A Short Science Trip

Posted on Thu Mar 5th, 2020 @ 4:13am by Division Admiral Thomas Lasky & Ensign Dala Raj & Lieutenant Sanshiin & Commander Nuala Takabe
Edited on on Thu Mar 5th, 2020 @ 4:14am

Mission: Mission 57: The Northern Lights
Location: USS Roanoke - Planet Niven
Timeline: 0900Hrs - January 14th 2391

Teval finished packing the provisions he needed then existed his ready room going to Lasky. "Hey Tom, I am going on a little trip with Rachael, Saki, Aerin, Karryn, Hakaya and my kids, so your going to have the ship for a week, if you don't mind."

"Nope. not at all." Lasky responded. "Zara and I can handle things.. Go... have fun... and give Saki.... my regards.."

Teval nodded," Yeah, we are going with the Science team to help with the weather monitoring base camp up in the northern hemisphere. I'll be withing contact if you need me. Besides you said I needed to spend time with the crew members more and I will be spending a fair bit of time with Nuala."

"Sounds good." Lasky smiled. "I need the experience anyway... If I run into issues. I'll handle it okay?"

"Takabe to Teval, the runabouts have been loaded and we are ready to go planetside on your orders." Nuala announced over the Roanoke's comm.

Lasky nodded. "I think she likes you." he commented. "But then... she'll like anyone who isn't Bremer."

Teval tapped his combadge and acknowledged Nuala, then said to Lasky," Well I'm taking off then." And he walked out the door, meeting Hakaya, Aerin, Karryn and the children along the way. the group met Rachael and Saki in the hangar.

Rachael had a pack on her back as she stood in contemplative silence as Saki seemed eager to get rolling, she too had a pack on her back. "This is gonna be GREAT!. You'll see mom."

"Maybe." Rachael admitted. "Ahh Teval. You made it..." she sighed softly.

Teval nodded while Karryn, noticing Rachael's mood, added. "Come on Rachael, cheer up a little, no need to be the rain cloud of the group."

Rachael raised an eyebrow. "Okay Karryn." as she followed the crew onto the Runabout.

Teval asked Nuala," Alright we are all onboard, are all your people ready to go."

"Thank you Teval." Takabe answered. "Alright Chief," Nuala turned to her pilot, "Let's get going."

Teval had no interest in taking over Nuala's mission, being perfectly content to let her run the operation fully, so he just sat back in his chair and relaxed, gently petting Nuyari at the same time.

Rachael sat down at one of the side stations, she turned as she began pressing buttons as she assisted the pilot with take off procedures.

Teval noticed Rachael taking one of the consoles, prompting him to ask, "Is it even possible for you to relax a little."

The warrant officer piloting the runabout turned to Rachael. "He's right you know. This is a pretty simple operation to land it. Go back and relax."

Rachael paused as she blinked. Saki came into the forward section. "Ahh..." she exclaimed. "Mom... really!.. come on already, we can play a game of chess while we wait and you can show me how this game is played."

"I suck at it."

"So I will beat you easily then. Good for me." Saki led her mother into the back.

The pilot turned to the others present. "We're ready to fly... Is Ripcord always like that?"

The Operations officer smiled. "You have no idea.... Preflight is complete.. We can get underway."

Teval avoided saying anything to Rachael again, instead allowing Nuyari and Takov to cuddle with him.

The pilot got underway as the Runabout lifted off of the deck, along with the other ships. Twenty minutes later the runabouts had all reached their destinations as Rachael was sitting on a rock as she looked out over the horizon in silence. Saki was watching her mother. "Mom?"

"Mmm... Yes?"

"You still with us?" Saki inquired. "I can hear you thinking... you know that... right?"

"Yes... I was just thinking.."

"I know.." Saki responded with a huff.

Rachael regarded her daughter. "Saki... relax.." she responded. "You keep telling me that."

Teval watched as the final shuttle, one of the very large Akurian shuttles found its landing zone. He then looked at Rachael saying. "Now we are here to relax and take it easy, which means, try not to find a whole bunch of work to do."

Rachael raised an eyebrow. "I feel worthless at the present moment." she paused with a sigh.

"If your that eager to work, we'll have plenty of it when we land and set up base camp." Takabe told Rachael.

Rachael nodded. "Yessir." as Saki facepalmed. "Aww Mom!"

Nuala looked at Saki. "It's very cold at night where we are going. Would you like to sleep in a warm tent or outside?"

Saki regarded the Orion female. "I've spent most of my life living under the stars... This world will be no different." she responded. "Why do you ask?"

"The temperatures are going to get below freezing." Nuala told Saki. "Have you ever slept under a layer of snow?"

Saki raised an eyebrow. "Actually... I have." she responded.

Rachael regarded Nuala. "She was born on a planet we discovered inside a temporal anomaly and she spent eight years of her life in a feral enviroment." she explained.

"I didn't enjoy it." Saki added. "Sleeping in the snow I mean."

"Umm, okay." Nuala wasn't sure how to respond to Rachael and Saki's comments.

"Commander, our designated landing zone is sight, preparing to land." The pilot announced. The runabout hit the planet. Passengers and supplies were unloaded. The team went to work setting up tents and a science workstation.

After the base camp was set up Nuala looked at Teval. "Alright, we have more sensor stations to set up to collect data. Unless you need any thing from us we'll be going."

Rachael meanwhile was finishing pitching her tent as she regarded Saki. "You sure you want to share a tent with me?" she inquired of the nine year old who was already collecting firewood.

