Hostile Reception (Part 8)
Posted on Fri May 14th, 2021 @ 2:55pm by Lieutenant Mira Jayna & Lieutenant Dwight McCabe & Lieutenant Bela Swain & Ensign Satt
1,108 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission: Eye of the Storm
[PREVIOUSLY]
When they got back to the basement where there was light, Jayna realized that Munich and Shan were no longer with them. She didn't recall hearing either of them speak, either. Not recently, anyway.
[CONTINUED]
Noticing the diminished numbers of the Away Team, Satt's bands flushed a darker blue as he frowned. He looked to Jayna for instruction as it became apparent she was the senior-most officer left.
"Let's see to the colonists," Jayna said, noting Satt's gaze on her. At least that would give the Commander time to return.
Bela had not noticed any disappearance of away team members. However, she did notice the pause by the doctor and wondered why he did so. It was unnatural. For now, she said nothing, merely looking at the doctor and trying to read him.
"Do any of you need medical attention?" Jayna asked "We have a doctor and a counselor here."
"Some are malnourished. Diet hasn't been great for the past month," a woman said. "Some of the adults especially as we gave the children what they needed first."
"As soon as we get to a decent place, I plan to treat these people. I have noticed the problems," the doctor said.
'Can we do something for them in the meantime?' asked Satt as he adjusted his footing to relieve an ache between his shoulders.
"Please don't tell me you are feisty. Maybe it is the underground affecting all of us strangely and I don't like it one bit," Dwight said. He has never been the one to be stubborn, but being Irish, it comes within his DNA. Just a small portion of the trait he carries, he believes.
Jayna chuckled as she overheard the conversation, but she worked at clearing an area for the doctors to see to anyone in need.
'Feisty is one of the politer words to describe me,' Satt rasped with a grin. He slung his compression rifle across his shoulders. 'You need a hand with anything- clearing space, first aid medicine?'
"Great," the doctor said. Seeing that Mira has cleared a particular area for him to use, he waved at the Bolian to follow him as he head to an empty area of the basement. He pushed through a crowd of people. "Yes, I need your help. Do you know how to take vitals?" Dwight placed his bag down and nodded his thanks to the intelligence officer.
Jayna nodded and moved on to see if she could help with something else.
'Of course, Doctor. I attend the refresher courses regularly,' he smiled, more relaxed now he had something to do other than wait. 'If you'd care to lend me a medical tricorder I can get going - any anomalies and I'll flag them up for you.'
"That's what I was about to do," the doctor pulled out the instrument and handed it to him. "Glad to know that," he had to raise his voice over the noise level from the colonist. He pulled out another instrument for himself and left the bag slightly opened.
Bela started chatting warmly with any colonist that she could get her hands upon. She started assuring everyone that they were safe and that Calypso was here to help. There were light reassuring touches here and there as she directed people for their medical exams.
Jayna decided it might be best to get a list of everyone and when they arrived. She went from group to group, gathering names and information.
Moving around the colonists, Satt brusquly and efficiently scanned each of them with the medical tricorder, looking for signs of infectious maladies or any urgent cases. The Bolian was quietly grateful to only find some malnutrition and mild eye problems from the lighting.
The doctor started scanning the people. As he got closer to Lieutenant Jayna, he spoke to her. "Is there a chance to beam down some rations for these people? Is the atmosphere too unstable?"
"We had to shuttle down, so I suspect that it is too dangerous," Bela answered from nearby.
"As the counselor said. I can see about the replicators in the building, but we may have to call for another shuttle with food supplies." At least Jayna thought there should be replicators in the building.
"Just find the replicators if you can. Where did the Commander go? A lot of colonist down here are mostly malnourished...need the rations", Dwight said, feeling like there isn't a leader in this mission at the moment.
'If one of the colonists can point us to a replicator and a power supply, we can see if we can't jury-rig a connection to one that can work around the storm's interference,' Satt said as he scanned down the last of the colonists in the room.
Jayna went over to the two that had answered their questions. "Is there a working replicator here?"
"There was. Broke a month ago," the man said.
"Where is it? We might be able to repair it," she said.
"Main level. Up the stairs, left to the open area. Door across and on the right."
Jayna nodded. "Thank you. I can find that."
She went over to Satt. "I know where the replicator is. I will see if it can be repaired."
Jayna returned ten minutes later. "We'll need parts and someone from Ops. Perhaps we should go back to the Calypso and send down food and personnel."
'Yes, Lieutenant,' replied Satt, before clearing his throat, 'all of us, or will be leaving any personnel down here to tend the colonists?' The Bolian looked around at the Doctor and Counsellor as they went about their business with the men, women and children that were gathered here.
"That's for Commander Munich--if we can find him." Jayna said. "He and SHan have wandered off somewhere." She looked around, half expecting them to show up. "There are too many here to take with us. If anything, I'd say leave the doctor, counselor, and security and send the rest back for help. But again, we need the Commander."
'We can wait for them, then,' Satt said as he considered the conundrum. 'They've survived this long without a replicator and medicine, another few hours won't hurt them from what we've gathered,' he rasped practically.
Bela looked sadly at Satt, "You may look at it that way but now, these people, for the first time have hope. You cannot blame them for being anxious."
(To be continued...)
Lieutenant JG Mira Jayna
Assistant Chief Intelligence Officer
Ensign Satt
Security Officer
Lieutenant Bela Swain
Chief Counselor
Lieutenant Dwight McCabe
Chief Medical Officer
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