Lost and Confused

Posted on Thu Mar 12th, 2020 @ 12:17am by Commander Marissa Cartwright & Lieutenant Commander Kthaara 'Leadfoot' Taavoro & Lieutenant JG Aina Mason & Chief Warrant Officer Kira Iresong

Mission: Mission 84: The Ghastly Echoes of Vietnam
Location: Goronar Surface - Kazeto Prefecture
Timeline: May 12th 2392

"What do I do now," Leadfoot thought to himself as he hung from the tree by his parachute. After some struggling, Leadfoot managed to reach his knife and began to use it to try and cut himself free. Unfortunately, his misfortune did not end there as when he cut a few critical strings, he suddenly fell out of the tree, losing his flight suit in the process and landing on his arm with a crunch. Leadfoot howled in pain.

The Caitian pilot, now reduced to wearing nothing but his fur, just laid there for a moment. Leadfoot quickly realized that his arm was broken at his lower forearm. He also figured he probably had a few cracked ribs as well. Leadfoot finally picked himself up, and that's when he noticed the blood on the ground. Looking down he noticed a piece of shrapnel lodged in his side, just above his hip bone.

"Well this is just wonderful," Leadfoot said to himself as he went to retrieve his tricorder and his sidearm, both of which had fallen to the ground next to him. He took a seat at the base of the tree and used his tricorder to scan himself. Fortunately, his injury wasn't very deep, nothing vital was hit, but unfortunately, Leadfoot lacked any means to heal himself, since his medkit was lost with his fighter. The Caitian sighed to himself then tapped his combadge, but the badge didn't beep. He tried again, and it did nothing. He then inspected the badge and found the thing to be broken. "This day just keeps getting better and better."

Leadfoot turned back to his combadge and scanned the area. He was in a forested area, however, fortunately, and he picked up a dwelling with two Gorn lifesigns about 2 kilometers away. Deciding that was his best option, the snow leopard like caitian stumbled to his feet and headed in that direction.

Meanwhile, some distance away was the piloted starfighter that had done double duty as a flying missile, as the female pilot within tried to free herself when she felt something pinch her leg, she let out a loud shriek in agony. She struggled to free herself before she suddenly found herself falling. Galsen screamed as she landed in a heap, wearing very little clothing. She sighed as she looked up before swearing something in Klingon.

She glanced around as she lifted a stick before she began setting off through the jungle in search of shelter.

Leadfoot found himself having to rest frequently, as the heat of the jungle was not too kind on the snow leopard caitian. It was during one of his rest breaks that his feline hearing picked up movement nearby. Leadfoot raised his nose to the air and sniffed, and he quickly picked up the scent of a Klingon. With his one good arm, Leadfoot pulled out his phaser, ready to defend himself.

Galsen meanwhile was making quite a lot of noise as she fought her way through the forest, when she noticed a Caitian being nearby, she assumed the being was a Ferasian. She narrowed her eyes as she approached him quietly, except she was using far too much force when walking and she wasn't subtle at all.

"bIjeghbe'chugh vaj bIHegh" she snarled at him. It meant 'Surrender or Die'."

Leadfoot looked at the half naked Klingon child who approached him with a stick in her hands. He activated the universal translator on his tricorder then turned his attention back to the kid. "Uh, OK, who are you."

The child snarled something before she waved her stick at him. Galsen growled at him and she looked magnificently ferocious, well as intimidating as a half angry six-year-old, enraged with terror could manage.

Leadfoot sighed and lowered his phaser. "Yeah kid, the intimidation thing is not working for you, where did you come from anyway."

Galson growled softly before she jabbed him lightly with her stick before snarling something, she then pointed in a direction before snarling again.

Leadfoot looked at the stick, noticing that it wasn't even sharpened so he casually grabbed the end of it while saying. "And what are you planning on doing with this thing."

Galson snarled something before the translator kicked in. "You are my prisoner!" she screeched at him. "Move... You will move or I'll. Ummm I'll kill you... right... Ummm right here." she snapped loudly.

Leadfoot casually pulled the stick right out of her hand, commenting.
"With what?."

The Klingon child's eyes went wide as she realized she was now the one in serious trouble. "Umm.. " she paused as she quickly began looking around for another large stick. Seeing nothing. Galson sighed softly. "I shot you down!" she protested.

Leadfoot gave her a look, "Oh, that was you that rammed me?. Yeah apparently you missed the memo, fighters have guns or did no one show you how to use them.

"Guns... Oh. I tried them but they didn't work, something about a power issue.." she frowned. "No power, right that's it."

"Who the hell sends out fighters with no working guns, let alone piloted by a child," Leadfoot thought to himself. Then suddenly it dawned on him, so he said to this kid. "Wait a minute, they sent you out there to die, didn't they."

"We were told that death in the service of the empire was honorable..." she paused. "or something like that. I don't recall really."

Leadfoot sensed something was off, this kid wasn't a typical Klingon that's for sure, "you, you're not from a warrior house, are you."

Galson simply shook her head. "Nope," she answered. "My house was destroyed by House Korag. They were the ones who demanded I serve them or join my family in death," she explained. "So... Since you are not my prisoner. Am I yours?" she inquired.

