Hostile Reception (Part 4)

Posted on Thu Mar 4th, 2021 @ 7:16pm by Lieutenant Mira Jayna & Commander Hans Munich & Lieutenant Dwight McCabe & Lieutenant Bela Swain & Ensign Satt

1,121 words; about a 6 minute read

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

[PREVIOUSLY]

"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."

[CONTINUED]

Quirking an eyebrow as he approached the group, Satt took in what the doctor said, and looked at the door handle, 'there's only one way to find out,' he said, gravelly voice carrying in the close confines of the building. 'Anyone care to cover me?'

The counselor silently agreed with the doctor. She hoped that everyone was safe. Both her and the doctor likely had a lot of work cut out for them. Bela did not pull out a phaser, opting to keep her eyes open. After all, a phaser was not conducive for conversation.

"I will," John said, moving up behind Satt.

Nodding at the Marine, Satt unslung his pack and let it fall gently to the floor beside him. Crouching, he grasped the ring set into the trapdoor and heaved, the fine scars on his hands going white as he strained against the doors weight. As it hinged, The Bolian ensured it didn't slam against the floor.

He peered in to the hole below. Pitch black. Flipping the torch on his compression rifle to 'on' he shined the light down. 'Dressed tunnel - looks like they had time to prepare some sort of bolthole. It's a short drop.' He threw a crooked smile at the gathered crew. 'Wish me luck.'

Pivoting on his hand, the launched himself into the hole, landing in a crouch. He swept his rifle round, driving away the shadows. 'Walls are damp,' he noted over the comm as he ran his hand down one, 'must have been prepared in a hurry. Corridor carries on straight about twelve meters or so, then takes a turn. I'm going to head in deeper.' He signed off, and began advancing down the corridor.

John dropped down after him. He needed backup and the Marine wasn't letting anyone go alone.

Curious to see the bottom, even if she didn't go any farther, Jayna went over to the hole. "Counselor, I'll let you know if they find anyone to hug," she said cheekily and dropped into the hole before turning her PADD into a light to look around the base of the hole and take some readings with her tricorder.

"I appreciate that," Bela replied honestly, despite the fact that she could hear the slight by Jayna. That would have to be something they discussed in her office at some point. Someone so uncomfortable with being hugged, clearly needed some therapy.

The doctor carefully went into the hole, following those who went in first. He pulled out his tricorder to try again with the readings while he produced light with a tool. He studied the walls. "Looks like the walls are made of titanium, I think. No wonder that I couldn't get a scan from above." He noted the damp smell as they walked through a corridor. His instrument beeped a few times, which appeared to be louder, being in an enclosed environment. "I'm picking up six people ahead after the turn...no, it is now ten people," his voice was starting to carry as echo with an Irish accent in the air.

Bela was immediately cheered by the announcement. "Can we get them out?" she asked calling down.

"We haven't gotten there yet, counselor," with his voice raised, the doctor continued following the group. "See anything ahead?" Dwight's question for security.

Approaching the turn in the tunnel cautiously, Satt was reminded of ancient fortresses from numerous civilization in the past. Turns in a tunnel were meant defensively, to create bottlenecks, allowing defenders to kill any invaders more efficiently.

Swallowing, he peered around the corner. Another wall, and another turn this time to the left. Satt motioned for the doctor to come closer, 'the tunnel switches back on itself - it's best to be cautious. I'll go first.'

The Bolian stepped around the corner to the right, stepping as quietly as he could to take the next left corner quietly before advancing slowly down the corridor before taking another left and another right as the corridor straightened up again.

He tapped his commbadge to signal it was safe for them to advance through the bottleneck.

Dwight held his tricorder tightly with a grip, unaware of a slight nervousness. "I sure hope we don't get lost," he said outloud. "I've never seen such a long hallway." He began the walk.

Suddenly phaser shots came down the corridor, aimed at those in the front.

"Get down!" John shouted, droping to a knee to return fire. As these were supposed to be friendlies, he kept his carbine on stun.

Dropping to his own knee, Satt dragged McCabe down with him so he would be less of a target. Echoing the Marine beside him, Satt shot at a low stun setting, aiming at shadows just beyond the range of his rifles lamp. 'Anyone got a light?' He cried.

"What the...," the doctor felt the quick pull until he was crouched beside the Bolian. "Thanks, Ensign." The tricorder beeped several times. "I'm getting a reading of fifteen people, now."

The sudden screech of an ear piercing noise that was fingernails on a chalk board magnified by 100 fold, not enough to do damage just make the ears ring and the ultrasonic effects on the inner ear made everyone dizzy in the path of the focused soundwaves.

"Federation Rescue Personnel..." Munich said as he came from the rear of the group. "Did anyone make any announcement of intent?" He took the Medical Tricorder. "Your numbers of life signs is growing because you have a sensory echo creating ghost on your monitor." Munich walked ahead and saw the two people with weapons.

"Now why are you shooting at anyone coming down a corridor?" Munich asked the men.

"These storms cannot be natural." One man said. "We brought the women and children down here for safety."

"That is why we're here," Jayna said, coming up behind Munich. "To find out what happened."

(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

Commander Hans Munich
Executive Officer

 

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