Replicating Help (Part IV)

Posted on Tue Oct 26th, 2021 @ 9:43am by Lieutenant JG Ronnie Wolfe & 1st Lieutenant Kara Melo & Commander Hans Munich & Lieutenant Dwight McCabe & Lieutenant Bela Swain & Ensign Satt

1,176 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Eye of the Storm
Location: Planet

[PREVIOUSLY]

"Doctors, I'm taking Lancaster back to the ship," Kara announced. "Peter here will help you."

[CONTINUED]

Doctor McCabe heard the woman but did a quick nod of his head and went back to his work. Things are starting to look better where the people were getting nourished. With the focus on the elderly, there is some hope that a small percentage of them will be reversed from the being malnourished.

The private walked over to the others. "Parhtz at your service."

Having come within hugging distance, Bela could not resist and hugged Parhtz. "I am Lieutenant Bela Swain, Chief Counselor. How may we be of further service?"

Parhtz stiffened, enduring the hug only because she was a senior officer and a woman. Or maybe just because she was a senior officer. He was a Marine, a ground pounder, and too macho for hugs. As soon as the hug ended, he stepped back. "Ma'am, yes ma'am, I'm here to assist in the relocation of cargo and personnel, ma'am. I didn't sign up for hugging duty. We leave that to the Fleeters"

Satt hurried over to Kara, 'do you need a Security escort?'

"If you'd like to accompany us, sure," she said. "I need to make a report, and then I'll likely come back here with more supplies."

'You'll need a hand to carry the supplies,' Satt said matter-of-factly, 'shall we head out?' He hoisted his rifle and slung it across a shoulder by the strap.

Kara nodded. "Thank you. The help will be appreciated." She turned and the two of them headed back out to the shuttle.

Ronnie met them outside. "I see you brought help." She smiled at the Bolian.

Then Ronnie turned to Kara. "I'd like to do a scan of the planet before we go back to the Calypso, if you don't mind."

"I don't," Kara said. "Is there a reason?"

"Yes. I want to find out where the insects and birds went. There are none here."

"Sounds like a worthy conundrum," the Marine said. "One trip around the planet, then."

Satt nodded his understanding and fell in with the group. 'I hope you find some form of insect life at least.'

"Me, too. I can't think the entire planet is devoid of insects," the entomologist said.

Satt nodded his understanding and watched them go.

They boarded the shuttle and Kara took the helm, navigating the shuttle into a low-earth orbit of the planet. The colony looked like the surface had been scoured. few plants and trees survived. Those that did wouldn't last long.

However, the further they got from the colony, the better the planets looked. Ronnie sat at science, scanning for insects and smaller life forms. Little by little, she began to detect a variety of life. But once they cross the ocean to the continent on the other side of the planet, they found that it was untouched by the storm. "It made no sense. The ion storm doesn’t' seem to have penetrated to the troposphere."

"Commander Munich did say something about a rod that attracted the storm," Kara said.

"That would explain it. Let's finish here and head back to the Calypso." Ronnie was happy to see that most of the planet was healthy. She now had a lot of data to take back and analyze.

The Marine nodded. A minute later, she veered to the left and climbed into the upper atmosphere.

"Why the change in course?" Ronnie asked. "I haven't finished my scans."

"There's a facility in the hills just ahead," Kara said. "Sensors are picking up a number of Remen."

"Remen?" Ronnie switched her scans. "You're right. I'm reading a hundred Remen and a large facility that's partly underground."

"Scan what you can. We're going back to the ship," Kara said, turning to head back to the colony and from there, to the Calypso.


[Back with the colonists]

Bela went back to the colonists. Though they were still dirty and tired, they were at least getting hydrated, fed, and receiving medical aid. One by one she would lightly touch them on the shoulder, on the elbow, or on the hand and asked how they were feeling. One by one, she would tell them, it was time to get ready. IT was time to head to the Calypso.

Watching the Risan going about her work, Satt felt a slight twinge of guilt as she told the colonists they had to leave their homes for the ship. He wandered over and, after a brief moment of thought, tapped her on the shoulder.

'Need help?' He asked.

Giving Satt a grateful smile, she answered, "Help is always welcome. These folks have been through quite a bit and this move is going to be both a relief and difficult for them."

Parhtz helped move boxes and organize supplies. He hoped the Calypso would come close enough to use transporters so he didn't have to load a dozen shuttles. He didn't mind being a Marine, but he didn't like feeling like a pack mule.

Everything was ready by the time they heard from the Calypso.


Munich came into the area looking a bit worse for wear; he had several blackened patches on his uniform but his jacket was clean; obviously removed jacket while working, he was sliding to a halt.

Shan was on his heels, her jacket in the same shape as Munich's and some smear on her cheek.

"We found what looked as a normal Generator. But Shan noted the thickness of the power cable from the room being well oversized."

"It was also an additional feed at the apex of the generator, it was out of place. It was an antenna that was directional and transceiver." Shan added.

"It worked like a lightning rod, we found it to be what they are targeting this colony with." Munich continued. "Like putting a laser dot for a smart weapon, vell more like a 'Lightning Rod to attract a strike." He explained. We could not destroy but we did manage to render it inoperative.

"It is amazing what a hand phaser will do for a module connection and the footprint melted beyond recognition. It can be dismantled safely as all connections and control modules are melted." She smiled. "Let them target without a point of reference. "

"That's great!" Parhtz replied enthusiastically. "Now we can go home." He looked around. "And get these people to someplace safe."

Satt nodded in response. He was ready to go home.

The colonists refused to leave, requesting more supplies and power. Since the ion storm would no longer be drawn to the colony, they had high hopes that they could begin rebuilding.

The shuttle returned with more supplies, including seeds for replanting. Once they'd been given to the colonists, it was time to return to the Calypso.

____
OFF

Private Peter Parhtz
Marine

Lieutenant Bela Swain
Chief Counselor

1st Lieutenant Kara Melo
Marine

Lieutenant JG Ronnie Lancaster
Botanist

Lieutenant Dwight McCabe
Chief Medical Officer

Ensign Satt
Security

Commander Hans Munich
Executive Officer

 

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