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Trinity Universe: Trinity Exploration Force


ProfPotts

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Britt quickly untangles himself from the confines of the Scarab and launches down the hallway towards the Command Center. Coming to an abrupt halt in front of the command staff, Britt instinctually salutes the Captain and waits to be acknowledged.

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" ::blink Understood, Comander.

Lt. Beckett, please report to the Probe room and prepare Delta probe for immediate launch."

After programing the probe for the survey of the ring system and recieving launch prep from Lt Beckett, Rhianna launches the probe and informs the Comander. While waiting, Lt. Logan continues to scan the landing area while prepareing the secondary sensors for Planetfall.

Edited to have more backbone ::tongue

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Back on the bridge Commander Sukuko checks several readings on her station, then reports to the Captain,

"Both Scarabs have completed docking sequence, Sir - our birds are home safe & sound - no hostile contacts reported. Shall we proceed with planetfall, Sir?"

"Copy that, Commander. Proceed with pre-landing procedures and prepare for planetfall."

The Captain then taps a button on his command console, "LCDR Meyers, we are preparing for planetfall. Have your security team ready, I want you to perform a quick perimeter search of the landing site prior to the away teams going planetside. I'll send Cadet Singh down to brief you on what he saw."

With that, he glances towards the cadet, and nods for him to take off to the armoury.

Britt quickly untangles himself from the confines of the Scarab and launches down the hallway towards the Command Center. Coming to an abrupt halt in front of the command staff, Britt instinctually salutes the Captain and waits to be acknowledged.

"LT Hawke, have a seat, and take us in..."

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"LT Hawke, have a seat, and take us in..."

Preparations complete, the TEF Columbus begins its descent towards the planet.

As the upper atmosphere is approached various readings flash across displays - speed, angle of entry, hull intergrity, reactor temperature - there's enough to be monitored & adjusted to keep the whole crew busy.

Moments later the space-vessel shudders as it slips from near-empty space to atmosphere. The mists enveloping the planet quickly thicken as the ship descends, the view from the main screen soon little more than a few glimpses of green through a veil of fog. Computer enhanced holographic overlays shimmer into view at the pilot's station, simulating the terrain hidden from view by the clouds.

As the Columbus streaks through the sky it rapidly bleeds off speed. The lost inertia tries to force the crew forwards, even as their ergonomic seating does its best to compensate. Those in the armoury or tending to the engines grasp emergency handrails which dot the ship for just such occassions. In the armoury Red's massive claw-like hand actually crushes & twists the metal alloy of the rail he grabs.

On the bridge the crew are treated to a beautious rainbow effect as light from the local star refracts through the moisture-heavy air, but there is little time to appreciate the moment as the vessel plunges through the mists to scream across the seemingly solid sea of green which is the jungle canopy below.

Another surge of motion passes through the crew as the Scarab reaches its landing spot & slows to a hover. With the main screen switched to the area below the ship a clearing - not much larger than the Scarab itself - can be seen. The area is a flat-topped hill lacking the tree-coverage of the rest of the surface, although it is still thick with long grasses & ferns. The wash from the space-vessel's powerful engines flattens the local brush, & causes the trees at the fringe of the clearing to lean away.

Triggering the landing-struts, Hawke guides the ship to a careful landing - avoiding the few rocky outcrops which dot the clearing. A 'thud' echoes through the Columbus, the shudder passing through the crew, as the ship touches down - followed by a 'sigh' as its bulk settles onto the landing struts. Quickly various crew-members sound-off essential readings - checking the ship's status, the stability of the ground it's on, & various other proceedures. Everything appears to check out, so Hawke powers down the engines - causing the ship to settle a little lower. Finally the grav-crystal grids are cut, causing a momentary sensation of nausea as the crews' bodies adjust to the slightly different G forces now acting upon them.

TEF Columbus has successfully executed its first landing upon an alien world...

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TEF Columbus has successfully executed its first landing upon an alien world...

Shaz looks up from the surface monitoring panel and looks around, her beautiful eyes and stunning features shining with excitement.

"Well, root me, we did it! Wow, you can really feel the point nine G's too... just like in simulations!"

The young blonde looks around, smiling. ::biggrin

"Right! Last one out is..." Her cheerful voice trails away slightly and becomes more sullen: "...the poor sook who gets ordered to stay behind, I guess..." ::confused ::lookaround

With a shrug the pilot shuts her big mouth and looks to the commanding officers. ::halo

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Smithy smiles at the ships performance. Better then he thought it would be. He flips on the Engineering specific comm (so only the people in engineering will hear him...gotta love star trek terminology people).

"Aight all ya'll! Lets get to checkin' everythin' now! I wanna full status reeport ASAP! I mean yesterday people! Once your checks're done, get them engin's back up ta full paur! I want ta be able to take off at the drop of a 'coon! GET TO IT!"

He gets to checking the noetic devices on the ship, leaving everyone to check their own sections that he assigned to them (that he already told them to check over as soon as they landed).

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In the armoury Red's massive claw-like hand actually crushes & twists the metal alloy of the rail he grabs.

*right..* ::blink

Once the ship has landed Lt. Cmdr. Meyers takes taps his communicator

"Mr. Suvorov, please make your way to the Armoury, we're heading out."

He then looks at a wall screen

"Computer, ground area surrounding the ship, 20 km radius"

Meyers rubs his massive jaw as he looks at the map

"Magnify to 10 km"

...

"Magnify to a 5km radius"

...

"Alright, LT. Red, you and Soto will come out through airlock 2 and make your way to here. Make sure to scan vegetation as you head out. We wouldn't want our crew to be eaten by the tulips down there now, would we? But keep an eye out for those flying lizards as well. Make your way down to this point then start heading here and come back through airlock 1 by making your way up to here. Suvorov and I will take this route..."