"No, I have no interest in holding you as a prisoner," Leadfoot affirmed.

The Klingon female looked confused. "I see.." she paused. "So... What now?" she inquired, clearly at a loss of what to do now.

Leadfoot shrugged, saying. "Well, I'm going to find civilization, there is a Gorn farm about a kilometer away that might be able to help. As for you, well, I'm not holding you, prisoner, so you can do what you like."

Galson simply shrugged. "Okay, that sounds.. good I guess." before the two of them started walking. She noticed he was wounded but she didn't comment on it since she had no idea how to heal his wounds or bandage him up.

It took some time for the unusual pair to reach the Gorn farmhouse, and Leadfoot was quick to notice something amiss. His sensitive feline hearing picked up the voices of a Klingon and a Gorn. Leadfoot approached quietly, then peered through the window, only to see two Klingon children, a Ferasian child, and a Kriosian child. The lead Klingon male had a disruptor and was attempting to hold two elderly Gorn at gunpoint, while the other three had sticks. The old Gorn male, however, looked thoroughly unconcerned while the old Gorn Woman just seemed to go around conducting her usual business.

Keemar, the elderly Gorn man looked at the four children with a passive concern. Though old, the man's senses were still sharp, and he smelled the approach of two individuals, one of them was another Klingon with a typical lack of subtlety, while the other was a feline. He momentarily stopped paying attention to the children in front of him.

Galson walked towards the large farmhouse that was made from the usual Gorn construction methods as she noticed the other Klingon children.

Meanwhile, one of the various Klingon children pointed their disruptor at him. "Get back to work!" the young child snarled unconvincingly.

The female Gorn who was nearby, simply sighed evenly as she went back inside. "I'm going to cook some food. You are all skin and bones," she grumbled as she went to work.

Galson approached with Leadfoot beside her. "Whats going on here?" she inquired in Klingon.

The Kriosian regarded her. "Who are you?"

"Galson of-" she stopped. "Of no house. You are?" she all but demanded of him

"I am Tharos, of House Korag." he said almost proudly.

Galson snorted in amusement. "The same house that destroyed my family-" was as far as she got before he backhanded her. Blood spurted from her face before she leaped at him, intent on breaking every single bone in his body as the two fought in a no holds barred beatdown.

Keemar, casual as ever, simply walked up to both of them, grabbed both kids by their collars and pulled them apart. He then sat both of them down in chairs on the opposite side of the room, while grumbling, Now are you two going to behave?."

Galson glared at the Kriosian with a dark glare before she growled at him.

The Kriosian snarled something in Klingon back. Galson hissed at him except she responded. "If it wasn't for him. I'll tear out your intestines and wear them as a necklace!." she snarled back

The leader pointed his disruptor at the Gorn. "Silence. You. Stop provoking my people!"

Keemar gave the leader Klingon child a look. "And what are you planning on doing with a broken disruptor.?"

Morag growled softly in response before he lowered the disruptor. "They told me it would work."

The female Gorn poked her head out of the kitchen. "Dinner is almost ready... Are you boys through playing War?" she inquired. "Come on then. Let's get cleaned up so we can eat." before she withdrew into the kitchen.

Galson regarded the leader. "Do you think they mean us harm?" she inquired. "If they did. They would eat us by now."

The Ferasian child didn't say anything while Keemer mentioned. "As long as you continue fighting or doing stupid things, I'll consider it."

The female Gorn poked her head out of the kitchen. "Oh hush you, don't mind him, kids, he's a vegetarian. People never fall for that old trick anymore, dinners ready... How do you like your rokeg blood pies?" she inquired. "dry or with lots of sauce?"

Galson paused. "I've never had one."

"Oh you have been neglected." the female Gorn responded. "I'll make it average with a good mix of sauce and meat." she paused. "What are you waiting for?" she inquired. "Come. Eat!."

Galson was on her feet and moved into the kitchen, she was followed by the other children as the old Gorn female regarded Leadfoot for the first time. "Come on in here you, yes. you.. the Caitian in the window. Come. Eat!" she demanded of Leadfoot.

The old male Gorn regarded Leadfoot. "What happened to you?"

Leadfoot stumbled into the house, commenting. "Well, I fell from the Sky."

Keemar gave the Caitian a look, then said. "Alright sit down, let me patch you up." The big Gorn then went to retrieve his medkit.

Leadfoot looked at the Gorn suspiciously while he commented. "Don't worry, I was a medic when I was in the Gorn military, I know what I am doing."

Meanwhile Shalmar, the female Gorn was busy plating large platefuls of food. "You all are going to eat well while under my roof." she passed a full plate down to Galson who's stomachs began to growl very very loudly.

When she received her food, she paused a moment before she sampled it. "Mmm." and with that, she began eating, along with the other children, all ate in silence as Shalmar waited to refill any plates that needed it.

She went over to where her mate was tending to the older Caitian. "What's going on with you two?" she inquired.

"I'm patching the fuzzball up, can't have him bleeding all over our new carpet," Keemar answered as he rummaged through his medkit.

