Arrival at Vela IV

Posted on Fri Feb 24th, 2023 @ 11:35pm by Captain Charlotte Rhodes & Lieutenant Subat & Lieutenant Commander Kenna Wolff & Lieutenant Commander Ryan Knight & Lieutenant Callie Knight
Edited on on Wed Mar 29th, 2023 @ 6:03pm

1,444 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 0: New Sheriff in Town
Location: Bridge, USS Defiant
Timeline: MD 5: Mid Afternoon
Tags: story

Arrival in 3 minutes.

The readout in the bottom right of the viewscreen ticked away as the bright star lines outside the window streaked past with blinding speed. Defiant was blazing along at Warp 8, rushing to the last location the USS Howard Carter was seen. They didn’t know for sure that any foul play had occurred, but Charlotte Rhodes’ gut told that it had been attacked. And her gut was often right.

As she stood center screen ahead of the helm terminals, she took the briefest of moments to compose herself, letting the mask slip into place. Years of compartmentalization and practice had helped her hone her instincts and in the thick of the action ‘The Captain’ was the only version of Charlotte that she allowed through. Whether it was healthy for her wasn’t really a question. It was what the moment required and it was what kept the crew safe. She spoke loud enough her voice carried back behind her to the crew on her bridge, her tone calm and confident. “Time to see what’s going on over Vela IV. Yellow Alert.”

"Yes Sir" The yellow lights began flashing. Kenna was working on her console.

Stepping onto the bridge, Callie nodded to Charlotte as she headed across to her seat. She would keep her senses alert for anything that she could pick up on incase it was needed.

Ryan was at the helm. Despite his earlier calm about the situation in the Vela system, he was now feeling moderate anxiety. If Captain Rhodes was correct, Samantha could be in real danger. He looked at the telemetry data. "Two minutes until we drop out of warp."

“Shields up. Keep sensors scanning for any hostile signals.” The Captain turned around, to face her helmsman. “Mr. Knight, drop us out of warp in close orbit. I don’t want to give too much lead time to any possible lurkers out there. It’ll also help us be in close proximity of Howard Carter requires any assistance.”

Ryan keyed in the course corrections for a close orbit drop from warp. It was generally a maneuver discouraged for use due to gravitational shift. "Close orbit warp drop calculated and input to navigational controls. Inertial dampeners set to compensate."

Charlotte rounded the helm terminal back to her chair as the final countdown approached. She pushed the comm button as she took her seats. “All hands, arrival at Vela IV in 30 seconds.”

Ryan started a verbal countdown as their final few seconds approached. "Warp drop and orbit insertion on my mark...3, 2, 1, mark."

The streaking lights of warp returned to steady points in an instant, as the vessel dropped from maximum warp speed to sublight. The bright orange light of the Vela Star setting behind the planet bathed Defiant’s bridge in warm calming light. The effect would have been serene if the proximity sensor a moment later hadn’t sounded.

"Sir, we have the Howard Carter. No lifesigns... damage is extensive... I doubt anyone could have survived it,... no life pods though." she brought the image up on the viewer. "Sir... whatever, whoever did this... did the job"

Callie sat letting her senses take in what was left of the ship, she shook her head as her senses agreed with Kenna’s readouts.

Charlotte’s worst fears about the incident had been realized. She’d know it had to be something of the sort. A ship like the Howard Carter going silent suddenly? It didn’t just happen. Something needed to take her out before she could react. Her voice came out cold as ice. “Red Alert.”

"Aye" Kenna hit the alert button easily and brought up her weapons screens.

The red lights of the bridge and the loud klaxons activated in unison.

Letting her mental ‘shields’ down more, Callie focussed on the area around them. If there was life anywhere near she should pick it up. “Captain...” She looked towards Charlotte. “I’m definitely sensing life on the planet. It could be indigenous, or there could be survivors.”

Ryan set his controls to scan the surface of the planet. "I have several Starfleet transponders transmitting from two different locations. A single person bridge escape pod 20 kilometers west of the dig site and a multi person escape pod South South West 197 kilometers from the first pod."

Survivors. The news made the Captain almost leap from her seat. But doubt entered her mind too. The possibility that this was a trap was certainly there. After all, where had this attack ship gone. They couldn’t ignore the possibility of survivors though. Any crew on the surface were counting on them. “Sounds like we’re going to need two away teams. Knight, Wolff, Vali. You’re with me. We’ll hit the single pod near the dig site. There’s a chance the dig team might still be present. Or bare minimum we might find a clue as to why this team got hit. A second team can transport to the larger pod.”

She then gestured at the older Vulcan sitting at the science station. “Mr. Subat, you have the Conn. Drop those shields just long enough to beam us down and not a moment longer.”

The older Vulcan man nodded as he approached the chair. “Aye, Captain.”

Charlotte then crossed to the turbolift, pausing once inside for her team to follow.

Ryan was on his feet and following Charlotte as the navigator switched to the helm until the relief helmsman could be summoned. He was going to find his sister and if lucky. Those responsible for this tragedy.

Callie was right behind Ryan, her senses would come in useful on the surface. She just hoped she could help Ryan find his sister alive and well.

Kenna nodded, her face a stoic mask as she handed over her station and followed the group, last into the lift.

As soon as her officers were inside, Captain Rhodes pulled the control rod. "Deck 6."

The turbolift shot off down the tube and a mere moment later, they arrived at the deck in question. As the doors opened, they headed toward the Transporter Room. Charlotte spoke as they walked. "Grab weapons and tricorders. Whatever you're comfortable with. I'd recommend a phaser pistol at minimum. Lt. Vali, I'd bring some field medicinal gear. We're likely to face some opposition down there, either attacker or nature. And there will likely be wounded. We'll get down there, get our survivors, and get out."

Ryan planned on gearing up with a phaser pistol and a tricorder at minimum. He pulled up short at the door to the arms room next to the transporter room and crossed to a wall mounted communications panel. "Bridge, Lieutenant Knight here. Perform a scan of the surface for he presence of refined platinum and transmit coordinates to transporter room one if detected." He closed the circuit once his request was acknowledged. He looked at Charlotte. "My parents gave Samantha a bracelet when she got her Doctorate degree from the Vulcan Science Academy. It may pinpoint her location on the surface."

"A good idea, Lieutenant. Transporter Chief, the helmsman's got a souvenir for you to find," Charlotte said to the young Andorian Transporter officer as they entered the transporter room. She quickly pulled on an away team jacket, strapped a phaser pistol holster to her hip, and slung a phaser rifle over her shoulder. With a quick hop up the stairs to the transporter platform, she waited for the others to take position.

Ryan geared up with a phaser rifle, phaser pistol and a standard tricorder. He also obtained a survival knife with a boot sheath and concealed it. He joined Charlotte on the transporter platform. He was going to find Samantha alive and well or someone on that planet was going to answer for her being hurt.

Callie grabbed herself a phaser, and a field medical kit, as much as she was hoping it wouldn’t be needed. Joining the others on the transporter PADD she stood ready to beam down.

Kenna grabbed her equipment and moved to the padd checking her phaser rifle's charge and two hip phasers. She paused as a security ensign ran up and handed her a pack which she slung over her back and took two small knife sheaths and fastened them to her wrists.

As the other two stepped onto the pad, Captain Rhodes stood at the ready and turned to the Transporter Operator. "Energize."

A whirring, grinding noise filled the air and light began to spiral around the officers as the transporter coils whirred to life. A moment later, the transporter pad was empty.

 

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