Islands in the sky

Posted on Sunday 11 July 2021 @ 08:49 by Captain Melody Jones & Commander Save'ena (Sav) Tillatix & Commander Caroline Miller & Lieutenant Marbim Rejal & Major David Scarlet & Lieutenant Nir’anyar & Gunnery Sergeant Alexander Beck & Chief Petty Officer Marika Beck

Mission: A Cry from the Darkness
Location: Main Bridge
Timeline: MD 12 1000
1913 words - 3.8 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

On the viewscreen, the short range sensors showed the end faint signal of the warp signature they were following. Strangely, it ended just outside gravity influence of a main sequence star right near a planet, which sciences had been scanning since it was detected in range of their scientific scanners. Sav called out to Miles, "Warp Signature ending, dropping out of warp in 3, 2, 1... end warp. Planet ahead, Sir, heading towards standard orbit." It would take a few minutes to get into that orbit.

Melody could tell the ship had dropped out of warp, and came out of her ready room onto the bridge. “Report!”

Miles stood in the center of the bridge, staring at the viewscreen. "We've found an uncharted Class M planet. There are two interesting aspects, the first is the geography, the landmasses for the most part are floating islands, and visiting them will require us to either wear rebreathers or have the Doctors come up with something that will allow us to breathe on our own. The second interesting fact is that the world is inhabited. Their technology level is both primitive in some aspects and highly advanced in others. We tried scanning for Caroline, but we are haven't found any trace of her yet, other than this is where the ship dropped out of warp."

The planet on the viewscreen showed enlargement, and then a shift as the Merlin entered standard Northern Hemisphere orbit. Sav called out, "Orbit Established, Captain."

Melody frowned as she looked at the viewscreen. "Why the hell would someone bring Caroline here?" She sat up a bit straighter "Put on your best poker face Commander." she said to Rejal, Then called out to Lieutenant Morgan "Open hailing frequencies."

Morgan looked to the Captain as he worked the controls. " Hailing frequencies open Captain, main view screen online. "

"This is Captain Melody Jones of the USS Merlin, representing the United Federation of Planets. I have reason to believe that you are holding a member of my crew, Commander Caroline Miller. We wish to negotiate her release. Please respond!"

The tension on the bridge was palpable. Even Melody was holding her breath waiting for a response.

Sav focused on the orbit parameters even as she listened for any telltales of sensors reporting satellites, other orbital ship traffic, any extended orbit manufactured equipment, but so far, nothing. The Merlin just didn't encounter it yet, or it just wasn't there. And, if not, who or how did a warp capable ship decide to come this way?

"This is Harleen of the Ptiná. Apologies we rarely get communications from outside our planet. It took us a while to work out how to respond to your technology. We do not know of any people being held on our planet Captain."

Melody frowned a moment before responding diplomatically. “It's quite alright. We didn't mean to alarm you but we must find our missing colleague. We’ve been following a ship that kidnapped Commander Miller and their warp trail leads here. Do you know of anyone who would do this or why they would come to your world. We think it might have something to do with a treatment for a disease that Commander Miller was working on. She's also a medical doctor.”

"I can put some of our intel people on it Captain. We don't know of anyone called Commander Miller," Harleen informed them. "I would be happy to in the meantime have our people meet. I formally invite you down to the planet."

Melody smiled. At last, some progress. "Thank you for your generous invitation. Expect our away team to beam down to your co-ordinates momenterality. Merlin out."

Melody stood. "Commander Rejal, Lieutenant McPhee, Lieutenant Morgan you're with me, have the Doctor meet us in transporter room one. Tell him we're going to need respirators and tri-ox backup. Commander Tillatix, you have the bridge."

Miles cleared his throat before turning around. "Captain, I do not want you stepping foot on that planet, for two reasons. One, someone down there has Caroline, and at this point, I don't feel very trusting of anyone outside of the crew. Two. I won't allow you to be taken hostage, or, by means of someone removing your respirator, allow you and your child to be harmed. Your family has faced enough tragedy recently to lose you would, well, not be good."

Sav had already activated the comm signal to get a replacement for her on the bridge as she overheard what Miles said to Melody. Sav couldn't agree more, but, it was the captain's prerogative to override concerns by her officers. As she waited for Melody's response, she got ready to volunteer herself. While the Captain and first officer may want her to stay on the Merlin, she was unique in that her physiology was suited to higher altitudes, thus while she would need some help to breath on the higher floating islands, she could hold her own on lower ones. It was in the sciences database about her lung structure: Mephatians -> Lungs - There are two lungs. They are slightly larger and have four areas of oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange instead of three in Terrans. Two of the four areas seem to automatically work in reverse due to air pressure, as in sea level only two areas are active, while at high altitude all four are active.

