Arrival

Posted on Mon Aug 24th, 2015 @ 3:16am by Commander Bertrand Cuprum & Captain Elijah Michaels & Commander Cor Cordale & Lieutenant Mickey McClane & Lieutenant & Captain Brenda Sinclair & Ensign Honey Flanagan & Lieutenant JG Elliot Keller & Lieutenant Valeria Mordin

Mission: Commanding the Elements
Location: Helliax IV orbit
Timeline: T-52

The USS Victory dropped out of warp and moved at high Impulse towards the fourth planet of the Red Giant Helliax. This start had been chosen because of its well established long term stability. The fact that it was now acting out was a scientific anomaly worthy of much more study, but not today. Right now they had 52 hours to get the population that remained on the surface to safety.

Already there were two other ships in orbit, the USS Cairns, Intrepid class, and the much larger but older Miranda class, USS Prospero. The Prospero was sitting in a cloud of much smaller ships, clinging to it like pilot fish. These were the first and most reliable of the colony ships that had been deemed space worthy and had trained pilots to launch. They hovered close to the Prospero which had extended its shields to try and provide some protection for the weaker craft from the increased radiation the star was belching out. There was no sign yet of the Steam Runner class USS Agamemnon.

As the USS Victory and tiny USS Tesla pulled into standard orbit, they could see that the weather patterns on the planet were already playing up. The increased out put form the sun had caused unusual heating of pockets of atmosphere. Extreme storms were already under way in some areas of the planet, while the sea levels were rising rapidly. Most of the coastal towns were now gone, with a couple managing to barricade themselves behind sea walls. This was a temporary measure though. Calls for assistance by trapped groups were filling the comms.

At the top of a large mountain range was the first city. It was here that people were streaming to as best as they were able, and it was here that the surface efforts were underway.

"Counsellor Tekar is hailing us, Captain,"

"Put him on Screen." Elijah said as he stood up from his seat.

"Good to see you are here, Captain," the Bajoran Counselor Tekar appeared on the screen. Behind him you could see a large window being whipped by driving rains. The image itself spun and discoloured as the solar activity interfered with the transmission. "You are a welcome sight. I have some priority tasks I need assistance with and would appreciate your presence on the surface."

"Understood, I will meet you on the planet shortly." Elijah said to the Counselor.

"Commander, you have the Bridge," Elijah said getting up and, with a polite nod, made his way to the Turbolift.

"Aye, sir," Bertrand nodded handing the Tacitcal station over to a Security ensign he had selected for the role. "Counselor Tekar, can you identify any immediate and salient concerns I can assign people to?"

"The town of Ca'ael was cut off by severe storm early on and we have not been able to get our people there to effect extraction. They are facing flooding if their sea wall breaks. Any chance you could get some teams down there to help keep people calm till we can get them out?"

"I can get a security teams down there, but they may need engineering support for that sea wall, sir," Bertrand provided.

Cordale gave a nod, "Then they'll get it. Need a mechanic in the field, I'm your Thux chief."

Bertrand nodded, "I can give you a six man team, but Sinclair may be able to give you more. Barricading up is something I am given to believe that Marines do well. Take Ensign Flanagan with you. Apart from being an able scientist, her aquatic nature could be beneficial if you do get flooded."

Cor gave a nod, "I'll take any hands I can get. Ensuring those fields are stable and able to keep out the flooding is going to be a task in and of itself." he paused, then gave a nod, "Let's hope it doesn't come to that, but... always good to know."

"Looksss like I'm with you, Lieutenant." Honey said, still a bit overwhelmed. Still, this was what she had signed up for, and she was going to do her best. The Thux took a moment to reassure Honey, "Hey, once we get down there, don't worry about 'Lieutenant' this or 'Lieutenant Junior Something or Other' that. Just 'Cor'. Trust me, it's shorter and easier to yell when you need my attention." he gave a smirk.

"Besides, you yell out Lieutenant and you might get like six people answering." he added after a pause.

"Well, yesss, but we aren't on the planet yet, Lieutenant." she replied with a mischievous smile. "I'm just glad you aren't called Missster Misssssisssssippi sssunrissse, or sssomething sssimilar." she added, her reptilian forked tongue flicking out with each hissed s.

The Thux looked to the left, then to the right before he leaned in and whispered... "Who told you my secret name?" and he gave her a smirk to match. All in good fun.

Tekar continued his litany of woes, "We have a number of vessels at our main starport, but we are a community of farmers and they are not built for space flight. They don't even have radiation shielding. How long would it take your engineers to get them space worthy? Also, do you have any spare pilots?"

Bertrand looked to Moriloth, "Once we are in a stable orbit, can you and the rest of the flight crew get to the surface and start ferrying passengers? We have more pilots than shuttle craft so some of you will have to try and get their freighters to fly."

"Cor, They will need an engineering team to help with any spaceflight refits."

Cordale gave a nod, "I can handle that, but I have to stress that my initial priority is on those fields. Anyone in a freighter that isn't spaceworthy is still, for the most part, in a somewhat mobile shelter. Anyone in those bunkers needs those shields."

