Lunar Investigation (Part 1)

Posted on 08/22/2020 @ 10:49pm by Master Chief Petty Officer Henri Boudreaux

Mission: S2E1: The Skunil Incident
Location: Moon Orbiting Skunil
Timeline: Day 39 at 1415

Previously

Cash looked at J.J. for a second with a very serious look on his face. Then, in a blink of an eye, he gave a huge grin with a thumbs up. He moved towards the Chief and tapped him on the shoulder. "Your with me. We are gonna have a looky lue. See what we can see. I hope you brought your security tricorder he said as they both took off."

Now

After traveling a few hundred meters in the bush, the 2 men come to a clearing. "Is there anyone around Chief?" Asked Cash? "What does your tricorder say?" He asked.

"No, Sir," Henri replied. "No life-signs other than the away team." The wind-swept surface of an L-Class moon was not an inviting place at least not to someone who had grown up in Louisiana. Inside the dome, as they were, the environment should be breathable but apparently, they were taking any chances. That was alright with Henri whose long service had included more than one mission of this nature. And he knew his job though he suspected the young Lieutenant was on a bit more shaky ground.

"Ok, good." Said Cash. "Lets circle around as much as we can. I want to I want to have a look see around as much as possible. And IF we need bio-dampeners, then who knows IF they have some technology that just might be able to detect the EM frequency of the power source. I know that everything is working fine on our end. But, who knows what they have on theirs. I don't know about you Chief. But at this stage, I think a little look from a distance just might be a good idea."

"Yes, Sir," Henri responded. The shield protected them from the winds that seemed determined to scourge this part of the moon and Henri found that a blessing. From a security standpoint, there was nothing much to report; the buildings showed signs of wear beyond what he would have expected from a new installation. If it had been him, there would have been two security officers on the team and the other would be protecting the Counselor and the First Officer just as he was there to both protect the Chief Engineer and to investigate the installation.

"Ok, let's circle the base. We can start making it a tighter circle and as we work around, we can start to get closer. What are your thoughts Chief?" He asked.

"Yes, Sir," Henri said and then followed that with, "thoughts, Sir?" He moved beside and slightly in front of the Lieutenant, as they began to make their circuit of the base. The Lieutenant was not telepathic nor was anyone on the away team which meant that some of what he thought need never be spoken aloud. And really, wasn't it better to understand what was wanted rather than just throw out any old thing.

"Yes, thought. I'm just going on basic tactics from courses I took when I was in the Academy. You are more versed in tactical training then I am. I'm asking for your opinion Chief," Said Cash.

"My training was primarily in investigative techniques, Sir," Henri said as he moved around a protruding rock. He consulted the scanner again to back up his estimation and reported, "No sign of life, no visible sign of weaponry or traps. What I notice is the visible damage. Not the kind you'd expect to see. He gestured with one hand toward a long, lateral scratch on the side of smaller building. "You'd know better being an Engineer and all, but to me, it looks like this installation's been put up and taken down a time or two. That's significant."

"I's say you are right about that Chief. It does strike me as odd now that you mention it. Lets keep going. By the time we circle around to the other side of the building, we should be within the compound. We can get a better look at the buildings as a whole. Just keep a close eye on the tricorder, if you please Chief." Said Cash.

"Yes, Sir," Henri answered and resigned himself to doing it the hard way. Privately, he was more of the type to trust the data the ship's sensors and his own tricorder were providing but the Lieutenant seemed to be the more cautious sort. He wondered what the other half of the team was doing and hoped that he and the Lieutenant would get to where they were needed before long.

The 2 men started moving, and getting closer to the buildings in an arc type pattern. Then, When they finally reached the compound, they were right close to one of the buildings. "Reading anything Chief?" Cash asked?

"No, Sir," Henri said. "Looks like they weren't expecting visitors." He shrugged lightly within his suit. "The colonists certainly didn't have the means to get up here and us being here was more command getting nervous than a planned visit ... at least that's my take on it, Sir."

"Maybe your right Chief. But either way, lets do this right so we can get what they want and go home safe. IF it's here."

"Aye, Sir, following your lead," Henri said. Right, he thought, was a term with more than one meaning. Still, Henri soldiered on because that's what you did. Trusted the officer in charge and did what you could to be the one in front if it came to that.

"We might as well do a sweep of the buildings Chief. Pick one. Lets see what we can see." Said Cash

"If its alright with you, I'll start in the larger of the two, on the far end of the connecting tunnel, Sir," Henri said. "I suspect the smaller one is a hangar that leads into the main work and living space. If I'm right, there are things to be learned there."

"Alright, let's go. We should really keep together. We don't know what is in those buildings. They may be no people or booby traps. But that doesn't mean that there is nothing dangerous." Said Cash.

