Not leaving it till later to track the freighter. Pt 1

Posted on Friday August 19th, 2022 @ 10:06pm by Lieutenant JG Talerian Maxx

Mission: New Worlds
Location: Desert region, Southern continent of Halacha, Vein II
Timeline: Current

Karadis entered transporter room two and walked over to the Away Team, saying "I have our orders from Commander Kerr. We've tracked what we believe is a freighter from DS3 to the desert region on what we believe the Akaru call the southern continent of Halacha. Were to investigate the alleged DS3 freighter and work out how it came to be on the planet and why."

Maxx heard Kardis as he was adjusting his bag of tech supplies and a thermos full of hazelnut coffee. He was not sure what he was getting himself into and set his phaser to stun for safety measures. When it came to away missions one needed to be prepared since luck favors the prepared. He nodded at Kardis as he replied, "Understood."

The doors to the transporter room opened once more and a Warrant Officer walked over to Karadis with four separate small bundles. Karadis took the bundles, thanked to WO and turned to the assembled Away Team, handing one to each of them saying "As we'll be in a desert region, I took the liberty of getting us all some desert kits with rations, enough to last each of us for three days. Salt tablets, it'll be hot and we'll sweat so you'll loose body salt. Water, don't take anything else like coffee or tea as it'll dry you out making you want more which will further dry you out and so and so on. Hard biscuits, these have all the nutrients you're body will require to sustain you. A small medical field kit, plus a small mirror for signaling if we need to. Wrapround reflective glasses, that both protect your eyes from sand being blown into them and also reflect sunlight and sand glare."

Jason dropped his backpack to the deck, "I'd still like too know how this thing got all the way out here, if it's even close too spec it's only capable of warp three point five." Shoving the kit minus glasses into his pack.

"Perhaps this particular freighter could have been upgraded?" Karadis asked "Or it could perhaps have been told to rendezvous with a bigger ship and once they got here it made it's own way down to the surface?"

Jason strapped a thigh holster on, "I've seen weirder, we should take precautions in case we run into any unexpected visitors." Jason said as he smacked the power cell into the base of the phaser.

Karadis got the distinct feeling Lieutenant Elliot didn't like her, but that was a conversation for another time, right now, all that mattered was the mission.

"We'll be transported to three klicks from the freighter" she said.

Jason reached into his pack again pulling out a rather large knife in it's sheathe, "Where's the rest of the away team?"

“It’s just the four of us Sir” Karadis replied “Commander Kerr thought a small team could infiltrate the area quicker and better. I’m ready when you are Lieutenant” she finished.

Maxx quietly listened to the others talk as he could see the tensions were high among the team. He knew this happened when a random team was assembled instead of a well trained team that has worked together for a good while. Luckily for Maxx he had a lot of wisdom from his past lives to aid him in his mission. Then Maxx spoke up, "Worst case scenario I have a A Viridium Tracker Patch on me in case we need to escape in a different way. Since we are in the dark on what is waiting for us I do recommend patience calm decisions and gathering data when we can." Maxx then put the desert package in his bag as he pulled out his own desert mask which had covered his face. His goggles had a digital interface linked to his tricorder, an air filter for breathing and a cap with cloth on the back to cover the neck from the sun and sand.

Karadis laughed internally, she admired the Lieutenant’s optimism, ’patient calm decision making’ coming from a guy who just strapped a thigh holster on. It looked like something from…what was it Kerr used to watch…something from ‘The Wild West’!

Verbally though she replied “Absolutely true Sir.”

Jason could sense some skepticism "Downed freighter, mysterious crew, hostile intent by other forces, the only thing missing is Baba Yaga and a Wendigo." tried to say with a sarcastic humor not actual truth or experience.

Maxx chuckled as he replied, "I get the Baba Yago but the Wendigo was said to be in a colder climate. Which is a good point though. We don't know what wildlife is in this desert so be careful since they could be poisonous."

