Telepathic Search

Posted on Sun May 19th, 2024 @ 7:22am by Lieutenant Commander P’rel M.D & Commander N'Garzi Zora & Lieutenant Commander Finnley Keating VII & Lieutenant Commander Savin & Ensign Quinn Alka-Sutton

Mission: The Trojan Horse
Timeline: Following "Rescue Ready!"
2049 words - 4.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Zora led the away team away from the landing site. In all of her years of existence, she had been in fights but she would never class herself as a fighter, in fact, some might refer to her as a pacifist. She knew that joining Starfleet would mean she would have to pick up a phaser and defend the very principles of the organisation. She had carried out her duties as expected in the past, just like she was doing at this moment in time. However, the object felt foreign in her arms, like the same poles of a magnet, desperate to get away from each other.

"Are the tricorders picking up anything?" She asked in a hushed tone.

Savin stayed close, not wanting to risk missing any orders or other findings that were spoken about. It was difficult to watch everyone however, so he focused on the XO instead. "I am not certain," he confessed, briefly glancing at his tricorder, "there is quite a bit of interference. The person I found said something about tunnels... perhaps we should focus on finding them?" He tapped the side of his device, as if willing to ungarble his readings in this fashion. Even so, his device was the medical variant as he was trying to find the injured.

He glanced up, feeling uneasy. Like Zora, he knew how to use his rifle but he didn't like it. "I am not sensing anyone either," he added, "perhaps I will when we get closer "

Ray moved ever so slowly in the maze under the ground. He didn't want to leave. Not with Matthew's death so fresh, but the only way he and Martina would survive was if he tried to find the rescue team. Although the going was slow it was also silent, which was imperative since the last thing he wanted was to clue in the gorn to his location and potentially jeopardize the rescue team. Almost to the infiltration point, his mind murmured, unsure if anyone would still pick him up.

Savin stopped abruptly as a whisper filtered into his mind. He grabbed Zora's arm in reflex to draw her attention. "He is almost at the infiltration point," he relayed. keep talking we will find you. We are searching for you.

Zora nodded in understanding. "You heard the man, let's head to the infiltration point. Keep your phasers out and ready, the Gorn don't take prisoners."

The group moved in a clump along the same path that the away team had taken. Now and again they would spot signs of the marine detachment, a disrupted patch or the occasional boot print. It wasn't too long until they ran into their first real sign, which made Zora feel sick. In the sandy-coloured dirt was a dark red splatter surrounded by lumps of flesh and entrails. "Goddesses," was the only word that she could muster.

Ornaht paused as they came across the remains, his mind trying to justify that maybe - just maybe - they were animal instead of... He gave a short exhalation, spotting a small slice of fabric which removed any possibility of that. Rifle up, he slowly knelt down, examining the remains closer and glancing ahead of them, "There's blood trails going off in that direction..." he pointed off to their left, towards a ridgeline, then glanced the other way, pointing directly to their right and the dense foliage that waited, "And that way."

Savin's expression turned mournful as he witnessed the results of the carnage. The smell of blood was nearly making his stomach turn but he couldn't afford a lack of focus. He glanced down at his tricorder, turning it this way and that before gesturing towards the left hand trail. "There seem to be tunnels in that direction..."

Normally availaing herself of any opportunity to distance herself from Commander Zora, P'rel instead found herself taking a few steps closer to the XO. They were the two senior officers, and it would hardly be professional to be in conflict, nor do anything which would present a front which was equally confident as united. She leaned in towards Zora's ear, "I would not recommend we separate and investigate different directions..." her eyes scanned the organic debris surrounding them; "safety in numbers would appear to be the most logical approach..."

"Agreed," Zora said, her face resolute. She was grateful that she and the intel officer could agree on something and surprisingly, more grateful that P'rel was with her team. "Let's go left, P'rel on point, Ornaht takes the rear." She turned to face Savin, "keep your tricorder and mind open."

"Of course," Savin answered, "but I will be less aware of someone speaking to me. Nudge me if my attention is required elsewhere." With his mind so focused on that one telepathic presence, Savin knew he wouldn't be much aware of those around him. Keep talking, he urged silently, we are getting closer. The counselor kept scanning, hoping for a glimpse of life. "I am reading alien life forms," he suddenly announced, a hint of alarm in his voice as he pointed. "That direction."

The torchlight from the rifle P'rel held up washed over the tunnel ahead of them, the butt of the carbine dug into her shoulder as she used the stability of her body to move the rifle around ensuring a rigid firing position if it became necessary. Like Counsellor Savin, she was vaguely aware of the heightened emotional presence of 'someone', though was unable to render much in the way of directional assistance. Her Vulcan hearing on the other hand, was giving her far more information. She held up a single fist and motioned for Zora to come up to the front, motioning for everyone to kneel down as she arrived, P'rel whispered to the XO. "They are everywhere...all around us, above us, in the walls, in the hollows...many".

