Down to the Planet (Take 2) (part 4)

Posted on Mon Mar 12th, 2012 @ 11:21am by Lieutenant JG Patrick O'Dell & Private 1st Class Trent Kushner & Lieutenant JG Elizabeth Jackson & Ensign Leee-ee/Maddison Tyler & Ensign Mak Free [Lynx] & Lieutenant JG Marek Lovok [Lynx] & Ensign Robert Tyler & Lieutenant Sophia

1,065 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: The Race for the Lost Treasure
Location: Planetside

"I want someone with the experience not to flip out up here with the less experienced. Its only fair to them. A crash course only does so much." Then without another word he angled down and started swimming. "But I've never done a 500 meter dive, so I need the experience."

[Continued]

"Went to school at 675." Maddison noted.

It irked Patrick a bit to be stuck with the beginners, but he had to admit that the bends would not be a good way to die. He followed their lead, keeping an eye on his partner as he swam downward. He was glad he kept active in soccer, at the least, even if it was in the holodeck. He grinned as he imagined some of the people whose entire exercise regime consisted of going from bed to station to mess and that was all.

Lizzie found a cave in the rocks and signaled to the others. "The readings indicate the alien signature is here."

"Let's get on in there." Mak said as he swam ahead of everyone and towards the signature.

Lizzie followed him more slowly, checking the readings as she went. After several meters the tunnel opened into a cavern that ended in what looked like a roof. "The structure is about 2000 years old, if the readings are accurate," she said, taking a closer look. The roof had a spire-like column that disappeared into the rock above. "No openings, and from the architecture, it's most likely solid. Looks like we found our alien signature and reached a dead end."

Patrick had been splitting his attention between the live stream to his PADD and his partner, but his attention finally was captured by a large school of fish that for a second cut in between him and his partner. Before this, his total interest in sea life had started with "Is it edible?" and ended with whether it went better with lemon or with onions and butter or batter dipped with tartar sauce. But the grace, the beauty, the amazing variety of colors. Not just the fish, but the coral and other plant life. He was like someone who had gone to a ballet simply to make his girlfriend happy and found himself caught up in it. "Just... WOW!" said Patrick, forgetting the comm was open.

"Hey, Lieutenant O'Dell, weren't you going to come in here and have a look around?"

"Oh, I was... It's beautiful down here. I envy whomever is going to be doing the surveying here." He caught sight of his partner and moved towards them, and the cave.

After a thorough examination of the cavern, the team decided to head back to the surface.

== back on the surface ==

The "amateur" team had plenty of time before the other group returned so they decided to have a look around the island.

Patrick still had all the sensors linked, and was peeking in occasionally as he helped survey the island.

Lizzie was in her element, checking out all the plants and trees. Some were easily categorized. Others were stranger and went into her clippings bag along with a few roots for sprouting samples.

Marek was glad to be back on land and dry. He had his gear ready and waited for the team to head out.

Robert, on the other hand was not. He kept looking worriedly back at the water.

"She's a fish, mate," the shuttle pilot said. "She'll be fine." He was sitting in a collapsible recliner, enjoying the view.

Patrick aligned the sensor data and followed them to a small hill near the center of the island, "There's more of the structure we saw underwater, but it's mostly buried. There's some kind of opening about a meter down under the sand and dirt..."

Lizzie poked her head out of a tree, interested. "Oh, really? Something to indicate the top of whatever spire we saw down below?"

Sophia had unsealed her helmet, but was still using the comms and hud to keep track of the other teams.

Patrick nodded, "It looks like this is whatever was blocked off at the top when we were down below. The metal is blocking me from scanning through it, but there's an opening, I think we just need to nab some shovels from the shuttle."

Lizzie swung down from the tree. "I'll let you do the digging, if you don't mind. I'd like to get some of these plants categorized while I'm here." She grabbed more specimen bags from the shuttle and continued collecting clippings.

After retrieving some camp shovels from the shuttles survival gear, he passed them out and began clearing away the dirt and debris. Sand gave way to tougher roots and old rotting vegetation. Finally, what appeared to be a window was revealed. Scanning, Patrick said "Transparent Aluminum. The casing is rotted wood though, easier to clear the rest of the sand and pry it out."

"What is the significance of transparent Aluminum?" Marek asked Patrick.

Patrick looked at Marek. "It was developed in the early 21st century as a replacement for silicate or plastic windows. The tensile strength is a lot better than anything used earlier in earth's development of tech. It's a crystalized polymer of the metal and is still used today. The major advantage is that in forming it, you could still use the same machinery as could be used to form similar plastic products, then once it "hardens" the crystal-polymer is a lot more heat and damage resistant than the original."

Lizzie paid scant attention to the men as they dug a hole in the sand. However, once they started talking about transparent aluminum she walked over and looked down into the pit.

"Why would there be a window in the top of a spire?" she called down to Patrick and Marek.

"To see out of, dah!" Marek said sarcastically.

Patrick nodded, "If there wouldn't have been wood casements, It might have kept the water completely out. but if there are similar windows down lower, the salt water likely would have seeped through or broken through if weakened enough with enough of a pressure differential..."

[To be continued]

Lieutenant JG Patrick O'Dell, CSO

Private 1st Class Trent Kushner [Damon], Marine

Lieutenant JG Elizabeth Jackson, Botanist

Ensign Leee-ee/Maddison Tyler, Security Officer

Ensign Mak Free [Marek], Engineer

Lieutenant JG Marek Lovok, ACEng

Ensign Robert Tyler, Security Investigations

Lieutenant Sophia, Chief Counselor

 

RSS Feed