Seeking New Life: Part 3

Posted on Mon Dec 28th, 2020 @ 7:43am by Major Naomi Sylan Griffiths & Lieutenant Commander Deannen Roinu & Lieutenant Commander Arianna Sky Kamar & Lieutenant Shri'Rao Sh'veqan & Lieutenant Commander James Trallos MD & Lieutenant JG Simon Hunter & Lieutenant JG Vespa Kale & Ensign Wulfgar Duergar & Ensign Paul Sleeford

Mission: Survival of the fittest
Location: Bridge
Timeline: Current

[ON]

Frank returned to the crowded bridge from the ready room after a discussion with Arianna and the Major, he was still undecided on a full course of action but knew something must be done quickly.

Waiting for the captain and the doctor to finish their respective discussions, Sleeford taped a few commands and split his panel in half vertically, the lower half showing the composite images of the planes as it revolved below the ship. As the pair approached the console Sleeford felt a little nervous.

"Doctor I think I have a solution to your cadaver problem, it seems that in the Northern hemisphere they burn the bodies and then they seem to bury the ash in a large pit." Pointing to the plumes of smoke coming from the larger town and cities in the North. " In the southern hemisphere, they seem to bury the dead in large open pits, once there full they seem to cover them in the earth and make a barrow. I've found two that are partially full, one just outside what I assume to be the southern capital, which appears to be used daily. The other about 40 miles to the south-east is a large pit, which seems to hold around 600 bodies. If we could beam one on board, in a containment field, would that suit your need doctor?"

James looked over the Ensign's shoulder. He could make out some of his display, mostly the images. The rest had all kinds of data he did not recognize easily on it. The images looked promising, at least as promising as a mass grave could, so he was going with that. "Assuming they don't count their dead in the grave that would be good. If the Captain is ok with a little grave robbing for the greater good, we beam the body to the morgue with level five containment. When we are ready to beam the body onboard, let me know and I will override the biofilter for transport.'

"If you think its the best chance we have to help these people then proceed Doc, if you need help feel free to take one of the Ensigns, they seem to be multiplying on my bridge," Frank said with a twinkle in his eye.

Wulfgar looked closer at the scan from an auxiliary panel. "Sir, I see some debris outside the upper ionosphere, possibly ejected out during the explosion. Request permission to retrieve the debris for clues on if it's a weapon or a failed warp drive test." He asked looking at the Captain then glanced at Arianna. "With your permission of course Ma'am." He added quickly.

"Confirmed Captain, scanning a metallic debris field. " Shri'Rao said.

"Agreed. I would love to examine it myself. But first I have a few modifications to make so it will be safe. We don't know if it is contaminated or if it was the contaminant itself" Arianna said, smiling at her protégé.

"A level four force field should be able to contain any radiation or contamination and one we have it in the shuttle and back on board, we can use site to site to transport it to cargo bay 3. I believe that one's mostly empty." Wulfgar said as he was tapping on his PADD, taking notes and expanding thoughts.

"Very good. A level 4 forcefield it is. Have it set up in cargo bay 3, Wulfgar," Arianna said smiling at her young protégé.

"I want containment fields set up around the morgue and shuttle bay and I want security posted at both locations and access restricted. We are taking no chances here," Frank ordered.

"Copy that Sir," replied Simon as he started to make the preparation's for the transport, as he knew that things were not looking good at the moment, but now the plan was sound and hoped the answers to the questions lay in the body they were going to retrieve.

Major Griffiths followed the Captain out of the Ready Room and headed to her seat, currently, her skillset was not needed so she sat quietly running things through her mind on what to do, to make herself more useful to the ship and her crew.

The doctor walked over to the Major and stood next to her. Seeing the bridge engaged in conversation he leaned down and spoke softly to her. "On a scale of one to dry heaves, how queasy do you get around the dead?"

She looked at the doctor incredulously and with a raised eyebrow and just as quietly "really!" She said as if he forgot she was a marine with combat experience "green undershirt doctor, I am a Marine" she said unable to stop the sarcasm then quickly regretted it "sorry doctor, I am feeling useless on the bridge, these are well-trained officers each with skills for bridge duty and such moments tends to bring out my snippy side. But to answer your question I am a One, I have seen dead bodies before" she said with a smile.

"Oh, I saw the green shirt." He said and opened his mouth to make a comment and then closed it. He appreciated the back and forth banter that had developed between the two of them. But they were on the bridge and some comments would be deemed unprofessional for the bridge. "I also probably should have added that this particular body has not had a heartbeat in quite some time. Not your usual fresh battle kill. If you are still interested, I could use an extra pair of hands in isolation with it."

She did a double-take "Really a rotting corpse, tell me something doctor is it gruesome?" She asked seeming to genuinely perk up at this news in the back of her mind and inner voice was saying 'Morbid much!'

