The Abandoned Underground

Posted on Sat Jan 2nd, 2016 @ 4:05pm by Captain T'mpest Michaels & Commander Rylie Cattmor & Lieutenant Commander Orin ch’Valri & Ensign Kanali Paxton

1,127 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: A Civil Act
Location: Underground
Timeline: After the One-Way Elevator

ON

T'mpest went left along the parapet and into the building. This, too, had some sort of counter around three of the walls, but on the far wall was some sort of processing station. A row of lockers filled half the wall, and a row of touch screens lined the other half. Between the two was a door.

T'mpest checked a couple of the lockers, but they were empty. The touch screens were all black. So she went to the door and tried it. At first it didn't open, but with a little exertion it finally slid into the wall, revealing a corridor.

"You know." Orin said softly as he finished watching her struggle with the door. "I could have done that for you." He added a slight smirk as he stepped forward and looked down the corridor.

T'mpest inclined her head. "I am not accustomed to asking for help. It has been a long while since I had anyone to ask." One side of her mouth twitched up in humor. "If it helps, I also refrained from breaking the door, although it was a logical option if it continued to not function properly."

She looked down the corridor and then back to Orin. "If this building is a processing center, there might be information on the inhabitants here. I propose we go room by room and see what we find."

She chose to go right, so that she would continue in the same direction, and began to check doors as she came to them. After a while, the group came to a door that led to another parapet and a walkway. This one, however, not only went to the building on the left, but to the one across from them.

Kanali trailed along behind the captain, playing with her bangs nervously. "Umm... Ma'am?" she finally got up the courage to say. "Captain? Shouldn't.... I mean, I know why we came here, but the first rule of any underground exploration is to know how you can get out. And- and since we apparently can't go back the way we came... Shouldn't we- I mean, I think we should be re-prioritizing and make finding a route back to the surface our primary goal," she said, trying to put some confidence and force behind her recommendation.

Kanali was an experienced spelunker and trained geologist. She knew how to conduct and handle underground operations. And a way out was always the most important plan you could have. All the supplies you could carry and all the training in underground survival you could learn would- eventually- mean nothing if you Could. Not. Get. Out.

Having experienced much the same situation as the others had on the elevator ride down, it gave the vague impression to Cattmor that they were trespassing on property they almost least wanted to be, or at the very least there were places better and safer than where they found themselves. "I'd have to agree, captain," she said approaching the group, along with CPO Addy, both of them carrying some signal booster equipment. "According to Commander Morai on the ship, they've lost all signal from us while we're down here; some sort of unknown interference. He sent these along," she continued indicating to the equipment, "hoping they would help."

"Set them up and see if they help," T'mpest said.

"Is there anything noteworthy so far?" she asked, "Apart from the fact we seem to be trapped down here?"

"The technology appears to be more advanced down here," T'mpest replied. "I believe that we will find information as we continue our search."

T'mpest turned toward the entrance to the building and entered the darkened doorway. Rylie made a quick sideways glance to Jack Addy and then turned back to where T'mpest had gone in. "Right..." she said slowly, "And the trapped part?" She said almost inaudibly to no-one in particular, before turning to Mister Addy, "Help me get these set up, and see if they better our contact with the ship."

The building proved a futile effort. There was nothing of interest, nothing left behind. T'mpest went back to the parapet and removed her jacket, tying it to the railing so she would be able to find her way back. Even though she had her tricorder, there was always a chance that there would be some sort of technological barrier down here that could prevent it from working. She had her notebook and pencils in her pack, just in case she needed to take notes, and she took a moment to take them out and quickly sketch their location. Then she took the nearest walkway into the center of the city.

"Still no contact with Ranger, even with the signal boosters," Cattmor stated, jogging up to join T'mpest, "to say nothing about obtaining any transporter lock which I'm sure they're also going to be trying. Given the situation, do you mind if I ask if there's a plan other than... walking and tying items of clothing to railing before the commanding officer is no longer dressed for duty?"

T'mpest chuckled at the comment. "The inhabitants had to go somewhere. I intend to find out where. I firmly believe that somewhere in here is a computer with the information we need to get back to the surface or at least contact the Ranger." She smiled at Rylie. "It is only a matter of finding it."

Rylie attempted to ward off any external signal that she was absolutely, positively serious, despite her seemingly making jokes with reference to their predicament. "Forgive my ignorance then, ma'am, for situations like this; but if that's the case, should we not concentrate our efforts on localising any power source readings in the vicinity? I mean, this lighting is obviously running from somewhere. I would've thought that to be a priority as opposed to periodical undressing."

"I do not believe that we will find everything in one place. Most cities do not. But there will be one information center and that is what I wish to find," T'mpest said. "And much as I trust tricorders, I do not wish to rely entirely on technology to find my way back to the elevator in case I do not find what I am looking for."

As the captain wandered off in her chosen direction, Rylie inwardly mumbled something about breadcrumbs and sign posts that no-one would be able to pick up, before turning back towards Jack Addy to help clear up the equipment in order to keep up with T'mpest and possibly try again a little later.

____
OFF

Captain T'mpest Michaels
Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Commander Orin ch'Valri
Chief Security Officer

Commander Rylie Cattmor
Executive Officer

Ensign Kanali Paxton
Science Officer

 

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