Meyers points the map as he gives directions. As Suvorov arrives he quickly repeats their planned route.

"Any questions?"

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"Mr. Suvorov, please make your way to the Armoury, we're heading out."

The ensign's voice comes back. "Yes, sir."

Meyers points the map as he gives directions. As Suvorov arrives he quickly repeats their planned route.

"Any questions?"

A long tubular device slung across his back in addition to standard equipment, Suvorov shakes his head slightly in the negative. "No sir. Ready when you are."

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The engineers leap into action as, in the armoury, Meyers briefs his people. On the bridge Shaz's excited comments receive nothing more than a quick glance from the First Officer - strict though she may be, Sukuko understands & shares the thrill that all explorers feel when they encounter something new for the first time...

... A little while later the lower airlock hisses open as the hatch lowers from the underside of the vessel to form a short ramp which leads between the Columbus' landing struts. Thick mist swirls around, & the security team breathe deeply of the planet's loamy, arborian scented atmosphere. Walking in front of the others the huge form of Red is almost lost from sight as he steps from the ramp - the mists churn about as he enters them, only to settle around the large alien's knees. Following the Qin warrior, then others find the mists on the raised landing-hillock to be closer to waist height, but the water-rich atmosphere does a lot to offset the high local temperature, & their TEF uniforms prove equal to the task of maintaining their comfort.

The ground underfoot is solid enough, but soft & springy thanks to the moist grasses that cover the area. The ferns & other plants which share the hillock prove no barrier to easy movement - being neither thick enough nor tough enough to block the security team's paths.

A quick scout of the area reveals that the landing hill slopes away on all sides - fairly steep, but managable without any need for actual climbing gear. Below the landscape is a sea of trees. Through breaks in the mists the team see vine & moss covered trunks twisted into an endless variety of shapes below the almost unbroken canopy.

The sounds of life can be heard from all around - the chirping of insects for the most part, although they don't appear to favour the raised area the Columbus has landed on. From beyond the treeline the occassional damp splash can also be heard.

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As the Columbus touches down, and the crew jumps into action Capt O'Malley turns to the Commander, "Once all preparations are made, have the crew meet here."

As everyone completes thier post-landing rituals, the Captain heads into his office and takes a seat in front of the small computer monitor on the desk. He takes a moment looking through all of the data currently compiled about the planet below, while quietly thinking about what he should say to the crew.

After a few minutes, he stands up, checks his uniform to make sure everything is in order, picks up his link from the table and attaches it to his ear, affixes his minicomp to his arm, and heads back out to the bridge.

Once the crew tasks are complete and the crew gathers on the bridge, the Captain slowly gets up from his chair, stands in front of the large viewing screen at the front of the bridge, and gives a warm smile to his crew.

The Captain presents a striking combination of confidence, courage, and just the right amount of compassion. This ephemeral presence is accompanied by his powerful physical stature. At 6 feet tall, the Captain's uniform does nothing to hide the tight muscles and grace of movement that hearken back to his years as a young officer. Only his short miltary-cut hair seems to belie his age, it's naturally dark color starting to be overtaken by random shoots of gray. As the Captain simply stands, scanning the faces of each individual member of the crew, the massive form of the alien ziggurat can be seen on the large screen behind him.

(the following is also being broadcast so that the security team can hear it)

"I know everyone is anxious to get back to their duties, and get out there (he motions back to the screen), but one of the perks of being Captain is I get to give speeches, and you all have to listen ::smile . What I'm going to tell you is probably a little different than you might hear from some of the other captains in the fleet. They might tell you to do your job, remember your training, and treat this like every exercise and simulation you had back at the academy. To not get caught up in the fact that this is a new world, where no human has ever been, and just accomplish the tasks at hand.

But my advice is just a little different. For most of you, this is the first time that you will ever step foot on an alien planet. Enjoy it! Take pride in the fact that you have been chosen by humanity to be the first to touch the soil, see the flora, and walk the roads of this world. Remember that today is a historical day, that everything you do here today will be recorded for posterity, and that maybe, just maybe, the future human inhabitants of this world might study their history books and read about how the crew of the TEF Columbus first found their home.

That being said, we do have a job to do. And I have every confidence in each and every one of you that you will do your very best. You were each picked for this crew because your superiors saw something special in each and every one of you. I hope that you don't have to remember your training. Instead, I hope that everything you were taught, everything you learned has become such an integral part of your beings that it just comes naturally. I look forward to working with each of you, and I look forward to discovering the unknown together.

Now let's get to work!"

With that, the Captain steps away for the screen, heads over to the crew and shakes each and every hand, and waits for the security team to report.

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"Alright, LT. Red, you and Soto will come out through airlock 2 and make your way to here. Make sure to scan vegetation as you head out. We wouldn't want our crew to be eaten by the tulips down there now, would we? But keep an eye out for those flying lizards as well. Make your way down to this point then start heading here and come back through airlock 1 by making your way up to here. Suvorov and I will take this route..."

"Yes, sir." Dutifully, getting her minicomp at the ready, Ensign Soto quickly checks her gear, then turns to Lt. Red. "Ready, sir." Quaking inside with excitement, she tries valiantly to keep her grin to herself fighting to seem detached while they prepare to head out the airlock.

After the Captain's motivational speech, she allows one bright smile to pass her lips before it fades and the importance of securing the area forces her to keep her mind busy with the duty at hand. After exiting airlock 2, Marina takes a deep breath of 'fresh' air. "If I may, sir? Would you prefer point, or should I take it?"

