Disclaimer: All characters, names, settings etc belong to their respective copyright holders, only much of the convoluted plot and a few characters and some objects are mine.
Chapter 08 – Off-Planet Explorations, and Closer to Home problems
Report --- Research Outpost 1
Karli Thomas, researcher/archaeologist Outpost 1
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We've been here for a month…
P33-45-73, that's the code that the computers use to identify this planet…we haven't got a name for it yet.
Less than Earth type gravity, it puts a spring in your step when you wake up.
It's been a month since RSCS Firefox dropped us off.
We're all used to working in the field, geologists, biologists, archaeologists, our UNIT personnel, physics', everyone who makes up out 15 person team here.
All the planning the briefing…it doesn't prepare you for stepping foot on an alien planet, this is definitely something that needs to be addressed in the future…Culture shock…or just plain shock…We've all worked in the field before...but looking up at night and seeing…different constellations in the sky…
It's not as though we can pull out a sat-phone and ring for help.
Firefox transmatted all our equipment down, tents for all of us, prefab huts for research…the buggys and the chopper.
The chopper was our first near disaster, less than Earth normal gravity, and the air gets a bit thinner at a lower altitude than…Earth.
It's still weird thinking about Earth as…another planet, as in, we're not on…Earth.
Days are approximately 15 hours long, giving us around 10 hours of workable daylight.
The moons rise every 6th day…that's another thing that is hard to get used to…2 moons…they're smaller without the familiar 'face' of Earth's moon.
According to Firefox's scans there are two landmasses on this planet, a northern and southern landmass, we're in the middle of the southern landmass.
The weather system is a bit…odd…as if being on a planet in another system from Earth wasn't…
Every 6 days (or there abouts) we get a drastic change in the weather system, most days are around 20 degrees centigrade, our current research suggests it is connected with the moons rising.
Usually rain and some heavy electrical activity.
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Month 2…
We've got everything more or less set up and we're working to a schedule now…
All our tents are set up around the main huts which hold the labs, and other equipment.
I went out in buggy the other day…from what we can tell there are no predators…except the bugs…
The bugs seem to be a direct result of the rains…which wash them away, but any stagnant pools they seem to prosper, the rains generally keep them at bay…however we've had a couple of times where the rain hasn't been as heavy…
Tests reveal them not to be life threatening, research is being conducted into the local flora for any repellent qualities, the bug repellent we brought with us seems to be doing the job…but I've always thankful to be inside my tent away from them.
Mineral testing continues, however we have encountered several traces and others in higher quantities of strong ore which could have potential uses for construction…
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Month 3…
Hydroponics has been in operation for a month…
We've discovered several…at least not poisonous plants although we're not game enough to eat them…just yet.
Tide Monitoring station 1 continues to send back information from it's location on the coast…it took Davies and Jones 2 days to get out to the coast…
But we can now make more accurate predications of the weather patterns for Outpost 1.
We got a message from Firefox she should be coming by to drop supplies and rotate crews here…we've collected enough data to keep everyone back at North Highland and Night Wolf busy for months…
I've come to appreciate living here…on another planet…
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We were out collecting mineral samples, about a day's flight from base…
Random electrical storm, knocked us down…
We managed to bail out…some cuts and bruises…nothing broken…battered though…
The chopper's pretty banged up, we definitely can't repair it with what we've got here, and even back at base…
We're up a one of the small mountain ranges from what we can tell…
We couldn't get radio contact with base…spent the night exposed to the elements, cold…but no insects.
We tried the radio again this morning, nothing, it seems that something, some sort of naturally occurring mineral is jamming the radio.
It took us 7 days…we sheltered in a small cave during the rains…
We found them searching out from the buggy… I've never been so thankful to see that thing…
---
The Brigadier finished reading through the personal reports of the 15 people who formed the first group to form a base camp on another planet…
Karli Thomas's account of her time on P33-45-73 caught his eye, she had enthusiasm, want for exploration, her personal reports were vibrant and personal while her official reports were straight forward and easy to read.
She had stumbled into Night Wolf, one of her Professors had recommended her on a piece of work she had written based on the Mars landings…it seemed that Ms Thomas knew Clifford Jones and his wife through…some means and had had a long drinking session at some point…
"So much for the official secrets act…" The Brigadier had said…although Ms Thomas's work never explicitly mentioned the Ice Warriors, only in passing while highlighting other references…
Karli Thomas was still completing an arts degree…while majoring in archaeology…the Brigadier had authorised her inclusion in the mission…
That was one thing the psychology evaluations had stated, they couldn't just have a bunch on UNIT soldiers and old scientists who were all Doctors and Professors and elite in their chosen fields on other planets…the stress of so many…challenges to 'respected' theories…would be a challenge (or worse) to some…
That said he still denied Ms Thomas's request to stay on the planet, everyone there was being replaced with a fresh team, that team…the first team that had been off planet was being kept in quarantine aboard Firefox and to be checked out for…anything and everything.