"Gruesome is a matter of opinion and in mone, the state of liquefaction of the body. This one shouldn't be too old, and now that I think about it, we will be in hazmat suits inside the forcefield, so no smells." He said with a small realization it would not be quite as crazy as he initially thought. "Either way, I'd be glad for some assistance if you're free and willing.

Looking at him directly face brightening "you want me, you got it, just say when and where" Griffiths said a bit too enthusiastically again her inner voice "so morbid are you" it said to her.

He smiled and nodded. "Ok then, meet me in Medical Isolation in about 30 minutes," he said as he turned, then turned back to her. "Oh, and wear something comfortable, it gets warm in those hazmat suits."

Smiling "You got it Doc, see you in thirty," Griffiths said and watched the doctor leave the bridge again her inner voice said 'you are still morbid' she had to admit her inner voice was correct.

Jane, not seeing anyway she could be of any help here had taken the opportunity to slip off the bridge and go see to any clients or things that required her attention. She felt more than a little helpless at the situation and just needed something to help her to not think of all those people dying and dead bellow them.

"Begin the retrieval of debris and a cadaver when ready," Frank said before moving behind the science station. He watched the scientific data roll in, and he hoped that it would prove useful in solving this mystery.

Vespa worked on the data coming in from the probe, and from the long-range scans, they had already taken. When Kamar moved over to investigate, she stepped to each side to make room for him. She assumed he knew what he was looking for, but if not, she'd be there to field any questions.

"Aye Sir, who do you want me to take with me for salvage duty?" Wulfgar asked as he moved to the turbo lift. "I could use science though. Make sure it safe to transport. "He added as he stopped.

"Take a volunteer Ensign, your choice," Kamar replied giving the Ensign a chance to exhibit some leadership qualities.

While everyone was going about their business, Sleeford scanned the large open grave for the 'youngest' body, reading the results from the screen he called over his shoulder to the doctor.

"Doctor, I have a candidate for your examination. If this is right a young female. Been deceased around thirty-six hours if these readings are correct. I can set up an isolated area in cargo bay three, and then put a filed around the entire bay"

The doctor walked over and examined the display and nodded. "Looks like it, assuming normal biology. Only one way to find out though Ensign. Don't worry about the cargo bay. Since we can get a single body that is off to the side there, I can set the isolation ward up. When we hit orbit I will need about 10 min to make sure we are set and then can beam directly in."

"Doc, should we beam the subject directly to the shuttle bay or transport via shuttle? I would assume a direct beam in would decrease exposure," Frank asked.

The doctor nodded. "A direct beam would be best if the atmospheric conditions allow for it. Sickbay has a module available for this with higher biofilter cleansing than the shuttles would. Since we do not know what we have here, and the degree of fatalities on the surface, I'd rather minimize all risks if there is a contagion."

Arianna was sitting at her console watching power levels and controlling most everything else to make sure the ship is still in one piece.

"If you're looking for volunteers to help..." Vespa piped up, "I volunteer."

Wulfgar had been standing there listening to the planning while going over the two best people to take with him to retrieve the debris in orbit. He smiled at Vespa. He could take her, she's science but that would be two, or would it. She was one mind after all. But who to take. "Your help would be appreciated, Lieutenant Kale. Anyone else wanna go collect debris?" He looked back at the rest.

Vespa gave a pair of nods, ready to join the movement. Be it to a more detailed sensor array, or to a shuttle.

[Bridge]

M’Relar was on the bridge at the Tactical Station as she was ordered by her Security Chief Lt Sh’veqan ordered her to be so as she was at the tactical station she watched out the main viewer as in doing a little mind drifting which she shouldn’t do she should keep her mind on what's ahead case some of the main bridge crew comes back.

She then tapped some Tactical buttons to see if any other problems were going on in space, besides what's going on now.

"What are you looking for M'Relar?' Shri'Rao asked.

M’Relar looked out in space.”Nothing out there ma’am. All looks quite so far Ma’am” M’Relar purred. M’Relar sighed a bit but did not say much, just keeping her Caitian eyes on the Tactical station.

"Very good, then carry on, Lieutenant," Shri'Rao said.

Looking around "Okay let's make sure all is as it should be then it will be decided what happens next," the Major said happily with what was going on so far.

"What do you mean Major?" Shri'Rao asked.

"Exactly like it sounds Lieutenant, none of us wants things to go badly, so let us make sure things happen and we have a happy ending," Griffiths said with a smile,


[OFF]

Captain Frank Kamar
Commanding Officer
USS Pennsylvania

Major NS Griffiths
First Officer
USS Pennsylvania

Lt. Cmdr. Arianna Sky Kamar
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Pennsylvania

Lt. Shri'Rao Sh'veqan
Chief Security Officer
USS Pennsylvania

Ltjg M'Relar K'relar
Security Officer
USS Pennsylvania

Ensign Wulfgar Duergar
Engineering Officer
USS Pennsylvania

Lt. JG Vespa Kale
Science Officer