Melody was about to overrule the XO when a she stopped, a voice at the back of her mind telling her that he was correct. In many ways, she sometimes reacted like she was still the XO, wanting to lead the charge into dangerous situations but now the Merlin was her ship. This was her crew and she had... bigger responsibilities to consider and two more on the way. She remembered what her academy trainer had said when she had told him she was going to be a Captain one day. He had chuckled and replied "Command is not for the faint of heart Miss Jones. Also sometimes, you have to think of the good of the ship and the crew and stow your own ego. Just wait till you get 4 pips on your collar.... You'll wish you'd gone into botany."
She sighed to herself. The burdens of Command....

She turned back to Rejal. "Very well Commander. You will lead the away team. Set phasers to stun and try and keep them holstered if possible. We're here to negotiate with these people. They claim not to know anything about Caroline's disappearance so until we know otherwise, we are their guests. Open a dialogue with these people and see if you can locate Commander Miller, but use some discretion, understood Number One? Commander Tillatix, you're joining the away team." Melody sat back down in the Captain's chair. "You have your orders people. Make it so."

Mathias was about to raise his own objections to the Captain going on the away team. With how far along she was, would have endangered her and her children. He smiled towards Miles giving him a nod of approval.

"Aye Captain, it shall be done." rising from his seat and heading towards the turbo-lift door. He could feel his heart pounding Caroline was near, very near indeed.

The turbo-lift doors opened to reveal a Flight officer, Lt. j.g. Aragona. He hurried over to where Sav was seating to get a sitrep and relieve her of duty.

Miles let out the sigh he'd been holding. Smiling at Melody he replied, "Yes mam. Phasers to stun." Miles tapped his combadge, "Doctor Anya, would you please meet myself, Commander Tillatix, and Lieutenants McPhee and Morgan, in the transporter room. We'll need something to counteract the air on the planet, and we'll also bring rebreathers with us."

"Acknowledged Commander... I will bring tri-ox compound and a number of other compounds that should do the trick. See you in a few moments!" came the crisp reply from Anya down in sickbay. The break from the data she was still pouring through would be welcome.

Sav quickly filled in Goffredo about the planet, stable orbit, and sensor scans status. Once relieved, she joined the others.

Gregor went to a wall panel near the security station and got four hand phasers for the away team and passed them out. He also slipped an emergency transponder into his boot in case of trouble, if an event did occur where they needed to be beamed out quickly the ship could pinpoint their location. Gregor also strapped a spring loaded combat knife to his wrist and pulled his uniform sleeve over it, the blade was flat and thin making it very hard to be seen. He also clipped a security tricorder to his belt. " Locked and loaded and ready to go Commander. Shall we go and see what our host have in store for us? "

Sav gladly accepted the hand phaser and put it into the holster within her duty sash. She joined the others in the turbolift to get to the transporter room. She was looking forward to using the full functioning of her lungs in an actual environment rather than just in holodeck simulations.

Melody tapped her comm badge "Bridge to Scarlett. We've arrived at a planet where we believe Doctor Miller is being held. We've managed to establish communication with some of the inhabitants and they have invited us down but claim not to have any knowledge of Commander Miller's whereabouts. We're sending an away team down, trying the diplomatic approach first but if things go south can you keep the Marines on hot standby just in case they are required. The Marines will need to be equipped with rebreathers due to the unique topography of this planet."

"We'll be at the ready sir." Scarlet replied quickly.

Mathias spoke up, "May I suggest we also bring Chief Petty Officer Marika Beck. She is a Diplomatic Corpsman would probably be a good idea to have her with us, and I do highly recommend it." if they were going to be working towards a peaceful encounter would probably be a good idea to stack the odds in their favour. Especially after last meeting on that other planet.

Melody had heard Mathias's comment and half turned her chair. "That's a good idea Lieutenant." Then tapping her comm badge "Bridge to Chief Beck. Report to transporter room 1 for an away mission. The Xo will give you the details."

Down in the Diplomatic Offices, Marika heard the page on her commbadge. She tapped the comm badge she replied, "Copy, Bridge. On my way. " she said.


Melody nodded then turned her chair towards the away team and added "Good luck Number One!"

Miles nodded, "Thank you Captain, for some reason, I feel like Lady Luck might owe us one."


OFF:

●●●● Captain Melody Jones
Commanding Officer
USS Merlin


●● Lieutenant Mathias McPhee
Chief Operations Officer
USS Merlin


○●● Lieutenant Commander Marbim Rejal
Executive Officer
USS Merlin


●●● Save'ena Tillatix
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Merlin


●● Lieutenant Nir’anyar
Chief Medical Officer
USS Merlin


* Major David Scarlet
Marine Company Commander
USS Merlin