Plus the first team was well aware that they were the first large group of people that had spend an extended period on another planet, breathing its air, drinking its water, they had accepted that they would have to return at some point and go through the large amounts of checks and tests that had been slated for them.
--/
Karli hugged herself in the coat as she stepped outside of the Northern Highland shipyard, smelling the air. They'd all been given…well they'd all been checked for everything they were all clean of any infection. Some of the insect bites that they'd all received were still slightly inflamed, but they generally cleared themselves up, supposedly it was the increased gravity that was giving some of the team problems.
Increased gravity… Karli thought to herself, it was weird feeling so heavy after their three months on 'the planet'.
She breathed in the cool air again, it was so weird, smelling the air and being able to smell all those things that she never even noticed, even up here in the freezing North…
Although considering she'd spent the last three months on a planet free of any industry…It was weird that she didn't feel at home on her planet of origin…instead wishing for her tent on another.
--/
The Brigadier had called a meeting of department heads of Night Wolf to discuss the recent…and continuing problem, so much so that MI5 had put in a request to UNIT who has forwarded it on to Night Wolf.
Birmingham – Head of Sorcery, Max Robinson – Head of the Apothecary division, Liz Gibbson – Xeno-Biology and Magical Naturalist, Katie Baker – Head Physician and Sarah Palmer – Magical utilities and strategic devices sat around the table going through the report which had been passed through various agencies.
"So Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban, never thought he was guilty…" Birmingham said after glancing over the facts.
"But the problem is more widespread than just one escaped prisoner isn't it Brigadier?" Baker asked.
The Brigadier nodded.
"According to our sources both inside the ministry and outside it, the minister…Fudge." The Brigadier said grimly. "Has authorised the use of Dementors to capture and secure Black…their effects on the surrounding infrastructure and population has already started to be visible….Birmingham…"
"The Demmentors typically patrol and guard Azkaban…"
"The prison used by the Ministry of Magic UK…" Palmer stated, Birmingham nodded.
"Yes…in the past they've been kept in line…although during Voldemort's reign he was able to lure them away from the prison, most however were kept in line by the ministry's auror squad."
"How far have they been able to penetrate into London searching for Black?" Katie Baker asked.
"Reports from MI5 and UNIT London have correlated the information, taking into account the fluctuating temperature, the unusual deaths…and other examples of Dementor activity…they've spread outwards from Diagon Alley, and are continuing outwards, a number are staying within the city boundaries…MI5 contacted us for assistance and information." The Brig glanced grimly around them. "What sort of counter measures have we got?"
"As far as restoration goes…nothing, if they've had a direct encounter with a dementor we can't do anything, they're affectively brain dead…I've got several recipes which might assist in boosting the body's immune system and to alter the bio-morphic field for certain people…it might help for those people working near them or whatever…" Max Robinson said looking up from his notes.
"Good…a lot of government offices are in the central area…we'll also get patrols out…Sarah how is the…"
"We've got several prototype jammers ready…they need testing but they should work…"
"What's their affective distance?" The Brig asked…
The jammers were affectively a device which would jam all magical activity, spells, charms, counter curses…and probably apparition and other forms of transport…probably being the operative word.
"Approximately 100 meters…and these are protypes General we have to carry it all in a troop carrier…"
The Brigadier nodded, it was going to be hard to conceal something of that size.
"Can the range be increased?"
Palmer frowned.
"Maybe, we're still at the experimental stage, also if you can plug it into a mains power supply it'll extend the range…"
"Good…prepare as many as we've got and ready them for key locations." The Brigadier noted it down.
They discussed various other problems and business before breaking away to their various divisions.
"Birmingham." The Brigadier said as Birmingham went to leave, the Brig grabbed the phone calling Andrew Scott (Non-magical and magical weapons integration) and James Renwick (weapons research) into the meeting.
"Sir…" They both said as they sat down.
"Birmingham what has the sorcery division got that we can fight these Dementors with…and what can you two do?" The Brig glanced at the two men in front of him.
"From my initial research…without directly encountering one I couldn't tell you Brigadier…" Renwick stated.
"Same for my division Brigadier, we're only just getting the designs started for an integrated weapon…one that doesn't take a room of equipment and power…" Scott trailed off.
Birmingham frowned.
"The only spell which is effective is the Patronus charm…most of my sorcery division, class 1 through to 5 should be able to produce it…effectively it's a barrier which repels the dementors…it is possible that we could construct something which works the same way…" Birmingham trailed off.
"Power supply would still be a problem." Andrew Scott stated. "Anything powerful enough to put up a shield is going to use a lot of power, we've got enough here…probably to erect something for very short periods of time…however in the field it's just not practical General…" Scott finished.
"Very well, Scott and Renwick work with Birmingham…when we have patrols out there I want something that will slow down a dementor that anyone can use." The Brig stood to leave. "Birmingham make sure any of the patrols have someone who can use the charm."
"Sir."