Continuing upon the prescribed path, Marina stays near Lt. Red's larger form. The ensign keeps scanning the flora, careful of damaging the unknown plant-life, and listening for any approaching creatures as they begin their trek.

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After listening to the captain's speech and shaking his hand, Shaz steps over to Commander Sukuko and waits to be acknowledged.

"I have a question, Commander."

The young blonde glances over at the captain before meeting Sukuko's gaze again.

"I got the impression that you and the captain didn't quite reach a conclusion on how to distribute us pilots when we go out there. Where do you want me, ma'am?"

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During the decent, Lt. Logan takes the time to make as many pulsed scans as she can. Filtered for ground penetration, mineralogy, vegetation, UV, IR, water content, and whatever else she can do, the petite scientist sets the computer to create a 3-dimensional map (using all available data:Cartogrophy) for use on the expedition. After landing, Rhianna stands with the rest of the crew, beaming.

Going back to work, she sets the computer(Awarness/Sensor Ops.) to use the 3-D map, the ship's and the satellite's sensors, the crew beacons (from their transceivers), and a complex set of wave motion and chaos-vector algorithms to monitor for any unusual movement (This should take at least an hour of the wind blowing through leaves, waves in the water, animal migration, etc, to start to become reliable. The longer it goes, the more reliable it 'should' become).

While the computer is compiling the data, the Science Officer goes about preparing for the Away Mission, the whole time monitoring the programs progress on her mini-comp, and tweaking where necessary. Before heading out, she sets the computer to alert the on-board crew and record any aberrant data (above and beyond any other normal ships security systems that may be active).

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After all the checks are in and Smithy is satisfied with what he sees, he smiles.

"Good job, guys. Looks good. I want it to look this good when I get back...I think I was wanted on a mission or sumthin' like that. Chaw, your in charge. Masters...if your a good boy I may forget ta check inta who changed all my chips..." he taps his head. "Not that it'd take me more'na few minutes to sense it myself."

He nods at the two and takes the data pads with him to the bridge, where he listens to the entire speech (barley making it before he starts!).

After the captian is freed up, he heads over.

"Wanted to give ya tha status reeport 'fore anything really happened. Im sure ya gots the general stuff there, but I was suppost ta come here anyways. Here is tha detailed reeport on everythin'. Right now Chaw is in charge down thar. Uhhh...what team was I with ag'in?"

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As the team gets ready to leave the armory, Brian steps to a secure locker and taps quickly over a keypad. From the locker he pulls a medkit with a rifle sized holster at its side. He slings the the medkit over his shoulders then digs in the locker and pulls out a weapon unlike any other the security members have ever seen. It seems almost like someone soldered a laser rifle over a bolt thrower and tweaked the trigger system a bit so both could work from the flick of a switch. Embossed on the side are the immortal words

RAID - Kills Bugs Dead!

The LT. Cmdr. slips the rifle in its holster and nods at Ensign Suvorov's back.

"You mind telling me what you've got there ensign?"

,,
A little while later the lower airlock hisses open as the hatch lowers from the underside of the vessel to form a short ramp which leads between the Columbus' landing struts. Thick mist swirls around, & the security team breathe deeply of the planet's loamy, arborian scented atmosphere. Walking in front of the others the huge form of Red is almost lost from sight as he steps from the ramp - the mists churn about as he enters them, only to settle around the large alien's knees. Following the Qin warrior, then others find the mists on the raised landing-hillock to be closer to waist height, but the water-rich atmosphere does a lot to offset the high local temperature, & their TEF uniforms prove equal to the task of maintaining their comfort.

The ground underfoot is solid enough, but soft & springy thanks to the moist grasses that cover the area. The ferns & other plants which share the hillock prove no barrier to easy movement - being neither thick enough nor tough enough to block the security team's paths.

Meyers purses his lips as he sees the lingering mist, this wasn't on the map. He starts flicking through his helmet's visual modes with ease as he steps through the mist, a skill honed through years of crawling through chromatic infested corridors.

the following is also being broadcast so that the security team can hear it)

"I know everyone is anxious to get back to their duties, and get out there (he motions back to the screen), but one of the perks of being Captain is I get to give speeches, and you all have to listen  . What I'm going to tell you is probably a little different than you might hear from some of the other captains in the fleet. They might tell you to do your job, remember your training, and treat this like every exercise and simulation you had back at the academy. To not get caught up in the fact that this is a new world, where no human has ever been, and just accomplish the tasks at hand.

But my advice is just a little different. For most of you, this is the first time that you will ever step foot on an alien planet. Enjoy it! Take pride in the fact that you have been chosen by humanity to be the first to touch the soil, see the flora, and walk the roads of this world. Remember that today is a historical day, that everything you do here today will be recorded for posterity, and that maybe, just maybe, the future human inhabitants of this world might study their history books and read about how the crew of the TEF Columbus first found their home.

That being said, we do have a job to do. And I have every confidence in each and every one of you that you will do your very best. You were each picked for this crew because your superiors saw something special in each and every one of you. I hope that you don't have to remember your training. Instead, I hope that everything you were taught, everything you learned has become such an integral part of your beings that it just comes naturally. I look forward to working with each of you, and I look forward to discovering the unknown together.

Now let's get to work!"

"You heard the captain, team. We've got to make sure the others can enjoy their stay and do their jobs... - Meyers grins at the members - So let's do ours; remember your training and don't get caught up in the fact that this is a new world. Until proved otherwise, consider this world hostile and remember that heroes are for the vids. Out here, heroes die."

