Scouting about

Posted on 02 Mar 2022 @ 2:13pm by Sergeant Major Christopher "Chris" Kildare & Lieutenant Paul Winchester & Captain Mazal Falk & Lieutenant Alexandra Lee
Edited on on 01 Apr 2022 @ 10:16am

2,512 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: S03 Ep 04 Captive State Part 1 (Incidental)
Location: Planetside
Timeline: Current

[ON]

Mazal wasn't quite sure what to expect with the duck blind set up when she cautiously stepped out. The duck blind was built up against a hill, it's outside camouflaged like the surrounding area, part of the hill with some foliage around. Mazal felt it was as a part of a forested hill, almost like a cave? She looked at the surrounding area, noting a wildlife trail that they could use. There was some evidence that several trees had been cut, but they were old cuts. Further down from the duck blind the forest seemed to be thicker. She heard the distant song of a bird that was happily singing somewhere in the trees.

Mazal took in a deep breath of the fresh air, it was a welcome to her lungs and her nose. Glancing around and also keeping in mind that they needed to be acting normal, she also gazed about.

"Looks like this hasn't been used in a long time. I can see a sign of a path here but it is becoming overgrown." she gazed upwards to the sky above noting that the sky was a brilliant blue. "Looks like they are going to be having good weather so far. " Mazal turned to look at Chris, "So tell me about yourself, I noted that you and Mia seem to be a couple. I noted the look in both of your eyes." Mazal stated this as she carefully moved down the faint pathway.

Also inhaling the fresh air "or how I miss the fresh air, your observations seem apt here Mazal" he responded using her first name as if it was a normal thing, it was not the first time he had to do something like this, as they walked he thought her question over.

"Well I am a career Rifleman, I am also a demolitions expert, years ago when the Colonel was a mere Marine Captain I was her Watson to Holmes, you see her side hobby is to create explosives, micro or larger, so if on a mission she made a bomb and something went wrong it would be up to me to defuse it before BOOM" he expressed that last bit with his hands. "Since then I have been attached to Security on SB 51 for a time, I am not bridge trained but I am security trained. As for Lamia, haha we are engaged to be married, if you think that it is strange for a Gropo Enlisted and a Fleet Officer to get together, you would not be wrong, but life is life and we met, fell in love but only after she stopped chasing me *laughs lightly* then during our time on shore-leave I romanced her and proposed in a way she did not expect" he paused to inhale and exhale.

"I have been around Officers my whole service career, on a first-name basis with some of them, like the Colonel and to date, the only female that scares me is the Colonel, she has a dark side, and a strong sense of justice and can get quite vengeful when someone close to her gets hurt, so I pity the people who have the Fleet Captain imprisoned" he finished.

Mazal flashed a grin towards Chris. "I don't think it strange for that to happen, love doesn't care what rank or even what position you hold in life. It just happens." at the mention of Colonel Somers and Fleet Captain, her face darkened "I hope they found her, and I do know that the Colonel had a dark side. Even so, I do like her."

Behind them, there was a sound and Mazal swiftly spun around to see what it was. She relaxed when she noticed it was Winchester. "Glad you could make it." giving a slight smile, removing her hand from the knife she had.

"Well, let's just say that I have seen a side of her no one else on the Tomcat has," he said then he looked back "oh look it is the Lieutenant who is not a fan of Marines! How the devil are you Lieutenant?" Kildare asked with a tight-lipped smile.

"I'm fine, how are you, Sergeant" replied Paul looking at the Marine "Yes I am not fond of your greens, But as Serena pointed out I have to work with you," he continued looking back at the pair of Marines.

The look that came over Kildare's face was not a pleasant one, but it vanished quickly "I am good thank you" Chris responded in a steely tone.

