Out of the Fire
Posted on Tue Aug 1st, 2023 @ 9:31pm by Lieutenant Commander Frasier Greene & Commander Lorut Vila & Lieutenant S'Tera & Lieutenant JG Aurora House of Kor & Lieutenant JG Kaydren Aukai
Edited on on Sat Aug 5th, 2023 @ 4:54am
2,807 words; about a 14 minute read
Mission:
Good Will Tour: Mountain Home [Part Two]
Location: Triton Seabase: SS Triteia
Timeline: MD 27: 1000 hours
Lieutenant Commander Barton Hawkins had been on a rush shuttle of officers being sent to the edge of Federation space. Literally, the UFOP and the Star Empire had abutted their chosen borders at this planet. So far, he was unimpressed.
Standing on the deck of the larger submarine, docked beside the Triton Seabase, Bart was more impressed and relieved by the tank-like variant of the Argo vehicle that was parked on the deck. “Let’s go people! We need to move, we’re on the clock!”
"My arn't we pushy?" S'tera said. "C'mon Aurora, let's get moving before he has an aneurism!"
"Coming, S'tera," Aurora bit back the urge to roll her eyes and give a snappy comeback at the rather grumpy mick grumperpants that was being bossier than needed.
The tall frame of Doctor Greene bit back a sigh at the stern command as the crew shuffled forward. If he wanted to bossed around like a foot solider, Frasier would have chosen another career instead of opting to enlist as a mature student. Despite his misgivings and unspoken grumbles the CMO complied with the instructions and took a seat while his peers followed behind.
Bart could see the other group walking down the gangplanks. Science.
Vila hurried down the gangplank to the waiting vessel that would take her, Aukai, and the security people to do their initial investigations. The newly minted Chief Science Officer wasn't the type of woman who played around. Her plan was to land, shoot spiders, grab one to study, get some samples, and get the hell out.
She was uninterested in dying out there.
She gave Hawkins a LOOK. "I am not sure what you've heard, but around here, the Science department is mine now, and I'll come aboard when I see fit," she said, coolly. "I needed to see one of my staffers about an issue with the Cetaceans, and I am sorry that took longer than expected. We're all here now, so I suggest we go." She settled in, wordlessly.
Bart looked at the CSciO and grumbled. Giving the order, the large submarine set off much like a boat would, staying above water. Bart moved to the area where the Bajoran seemed to continue prepping.
“If it’s all the same to you, Commander, we hold the same rank, so don’t try any rank and position bullshit. You’ve got your people to direct and I have mine. I’m not here to tell you and yours what to do unless you’re about to die of get me and mine killed. I have your back, I expect you’ll have mine.
“Preferably without the chip on your shoulder, hmmm?”
Her brown eyes flashed. "I am ALSO the new XO, COMMANDER," she said, "So. The chip stays. I hope you understand," she said. She made a mental note of his name and rank, just in case, and then finished organizing her supplies. "I will have your back, but if I can't trust you, it won't work," she said. "Choice is yours, I guess. There's still time for you to ask for a reassignment." Her voice was nearly daring him to. She wasn't normally this way; she had a big personality, but this MAN had another thing coming if he thought that she could be spoken to rudely. She was just informing him of how she ran the labs going forward.
An audible sigh escaped Frasier lips this time. Clearly he wasn't the only one who thought Hawkins' was lacking people skills. He only hoped they could avoid escalating the situation and travel in relative peace before his medical skills would be called into action.
“Easy Commander…you’re in charge of the mission. I’m in charge of security. Just want you to know that we can’t run willy-nilly across this mountain range.
“We already have four dead crew on this mountain somewhere, let’s keep it at no more than four, okay?”
"I have zero intentions of dying out there. Shooting something? That's another story," she said. Or someONE. She'd see how the day went.
Aurora gulped, her earlier irritation instantly cooled at being reminded of what had happened.
“I’m with Lieutenant Commander Meathead,” Kaydren said, chucking his thumb at Hawkins. “I don’t wanna die on the side of the mountain in the maw of some new spider dog thing, huh, Commander Lorut?” He flashed a sharp smile and rolled his black eyes at the security officer.
“Just for your knowledge, Lieutenant Commander Meathead, I don’t need extra bodies and phasers. I’m so far indestructible. I’ve got four arms of slice and dice claws, ventral spines, shark-like teeth and an inner rage that needs to be let go of every once in a while.”
Hawkins looked from Commander Lorut to the blue koala. “Why in God’s name did I draw the ship full of weirdo’s?” he muttered under his breath. “Sure! Beaches and sun and half the Federation’s known species in the smallest base known in the fleet since the 2160’s…”
S'tera giggled at the exchange. 'Meathead' huh? She would have to remember that.