Jason smirked "Wendigo legends are mostly around the great lakes, but there are cultural variations throughout the galaxy including the Virduc from ancient Vulcan mythology." he said trying not to give any hints of how he knows.

Maxx cocked his head to the side as he smirked and replied, "I find it disturbing that you are looking forward to meeting such a creature face to face.
especially in the middle of a dangerous mission. I hope you are not trying to jinx us."

The transporter operator indicated they were ready and the beam down co-ordinates were set. As the blue hue enveloped them, the Away Team soon found themselves down on the planet surface. The sun beat down on them and the heat was extremely humid.

Karadis took out her tricorder and scanned the area. Once she was done she pointed East and said "The freighter's this way Sirs."

As soon as Maxx was transported he tapped his wrist to activate the tricorder link to his goggles and saw the scans showing the direction of the freighter as Karadis spoke up. He also scanned the area for other threats and noticed the sand moving on the right side so he spoke up as they began to move, "About a hundred feet to the right the sand is moving. Be careful since it could be anything from a pit trap, fault or living creature. We can go around it a bit to avoid it. Stay alert in case we find any wildlife moving about since we will be seen as a quick meal to them."

Jason opened his tricorder, "The freighter is two and a half clicks away, minimal power output and no certain life signs, lets use caution."

The baren waste of the desert was a mix of sand, petrified plant life and baren rocks. the sun hammered down on the four people from the away team, as the cleared the last rise where the freighter was supposed to be, Jason raised his sun glasses, "Something doesn't feel right."

Karadis looked down on the area, perplexed that nothing was there "These re the right coordinates, but where's the..." but she didn't finish the sentence as she saw a small group come into view "Now who are they, and where are they heading?" she asked.

Jason pulled a set of binoculars out of his pack, "let's watch and wait."

Maxx tapped on his armband to zoom in with his goggles on who they were looking at. He was not sure if they were friend or foe at this point and he preferred to not get shot at this soon into the mission.

Karadis took her own binoculars out her pack and watched the group walk towards a rocky outcrop. They stopped and one of them took something out of their pocket and pointed it at the rocks. Moments later, a gap appeared in one of the larger rocks and the group walked through, the rock appearing to look whole again seconds later.

Karadis looked at Elliot and said "Now we know how we get in."

Maxx replied, "Stealth huh? That complicates things."

"Where is more like it, that remote might have an encoding we won't be able to crack easily." Jason pulled out a canteen taking a huge drink of water "I'm not too sure what kind of reception we're going to get so lets proceed carefully."

Karadis was on her feet "Absolutely Lieutenant. If you can take care of the reception, I'll investigate the coding system to the entrance Sir, it's part of my specialist training."

Jason looked around "Ensign Winters should go with you, no one is to be alone for now." Jason looked over at the Ensign, "Safety in numbers." taking another drink "Mr. Maxx and I are going too check for counter measures." wondering who would clue in the euphonism for booby traps.

Maxx replied, "I'll use my drones for small scans. Don't worry I have stealth on them as well to keep us hidden. No need to tell them we are here just yet."

"Sir, if the drones have Lidar scanning, that would be helpful" Karadis said.

Maxx smirked under his mask as Karadis made a suggestion. Maxx replied, "It does...... among other options. I customized them after learning that somethings are invisible to some scans. Sadly LIDAR is nice to use on a clear day, but can be detected since it gives off an energy signal. I took the liberty of modifying my drones to use radio waves with a modified booster since its an old technology that no one even notices them. Kinda like seismic scanners but with more stealth." Maxx then pulled out three small drones and set them on the ground before he activated them with his arm band to turn them invisible and send them off to begin scanning the preprogrammed area.

Jason's tricorder started to make a number of beeps and other noises, he paused, puzzled "We're not alone."