The smile that Mazal had, slipped away it changing to a thin line. "You know something, Winchester? I seriously thought because I worked with you on your blade skills and we got along, it would get you over your attitude where the marines are concerned. Slipping back into your old habits I see. "Mazal shook her head at that, definite disappointment in her eyes. "I just don't get it, I don't. I let my guard down where you were concerned. Decided not to keep hold of my irritation at you from the first time we met. Well whatever, Winchester. You just keep on with you holding grudges and being a sour individual. I'll just do my job and the same with Chris and he'll get us back to the duckblind safely."

She glanced over to Chris giving a slight shake of her head and continued down the path, stepping lightly. oO I don't get it, I don't. Just why can't he just let it go Oo Mazal thought to herself.

Kildare shared a look with Falk and it was a resigned look "I think I will speak with the Colonel and ask if she can assign the Lieutenant here to the Rifles on a detached duty where the only thing he will do is constant PT and combat drills in full combat gear and like the soldiers of old have him put on a 10 pound in weight, pack" Kildare said to Falk and loud enough for Winchester to hear.

"Might help him to realize we are not bad people," Mazal remarked with a smirk, then continued forward.

" I didn't say you were bad Mazal, I quite liked working with you" replied Paul as he knew that he was pushing someone away that might become a friend, He continued," I would go as far to say that I'd like to do more weapons work with you,"

When the small team arrived at the more densely forested area, Mazal caught movement in a tree and stepped back for a moment, finding herself looking at a rather weird looking snake. Instead of it being the usual sort with no legs she was looking at one which was about 4 feet in length and had... small legs and it was clinging to the bark. It looked at Mazal and hissed before it crawled further up into the tree. She glanced at Chris and mouthed "what the heck?"

Unknown to her, an insect with wings flew in their direction, it was a strange-looking insectoid, with multiple eyes, and translucent wings. It even had eight legs. It hovered just above Mazal, who, hearing the faint buzzing of its wings, looked up her eyes widening. This one the size of it was about two inches in length. "What the blue blazes are that? Looks like a flying spider sort of thing," she remarked quietly.

"We'll make a note of it for science," replied Paul as he knew that things would be different here and they had to observe everything, as he looked about making sure that they were not being watched themselves, he finished "shall we move on?"

"That could be arranged, Winchester but there will be a strong condition." Mazal responded, "Put that attitude you've got with marines into an airlock and send it out to space. They're my family and who likes to have their family get pounded on, much like your sister. You can beat on your own family, "Flashing a grin, then it faded away. "but heaven help the ones who decide to join in. As I said early on, everyone on the Tomcat is one crew. We may not all get along but we've got to try. Besides, if anyone were to mess with you or anyone else for that matter that is part of the crew then, heaven help them. Our ship our crew, don't touch and don't mess with them."

Mazal ran a scan over the creatures they had seen. A little further on, she paused taking a note that the shadows were starting to lengthen and the sun was becoming lower. "I suggest that we head back, so far things look serene." Mazal avoided the word quiet.

"Agreed," replied Paul looking back at both the Marines, as Paul continued," this has been good for me to get to work with Marines and start to trust you Greens," as he had to start to trust them as he needed them to have his back, and they needed to know that he had their backs also.

With an icy tone "You Greens, Really Lieutenant!!! You have a death wish don't you?" Kildare said looking at Winchester with a steely unblinking stare, without looking away he addressed Falk "perhaps Mazal we might go back to that duck-blind we passed and hole up for the night, perhaps there might be something in there on their computers that can help us with information?" Kildare added.

Mazal nodded, "I think that is a splendid idea Chris." she did an about-face to go back to the duck blind. She also found herself face to face with Winchester. "Look, Lieutenant, you will need to adjust your speech patterns and how you word things. You've been skating on thin ice where us Marines are concerned. Just don't call us Greens, we are Marines and maybe in due time, you can be considered a little bit of a friend. Think before you speak. I know you wouldn't like myself or Chris here, to call you some degrading sort of nickname." There was a spark of fire in her eyes, flashing dangerously. "So... Sir please watch your words." Her tone going rather icy.

