Search and Rescue
Posted on Mon Jul 31st, 2023 @ 9:43am by Captain Shran dh'Klar & Commander Jonathan Grayson & Commander Samantha Howard & Lieutenant JG Kate Kono
Mission: Damn Dirty Apes
The Washington dropped out of warp in the star system and began scanning the area. Shran looked anxious waiting to get reports. Deanna had gone done to astrometrics to better consolidate the information as it came in and had taken Sam and Kate with her. While Shran wanted to lead an away team should it be needed, he knew this wasn't the time for him to seek thrilling heroics. Sam could handle an away team if it came to it.
"Getting information sent in from Deanna" Ayana announced from tactical. "No debris detected, but we do have a warp trail that leads to an M-class planet in the system. The planet is largely jungle and has an odd EM field that may interfere with transporters and other systems if we get too close."
"L'Rissa, lay in a course" Shran ordered.
"Under way captain" she purred.
"Ayana, attempt to make contact with Jon and Callie."
** Jungle Planet **
*Cornfield*
Jon and Callie were still following at a respectable distance as the humans ran deeper into the field when they suddenly stopped and ran in another direction as something was ahead of them beating the corn, causing Jon and Callie to run in a different direction. As they ran, Jon's com beeped, stopped and beeped again. "Grayson here!" he answered and got silence. He tried again with the same result. "Callie, we need to get back to the Ballard. I think the Washington is trying to contact "us." Callie nodded and grasped his hand as they tried to reach the runabout.
*Bridge*
"We aren't getting a response from them sir, but the EM field may be hindering communication" Ayana said from tactical.
"Captain, I have located their ship following the warp trail. I can bring the ship into a high orbit to minimize the EM field effect on the ship" L'Rissa said from the CONN.
"Very well, initiate a high orbit" Shran replied as he considered everything else that was coming into him. He hit his comm badge, =^=Deanna, are you detecting life signs on the planet? =^=
=^= Definitely a population down there. Detecting nearly 3 million lifeforms, but the EM field is making it difficult to distinguish Jon and Callie from the other life forms. I am trying to focus on the runabout to see if we could simply beam them up, but it is seeming unlikely at this time. I'd suggest sending the away team and have them bring transport enhancers to help cut through the interference.=^=
=^= Very well =^= Shran replied. =^=Sam, take Deanna and Kate with you. I'll send Ayana to rendezvous with you in transporter room 2. With luck you'll find Jon and Callie and be back in time for your coffee break.=^=
"Aye Sir" Sam replied formally before heading out of astrometrics, stopping by her quarters for her away team kit, consisting of a hand phaser, a tricorder, and her medical kit that hung across her body from her shoulder. A few moments later Deanna and Kate arrived in transporter room two. Sam had two small transport enhancers in her medical kit so they could retrieve their people. They just needed to locate them first. No small task in a population of this size. "We're ready Sir."
*Jungle Planet*
Jon and Callie were still trying to work their way back to the runabout as the humans ran in every direction as whatever was striking the corn stalks drew closer. Jon pulled Callie aside as he found a small pocket out of the line of whatever was coming. Then it wat their position. Jon gasped and stared. The gatherers were apes! He looked at Callie. "Did you see?" He whispered. "They're apes!"
* Washington *
Ayana entered the transporter room, a phaser holstered, and a phaser rifle slung over her shoulder. "Are we all here?" she asked.
Deanna was taking a quick check on her gear, which included her tricorder and phaser. "I believe so" she replied as she placed the tricorder in its holster on her hip.
* Washington - Shuttlebay *
Kate chose one of the smaller shuttles since it would be nimbler once they were in the atmosphere. The bay doors were still closed in front of her, and she didn't bother to request anyone open them. This was just a PreFlight. The young Asian girl pulled out a PADD and brought the checklist open which covered everything from the exterior lighting systems to the transporter system. She even pulled in a box of parts to fix the runabout (if it was repairable) once they got there. After studying the EM field fluctuations, she stepped inside the craft and hit the master switch which activated the instruments and onboard computer and began the process of compensation for the systems if they come in contact with the odd field that may or may not have had a hand in the crash of the runabout.
=^= Ensign Kono to bridge, I'm preflighting a shuttle now. I've put in the necessary compensations that I believe might help the shuttle transit to the surface and even brought some parts just in case we can salvage the runabout. If we are taking transporters, just be advised Shuttlecraft 5 is ready to come save us all if we get stuck down there. =^=
Kate shut the shuttle back down and left the shuttle bay in order to walk to the main transporter room. She didn't choose a phaser rifle as she was always a gentle girl at heart. She took a bag filled with rations, water, six packs of socks, medkit, and an extra tricorder.
She checked her belt to make sure she has her main Tricorder and a standard type II phaser.
In the transporter room the team assembled on the transporter platform, awaiting any final instructions before they departed. Sam glanced around them, making eye contact before speaking.
"Alright team, this is a search and rescue. We need to maintain our cover until we ascertain what the native population is like and their level of technology. It goes without saying this is a Prime Directive situation. "
"We detected a massive population, at least one hundred thousand humanoids within 1000 kilometers of where the runabout went down. The terrain is a mix of jungle and grasslands, and as sensors are having difficulty giving clear reading due to EM interference, the captain launched a Class-1 probe which is gather data and sending it back to the ship. My tricorder is tied into it so I will have real time data once we get down to the planet" Deanna informed everyone.
"Ok so we'll start our search where the shuttle went down, hopefully they will have been able to stay close by" Sam mused as she nodded to the transport chief. "Ready to energize."
TBC
