Hostile Reception (Part 5)

Posted on Tue Mar 30th, 2021 @ 10:19am by Lieutenant Mira Jayna & Lieutenant Dwight McCabe & Lieutenant Bela Swain & Ensign Satt

1,171 words; about a 6 minute read

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

[PREVIOUSLY]

"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."

[CONTINUED]

Bela walked up to the man and said, "You all did the right thing." Casually, she touched his right shoulder with her left hand, assuring him of the same. "How many of you are here?" she asked concerned. "Does anyone need medical attention?"

"We heard you coming. Knew you weren't one of us," the man said. "Here? There are just the four of us. We're to keep an eye on the storm. It did a number on the crops."

"Four? Do you have any communications with anyone else from the planet? Certainly, there must be more people," Bela responded hopefully.

"A number went into the basement," the man said. "I don't know about others. Communication has been down for weeks."

"And you've made no attempt to go down to check on them?" Bela asked, hoping that the answer would not be what she expected.

"We were told to stay here until the storm ended or someone from below came to get us," the man said.

Satt got to his feet, momentarily concerned for the Counsellor before seeing she was well-received. He reached a hand down to McCabe offering to help him up. 'Bad luck with your tricorder there - got a spare? You'll be needed up ahead no doubt.' He indicated in the civilians direction.

The doctor took his hand and pulled himself up to a standing position. Dwight shook his head in disbelief. "Not what I expected," he glanced into his bag and pulled out a spare instrument, handing one to the Ensign. "I'm ready for those people, if they don't kill us first".

Nodding in the Counsellor's direction, Satt replied to McCabe, 'if Swain's any judge, you should be OK with them.' He clapped the Doctor on the shoulder and started checking his rifle over for wear and tear.

Jayna stayed in the back, listening. If there were four here, and more below, were there people in basements all over the planet?

Bela came up to the main group, put her hand on the doctor's shoulder, and said, "We have to go into the basements. There are others down there. These folks don't know how many are surviving because communications have been out for three weeks. This could be really bad."

'Is it safe?' asked Satt matter-of-factly, looking up from his trusty rifle, 'or will they react the same as these people here?' He looked to the floor for a moment then said, quite quietly, 'if it's bad you may need people to be carried to the surface ...'

"I wold think that if we called out to them, we would not get that reaction. Perhaps even enlist the aid of these four. Their voices would be familiar. Besides, I might have a more soothing approach. I could lead, if you want," Bela offered.

Jayna wasn't so sure she wanted the counselor to lead. Especially if any of them took exception to being hugged. It was ultimately up to the Commander.

"Well, lead the way," the doctor jokingly said, looking at the counselor, knowing that she shouldn't put herself first. "I believe that doing is up to Munich." He picked up his medical bag and swung it over his shoulder and waited for them to move forward to lead him to the people in need.

Dwight is not sure when to trust his instrument due to the echoing underground, but decided go about the old fashioned way of observing. Maybe the people on the planet doesn't have much technology, do they? He depends on most technology, but he is capable of treating patients without the instruments. Even if it is harsh and slow for healing, it gets the job done.

Bela, thrilled at the prospect of leading the group, asked the civilians, "Can you lead me to the basement so we can find the other people?"

Gritting his teeth as he stood behind her, Satt tapped Bela lightly on the shoulder. 'Lieutenant ... take it easy around them. Be cautious.' It wasn't usual for Satt to care overly much, but he decided once in a while a superior could use a word to the wise because they didn't seem all bad.

Bela was touched. Satt was concerned for her safety. Though, she could not understand why. These people were just scared and needed assistance. Why would they have any incentive to harm them? "Thank you, Ensign Satt. I appreciate your concern," she told him. She knew those words would comfort him for whatever reason he had concerns.

"Now," she said touching one of the civilians on his arm. "Can you lead the way?"

He flinched. "What? Oh, yes. Yes." He turned to the others and said something. "We'll get our gear and be right back."

The other three went back into the passage. Several minutes later, they returned with backpacks. They handed one to the man. He put it on and nodded. "Okay. We go back the way you came."

"And that will get us to the basements?" Bela asked somewhat surprised.

"This doesn't lead to the basement," the man said. "It leads to the storage area."

The other three filed past the away team and climbed out of the tunnel.

Shaking her head at the oddity, Jayna followed.

"What's in the storage area?" Bela asked curiously.

"Storage," the man answered.

"Supplies," another man said.

"For later," a woman added.

The doctor shook his head at the way the group was handled. The civilians do not seem to need medical care, but it was hard to observe them in a near dark tunnel. He followed the group again in an opposite direction.

The Marines took up the rear to be sure nothing else was waiting for them in the storage area.

As the colonists explained what was in the basement, Satt took a long look down the corridor. He was unsure whether they were telling the truth. Looking back to the Away Team he decided it wasn't his job to investigate it, and ran up to join the middle of the group as they made their way out of the tunnel. The Bolian was looking forward to getting his field pack back.

Bela moved up to the woman and touched her lightly on her right arm. "So, why are we going there first rather than the basements? Is there something that we should know about?"

"We are going to the basement," she replied, looking confused. "We have to go out of the storage area to get to the elevator."

"Oh!" Bela exclaimed, easing her suspicion. "I did not realize that the opening was in a completely separate place."

(To be continued...)

Lieutenant JG Mira Jayna
Assistant Chief Intelligence Officer

Lieutenant Bela Swain
Chief Counselor

Ensign Satt
Security Officer

Lieutenant Dwight McCabe
Chief Medical Officer

Colonists
NPCd by Mira Jayna

 

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