A quick scout of the area reveals that the landing hill slopes away on all sides - fairly steep, but managable without any need for actual climbing gear. Below the landscape is a sea of trees. Through breaks in the mists the team see vine & moss covered trunks twisted into an endless variety of shapes below the almost unbroken canopy.

The sounds of life can be heard from all around - the chirping of insects for the most part, although they don't appear to favour the raised area the Columbus has landed on. From beyond the treeline the occassional damp splash can also be heard.

Meyers taps his mini-comp, setting up his proximity movement detector.

"Alright, Red team, keep in contact and stick to the planned route. Let's see what the jungle has in store for us. Stay sharp."

Meyers and Suvorov follow their route and periodically make brief for more intense scans of the surrounding area.

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The LT. Cmdr. slips the rifle in its holster and nods at Ensign Suvorov's back.

"You mind telling me what you've got there ensign?"

Suvorov straightens slightly. "No sir. It is a spear of sorts. A gift from my father, and very useful." The dark-haired young ensign seems uncomfortable; worry at having non-issue gear conflicting with pride for his weapon.

Waiting a moment to see if Meyers orders him to get rid of the thing, Suvorov nods with relief as the Lt. Cmdr issues instructions.

The slight tension now gone, Suvorov moves slightly forward into the mist, then pauses; closing his eyes, he inhales deeply, absorbing the scents and feeling of this place.

Eyes sliding open, his posture changes slightly. Shoulders roll forward, relaxing from their normally rigid pose; knees follow suit, bending slightly to accomodate the terrain. He seems almost too casual as he follows Meyers into the mist, but a keen observer would note the constant attention that Suvorov gives the surroundings.

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  • 2 months later...

On the bridge the Captain's speech leaves an air of expectation & excitement. As she approaches Commander Sukuko, Shaz catches the First Officer smiling & nodding slightly in appreciation of the powerful words - although the smile quickly fades back to the woman's usual professional mask as she turns to the junior officer...

"I have a question, Commander."

Sukuko nods,

"Yes?"

"I got the impression that you and the captain didn't quite reach a conclusion on how to distribute us pilots when we go out there. Where do you want me, ma'am?"

For a moment the African officer peers at her subordinate, as if assessing her somehow, then she turns the request around,

"Do you have a preference as to which team you join?"

... for some reason Shaz feels like the question could be a test of some kind... or that could just be the way the First Officer tends to make people feel...

"Alright, Red team, keep in contact and stick to the planned route. Let's see what the jungle has in store for us. Stay sharp."

Outside the ship the security team make their patrols...

"If I may, sir? Would you prefer point, or should I take it?"

The big Qin warrior stops in his tracks to peer down at the Ensign. For a good few moments he doesn't reply, & Marina isn't quite sure if he's contemplating her question - or if she's managed to offend him in some way - or... well... she guesses his reaction could mean almost anything...

"I shall lead."

Red's answer is simple &, again, Marina finds it impossible to detect anything of his feelings from his words. Thinking about that she realises how she - & everyone else - takes it for granted in normal society that certain clues & signals will betray the feelings behind words: it's not until you have to talk with an alien that you notice those little tell-tale signs missing...

... In any case, Red leads the way, following the planned route down from the hill a little way & into the surounding jungle - just as Meyers leads Suvorov along the opposite route.

At the base of the hill the landscape proves to be a swamp - murky water (when it can be seen beneath the mists) ranging from knee to waist depth (well, except on Red... ::wink ). Slick eel-like creatures slip past the legs of the explorers, & clouds of dragonfly-like insects hover & dance across the swampy surface. In the trees creatures flit to & fro - at one point Meyers & Suvorov are even witness to a bird-like reptilian creature darting from the twisted branch of a tree to skim the mists & waters & grab one of the eel-things in it's beak-like mouth - before gliding swiftly on leathery wings to the safety of another tree to enjoy its meal.

Although sensor sweeps & observations detect a mass of life all around, none appears to be an immediate threat, & none of the larger creatures the ship's sensors detected appear to be in the area. Although the Lieutenant Commander would hardly rate the area 'secure' (at least not whilst anything remained alive & free to move around under its own steam) he realises that, if the crew are ever going to actually explore the planet at all, he'll have to give the Captain the 'all clear' (despite his battle-honed instincts telling him to keep the non-combatants locked-up in as small a room as he can find - for their own safety...).

Not long after the security team report back, the two exploration teams are geared-up & assembled in the mists beneath the ship on the small hill. Commander Sukuko wishes both teams the best of luck, & the crew turn to their team leaders to await their marching orders...

[The unassigned pilots can choose either team - unless the Captain has a better idea: I've no action planned for those left on-board the ship right now, so don't anyone choose to remain there, okay?]

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Smithy quickly checkes his things...a basic standard issue sidearm, Data-pad (basic...dont need none of them fancy ones. I can communicate back to the ship fer that 'n)., Communicator, the rest of the basics. He quickly makes his way over to his team (that im sure the commander relayed to him...right? ::wink ).

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At the base of the hill the landscape proves to be a swamp - murky water (when it can be seen beneath the mists) ranging from knee to waist depth (well, except on Red...  ). Slick eel-like creatures slip past the legs of the explorers, & clouds of dragonfly-like insects hover & dance across the swampy surface. In the trees creatures flit to & fro - at one point Meyers & Suvorov are even witness to a bird-like reptilian creature darting from the twisted branch of a tree to skim the mists & waters & grab one of the eel-things in it's beak-like mouth - before gliding swiftly on leathery wings to the safety of another tree to enjoy its meal.

After they've met up with the other team and gotten their report, Brian activates his com-link

"Lieutenant Commander Meyers to Captain O'Malley"

...