"Agreed," Bertrand said. "You'll need to nominate teams though to do the job for you. You'll be in Ca'ael which is about 80 km east of Capital City."

"You know, I didn't trip over the plaque that says 'Chief'." the Thux ribbed with a smirk. "The fields are the focus since anyone in a shuttle can just go to another part of the planet and vacation for a bit." Cor pointed out. "Anyone who needs a field is denied that. Though, don't you fret, I'll make it work." a pause, "We'll make it work." he said, a little hushed.

"Sinclair, you are a rated pilot, right?" Bertrand asked the Marine Captain, who had been dreading the question. "How many of your teams have a pilot?"

Brenda raised an eyebrow at the man, and took a breath. "Technically, yes. Though I haven't sat in the pilot's chair in a while. As for the rest of the Company.... maybe half a dozen passed the test - including me. Though, I would point out, these are infantry people, not pilots."

"You telling me your people aren't up to it?" Bertrand couldn't suppress a smile and some light trash talk. "Get as many of your pilots to the space port, they've got lives to save. The rest of your guys can help our security team police the evac."

Brenda practically bristled at the light-hearted challenge. "I'm saying it's not their primary function on board, Sir." She would, nevertheless follow the order. An order, was an order.

"Lt Wakeman, you are on point for the evac management on the ground. I don't want any riots."

"On it sir." Came the reply from the hybrid who was already geared up in anti riot gear.

"Obviously we have a large number of sick and injured that need to be moved carefully," The Bajoran began again. "We would like to be giving transporter privileges to them as a priority but we would appreciate a medical expert to do the triage."

Bertrand frowned, "We are quite short staffed medically at the moment as well, Counselor, but I will give you any we can spare."

He turned to Antos, "Doctor, can we trust the EMH to handle patients and release you and your team to the surface to manage the triage? I know you are flight rated, but I'd think your medical skills will be more in demand for the first couple of days."

"Yes! The EMH will Preform effectively, Sir!" Antos commented quickly to his reply. "I don't have much of a team; you know this. I don't see any reason for the receptionist to go, they're more effective here with the EMH sir!" Antos added with a straight face. "I will do what I can sir! I have been in tighter spaces.Sir!" He let out a small quiet sigh.

"I trust you to allocate you team as best fits their skills and duties doctor," Bertrand asserted. "I can give you an additional six man security team as orderlies."

Antos appreciated the extra men, it was better then nothing, as he nodded his OK.

"I'm not entirely certain where I'd be the most helpful, sir." Valeria offered, "Though, I'm well organized... and Ts'usugi don't frazzle under stress." she pointed out with no hidden pride in her tone. "Wherever you need me, I'll be."

"I need one of your team here," Bertrand replied, "to interpret the solar activity data we will be getting. If Wyatt wants to be on the surface then that means you. If he wants to stay then that's fine too."

"Then I will be here." Valeria stated, with a definite air to it. This meant that Honey would have her chance of being planetside.

"Lt Cadwell, Ensign Keller, I need you to get to what ever center of communications and science they have operating, Probably within Capital city herself. You are going to have to be our eyes and ears on the ground. Cadwell, you do the sciencing. Keller, you make sure he gets whatever access he needs from their admin."

Elijah could not believe what was happening, he had never seen anything like this before. It was scary to imagine what those people were going through. But the Commander knew they were the only hope.

"Commander, I would like to stay here because this whole ordeal may need some com-traffic clear up," Mickey said as he looked up from his station with Acting Ensign Aladdin at his side.

Anots was a bit relieved that Mickey and Aladdin would be on-board. Still safer than on the surface, he thought.

Bertrand began to issue orders as the CO and XO left, "Transporter room 5, stand by to beam the Command, Flight, Engineering and Medical teams to the capital. Room 3, stand by for Security and Engineering teams to be transported to Ca'ael. Other transporters rooms stand by to receive refugees. Extraction rota Delta; keep them moving. Ops and Security details to help with moving personnel to designated refuges."

"Medical and all the supplies are all ready for transport. All the time I have currently is waiting time, Sir!" Antos commented. "Only thing I might add if possible is maybe an engineer or two to keep things running if necessary like shield generators and life support just in case, Sir!"Antos added

"Acknowledged, Doctor," Bertrand called over the comms. "Cor, do you have anyone you can spare for Antos team?"

"Discounting what we'd need for a skeleton crew on the Victory, I have a few left." Cordale mentioned after a moment's thought. "I'll send them to meet up with Antos." and the Thux started to make a few comm calls to the Engineering pit.

Mickey couldn't help but contact Brenda. He would hate for something to happen to her so he contacted her through the com-link. He hit his combadge. =A= Captain Sinclair, it's McClane. You watch your ass down there i don't need anything happen to you or anyone down there. Please come back to me.=A= Mickey said quietly to his new friend over the com-link.

Bertrand winced. There was a lot of raw emotion flying around and it was hard to screen it all out.

"We have 52 hours before the first of the Solar Flares to hit the surface, so lets make the most of the next two and a half days."

"Antos, you watch yourself down there, friend." Mickey called out to him through his mind.

Antos did not have to look at Mickey. "I will be ok!" Antos thought back to Mickey.