Call For Help

Posted on Fri Jan 27th, 2023 @ 8:37am by Captain Charlotte Rhodes & Doctor Samantha Knight, DSci.
Edited on on Wed Mar 29th, 2023 @ 6:02pm

1,689 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 0: New Sheriff in Town
Location: Vela IV
Timeline: S01E00D01, 1200 hours
Tags: story

Doctor Samantha Renee Knight, Archeologist and Anthropologist, stood outside one of the two shuttlecraft on the improvised landing pad. She stared off to the north where a set of ruins were barely visible in the distance. The expedition had been called off after the 90 day deadline to ascertain if the rumors that an advanced civilization had once colonized Vela IV. Samantha felt it in her gut that they had needed just a little more time and better sensor equipment and they could find the evidence the Federation Science Council required to fund a more extensive expedition.

Doctor David Ross finished speaking with the two pilots of the shuttlecraft and turned to walk over to Samantha. He gave a gentle sigh as he stepped up to his junior associate. "I hate to say this, but it is time to go."

Samantha stared off at the ruins for another moment before turning to her expedition leader. "We need to contact Doctor La'chor when we get to Starbase Arcadia. He could get the authorization for us to come back and...."

David held up a hand. "Samantha. Just stop!" He had a tired expression, as if this wasn't the first time he had listened to her argument. "The Federation Science Council has terminated authorization to continue this project." He gave her a stern look and pointed to the shuttlecraft on the right. "We are leaving. Now!"

Samantha flashed an angry expression at David as she stomped away to the shuttlecraft. She thought to herself how out of touch with real field science the senior fellowship of the Council was. She saw them as no different to how corporations behaved in the 20th and 21st centuries. Cut off funding for projects that didn't produce a tangible profit. She stomped onto the shuttlecraft and took her seat.

The pilot glanced at Samantha, who just glared at him, almost daring the younger man to say anything. She sat in her seat simmering in rage over the decision to abandon the archeological excavation on Vela IV. She was thinking she might have to travel all the way back to Earth to get the Federation Science Council to listen.

David boarded the shuttlecraft and nodded to the Starfleet Ensign at the controls as he took his seat and strapped in for takeoff. "We're ready ensign."

The ensign glanced at David. "Roger that sir." He turned to the flight controls and brought the engines online.

Dr. Ross couldn't ignore Samatha's obviously angry body language. As the shuttle rose off the ground and began the climb to orbit, he let out a sigh. "Look...I understand how frustrating this can feel. You're convinced we've nearly found something of substance here and don't want your weeks of efforts to be a waste. But this is one of those things you need to get used to. It's not my first termination and it won't be your last. There are millions of planets out there. The council can't fund expeditions to each. We get exploratory periods for a reason. 90 Days to turn up proof that further investigation is merited. There will be other worlds. For all we know, wasting more time here might delay you from getting to a dig where your work really means something."

Samantha let out an audible sigh, but with it she also released some of the pent up anger. She had just wasn't a fan of the FSC's strict protocols for expanding initial archeological excavation surveys. "I am just frustrated. I really thought we were on to something here. It's so...." She looked to David who finished her sentence for her.

“Unsatisfying? Disappointing? Infuriating? It’s a bit of each. But I look at it a little different. We’ve woken up and worked on the same digs for 90 days looking at the same dirt each day. And as much as you and I might feel we’re about to dig up the next big discovery…well…we just haven’t yet. Will it bug me forever? Probably. Will I be insanely jealous of the next team that comes by and actually finds something at a dig I had to leave? Sure. But there are freelancers who have wasted years on a single dig thinking they’re inches away from a discovery that never comes. 90 days might feel to short, but it spares you from growing to hate your digs. It is a blessing…even when it doesn’t feel like it.”

"I know. It's just..." Samantha took a moment to think on what she wanted to express. "...excavations, done right, are a time consuming process. Archeology is always last in priority for scientific study. It's like the powers that be are only interested in planets viable for future colonization."

The pilot interrupted David and Samantha's conversation. "Sorry for the interruption, but I am having difficulty raising the ship on communications. They are no longer in a standard planetary orbit either."