"All's clear, Captain. However, we won't be travelling through the easiest of terrains. Bottom of the hill's swamp, water waste high at some points and perhaps even higher. We've only encountered eel-like life forms in the water so far but the presence of something bigger can't be ruled out. I suggest everyone to don their helmets and seal their suits, at least while crossing the swamp. Water's murky and the mist doesn't help visibility much."

Though he doesn't say so, the implication is that if someone's dragged under, at least they won't drown to death.

Not long after the security team report back, the two exploration teams are geared-up & assembled in the mists beneath the ship on the small hill. Commander Sukuko wishes both teams the best of luck, & the crew turn to their team leaders to await their marching orders...

Meyers gives some last few instructions to the Security team members that will accompany the other team before meeting up with his own team.

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"All's clear, Captain. However, we won't be travelling through the easiest of terrains. Bottom of the hill's swamp, water waste high at some points and perhaps even higher. We've only encountered eel-like life forms in the water so far but the presence of something bigger can't be ruled out. I suggest everyone to don their helmets and seal their suits, at least while crossing the swamp. Water's murky and the mist doesn't help visibility much."

"Right, everyone, you heard the Commander. I want everyone sealed up at least until we get out of this swamp."

After sealing his own seat, and ensuring the rest of his team is prepared the CAPT turns to LCDR Meyers, "Commander, good luck, and be careful." He then turns to ENS Suvorov, "ENS lead the way. Just pick a direction and let's see what we find. Red, you bring up the rear, make sure nothing sneaks up on us. LT Logan, do your thing and see if you can sense anything interesting for us. Stay with Suvorov, and navigate. Azure, Adair, I want you two manning the sensors and checking out the local environment. Brooks, you and I will back up Red and Suvorov. Everyone, keep your eyes peeled."

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Azure, Adair, I want you two manning the sensors and checking out the local environment.

Jason nods casually. Bringing up a display on his "morpher", he gives a series of subvocal orders to his agent through his link. He programs it to concentrate on mapping the region, while keeping track of the local ecosystem.

That task completed, he looks around for the sky-blue Qin he noticed earlier.

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"Right, everyone, you heard the Commander.  I want everyone sealed up at least until we get out of this swamp."

Shaz hurries off to get suited up, checking all the gear in a rush before returning to the Captain. Even sealed up and covered all over she looks great, the tightly fitting uniform showing off every curve of her body.

After sealing his own seat, and ensuring the rest of his team is prepared the CAPT turns to LCDR Meyers, "[...] Brooks, you and I will back up Red and Suvorov.  Everyone, keep your eyes peeled."

"Sir."

The young ensign follows the Captain's directions and takes her assigned place in the line, eyes scanning the new and alien world.

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"Commander, good luck, and be careful." He then turns to ENS Suvorov, "ENS lead the way. Just pick a direction and let's see what we find. Red, you bring up the rear, make sure nothing sneaks up on us. LT Logan, do your thing and see if you can sense anything interesting for us. Stay with Suvorov, and navigate. Azure, Adair, I want you two manning the sensors and checking out the local environment. Brooks, you and I will back up Red and Suvorov. Everyone, keep your eyes peeled."

Meyers, helmet under his arm, nods in response to the captain.

"Thank you Captain, take care."

Meyers wishes everyone luck, with lingering "make me proud/don't you fvck this up" looks exchanged with Suvorov and Red, before heading towards the armory.

A few minutes later Meyers is walking towards the Bravo Team with a Voss 63K carbine in his left hand and his overturned helmet under his right arm.

"Alright ladies, huddle up!"

...

"Soto! This is for you..."

He throws the laser rifle into her hands and takes out a couple of clips from inside his helmet, holding them up for her.

"Computer, bring up a map of the area between the ship and the ziggurat structure"

His comp brings up a holo map of the area

"You all know where we're going...but see this bit here? That's aaaalllll nice, mushy, swamp. I don't want to waste all day in there, we're going to be crossing it single file. I want you all to keep at least five paces between each other.."

Meyers looks up at Hawke

"Hawke! Your files says you're quite the athlete, can you swim? I sure hope so Lieutenant, 'cause you're taking point."

"Singh! You're watching my ass. And cadet? If our sensors can't get through the structure then our communications probably won't either. Bring some relays for inside the ziggurat."

"Smith, you're behind Singh. Keep an eye on your sensors, Beckett will make sure you don't trip over."

"Got that Beckett?! I heard you've led rescue teams on Luna, that right Lieutenant? Well I name you squad Sergeant for this mission. Make sure the rear's not just birdwatching and don't **** up."

"Soto, you're rear and that rifle's for emergency use only. Don't you dare start burning holes in the first scary critter that strikes your fancy! I gave it to you only because of that hole we've spotted in the structure. Unless ordered, stick to the whump gun."

Meyers steps back

"Alright everyone, I hope you all remembered to bring your flashlights and rations 'cause we're not walking all the way back here to get them. Any questions?"

...

"All right everyone, stay sharp."

Meyers puts on his helmet and indicates Hawke to lead the way

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Right, everyone, you heard the Commander. I want everyone sealed up at least until we get out of this swamp."

Dutifully sealing his own helmet, 'Lex restrains himself from rolling his eyes. So many were frightened of the wilderness, of the unfamiliar.

After sealing his own seat, and ensuring the rest of his team is prepared the CAPT turns to LCDR Meyers, "Commander, good luck, and be careful." He then turns to ENS Suvorov, "ENS lead the way. Just pick a direction and let's see what we find. Red, you bring up the rear, make sure nothing sneaks up on us. LT Logan, do your thing and see if you can sense anything interesting for us. Stay with Suvorov, and navigate. Azure, Adair, I want you two manning the sensors and checking out the local environment. Brooks, you and I will back up Red and Suvorov. Everyone, keep your eyes peeled."

