Call of Duty

Posted on Thu May 23rd, 2024 @ 4:45pm by Captain Shran dh'Klar & Lieutenant Commander Deanna Celes & Commander Jonathan Grayson & Lieutenant Commander Callie Raven-Grayson

Mission: Man & Machine
Location: USS Washington

The Washington made its way out of orbit and into the atmosphere of the planet, knifing its way through the ionosphere and mesosphere and into the upper stratosphere. Shran was relaying orders to multiple stations as Callie entered the bridge from the rear turbolift and made her way down to her normal station. Sensor data and communications had been temporarily lost as they had entered the atmosphere, and they were in the process of getting both back online as the captain asked for a report regarding the torpedo volleys and the remaining outpost locations.

"Torpedoes have all reached target and detonated. Main complex destroyed; secondary targets destroyed. Runabout teams report primary targets destroyed and requesting orders" Ayana said from tactical.

"Have the runabouts return to the ship. Begin phaser barrage on remaining targets as they come into range. And contact Jon and get a sitrep from him" Shran replied.

"Captain, we are unable to establish communication with Commanders Grayson and Celes" Ens Tesla said from the Ops station. "Reading massive destruction at the primary target area. It appears the tricobalt device impacted something that created a full order of magnitude amplification. I am not reading any lifeforms in the blast zone or within 500 kilometers sir."

“What!?” Callie turned to look the officer at Ops. “That can’t be right! It can’t!” She looked towards Shran the panic at the thought of losing Jon evident to see. “Captain that can’t be right!!”

Shran had a look of concern. "That can't be right. Recheck the sensors. Confirm the data. Continue to get the communications channels back. I will not accept losing two officers in this way." He looked at Callie, "Do you sense anything, from Jon or Deanna?"

Callie gave Shran a look. “Do I sense anything?” She paused to try and calm herself down, she couldn’t afford to lose it now. “I...I’ll try...” she closed her eyes trying to focus everything she had on finding Jon and Deanna. “There’s nothing...I sense nothing...that doesn't make sense.” She paused. “If Jon was...gone...I’d have felt it, our connection...I would feel it!”

Shran attempted to soothe Callie. "Alright Callie, it's going to be alright. If you don't sense anything and didn't feel a lost connection, then they must still be down there, cut off from us somehow. We'll send a search party for them immediately." Shran wondered what the issue might be. Sensors might be limited because of the radiation, but why wouldn't Callie be able to sense Jon or Deanna?

“I don’t understand! I should be able to sense them” Callie gave Shran a very worried look. “How can they just vanish!?” She walked across to her seat and sat down, she needed to calm herself down the stress wasn’t good for her pregnancy, and she knew it.

On the surface, the machine complex had been completely destroyed and debris continued to rain down from the sky. A few small fires burned, but mostly it was just some scorched earth and a massively reduced radioactive landscape present, the sound in the distance, crashing waves as they slammed and splashed onto shore. Deanna opened her eyes, but she couldn't see anything, but she certainly felt the weight of the dirt or what it was all around her seemingly beginning to crush her. She attempted to move her arm and felt it move through whatever substance it was that now entombed her. It felt soft, perhaps a significant amount of loose dirt. She managed to get her right hand to the left arm control panel. She hoped the controls of her EV suit were still functioning. She tried to enter commands, but the suit wasn't accepting them. She had to assume that whatever air she had left was what was left before the suit ceased functioning. That didn't leave her much time. And what about Cmdr Grayson? Seeing that her suit wasn't functioning, that meant communications were down. Her only means of communicating would be telepathy. She closed her eyes and concentrated. It was difficult to sense anything. Then she realized that the creature she had sensed had psionic abilities and was radiating a constant psionic wave which was blocking out her abilities to a degree. She had to really focus. She concentrated on Jon, reaching out with her mind. It was difficult, but finally, she felt herself make a connection with him. Jon, can you hear me? Its Deanna. Are you alright?

Jon slowly came awake. His eyes fluttered open but it was dark, and he couldn't move! He could feel something, a lot of something surrounding, covering him, trapping him in its embrace and what of Deanna? Where was she? Was she alright? They had been together when the tri-cobalt device had detonated, and the world came crashing down on them and gone black until now. He tried to move but was stuck fast except for his left arm. He tried to contact Deanna using his suit's controls, but it was useless there was nothing not even static. Then something was touching his mind it was faint at first but then grew stronger. It was Deanna! Her voice in his mind. Deanna! I'm fine, I can't move but otherwise fine. Are you alright?

I'm fine. We seem to be buried beneath a great deal of dirt and other rubble. My EV suit has been damaged beyond repair and I can't get a signal out. I can barely send this telepathic message to you. The creature I was sensing, its psionic signal is almost like a blanketing signal, a bit like a jamming signal. Can you move all? Deanna replied telepathically.

Jon was relieved Deanna was unhurt, but he was troubled by the fact that they were buried beneath a literal mountain of debris from the destruction of the machine complex. My suit is toast. I tried the controls, I tried to use it to contact you and nothing not even static. he paused as he tried again to move. He could move his left arm fairly easy his right arm moved but it was hindered by whatever rubble they were buried under. I can move my let arm fairly freely. My right moves but it is much harder.

Deanna considered the situation. She was concerned about the predicament they were in, but what made it worse was, as she thought about it, all of the dirt and debris was likely irradiated, and that radiation would mask their life signs, making it impossible for them to be found. Options were limited. She had only one thought, and it was a longshot at best, but she was going to try it, assuming Jon was willing to give her the go ahead. I have an idea Jon, but I have to admit that it is a longshot. Our situation is desperate. I want to see if I can communicate with the creature. Perhaps it can dig us up.

Jon listened as Deanna outlined her idea to him. He considered their options, and they were extremely limited. It is a longshot to be sure Deanna, but our situation is dire, and we have nothing to lose with your idea. Go ahead and try to communicate with the creature.

Deanna focused her mind. This was going to be something very different. No pressure, if this didn't work, they would likely just be lost and assumed dead.


TBC