Maxx tapped his armband and quickly read the data streaming from it. Then he activated a 3D hologram to show the images of the scans. Then Maxx replied, "Oh this can't be good. I am picking up a large creature under the sand that resembles a Vulcan Sandworm only we are not on Vulcan. The Vulcan Sandworm is normally five feet wide and at least 25 feet long. The animal had large eyes, fleshy-looking mandibles, a mouth with no visible teeth, two long antenna-like or tentacle-like projections above its eyes, and a tough segmented body. It usually burrows underground and pops up to sneak attack its prey on the surface. Here is where it gets worse.......this one is a mutant variation and its bigger........ as in 7 feet wide and 35 feet. One of these is bad news, but if there are more of them we will need to escape very soon. So how brave are you both feeling right now?"

Karadis stood up, and looking towards the rocky outcrop ruefully said "I've never shirked a responsibility in my life, I'm not about to do so now. For me, bravery doesn't enter into it, however duty does. We were tasked by the Captain to find this freighter and find out what's going on there, and that's what I'm going to do. If nobody else wants to come, that's understandable, but I'm following Commander Kerr's mission orders plan to the letter."

Motioning to Ensign Winters to follow, she set off for the rocky outcrop.

Maxx shrugged as Karadis decided to press on after his findings. Then he tapped on his drones to continue to scan the area and warn them of any lifeforms or dangerous terrain. He replied, "Well try not to make a lot of noise since it may attract them." Maxx then followed Karadis as he kept up his guard.

Jason walked over too a smaller collection of rocks, he brushed away some of the debris revealing a rusted out module of some kind, a few steps away was another one, this one appeared to have been broken or burst some how, Jason stood up looking around the bizarre creatures were still lingering. His tricorder started too beep again, "Karadis stop for a second, you've triggered some kind of sensor."

Karadis stopped where she was "Do you know what kind of sensor it is Sir?"

Jason kept scanning, looking at the read out "A simple proximity sensor, don't move I can't get a fix if there's more going on."

"I'm not moving Sir, whatever else your detecting moving, it's not me!" Karadis replied

Jason slowly moved towards the epicenter of the signals, the noise from the tricorder got louder and more consistent. He paused himself, "There aren't any armed explosives near by, but there is a sensor with what looks like a stun grenade about a half meter too your left ensign that's armed." turning too his right "There's another too the right, looks too be rusted out it might go off if we get too much closer, that explains this path I'm seeing in Mr Maxx's sensor sweeps."

Jason looked towards Luna "Ms Winters take a full step back or you'll trigger another proximity sensor."

Tag Winters

Karadis very gently lowered herself down to the ground, careful not to make any sudden movements to set off the sensor with the stun grenade. Slowly she removed the small knife from her belt, and reaching forward, brushed the sand away from the sensor to reveal it. It looked old and rusted, but the mechanism was still working, she could see the blink light of the sensor pulsing. The wiring had degraded in parts, the plastic gone, leaving bare wire showing.

"It's an older mark three sensor with a trip to the percussion stun grenade Lieutenant" Karadis said to Jason "If Kerr were here, he'd use his favourite saying for old things 'This went out with the ark'. I don't know exactly what that means, I'm guessing it's so old that it's obsolete?"

Maxx overheard the others and asked, "Do you need a tool or do you have this?"

Jason had seen something like this before, "Karadis on my mark smash the sensor pod, same with you Winters." Jason pulled out his phaser making some unseen adjustments "Mr Maxx is the sensor feedback in or out of phase?"

Maxx checked out the scanner to confirm and replied, "Its out of phase."

"This is the part that's gonna suck, cover your ears." Jason fired his phaser at the sensor pod closest too him, the subsequent rain of sparks and shriek of the sensor pods all popping like balloons erupted everywhere around the .. team followed by some smoke and a bit of dust.

"Everyone okay?" Jason said as he checked his ears for blood.

Maxx flinched a bit from the sparks and then replied as he waved the smoke away from him as he replied, "Yeah.....my goggles shielded me from the flash and sparks......but that might have alerted someone that we are here."

