Right on schedule there was a loud hum as the fusion reactor started up and<br>
the shields extended their range. "Lox to away team." He used his comm.<br>
since he didn't know where everyone was. "Shield system is operational. The<br>
shield will allow us indefinite usage of the surface without having to worry<br>
about radiation."<br>
<br>
"Thank you Lox." Marcus looked around him, noting the haze and dreariness.<br>
"Alright, while Takis scans for radiation security keep scanning for life<br>
signs and an entrance to the rocks. "Cho'lu is inside, but anything other<br>
than short range communication still seems hampered. Lox can you work on<br>
opening a full working communication channel with the Vimyridge?"<br>
<br>
"Not a problem." Replied Justin as he climbed back inside the shuttle to set<br>
up a relay system for communications.<br>
<br>
Marcus spoke to Cait and security "I think we should head that way, those<br>
were the last readings we were given about the caves directions.<br>
"Lieutenant Reed, security do you have other suggestions?"<br>
<br>
Nick scanned the area slowly with his eyes, "My suggestion is security up<br>
front, some in the middle, and other's in the back, that way we'll have a<br>
security element throughout... Science and medical could continuously scan<br>
with their tricorders in order to give us a head's up by detecting any<br>
possible life forms that could pose a hazard," he offered. "Proceed with<br>
caution, we should have any extraction equipment if it is needed, hopefully<br>
it won't be needed..." he added.<br>
<br>
"Planetary communications will work well.. Still working on reaching the<br>
ship. They are using a planet as a shield, which is making the task harder."<br>
Justin said from inside the shuttle.<br>
<br>
<br>
Marcus nodded to the suggestions then commed Lox again, "Are we able to beam<br>
any extraction equipment to the caves entrance or too much inteference?"<br>
<br>
"Still too much interference. If we can get the cave entrance under a<br>
metaphasic shield, we could do a site to site between there and here.<br>
Planet to ship... won't be happening. The shields around the ship have to<br>
be too strong to protect those aboard, and we don't dare drop them. Not<br>
even for a few seconds at a time." Justin replied from inside the shuttle as<br>
he continued to work on a way to contact the ship consistently.<br>
<br>
"Lox, do you think setting up a metaphasic shield is possible given the time<br>
we have?" Meaning would it be an easy thing to set up, "Reed, lead us<br>
forward, the sooner we find those caves the better."<br>
<br>
"Yes, and... well that's interesting. The caves are just outside our<br>
shields now. Let me make an adjustment.... that should do it. The cave<br>
entrance is just a bit over a half a kilometer at the base of that mountain,<br>
and under shield now." Lox replied.<br>
<br>
Kat was already one or two steps ahead with tricorder in hand beginning to<br>
scan the area around them. She chewed her lip while keeping rogue thoughts<br>
at bay. She kept her eyes moving from looking around her to watching the<br>
tiny screen on the tricorder.<br>
<br>
People weren't even fully on the move yet, and already the sheilds that Lox<br>
had extended were starting to fail, the shield generator on the shuttle just<br>
wasn't designed to extend it's sheilds like that, that far, especially when<br>
already taxed by the extra work required to protect against the radiation.<br>
<br>
<br>
Lox said something obviously derogatory, in a strange alien language<br>
"Shields won't hold like that. We will have to risk it outside the shields<br>
to get to the caves. I need crate 34x6 unloaded and put on an anti-grav<br>
sled." He was already unpacking a grav sled from another crate.<br>
"I could use some help with it."<br>
<br>
Marcus grunted, "I knew it couldn't be that easy. Alright, I'm sending<br>
Ensign Garrett back to help with the sled. Garrett, we need that here safely<br>
but quickly."<br>
<br>
They reached the caves at last, they were quiet, and there was little sign<br>
of life on the outside, except that the dust and dirt, where it could be<br>
seen, was smothered by footprints. It was very apparent Cho'lu and the rest<br>
had entered this way. Marcus followed security inside as the group finally<br>
arrived. "They've probably gone further in to escape the radiation, but they<br>
must have people on watch." He looked around to see whom they might<br>
discover.<br>
<br>
The caves were humid, old warn markings chiseled into the rock face in a<br>
cryptic language that most likely would not be understood belonging to the<br>
ancient tribes of the land. The group was met with three path options, each<br>
with a well warn path of footprints and barely visible to the eye were<br>
traces of light.<br>
<br>
Justin waited at the shuttle for Garrett while he opened up the crate<br>
