Away Team One: pay it no mine

Posted on Wed Sep 30th, 2020 @ 3:43pm by Lieutenant Commander William Rogers & Lieutenant Commander Calvin Morgan

Mission: Into The Delta Triangle
Location: Kessik IV - closed mine shaft

The lift had been dropped to the bottom of the shaft when the mine disaster happened forcing a long climb down into the depths of this section of Kessik IV's mining operation. Large fissures ran along the walls of the tunnels. "Not an encouraging sign." Buck mused as they walked.

“Certainly not a happy site,” Calvin replied, glancing down at his tricorder from time to time. “Atmospheric conditions are staying outside of IDLH conditions for the moment, though I guess that isn’t guaranteed to continue.” Calvin added the last part, recognizing his little knowledge in mining operations. They continued to walk. Calvin following Rogers as they worked around crumbled rock and equipment, in and out of powered areas with light. “Any idea how deep we have to go?”

"Not much further." Buck crouched slightly as he traversed under a fallen tunnel support. "Ought to be just up here..." He paused and sighed. "Behind that heavy duty door which isn't on the maps."

“Now why wouldn’t they put it on the maps?” Calvin walked up to the door, looking for an opening mechanism.

There's a handle mounted on the left door post. When activated there was a heavy clunk and the door attempted to raise but shuddered after raising a few inches. When released the door thumbed back down kicking up a small puff of dust.

"Hiding treasure." Buck replied. "Looks like the mechanism still works. See anything to brace it with?"

“Yeah,” Calvin replied after a moment of looking around. He began collecting a pile of rocks and other debris nearby. Building a small cradle of debris that felt solid the two activated the door again, sliding the debris under. After three maneuvers repeating the process the door was high enough to comfortably squeeze underneath. “After you,” Calvin gestured.

Buck laughed as he crossed the threshold, "I could've lifted that."

The room beyond was a sight of devastation. It was, or perhaps more accurately had once been, some sort of small scale refinery. The rear of the station was entirely gone, opening onto a vast spherical void. Equipment lay tossed around and broken as though violently thrown to the opposite side of the room from the cavern.

“So... what exactly are we looking at?” Calvin asked tricorder in hand. “Have to say it’s been a while I’ve studied interstellar mining operations.”

"The sensor rig we set up picked up weak life-signs down here. If they're still alive under all that maybe they can tell us."

Tapping away on his tricorder, setting it to audibly alert on proximity to certain readings, he closed and placed it in its belt holster. "Well we ain't gonna find them standing here." He started the trek deeper into the cavern, working slowly over the rubble and debris that littered the area.

As they walked Buck made stopped to inspect some of the equipment. He hauled a bank of metal coils and reaction chambers upright. "Kinda looks like mini versions of the refinery stuff on Kessik III."

Calvin mumbled something to himself, either preoccupied or not impressed by the information. The cavern settled once or twice, ominous noises echoing through the area.

As they approached a pile of rubble that was part large cylindrical containers, ceiling panels and fallen rocks Calvin's tricorder chimed.

"Well I'll be," Calvin said, changing direction towards a pile. "Got something," He said over his shoulder. Holstering the tricorder and leaning down, he began to move the debris out of the way, waiting for Buck to help with the larger pieces.

Buck jogged over from where he'd been looking out into the void under the mountain and set his enhanced strength to the task of moving the wreckage.

Pulling his tricorder out to inspect the exposed Klingon, Calvin piped up again, "Unconscious if you couldn't already tell, some internal damage, vitals seem stable for the moment. What's a Klingon doing down here?"

"They really are hard to kill." The helmsman remarked giving the alien an appraising glance. "Can you wake him up? He can tell us himself."

“Possibly,” Calvin stated, opening his med kit and pulling a hypo spray. After mumbling to himself a bit to calculate doses, he injected the Klingon in the neck.

Awake once more the Klingon looked around with narrow eyes. "Who are you?" He growled. "What are you doing here?"

“Well, I’m Calvin, that’s Buck. To be honest, not 100% sure why I’m down here right now,” Calvin said with a grin. “More importantly, who are you?”

"I am Juruss of the House of Antaak." Juruss sat up slightly, eyes fixed on Rogers. "I know you." He muttered.

Buck shook his head. "Only know two Klingons and they're both.." He pointed towards the surface with a finger.

Calvin cocked his head slightly, curious to the Klingon and his statement.

Juruss got to his feet slowly. "I provided security. They were trying to refine their own dilithium. Didn't work."

Packing up his med kit and equipment, Calvin took a step back, straightening himself out, ready to get out of the mine.

"You can tell us all about it when we get topside." Buck suggested.

"I've no intention of going anywhere with you." Juruss growled as he moved to put distance between himself and the other two humanoids. "I know what you are. I shan't suffer augments to live!"

There was a knife in the Klingon's hand, where it came from Buck couldn't say. Juruss feinted a strike at the doctor and Buck took the bait. He realised his mistake too late to avoid the blow entirely; enhanced reflexes turned a killing strike aimed at his neck into a less lethal one that jammed the blade into his shoulder.

Adrenaline flooded his system in response to the injury. He captured Juruss's arm with one hand and delivered a blow to his sternum with his other putting all his enhanced strength behind it.

The pair fought for a while before Buck eventually won out; slamming Juruss's head into the semi-closed door they'd entered the room through and robbing the Klingon of consciousness.

“You know, if you’re just going to knock them unconscious, there’s no reason for me to hypospray them,” Calvin stated straightening himself out. He checked the Klingon, “Still alive. I think we’ll keep him unconscious this time.” He replaced his tricorder back into its holster and grabbed one arm of the Klingon. “Shall we get out of here?”

Buck nodded his agreement and hooked the Klingon's other arm over his shoulder. He grinned. "Next time this happens I'll let you try and talk them down."