A/N Me again, slow on updating as my mind warped off to another story I'd thought of a few months back, but never made an effort to write a plot for, and as it's for April Fool's day I wanted to get it written in time, it's done and dusted now, so I can get back to typing up this one from my notes. This story is complete on paper, it's just typing with 2 fingers is a slow process to get it from there to here. I apologise for my inadequacies.
My stories always contain a catalyst, my spy, a fly on the wall so to speak, it helps me to come up with new ideas. Pardon me if this is not to your tastes. I do try not to make them the centre piece though, as the real important characters are the ones we love from the show.
Chapter 2. The Planet.
It was humid, hot and airless on the planet's surface, and within five minutes everyone was sweating profusely, even with their uniforms stripped down to basics. Marla had been assigned to work with Harry Kim, much to her relief. The very idea of teaming up with Lt. Torres had tormented her already fragile nerves all the way down to the surface. Harry was a nice young man, she did not feel intimidated or judged by him for her past.
Alyx had not been on the shuttle, but just as Neelix said, T'Brin and the rest of her team, Arlen, Rohan and Garon were indeed friendly, although she could see the tension on B'Elanna's face, as she discussed her plans for the surface scans with T'Brin. It was the same unmasked look of dislike that she gave the Equinox crew.
Marla decided to try enjoy herself and relax a bit. Although the planet was extremly hot, it was rather beautiful, with its colourful exotic plants and strange wildlife. The fruity aromas wafting around brought a hypnotic comforting peace to her tired overburdened mind.
Noah had been paired off with Ensign Samantha Wildman, Marla waved encouragement to him as they headed off in the opposite direction to Harry and herself. T'Brin remained with Lt. Torres, and had sent Garon and Arlen with Noah and Samantha. Rohan was with Harry and herself.
Harry was chatting with him, going over the area they planned to cover, and what they were actually searching for, never taking his eyes of the tricorder, that was flashing and beeping enthusiastically in its new surroundings, just as much as Harry was in explaining to Rohan, who beamed a warm smile, trying to show great interest that he did not really feel, but he liked Harry and did not want to offend him.
The planet had been one of the many that he had been on for survival training. As much as it was beautiful, it was also deceptively deadly. It was uninhabitable for anything other than the plants and indigenous wildlife, no other life forms had been detected. Food sources were abundant though, and thanks to the D.A.C. data base, the away team had a long list of edible fruits and vegetables they could collect, which was Ensign Wildman's and Noah's task.
Harry and Marla were after a Gallicite vein and Dilithium crystals. B'Elanna was setting up a coordination base, so that as each team handed over to the next, no time was lost in going over already covered ground.
Since the Doctor had as yet been unable to find an inoculation that would allow teams to be here longer than three hours, precious time could not be wasted. unfortunately environmental suits would not function in the permeating gaseous atmosphere either, so time was limited, three hours was the max anyone can stay on the planet before being asphyxiated.
For all the planets beauty, it was totally lost on B'Elanna. She was too busy muttering every klingon profanity she could muster because its atmosphere and conditions made her job difficult at ever turn. Even transportation had proved to be no easy matter. It was not a case of just beaming down to the required destination. The only way to pinpoint the exact location of the things they needed was from the planet's surface.
This place was a mass of hidden bogs, swamps and gas clusters that the ships sensors could not detect, landing in any one of them could mean instant death. Coming down in shuttles was the only option, and finding a safe suitable landing spot had to be done with the naked eye, they were literally flying blind if they relied on equipment. Short range probes were sent out to make sure that the landing zone was indeed solid, and not just a camouflaged bog that they would sink into.
As more of the planet was mapped out from the ground, they would be able to get more teams in and fan out further. The D.A.C. data base did not have a detailed topography, so it was a case of hit and miss whether they landed in a good or bad spot.
Alyx had landed on the planet before the away team, as was her way, she liked to scan the terrain without having to worry about the rest of the group and get some idea of any possible problems. She had stripped off her cumbersome body armor and the upper half of her camouflage uniform, the thin undershirt was more than enough in this heat that she could bear, it kept the stingers away at least.
From her position on the cliff top, she watched the shuttle land through her neuro optic audio device (NOAD). T'Brins voice whispered asking if everything was ok on the surface.
"Your LZ is clear Brin, nothing but the stingers to bother you."
"Ok, good. Kim and Gilmore will be going north with Rohan, join up with them. Wildman and Lessing are going south with Garon and Arlen. Out."
"Hey Ro, how's it going?" Alyx asked.
"It's not exactly a walk in the park." He chuckled.
"You're heading off course, what's up ?"
"We hit a gas cluster so going around it."
"Ok, just don't go too far north-east or you will land up in the swamp."
"What a choice, damn I hate this planet."
"You and me both Ro, over and out".
Rampaging Natives and Cranky Klingons!
