Away Team 3: Shuttle survey
Posted on Thu Dec 15th, 2011 @ 4:32pm by Lieutenant JG Elizabeth Jackson & Ensign Daniel Daniels & Ensign Mak Free [Lynx] & Lieutenant JG Wesley Valdez & Commodore Samantha York & Lieutenant Cassandra Levue
1,202 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission: The Race for the Lost Treasure
ON
The surgeon has already gotten himself settled in the shuttlecraft along with the others, after he has stored away his medical supplies. He looked out the front window, seeing that they have left the ship into space and on the way to the planet.
Daniels sat at the Shuttle's tactical console, casually playing with the scanners, slightly bored. Sadly, Serena wasn't present, and the current pilot, a stern, logical, and boring, slightly unattractive Vulcan woman was at the console. Attempts at chit-chat were deflected with one-word answers. Daniels sighed.
Lizzie, seated at the science station, began to scan the planet for anything out of the ordinary. "Nothing so far. Looks like your standard M-class planet."
A half hour into their aerial survey, the comm chirped. "York to Daniels. Can you detect any anomalous readings over our location?"
"Ma'am, I read an unusually high concentration of ferrous, and other useful minerals in your immediately surrounding area. The temperature is a balmy 24 degrees celsius, with a light wind from the north, at 2 Kilometres an hour. Beyond that, I've got not a single anomalous reading, all day." Daniels said, in a somewhat bored tone of voice.
"Lovely, Ensign Daniels. Thank you," Sam's amused voice replied.
Wesley yawned. He didn't realize that the shuttlecraft was going to hover over the planet in their orbit. He got up and sat at the empty console. His finger danced on the console. Knowing that the comm was still open, he spoke outloud, "This is Doctor Valdez, I am reading a few lifesigns...looks like 4 ahead of you by 15.24 meters. Beyond this, I don't know yet."
"Two bears, something reminiscent of a chicken, and a weasel." Daniels noted, dryly. "Correct that. Three life signs. Two bears, and a weasel. Nature can be cruel."
Sam had to laugh at that. "Yes, Ensign Daniels, it can. Our instruments are fluctuating so be advised that we may lose contact temporarily. York out."
The surgeon shook his head. "How can you be so sure of that, Ensign? The sensors don't indicate animals...hard to detect that."
"Tune your sensor gain up. The new scanners can be tuned to specific life signs." Daniels said. He walked over, and demonstrated the controls. "Keep up with the new tech manuals, kid."
Wesley's back stiffed. "Kid?" He turned to look at Daniels who stood by his side, "Ensign, let me remind you something. We are officers, not children. I expect professionalism and respect within the ranks. I may be a surgeon and a doctor, but I'm still an officer. As for the sensor controls here, I only know the basics of how to operate this. Most of my skills are medical..." He happened to look around, seeing the others looking at him with a surprise facial expression. "Not trying to rock anybody's boat, but doing what I can to help here that is not medical."
"Then, kindly don't question my reported sensor readings on an open comm link to the ship's commanding officer." Daniels snapped back.
"The plants seem normal enough, but I'm getting some odd readings from them. It could be that the plants themselves are affecting their equipment if they're in close enough proximity," Lizzie stated. As a botanist, she was focusing her scans on the planetary flora.
I'm better with a scalpel, not a sensor sweeper, Wesley thought. He wondered why they sent him to do this mission instead of a nurse or a medical technician. He ignored Daniels and decided to see what Elizabeth Jackson found.
Daniels returned to his board, and resumed scanning.
"Attention, Shuttle team, Kindly take yourself down to less than 1000 meters, the USS Calypso is now defined as a combat zone." His console came to life, speaking in Levue's voice.
Lizzie ran a quick scan of the area. "There's another ship coming towards the planet. It's shooting at a shuttle. The Calypso is moving in to intervene."
The Shuttle's helm officer followed the order to less than 1000 meters, to the extreme, of having the shuttle hover about 9 meters over a lake.
"Nice. I can get a sonar mapping of the underwater caverns from here." Daniels said, nodding to the Vulcan woman.
She said, nothing, just continued piloting.
Wesley buckled his seat and watched. He kept quiet to let the others concentrate.
Mak was in the shuttle the whole time and said to Wesley. "I'm going to check underwater." He got up and walked to the replicator. "Diving suit and 2 oxygen tanks, Ensign Mak Free dimensions." The computer beeped. A moment later the tanks and the suit materialised on the transporter platform, Mak grinned as he picked up the suit. "Going to get changed."
"I think not." Daniels noted. "Ship is reported as in battle. Regulations don't permit unnecessary risk taking of away teams. The captain left me with this team. You stow that gear, or I arrest you."
"What are we doing then? Why not return to the ship?" Mak asked as he stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face Daniels.
"Keeping our poorly shielded, rather fragile shuttle out of firing range." Daniels stated. "As, per regulations. "
The doctor shook his head at Mak, "we are sitting ducks for now."
"So we sit on our butts doing nothing?" Mak asked.
"We follow orders." The Vulcan woman noted. "And regulations. Until the ship alerts us that the surrounding area is safe, we remain at a safe distance, and continue our aerial survey, as per our assignment. If you wish to leave the vessel, for any reason, you must first contact Captain York."
Mak raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't she be busy commanding the ship?"
Strict by the book, the doctor thought of Vulcans and their behavior. "The Captain is down on the planet...", he said to Mak.
"Of course," Mak said knowing she would be. "Anyone for a game of Eye Spy?"
"I spy with my little eye, someone who deserves a week in the brig." Daniels muttered quietly to himself.
He wasn't certain, but he swore the Vulcan woman's lips quivered, slightly upwards. She refrained from commenting.
"I'm not fond of games, Ensign. If I was bored, I prefer to read up on some medical journals as it keeps me in place. I know it is hard for some people to be patient being cooped up in a small space," the surgeon said. He looked at Daniels, not sure if he was joking or not, "I don't think so...he's not a criminal for asking such a question for game."
"A joke." The Vulcan woman, at the console, noted dryly. "Is a story with a humorous climax."
"Hmm," Wesley said.
"Call it what you like, Ensign, I was being serious, and not because he wanted to play a game." Daniels noted.
The Vulcan woman shook her head. Her console beeped. "Clearance to resume normal flight, and a request to return to the Calypso, Ensign Daniels."
"Do it, then." He said, nodding.
OFF
Lieutenant JG Elizabeth Jackson
Botanist
Ensign Daniel Daniels
Assistant Chief Security/Tactical Officer
Ensign Mak Free [Marek]
Engineer
Lieutenant JG Wesley Valdez
Surgeon
Captain Samantha York
Commanding Officer
Lieutenant JG Cassandra Levue
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
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