"Yes sir. If you will follow me, please." Already having memorized the surrounding landmarks, the strong-shouldered Ensign moves off towards his previous route. Walking easily, he observes his surroundings with a practiced eye; looking for any indications of dry, high ground for a better view.

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"Soto, you're rear and that rifle's for emergency use only. Don't you dare start burning holes in the first scary critter that strikes your fancy! I gave it to you only because of that hole we've spotted in the structure. Unless ordered, stick to the whump gun."

Keeping her face carefully blank, she replies promptly with, "Aye, sir."

Checking over the gun while she settles into place and starts eyeing the surrounding flora she clenches her jaw. *What do I look like? A wet behind the ears cadet? Do I LOOK like a jumpy nancy? NO. Officious jerk*

Taking up the rear, she does a quick sweep from behind before following the procession. Watching the surrounding area and the group, she keeps an eye on the crew to make sure none wander from the group while listening for disturbances in the nearby terrain.

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Meyers looks up at Hawke

"Hawke! Your files says you're quite the athlete, can you swim? I sure hope so Lieutenant, 'cause you're taking point."

Britt nods, "Aye, sir" Then turns to look over the landscape while thinking to himself.

*Wonder what I did to be the bait...*

Meyers puts on his helmet and indicates Hawke to lead the way.

With that Britt starts towards the destination at a steady pace, keeping a watchful eye out not only for the best path but any dangers lurking about.

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Alpha Team:

Ensign Suvorov heads off at a fairly brisk pace - the difficult swamp conditions seeming to do little to slow the Russian down. Only sparing an occassional glance at his minicomp the wilderness-bred security officer appears to know exactly where he wants to go.

Lieutenant Adair, meanwhile, calls up a map of the area on his minicomp. Holding his wrist out horizontally in front of him, the machine's holo-projector lights up, forming a three-dimensional topographical map of the surrounding area floating a few inches above his arm. With some additional commands seven small red dots - representing himself & his fellow team-members - blink into life on the green wire-frame background of the basic map. A few more adjustments & the minicomp confirms that it is conducting a continual, general, scan of the surrounding ecosystem. After a moment's thought Adair also tells the minicomp to add in graphical representations of any life forms of human size or larger... just in case... ::unsure As the team start to progress across the landscape details are automatically added to the basic map - adding to the overall picture provided by the crew's earlier orbital scans.

Glancing up from his work, Adair spots Lieutenant Azure off to his left, running a similar series of scans with her own minicomp - she briefly looks up & smiles at the pilot before pausing to glance down at the swamp-water which rises to knee-height. The Qin holds her minicomp close to the water, & a moment later Adair sees a holographic image of one of the local eel-like creatures appear above the blue woman's arm. Seemingly satisfied, Azure switches her minicomp back to its map-display, & continues on.

With Suvurov in the lead the team make good time - quickly reaching the ridge of higher ground between their landing site & the valley where they hoped to get close to the local humanoids. As they progress up the ridge the water-level drops off, soon leaving them wading through nothing but a thining mist, & finally walking on mist-free grasses. The trees don't thin out much, however, & loom over & around the group as they travel - vines & creepers hanging down across their path here & there, & small lizard-like reptiles scampering up twisting trunks & along branches as the team approach. The buzz & chirp of various insects adds to the breeze through the trees & the calls of far-off larger creatures to create a symphony of local nature.

Even out of the swamp there's still a great deal of moisture in the atmosphere, & condensation on helmet visors becomes something of a constant issue...

Beta Team:

In contrast to Alpha team's fairly spread-out 'exploration' formation, Lieutenant Commander Meyers' team adopts the aspect of a commando unit penetrating enemy territory - single file, spaced, tudging through the swamp... It probably doesn't help the team's mood much that whilst Alpha team are heading up onto dryer land, they are heading into deep swamps - the water level soon rises to waist, then chest, height. Local eel-things regularly brush past the team-member's legs... & after a while they do appear to be getting bigger... ::unsure Clouds of insects hovering just above the water-level make the team thankful for their sealed suits...

Like Lieutenants Adair & Azure in the other team, Lieutenant Smith tells his minicomp to map & scan the area. However, unlike those other two officers, Smitty's minicomp decides to project a brightly coloured image of a manga-style Nihonjin schoolgirl which greets him in a happy high-pitched voice (& in Nihonjin too)! The image appears to respond to his commands - but the map she 'conjures' next to her is in nice pastel shades of pink & blue, & the team members & other features of interest appear to be represented by tiny little heart or star shapes... It's just possible that someone (not mentioning any names) has been tampering with Smitty's minicomp agent... ::tongue If nothing else, the rest of the team can't help but notice the rather... unorthodox... minicomp activity...

Alpha Team:

As the team crest the long ridge, the trees thin out slightly - allowing them a spectacular view across the valley beyond - a verdant canopy stretching far away below them & disappearing in mists as it starts to rise again on the other side. Several of the winged creatures can be seen gliding above the trees &, as the team cast their eyes skyward, the now-visible rainbow arc of the planet's ring-system adds to the beauty of the scene.

Suddenly Lieutenant Adair's minicomp bleeps a soft warning - glancing down at the holo-map he sees that it has detected a life-form moving quickly up from the valley & towards the group. A few quick checks confirms the reading as one of the local humanoids - if it keeps on going the way it is it will breach the treeline & encounter the TEF team in a just few moments!