Lorut looked at him. "I said the same thing myself," she remarked. "Alright, everyone. Get your shit together and sit down at your proper locations. Hawkins, we're a go." Anyone else was going to be left behind.
Aurora fought the urge to laugh at the nickname...she knew she'd get busted down to something like Cadet for a stunt like that!
“For Christ’s sake…wind it all up and batten her down. Let’s have all crew off the deck, the waters are a bit choppy this morning and I don’t need anyone going overboard of catching hypothermia.”
Noting all lights were green on the submarine’s side and the same showed from Triton Seabase, Bart asked the new 2 XO, “You want to take the boat out ma’am? I’d hate to step on any shoes.”
Vila shook her head, her eyes full of venom. "No, Commander. I would prefer YOU do your job, and I'll do mine," she said. Besides, she didn't want to get her uniform gross. "I hope you understand." She sat down, removing her PaDD to study the landscape. This was going to be a long day.
After the exchange, the atmosphere in the sub felt heavy with unsaid words. Still feeling like an extra wheel in the expedition, Doctor Green twisted to speak with S'Tera and Aurora sitting close by: "What can you tell me about these giant spiders we're tasked with? Just how big are we talking about?" he asked.
"They're bout as big as me, or was that the spiders on S’ti’achii? Anyway, um, I've actually not had a chance to check on the land critters here. I'm sorry," Aurora hunched her shoulders, embarrassed at her inability at doing her job properly.
"No worries Aurora. After all, the ocean is our job, not the land." S'tera. "You can't be expected to know everything!"
Vila tried to interject. "They're-" but was interrupted.
“These suckers ain’t that BIG, Doctor!” Kaydren answered as he tucked himself into a seat and tried to force the seatbelt to his size. “Cap’n says they’re ‘bout as big as a Terran dog.
I’ve only ever seen a few of those one time before. When some scavengers came to catch some of our pregnant females…dogs tasted good. The people didn’t stick around to let us know what they tasted like, but my old friend Agl’i’ana’ta bit a Terran.” Kaydren threw up his hands. “Said he was salty with a hint of iron in his blood. Who knows? You might taste good.”
Aurora blanched. "Why did they want your pregnant females?" Aurora was quite befuddled.
“Why do they always want pregnant females, Lieutenant? They make bigger stock for breeding animals who’ve never know life in the wild. The babies are mentally stunted but take to training easily,” Kaydren decided. “Blue koalas that are easily handleable.
“Hey! Shut the blue koala up before he finds out what the ocean tastes like…” Hawkins yelled from the forward bridge before somebody hit the door and closed it.
[Keep calling him that and I'll shut YOU up!] Aurora thought, tightening her grip on the armrest.
“That guy keeps actin’ like an ass, I may get a bite in before the day is over anyway…” Kaydren chuckled.
"I say you should! He is asking for it!" S'Tera said. "So Doc, from what I hear, yeah, they're pretty big. I don't like spiders myself, but then, I'm more of a marine wildlife kind of gal. Still, I know enough to be careful around them!"
Doctor Greene was still smirking at the S’ti’achii’s jest of eating Hawkins - considering the Commander's attitude they'd soon be a que forming behind when S'Tera addressed him. "Don't worry many have a dislike for spiders and potentially even the sternest of us might think twice at the size of the local inhabitants once we've been able to find them."
Vila rolled her eyes, but spoke up. "ALRIGHT. Everyone. Calm down. Report to your seats or proper stations. NOW," she said. She hated when she had to wear the "Commander" hat, but sometimes it was necessary. "The blue koala has a name, Hawkins. He's a crew mate, just like you," she reminded the man.
’How the hell did I get stuck with a group like this? he wondered to himself. “The koala is your crewman. I’ll learn his name when it’s my problem.”
"Man you are rude, Hawkins!" S'tera took a seat next to Aurora.
"Aye, Ma'am," Aurora answered, trying to keep an impassive face...she still REALLY wanted to knock some sense into the grump up front!
S'tera looked over at her friend. "Some people!" she said as she shook her head!
Aurora nodded curtly, not trusting herself to speak.
“Well, S’Tera,” Kaydren said with a short pause and a chuckle. “You’re the only one without pips here, so you technically could break his nose and barely get a talkin’ over it. The rest of us get jail time and lose our careers.”
[Yeah...we'd be toast!] Aurora thought, stifling a snicker.
"Don't giver her ideas," Greene said softly so that Commander Vila didn't hear.
"Yeah, don't tempt me. I just might do it!" S’Tera said softly, "Not that he's worth it!"
“Helm, bring us bearing 180 to port, make sure you have enough aft clearance to avoid the seabase. Once we’ve cleared the base, plot a course around the bay at out to the point of the cape. We’ll be offloading the ARGO Treks there.”
[ARGO Treks!? SWEET!!!] Aurora squealed in her mind.
