Shuttle - Reconnaissance

Posted on Mon May 5th, 2025 @ 4:02pm by Commander Jenna Ramthorne & Lieutenant Commander Bonnie "Bon-Bon" Durnell & Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen & Commander Jennifer Baldric & Lieutenant Sarah Wilson

1,354 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Masimal
Location: USS Sunfire - Shuttle
Timeline: Current

Savar sat in the co-pilots seat with Jenna in the pilot's seat. They had just finished their preflight check list and were waiting orders to launch. Bonnie, Sarah and Jennifer were seated behind them. "We are just awaiting orders to proceed." Savar told the others as an awkward silence had filled the shuttle but it was really unnecessary. They all knew what they were waiting on.

Between watching the scanners and peeking out of the window, Bonnie noticed the sky was filled with thousands of floating orb like objects, tiny balls of pollen. Each ball of mass sort of floated lite upon the air until the shuttle passed, disturbing the flight path. She didn't know yet but the 'pollen' like material was sticky and was attaching itself to the shuttle.

She wasn't a biologist, but as a historian this material reminded her of something familiar. She quickly searched the database for information about Earth's Paleozoic Era, specifically the Silurian Period when giant fungi ruled the planet, sending spores out to seed. The Earth had a specific atmosphere at the time for the rise of giant plants to emerge. Masimal wasn't right for that sort, but this was familiar.

"Sarah, is there anything we should be looking for, that is a particular interest to?" Savar asked the Sunfire doctor.

"Can you swing us down towards the main population centre on this continent? I want to get the pathogenic load of the flora and fauna, as well as see the behaviour of the people" Sarah explained, pointing to a location on the map that was densely populated.

Looking at the map and the location Sarah wanted to look closer at, Savar showed the location to Jenna. "Bring us over this location in a low-level pass if you please Jenna."

Baldric and Sarah put their heads together as the shuttle swooped low over the great population hub on the planet, poring over the data that was coming in. They were nearing 150m off the deck when several energy bolts lanced towards the shuttle, two of them. One missing but one hitting the port nacelles.

"What the hell was that?" Jenna declared as she turned the ship away from the direction of the energy bolts. "Why would they fire on us?" She asked rhetorically.

Bonnie shifted upright, "The Port nacelle took a hit, minor fluctuations in the secondary inducer. As long as we don't take any more hits I think I can bypass the damaged intake long enough..." She had already set to work as her sentence trailed off, unfinished.

"Do you require assistance Bonnie in your repair?" Savar turning from his seat, ready to help if required

"Sure, um, can you shunt the power into the starboard nacelle long enough for me to run the bypass?" It was something she could have done, but her attention would have been divided. Savar's help was welcomed to keep an electrical short at bay.

Sarah and Baldric barely blinked, other than to note that weapons has been discharged and they should probably seek a higher altitude above the reach of hand held weapons. "Here look at this...it seems they cornered an uninfected person, then something happens, infection obviously but the method of delivery could be useful to study" Sarah murmured as she pointed to a particular group of citizens on their monitor.

"Certainly Bonnie." Savar replied as he moved to complete her request and diverted power into the starboard nacelle. "You may continue Bonnie."

Bonnie backed away from her console and dove underneath quickly pulling the panel off. She set to work pulling the fried chip and replacing it with one of the spares. She then hit the corresponding chip with her light-spanner before replacing it in the circuit board and closing the panel. "Okay, please reroute power back to both nacelles." She said as she pulled herself back into her seat.

Hearing Bonnie say the repair was complete, Savar reengaged the power flow to both nacelles.

"Power stabilizing." Jenna announced. "Are we still wanting to land or do we have enough info to relay home?" She asked of Savar.

"I really need to see how this parasite is transmitted if we have any hope of breaking the cycle" Sarah admitted, realizing the danger this would put the team in. Can we get a little closer or land even? We have full enviro-suits so we should be safe enough."

"I am averse to landing. However, I understand Sarah's need from a medical perspective to get a closer look to better understand how this parasite works." He turned his head d to kook at Jenna. "Please find us a suitable landing spot away from any of the local inhabitants. Once we have landed, we will put on the enviro-suits." Savar replied.

Jenna checked her scanners for a suitable site, devoid of potential contaminated people. The fog, or whatever it was, was growing thick. "Bonnie, can you boost the sensitivity on the scanners, I can't see shit out there."

Musing as to why anyone would want to see fecal matter, Bonnie tweaked the sensors into a narrower band and overlaid a map of the surrounding area for reference. She then utilized the computer to extrapolate viable landing sites and sent the favored three of fifteen to Jenna's console. "Coming right up." She announced.

"Once you have selected an appropriate landing site, proceed to land. The quicker Sarah can obtain the samples she needs, the quicker we can return to the Sunfire and allow her to begin a detailed analysis and hopefully find an answer." Savar told Jenna.

Sarah was already suiting up and strapped her phaser to her leg, slinging the medkit with her supplies over her shoulder. "Well? Who's coming?" She asked, just a little bit excited to have such a monumental situation on their hands. To have the task of saving a planet, that wasn't something you go every day.

"One moment Sarah and we will all join you." Savar replied as he stood up and moved to put on his own envirosuit along with a phaser. "Everyone suit up, so we may join Sarah and hopefully find some answers."

This was a bad idea and Jenna could feel it, but she selected a site in the business district. It was an open area with large buildings on all sides but held a clear line of sight, despite the fog consisting of spores. She swung the shuttle around and landed it with a neat thud upon the grassy area. "I'll cover and keep the engine running just in case."

"Do... do I need to go?" Bonnie asked timidly. She could not conceive of a reason for a Computer Nerd to venture out into the danger.

Jenna was mildly amused at the idea, she address Savar, "She can stay behind with me while the three of you figure out what's going on out there. Keep the comms open and I promise not to leave you behind."

"I'm gonna hold you to that Commander" Baldric retorted in good nature as she joined those suiting up. Something in her gut told her caution was paramount, but it was also hard not to get caught up in Sarah's enthusiasm at saving these people.

"I suggest we get in, get what you need and get the hell outa here" she stood ready at the doors.

Savar listened to the banter as he suited up. "I shall hold you to that promise Jenna, as leaving us will look bad on your next performance review." he said as aw way of a joke. He nodded to Baldric, "An opinion I fully support. Commander."

When Savar turned away Jenna shrugged. She no longer cared much for performance reviews, only the opportunity to work along side her Captain and Mentor. Not much else had meaning. She slipped her helmet on and double checked her sidearm's functionality. "Good to go?" She asked, her hand on the door release.

Bonnie had finished suiting up as well, no sidearm needed, but she was at least following protocol regarding contamination. "Good to stay." She commented quietly into the open comm channel.

TBC

 

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