Beta Team:

The team is about half-way to the ziggurat, & chest-deep in swamp-water, when Smitty's minicomp detects a large life-form - about the size of an Earth elephant - in their path. At about the same time Lieutenant Hawke hears heavy splashing in the water up ahead, the cracking & crashing of tree limbs being damaged, & some deep-throated roars... moments later the creature smashes through the trees ahead, falling heavily into the waters in front of Hawke & causing a surging wave which momentarily knocks him, Meyers, & Singh off their feet - & is still large enough to cover the remaining team-members in swamp water!

The huge beast is (as the ship's sensors suggested from orbit) reptilian - a thick-legged quadroped with a long neck, heavy body, & thick tail. It's head is vaguely lizard-like & its jaws appear to be filled with rows of (relatively) small, razor-sharp, teeth: all in all a monster similar to what the dinosaurs of Earth's past were thought to have looked like. However, against the thing's swamp-coloured greenish-brown hide can be seen stripes of slick-looking grey... it takes a moment to register that the 'stripes' are, in fact, a second creature - a huge version of the eel-like swamp-dwellers - wrapped tightly around the 'dinosaur's' large body. The eel-thing's head has a beak-like jaw divided into three, & is clamped tightly into the larger creature's flesh just behind where its neck meets its shoulders. The pair appear to be caught in some sort of 'death roll', which is churning up the waters & rapidly getting closer to the TEF team! All around the fight other local creatures flee the scene - smaller eel-things darting off through the water, tree-dwelling lizards hopping away, & winged reptiles launching towards the sky above the canopy...

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Like Lieutenants Adair & Azure in the other team, Lieutenant Smith tells his minicomp to map & scan the area. However, unlike those other two officers, Smitty's minicomp decides to project a brightly coloured image of a manga-style Nihonjin schoolgirl which greets him in a happy high-pitched voice (& in Nihonjin too)! The image appears to respond to his commands - but the map she 'conjures' next to her is in nice pastel shades of pink & blue, & the team members & other features of interest appear to be represented by tiny little heart or star shapes... It's just possible that someone (not mentioning any names) has been tampering with Smitty's minicomp agent...  If nothing else, the rest of the team can't help but notice the rather... unorthodox... minicomp activity...

Smitty blushes furiously. "Tha hell? Who been messin' with my comp?"

He makes a few quick keystrokes in an attempt to reset the settings to what he had before. Barring that (if for some reason it *cant* be reset) he will attempt to make it speak english (even if it is in the squeeky voice).

Once it is back to normal, he puts his hand on the top of it and looks to get an impression on who all has been messing with it latley (Psychometry...I believe it covers this. If not then dont worry about it. It has been a while since I read thorough Trinity).

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Alpha Team:

As the team crest the long ridge, the trees thin out slightly - allowing them a spectacular view across the valley beyond - a verdant canopy stretching far away below them & disappearing in mists as it starts to rise again on the other side. Several of the winged creatures can be seen gliding above the trees &, as the team cast their eyes skyward, the now-visible rainbow arc of the planet's ring-system adds to the beauty of the scene.

Suddenly Lieutenant Adair's minicomp bleeps a soft warning - glancing down at the holo-map he sees that it has detected a life-form moving quickly up from the valley & towards the group. A few quick checks confirms the reading as one of the local humanoids - if it keeps on going the way it is it will breach the treeline & encounter the TEF team in a just few moments!

The moment Adair relays his reading of the incoming native, CAPT O'Malley signals the group to stop. "ENS, Red, I want you two to take up a defensive position behind me, each at opposite 45 degree angles to form a triangle with me at the top. You are to maintain high alert, but do not have your weapons readied; we don't want to provoke it. Azure, I want you behind Red, take whatever readings you can, but don't let them see your minicomp, they might misconstrue it as a weapon. Adair, take up position with Suvorov. Everyone besides Azure, hands at your sides, make no quick movements. Rhianna, you're with me, you're going to help me communicate with them. Azure, let us know when they're coming."

When Azure informs him the creature's arrival is imminent, he holds his hands down by his sides, palms open and facing the native.

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Suddenly Lieutenant Adair's minicomp bleeps a soft warning - glancing down at the holo-map he sees that it has detected a life-form moving quickly up from the valley & towards the group. A few quick checks confirms the reading as one of the local humanoids - if it keeps on going the way it is it will breach the treeline & encounter the TEF team in a just few moments!

"Oh! Hey everyone, we have a bogie. One of the humanoids, walking towards us, about n o' clock. Just a minute away, maybe two."

Jason's steady pilot's hand moves back to the holster holding his sonic gun...

"Adair, take up position with Suvorov."

As Jason steps quietly up to stand beside the large Russian, Suvorov catches the pilot mutter something almost imperceptible about micromanagement.. Receiving the order to do so, he also relaxes his gun hand, crossing back over his waist.

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"Oh! Hey everyone, we have a bogie. One of the humanoids, walking towards us, about n o' clock. Just a minute away, maybe two."

In his mind, Suvorov quickly retraces their path to the ship, considering other possible routes in case the team has to leave quickly.

"ENS, Red, I want you two to take up a defensive position behind me, each at opposite 45 degree angles to form a triangle with me at the top. You are to maintain high alert, but do not have your weapons readied; we don't want to provoke it."

Without a word, the big Ensign moves into position, his own muscular frame dwarfed by the Qin warrior only a few feet away. Already having gauged roughly where the native will appear through the trees, the experienced scout puts his attention to the rest of the area. More than likely, he suspects the newcomer will not be traveling alone.

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Amidst the action, Meyers calm demeanor has a soothing effect over the crew.

"Alright, wide berth everyone..Sergeant take the rear south, Singh, Hawke, you're with me."

