Rescue Mission

Posted on Wed Oct 8th, 2025 @ 10:56am by Lieutenant Aidan O'Connor & Commander Samantha Howard & Lieutenant JG James Phoenix

1,232 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Wild Wild West
Location: Planet

Doctor Samantha Howard returned to sickbay to gather supplies, slinging her larger medkit onto her back and strapping both a medical tricorder and phaser to her hip. Better to have and not need than need and not have. She expected no survivors but there were always the occasional times when the miracle of life endured beyond all comprehension. She double checked her equipment and hurried to the transporter room to meet the rest of her team.

Aidan made his way down to Engineering. He told the Chief to report to Cmdr Grayson immediately and then looked for Lt Kapowski. He found the brunette working on a power conduit near the EPS junction. "Lieutenant, a word with you. We have two different away teams heading down to the planet. Captain wants somebody on standby to beam down to either away team at a moment's notice from Engineering, and I chose you. And while I sincerely hope you get called down to assist me and the good doctor, chances are you are going to get called down to Cmdr Grayson's team, so you'll need to be in appropriate attire. Cmdr Celes is making all the arrangements with the quartermaster, so get back to your quarters on the double to change and then get down to transporter room 2 with the others on standby."

The lieutenant blushed slightly and flashed a smile. "Understood sir. And thank you for the vote of confidence. But who should take over for me here?"

Aidan looked around, "Murphy! Get over here you right lazy git. Take over this job from the lieutenant. She has a new duty assignment." He turned to look at Kapowski, gave a soft smile of his own and then headed off, stopping to grab his tools before heading down to the transporter room.

Initially Imik was supposed to be the primary security officer on Sam's team. However something came up resulting in James finding himself walking down the corridor towards the transporter room, as he had been on standby. He wasn't complaining as he was always down for an away mission, provided of course that there were no crazy Space Nazis or blood thirsty psychopaths from the Mirror Universe.

Of course that wasn't the only reason why he was happy to go on the away mission. Ash had been assigned to Sam's team last minute to see if there was any records that could be recovered, including the ship's intended course. After all a crashed ship never indicated anything good.

"Nervous?" James asked.

"A little bit. I gotta make a good first impression after all" Ash chuckled.

James smiled at her response as they continued walking. "Even after the last mission?" He grew serious.

"Yeah" she nodded and smiled. "I'll be fine."

James wasn't convinced but decided to let it go. He knew his best friend well enough that she would talk when she was ready. He fell silent. He was still worried about her. Who wouldn't be?

The two finally entered the transporter room. "Morning Doctor, Lieutenant" James greeted the two senior officers. "The captain has requested Lieutenant Imik for something and has ordered me to take her place for this."

Aidan shrugged. "Captain giveth, captain taketh away. One security officer as good as another in my book. Besides, saw you in action helping me get my people back. Glad to have you around for this."

James gave a brief smile. "Thank you, sir," he nodded before motioning to Ash. "Before I forget sirs, this is Lieutenant Ashlynn Regan, our new Astrometrics Officer."

"It's a pleasure to meet you sirs" she said to Aiden and Sam. "I have been assigned to help investigate the crashed ship's logs as well as her original course. It isn't every day you witness a crash landing" she chuckled nervously.

"Our primary mission is to search foe and render aid to any survivors" Sam clarified, although the probability of finding said survivors grew more diminutive with each passing minute. "As soon as everyone's ready, we'll beam down, 300m northwest of the crash site. That should put us uphill and upwind if there's any fires or particulates in the air."

Aidan leaned in and whispered in Phoenix ear, "I assume the captain told you to stick to the doctor like glue. He wants here kept safe."

"He did sir. I'll keep an eye on her" Phoenix returned quietly.

"We should get going. Everybody up on the transporter" Aidan said in a lighthearted voice.

James stepped into place in the back corner of the transporter padd, next to Ash and behind Aiden and Sam. He quickly checked his phaser to make sure it was good to go before holstering it again. He looked towards Ashlynn, who gave him a reassuring look. He wasn't worried about her. He knew she could take care of herself. He stood straight and faced forward soon after.

They materialized a short distance from the downed starship. It was of unfamiliar design and Sam shivered, the icy wind cutting through her away team uniform.

"Let's go, stay alert, we have no idea what we're walking into." Sam strode towards the ship, tricorder out in front of her scanning for lifespans, oxygen pockets, anything that could indicate survivors. Heck, she didn't even know if they would be humanoid.

"A bit brisk" Aidan noted. "All we need is a spot of rain and it would be like back home in Ireland." Aidan took out his tricorder and began scanning. As they approached the crashed vessel he began taking more intensive scans. "I got an airlock over here doctor. Reading a class- M environment, oxygen and nitrogen, with traces of krypton. I can get us in here if you like doctor."

Sam shivered again, her heritage being from much warmer climes. "A bit of heat from the sun would be much preferable. Let's get out of this wind. 360 first, we'll take a 100m berth and complete a full circuit looking for survivors, then we'll head in. My tricorder is being a bit hinky and I can't get a solid read" she tried to recalibrate the device, but it was still showing interference errors.

"I don't think it is your tricorder doctor" Aidan replied. "This hull seems to be made from some rather strange alloys that are playing all sorts of havoc with my tricorder as well. I think the only reason I seem to know the atmosphere inside the ship is because I am scanning by this hatch. I don't think we'll find anyone outside the ship. I'm not detecting any hull breaches. Whatever brought this ship down, I'm going to have to take a look inside to figure it out."

"Sure, but stay buddied up. I'm gonna look around to see if there is any abnormal damage to the hull. Scorch marks from weapons fire etc. I'll be there in 10" Sam nodded towards the hatch, indicating for them to enter.

Aidan looked at Ashlynn, "Lt Regan, suppose you are with me. We'll take a look at what makes this beast tick, see what brought it down."

"Aye" Ash replied right before she exchanged a look with James, who was watching Sam's back.

The air was a little cold, but it wasn't any worse than what early winter was in the Pacific Northwest. He could handle it. James moved up a little closer to Sam. "I got your six doc."

TBC

 

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