"Why not?" Saki responded as she dropped the large pile near her mother, before she drew a large looking knife that was razor sharp before she began fashioning herself a spear. "What.... First item of business... weaponry then we go for water."

"You remember well." Rachael responded. "Of course.. these guys have guns.."

"I need a spear before I go looking for water." Saki responded as she shaved off chunks of wood for her weapon.

Nuala looked at Rachael. "Why does she need a pointy stick to find water?"

"Because Saki here is expecting encounters with wildlife." Rachael explained. "And she's not wrong."

"The biological survey on this planet indicated no hostile lifeforms to humanoids. Your daughter should be safe." Naula replied.

Saki regarded the Orion female with a quiet but determined look. "I'm Sorry ma'am... Force of habit." she explained. "I expect trouble.. so I prepare for it rather then be caught by surprise."

Rachael listened to Saki and what she was saying. "I'll have the fire going by the time you get back."

"Yes mom." Saki responded. "The rations are in the tent, back right corner."

"Good." Rachael smiled.

"Sanshiin and Raj, get aboard the runabout." Takabe ordered. "Anyone that wants to give us a hand setting up sensors is welcome to come."

Rachael regarded the Orion female with a soft smile. "Have fun Commander." she responded.

Saki regarded the Orion with a smile. but she didn't say anything.

Takabe boarded the runabout. It moved off into the distance.

Rachael began arranging the firewood into two piles, one was smaller and the other was arranged next to the tent but away from the smaller pile.

Rachael smiled as she sat upon a large rock she had moved earlier into position as seating. "The weather is lovely... if a little cold." she mused aloud. "Saki?."

"Yes?" the child responded.

"I expect you to behave." she said quietly. "Not like that incident with the tank.."

"That wasn't my fault mom." Saki protested.

"You were involved." Rachael said quietly. "you were also there." she added as she regarded her daughter who sighed. "Behave Saki..."

The child sighed. "Yes mom." as she finished sharpening her spear, she then set off in search of a container for her water trip.

Rachael moved so she was sitting on the ground with her head resting against the large stone behind her, she allowed her eyes to drift closed and within minutes, she was fast asleep.

Saki returned about ten minutes or so after she started her trip, her container in hand but she smiled as she spotted her mother who was fast asleep, the child opted to let her mom sleep so she set off on her expedition for water.

Nearly a thousand kilometers away the runabout landed on a mountainside. Three science officers debussed the runabout and began to set up the weather monitoring station. It did not take long for the equipment to be set up.

Sanshiin looked at Nuala. "Can you explain the presence of the other members of our party?"

"I don't understand?" Takabe replied.

"The Captain, a pilot, and their off spring. Why did they join us?" Sanshiin asked. "What benefit could they possibly offer us?"

Takabe thought for a moment. "They could watch the base camp while we are away."

"The base camp is set up on a remote region of a sparsely populated colony. The odds of someone compromising our base camp are very small at best." Sanshiin replied.

"Lieutenant," Takabe addressed the Vulcan, "The commander wanted to accompany us. I wasn't about to tell him he was not welcome."

"I see. So scientific integrity will be compromised for political considerations?" Sanshiin more accused than asked.

"What are you talking about?" Takabe asked, a little perplexed. "They are just here to get away from the ship. If you can show me that they are interfering in our studies than talk to me then. For now, concentrate at the task on hand."

Sanshiin gave Takabe a disdainful look but went to his work in silence.

Back at base camp, two of the Akurian Scientists, Oria and Unio Koro, where busy trying to get their own equipment working while Teval observed. Teval then asked," So its pretty much just you two huh."

Oria nodded," Yeah, there aren't a lot of science officers with our battlegroup and most are busy at b Kayor, so us and two others is pretty much it for Akurian science officers on this mission."

Rachael blinked her eyes opened as she yawned. "Mmmm.... Whats going on" she asked aloud but she wasn't expecting an answer but she heard people talking softly.

The runabout landed after making it's rounds. The science officers entered the base camp. They made themselves busy going over the data that was coming in.

Saki appeared near Nuala. "Hey... How was the mission?" the child inquired of the green skinned woman.

Nuala jumped as she was a little startled. "Where did you come from?"

Saki regarded the Orion. "From over there." she gently placed the large bucket of water at her feet. "I brought you this.."

"Oh, thank you." Nuala responded, not sure what to do with the water.

Sanshiin looked over to Takabe. "I have some data for you to look over after you are done playing with that child."

"That would be Commander to you Lieutenant." Nuala replied.

Saki turned her head. "Why do you tolerate that clown?" she inquired of Nuala. "Could you check and see if the water is drinkable?"

"Here," Nuala handed Saki a stick with a light on it. "This will kill any bacteria and turn the water bright orange if there are any toxic materials in your water."

Saki smiled. "Thank you." she responded gently. "So I just hold it for about.. thirty seconds or so... let it work or do I just drop it in?"

"Just hold it in the water for a few seconds. It shouldn't take long." Nuala explained.

"Okay thanks." Saki paused. "Can I borrow a shovel for awhile... I need to dig a latrine ditch..... Thats after I find a good spot of course."

"Wouldn't the portable lavatories be more comfortable?" She asked her.

"Force of habit Commander." Saki responded. "I wanted to go to the bathroom while growing up.... I used a ditch." she explained. "These portable things are... different."

Nuala was unsure what to say to that. "Alright, there is a spade among the other pioneer tools at the base camp."

Saki smiled as she picked up the bucket again. "Thanks." and with that the small child moved off to where her tent was located.

Nuala just shook her head in bewilderment.