Shalmar peered over at her mate as she breathed out and then back in again, it came out as a soft growl. "Eat, eat children." she turned her attention back to the various children. Galson was busy eating, as were two others but the leader regarded her with a sullen look. "You food is poisoned."

Galson stopped eating. "Fine." and she took his food from him. "Then let me have it." The leader came alive quickly as the two began to fight. Shalmar snatched the leader from her table with one swipe of her massive claws. "You behave worse than a newborn hatchling," she growled.

The Klingon child swung at her several times, each swing missed her as she growled loudly. "Behave!" she roared.

The other children, however, were intimidated but Galson was quietly impressed.

The Ferasian child began to shy away from the fight, afraid of both the two fighting children and the Gorn. Keemar more or less ignored the scuffle in the kitchen, instead of paying attention to Leadfoot. "No matter what nation you flyboys come from, you all are reckless."

Leadfoot shook his fluffy head, "Not anymore, That's the last bird I'm losing, my flying days are done."

"Eh, so a pilot with some common sense," Keemar rumbled.

Shalmar growled at the young child between her claws. "Either you behave. Or else," she growled softly. "Are you always like this?"

Galson sighed. "No, usually we're worse."

"Why is that, young one?" the massive Gorn female inquired.

"Well. Believe it or not but bad behavior among Klingon child soldiers is actively encouraged, they say it helps us to be better.. Personally, I think it helps us to die quicker."

"You would be right young one.." Shalmar responded. "Death is so permanent whereas life is full of possibilities." she turned her attention to the child she held with her hand. "Will you settle.. or must I discipline you?"

Galson interrupted. "Discipline... How?. Other than eat him?."

Shalmar paused as she pondered it. "Klingons and most don't have the thick hides that we Gorn do." she then shook the child in her grip. "You will behave... Or I will eat you.!"

The Klingon child's eyes went wide. "You-. You wouldn't dare!"

Galson snickered. "Actually... She would." she looked at Shalmar. "Please. Eat him, you'll save us all so much time."

The Ferasian kid now completely evacuated the room while Agoth, the younger sister of Morag, had ignored all the commotion. Instead, she focused on wolfing down her meal. Then once she finished, she then looked at Shalmar. "Thank you for the food, it was very good."

"There is more if you want some." Shalmar then dropped the unruly child onto the ground. "You, eat. Now!" she barked the three words loudly. "Now where are the others?" she inquired. "Wasn't there a Caitian child among you?"

"You scared her," Galson responded.

Agoth quickly grabbed herself a second helping while Keemar gave Leadfoot a look. "Stop squirming."

"Are you done yet," Leadfoot asked, wincing.

"No, these things take time Mr. Fluffy," Keemar replied.

After several minutes, keemar finally said. "Alright, I'm done."

Leadfoot smoothed out his ruffled fur, "Finally."

Shalmar poked her head into the next room. "You two finished yet?" she inquired. "Well come eat. You... Mister Fluffy, eat!." she responded. "You are all skin and bones. You need to eat something dear." before she withdrew. before moving into the kitchen to check on the children, most of them were still eating the food.

"What are you talking about?. I'm already well fed," Leadfoot replied indignantly. "Besides, I like my figure."

"You look malnourished to me," Shalmar responded. "Eat something." she indicated the table as she suddenly noticed two of the Klingon children squaring off again. "Now... if you continue to misbehave. I will eject you from this table and from my house.." she growled softly. "I grow tired of you turning my house into a battlefield. No More!" she snarled loudly, her temper melting down.

Galson finished her food. "Mmm. Frassin, enough already," she commented. "At least the Gorn is willing to feed us and not eat us..." she paused. "Have you no honor.?"

Leadfoot looked around the house then asked. "Do you have a comm system around here."

"We did," Keemar answered," But they have been down since the invasion."

"Can I take a look," Leadfoot offered.

Keemar pointed to a nearby Computer terminal. "Yeah, it's right there."

Meanwhile on the bridge of the USS Comet. The crew was going about their work with a machine like precision as a com signal came in.

Lieutenant JG Aina Mason turned her head. "Skipper. I'm getting a signal from the planet. it's a Federation signal from a Gorn civilian com station.

"Let's hear it." Commander Marissa Cartwright responded. "Go ahead Federation asset, we're hearing you now."

"This is Flight Master Leadfoot, from the USS Roanoke," Leadfoot explained, " I need a pickup, not just for myself, but for five others as well."

Cartwright almost couldn't believe it. "Understood. Your ride will be on its way momentarily," she responded as Master Warrant Officer Kira Iresong secured her post. "Skipper.. mind if I take some guys and go get him?"

"Go," Cartwright responded quickly.

Iresong smiled as she tapped her combadge. "Parker, Fletcher, Mason. Report to the shuttle bay and bring your gear, we're going to recover a Roanoke pilot who is lost."

"Copy that Master Warrant." came the response, several minutes went by as the personnel gathered, they got their shuttle and were heading for the planet. "Any ideas where this guy is located?."

"Here," Iresong responded. "So set us down here, several hundred meters away.. and we'll go in quietly. Mason, you'll approach from another vector and cover us, just in case. you other guys will come with me."