Alyx watched, waited and listened, a herd of Traubareens were stomping around in the undergrowth not far below her perch on the plateau, trumpeting in alarm. She tried to see what was upsetting them so much, they were herbivores so no danger, other than stomping her to death if she got caught in a stampede. There must be predators around to unsettle them, although her scantracker showed nothing. She decided to investigate.
Climbing down from the rocks where there had been a light breeze and entering the sticky airless heat of the jungle felt suffocating, and this would get worse the longer they remained on the planet. Something in the air would slowly inhibit the red blood cells from picking up oxygen from the blood stream, making breathing more rapid to compensate, but to no avail, until the body died from O2 deprivation.
"Hey Ro, I'm checking out grid 20 by 5D, some kind of disturbance going on, keep your eyes open incase it comes your way."
"Don't go collecting any pets Alyx. Trahn was as sore as a boar with you last time and I'm sure Voyager don't allow furballs on board either."
Alyx just laughed, remembering that day in the infirmary.
"Just make sure you don't Brin added with a grin.
"What are your smirking at?" B'Elanna asked T'Brin sharply, thinking it was some private joke about her.
"Whats riled up the kranky klingon?" Alyx asked.
"My grinning unsettled her."
"I heard that, we will have words about who you call a cranky Klingon shorty.
"Gosh Brin, lower the sound of your NOAD you dork."
"If I lower it down I wont hear anything you dolt. I have a flock of screechers going berserk over my head."
"The wildlife is getting restless over here too." Alyx informed Brin.
"I think we should head back to the bucket." T'Brin advised.
B'Elanna went one step closer to a warp core breach, they had hardly been on the planet and now these jumpy kids wanted to call it a day because of some restless animals.
"I'm the senior officer in charge here, and until I see a real reason for aborting this mission we stay put. Is that clear?"
"I am the senior officer responsible for the safety of this away team and if I say we leave now then we go, even if it takes threats at gunpoint to get you moving. Is that clear ?" T'Brin replied unfazed by B'Elanna's glare.
"I seconed that." Alyx added for emphasis.
"If you so much as come anywhere near me pointing a weapon I will tear the arms off the pair of you." B'Elanna replied angrily
"The screechers are heading your way Alyx."
"Oh great, more company, stomping Traubareens, predators, a volatile klingon and now screechers, what next ?"
"I'm so going to bust your nose P'Taq."
"Not before I whup your ass K' Lingon."
"Ok, thats enough from both of you." T'Brin admonished.
"Lets pack up and ship out people."
"Alyx find your group, I can't make contact, bring them back to the shuttle A.S.A.P.
"Ok, understood, on my way, over and out."
Not much progress had been made and Harry was disappointed that they were being called back so soon, but he had enough respect for the D.A.C. team, if they said it was time to go, he was not going to argue. He could see that Rohan was agitated and constantly scanning the area for any sign of trouble.
Certainly there seemed to be an increase of animal noises coming their way, goodness knows what was upsetting them, but it sure worried Rohan by the looks of him Marla thought. His boyish grin had been replaced with an old mans frown. Then all hell broke loose, a group of fury sinew and flashing horns with teeth broke out into the clearing they were standing in, making all three flee in different directions to avoid being run over. Rohan fired his weapon trying to redirect the path of the beasts, but they were in too much of a panic to be distracted from their path.
Marla kept running til she felt the earth stop trembling underfoot and could no longer see or smell those foul creatures. Looking around, there was no sign of Harry or Rohan. She called out, but got no answer. She bit her lower lip nervously, no response from the com badge either. Not an appealing thought trudging through the jungle on her own, but she had to get back to the shuttle.
"Rohan, Report."
"We got charged by a herd, I'm with Harry, but we don't know where Marla got to, my scantrac is on the blink again thanks to this atmosphere.
"Head back to the shuttle and hurry." T'Brin ordered.
"Alyx, Report."
"Catching up with Rohan."
"Marla has gone missing, can you pick her up on your sensors ?
"Yes, I have her, she's not far, I'll get her, there is no time to reach you though, I smell a plasma storm coming, we will head for my bucket, it's closer.
-
Alyx could feel the air around her cooling rapidly and saw the sky turning from pink to orange. The metallic odour that preceded a storm, was stinging her nose and mouth. She had to find Marla and fast, not much time left before they got barbecued if still on the surface. She looked at the blip of Marla moving away from her.
"Marla can you hear me, this is Alyx?"
Marla had seen the shuttle just above the tree line, the devastating horror of having been left behind had not fully sunk in yet.
The voice from the com badge made her jump.
"This is Marla where are you?" She asked surprised.
"Listen are you safe to stay where you are ?"
"Yes there are no animals around, it's all quiet."
The calm before the storm Alyx thought.
"Ok sit tight, I will be there in 5."