"As you say, Sir," Henri said. The buildings were set up so that access was funneled from the smaller building through the connecting tunnel into the larger structure. Together they walked back toward the door that Henri had first approached. He looked the door over and followed that with a scan, the nodding to himself, tried the handle. "Sloppy," he muttered. "But I suppose that's good for us."

"Was it rigged?" Asked Cash.

"No, Sir," Henri answered with a slight shake of his head. "And that says something about them."

"Maybe. But it could also say that there is simply nothing to find. We will know for certain after we search." Said Cash.

"Yes, Sir, As you say," Henri answered. He opened the door and stepped in, going through the same procedure, to make sure that the room was safe for the officer behind him. "All good, Sir," he said as he stepped back and to the side.

Cash had his rifle at the ready as he entered the building. "the 2 men looked at the room. "Clear" Cash said signifying the first room was empty. Then, they continued.

It was, as Henri suspected, a hangar bay with a work bench off to one side though nothing much in the way of tools. What parts there were, were tossed on the floor in a haphazard pile. There space was large enough to house a shuttle, he thought, but only the one. Questions rose in his mind though he shunted them off to the side for now. Instead, he followed the Lieutenant across the open space to a second door on the opposing wall. He did the same procedure as before with basically the same results. "No traps. Not locked, Sir."

"After you Chief." He said as he took a position to enter second.

Henri entered the tunnel. Several suits hung on either side of the tunnel with boots set beneath on a half-rusted boot rack. The tunnel extended maybe twenty feet in length to a second door. Once there, Henri repeated the same series of steps. "No traps, no locks, Sir," he said.

"Shall we see where this leads to Chief?" Cash asked.

"Yes, Sir," Henri said.

"Alright, I'll go first. I want you to about 15 meters behind me. IF there is something, and the tricorder missed it, I don't want it to get us both." Said Cash.

"Aye, Sir," Henri responded.

Cash started to move down the tunnel. phaser rifle at the ready. He was proceeding slow enough that he could see just about everything. every few steps....look left to right, right to left, down to up, then up to down. Like it was a ritual. then the steps were taken slowly...carefully. "Anything of note on the tricorder?" He asked

"No, Sir," Henri replied. "Not a thing."

"That is a good thing. Lets continue." Said Cash "Looks like we are about halfway now."

"Yes, Sir, Halfway," Henri said.

Cash continued on as he had. And within several minutes, Cash reached the end of the tunnel. Only to find another door. Cash waited for the Chief to come do his thing. "Your up Chief" He said.

As before, Henri checked and scanned the door. "No traps and its unlocked, Sir," he said.

Cash opened the door and took point going through and moving to the left.

Henri followed his lead as he moved to the right.

"Clear" Said Cash after looking and seeing nothing. "Wanna take point Chief?" He asked.

"There's no one here, Sir," Henri said. "Scans back that up." He gestured toward the empty common room, circular in nature, with fitted smaller modules, most open to view, on the outside of the ring. Everything he could see from their current position was rudimentary in nature. Bare essentials. Everything showing signs of wear. Never intended to be permanent, he thought as his gaze swept the room.

"Well, isn't this just neat." Said Cash. "I wonder where the other team is, and how they are making out?" He asked. "Do you see anything that just might be a control panel?" He asked.

The circular main room had modules attached at regular intervals with the left side of the room being equipment and the right being for personnel. All of the entrances were open giving at least a partial view in the interior of each. From where he stood, on the right, he could see some sort of a kitchen, bunks, and a private bedroom. On the left, were two stations, only one of which looked to be powered up, and what appeared to be an emptied arms locker.

While the Lieutenant moved toward the control panels, Henri checked out the right side -- mess hall with a rudimentary kitchen, communal living space with bunks, and a private bedroom/office. It was there that he decided to start, his reasoning being that those in charge the universe over tended to hold their secrets close. The room was sparsely furnished with a simple bed, emptied chest at the foot, and a desk with one chair. Nothing personal at all, not a mug or a bottle of something. Having used the hiding spot himself as a boy and found more than a little contraband on ships in the same location, Henri scanned the bed and then lifted one end of the mattress. A PADD, not of Federation design, had been touched in underneath on the same end as the pillow. And a grimy one it is too. Interesting. he thought as he retrieved the PADD. Room's been emptied all except for that communications device and this. Maybe they didn't care about the PADD but that? That screams just touch me and see. So, best leave that for the Lieutenant.

Nodding to himself, he moved into the crew quarters, where there were bunks enough for ten individuals. Stacked like cord wood they are, he thought. This just screams temporary. All of it well used and scratched up. I'd bet anything they've set this up before. A way to watch the colonists in safety and plan their move. But who are you ...

A Post By:

Lieutenant JG Alexander Cash
(Acting) Chief Engineer
USS Crazy Horse

and

MCPO Henri Boudreaux
Investigations Officer, Security
USS Crazy Horse