Too long a twenty minutes later and the navigator called, “Land to starboard, five minutes to shore line breach.”
“Good, let’s get the ARGOs off the decks and onto the rocks before we pack up scientists and their expedition gear. Commander Lorut, I defer to your experience chasing spiders up the mountainsides… That wasn’t sarcasm, I’m hoping we have a plan on knowing how to get to them and safely store them?” Hawkins asked, trying to modulate his tone.
Vila nodded. "I do. My plan is to stun one, box it up in this," she said, extracting a paper box from her go kit, and holding it up, "and getting the hell out," she said. "And if I have to, I will keep it sedated with some hypospray; I found one that says it works on Earth spiders, so. I hope it works on Romulan ones, too. We'll see," she said. "Have your phaser ready, though, in case." She shrugged, but hopped out of the boat. "Miss S'tera, please get your soil and water samples. Lt Kor, you're with me," she said. "Dr. Greene....well. You have an assignment, I am sure!"
"You got it Commander!" S'tera said. She was ready to go! She had her equipment all organized. She looked over at Aurora, "You ready to go?"
She led Aurora the opposite way with her and Aukai. "Aukai, I need you on security," she said. "The exact minute someone unauthorized appears, do whatever you do," she said. "Phase them, bite them, I don't care." She said. The map said they didn't have TOO far to trek.
"Eyuper, S'tera!" Aurora grinned happily, her earlier mood blowing away like storm clouds on a warm Summer breeze.
S'tera felt the warm breeze on her fur. "Mm now this is nice. Well let's get going." she started collecting some soil samples from where she was. The area seemed a fertile area.
“Pardon, Commander Lorut, but your plan to put one of these spiders in a paper sack? I’ve got four stasis pods attached to my snowmobile, don’t you think that beaming them inside the stasis packs would make more sense than a paper sack?”
"No. A BOX in a paper sack. But perhaps that is a better idea. I just can't observe them in a stasis pod," she said, considering. "We'll do that," she said. She'd figure out how to monitor the thing as it was transported.
“Commander, the smaller ones were considered hand sized by the hologram. Good on you if you can find one of those first. More likely, you’re gonna run up on a pack of the twenty kilo sized ones, ready to do whatever it is they want to do with us. No matter the size, we don’t know if they go from hand sized to maximum size in seconds or hours,” Hawkins reminded them. “And put your helmets on, the temperature is gonna drop faster than Commodore Randall’s The Borg and Starfleet technologies - From Frankenstein to friends?!
“I hear if you can get it on paper, it’s worth a fortune. I have just as bad a feeling as hunting these little darlings.”
Vila nodded. "Thank you, Hawkins," she said. She turned to Aurora and S'Tera. "Helmets. Sit down. Hang on," she said.
“Doctor Greene, you’ll ride with my team. Science seems to think this is going to be a game. Whatever was here tore open the hull of a Starfleet fighter - with three layers of duranium, monotanium and another round of duranium. I would prefer to come back to the seabase alive, Doctor. Do you agree?”
"Glad one of us realizes this isn't a sunny day out for recreational purposes," Greene exhaled stepping closer toward the Lieutenant having felt bewildered at Lorut's vagueness as they departed the sub. "Let's go and solve this mystery. We owe the departed that much at least."
Vila climbed into the waiting ARGO and waited for Aurora and Aukai. So far, she wasn't exceptionally impressed with anyone's behavior-what kind of base was Culver running?! If he wanted to be running a top-notch, respected science outpost, things were going to need to change.
Aurora was so STOKED! She was always up for a new adventure...the only thing that frightened her was the thought of spiders being twenty kilos!
“I don’t think he like us much,” Kaydren observed as he tied down the tarpaulins down tightly. Once the line was passed through, Kaydren locked it down one more time.
“Way I look at it, I don’t gotta worry about him and he won’t have to worry about us much,” Kaydren finished.
Vila nodded. "No one likes me much," she said, "But I wouldn't have made this far in my career if I cared about being liked," she said, with a shrug. "Well. No one in the top brass likes me much," she corrected. "I don't tend to be one of the women who keeps my mouth shut and follows the rules," she said. "Everyone ready? Strap in and hang on," she said. Everyone knew that the defensive driving course at the Academy was taught by a drunk-which was actually sort of fitting for Vila-and thus, was always a bit crazy. She pressed the pedal, and they started off. "Aukai, please keep an eye out for danger. Lt Aurora, keep an open channel to the other team," she said, her eyes trained ahead.
Greene had given his harness a final firm tug at her words before they set off which was just as well. Lorut wasn't dawdling.
"Yes, Ma'am!" Aurora squeaked out the last word as Vila hit the gas.
[DANG...this lady's cray cray! But then again...gotta be at least a LITTLE cray cray for this job.] Aurora thought with a small smile.
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