"That was the plan." Jason said followed by a small fit of coughing.

"I'm afraid not all of us came out of that unscathed" Karadis replied, as she tried to pick herself up off he ground "That grenade I thought was percussion, was actually a live grenade..." she added, falling back down on the ground, the left hand side of her uniform shouldering, "I caught the full bla..." but she didn't finish the sentence.

Jason snapped =^="Elliot to Oberon we have a medical emergency a improvised device has exploded injuring a member of the team, we need emergency transport now!"=^=

Jason ran over, "Abort the mission, we need to evac now!"

Maxx quickly recalled his drones back to himself since Jason wanted to abort the mission.

"No...Sir" Karadis said to Jason, stirring again "Just give me a moment to recover...I'll be fine."

Jason held up a blood soaked hand "This is one argument you can't win." he said as he wrapped the ten centimeter gash on her upper torso, "Talerian grab the med kit from my pack.”

Maxx grabbed the med kit and handed it to Jason as he replied, "I got medical-foam if you need it. It should keep her internals inside till we get her back."

Karadis struggled into a sitting position. Gritting her teeth she said “I’ve had worse and still carried on with my duty Sir. If you take me back and Kerr see’s this ‘scratch’, I’ll never hear the end of it, and neither will you. Stitch the cut, I don’t need it numbed, just give me something to bite down on. Lieutenant, we ‘need’ to get inside that freighter, you know it, we all know it. We may not get another chance this good Sir.”

Jason pulled out another gauze pad, "We will try to get inside, you have an exit wound in your back, that is bleeding profusely, I need you to see a doctor." Jason was stopped by the shadow of a robed figure standing over them.

Maxx turned around when he saw the shadow and tapped his invisible drones to target the shadow if he was attacked.

"One of you is hurt" the robbed figure said, crouching down beside Jason "I am Branna, a healer from our settlement beyond the dune there" he said pointing past the rocky outcrop "Can I help?"

Jason looked skeptical "She has a number of small wounds including one where fragments have gone through her body, I could use some shelter until we can get a medic down here."

Maxx simply nodded as he kept the invisible drones close by in case they were attacked. He didn't mention this to the others and due to his mask and goggles no one could see his face as he was analyzing the situation. He then spoke up, "Are you sure you want to delay her treatment?"

"Some of her wounds are clotted, this through and through wound is the problem, I can bandage it but we need to be somewhere where the ship can get a clear transporter lock." Jason said grabbing something from the med kit.

Maxx looked around and tapped his armband again as he set his invisible drones on guard duty around them in case they were attacked. Then Maxx leaned in to help Jason support Karadis as they lifted her up. Maxx looked at Branna and nodded even though his mask hid his face and replied, "Please lead the way Branna."

"I take this 'medic' is your healer?" Branna asked.

Jason had to refrain from swearing, "Yes, something like that." he paused picking up a metal fragment "One of these flew through her body causing the bleeding she's experiencing."

"I tended to a lot of similar wounds during the war" Branna then said "I can stop the bleeding and close the wound till your friend can get a more thorough examination."

"Hey...you remember I'm here...right?" Karadis said, somewhat annoyed now that she was being spoken of without anyone asking how she was or her opinion "If this guy can stop the bleeding and close the wound, that's good enough for me, I'll be able to manage, as I said, I've had worse injuries and still carried out my duty. So get on with it you!" she said, pointing at Branna.

Branna looked at Jason and Talerian and said "At least she's in good spirits" he laughed.

"Maxx try communications I can't get a signal." Jason said.

Maxx replied, "On it." Maxx tapped on his forearm tool and looked around a bit then tried it again a few times before he spoke up. Maxx said, "This is not good Jason. Something or someone is jamming the signal and its just strong enough to keep us from beaming out. We need to get out of range if we want to improve our odds."

Jason looked back too the robed figure, "How far too your village?"

"We're only a few sarts away, over the rise and another two time units walk" Branna answered.

TBC...