone instead.
Fernando nodded, "Then we will both accompany the Corporal, give him two sets of eyes to help him."
Baeryn watched and listened intently. Her empath abilities were nothing but a hinderance for her at the moment. To her surprise the crew's emotional states were....level...but she was having an issue identifying the aliens. She couldn't feel them, which her lack of skill mastering her abilities was an easy excuse. Bringing her attention to the conversation before her she finally spoke up. "Though your dedication to the "Buddy system" is admiral Lieutenant King, I believe the decision should be left to the Corporal. I may not have the combat experience but the chances that Tonelly and De La Rosa will be able to go undetected is higher if its just the two of them. I could use your help and skills here while they scout the aliens."
David was appreciative of the support. "Thank you, Ma'am," he said to Baeryn. Turning to Tonya, he added, "With respect, Ma'am, it would be easier if it was just myself and one other. Thats why sniper teams only ever work in pairs." Turning to Fernando. "Ready to go, Sir?"
"Ready Corporal, lets get to it." Fernando replied clasping David on the shoulder. Then looking over at Tonya and Baeryn, "You both stay and keep safe. Look after the others."
Whavi nodded, "We will." She paused for a moment before adding. "Don't do anything rash, I refuse to lose anyone else." Her words weren't harsh, but stern.
David couldnt help but chuckle. "Rash, Ma'am? At my age?"
Whavi's inky black eyes narrowed in on David, one corner of lips perking up into a smirk. "Keep callin me 'Ma'am' and you'll see how rash I can be!" She joked as the two males headed in the opposite directions.
David gave Bearyn a playful wink and boyish grin, before turning away and heading out to a good spot that he and Fernando could cause the enemy some troubles. "She sure seems to have a fire inside her, ay Sir?"
"I would have to agree with you Corporal. That is a very astute observation." Fernando replied.
"I don't want to worry anyone..." Miraj held up her tricorder. "They're getting closer. They've definitely got our trail now."
Fernando looked to Tonya, Baeryn and Miraj, "Get to the tunnels... now." He turned to David. "We need to hurry so we can at least slow them down."
T'Kek broke out his tricorder as he scanned the entrance to the tunnel. It beeped an alert, registering a lifeform and almost immediately, the signal disappeared. "Curious," he said as he stepped foot into the tunnel, drawing his Type 2 phaser with his other hand. "My tricorder for a brief moment registered a lifeform inside these tunnels," he reported to the others following in behind. "But it is gone now. Could have been a false reading. I suggest we move with caution."
Tonya stayed by Fernando's side. This is how she was taught in crisis situation.
Fernando knew arguing with Tonya would be pointless and only slow David and himself down in slowing down the encroaching enemy soldiers.
As David was just a Corporal, he couldn't very well tell Lieutenant King that she probably should've stayed with the group. She was an officer, after all. All officers loved to muck up the perfectly laid out plans of enlisted operators. Perhaps if he had bars on his collar, she would've listened. Oh well, he thought to himself. Just another example of youth being wasted on the young.
In a few minutes, they reached the location that David had picked out. "Okay, im going to set up, up there," he pointed to a ledge about five meters up the cave wall. "If you two would please take positions here, and over there," he pointed out two good positions to fight from.
He then looked both of his companions in the eye. "Now, forgive my bluntness, but, though i currently hold a rank far below both of you, i strongly request that you listen to my combat experience. You might not know this, but, i fought, and survived the Eugenics Wars and Earth's World War Three. When we engage the enemy, i need to know that you will follow my requests as if they were orders from a superior officer. Sir, Ma'am? Do we have an understanding?"
"That is fine with me Corporal." Fernando replied without hesitation. "One proviso if you will. I know it is a Marine saying but I would like to see it followed here. We leave no one behind."
---
The air inside the tunnel entrance smelt old and earthy, not so much stale as it was wet, it did not fill S'hib with much confidence in T'kek's false reading. "Stay behind me, and make sure you keep up... it's going to get dark very quickly." S'hib huffed as he thumped down the throat of the cave tunnel, his filth covered hooves leaving deep impressions in the sponge-like floor as he moved, lance glowing dimly at his side.