containing a portable shield generator. He also took the time to unpack<br>
several sets of transport enhancers. He had an idea that may or may not<br>
work, but it would require them if it did.<br>
<br>
Cait pulled out her tricorder and scanned, scowling as she looked at the<br>
readings. "Looks like we do this the old fashion way. The make up of the<br>
caves is interfering with scans. Kat, you go right. Juard, you go left and<br>
I'll go down the middle. Takis, with me. Reed would you please go with<br>
Juard, Marcus with Kat?" Cait then divided up the rest of their security<br>
officers so that each group had at least one with them.<br>
<br>
<br>
Going with Reed, Juard asked, "What should we do now?" he said to Reed with<br>
a feeling of nervousness as he had never met the man.<br>
<br>
The caves were all large enough to walk through with space to spare, it was<br>
clear by the continued markings on the walls that these were once used as<br>
actual habitual locations. Sporadically through the stone corridors were<br>
enclaves that were chiseled into the stone with space enough for two to four<br>
people to sleep. And in fact if any of the crew observed they would see<br>
personal belongings stored in these ancient carved dwellings. It was clear,<br>
no matter the the route taken the voices and sounds of civilization was<br>
getting louder. These entrances were one of dozens leading to the central<br>
location.<br>
<br>
Nick frowned a bit.. "Just stick with me, Lieutenant," he said to the guy,<br>
"Keep your eyes open, keep scanning for signs of life... there'll most<br>
likely be interference," he said, "Just stay on your toes, and if I tell<br>
you to get down, then get down..." he replied simply, he activated his EVA<br>
suit's lamp light, so they could see more easily, scanning slowly with his<br>
eyes as they headed down their respective tunnel.<br>
<br>
"Alright." he replied to the advice.<br>
<br>
<br>
Kat smirked as Cait ordered her to go with Marcus. "Yes ma'am" she said<br>
curtly as she joined the operations manger moving down the right tunnel.<br>
Maybe it was a good thing she'd not been paired off with Nick this time the<br>
silent treatment and the distance was growing old fast.As it was she'd<br>
probably do or say something she'd regret if she had been paired with him.<br>
She discovered something she'd hoped wouldn't happen a dreaded itch began on<br>
the end of her nose. She twitched and scrunched up her face for a moment<br>
unable to reach the itch on the end of her nose due to the mask over her<br>
face 'dammit' she muttered to herself she'd have to let the itch go til at<br>
leas she was back safely in the shuttle.<br>
<br>
<br>
Marcus gave a nod of affirmation and joined Kat in exploring the right hand<br>
tunnel.<br>
<br>
<br>
Cait started down the center tunnel, noting the personal items and smiling<br>
as she heard the sounds of humanity ahead. "Not much farther I should<br>
think." Scans were taken as they proceeded into the cave system. The doc<br>
smiled over at Takis. "Radiation levels are near normal in here."<br>
<br>
<br>
[Main Cavernous Hub]<br>
<br>
Balkion crouched down low as he monitored a small viewscreen that was filled<br>
with static interference and yet still showed heat signatures of the Vimy<br>
Ridge crew, "There are people approaching." He stated, "Perhaps those that<br>
the Cho'lu advised us would appear?" a female stated just behind Balkion,<br>
"Perhaps my dear one.. perhaps."<br>
<br>
[Corridors]<br>
<br>
Nick frowned as he heard the voices not all that far off. He held up a hand<br>
to silence anything the young doctor might say, then moved, maintaining<br>
point listening for now.<br>
<br>
Juard, now silence, moved forward staying close to the leader as he didn't<br>
like small corridors<br>
as he was claustrophobic. Up ahead, he could see an opening forming. What is<br>
it he thought.<br>
<br>
Hearing more voices, Cait quickened her steps to head around a turn in the<br>
tunnel. The scans were looking good, the radiation minimal in here. In her<br>
hurry, with her attention on the tricorder instead of where she was going,<br>
Cait tripped hard and slid mostly on her face plate down the rest of the<br>
tunnel.<br>
<br>
Kat moved ahead with Saladin keeping her focus on the tricorder in her hand.<br>
She<br>
shined her hand held illuminating device in front of her not really noticing<br>
anything worth reporting. Truth was she had no idea what she was even<br>
looking<br>
for. She glanced to her side assuring herself that Marcus was indeed keeping<br>
up<br>
with her. She tapped her com breaking her silence. "Wilkinson to doctor<br>
Blake,<br>
what exactly am I looking for?" she asked.<br>
<br>
<br>
Marcus instinctively smiled to Kat, though he was sure the smile couldn't be<br>
seen. "People, Wilkinson. Life signs. Equipment that would indicate the<br>
survivors have headed this way. Medical supplies, animals, anything."