Rescue, Part 3

Posted on Sun 27th Nov, 2022 @ 5:21am by Renato Solis
Edited on on Tue 29th Nov, 2022 @ 10:08pm

1,367 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: A Fresh Perspective
Location: Kwhopa
Timeline: MD 6, 1238

Previously ...

=*= Kree-o here, Gaspene is dissolving and leaving the silicates behind, we are not able to… We can smell it in the water, the hulls of the ship will begin to crystallize if we remain here.

And now ....

Three heavily loaded vessels took on the last survivors from the facility, holding near to a hundred each, they flew in a single file toward the cave mouth exit. Unable to scan effectively, thanks to mineral deposits and myriad other problems including the fear of other charges potentially exploding, holding a steady line of sight was as far as their sensors reached. What made for interesting defense also made for tenuous rescues.

Falling ahead and behind them, two Delphine crewman escorted them, their brains able to make sense where sensors did not. Kree-O was a specialist handling gravity wave research, Ii-a was assigned as an assistant to the Aquatic chapters of Starfleet Medicals development panel. Their echolocation was a useful tool for the shuttle sensors as well.

Amatoska was a powerful swimmer and lead the way. They had all volunteered to assist in this situation, given the perilous nature of the rescue. Amatoska was an ensign, who made no qualms about hiding ambition to command his own vessel one day.

The progress was slow going, but steady. After two long hours of spongiform maneuvering inside the planet's mantle, the comms came to life.

=*=Pasteur to rescue convoy- Reactor is going critical, Ensign Amatoska is not able to prevent it. You will experience the impact front most severely, prepare for it by assuming spots at the top of your cavern openings presently ---

He hit the panel to talk back, "Aldous Reynolds on Tigris, what is happening to Amatoska are we getting him out?"

Amatoska certainly hoped the gods of the squid were active on his behalf today. His own sensors didn't pick up his co-worker. There was no response until he said, =^=Proceed with brace maneuvering, imminent impact.

Everyone grabbed their seat or the wall, or each other, and the impact wave knocked their vessel abruptly out of sync with the others. Disruptions to their sensors turned everything black, yet again, and Tigris hit the wall of their particular cavity hard enough to break through to another cavern. Thrusters failed to compensate at the water exchange between two chambers and the scrape along the edges deformed the nacelle structure.

Everyone screamed again, talking in a fast nervous clip, especially nervous hearing the calm computer announce, =^=Shields failing, atmospheric containment at 99.4%=^=

"Tigris reporting in, we are struck and sinking, anyone there? We are swept in a current and becoming lost in the caverns!” Aldous tried but the ship was wounded and not responding to his attempts to maneuver. They were flotsam at the whim of rampaging waters.

=^=HANG ON TO YOUR HATS, BOYS! =^= Amatoska shouted, excitement breaking through his normal calm.

He'd just sighted Amatoska as Tigres broke through another cavity wall, the glimpse of the full mighty tentacles pulsing to swim ahead was majestic and deeply terrifying.

=^=WE'LL HAVE YOU OUT OF THERE BEFORE YOU CAN SAY A PRAYER!

Clicks and a squeal translated into his ear, a feminine voice with high tones and lilt told him, =^=Ii-a reporting. Ringo is online, Mccartney is damaged, but stable. We are unable to locate you! If you can you maintain position, I can follow your noise. But it is hard to know which way to go.=^=

The Delphine was tracking them! "Ii-a Please find us! I have no thrust, but I am sending audio pulses now."

=^=Got a good idea now, Tigris, try to sit still anywhere you can.

Aldous watched a drop of water bead over his head and drip onto the master console. "Doing my best. Ii-a… hurry."

=^=And ... we're good!" shouted Amatoska again, "We've still got 83% hull integrity getting that up a little higher by sealing off the ventral bowline struts with condensant metals... and ship is rising with Ii-a's lead and my push. Ii-a, grab on to the side when you see us coming by, and we'll get this little bottlenose on its way!"