As the squad splits and tries circling around the struggling beast, Meyers keeps an eye on the the huge mastodonte, pistol in hand. If they seem to be getting too close he stops, takes aim for the worm's head, and fires...

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Smitty looks around, seeing if anything else is around as he moves to make his part in the 'wide berth' formation and takes his own sonic pistol out.

He looks (and feels) quite nervous at this, he hasent been hunting in *years* and deer usually dont look like this...

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With the appearance of the local, Rhianna uses 'Dowse' to determine the the location of any other locals in the area. She then uses her Device to send the info to the ship and the minicomp of both team comanders.

Rhianna, you're with me, you're going to help me communicate with them. Azure, let us know when they're coming."

When Azure informs him the creature's arrival is imminent, he holds his hands down by his sides, palms open and facing the native.

Lt. Logan follows the Capitain's lead, setting her mini-comp to record then prepairing to translate and comunicate.
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  • 5 months later...

Alpha Team:

Quick & professional the team position & ready themselves as ordered... & just in time: a slightly built humanoid figure bursts from the treeline at a fast pace, bounding forward with a quasi-quadropedal gait, before slipping & skidding to a halt as it spots, eyes widening, Captain O-Malley in its path. Stumbling backwards the figure falls, ending up spawled on its back staring up at the environ-suited figure of the Captain.

The native has a basically humanoid form, lithe & long-limbed, but of obvious reptilian heritage. Despite its reptilian nature, the figure also sports curved which denote it as unmistakably female - roughly analogous to a human female in her late teens with a gymnast's build. Its... or rather her... skin is of smooth mottled scales, in shades of deep greens & browns, akin to that of a snake. Her feet sport a pair of powerful toes with curves claws, & a third, shorter clawed toe at the heel - she ran on these as if (if she were human) on 'tip-toes'. Her hands have two long fingers & an opposable thumb, each with curved claws, although smaller & more delicate in appearance to those on her feet.

The native's head (&, in fact, her whole body) is devoid of hair, but of roughly human proportions. She has no outer-ears as such, just small holes, and also just a small pair of holes for nostrels. Her eyes are large almond-shaped and golden, with a black verticle-slit pupil, again similar to a snake. Her mouth is of human proportions too, although a forked tongue slithers quickly in & out, tasting the air as she eyes the Captain in what could very well be terror... All in all the native's appearance is unusual, but with a certain sensual grace to it.

Reaching out with her extra-senses Rhianna quickly 'feels' more of the natives, perhaps half-a-dozen, slipping quickly through the noetic ether & moving towards the team...

Apart from the mud now caking the fallen native she's nude, her only obvious 'decoration' being several lines of coloured pigment smeared across her face & head in what could be a ritual or tribal pattern of some kind.

Beta Team:

Despite the drama of the situation, Meyers appears to have judged correctly - following his directions the team slips around the fury of the battling titans without any indication of being noticed by either of them. Team members' minicomps record some fascinating data in the encounter, but the group is soon clear of the struggle & free to continue on towards the ziggurat...

... Smitty, meanwhile, manages to reset his minicomp's agent to English, but has little luck in changing her appearance or the tone of her voice. He's pretty sure he can fix it with some extended time & effort, but can do little more on the move through an alien swamp. A brief psychic investigation confirms that Masters has been... um... 'upgrading' his operating system for him... ::wink

... After more swamp-trudging, the team finally starts to close on the alien structure. Although the ziggurat is still not in sight (due to the mass of plant life & mist which surrounds the team), minicomp mapping confirms that they are close. The swamp soon starts to take on a different character - sightings of native wildlife diminish then vanish altogether, & an eerie still silence fall like a blanket across the group...

... Finally the team parts a thicket of tangled vines to reveal a huge block of smooth black stone - they've reached the base of the structure. The stone's surface is almost glass-like, although irregularly waved, rather than totally flat. Other blocks sit tightly side-by-side with the first the team encounters, although no mortar or other binding agent is apparant. With some effort & a little climbing it's possible to haul the team members out of the swamp-water & onto the ledge created by the difference between the base layer of blocks the group discovers & the next layer of 'steps' up the pyramid-like structure.

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Smitty whistles a long single tune.

"Aien't theis nace?  So..whut do ya want me ta do fairst?"

Lt. Cmdr. Meyers puts his hands to his helmet, with a brief hissing sound, takes it off.

"Chow time, Lieutenant."

Brian sits on one of the "steps" and takes out his ration pack, pale blue gaze set on his men as he does so. A grin breaks the L.C.'s strong jawed face.

"You did well out there soldiers! Perhaps you're not just a bunch of prom queens after all..."

Meyers quickly quaffs down some glup. As the others eat, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings, he adds:

"Lt. Hawke will lead us to the hole he saw while on patrol.. Once we reach it I'll want Beckett and Smith to get the first relay working so we have communications while inside. This time I'll want us to move in two fireteams of three, same teams as when we rounded that thing in the swamp. Keep some spacing between the teams, we want to be able to help each other out of a rut if something collapses or jumps out of a hole..."

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Perfectly calm on the outside, Suvorov continues his scan of their surroundings. On the inside however, his heart beats a little faster. This is exactly what he signed up for!

Professionalism coming to the fore, he quickly quashed his building excitement, and focused on searching for any more newcomers.

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Alpha Team

Bryan watches intently as the alien enters the opening and falls to the ground. Without moving, he quietly speaks over intercom, "Rhianna, see if you can communicate with...her. Tell her we mean no harm, we are travellers here to learn about her world."

He then slowly reaches his hands up to his helmet, deliberately removes it and hands it to LT Logan. Ever so slowly he crouches down, coming to one knee, and reaches his hand out, smiling, offering to help the alien up.

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