David sat forward in his chair and squinted out the viewport. “What? Where the hell did they go? We’re not due to head out for several hours.”

The pilot raised the other shuttlecraft and received a similar report. The unexpected then occurred. A ship appeared on sensors coming around the planet's moon and made an attack run on the two shuttlecraft.

With a burst of speed, the fast interceptor style vessel raced forward, angling toward the lead shuttlecraft. A burst of golden yellow fire erupted from its wing mounted cannons and a moment later, the other shuttlecraft erupted in plume of light.

“My god!” David stammered out, barely able to contain his shock. “E-e-evasive….”

The pilot nosed down towards Vela IV. The small shuttlecraft was more likely to handle better in atmosphere than the stubby winged craft turning towards them. "Buckle in! It's about to get bumpy!"

Samantha complied frantically with the pilot's instructions. She fought back the desire to scream. It would only compound problems if screams distracted the young pilot trying to save their lives. She looked across to David, a terrified expression on her face.

David looked no better. The blood had drained fully from his face and he looked utterly terrified. He’d lost coworkers through the years and he’d been attacked once or twice by petty bandits. But never had he seen people he’d worked with for months simply disappear in a flash. “What do we do?” He just mutter the sentence repeatedly under his breath. His mind was stuck in a loop.

The pilot was able to get the shuttlecraft to the proper angle for reentry and was already passing through the ionosphere. He spared a quick glance at his sensors, before the temporary blackout occurred, and estimated the bandit was approximately thirty seconds behind them. He was going to have to time his course change and find a hiding spot during the five to ten seconds the enemy would be sensor blind during reentry.

The craft behind them pulled into a sharp decline to pursue the shuttle. It's pilot was keeping pace, but the calculations were rough. The angles weren't precise and its angle of attack was going to put it in sensor blackout a full 3 seconds longer than was necessary. 3 seconds in a situation like this could mean the difference between life and death for the fleeing shuttle. Just as sensors went dark, the aggressor squeezed off another burst of fire.

Tension in the shuttlecraft could be cut with a knife as the sensor blackout occurred. It wasn’t more than a few seconds the panel lit back up. Then pilot sighed in relief for a moment. The bandit was starting its reentry maneuvers. "We need a place to hide this beast. Are there any lakes or canyons near where your dig site was?"

Doctor Ross was pulled back to reality as the panels of the shuttle lit back up. "Uh...a small reservoir was a few kilometers north of the dig site. Not very big, but fairly deep."

The pilot looked at the sensor display and shook his head. "Okay, plan B. After locker, you'll find parachutes and survival packs. Take one and get ready to pop the hatch. Your both going to jump. You'll also find phaser pistol. I recommend grabbing one of those as well."

Samantha swallowed the lump in her throat. She unbuckled herself and got a parachute and survival pack. She started for the hatch then remembered to secure a phaser from the arms cabinet. She looked at the pilot as she got to the hatch release. "What about you?"

David’s panic had faded enough for him to follow the pilots directions. He looked at Samantha and shook his head. “Let’s let the man try to find a place to put his shuttle down without worrying about us,” he said, grabbing the gear. He turned toward the pilot, but couldn’t think of what to say.

The pilot ignored Samantha's question. He checked his sensors. "Pop the hatch on my mark. Three...Two...One. MARK!

David activated the hatch release. The slid open and the roar of the air drowned out any other sounds. David nodded to Samantha before leaping out.

Samantha followed David half a second later. She normally loved skydiving, the rush of adrenaline as she fell from the sky. This time she only felt dread as she plummeted down. She pulled the rip cord, allowing the chute to deploy and slow her descent. She used the guide cords to follow David to the surface.

David led the way in the descent to the surface. He hoped the Carter had the opportunity to spend a distress message but the likelihood of such a thing was dubious at best. He was still wondering if help could arrive in time to rescue them.

David and Samantha touched down a few dozen meters from one another. They secured their chutes and then inventoried their packs together. They took a visual look around and used the tricorder from one of the packs to conduct a scan out to five kilometers. They then started their trek towards the ruins and hopefully shelter.

 

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