Sensors began returning a feed, and Reynolds tried to scan ahead of their path, but got nothing useful. They were descending into a new cavity formed by a fusion explosion a kilometer under the surface. Afraid of the truth, but needing the confirmation, he scanned deeper, getting as good an image as he was going to get. The drop off into the new ocean of sharp debris, with poisoned and irradiated waters was moments away.

A violent lurch sent them all down, and Aldous felt the stomach-dropping moment of terror when a tentacle lay over the viewport.

"Reynolds to Amatoska, you scary bastard! How are you… I mean it's great to see you are still alive, but... what are you, this is-"

=^= CONTAIN YOUR AWE, AS I SAID BEFORE…=^= and the sound of a snort which might have been laughter for his species came from Amatoska.

Amatoska braced the Tigris in its 3rd, 5th, and 7th tentacle, the strong ones as opposed to 2 and 4, which were the fine motor control ones. The 1st and 8th were the primaries, 12 meters long and strong enough to rip metal sheets. With great power behind each motion, the giant squid pulled Tigris out of the current.

=^... STERN STUFF=^= Amatoska finished.

Aldous smiled, nodding in agreement. "I don't have a map to get us out of here …."

The rich voice of the Squidman replied, =^=Specialist Ii-a has a memory for such spaces, we play Kal-Toh frequently. She will remember the way.=^=

As if in reply, Ia-a signaled, =/\=Found you Tigris, Amatoska! You’re alive!? Everyone made it! Pasteur... Even Amatoska is here!

=^=STOP ASSUMING TO THE CONTRARY!=^= laughed Amatoska.

The cave was falling to pieces, the currents rushing and tubes refilling with water. Amatoska and Ii-a worked together, Ii-a using brainwaves to manipulate a magtool for interacting with technology. Amatoska was moving larger rocks with antigrav and tractor beams, and using his grip to push the ship a little faster. Thrusters were cleared, power rerouted and Tigris sputtered into existence no sooner than the waters rose to reclaim them. Shields and internal dampeners were back, so they had power to move.

=^=There ya go, boys. Nothing to it, as promised. Hull integrity is still above 90% and you're good to go!=^= Amatoska was back to his calm demeanor, now that he knew all was well, and his friends were also survivors of this exhausting rescue.

Reynolds felt a peculiar thrill at the predicament. This was all so perilous, but he had every faith it would work out. With such a capable crew working so hard, how would it not?

Ii-a spoke unexpectedly after a long silence, =^=Tigris, we are back to where we were but the path is blocked.=^=

Aldous had to take her at her word. It was all murky black to him. "How long can you stay under like this? Is the water toxic?"

Ii-a sounded worried, =^=I can smell it still, not as strong, but soon yes. I can breathe for another fifty hours but our way is long and uncertain.=^=

Aldous wondered aloud, "Can we punch through some areas, work our way up-"

=^=THIS WOULD COLLAPSE DEBRIS ONTO YOUR COMPROMISED HULL.=^=

=^=Volume Amatoska, please. I think we need to try, waiting here is no option.

=^="We'll make it," Amatoska asserted. =^="We have not lost yet. Keep doing everything you are already doing, and we'll make it to Pasteur!"

Lowering the volume again, Aldous surmised the UT must change it for effect. Clearly, Amatoska agreed with the other Delphine, two optimists alike, so he replied, =^=We work together, remove what you can, we blast what we can, you protect us from falling debris Mr. Stern Stuff, name of the game is we hurry. Assume Pasteur is in orbit trying to get to us eh? Straight up is fastest right?

Amatoska agreed, his colors along the portions they could see changing from red to orange in excitement, a leopard print pattern spreading rapidly. These were Amatoskas war colors, it was the equivalent to gritting teeth.

=^=Then we shall ascend!


To be concluded in Part 4

 

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