Chapter 10 (part 2)
Underground Tunnels
Prairie Colony, DePaul System, Sector 172-Delta
“Wow!”
M’Kohr’s voice echoed endlessly in the enormous cavern they had stepped into, the ceiling and opposite walls of which they couldn’t see with their flashlights. Deacon couldn’t agree more with the Caitian’s assessment. Securing his phaser on his hip once again, he brought his tricorder up and began active scans. The metal content in the walls was low and he was able to get accurate readings on the artificial cave. The ceiling was almost a kilometre above their heads, whilst the opposite wall was five hundred meters away. The structure was perfectly circular, and had a tunnel going off at the four compass points. They had come through the tunnel from the east; all of the others disappeared after a few metres as the sensor interfering metals became denser.
He glanced at the tricorders chronometer and noted with concern that he hadn’t heard from Shumar and Chan in almost an hour. He flipped open his communicator. “Deacon to Shumar.” The gentle fuzz of static replied. “Chan, come in.” Again no response. He frowned.
Something’s wrong, a voice in the back of his head snapped. “Deacon to Challenger.”
“Challenger, N’Qua here.”
“Lieutenant, have you heard anything from Ensign Shumar or Lieutenant Chan?” he asked, already suspecting what the answer would be.
“Negative sir. We lost sensor contact with them fifty-six minutes ago.”
“Lenelle, check the topographic scans of the tunnels they’d entered. See if the interference clears up anywhere along their projected path.”
“Standby,” she replied. He waited, the bad feeling in his gut getting worse. Something just wasn’t right. Surely they would have found a section of tunnel where they would at least get a signal through and report in their status. The tunnels had already claimed six colonists, and now they were after his people. What would he do if something had happened to Shumar and Chan? Not even out of dock for a month and he already faced the prospect of losing two officers under his command. Chan was a promising young man, with his goofy sense of humour that kept morale high in the security office. Then there was Elizabeth Shumar. The Academy valedictorian could have gone to any ship in the fleet, and had a stellar career as one of Starfleet’s finest scientists. But who had instead chosen a posting to his ship, and proved herself to be every bit as brilliant as her Academy record stated, and had asked him to come on the mission.
And he could be responsible for their deaths.
“Sir,” N’Qua’s voice was unsteady. “Our sensors show that if they’d continued on their previous heading, they should have emerged into a clear section of tunnel fifteen minutes ago.”
“Damn,” he whispered, looking at M’Kohr, and then back down the tunnel they’d come from. To N’Qua he asked, “Any chance of punch through the interference?”
“I’m sorry sir,” she said apologetically. “I’ve tried everything I can think of, but nothing’s worked. I will keep trying sir.”
“If anyone can do it lieutenant, its you,” he told her, pulling the phaser off his belt and heading back into the tunnel for where he’d last seen his two missing officers. The Caitian security officer’s heavy footfalls close behind.
“Do you want further teams dispatched?”
He thought about it for a moment but quickly decided against it. “Negative. I don’t want to risk losing anyone else down here. Maintain scans, and concentrate on getting through that interference. Standby for further orders.”
“Understood Commander. Challenger out.”
Retuning his communicator, he opened a channel to the other SAR team. “Seyra, this is Deacon.”
“What’s wrong Dee?” the Andorian asked, picking up on the slight inflictions in his voice.
“Shumar and Chan have gone missing,” he quickly outlined what N’Qua had relayed to him. “We’re heading back to begin looking for them. I want you two to continue searching these caves. Something’s not right down here, and the sooner we get some answers the better. Keep on your guard, and if you get into trouble call for beam out,” he paused as he thought over his next order. “The use of deadly force to defend yourselves is authorised.”
“Understood Commander,” she replied, her voice flat. “Watch your backs.”
