Exit strategy pt 3

Posted on Thu Dec 29th, 2022 @ 11:04am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen

Mission: Planet of the Dinosaurs
Location: Caves

The small team split into three groups of three without words, heading in three different directions almost instantly. The first team scaled the large pile of fallen rocks and scanned the creature to ensure it was most definitely deceased before heading up and out of the cave. They could see the camp in the distance, a few kilometres away and down on the river flats. Even at this distance it looked like they had done it tough in the storm. At a quick thumbs up the second team darted back to retrieve the remaining group back in the large cavern and informed them of the way out, also bumping into the second scouting party who had failed to find an exit by following the water course. The final team used their one tricorder to pinpoint their Captain's location, and began digging.

It took some time for the 200 odd people to travel towards their final exit of the cave system, the children holding it together bravely as they walked in near total darkness until they rounded a corner and sunlight flooded the cave. They winced as the bright light caused their pupils to contract painfully. The adults shielded their eyes until they adjusted to the new ambient light. Many stopped and wanted to help search for the Captain but were ushered on. The working conditions were cramped and too many people would hinder more than help the situation.

With the majority of the group now safely outside, Aurora and Blake took point in leading them back to the campsite.

Back in the cave 10 remained, using their sole tricorder to pinpoint the Captain's location. So far her lifesigns had remained stable yet there was no movement from under the creature. The other problem was the metre or so of boulders that lay between the Bajoran and her rescuers.

"Any word from the shuttle that went back to the ship?" Gonzales asked as she and Hiff used all their brute strength to shove a large boulder to the side. "We could sure use their transporters."

"They're probably still on the ship, where it's a damn site safer than here" Hiff retorted as they paused and scanned again.

They continued to dig in silence for the next period of time, their hopes only held by the regular heartbeat on the tricorder. From what they could tell she was tucked underneath the chin of the creature, it having borne the brunt of the cave in and it's bone structure in turn preventing her from being completely squashed as well.

"You know how on Earth they said cats have nine lives? I swear she's up to ninety" someone else quipped as they made slow but methodical progress.

"Yeah well this makes ninety one" Gonzales echoed as a trickle of debris falling from the ceiling caused them all to pause. They knew that if they were heard talking about their CO like that they'd kiss their future careers on the mighty Sunfire goodbye. They also knew that the only people within hearing distance were digging

TBC