Hostile Reception (Part 3)

Posted on Wed Mar 3rd, 2021 @ 1:14pm by Lieutenant Mira Jayna & Commander Hans Munich & Lieutenant Lei Shan & Lieutenant Dwight McCabe & Lieutenant Bela Swain & Ensign Satt

1,152 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Eye of the Storm
Location: Planetside
Timeline: MD 01

[PREVIOUSLY]

"Two clicks to that building," Jayna said. "Might be our best bet to find where everyone went."

[CONTINUED]

Without another word, the doctor followed the group in the direction that was pointed out by the intelligence officer. As he was walking, he glanced at the strange sky, seeing an unusual light purple to blue-ish color in the atmosphere that is not similar to Earth's stratosphere and mesosphere.

The closer they got to the building, the more dead the landscape looked. The buildings looked sandblasted from the storms. Jayna wondered if all of the planet was this bad, or if there were parts that were safe for the animals and vegetation. This reminded her a lot of old vids of holocausts and early wars.

When they got to the building, the intel officer stepped forward. "I'll take a look." She turned to the Marines. "Either of you want to come with me?"

Kayhill nodded. "I will."

Together the two walked around the building, checking doors and other openings. On the far side they found a door that was partially sheltered by a wall. "I'll see if I can pick the lock," Jayna said.

"Not alone," John said, pulling out his weapon. "I'll take guard."

She nodded and pulled out a set of electronic lock picks. It took her a couple of minutes, but she finally got the door opened.

A hallway ran parallel to the entrance, with doors that were visible down both sides. One by one they checked the rooms, but found that all were empty. Jayna tapped her combadge. "Mira to Commander Shiloh. We're inside. So far it looks like it's been cleaned out."

Bela looked around, concerned. Still no people. There had to be someone here, didn't there?

Still holding his rifle loosely in his hands, Satt was keeping an eye out at the entrance to the building as the Marines entered. Seeing Swain look a little bereft, the Bolian sighed mentally and came up alongside her, asking in his gravelly voice, 'everything OK, Counsellor?'

Bela put her arm around Satt's waist and leaned her head against his arm. "I'm really concerned about the people here. They might have all been wiped out."

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Satt merely shifted the grip on his rifle, and placed a hand on her shoulder awkwardly, giving her a friendly half-hug. 'You shouldn't fixate on the worse-case scenario. Someone has to stay positive around here. I'm telling you, they're safe in a shelter somewhere.' Someone indeed had to stay positive, even if that's me. Satt was not given to looking on the bright side. He stayed silent for a moment, then asked, 'is there such a thing as too many hugs in too short a time, Counsellor?'

Bela brightened the moment that Satt brought her back to seeing the sunny side of things. "You're right! I should be much happier because there are no bodies here. They must have escaped. We just have not found them." She squeezed Satt tightly, tempted to give him a kiss, but refraining when Satt asked if there was such a thing as too many hugs in a short period of time.

She tilted her head to the side and looked at Satt like he had three heads. "How could there ever possibly be too many hugs?" She thought harder and said, "I suppose if the situation was abusive, that could be a possibility." She mused the problem further, "or if someone had a phobia...." She let it drawl on for a moment. "Surely, you have nothing like that!"

Satt looked at her for a second, then shook his head slowly, 'no, Counsellor, I just think less is more sometimes.' He gave her an awkward pat on the back, 'it's just a different way of looking at things, that's all.' The Bolian smiled crookedly, 'who'd have thought a hoary old vet would be uncomfortable with displays of emotion?' He continued to watch their surroundings.

"Of course everyone has a different perspective." Bela put her arm around Satt's waist again. "That's what makes this universe such a fascinating place!"

'It sure makes Starfleet an interesting service to serve in,' the Bolian conceded. 'We all have an idea in our heads about the other species in the Federation, but I doubt much of us outside the Fleet and Marines actually get an opportunity to meet a real life example of most of them.' Satt glanced at a chronometer on his kit, before resuming his watchful gaze. 'They've been in there a while, it's a good sign,' he said reassuringly.

"I certainly hope so. Those people must be terrified and will need assistance," Bela replied with a warm smile.

Satt nodded as his commbadge chirped. 'They've found something inside,' he told Bela quietly, 'let's go join up - they may need you.'

Bela grew excited and grabbed hard onto Satt's arm, squeezing it. "Indeed," she whispered back. "I have to be there for them!"

The first and second floors were empty, but the third floor showed some signs of previous habitation. Some items were left behind, small things like a notebook or a paper. In one office they found four books still on a shelf. All were about planetary weather patterns.

In one office they found a map of the facility. Jayna looked it over carefully. "It looks like there's a basement that connects to the buildings around it. Might be a good place to look for survivors."

Dwight glanced around the inside, following the group. Seeing something under the table, he tilted his head to observe the triangular object. He bent down to pick it up as he stood up. "Looks like the villagers must know about the rain. This is a respirator containing a filter," showing the object before placing it in his bag.

"That's a positive sign they're still alive," Jayna said. She carefully scanned the map to use for navigation, then went around the room again, looking for anything she may have missed.

When she was done, Munich led them down to the next level.

"Wait," the doctor pointed to a wooden square built into the floor in the corner, matching the floor design. The round handle bolted into the middle of the square was a cue for a door handle in the floor. "I believe this is what we are looking for." He pulled out the medical tricorder to do a scan, come to find out that something in the floor is blocking the scan. "I can't get a reading," he shook his head as he put away the instrument. "I hope the people are down there...safe."

(To be continued...)

Lieutenant JG Mira Jayna
Assistant Chief Intelligence Officer

Lieutenant Bela Swain
Chief Counselor

Lieutenant Dwight McCabe, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer

Ensign Satt
Security/Tactical Officer

 

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