“You too Seyra. Deacon out.” Closing his communicator he put it back on his belt and checking the power settings on the weapon. It was still set to heavy stun. He would keep it there for the time being, but ready to increase it in an instant. Part of him wanted to break out into a sprint down the tunnels, but with the uneven ground and jagged sides, it would be safer to move at a brisk pace as they retraced their steps.
He focused on the tunnel and tried to ignore the gnawing sense of guilt and the doubt that threatened to cloud his judgment.
***
Bridge, U.S.S. Challenger NCC-1451
In orbit of Prairie Colony, DePaul System
Everything was quiet onboard the Challenger. The crew continued to monitor the planet and the system for anything unusual, relaying reports to Commander Reynolds, or the engineering or medical teams on the surface. As all of the bridge staff were contributing something, Xahl sat in the Command Chair, feeling restless and antsy. He wanted to be doing something more than just supervising, at his post he could be monitoring sensors, running checks on the tactical systems or drilling the ordnance crew.
He could tell he wasn’t the only one either. Ensign Drake had seemed more frustrated than usual—which for the younger man was an impressive feat—but he’d asked to get down to the hanger and run checks and drills with the shuttle crews, which Xahl had agreed too. They had to ensure that the ship and her crew were ready for anything. But until either the SAR team found something, or the colony needed to be evacuated, they were left sitting quietly in orbit.
Standing, Xahl moved to the upper level of the bridge and checked in with each officer and non-com. None of them had anything to report—he knew of course that if something were to happen he’d be told immediately. Nearing the science console, Ensign Weir (who had relocated from the geology lab to the bridge, to get greater control of the ships main sensor array) looked up; a flash of worry crossed his young features, which made Xahl smile to himself.
“Anything out of the ordinary Ensign?”
“No sir,” the geologist replied. “All attempts to modify the sensors to penetrate the heavy metals in the rock strata have been unsuccessful. I’ve been trying to identify which fault line could be causing the quakes, but there are none near the colony. I’m also at a loss to explain the drain to the colonies geo-thermal energy supply. But I will keep looking sir,” he added quickly
Xahl gave him a soft smile. “It’s okay Mr Weir, I just wanted to make sure everything was alright.”
“Oh. Um, yes sir.”
Moving away from the science officer, Xahl headed for the aft consoles. N’Qua looked up as he approached. He had to admit that she was a very attractive woman, dark brown eyes, full lips, delicate features, and the leaf-shaped ridge on her forehead that identified all Napeans. They had met up a few times in the mess hall and rec room after their shifts over the last few weeks, and he’d gotten to know her quick wit and optimistic outlook. Of course he had flirted—he was a male after all—to which she’d responded, but had never taken it any further, enjoying the back and forth between them and the innuendo. Lenelle was definitely more a friend than a lover (of course he wouldn’t object to the latter should the opportunity arise), and he’d quickly found himself relaxing around her and enjoying the banter they shared.
She gave him an easy smile, tucking a rogue lock of her mousy brown hair behind her ear as he leaned against one of the small auxiliary consoles that flanked communications. “You’ll wear out the deck plating if you keep pacing like that.”
“Well they can bill me for it,” he retorted with a smile, then looked at the various monitors on her console. “Anything of interest?”
“Nothing more that before. The Commander and Ensign M’Kohr are still en route to the last known position of Chan and Shumar. I’ve gone through all the frequencies and bandwidths but nothing can punch through the metals in the rock. I even tried going through the colonies comm. array to boost our localised signal strength, but its not helping either.”
“What about Lieutenant Commander Seyra?”
She quickly looked at a display. “Both her and Doctor Aeden are coming in loud and clear. Looking at their current heading, they’re clear for several dozen meters.”
Groaning softly in frustration, he folded his arms tightly across his chest. “Anything else you could suggest we try?”
N’Qua gave him a soft smile. “I’m afraid not Xahl. We’re doing all we can, but with the situation down there we are at a loss to contribute anything further than what we’re doing now.”
“I just wish we could help out more.”
