Woolheater Personal Log: Stardate 74339.6

Posted on Thu Jun 23rd, 2022 @ 5:38pm by Captain Samuel Woolheater
Edited on on Thu Jun 23rd, 2022 @ 5:50pm

Mission: Season 5: Episode 4: Reef
Location: USS Elysium
Timeline: MD01 - 1045
Tags: Ki'V 4
1114 words - 2.2 OF Standard Post Measure

[ON:]

=== USS ELYSIUM – NCC 89000 – DECK THIRTY-TWO – ON THE READY LINE – 1045 HOURS ===

Speeding along inside the quantum slipstream is an amazing sensation. Some might even say maddening if you stare out into that ‘rabbit-hole’ leading everywhere and nowhere at the same time. A ship is in the QSD, her sleek lines and signature curves; elegance and strength the evoke. Her marker beacons flash her position and her nacelles a beautiful shade of blue. The ship catches up to us. It is the USS Elysium in the quantum slipstream. The tunnel like structure all around the ship as she sped along through space. Repaired and renewed, the crew just finishing an away team staff meeting. She speeds by our vantage point, the ship’s distinct curved secondary hull. And on that ship on deck thirty-two, First Lieutenant Samuel Woolheater recorded his voice over the away teams gearing up, checking EVA suits out and getting mission parameters and assembling for rapid deployment.

“Personal log, Stardate 74339.6, I have just come from my first staff meeting for an away mission. The USS Jefferson, a Steamrunner class starship was pulled out of orbit around Ki’V 4 by forces unknown. The ship is submerged under approximately four-hundred and fifty-meters (1476 feet) of water. One-hundred and eighty-five crew that need our help. And what can be so powerful that it can pluck a starship out of orbit? I am getting fitted for an EVA suit and will be part of the four away teams being deployed to the crash site of the Jefferson. My last posting was also to a ship of the same Steamrunner class. The Hale. Knowledge of the layout of the ship does bring me some security. Knowing the layout of the vessel can only help in the recovery and successful extraction of the crew.”

Woolheater tests the helmet of his EVA and another marine checks the seals and gives the ‘thumb’s up’ to which Sam returns the gesture. Sam presses a button, and the helmet retracts away. Assembling with the rest of the away team, they board one of the shuttles that will take them closer to the location of the downed ship. Continuing with his voice over,

”Our team will enter through the aft starboard hatch. That will put us right on top of deck two and aft of the main bridge. We will be passing from the surface to the photic zone. Science team has provided a handy PaDD datasheet. Down to 200 meters there will be some light, depending on the water of course. But it is likely that below 200 meters, in the aphotic zone, there will be very little light. We will have to rely on sensors and the still functioning transponder and locater beacons of the stricken ship. That’s fine with me. On Pacifica, there is the great Rhammundhati Depth, the deepest ocean rift on all of Pacifica, something about 17,000 meters (10 miles) down. They say that you can see the mantle of the planet just below the liquid like bottom of the deepest, darkest Haladal plain. I wonder if this planet, Ki’V 4, has oceans as deep as those on other planets? But I’m not scared of the dark; I would love the chance to go down to the vents inside! Soon, we’ll be boarding the shuttle and off to see how we can help the crew of the Jefferson”

Archeron II – Danube Runabout

Aboard the runabout, Sam was seated, as the runabout shuttle made its way underwater. He watched with quiet fascination as the Archeron II made its way to the Jefferson. As the shuttle went deeper and deeper, Sam was singing to himself. He didn’t want to annoy anyone and so he sang mostly to himself and in his head. However, very faint was his humming. Around them were sea creatures. Species of fish that swam in great schools. As the water grew denser and darker, they fish were fewer. It was only at the edges of the sensors that much larger creatures swam – keeping their wary distance of this strange underwater craft. The sensors were collecting a lot of data. Woolheater stayed out of the way as much as he could.

“What’s that you’re humming?” someone asked him. Sam looked over at them, “Sorry. I hope it didn’t bother you?” He answered, “Mozart. Horn Concerto in D, K.412, the first Allegro. It’s just a…thing I do; to focus.” He thought it best to not reveal too much and so he closed his mouth and stopped any more humming or singing. To himself. He now only let the music play in his head as he watched the pilot navigate, and the sensors collect data. Up ahead, barely in any light at all was the Jefferson. And in no time they were at their location.

He felt the transporter beam envelope him and then he had the sensation of being rematerialized just above the hull of the Jefferson. The access hatchway was not far. Sam looked around at their surroundings. There was nothing much to see. The runabout hovered not far off. The ship appeared to be resting on an underwater shelf. Inside of Sam’s EVA, the HUD (head’s up display) started scrolling data from the built-in sensors. Information and data about the environment outside. He looked to make sure everyone was good. Sam made a note to look at the sensor map and made sure that it was gathering map data for the area. The ship itself didn’t look like it had suffered any damage. But it was hard to tell with the visibility so low. Woolheater’s suit beeped at him as a rather large creature slowly swam just beyond their visual field. It can best be described as a large manta ray. Only it was very large. It appeared to only be interested in seeing what all the fuss was about as it lazily and slowly swam by just out of range.

He looked up towards the surface. Far, far above was the light and air and warmth. The task at hand brought his attention back and he brought up the rear of the away team. The manual access port was stubborn sometimes and it took two of them to release the outer clamps to get to the hatchway. Below their feet was an access ladder…and darkness.



[OFF:]


1st Lieutenant Samuel Woolheater
“Saepius Exertus, Semper Fidelis, Frater Infinitas”
Division VI, MARDET 62nd Company "Spartans", 1st Platoon CO
=/\= USS ELYSIUM - NCC-89000 =/\=