Training Day Three

Posted on Tue Mar 17th, 2020 @ 2:34am by Captain T'Nae "Wolfheart" Duval & Lieutenant Commander Heather LaMonica & Lieutenant Commander Ouros Yamaguchi & 1st Lieutenant T'Kera "Demolitions" Duval & Division General Donovan Garibaldi & Colonel Brianna Hobbs & Gunnery Sergeant Olga Vaal & Sergeant Kosmo "Bug" Burganski & Corporal Fender McCord & Lance Corporal Ta'zri Shalmar & Lance Corporal Imani N'tambay & Private 1st Class Tamara Harrak & Private 1st Class Tlodabar Unx & Commander Nuala Takabe

Mission: Mission 98: Building Our New Home
Location: Lo Zhou Depression
Timeline: 0500Hrs - June 6th, 2393

The Marines made it to the cave Unx found. The Boromite's estimation that a dozen people could fit in was optimistic. Only about ten could fit in if they were cheek to jowl. It was, none the less, shelter. Logan, Harrak, and the three Andorians were put inside. Dawn was just breaking as the marines were waking up from another miserable night's sleep. The leaders gathered around to plan the next day.

"How many hydration packs do you have left?" Olga asked N'tambay.

"None. I only had one and if I didn't split it between Harrak and Logan they would have died." She explained. "That said unless they get some hydration by nightfall I don't think they will survive until tomorrow. The Andorians aren't much better."

"Alright, we'll leave two people with the casualties. The rest of us will make for the city." Olga ordered.

"I should stay with the casualties." N'tambay protested.

"You can't do much more for them. We, on the other hand, are going to need a medic when we are out there walking across the desert." Olga told her.

Ouros regarded the two females. "Ladies it doesn't matter," she said quietly, partly to save the two the trouble and partly to prevent unit cohesion from falling apart. "Whats the distance to the city?" she asked in a soft tone. "Leave whoever is staying behind anything we can spare. We travel light." Ouros was saying that only because she was still carrying her heavy pack which she slipped off of her shoulders and dropped on the ground. "Olga, ask for two volunteers, the rest should be ready to move in five minutes if we're going to do this then we should get it over with."

"Alright. We will leave the two volunteers to watch over the casualties. Anything else before we set off?" Ouros inquired.

T’Kera nodded. “I’ll stay behind to watch over them.” The Vulcan looking female spoke before another marine also spoke up as well.

Ouros nodded “Alright then. Let’s move out then” she knew what she was asking of the marines staying behind as she and the other marines assembled together before they started moving out across the desert, heading for the city that was some distance away. However, the marines didn't know if they were traveling in the correct direction.

The small ragtag group of marines shambled across the expanse of sand and broken rocks. They were on the march for almost eight hours with no sign of civilization. Unx, who had moved ahead of the group, had now returned.

"I still cannot see any infrastructure. We may be another day out." He told them with a little dejection from the normally stoic Boromite.

"I don't know if I can do another day." Olga struggled to say, her voice cracking due to the dryness of her mouth.

Ouros looked up. "I don't think any of us can.." she mused softly.

"Gunny," N'tambay started in a weak voice. "Four of our people need to rest soon. We are all seriously dehydrated. I think we need to find shelter and wait."

"There isn't any shelter around here," Olga replied.

"Correction Gunny, about a mile ahead there is an outcropping of rocks. We can take shelter there." Unx spoke up.

Ouros blinked slowly. "How big is the outcropping?" the large female commented when suddenly one of the Marines collapsed. Two of his companions went to pick him up. "Let's head for the outcropping and see if we can shelter from the sun." she paused. "No signs of anything else?" she asked of Unx.

Unx shook his head no before moving ahead. The rest of the marines followed. Less than an hour later, they came across an area where the rocks came out of the ground about three meters. There were plenty of small out coves where a single person could slide next to the rocks and hid from the relentless sun.

"Alright," Olga tried to shout but her throat was just too dried out so she could hardly talk above a crackly whisper. "Find shelter, we'll stay here until help arrives. Private Unx, I know you can keep going. Travel until you find help."

Unx nodded and headed back out into the desert.

Meanwhile, thirty miles above the stranded marines, the Federation Heavy Carrier, USS Coral Sea slowly moved along her orbital path. Seated in her command chair on her bridge was a Vulcan woman who stewed in her own worry and anger. Yet she managed to keep her emotions in check, as she had to keep faith with her crew, her daughter was planetside and she was worried about her. Her people were hard at work trying to locate them and she would hold her silence.

LaMonica turned. "Captain, I'm reading some odd lifesigns from the planet below, they are near Mesquite station.." she frowned. "Wait., now they are gone... its the terrain."

"Commander. Would you mind leading the effort to locate our people planetside.?" T'Nae commented to Noq't. "I'd go but.. the regs don't permit me."

"Yes Captain, I cannot wait to get down there. I would like to bring Selgae for security reasons and Dr. Yamaguchi to help any casualties." Noq't replied.

T'Nae nodded. "Feel free. Take whomever you wish." she then gently smiled. "Thanks," she added the last in a quiet tone, not as an officer but as a mother.

Noq't nodded his head as he turned to leave. The anxiety and concern on T'Nae's face were obvious. Noq't knew she must be very frustrated having to wait on a ship while her child was down below, in danger.

Selgae moved from her post as she followed the Commander into the turbolift, in silence as one of her other people took her post on the bridge. She nodded to Noq't but other than that, she decided to enjoy the silence.