Transport duties

Posted on Tue Feb 21st, 2023 @ 9:50am by Captain Addison 'Rico' Leyton

Mission: Season 6 : Episode 1: Circinus
Location: Shuttle Charon
Timeline: MD09 1630 Hours
567 words - 1.1 OF Standard Post Measure

The Type 11 Shuttle sliced through the frigid atmosphere of the Class P Planet the crew were now forced to use to survive on. At the controls, Captain Leyton dropped the nose as the shuttle exited re-entry phase, pulling into a hard turn towards the base. Winds outside were currently at 81 kph. It was expected to increase as small storm was closing in. In the back were sixteen crew being transported from the Elysium.

"Whoah," Lt. Talas, her Weapons Officer spoke from the seat next to her "Remember, this isn't a Gryphon." She had felt the sudden shift in gravity and pull of G forces from the turn as the SIF fields compensated.

"How can I forget?" she replied.

"I know. I just don't want to clean up any more vomit from the evacuees. I think the last guy had vomited from both ends," Talas commented.

"Ewww!" Addison chuckled. She was tired as this was her tenth trip from the ship, and she hoped to get a brief rest before having to take off again. She both hated and was thankful for the trips. Thankful as it kept her busy and the shuttle was warm compared to the surface. Hated it because each trip, she was reminded of just how bad off the Elysium was. Though she did enjoy the challenge of having to make unguided landings in the shuttlebay without any assistance from the ship's computer.

The survivor's camp soon came into sight as she pulled up on the nose and throttled down the engines, bringing the shuttle into a smooth landing at the makeshift shuttle pad. Activating the internal comm, she spoke to the evacuees in the back. "We've landed and I hope you all stay warm. Report to your immediate supervisor to get your tent assignments. Captain Leyton, out." She pressed the button to lower the rear hatch and activating the forcefield to keep the cold air out. A minute later, Addison watched as the last evacuees exited the shuttle. Outside, she could spot several Marines in their Marine EVA Suits patrolling the base. The EVA suits offered protection from the cold of the planet.

Talas approached her from the cockpit. "We're laid over for about 15 minutes. I hope we can get back home."

"Yeah," Addison sighed as she grabbed her acoustic guitar that she had managed to grab from her quarters in a layover from her last trip and sat down in one of the rear seats in the rear compartment. She began to adjust some of the strings on the guitar. "You know, being lost like this reminds me of my great aunt, Lieutenant Samantha Leyton."

"Oh? How so?" Talas asked, taking a seat across the compartment from Addison.

"She was a helmsman aboard the NX Class Atlantis in 2157 before a spacial anomaly stranded them a lifetime from Federation space. Turns out she ended up becoming Chief Helmsman and XO of the Atlantis before being killed by an alien that took the form of one of the Starfleet Crew. Reports that I've read is that she was one hell of a pilot, often pushing the Atlantis to its structural limits in order to survive hostile encounters."

"She sounds like she was a hell of a woman," Tala commented.

Addison nodded. "Yeah, she seemed awesome." She began to pluck some notes on her guitar as she looked out at the camp, humming a tune.