“I know,” she rested a supportive hand in his bicep. “We all feel the same way.”
He gave her a wicked grin. “Well there is one way we could pass the time, which would make the earth move and might give us better sensor resolution.”
She laughed loudly, which drew looks from the bridge crew. “Is that all you ever think about?”
“No. I do still need to eat from time to time.”
He found his spirits lifting slightly glad to have her there to pick him up when he needed it. There hadn’t been many people he would count as a real friend during his difficult life, but she was definitely at the top of that short list—despite only their short time together.
“Thanks Lenelle.”
“Anytime Xahl.”
He pushed himself off of the aft consoles and moved back to the Command Chair. If they had to wait out this situation, he would ensure that everyone knew that he was capable of handling it, and what better place to take charge than the big chair? But still, Xahl wished he could have a greater contribution to make. Maybe I should have gone into security when I had the chance. Riskier job, but at least I’d have the chance of being down there now, he mused, watching the blue and green marble beneath them.
***
Underground Tunnels
Prairie Colony, DePaul IV
Ever since the call had come in from Commander Deacon almost thirty minutes earlier, Aeden and Seyra had moved quietly. The security chief moved forward steadily, her right hand with a firm grip on the type-two phaser, resting on top of her left hand in which she held her flashlight, so as to light up any potential target. Aeden favoured the light on the strap of her pack, whilst holding her phaser and running active scans with her tricorder.
Aeden couldn’t help but think of Ensign Shumar and Lieutenant Chan, her natural telepathy made her sensitive to others, and her time as a medical practitioner gave her a great sense of empathy and compassion. She didn’t know either very well, and felt guilty about it. When they were found and returned to the ship, she would make sure that she got to know them, and more of her shipmates; including Rhelaseyra sh’Tarris.
Despite serving on the Repulse together for a year, she had had little interaction with the Andorian, but now working with the other woman; she had to admit she was impressed. Sh’Tarris moved with purpose and grace, her face set, muscles coiled and ready to react, her antennae twitching and curling.
Aeden kept a close eye on her scanner, as well as opening up her mind to her surroundings. Although telepathy was common in over ninety percent of Deltans, Aeden rarely ever found herself using her abilities since she left Delta IV. A few times here and there to help alleviate someone’s pain before medication took effect, or was unavailable. On the one time she had taken a lover during her time onboard the Ranger—her Oath of Celibacy was to protect sexual immature species, and didn’t apply to other Deltans in the fleet. There were also a couple of instances where an alien lifeform had communicated through her mental abilities. But for the rest of the time, she remained in firm control of her telepathic abilities.
Although a little rusty, she was not unskilled, but even her mind scans revealed nothing accept the disciplined mind of her companion.
Seyra stopped, and Aeden followed suit, raising her phaser. She waited as the security chief surveyed the section of tunnel, which looked like the metres of craggy-walled passage they’d come through. The Andorians antenna twitched, and her eyes narrowed briefly. Then she stuck out her tongue for a second, as if she tasted the air, which puzzled Aeden.
“What?” she asked quietly, her voice so soft she could barely hear it herself.
“Ozone,” came the simple reply. “Someone fired a very powerful weapon here.”
Aeden scrutinised the lieutenant commander, then looked down at her tricorder. She quickly adjusted it from its bio-scan to a more intensive general-purpose scan. It took a few moments for the device to sweep the tunnel, analyse the data and display the results. But when it did, she was amazed to see on the small screen the remnants of energy particles associated with high-yield disruptors. She looked back at her teammate in bewilderment.
“How…?”
The Andorian flashed her the briefest of smiles. “They’re not just for decoration,” she said, gesturing to the two sensory organs that extended from the top of her forehead.
“But the readings are barely registering. Whoever fired, did so days ago,” Aeden pointed out. Studying Seyra, she made a mental note to read up more on Andorian physiology.