She then stepped around Winchester and headed back towards the duck blind. Since the path had been cleared, her pace picked up. Mazal was ready to get a cat nap before they headed off to the next part of this mission.

Kildare gave a non too pleasant smile before following Mazal back to the duck-blind "keep up Lieutenant Winchester, you do not want to get left behind" he said.

"Ok, I'm coming," replied Paul as he knew that he had not been keeping up his exercise schedule, he knew he should have but with the paperwork he had was becoming too much without an assistant chief to take half the workload. as he came up behind Chris.

When they entered the duck-blind the computers were active, so Chris went to the nearest console and pulled up data, hmm "you will be pleased to know we are in a type of clothing that will pass muster, also those insects you encountered Mazal one was an actual drone, the missing observation team encountered them. They are not Federation of that they knew, so the question is who is operating them?" Sharpe asked.

"I am glad that our clothing passed muster, but that is concerning about the drones being disguised as insects. We need to contact Lieutenant Lee and let her know. And definitely, we need to be even more mindful." Mazal stated, a furrow forming on her brow.

With a nod Kildare opened a channel to Lee, Lieutenant Lee was a Science officer who he had yet to meet before today so he did not know much about her, but he tapped his Commbadge =/\= Kildare to Lee, have some news on our scouting expedition =/\= he began,

=/\= Lee here, go ahead Sergeant Major. =/\= Lee replied.

=/\= We may not be alone Lieutenant, earlier on we encountered this planets version of a dragonfly, it was large, but it was also a construct, the tech level was too high for this planet, so I have a feeling we are not the only ones on this planet observing these people and the duck-blind we found, Federation Standard, but the computer core has been wiped of any updated data, we have no idea what happened to the observation team, the only thing remains are records of scans the team did four months ago, there was a file folder left titled Drone, now I assume it was about said Dragonfly drones like the one we encountered, but that info was also wiped, =/\= Kildare said.

=/\= What a valid point you make Chris! =/\= Lee stated. =/\= I can only imagine what level of control this planet has on its people. The one log stated that a member of the Observation team went rogue and so that must be who is using their drones now. =/\= Lee then pulled up some more of the data she had been documenting on a mini PADD she had for note-taking purposes. The mention of the dragonfly drone was there. The notes she found were that the drones were modelled on the dragonflies that were found near the outpost and thus would be able to blend in with the biological ones on the planet to help the team observe more of the environment around them.

=/\= Understood El-tee, our team has returned to the Duck-blind for the night, I suppose if we had a computer expert, they may be able to get the files back, but we do not, anyway we will return to your location in the morning =/\= Kildare said.

=/\= Great, I will let the rest of the team know the status. See you in the morning. =/\= Lee replied. =/\= We will hope to head out tomorrow to make our way in this Strange New World. So if we can't get the files ourselves, we can have it beamed to the ship and they can tinker with it. =/\=

=/\= Understood El-tee, Kildare out =/\= Chris signed off and looked at his two companions "okay, let's get some rest, Lieutenant Winchester, you mind securing the door, the last thing I want is for a sabotage dragonfly drone to get in and neutralize us please?" Kildare asked.

"Copy that," replied Paul as he walked over to the door and started to secure it, he asked, "How long are we due to be here for?" asking question as he had never been on a mission with Marines before.

Mazal looked at Winchester, "It is for as long as we are needed. All of us as the team going on different targets." She looked at Chris then the others. "Right, time for some shuteye." Mazal picked a corner where she sat down her back against a wall. Closing her eyes. Tomorrow is another day.

[OFF]

2nd Lieutenant Mazal Falk
Marine XO

Lieutenant Alexandra Lee [P: Dodd]
Archaeology/Anthropology

Sgt Maj Christopher 'Maverick' Kildare [P: Somers]
95th Rifle Demolitions

Lieutenant Jg P Winchester
Chief Security Officer

 

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