Ray moved into position a few moments later. It had taken him longer than he thought to get there but silence had been the key and so far he hadn't caught evidence that anyone noticed his presence. I'm here, but don't rush. Any sudden or loud movements might tip them off. If they aren't already aware of our presence. We need to be careful. Although no one could hear him, his mind sent the words as though he were whispering. Then he sank into a narrow corner with his rifle at the ready and waited, for whoever came first.

Savin stopped moving all of a sudden, his hand tightening around his phaser as he 'heard' the warning. He reached out and tapped P'rel's arm, tucking the tricorder under his arm to be able to sign. Message is no sudden movement, no loud noise. Everyone remain quiet, he signed. we receive you, he then thought. but my tricorder is not registering anyone. You need to alert me when you hear or see us. Can you do that?

The blue-green skinned Ornaht, as he was ordered, took the rear, most of the time slowly walking backwards to keep watch for... anything, really. As they entered the tunnels, he became acutrely aware that he was sweating, feeling the slight tingle between his skin and the cybernetics implanted there as the salty liquid ran between them. He blinked, forcing the sweat from his eyes and took a moment to reach up and dab it away - and in that brief moment, for just a second, saw a shadow flit across the entry to the tunnel behind them. Trying to keep eyes on the tunnel, he leaned back slightly, the ensign spoke quietly, "Something's following us..."

"Fortunately for you it's only me and not the Gorn," Ray whispered from the shadows as soon as the team had passed his location at the tunnel entrance. "Unless you saw someone else, in which case we would have much cause for concern. Either way, we all need to get out as quickly as possible. Martina is alive, I haven't found anyone else. Did you pick up any life signs?" Ray asked, hoping against the odds that perhaps someone else had made it.

P'rel shot the man a look which very clearly communicated her disdain for his reckless act in combination with his extensive experience, of popping out upon an armed team with their fingers on the triggers; a look which very much proposed the question - 'surely you are not this stupid?'. Following up on her disdain she ensured the rifle beacon shone directly into his face as she answered quietly; "No. No lifesigns. Only movement..." she lowered her rifle and allowed his weaker eyes a few moments to recalibrate; "...eveywhere" she finished, motioning all around them with an index finger.

"Can one of you check on this marine?" Zora said to her two medics. P'rel looked like she wanted to shoot the man, but that wasn't out of character for her. "Where exactly is Martina?" She asked in hushed tones.

"Down the tunnels, there's a crevice that leads to an opening. She's in there. I'll show you," Ray replied.

"I will check on him, you go find the woman," Savin offered after having watched the exchange and sensing the Vulcan woman's disdain. He turned towards the male marine, lifting up his tricorder to scan him. Are you injured? he asked, resorting to telepathy once more as this was easier for him than trying to see what was said.

"No, I'm not injured and we shouldn't split up. If the gorn do decide to show themselves we'll have no chance if we're split up. They'll just pick us off one by one. Better to stay together." Ray whispered. "Besides, you'll need help carrying her back."

With a steely stare which remained on Ray as she moved off, P'rel cautiously stepped back down the passageway looking for the hiding place they'd obviously missed their first time. "Lieutenant Del'oro?" she whispered, pointedly, also trying to sense the woman. Only visible form the fore angle, was the Marine's booted foot protruding from a small crevice in the rock face. She gently kicked it, partially to see if it was still attached to an intact marine, and was relieved to hear a pained groan from it's owner. "Martina," she said, crouching and slinging the rifle over her back.

Ray shimmied in and positioned himself next to Martina, grabbing one of her arms. "Help me with her and then lets get out of here," he whispered to P'rel. "We probably don't have much time." The pair hoisted the injured marine up off the ground all while trying to remain as quiet as possible. "Back the same way we came I think is our best bet."

Martina roused as she was lifted, a hiss of pain escaping her. Fevered eyes settled on the one person she recognized. Her uniform was wet with blood and she was very weak from bloodloss. "Ray," she managed to whisper, a small smile forming in recognition, "you found them..."

Savin had followed them, having caught the intent even though the whisper had been lost on him in the semi darkness. As P'Rel and Ray carried the woman, the counselor did his best to scan her and a worried frown touched his face as he looked towards the acting chief medical officer. "We need to get her to the shuttle as soon as possible," he urged, "we can best stabilize her there."

Zora placed a hand on the counsellor's shoulder and waited for him to turn around. "You're in the way, take up the rear, we're leaving now." She turned to Ornaht, "we'll lead the way. Phasers out, they're close." The El-Aurian led the group, half-running, half-crouching, back down the path they had come. She could hear the panted breath and groans of the injured marines, but she didn't give it too much thought. Better to be alive and in pain than a feast for the Gorn. She felt an overwhelming sense of danger and stopped dead in her tracks. She lifted a fist, indicating that everyone should stop too. "Did you hear something?" She said to Ornaht, right before the Gorn attacked.