“The colony’s local security force uses old EM-33’s, so it can’t be them,” said Seyra, looking up and down the tunnel. “Someone else was here, and shooting at them.”
They continued forward again, slower this time. Aeden kept her tricorder on the general scan, collecting as much data as she could on the weapon energy that still lingered, but kept her phaser at the ready. As much as she deplored violence, she understood the need for defence, and so she had always kept up her phaser marksmanship, so that should she ever need to use the weapon, she could do so effectively without delivering a fatal hit. It was one thing she had always demanded of her nurses, never to count on their blue uniforms, or the red crosses on their insignia, to keep them safe. Now as Chief Medical Officer, she would ensure that all of those under her would do the same.
A few metres further down the tunnel the tricorder chirped. Both women stopped as Aeden consulted the readings, then looked up at Seyra. “I’m getting a bio-signature.”
“How far?”
“Fifty metres further on,” she looked at the energy particle readout. “It looks like the weapons fire intensified nearer to that location.”
Seyra nodded and led the way. Aeden closed the flap on her tricorder and let it rest against her hip, gripping her phaser with both hands and following closely behind. They covered the distance quickly, and as they neared the source Aeden could see a thin haze of dust in the air. Some sections of the tunnel walls were scorched black, and chunks of rock were scattered on the floor.
Navigating around the debris, they came to a section where the roof of the tunnel was blackened, causing it to partly collapse. Seyra’s light shone over the mound of rock and dust until it came across a forearm lying in the passage, the elbow, bicep, shoulder and the rest of the body was buried. Aeden flipped open her tricorder and crouched next to the only exposed body part. Setting the device back to bio-scan she slowly took readings, as the light from Seyra’s torch illuminated the grave.
“I’m reading a Rigelian female, approximately thirty years of age. She died over ten days ago.”
“That fits with the timeline.”
Aeden nodded and looked back up at Seyra. “I’d like to beam her back to the ship for a post-mortem.” The second officer nodded in silent agreement. Aeden clipped her phaser back on her belt and took out her communicator. “Aeden to Challenger.”
“N’Qua here, go ahead doctor,” came the prompt response.
“Lieutenant, we’ve found a body from the research team that went missing. I’d like it beamed back to the ship and have Doctor T’Sala examine it.”
There was the briefest of pauses, before the comm officer replied. “Understood doctor. I’ll alert the transporter room and have sickbay standing by.”
“Thank you lieutenant,” she replied softly. She hesitated for a moment before asking, “Any word from Ensign Shumar?”
“Negative. Commander Deacon is still about thirty minutes away from where we last had sensor contact with them.”
“Understood Challenger. You may commence transport when ready. Aeden out.”
They stayed put for a few minutes. Their respectful silence was broken when they heard the familiar sound of the transporter, and they watched as the arm disappeared along with the rest of the body under the rocks, which grated and groaned quietly at the sudden loss of the Rigelian they had once buried, but remained still.
Aeden slowly rose and made her report to Deacon on the discovery of the body. He accepted the news without further comment, and asked to be kept apprised of any further discoveries. After she closed her communicator and put it back on her belt, she couldn’t help but feel for her new Commanding Officer. His first ship, his first mission, and nothing seemed to be going smoothly. She had had about the same contact with Deacon as she had Seyra back on the Repulse, but in the weeks since he’d asked her to join the crew, she had gotten to know him better, and come to discover that for all his bravado and confidence, he was an open, generous and kind-hearted man, who cared a great deal for all those who were now under his command.
“Come on, we have to get going,” Seyra said, stepping around the former burial mound.
Taking a moment to utter a silent prayer to the deceased colonist, Aeden took her phaser back in hand and followed, hoping that the tunnels would claim no more lives.
. I will try and get more on here as soon as I am able, the next chapter has a piece I'm not overly happy with so having to go back and rewrite it (whilst also trying to decide how to actually end the first installment). It will be up soon (hopefully). 
